We spent Spring Break road tripping! We decided to do something nearby because traveling with kids isn’t always easy and we have two energetic toddlers and a hungry baby! So we had to plan something with plenty of breaks for us all. We hadn’t been to Albuquerque, new Mexico yet so we figured it would be nice to go see what it’s all about, even if there wasn’t much. Road tripping and traveling is in the end exactly that…discovering new places and making memories along the way.

It was actually a very nice trip. We slowly worked our way to Albuquerque making many stops along the way. Our first stop was in Las Cruces, New Mexico. We definitely needed that stop for food and to give the the kiddos a much needed break. We didn’t really do much exploring here, we were just hungry. Then, we made it to White Sands National Monument in Alamogordo, which was amazingly fun! The kids absolutely loved it! The sand was so soft and powdery, almost flour like! The kids immediately started rolling around in it. I’m talking about sand everywhere! A popular activity there is to go sledding on the dunes! Yup that’s a thing and it was so much fun, even Rosie did it with dad! It was very nice to see the boys enjoy themselves. They absolutely loved it!

The next day we headed to Cloudcroft, New Mexico, a 110 year old mountain community.  Our main attraction there was BBQ baby!!! We ate at Mad Jack’s Mountaintop Barbecue and let me tell you; it is one of the best barbecues we’ve had! The brisket was my favorite and absolutely A M A Z I N G, hubs preferred the ginormous Dino Rib which was still absolutely amazing!! It was definitely a delightful meal and the reason we will be back to this town. Noms Noms Noms NOMS! I wish we would have had more time to explore the community, there were cute little shops everywhere, but it was cold and our kids were not having it! They were so ready for their naps and made that very clear while we were trying to eat so we decided to take advantage of nap time and drive to the next destination.

Our next stop was San Antonio, NM where we found an awesome photo opportunity! We were actually searching for a playground to let them burn some energy but we couldn’t find one and instead found a train track with a rustic wooden bridge and you know mamarazi is my middle name! The town was so small and yet so full of character, I enjoyed seeing the differences and experiencing that small town vibe.  I thought Tucson gave me that small town vibe but I saw and felt it more here. We decided to stop for a green chile burger at Owl Bar Cafe. We were pleasantly impressed with the simplicity yet deliciousness of the burger from what seems to us as a “hole in the wall place.” This restaurant/bar looked like it would have very basic food but it’s was basically really good!!! Get it? HA!

By the time we made it to Albuquerque we were undeniably beat and ready to just relax. We spent the evening at the hotel pool and hoped for a pleasant night’s rest. The boys (that includes hubs too) quickly found kids to play with at the pool, while Rosie and I watched from the pool stairs. The water was too cold for baby Rosie but we still enjoyed watching the boys play while we dipped our feet in the water.

The next day was my favorite and the reason why I was personally looking forward to this trip. Drumroll please….a ride on the Sandia Peak Tramway – with breathtaking panoramic views and mountain top snow. The views are absolutely impressive! The tram takes you atop Sandia Mountain at 10,378 feet! The ride up was actually very windy, a bit too much for my liking. The attendant on the tram warned us on feeling a “bump and a sway” at each tower. I held on tight and braced myself, some passengers even gasped when we felt the “bump and the sway.” Baby Rosie nursed on the way up and ended up sleeping the entire time!! She woke up on the way down with just enough time to snap a few quick pictures of her as proof that she was there. HA!

The boys must have had a different idea in their heads because they were so prepared to “climb” the mountain. They insisted pretty heavily that they wanted to hike – 30 degree weather with snow and all! So hubs took them on a little walking adventure while I held my breath at each step they took. Yeah, I’m that mom, especially in those altitudes. The snow was very slippery making it difficult for them to even walk on it but they still enjoyed it.

We spent that night in Holbrook, Arizona, mainly because it was the halfway point to Phoenix and you know road trips with kids need checkpoints like that. The final thing on our itinerary was the Arizona Renaissance Festival in Apache Junction, Arizona. The boys admired all the festival goers dressed in costume and would awe when seeing anyone with a sword of any kind. The one thing they did not enjoy was all the walking and the change of weather, we went from playing in the snow to trying to hide from the blazing sun.

Overall, we had a very nice trip. It isn’t easy to travel anywhere with kids but we enjoy making the memories. We try to make the boring stuff fun for them. They enjoyed going to a “new house” (aka hotel) every night, even though the loading/unloading – packing/unpacking every day was so much work. One night we let them start a pillow fight and enjoyed watching them jump from one bed to the next trying to get each other. We were so entertained watching them pick their beds and “settle in” by deciding where they will put their shoes and belongings. Sebastian is the first to find the control to the TV and look in the fridge for snacks with disappointment in his face. Alex is quick to play with the hotel phone and open every drawer to see what he finds. Rosie is just comfortably content being held while taking in all her surroundings.

