Quick trip to New Mexico!

We took a quick trip down to Albuquerque, New Mexico for the holiday weekend...left on Friday morning about 9 AM, and came home Sunday evening about 7 PM. I said it was a quick trip! The typically 6 hour drive took us about 7.5 hours each way, with stops for the boys...all in all, they did really, really well!

Reily loved his crown from Burger King...we stopped at the one in Trinidad both ways so he could play in the play area there!We also confirmed that Isaac HATES being in his carseat. He was an angel as long as he was being held or sleeping...and he slept most of the time we were driving. But when he wasn't sleeping, he was screaming...he would be perfectly fine, and as soon as we put him in the carseat, he would immediately start crying...poor baby!

Our hotel was right near Old Town, on Route 66...it was very simple, but clean, so I was happy! It was also cheap, so Hans was happy! It also had a pool, so the boys were happy! Here they are about to go swimming...I didn't take any pictures of us actually swimming, but one of my favorite memories of the trip was Reily putting his feet in the hot tub and saying "hot" and trying to blow on the water to cool it off...so cute! An Old-West-Stare-Down...

Reily decided he now loves hats...funny, since he hated them as a baby!

We went to the Albuquerque Zoo/Aquarium/Botanical Gardens that was two blocks from our hotel...and I've decided it's an awesome place for kids, and you have to go there if you ever get to Albuquerque and you're traveling with children! You get admission to all of the attractions for $12 (the kids are free if they're under 3), and we spent all day there! Reily loved looking at the animals...

Sitting in a big New Mexican throne in the zoo...

Running around the huge vegetables in the children's garden in the Botanic Gardens...

Riding the train that connects all of the attractions...free with admission! :)

Feeding the lorikeets...Riding the camels! (Reily had a blast...but I think Hans had even more fun!!)

SO FUN!

Watching the seals and barking along with them!!

Playing in the huge play area in the zoo...Isaac was a little overwhelmed, so he just hung out in the stroller. Reily had the time of his life!!

Sliding down the slides...

Playing in the fountain...

By the time we left the zoo, the boys both crashed...so Hans and I went to the aquarium while they slept...

Look at those teeth! Reily would have loved it...but he slept right through it!

At the Butterfly Pavilion in the Botanic Gardens...

Hans and Reily in the "desert" exhibit...

Once the boys woke up, we went into Old Town Albuquerque, and got to see a Hispanic wedding in the main square...and throw pennies in a fountain!

Reily found a big bear, and just loved it...

That night we had green chile pizza from a place our friend from church recommended...and it was awesome!!

Isaac kept eyeing it...

And kept fussing until we let him suck on the crust! He cried when I took it away from him...that was our major clue that he's ready for solid foods! (Pictures to come...)

On the way home on Sunday, we stopped in Santa Fe, where they were having a celebration and art exhibit in the main square to celebrate the 400th birthday of the town. We saw some amazing southwestern artwork, and met an author of a children's books who signed the book to Reily and Isaac...

And we ate more delicious food...(I should mention that of the 6 meals we ate on this trip, 5 of them involved green chile...we just didn't get pictures of everything. Did I mention we both LOVE green chile??)

Isaac enjoyed himself too!

All in all, it was a fantastic trip, and so nice to have an inexpensive getaway to relax and enjoy some family time! We'll definitely be going back again...