Santa Fe Trip

On the 27th we headed out for Santa Fe (Cerrillos actually) about an 8 hour drive from our house to see JP's Aunt and Uncle. We love going to their house and this was our first winter trip; our last visit was over Labor Day in 2007. They have a lot of land and open space with great views of the city and surrounding mountains. The day started out around 34 degrees at our house and we hit our low of 17 when we stopped in Flagstaff around 9:30. The temperature warmed a bit throughout the day but not much! A big storm had just blown through Northern Arizona and New Mexico the day before so we expected some poor road conditions but the drive was great and the scenery pretty in most places. This is just outside of Gallup:Here are the kids enjoying the drive . . . Brother is enjoying his Leapster not sleeping (Thank You Popsie & M'Lynn!).It was in the 20's when we arrived that afternoon but the wind chill was about 14!

The Little Guy loves helping out with the "chores" like taking the scraps out for the coyotes (I so miss him calling them "eye-co-tees"), feeding the cows and birds, and even raising the flag. Here he and Uncle Boyd are coming back from dropping off some scraps, and he and Aunt Susan are giving the cows their "treats". He wouldn't get much closer.Uncle Boyd is showing him the finer points of snow shoveling! And here is the Little Guy's favorite part of going to Boyd and Susan's although the John Deere did not come out of the shed this trip.
We had him so decked out in new snow pants and mittens and three layers of shirts and coats that I think he could have played outside all day!His first snow angelAnd his Eddie Murphy impersonation!

Pickle enjoyed this wide ledge that afforded her a view of the snow and the new cows! That ledge was freezing but she loved to climb up there each morning and "walk" right off on to the bed laughing the whole time.She also got to go outside briefly on our first day when it was still so bitterly cold.
How cute is that hat?

There are many more pictures to share and we did do more than just play in the snow. JP's Dad and his wife as well as Granddad came to visit and we ate a lot and celebrated a belated Christmas. Susan always feeds us so well and so much!