Carla's Children Visit From Springtown, Texas

Friday, March 13 through Sunday, March 15, 2015

Carla's son, Russ and his wife, Kelley, came to Alamogordo, New Mexico to visit from Springtown, Texas.  The weather was perfect except for a bit of wind and we had a great time sight seeing and catching up on all the grandkids and great grandkids.

When they arrived at the house Friday morning, I had a breakfast awaiting them consisting of blueberry-sour cream pancakes, bacon, scrambled eggs, juice and coffee. We then drove to Cloudcroft in the Sacramento Mountains and explored and shopped in the many cute little stores. For lunch, we went to Big Daddy's Diner and Russ and I had their "all the catfish you can eat" special while Kelley opted for barbecued pork. We traveled back to the house with leftovers and a to-go container of posole soup for Doug. After visiting for a while, the kids went to their motel as we had all risen early and were more than ready for sleep.

Doug and I met Russ and Kelley at the IHOP for breakfast Saturday morning and Doug stayed home while we went to White Sands National Monument. It was a gloriously beautiful day and we took off our shoes and socks and climbed a huge sand dune and enjoyed the feel of the cool sand on our feet. Kelley took many pictures of the area, of which, I'm sure you will be seeing on face book. Afterward, we picked up Doug and drove to Tularosa to our favorite Mexican Restaurant, Casa de Suenos, for lunch. The food, as always, was absolutely delicious. Kelley and I each found a couple of bracelets we couldn't live without in their gift shop which we promptly purchased.

We took a short break in the afternoon (as Russ says, "nap time") and then went to the Flickinger Center for the Performing Arts where we enjoyed seeing the Sons of the Pioneers, a group that has been pickin' and grinin' since 1934 (they do some fine fiddlin' too). What a nostalgic trip this was. They played and sang Tumblin Tumbleweed, Cool Water, Ghost Riders in the Sky and Happy Trails, just to name a few. They are consummate entertainers and we enjoyed every moment of their concert. The Flickinger was packed and the crowd loved them. If you ever get a chance to see this group, don't hesitate--they are worth every penny of the ticket!

Sunday morning, I made scrambled eggs, bacon, and hash browns. We also had fruit and coffee and it was too soon time for them to leave for El Paso for their return flight to Ft. Worth, Texas.  They promise to return to see even more of this beautiful state of New Mexico. I miss them already!

Kelley and Russ at IHOP

L to R: Doug, Carla, Kelley and Russ at IHOP. Thanks to waiter for the shot!

Russ and Kelley at White Sands

Kelley and Carla

Kelley and Russ

A view of the sands lit by the sun from top of a sand dune

Kelley, Russ and Carla taken by a passerby from El Paso

L to R: Kelley, Carla, Doug and Russ dining at Casa de Suenos in Tularosa, New Mexico. Thanks to the waitress for the shot.

L to R: Carla, Russ and Kelley Sunday morning as they are getting ready to head for El Paso to fly home.

L to R: Carla looking at a New Mexico Magazine, Kelley catching up on email and Russ reading AARP Magazine while Doug is trying to get a DVD copy of a play to start on the television

I can't believe I didn't take any pictures of our shopping in Cloudcroft, but I just get too much into shopping to think about my camera! It was such a wonderful treat to see them both and spend that precious time with them. Thanks to Douglas A. Kerr, Photography for the photos he took.

This is all I have to say for now.