Albuquerque, New Mexico

I loved our drive across New Mexico.  I hadn't been there since I was a senior in High School and I placed my foot on the corner at Four Corners while on an orchestra trip.  And just as a heads up....every state picture looks similar to this.  Ornery teenager and happy twelve year old.  

The colors of the rocks were beautiful and I got emotional as I saw all the trains going by us both directions. I had never really thought about trains or the railroad system.  It seems funny to say since I have so many people in my family that have or do work for the railroad system.  I envisioned my grandpa working out there for years on the railroads.  I tried to imagine my uncle as the engineer driving across the country and another uncle being the traffic controller.  I felt a sense of pride knowing that they were part of such a neat thing.

I've seen trains before, I've crossed railroad tracks a jillion times, but it wasn't until I saw so many going both ways that I thought back about how instrumental they were at making our country great!  The immigrants that wanted to go west, the crops, the goods, the catalogue orders, everything.  It was a very patriotic feeling seeing them go by.  

We stopped in a little town to make our Pb &Js for lunch at a park.  It was a desolate area and a park we were laughing at.  But, the kids loved it there and asked for more and more pictures. 

While traveling, the kids enjoyed either their naps or the New Mexico rain.  It was hilarious.

We found the Albuquerque, New Mexico temple and got our picture there.  Before jumping out of the car, the kids pointed excitedly to some groundhogs and asked, "What are those!?"  

We went to dinner at El Charritos as recommended by a neighbor that is from there.  The kids enjoyed their sopapillas.

When we arrived at our hotel that night, the kids loved the smell of it and literally sniffed the carpet all the way to our room.  It was hilarious.  The kids enjoyed our suite, the indoor pool and every single boy went with D to work out in the work out room after swimming.  They thought it was amazing.

Next stop.  Amarillo, Texas.