Bill has been dreading this day all year.  He knew it was coming and even though he is not old, he says he feels like it.  I guess having a college student, a 1st grader and a 3 year old can do that.  I told him 40 is the new 30, but he didn’t believe me.  We had a barbecue with some friends and enjoyed some really yummy Texas Sheet Cake.  Good choice, Bill. 🙂  Then it was on to the birthday presents.  Bill will usually tell me what he wants and I will go and get it. I always hate this because I should be more creative with his gifts.  So I try to surprise him.  Last year, he got a gift certificate for a glider flight at the local airport.  So I really thought long and hard about a gift this year. I came up with the best one and never once hinted at what he might get.  He was so surprised.

While in Utah we went to the Edge of the Cedars State Park in Blanding. Edge of the Cedars State Park is the site of a pre-Colombian Pueblo Indian ruin and a modern museum, which is the regional archaeological repository for southeast Utah. Remains of the Ancestral Pueblo Indian Village with its unique architectural structures is a testament to the Indian civilization that once flourished in southeastern Utah. Edge of the Cedars museum houses an excellent collection of Anasazi pottery and other exceptional ancient Indian artifacts. Additional exhibits display cultural materials and information about Navajo and Utah Indians.  It’s a really interesting museum. It has so many artifacts and displays.  The boys really seemed to enjoy it especially the great house and the sun “dial”.

Bill loves showing off the beauty of San Juan County, Utah.  When we went up to Utah for our annual 24th of July celebration camping trip we invited our friends, the Gacks.  We were stationed together at Andrews.  The Gacks are diehard East Coasters.  We wanted to show them that West is Best. 🙂  What better way to show them then on a drive in the country.  Bill loves showing off the beauty of San Juan County where he was born and raised.  I am not one for long drives over roads that have one side mountain and the other side nothing.  It’s just not my thing, but being the good sport I am I hopped in the truck with a minimal amount of complaining.  I also brought a book (Hunger Games which I highly recommend).  Anyway,  it was a beautiful day and even though there were some thunder clouds and a little bit of rain, the Gacks really got to see the beauty that is the west.

Every year Monticello, Utah where Bill was born and raised hosts a Pioneer Day celebration.  When we lived on the east coast we always tried to make it out to Utah during this time. Now that we live so close, we are making it an annual trip.  The best part of the Pioneer Day celebration is the parade. There is nothing better than a small town parade.  We gather our bags for all the candy that is thrown, we get up close and personal with the floats and we have a great time.  You definitely aren’t going to get candy at the Macy’s Day parade.  Nobody can throw it because the balloons would float away.  You will always hear a siren go off at a small town parade along.  Where else will you see tractors in a parade? Definitely not at the Tournament of Roses Parade in Pasadena.  It’s a great slice of small town life.

It’s official. We have been in New Mexico a year now. It doesn’t seem that long ago that we were getting ready for the move.  We were living like squatters in our house in Maryland waiting for the phone to ring for those coveted showings.  Then the day finally arrived and we were on our way.  Now a year has passed and I can say we are loving New Mexico.  I have always felt more comfortable on the other side of the Mississippi River.  I just love the Southwest.  Being able to look out my kitchen window and see a beautiful mountain is so cool.  Looking up in the sky and being able to see the stars is another joy.  The best thing is being so close to our family.  It has been a blessing to be able to have them so close especially as I was dealing with my illness and surgery.  Yep, I think New Mexico is a perfect fit.

Americans have always had a love affair with their cars.  Out here in the west, you need a truck.  Not just any truck, but a big truck.  We definitely needed a bigger truck and one that had 4 wheel drive.  It is a necessity here in the mountains.  We finally broke down and bought a new truck.  We have been debating about buying a new truck since we moved here.  We got a pretty good deal and a really cool truck.