All Native SK-8 Jam

We headed to the All Nations Skate Jam at Los Altos today.

We thought we'd check out the skaters on this Gathering of Nations weekend.

Bam brought his skateboard..... 

"Better to be prepared"

Super Fun Family Event.....

There were mostly native skaters at this skating competition...making it an AWESOME extension for the youth stemming from the Gathering of Nations Powwow.

There were so many super-experienced skaters competing at this event.

The female skaters were AWESOME!

(....the guys were too) 

I enjoy bringing my kids to safe, family-friendly skating events like the 

All Nations Skate Jam

(Most events aren't like this one!!)

Plant a new truffula. Treat it well....

For our 300th blog, Cookie and Sweetheart share
 some of their favorite Dr. Seuss quotes from
Oh, the Places You'll Go, The Lorax and Cat in the Hat.

I speak for the trees.
I speak for the trees for the trees have no tongues.
--The Lorax--

You're off to Great Places!
Today is your day!
Your mountain is waiting,
So...get on your way!
--Oh, the Places You'll Go!--

Look at me!
Look at me!
Look at me NOW!
It is fun to have fun
But you have to know how
--The Cat in the Hat--

And will you succeed?
Yes! You will, indeed!
--Oh, the Places You'll Go!--

Congratulations!
Today is your day.
You're off to Great Places!
You're off and away!
--Oh the Places You'll Go!--

You have brains in your head.
You have feet in your shoes.
You can steer yourself any direction you choose.
You're on your own.
And you know what yo know.
And YOU are the one who'll decide where to go.
--Oh, the Places You'll Go!--

It's a GREAT day so click on one of the past blog post below to continue the adventures.

Thank you for following our blog.....

Shhhh----our dog is a secret agent

You remember these guys right??

This is Sir Kyle (Bichon Frise) and Lady Cholula (Xoloitzcuintli) our doggies.

Today we're spending this Spring Break Sunday playing out in the backyard with these guys.

RELAXING.....

Lady Cholula enjoying her daily sunbath while Sir Kyle takes a break from playing fetch
with the kids--Notice that he's winking at me--

I'm not sure what kind of code it could be----BUT JUST IN CASE.

**wink wink**

extra, extra

Happy Leap Day......

Remember when you said, "If only I had another day...."

Your wish has been granted.

Today is the extra day to play catch up or do as you please.

spend it well.......

Everyday is a gift and being given an extra day is especially extra nice.

♥♥♥♥

enjoy nature

It's another beautiful day in New Mexico.

A beautiful sky filled with dreams and aspirations for all

Take the time to look up today and take it in

Today is not just another day

Today is a gift for you

Sunshine delivering warmth and love through the cottonwoods

turning off the heater and opening the van window........

Is it January or July???

Today is such a nice, WARM day.

Only in New Mexico can you get away with wearing a light sweater on a winter day.
Now if only.........

"Follow that truck, Mommy!!"

what to do???

Today is the last day of winter vacation, tomorrow school resumes.

It's a beautiful sunny day with perfect 68º temperatures.

Great time to break out the sidewalk chalk and get creative.

There is nothing like staying home and nurturing our creative souls.

Boxing Day on the ranch

We're hitting the road this Boxing Day.

We've decided to visit Nana and Cheii in Vanderwagen, NM.

We left our NON-SNOW region of NM to the pleasant SNOW covered grounds of the four-corners.

Breathe taking......

The children were thrilled with the first sightings of SNOW against the Red Rocks as we entered Gallup.

When we arrived at Cheii and Nana's house there was more SNOW!

Cheii said they had significantly more SNOW earlier this week.

We were glad to play in any amount of it!

hear the snow crunch......

The kids had a great time sledding

Princess Fifi and Nana's lil' dog, Skippy John Jones, both
enjoying a ride on the sled

 snow bright, snow sprite, first snow I see tonight......

It was very refreshing to get outside with the kids in the snow on a beautiful winter day.

Cheii enjoyed pulling the kids around on the sled.

Nana and I enjoyed catching up on our conversations.

Is that a bear out of hybernation???
No.....
that's just Blacky

We enjoyed our Boxing Day on the ranch.

Best wishes at your celebration for "Father Christmas," from all of us!

Les feuilles mortes.......

The leaves are quickly changing color from the little nip in the air.
The new colors on the trees give us happy eyes and smiley faces.
The transformation is beautiful.
(now take a deep cleansing breath......Aaahhh)

Delightful

hot air in the cool skies

The balloon fiesta doesn't start until tomorrow but there are plenty of balloons in the sky today.

Beautiful balloon filled turquoise skies

There is nothing like the crisp morning air on your cheeks and the whiff of green chile roasting in the breeze while hundreds of balloons are adrift overhead. 

play date with the pros......

Sweetheart's fun filled day!
Sweetheart is on a field trip to the Coleman Tennis Tournament at the Tanoan Country Club where today is 'kids are everywhere' day. Every year Tanoan Country Club hosts the professional women's tennis tournament. As part of the event, schools are invited to attend. Sweethearts class is one of the few who were able to attend today.
They learned some basic tennis lessons.
They got to play a tennis game.
Then they watched a tennis match between the tennis pros.

