Dinosaurs at Ghost Ranch

Sofia was so excited to go to Ghost Ranch to see the dinosaur museum and to see a real Coelophysis (SEE-Low-FY-sis) fossils! Two of her dinosaur books talk about the dinosaur and specifically about Ghost Ranch as well as one documentary. The museum was very small but interesting and we had a woman who told us about the fossil work taking place there and let us all look through a microscope at a set of teeth which was part of a huge slab of dinosaur fossils that were all mixed together. It was really interesting.

Sofia loved it! She walked around reading everything, pointing out what she already knew and loved the whole experience. It was very interesting and we had the whole place to ourselves. Olivia loved the set of stairs and spent the entire time walking up and down them, usually with my hat on. It was well worth it and great to see what she's read so much about!

On our way to the Visitor's Center

Chimney Rock!

Taking a short break in the shade

Uncle Steve, Aunt Shirl and the girls

Checking out a dinosaur she's never even heard of before!

Wearing a hat over her eyes and going down stairs. What could go wrong?

Sweet girl!

The Coelophysis is in the background

Looking through the microscope!

It was very interesting.

Effigia, which was thought to be a Coelophysis but found to be different. It was named after "Ghost" for Ghost Ranch where it was discovered.

Aunt Shirl and me

El Farolito

We left Ghost Ranch and headed to a "hole in the wall" as Aunt and Uncle put it. We drove back toward Santa Fe but after 20 minutes turned off onto a road and drove for another 20 minutes. Just as we were leaving Ghost Ranch, it started raining in the distance and we were able to get some amazing photos of the bluffs with rain clouds. As we drove toward this little restaurant, El Farolito, we started driving into the rain and it rained hard!

We finally made it to a little tiny town which seemed to be mostly closed up and abandoned and there stood the smallest little restaurant ever. We went inside and I couldn't imagine the place filling up or how it even stayed in business. Olivia was so tired that she just couldn't sit still so she wandered around and I took her outside a few times (standing in the overhang out of the rain).

Two men came in who sat across from us and told us they were in the middle of a bike race which started in Canada and ended on the Southern New Mexico border. They averaged about 100 miles a day and looked like they needed a good meal and a brake.

Our food came and it was delicious! The girls both got quesadillas and Olivia devoured hers while Sofia just picked at hers (she still wasn't very hungry from being sick). I think it was one of the best quesadillas I've ever had! We enjoyed our meal and before we knew it, the place was full. I later asked and they have been open for 30 years and have been written up in a number of travel magazines etc. CK paid for dinner and also paid for the two biker's meals without telling them! I love it and would love to have seen their reaction once they found out! We loaded into the car and headed back to Santa Fe with it raining hard for nearly the entire drive. The perfect end to a very fun day!

Rain over Ghost Ranch

Rain gathering

El Farolito

The bikers

One of the two shops in "town" which was closed and for sale

Another shop, also closed.

Inside the restaurant!

The girls

Happy 4th of July!

We celebrated the 4th of July much as we have the past few years. We met over at Aunt and Uncle's at 8am and headed up to the Plaza to get in the long line for pancakes. Once there, we found our "usual" spot on the grass and set up the folding chairs and stroller in a circle while Uncle Steve and CK got into line. Surprisingly, it moved pretty quickly and before we knew it we had hot delicious pancakes in our hands. They were a little dough, as they have been in years past, but good and enjoyable. On the stage a band played John Philip Sousa music and the whole Plaza area was over-run with families, old hippies, somewhat down-on-their-luck guys, visitors and obvious locals. It's quite the scene at the Plaza, especially on the 4th. After pancakes, Uncle Steve took Sofia to find the "balloon guy" who makes balloon animals that Sofia loves. They were gone a long time but never found him. Then at some point CK and Uncle Steve walked through the car show at the far end of the Plaza while Aunt Shirl and I stayed in our chairs and watched Sofia and Olivia play with a group of girls on the grass. They had a great time and before too long Sofia was giving Olivia "horse" rides - one of Olivia's favorite things. Eventually, Aunt Shirl and I got hungry again and went to get a fajita from one of the little stands and returned to find Olivia fast asleep in Uncle Steve's arms! I couldn't believe it! I think I can count on one hand how many times Olivia has fallen asleep in my arms in her life! She slept peacefully for maybe 30 minutes, stretch and was awake. The perfect cat nap. Olivia loved going to the pavilion and stage and watching/listening to the patriotic music and kept wanting to go back after we returned to our little patch of grass. Finally after being there for several hours, we headed back to our respective casitas.

Uncle Steve wanted to make a strawberry and blueberry pie while everyone in our casita slept. CK and Sofia slept in our room, I actually slept for two hours on the couch and Olivia slept in her pack-n-play for two hours! It felt great to get that much sleep and I felt like a new person! Knowing we'd be up late to watch fireworks, it was perfect that the kids - especially Olivia - got a solid nap.

