Outdoor Fun

We've been enjoying the gorgeous weather here in New Mexico and doing some fun outdoor activities!

A few weeks ago, Daddy wasn't feeling very well so I took the kids out of the house and we went to the Rio Grande Nature Center.  This is the place where we had our family pictures taken, and I had promised the kids we would come back and spend more time looking at everything.

It is such a peaceful place.  You can walk through the trails while listening to the birds and looking for other wild creatures. 

 

We even heard a woodpecker and came within a couple feed of the state bird - a roadrunner!  

 

They have viewing areas for you to overlook the pond and fun bridges to run over.  

 

There is also an indoor center with little exhibits, a puppet theater with animal puppets, and other kid activities.  

 

  

 

At the end of our adventure we stopped at the little gift shop and the kids picked out little stuffed birds that made their sounds when you squeezed them.  Alex picked a duck and Aurora got a Canadian Goose.

 Then we had a nice picnic lunch at one of the picnic tables there.  It was a great day!

Monster Trucks!

A couple of weeks ago we took the kids to the Monster Truck Winter Nationals.  It was the first time any of us had ever been to see Monster Trucks!  The kids were excited.  They watch the Big Foot cartoon every weekend and couldn't wait to see them up close.   

We knew they were loud and came prepared with ear plugs AND ear muffs.  It was a good thing because when they first started up, the noise scared Alex so much that he started crying and asked to go home.  But once they started going and everyone got excited and used the loudness, he loved it!

Before the show started, Aurora and Josh went down to the "Pit Party" and checked out the trucks up close.  Aurora even got to talk to and get pictures with some of the truck drivers! 

The California Kid - Donald Epidendio

Straight Jacket driver Kevin King

Then they got in line and were able to ride one!!  They rode the Pitbull and Aurora could not stop talking about it!  Alex, my cautious one, was too nervous to get close to the trucks so we stayed in our seats.  Maybe next time he'll want to get a closer look.

It was fun watching them drive over the smashed cars, and do cool jumps.  We even witnessed the California Kid get stuck on his back wheels and had to be pushed over by a tractor.  The kids also got cool little Monster Trucks that drive over rows of cars at home, which they proceeded to do all of the next day. 

It was one of the most fun nights we've ever had!  To give you an idea of the sound...

Roller Skating!

A couple of weekends ago we went to a friend's birthday party at a skating rink!  Josh and I had not been skating since middle school so I was interested to see how we'd do.  Aurora and Alex have never been!  I just have to say that 4 year old size skates are super cute!!

We got them all strapped in their skates (which was quite a bit of work).  They were both really excited, but Alex would NOT let go of my hand.

They had a good time hanging with their friends (and onto chairs, tables, and whatever else they could hold onto).

Aurora went out onto the rink a bunch and tried her hardest to do it herself.  She fell TONS of times but she kept on getting up and going!  Alex got halfway around the rink with me (and killing my back in the process) and decided he was done.  He was not too happy when I told him we had to finish the circle before we could quit!  Once we finally finished, he was content to watch through the window.

In the end, Aurora was doing pretty well!

And Josh didn't do too bad himself!