San Antonio, TX to Payson, UT

Earlier this week, Jeff found a new diesel truck he loved in San Antonio, Texas. After pulling our camp trailer to Bear Lake with our old 1999 Ford F-350, Jeff was finally convinced it was time to let it go. That truck has served us well for many years, but it just doesn't have the pulling power Jeff needs to continue to operate his business. So when we got back from Bear Lake, Jeff started searching for a new truck. The search ended when he found a shiny black Ford F-450 in San Antonio. It had all the pulling power Jeff was looking for plus all the fun amenities (including air conditioned seats?! Who needs those?). In a quick whirlwind of last minute decisions and total spontaneity, Jeff and I flew to San Antonio to purchase the truck then drive it back to Utah. Yup, I left Jonas behind and got to spend a weekend alone with my husband! This hasn't happened since our second year anniversary trip to Moab (and we've now been married three and a half years). I was quite the bundle of emotions as we were dropped off at the airport on Thursday (7/14) morning. I was so incredibly thrilled to have this time away with Jeff. I needed it! But I was also anxious about leaving Jonas. I had only left him once before for one night away in Salt Lake with Jeff. I wasn't as worried about that one because I was close enough to come home if needed. This time I wasn't. Still, I knew he would be in good hands. Nichole graciously volunteered to watch him all day Thursday until she left my house Friday morning to continue her Utah vacation at another family's house. The boys loved having Aunt Nichole watch them because it meant another day at the pool with pizza for dinner and a stop at Sip 'N for drinks and dessert. Grandma and Grandpa Southwick took over on Friday morning until we got home Saturday evening. Having each of them looking out for all the boys (especially Jonas) set my mind and heart at ease...and I was able to thoroughly enjoy the weekend with my favorite person in the world, Jeff.

Our flight was a little delayed, but we finally made it to San Antonio and signed all the paperwork at the dealership before starting our little adventure home. We couldn't leave San Antonio without first going to the Alamo and strolling along the River Walk. It was incredibly hot and humid, but we toughed it out to enjoy the little time we had in San Antonio. Jeff really liked the River Walk. It is a serene stroll through the heart of downtown. We decided to eat at a riverside restaurant before leaving the area. We also made a stop at Ghiradelli's for an ice cream sundae to cool off before starting our journey home. That night we made it to Ozona, Texas.
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One of the cannons Santa Ana's army commandeered during the siege.

One of the original doors.

The iconic River Walk.

*While we were away, Nichole played favorite aunt and took the kids to the Payson Pool then out to Fat Jacks for some pizza and Sip'N for drinks and dessert. We are sooo grateful she was willing to help out! The kids were grateful that she was willing to keep the party going!

The next day we started out pretty early because we had planned some stops along the way. What's a road trip if there aren't planned (and even unplanned) adventures along the way? Our first stop was Carlsbad Caverns National Park. I must have been Danny's age the last time I was here. Jeff had never been, so we traversed the desolate oil fields of southwestern Texas to finally arrive at the isolated caverns in southeastern New Mexico. It was not the prettiest drive I've ever done, but it was interesting to see all the oil fields. The caverns did not disappoint. They were just as massive as I remember them. Jeff wasn't sure what to expect, but half-way through, he was wishing the boys were here to see this. I know I've mentioned this before, but it is fascinating to think that these caves and all the stunning formations have been formed by little drops of water. Thousands and thousands of years have resulted in something so spectacular that it has become a national park. Jeff and I were without words by the time we finished the tour.

Jeff at the mouth of the caverns.

Me starting our 2.5 mile hike down into and through the caves. 

We ate lunch at the caverns before we headed towards Albuquerque (where we planned to stop for dinner). Along the way, we passed through Roswell. Well when you're going through Roswell it's only appropriate to stop at the UFO museum. Yup...this was one of the unplanned adventures. In 1947, an unidentified flying object crash landed at a ranch in Roswell. It sparked quite a stir at the time because some of the debris left researchers baffled. Most believe it was just a weather or surveillance balloon, but there are still some people today (many of whom were wandering around the museum) who still believe it was aliens. It was such a comical stop for us. We snickered at all the speculation, but enjoyed quickly walking through the museum.
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After our extraterrestial experience, we continued on our journey. We did stop in Old Town Albuquerque for dinner at the Church Cafe. This is one of the original homes in the area dating back to the early 18th century. It continued to be the residence for the generations of Ruiz family until 1991. After the death of Rufina Ruiz, it became a restaurant showcasing New Mexican cuisine (which is basically Mexican food). Jeff and I devoured the tamale, chile relleno, and enchilada plate we ordered before strolling through the main square to admire the church, San Felipe de Neri, and listen to a live band in the plaza's gazebo. It was all picturesque. I was glad we got to stop and enjoy a little time there.

We didn't stay long because we were still 3 hours away from Farmington, where we booked our hotel. Luckily, with a little Dairy Queen blizzard to sugar us up a bit, we made it to Farmington in one piece at around midnight. The next day we began our adventures at the Four Corners. Again, I have been there, but I was young at the time. Jeff had never been. Like the caves, it is largely isolated from any town. You're simply driving around in the Arizona/New Mexico dessert then there it is! They have really fixed up the monument since the last time I'd been. It has little platforms for taking pictures and bigger plaques designating each state. Jeff and I got there early enough that we were able to avoid any crowds. We took a few pictures then browsed the different Native American vendors before leaving.

I often feel like I have to be in multiple places at once. Today I was!

Our next, and last, stop was Mesa Verde National Park. This was another unplanned stop. I hadn't even considered it because it was about an hour out of the way, but Jeff pointed it out and since we were close enough, we went. I'm glad we did. This park houses a myriad of Puebloan pit houses and cliff dwellings. The cliff dwellings are breathtaking. We didn't have enough time to do an actual hike to the dwellings, but we did drive a scenic loop that had several stops where we could see cliff dwellings and remnants of pit houses. Jeff and I enjoyed speculating about the people that lived there. We discussed their culture and drew comparisons to the people described in the Book of Mormon. We spent more time there than we planned, but it was worth it.

We had a delicious BBQ lunch there before we made our final push home. I thoroughly enjoyed spending an entire weekend with Jeff and no kids! I thought I would miss Jonas more than I did, but I think I was ready for a little break from motherhood. I needed time with my husband. He is my best friend. He is a big part of who I am and why I do what I do. He always inspires me to be a little better. I needed to reconnect with him. It's hard to maintain that romance when we are both being pulled in different directions. This weekend was just what we both needed. We are so grateful for Nichole, Grandma Penny, and Grandpa for overseeing things while we were gone! And...the boys didn't even miss us. All of them, including Jonas, were more interested in the truck when we pulled up than in us. Oh well! Maybe we just need to be gone longer next time.