What an inspiring, fun and exciting field trip to be on. The school bus took them to Tanoan Country Club with the children wearing their most comfortable clothes and shoes while toting water bottles, backpack, sack lunch and tennis rackets. What a sight to see them out of the classroom with sunblock slathered across their little faces.

If you don’t practice you don’t deserve to win - Andre Agassi

trees and acorns on a school day

Sandia Mountain Learning

Today Fifi is on a school field trip to the Cibola National Forest in the Sandia Mountains.

What a lucky girl to be able to have class in the fresh air and open skies.

She is with her honors science class. I had to miss the opportunity to chaperone because the van is making some strange sounds.

Any how, she is on a PBL (Problem Based Learning) ecological monitoring field trip.

They are examining and studying the trees; measuring in kilometer, the height and distance of the trees on average and in comparison. Then they factor in the annual rainfalls. They also add to the equation the annual forest fires and their affect on the ecology and growth of the vegetation and wildlife habitat. 

They hiked and identified leaves of various species of trees along an open path.
They drew pictures of the area in an eagle or birds eye perspective as if they were high above the tree tops. Then they had lunch in the picnic area of the reserve.

Fifi was excited because it is a rare opportunity for field trips in middle school. It's not like it was when they were in elementary; where they go on field trips often. Although this isn't the first time Princess Fifi has gone to this ecological reserve site. She's been on a similar field trip with her Science class in the 5th grade to the same area Although she says the field trip today was much more interesting and fact filled compared to then. At any rate she gained skill, acquired knowledge and comprehension of the environment and came home with a smile and a pocket full of acorns.

"I did all this while you were watching t.v."

Today, Fifi, Sweetheart, Cookie and I are headed to Camp Oro Quay in Sandia Park, NM to pick up Bam.

He is attending a religious retreat at Camp Oro Quay this weekend. Bam is working on achieving his Confirmation sacrament.
Going on a retreat is one of the requirements needed to fulfill his obligations for Confirmation.

The drive to Sandia Park was a beautiful short 40 minute drive past Cedar Crest and Paa-Ko on the Turquoise Trail almost to Golden, East of the Sandia Mountains.

 If only you could smell the fresh pine, cedar and piñon trees.............

The air is fresh and filled with the aroma of the fresh pine and sage. Our eyes and ears were treated to the sights of rabbits hopping along the roadside and birds singing their most heartfelt whistles.

We arrived to Camp Oro Quay a little late for Sunday Mass but we had the chance to enjoy our "cowboy" themed luncheon with Bam and the other families of Confirmation students.

Sweetheart's cowgirl shadow

Long Luncheon Line

For lunch we had tacos, delicious home-made salsa, cowboy beans, spanish rice, a beautiful garden salad, pink lemonade and for dessert; fresh-from-the-oven chocolate chip cookies.

Afterwards, the Confirmation students, treated us to some skit performances they put together.

Bam enjoyed his weekend camping retreat with his Confirmation friends.

Plus Bam absolutely loves the outdoors. He was enthusiastic to show me the grounds, the activities and the animals.

---------------------------------------------

As we drove back through Cedar Crest, we decided to stop by Tinker Town Museum.

Tinker Town is this little, off the road, quirky, curio and wood carving museum.

There's always dozens of hummingbirds to greet you on the porch

This place is one of our favorite destinations when we go through the Sandia Peak area.
We always look forward to visiting the place of imaginative, artistic and creative hobby works.

The contents of the museum was built by Ross Ward as part of a traveling exhibit.

The carved dioramas are intricately detailed and push button animated. I recall seeing a sign that said, "We did all this while you were watching t.v.!" 

My children enjoy pushing the button of the various themed showcase dioramas. Also featured in the museum is a vast quantity of collectible items from past traveling circus and vaudeville era items, antiques and dolls from around the world. Featuring a couple of coin operated one man band and a vintage fortune teller machines.

Esmerelda said, "I foresee great thing for you and those around you."

The museum was featured on Antiques Roadshow, Good Morning America and is listed as one of the top ten small museums in American by Fox News, Huffington Post and Trip Advisor. For just a small admission price of $3 adult and $1 children you are treated to an awesome variety of Americana, American talent, and antiques all playfully and creatively displayed.

It took Ross Ward over 40 years to carve, collect, and lovingly construct what is now Tinkertown Museum. His miniature wood-carved figures were first part of a traveling exhibit, driven to county fairs and carnivals in the 1960s and ’70s. Today over 50,000 glass bottles form rambling walls that surround a 22-room museum. Wagon wheels, old fashioned store fronts, and wacky western memorabilia make Tinkertown’s exterior as much as a museum as the wonders within.

Inside, the magic of animation takes over. The inhabitants of a raucous little western town animate to hilarious life. Under the big top, diminutive circus performers challenge tigers and defy gravity while the Fat Lady fans herself and a polar bear teeters and totters.