They all did pretty okay on the road. Rosie was probably the best one! She simply cried when hungry or needed a diaper change, easy peasy! The boys were another story…we had to constantly feed them snacks to distract them from being bored and fighting with each other. We eventually picked up a RedBox movie for them and that worked like magic! Hubs enjoys driving but I’m sure it’s exhausting for him as well. I have the easiest job…I get to play DJ!! Woot Woot! Best job ever! HA. Ok not really, hubs isn’t a fan of my DJ skills and booted my music a few times but whatever. I got to enjoy the views, pass out snacks to everyone and even got to read my book.

Anyway, below are some of the pictures we took. I didn’t meant to write so much but ugh it’s just so hard when I’m so keen on memory keeping. I can’t afford to not document certain stories while on our family adventures.

 

The Villa’s Travel – New Mexico

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White Sands National Monument

Alamogordo, New Mexico

Cloudcroft, New Mexico

San Antonio, New Mexico

Sandia Peak Tramway

Albuquerque, New Mexico

Arizona Renaissance Festival

Apache Junction, Arizona

March 2019

#4yearsold #3yearsold #7monthsold

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Confession: I CAN NOT say the word Albuquerque and its driving me nuts. It doesn’t matter how many times I say it or write it I just can’t say it correctly. Hubs makes fun of me every time. Here’s how it always comes out when I say it. Al-Boo-Cork-Key. I swear I slow down and think before saying it but somehow I still say it my way. Errhhh!!!

Weekend getaways always feel so short but it really is nice to get away. We were particularly excited because this was a trip dedicated to our dear friend’s wedding and it was our first road trip as a family of five.

Baby Rosie did very good on the drive. It’s normally a five and a half hour drive but we made one stop (both ways) to give the boys and Rosie a break. So we made it into a seven hour drive, which still didn’t feel so bad. On the way there I sat shotgun and got to enjoy the views, played DJ and chatted hubs ears off. HA! The boys were very quiet and entertained with their toys. However, on the way back home I sat in the back with them and boy were they needy! Every five minutes I’d hear mama this and mama that. Don’t think I’ll be doing that again!

My sister flew in to San Diego too! It was nice to see her beautiful face again! The boys were very excited as well! We rented a beach side condo that made it feel that much more relaxing. Being able to spread out and get comfortable was nice. My sweet sister seemed to enjoy the kids a lot, I’d catch her randomly taking Rosie for stroller walks on the boardwalk. I’m sure they both enjoyed it.

The boys loved spending time at the beach. Sebastian was so amazed at the tiny waves we saw bay side. Each morning we would wake up, tell them the plan for the day and hope to be able to get them to switch activities. Alex just wanted to be at the playground and run up and down the corridor of the condo. We spent plenty of time at the beach, the boys got in the water, ate plenty of yummy food, visited friends, rented a four wheel surrey bike and even rode scooters on the boardwalk.

The scooters were lots of fun. I rode with Sebastian (and prayed not to bust it), hubs rode with Alex, while Rosie hung out with tia Chio near the condo. Sebastian was so competitive and kept wanting to race against daddy and Alex. Lucky enough he didn’t notice how shaky our scooter rode because mama was a bit rusty, but he did say our scooter was slow. HA! While we were on the surrey bike, the boys were saying “hi” to everyone we passed. After a while they started fighting over personal space so we had to pull over and let them run it off. It was actually funny to see Sebastian complain about Alex being too close, they honestly have a love hate relationship. HA! Boys!

My amiga’s wedding was absolutely perfect! Not only did she look extremely beautiful and happy but everything about her wedding seemed absolutely perfectly executed. I enjoyed seeing their families blend together and just have a great time! The music selected and the DJ were just perfect! I mean they played Selena and the Backstreet Boys! Ahhh!! That alone was enough to get the crowd excited. We are definitely overjoyed and wish them a lifetime together! Congratulations Joyce and Ken!

San Diego always feels like home to me, this is where hubs and I spent our newlywed years and where we had our two handsome boys. Hubs and I did have a good heart to heart where we both agreed that we may have gave up on San Diego too easily. The cost of living and our desire to continue growing our family scared us off a bit but we are still hopeful to return one day. In the mean time, road trips like these will have to do. Until next time, stay classy San Diego.

#4yearsold #2yearsold #2monthsold

We made an unexpected trip back home to Chicago in March; that actually turned out pretty good for something so last minute! We ended up staying in Chicago 4 weeks with hubs and then an additional week without him. We definitely made the best of it even under the circumstances. The boys got to bond a lot with family, probably the most ever. They got to experience Chicago winter…snow and all! Even though they didn’t exactly enjoy the cold but at least they got to see snow and experience freezing our butts off.

