2500 miles later......

We're home. We spent 2/3 of the month of August somewhere besides home, and who knew retired life was this nutz?! Here's a glimpse of what we were up to the last leg:

My baby brother got married to Stacey. Smart man, marrying Stacey. 

That's my sister, Barb, me, Barb's very pregnant daughter, Mandy, and our Mom - tearing up the dance floor, sort of. If you get the chance to dance, do. It doesn't matter if you're any good, you'll make beautiful memories. We're all pretty pitiful, but we sure had fun. 

Family reunion the day after the wedding. It's so hard to get us all together - I absolutely cherish this photo. And don't you love that we got two chubby chihuahas in too? 

Headed to Taos, New Mexico after the Colorado wedding. Here they're doing a rain dance in the town square. 

A very old church in Taos, back to the 1500's I do believe. We saw so many old, old churches I got them a bit mixed up. This one is still in use, with masses held daily, weddings, baptisms. We got to chat with the priest which was interesting since he's a history buff. 

Rio Grande River Gorge - 650 feet below. We walked across the bridge and back, and bought some fun stuff from the vendors who set up shop daily on each side of the bridge. 

A 5 mile wilderness trek with llamas. Mine was Raja, Don's was K-2. I fell in love and wanted to take him home but Don thought that was a bit unrealistic. I don't know - don't you think we look like we go together? I loved his dreadlocks and he was such a gentleman!

We went deep inside this abandoned gold mine, pitch black, with headlamps. We saw lines of quartz and flecks of gold - it was barely 60 degrees inside. 

then we headed to Santa Fe. The buildings are just amazing - everything, really everything is built to either be adobe or look like it. I'm talking adobe Walmart, adobe CVS, adobe True Value Hardware. The downtown of Santa Fe is beautiful and funky and fun. Crazy expensive shops full of art we could not afford, but it was fun to look at. 

This is the mysterious staircase, inside Loretta Chapel, a now privately owned church. We paid $3 each to look at it - well worth it! Beautiful, beautiful and if you don't know the story, take a minute to google it. 

Look at this very fun sculpture - outside someone's shop. I would plop this in my front yard in a heartbeat if I could afford it. Instead of three pigs - sheep! 

Finally, this outside Santa Fe, on the way home. A pueblo that was occupied for 700 years before explorers came in and the population died off or moved away. It always amazes me to be where people lived out their lives - were born, grew up, married, had children, died. I guess that's why I prefer old houses with questionable electrical and plumbing. 

So we're home - trying to regroup. Main level floors are finally going in after waiting two years; we have three parties in our home this month; two groups of grandkids coming for visits sans parents. I'm so happy that this is the last day of August. Texas has been so blasted hot and dry this summer I'm ready to push it out the door and welcome some breezes, rain, turning leaves, chili and football. Aren't you?