Throughout, eccentric collections of Americana (wedding cake couples, antique tools, bullet pencils and much, much more) fill Tinkertown’s winding hallways. Otto the one-man-band and Esmerelda, the Fortune Teller, need only a quarter to play a tune or predict your future. Through a doorway and across a ramp waits a big-sized surprise: a 35′ antique wooden sailboat that braved a 10 year voyage around the world.

Ever a work in progress, Tinkertown is ready to inspire your imagination and awaken your creative spirit. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Wishing you a great sunny Sunday with tons of creativity and imagination..............

is it fair??

Bam is headed for Camp Oro Quay for a youth retreat today.

The early morning camp bus was full of sleeping bags, overnight totes, pillows and yawning kids

We'll join Bam on Sunday at Camp Oro Quay in Sandia Park, NM.
After Sunday Mass, we're invited to a "cowboy" themed family luncheon at the camp.
 We look forward to the drive, the meal and reuniting with Bam.

---------------------------------

Meanwhile, Princess, Sweetheart and I are going to Cookie's jump rope perform at the NM State Fair today.

Can you spot Cookie?? (hint: front-center-right)

The jump rope team performed under the big top pavilion at the center of the fair grounds. The performance started just as the rain began to pour down; resulting in an extremely large amount of spectators.

Cookie on far right with the orange sneakers

The show was well received by all those who enjoyed seeing the talents of the young local NM jump rope team. Taking pictures of fast moving Cookie and the other jump ropers is proven futile.
I can't seem to get many decent shots without extreme blurriness.
Plus trying to edit in vlog format is just too frustrating right now.
To see Cookie's jump roping show live is amazing; something photos just can't translate.
-------------------------------------
After the show ended the girls and I decided to just enjoy the rest of what the fair had to offer.
We enjoyed the various local art exhibits again. Sweetheart was eager to show the girls some of the art she saw when she was on her class field trip.
Then we went to the floral, horticulture exhibit. The girls enjoy looking at the plants, flowers and award winning arrangements.

NM State Fair Fora and Fauna 

The slide shows photos were all shot by Sweetheart, Princess and Cookie as fair favorites.

We headed to the NM School Arts and Craft Building to see if their schools had submitted any art.

Fair School Arts and Crafts Exhibit 

After all the walking (jumping) in and out of exhibit halls and art galleries we decided to head to 'Indian Village' for a super delicious, satisfying lunch of Navajo Taco and ice cold lemonade.

"Mmmmm........Mommy, this is so good."

"Auntie Honey--Auntie Leprechaun--Auntie Shalo,
this bite is for you."

"So tasty, it's almost as good as Nana's..........."

NM State Fair Indian Village 2011

There is nothing like listening to traditional Native American music outdoors with a belly full of traditional food that makes your soul feel whole again............Aaahhhh
------------------------------
Afterward we went to the dairy barn agriculture and ranching area for some time with the livestock.
The children always enjoy seeing all the hard work and pride many 4-H students their age put into raising their animals all year long just for the fair.

Expo NM Livestock 

Plus they enjoyed the live demonstration of the dairy cows and goats getting milked.
Also the live demo of the sheep getting sheered with the wool being spun into balls of yarn while some women knit it into sweaters and scarves.
The "from the farm to your table" hands on activity is always a favorite. The ranchers, farmers and demonstrators politely and patiently answered all the questions my girls had.
We also enjoyed the sounds and smells from the Hispano villa, the lights of the midway and the roars of the lionesses from the live lion show. But we ran out of memory storage space on the camera.
What a great Mother--Daughters Day!! 

educational fun

Field trip day to the New Mexico State Fair for Sweetheart's class.

The children, the teacher and eight parent chaperones, walked down to the city bus stop to board public transit to the fairgrounds. It was an educational trip through the fine arts photo gallery, Hispanic art center, and the Native American arts gallery.
There was an wide array of beautiful, award winning art, jewelry, sculptures, pottery and furniture throughout the galleries--we were not permitted to take photos in any of the art buildings.

So then, we headed to the New Mexico agriculture, food, and forestry exhibits.

Splashy local rainbow trout and catfish

Ewww..........baby rattlesnake

Award winning HOT, HOT chile

"Non of your beeswax" said the kids.

Midday, the class took a break for lunch in the courtyard.

Sweetheart decided to take the time to rewrite her observations sheet with more details between bites of yogurt and rice.

 "I just remembered something else I must include on my observation sheet"

After a satisfying lunch we watched the performance of the young chinese acrobats.

The stack of chairs was very wobbly in the light NM breeze

Chinese diabolo aka chinese yo-yo performance

I guess there is more than one way to light a candelabra

The fire twirler is fast with his dagger ablaze

 After the show we headed to the junior livestock barn.

Up close with the chicken

Awwww.... this donkey is named Eeyore 

Goats are cute but really smelly

"Sooie........ pig pig!"

Rams have dignity to not be overwhelm with children

It was a perfectly beautiful day for a field trip to the
New Mexico State Fair.

The ABQ police said, "Come back soon"