Arizona Sonora Desert Museum, our last day here.

This has been such an educational trip for us all. In Santa Fe we visited the Folk Art Museum. The 7 hour drive to Santa Fe was worth it, just for that museum. I was like a kid in a candy store in there. Of course, there was much more than just the Folk Art Museum to love about Santa Fe, but wow. I can't wait to go to that museum again.

In Tucson we went to the Botanical Gardens, and today, the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum. Both were sensational. The Desert Museum (for short) was also home to all kinds of native animals: mountain lion, Mexican wolves, owls, gila monster, rattle snakes, humming birds and more. I can't wait to return to Tucson again as well.

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Hanging out, and taking it easy

in Tucson

Visiting Tucson

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The view from our hotel in Tucson.

At the University of Arizona, where I attended one semester in college.

University Blvd. It was crazy seeing it and the school again, 11 years later.

The rest are of the Botanical Gardens, where the girls and I spent most of the day, while Andy attended the PubWest conference.

Zoe's dance class performance =)

Zoe is on the far left, grey hoodie, light pick cap.

Also, you may notice, she was the youngest in her class.

Proud mama =)

first snow of the season

We had snow today, and it wasn't even coat weather a few days ago -that's the Front Range for you. Totally erratic, totally unpredictable. Our first winter here, it snowed every 4 days. Then last winter it snowed maybe 3 times total where we live, and it was really warm. We're hoping this winter will be like our first :-)

I'm so excited I found Ashley these matching snow pants (with bib) and coat on Ebay, used, for 25 dollars. They're in great shape, and might even fit again next year. Zoe is still wearing a hand-me-down snow pants, and not too happy about it, but she got to get new snow boots, because she outgrew her last pair. I found her coat on clearance years ago, and it was pretty big at first, but she's grown into it. If it still fits again next year, that will be 4 years she's used it!

They spent the day outside for the most part, with our neighbor, Abi, who is 9. Only when they got hungry did they come inside. Abi was a big fan of my chicken meatloaf, a real boost to my confidence, since neither of mine like meatloaf. We also had salad with GF toast, cut finely like croutons, salami, goat cheese, hemp seeds and I made some honey mustard vinaigrette. The salad was a hit all around. ...Why am I blogging about food here, and not on The Spunky Coconut? LOL

Amen, brother!

Dancing Zoe

to a Talking Heads record and...

to a Madonna record :-)