We headed over to the casita around 5pm and Uncle Steve grilled chicken and Aunt Shirl had a green salad and potato salad ready which were all delicious. Of course, we then followed it up with that amazing strawberry and blueberry pie and vanilla ice cream! YUM! Before we knew it, we were heading off to watch the fireworks. They were set to go off in a new location so we sort of were guessing as to where to park so that we had a good view but could also make a good escape once they were over. We found our spot and set up the folding chairs and waited until 9pm when they were scheduled to start....finally when it was almost 10pm we folded up our chairs. Many others decided to leave just before we did, so we figured it wasn't going to happen or we had bad information or something. As we packed the car, Sofia started saying "Oh that one's pretty" and "Oh, look at that green one." We turned around and there they were! We walked back to our original spot and watched the display. Sofia LOVED it and Olivia watched but gave no obvious feeling one way or the other. It wasn't the best display we've seen but it was good and we were so glad we didn't leave 5 minutes earlier! Once they were done we got in the car and headed to our casitas and bed. We were all tired out after such a long and very fun 4th!

Heading to the Plaza...Sofia is sitting on the chairs that are resting on the back of the bike. She loved it.

Olivia in her cute dress (Aunt and Uncle gave it to her for her 1st birthday)

Uncle and CK in line for pancakes

Breakfast is served!

Olivia and her "fountain of hair"

Aunt Shirl and Sofia

The four of us

CK - love this picture of him!

Cuddling with Mommy

Trying on her cowboy hat...

....and her sunglasses

Sofia and her sunglasses

Napping on Uncle Steve's lap

The girls and their Plaza friends - we actually ran into them at the fireworks too!

Olivia and me

Horsey rides!

Heading back to the casita

Sofia on the back and loving it!

Uncle Steve and the girls

The delicious pie!

Olivia in her 4th of July top made by Mimi. It's so cute on her!

Our sweet girls!

4th of July BBQ

Olivia and the kitty - she LOVED playing and dancing with it.

Waiting for it to get dark and for fireworks....

The sunset

Olivia and her very first 4th of July fireworks! She showed little emotion....

Off to Santa Fe

This morning we headed to Santa Fe for the 4th of July weekend, which we've done now for the past three years. It's generally an easy and uneventful trip but this year it wasn't quite so smooth. Sofia had a slight fever and complained of a sore throat on Tuesday, so she hung around in her pjs and watched several dinosaur documentaries throughout the day but really didn't complain too much about how she felt. By Wednesday morning, as we're packed and ready to set off for Santa Fe she was burning up, complained about how bad her throat and ears hurt and didn't even want to walk. So, CK took her to her pediatrician who diagnosed strep throat and gave her a shot instead of antibiotics, which ultimately really jump started her recovery. Once they returned we headed to the airport. Since Sofia didn't want to eat anything I gave her an orange dreamsicle so she'd have something on her stomach and gave Olivia a frozen yogurt stick so she wouldn't cry at the injustice of not getting anything. Both girls were happy and we loaded our things into the Baron and struck off toward Santa Fe. We expected to make it there without stopping in about 2 hours 45 minutes. However, about 20 minutes into the flight, and very unexpectedly, Olivia threw up and it all went right onto Sofia's head since she was laying down on my lap! It was horrifying and Sofia was understandable upset and kept saying "That was not me. That was Livie!" The smell was terrible and thankfully I had a full container of wipes to try and clean up. I stripped the shirts off of all three of us (Olivia was relatively unscathed) and gave Sofia my sweater while I climbed into the back and grabbed a new shirt from my bag. The smell is still pretty terrible as we flew toward Plainview, Texas and the hope of giving Sofia a shower....only an hour away! Sofia read and held a baby wipe up to her nose to cut the smell. Poor thing. Olivia, on the other hand, fell asleep and slept the entire way to Plainview.

Once in Plainview, we found a garden hose behind the building and I stripped Sofia down and washed her hair. Unfortunately it was rather cool and windy for Plainview so it was a quick clean-up job. She dressed and we headed back into the Baron and on to Santa Fe. Luckily both girls fell asleep and slept the rest of the flight.

We arrived at Santa Fe and headed to the casita where Aunt and Uncle were picking up one of our favorites of Santa Fe: Bumblebee Cafe burritos! It was great to finally be in Santa Fe and see Aunt and Uncle and the weather couldn't be more pleasant and perfect. After eating, we took a walk down to the arroyo where we all picked up round rocks that Aunt Shirl wanted to add to their courtyard. The arroyo actually had a little bit of water in it - the first we've seen in our trips to Santa Fe. We returned and unpacked and got settled into our casita before going over to Aunt and Uncle's and relaxing and catching up.

We dinner we drove up to the Plaza and went to La Fonda Hotel where we ate while enjoying one of Aunt and Uncle's favorite local country singers. Soon, Uncle Steve and Sofia were hitting the dance floor and Olivia and CK were joining them. The girls couldn't get enough and they wanted to dance without stopping between songs! If CK didn't take the hint of Olivia pulling on his hand, pointing at the dance floor and saying "more, more" then she would just run out there on her own! It was great fun and the girls loved it. It sure was a great way to get into Santa Fe! We headed back and put two tired girls to bed.

A very serious cowgirl! Olivia in Uncle Steve's cowboy boots

Now for the cowboy hat...

Looking for rocks in the the arroyo

CK and his girl

Sofia loves the arroyo

She loves hanging out with Uncle Steve and spent most of the weekend following him around or sitting in his lap

Walking to La Fonda

Dancing!

Sofia and Uncle Steve