This is the question Scott and I got many times plus a weird look when we told people that we were going for 6 days and 5 nights to El Paso. To many it might seem weird that we wanted to spend our vacation in a place surrounded with rocks and cactus's, but in all honesty we COULDN'T wait!!! We were all so excited to get on the plane knowing at our destination was waiting some of greatest people we know. So instead of focusing on the tent of brown that the city was we focused on the beautiful mountains and the perfect cool mornings and evenings spent with people we love. We didn't care what there was to do or see we were just filled with excitement that we got to do it with our favorite peeps.
To me it was kind of a full circle moment. Since I use to live in El Paso my 6th through 8th grade year, it was so much fun going back and seeing my "hood" which is only blocks from the Haynes. I loved driving by my old house seeing the rock I once sat on for many pictures and remembering the walk to school I had each day. Lilli will be going to that same school one day soon. She will be walking those same halls and swinging on the same monkey bars I have such strong memories of. Even though Lilli is not mine biologically she is mine by grace and in that aspect it is my full circle that she will be where I was many years ago. AND I LOVE THAT!!
I couldn't wait to get that first picture of our kids seeing one another. Kenzie screamed with excited as she saw uncle Ron and Ryan and Lilli grabbed hands as though they had never been apart. Through out the week Kenzie kept patting Lola's arm saying "hi wowa hit wowa". I think she just couldn't believe Lola was finally for real and not on Skpe.
One day 1 we had a water park right in Misty's back yard. Pools, slides, swings and so much more. The kids had so much fun for hours as they ran and swam and if you talk to Kenzie all she wanted to do was SWING.
Day 2 we went to white sands...ohhh how beautiful it was, but with that beauty comes the HEAT. After sliding down the sandy mountain a few times the kids wanted shade and with the ghetto card board box we happen to have in the truck they got their shade. Lunch and some water and we were ready for our next stop. We traveled another hour to Ruidosa. In one moment the sweat was covering our whole bodies and in the next we were freezing in the mountains. They were beautiful and we enjoyed going on a little nature hike seeing amazing views and even some snow!!
One day 3 we enjoyed relaxing at home. Well, if that is what you can call 4 kids under 5 in one house. Misty and I got to sneak away and go shopping as well as get mani and pedi's. Day three was also when the sickness snuck up on poor Lola. She kept saying she had "grown ups". And as all parents we don't believe it until we see it. Well, we saw it more than once. Poor Ron and Misty were up all night with Lola and her "grown ups".
But never fear on day 4 we still all got up and went to the ZOO. By this time Scott was feeling his "grown ups" coming on so what better way to get you healthy then to walk around in the heat with a bunch of smelly animals. haha But if the Rogers/Haynes crew have set out to do something we are going to do it and we did and it was fun for the healthy ones. By that night mama Haynes joined the "grown ups" group.
By day 5 everyone was starting to feel better and the kids got to go to the park and run wild. That night we hired and babysitter (who was wonderful ) and we got to go out just the four of us to a movie and dinner.
Day 6 started with a big lump in my throat and a pit in my stomach. Not from sickness but from sadness. We loved our family vacation with all the family. We cannot wait to do it again.
*pictures will be in the next post*
* the song that is playing when you pull up the blog is a true memory of our trip. Ryan, Kenzie and I sing this at the top of our lungs while driving around town now just as we did there. This is only one of the many that were played over and over again.* Thanks Misty!!
