Aztec Ruins

Aztec Ruins National Monument, New Mexico, was established in 1923 and covers 320 acres. Early Euro-American settlers erroneously assumed the people who built these villages were Aztecs, hence the name of the ruins and of the modern town of Aztec.

Later archeological study confirmed that the builders were ancestors of the Puebloan peoples. Archeologists adopted and popularized the Navajo word Anasazi to refer to the people who built and lived here.

The boys had fun going through the ruins asking questions about how people lived. It's astonishing how people built their homes with no modern technology. Just hard work and will was needed. You can walk into most of the ruins.

 

Justin thinks that the aliens took the people that's why we can't find them. I can't say that is true but could be a possibly. I'm not going to discount something I have no idea if it happen or not. He loves history. We could have spent all day there but it was hot. It was 100 without the heat index added. If you are traveling to New Mexico this is a must stop. It's five dollars for adults kids are free. If you have Native American blood you are free in our case we have Cherokee on both our sides and apache on my side. We still donated money to the center to help keep up the ruins. The boys became junior rangers.

 

They had to raise their hand and promise to help take care of the environment among other things. It was a cute little ceremony complete with a sticker and a badge.

Once inside there are artifacts to look at with a short video about how Aztec Ruins was discover. The kids get their own little book to with questions to answer in order to become Junior Rangers. Next on our list is the Salmon Ruins.

 

 

Zombie Games

I hear screaming coming from Justin's bedroom. Christopher comes hauling out of the room runs right into Justin.

"I saw something!" He says His eyes are big and wide.

"What? Jay ask

"It's under the bed." Christopher yells

They both bend down to take a look under the bed. I'm peeking around the corner I hear Christopher say "It's okay Jay It's a dryer sheet."

They both go back pretending to shoot each other and zombies. Children imagination are wonderful even with the age gap between my boys. It's breathtaking to see how close they are. Their brotherly bond is strong. They fight like hell sometimes but never hold a grudge. They do just about everything together. They are growing up just thinking in two weeks Justin will be twelve years old going into six grade in August. Christopher will start preschool as well. My boys will always be my babies. They are my heart and soul. I'm a very proud momma. Even if my nest is slowly emptying.

Storms

Last night was about the most scariest thing we have been in since last summer when my hubby had to pull off the road in North Dakota with a bunch of people at a gas station to avoid the tornado that hit. 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/05/27/north-dakota-tornado/9617183/

It was crazy receiving texts from him that read.

If you wake up and see the news. I love you. 

The next one reads

I'm  okay I was able to get off the road.

Then he sent a picture 

and the last text reads 

I love you and the boys. This above picture was from a guy he worked with that sent it to him. There is no place to go the houses are all mobile homes. We stayed in an RV for the summer. The land is flat where it looks like the sky could swallow you whole. Traveling is by far the most exciting thing to do. Our drive there to North  Dakota was storms all the way. As we left one state or town a tornado hit. This year driving to New Mexico was the same. We hit a storm in Louisiana. Thank God we were driving  away from it. Last night I made my decision not to make our home in Carlsbad permanent. It will stay a summer home to visit our family. 

The road was flooded on both sides. I was for sure we we're going to get stuck in the water. The hail was so big and thick look like snow on the streets. The city has no draining system at all. I took a video mind you it's a two lane road with no where else to go. www.facebook.com/aquarium maintenance 

The kids thought it was really neat. Us not so much as hubby drove and I took pictures to keep my mind clear. Tree branches were down everywhere. I think I will stick to the Florida weather instead. Bright side we were in the same car with hail dents from last year storm. A few more doesn't matter.