New Mexico and New Friends

About a month ago, I was chatting on the phone with my wonderful friend, Ann. She lives in New Mexico. She has mentioned before that she would really love if I would come and visit her. Since, a few of my close friends have left Cali there is only one that I have gone to visit. I know...I am bad friend. I have no real excuses for not visiting, other than timing. After some phone calls and scheduling my dear friend, Selena was able to organize our first Girls Weekend Away to New Mexico. My friend Selena also suprised me with an early 40th Birthday gift. She paid for my round trip ticket to New Mexico! If I have not said this or wrote this before...I have some of the BEST, MOST FAITHFUL, LOVING FRIENDS on the planet!!!! I do not count my wealth in gold coins, I count my wealth by the company I keep and I have to admit I keep some pretty damn awesome company! While I am bragging...hubs stayed home with our boys for the 4 days I was gone. He is hands down one of the most competent dads on the planet. He not only dropped us off and picked us up from the airport, he also got Jettson to school for two days,  he hosted our regular Thursday playdate, made a wood project with the boys, made them breakfast, lunch and dinner, had Selena's hubs and daughter over to play, he also cleaned the house! Please do not drool or fall over in your seat ladies or gentleman. He is the real deal! I know...I am extremely, lucky!

Off we went to Las Cruces, New Mexico, Selena H., Rebecca W. and myself left very early Thursday morning for a girl's getaway weekend. Selena brought Norah (her 1 year old daughter) along for the ride too. Rebecca is a friend of Ann's and an aquaintance of mine. It was fun to get to know Rebecca on this trip. We both found out we had a few things in common, like our love for cooking and entertaining! We had a blast. We talked, ate, talked, drank, ate, shopped, ate, hiked, ate, slept, ate and drank! We were a merry bunch. 

I have not seen my good friend Ann in a while. It was good to see eachother face to face instead of just chatting on our hour long, marathon phone call catch ups.

On Thursday night we just sat around drinking wine and catching up. I made dinner. We had Chicken Picata, Rice Pilaf and one the best salads I have had in a while made by Rebecca. Some of us retired to bed a little early, while yours truly stayed up till the wee hours of the night chatting with Ann.

The next day Ann took us to a little town called, Mesilla. It was a darling, one horse town. We spent alot of time at a little cafe called Josefina's Old Gate Cafe. We had a lovely lunch. There is also a unique, antique store in the adjoining house. I did not take picture of the store, I should have. We spent a better part of an hour browsing around. The antique store also has a darling, little B&B. I thought I had died and gone to heaven! It was so quaint and charming. We got a real taste of a mexican adobe. If you are ever in the area of Las Cruces, New Mexico it is a must see little town and cafe.

The Old Gate at Josefina's

In the antique store we found these fun 1950's style clip on earrings. Selena came up with all kinds of ideas of different new uses for the earrings. These are the clip on earrings that I found. I plan on turning these into rings.

Selena

Ann

Rebecca

Yours Truly

We shopped till we dropped. There were so many little nooks and crannies to explore.

Our last full day in Las Cruces we went on a 2 hour hike. Sadly, I was not paying enough attention to find out where Ann took us. It was a cloudy, cool day. Perfect for hiking. I was having a great time until the end. Selena found a tarantula in the middle of the trail. Rebecca was kind enough to remove the disgusting spider off the trail so that I would not freak out. See, I am deathly afraid of spiders (recall my post last month when I went on a killing spree, killing the spiders in my dining room). Selena came up to me to help walk calmly past the insect. I about crawled out of my skin when I saw it. The rest of time on the trail was franically looking for taratula's. At the very end of the hike Rebecca spotted another one! That was it, I was done! I wanted off the trail.

We were all a little tired after our morning adventure. Most of us took a little nap and rested before the evenings activities. I cooked another meal. I made Clams and Angel Hair Pasta, Rebecca made yet another smashing salad! However, with her talent as an accomlished cook. I am sure she could have made something even tastier than I. A friend of Ann's came over to break bread with us. It was nice to meet one of Ann's freinds. She was an instant tribe member. We all liked Kim right away. You could tell she was a "kindred sprirt."

That night, I had a very hard time falling asleep. All I could THINK about was those damn spiders! It makes me cringe just to write about them. Sadly, I did not take any pictures of the great food we cooked. I am lazy like that.

We hiked around this rock.

Lelia (Ann's youngest daughter), Zach (Ann's oldest son), Selena and Norah.

I got home yesterday afternoon. The boys and I were so happy to see eachother. Hubs and the boys brought me flowers. The boys told me they had fun with daddy but they were glad that I was home. Awww. It always feel good to come home.

This morning it was back to the grind...get breakfast...get ready for school...pay

bills...carpool...lessons...work...dinner. It is always great to take sometime like I did this weekend be with girlfriends and reconnect with myself. I am always refreshed and feel ready to start fresh. It was fun being in New Mexico and reconnecting with old friends and making new ones.