Lots of random stuff

I can't believe I'm already getting behind on this blog- it will probably be Christmas by the time I get around to adding my Utah visit- Oh well.

On  our way home from Hueco Tanks today we saw Thunderbirds performing in an airshow- Todd promised to take me and Joseph to an airshow next year, I'm excited already. 

Todd has been taking more pictures lately.

This is my favorite, I'm not sure it's going to show up correctly on here though.

 Last weekend Kristen took me and Joseph to the farmer's market since Todd and her boyfriend were gone to the Rocky Mountain Rendezvous.

 I also got the fall decorations out while Todd was gone, since he loves them so much.

I love bugs and this one was just too cool to not take a picture of.

His shirt says "I love Dirt"

We went to Heuco Tanks again today- they were having an interpretive fair this weekend and once we got there we realized the stuff we wanted to see, like the dancing and storytelling, was yesterday- we'll plan better next year.  It wasn't a waste though Todd got to climb a little.

Yesterday we went back to the Outlets, mainly to buy me work clothes but of course it was more fun to shop for Joseph.  We found him a really cute jean jacket, and shoes.  I started my job this week.  So far I'm just studying for the state licensing exam from home, so I don't need my entire work wardrobe yet but I only need a few more things so I'm not stressing over it.

Update

Things just seem to be getting better and better!  Joseph is getting more comfortable with daycare every time.  Today I was able to set him on the floor and say good bye, without him getting upset.  I also finally found out today that I got the job I was hoping for, well as long as everything goes according to plan.  I'm actually really excited but I'm being a little paranoid that it's not going to work out so I don't want to say too much about it.  And Todd already has two interviews lined up for the Rocky Mountain Rendezvous ( it's a huge geology career fair in Wyoming)- and the best part is that one of the two companies is one that's been on the top of his list of companies he'd like to work for!  I've always told Todd that things just seem to work out for me, so to stick by me.

Josephs daycare art

I decided to get creative with art projects for Joseph this week, unfortunately I realized while shopping that he's not quite old enough to get too creative so we just ended up getting fingerpaints- Oh well at least it's something different from our normal crayons and chalk.  The daycare actually lets them use markers.  When I was picking him up one day he had just started this project, so I just stayed out of sight and watched the chaos the teachers got to endure.

Taking it easy

Not to be cocky or anything, but I've been feeling like Super Mom lately.  I'm finally doing all the things I've been wanting to do- cooking dinner every night, keeping a clean house, exercising, doing my hair and make-up, getting out of the house and seeing new places/ things, plus the little things like decorating the apartment, and printing out pictures for refrigerator.  I know these are just common things that most of you moms do already, I just didn't feel like myself when I was in Logan and now I do- It fells great!
We've kept the adventures mild the last couple of weekends due to Todds many field trips.  He has enjoyed wandering along arroyos in the desert of southern New Mexico.  Other than that we visited the outlet stores in El Paso and went to the library. I attempted to take Joseph to one of the museums at NMSU today just to find out they aren't open on Mondays- oh well, we'll try again another day.
Now here's where you get the benefit of checking out our blog, most of the pictures we take with Todds camera don't get published on Facebook but will occasionally get posted on here.

Joseph modeling his new jeans and hat- Calvin Klein baby

Everyone here goes crazy over his eyes- well I guess they are pretty amazing

Hueco Tanks- Labor Day Weekend

If these look familiar it's because we've been to this place before, we liked it enough to buy a season pass.  It's not quite the right season for exploring here so once we found Todds bouldering area, we just hung out in the shade.

Joseph drawing in the dirt with a rock

Hatch Chile Festival- Labor Day Weekend

This roof is silver, it just looks red because it's covered in red chilies.

Sat. we checked out the Hatch Chile Festival.  We were disappointed.  It was basically your typical cheap town carnival with a New Mexico twist. We bought some roasted green chilies and made salsa and enchiladas with them. We'll go again next year to visit the town coffee shop and buy some chilies, we just won't bother with the festival.

Roasted green chilies

A taste of Mexico. The guy I bought this from started at $65 and dropped the price a couple of times until he was at $20, "because this is the last day and then we're going back to Mexico", I had gotten that exact line from another guy five minutes earlier at a different booth. So I asked him if he'd do $15, I probably could have got him down to $10, I guess I need to work on my negotiating skills.

Tornado Fries

Hot and Dusty

Read the menu- we weren't daring enough to try anything crazy but I'm kicking myself for not trying the Jalapeno Lemonade- Oh well next year.  Joseph wanted to touch the KFC statue so bad but was scared. He'd inch closer then when we encouraged him he'd back up- he's too cute! 

Discovering New Mexico

This week has been much better than the last.  We are settling into a routine, things that were broken/not working have been fixed, and we've started playing tourist.  Today I even had a glimmer of hope come through for a couple of jobs. 

That was me trying not to spit flames out

Yesterday we went to the Salsa Festival.  You pay a few dollars for a wristband and chips then you get to taste test all the salsas and vote on the best.  Being as they aren't wimps here, most of them were very HOT.  Though my face turned red and my eyes were watering- at one point Todd even said my tastebuds looked swollen- I sucked it up and tried most of them.

Enjoying the pool- now that it's filled up

The first day we went the water they were still filling it up so it was kind-of chilly. We've only been to the pool twice so far but I'm sure we'll be spending a lot of time in it!

Cloudcroft: This picture may be a shock to those of you who thought there were no mountains in New Mexico

Heuco Tanks State Historical Site

Heuco is popular for it's rock climbing and pictographs.  It's actually in Texas but still close enough for us to visit frequently.

Settling In

We love Las Cruces- it feels natural, like we've been here for years.  Almost everything is falling into place, aside from me getting a job.

On Our Way

These were shot right before we got in the car, Belva and Randy rode down with us.

We were lucky to have lots of help from our families- Thanks guys, We Love You!

Joseph was thrilled when Muffin decided to sit with him for a little while.

The drive was uneventful aside from the drunken Indian- full blooded Navajo he specified as he dramatically ran his hands down his body for emphasis.  After he asked for a ride and money, he reached his arm through the window and over Joseph to shake my hand- I about lost it!

Took a break from unpacking to drive through the pecans orchards and stopped at Stahmans for butter pecans ice cream-Yum