While living in Waldorf, Maryland, red light traffic cameras were put in place.  I thought it was a great idea because people were always running red lights.  I was always careful because going through a yellow light could sometimes trigger a snap of the camera.  So now we live in New Mexico and there are red light cameras in Albuquerque, too.  I am not a red light runner and I always go slow in school zones when the lights are flashing.  So imagine my surprise, when I opened up an envelope and right there was a picture of my van.  Apparently, my van was going 22 mph in a 15 mph school zone.  Now I don’t remember any lights flashing, but apparently my van didn’t slow down.  There were no cameras attached anywhere.  No Albuquerque is a little more sneaky.  Inside a van, there was a police officer taking pictures.  At first, I didn’t even remember being on that road, but then I thought back to the location.  Right around the corner is a Sonic and before heading back up the mountain, I stopped for a cherry limeade.  It’s usually always my last stop before I head home from a doctor’s appointment or a day shopping.  So I am blaming my cherry limeade for my seven miles over the posted speed limit.  I’ve been in New Mexico six months now and am already a lawbreaker.

For the first time in 15 years of marriage, we hosted Thanksgiving dinner.  Bill’s sister and her family plus Bill’s mom and Alice came down from Utah to help celebrate Thanksgiving.  We had a great time.  The kids got along great and loved watching movies, jumping on the trampoline, playing in the loft and just being together.  We had great food and fun times at the zoo and the aquarium.  I am so thankful for our family.  We are truly blessed.  We are thankful to be living back in the southwest where we can have these opportunities to visit more often with our loved ones.  Moving to New Mexico is a dream come true for me.  I love being able to hop in the car and see family in the same day.  No airports needed.  Happy Thanksgiving!

For Halloween, we went to the ABQ Biopark’s Zoo Boo.  There were tables set up throughout the zoo with businesses handing out candy and other goodies.  There were games, hula hoops and crafts.  It was a beautiful day and the boys had a good time.

On Monday we woke up to a dusting of snow.  I was told by a local that you know Halloween is coming when it snows so I guess it holds true because we woke up this morning to more than a dusting.  It is suppose to snow some more tonight.  We probably won’t get much, but it sure is pretty.

When Bill and I were dating he had a motorcycle. We went on a few rides around the Oklahoma countryside.  It was a 1993 KLR650.  It was a nice motorcycle. Then we got married and he sold it.  We used the money to buy furniture.  That was fifteen years ago.  He has always talked about getting another motorcycle, but we lived on the east coast and he didn’t want to drive on one out there.  Then he got orders to New Mexico and thoughts of a KLR650 were dancing in his head.  Now he has it back.  Well it’s a 2009 KLR650.  It’s blue and I have to say pretty cool.  Baden loves it and didn’t want to get off after the short ride around the neighborhood.  Billy thinks it’s pretty neat too, but declined a ride. Not sure about that one.  The furniture we bought when we were newlyweds is all gone.  We got a new dining room table a couple of weeks ago, so I guess it’s full circle.  He got rid of the motorcycle to get furniture. We got rid of the last of our newlywed furniture, the dining room table, and now he has his KLR650 back.  Full circle, indeed.

One of the things Albuquerque is famous for is the Balloon Fiesta.  It is in its 38th year and it is a sight to behold.  This morning we headed out to Balloon Fiesta Park and watched the mass ascension.  We stood in the launch field with hot air balloons all around us.  It was so cool to see the balloons fill up with air and then sail off into the sky.  The boys oohed and aahed as we saw the balloons flying overhead.  It was the one of the coolest things ever.  I am already looking forward to next year.