Quick Trip to Carlsbad Caverns

Monday, July 31 –

Trying to get a quick trip in before the summer ended, we decided to visit Carlsbad Caverns over in New Mexico. We arrived in the town of Carlsbad before noon (since we gained an hour on the way). We walked around the “river walk” where the city has really made a nice area around the Pecos river that runs through the city.

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There’s a long walking bridge that goes across the river over to a large “castle” park. We were so wishing we had all the grand kids with us.

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We rented a room in White City at the Rodeway Inn and the kids really enjoyed playing in the water park that was on site and included in the room price. In fact, they pretty much had it to themselves. The sun had come out and it was a good time for a quick swim before exploring the cave.

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yeah, that’s right, we’re country people…

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Now that they were cooled off, we drove to the Carlsbad Caverns Visitors Center.

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Here’s the entrance to the cave. It’s really impressive when you see it for the first time, or for the fifth time for that matter.

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The view from inside looking up. It takes a while to walk down the bottom and then go through the entire great room, but it’s well worth it.

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That night we drove into Carlsbad to eat supper. A bad thunderstorm hit while we were at a Mexican Food place. The lights went out during our meal and were apparently out all over town. We had to finish up in the dark. Sadly, the restaurant had no candles for the tables, and when it came time to pay our bill, the staff had no idea how to do anything by hand. They were all in a panic wondering how to get along without their computers and cash registers. Our little waitress finally brought us a hand written ticket and tried to convince us that our total was 126.57 for 4 dinners. When Nathan laughed and told her that that was impossible, she said “But I added it up twice!” Good grief. Is our society that helpless now? It was funny and scary all at the same time. (Here’s a picture I took of it. You can see the first total marked out.)

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Baby Shower for Courtney in Midland

Sunday, July 9 –

We got up early and traveled to Midland in order to attend a baby shower for Courtney that the Fairmont Park church of Christ was giving her for her expected baby boy in September. After the shower we got to visit with both our Midland grand babies and then attend church with them on Sunday night before returning home.

The first thing we did was meet for lunch at Cracker Barrel.

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Then it was on to the shower for the girls. The Fairmont ladies really outdid themselves with a darling outdoorsy hunting theme for the decor.

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Courtney got so many cute and useful things at the shower.

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Afterwards, we went back to Cim and Courtney’s and played with the grand babies again.

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Cim gave us a demonstration of lifting using his homemade atlas stone.

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The evening brought another fine sermon from Laredo at Fairmont Park church of Christ. It also gave us a little more time to spoil Callahan and Bella.

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Carolina’s 14th Birthday

Monday, July 3 –

Can my baby actually be 14? Who sped up the world while I wasn’t looking?

Carolina and Stockton cute looking up

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She reads her own books now and is quite fond of music.

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She and big sister, Aspen, have gotten really close.

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Her birthday meal was her favorite turkey hotdogs with pasta, cheese and veggie and a new kind of cake, Mocha Chocolate, with chocolate goat’s milk ice cream.

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Happy Birthday, Carolina!

Here’s a video that Atlanta sent Carolina on her special day.

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