We took them to Millennium Park on a day that we thought wasn’t so cold, but then again the boys aren’t quite used to it at all, so it was fun to see them react to the weather! As soon as we get out of the car Sebastian says to me “Mommm, why is it so cold? I want to go back in the car?” HA! His face was the cutest too! He was so mad and confused, it was funny. Alex on the other hand didn’t really seem to care about the cold and didn’t really complain, even though his cheeks were always red from the cold…mi guerito cacheton.

The boys got to bond really well with family. They loved playing with their cousins and were always asking if we were going to their cousin’s house. Everyday Sebastian would ask us “where are we going today?” knowing that every day we were seeing someone and doing something fun. They absolutely loved being spoiled by both sets of grandparents. Thats exactly how its supposed to be and we absolutely loved seeing it. We even got to celebrate Sebastian’s 4th birthday while we were there. He absolutely loved it.

Being back home this long definitely made hubs and I see how much we miss family and how much our boys enjoy seeing all their faces. We had moments where we felt like they are missing out so much on bonding time with all of our family. We always talk about ways to balance it all out. Being so far from family is tough, even for us as adults, so we really hope the boys don’t get to feel it and learn to cherish the time we do get to spend with family.

While we were in Chicago, I spent a lot of time caring for my dad in the hospital. So I was away from the boys and the activities they were engaged in daily. It’s probably the most time I’ve spent away from them and sure did miss them. Hubs, on the other hand, got to spend so much time with them and I’m absolutely positive the boys didn’t complain nor feel my absence much. They adore daddy and prefer spending time with him anyway. Yeah yeah yeah…I admit it but I am the favorite when it comes to cuddles and kisses!

Even under the circumstances of our trip we were able to squeeze in plenty of activities. We took the boys downtown by train and they absolutely loved it. Probably the favorite thing they did! We took them to the Shedd Aquarium, which was overly packed and stressful. We even went to Lincoln Park Zoo on a not o chilly day. We got to celebrate Easter, Sebastian’s birthday and our 8th wedding anniversary out there too! Hubs and I got plenty of date nights in, along with time with our friends and family. And everyone got to see my baby bump and share my excitement!

I am so grateful that we were able to make this spur of the moment trip back home… for many many reasons. In particular, I am very grateful for hubs and his willingness to support me during my dad’s hospital stay. Read more about that here. Below are some of the many many photos I took during our trip…you know mamarazzi in da house! HA!

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Millennium Park Chicago

Cousins

Grandma and Grandpa

Lincoln Park Zoo

Orange Line – Downtown

Union Station

Crown Fountain – Milennium Park

Easter and cousins

Sebastian’s 4th Birthday

Shedd Aquarium

Seeesters

Anniversary Dinner

Daddy/Uncle Jorge takes all the cousins out – Millennium Park

Baby Bump (22-25 weeks)

 

#TheVillasTravel #2yearsold #4yearsold

I love love love Sedona! The first time we went I was in such awe at that beautiful views. So when my sister and nephew AJ came to visit us for the first time in Arizona, we had to spend a few days in Sedona. We were very excited to have them in town. Even though they have already been to Sedona we still had to go because we want it that wayyy….(tell me why, ain’t nothing but a heart ache, tell me why, ain’t n nothing but a mistake…sorry I had to #BSBForever).

The boys were very excited to see them and had a ton of fun with AJ. Sebastian loves doing everything AJ does. AJ would wear his sunglasses and a baseball cap and Sebastian had to do the same to be just like him. The funniest thing was that Sebastian always put on his glasses upside down. Our story is he claims they are cooler that way.

We found a hidden gem in Sedona; Amitabha Stupa & Peace Park. The boys enjoyed the little hike, while we enjoyed the beautiful surroundings. The views were absolutely beautiful and it felt like a place with such great energy. Sedona always seems to takes my breath away.

We had plenty of laughs this weekend. It was a hot one with triple digit weather but we made sure to stay hydrated and kept the boys cool with pool time and ice cream. I’m sure they didn’t mind. AJ is a natural swimmer and was playing with Sebastian. Sebastian would throw a ball in the water and AJ had to find it. Alex wasn’t really interested in getting inside the pool and instead walked around it as yours truly followed him lap after lap after lap.

The boys enjoyed lounging around. We think they are starting to understand the concept of going on trips. Plenty of times we would catch them soaking in the moment. Alex in particular was caught chilling in bed with his hands crossed behind his head. His face says total relaxation. Another time the boys were caught looking at the views from the hotel balcony. Definitely some of the many priceless moments.

Every time we go to Sedona we like to try something new. For this trip we explored the shops at Tlaquepaque Arts and Craft Village. We scored on lots of little trinkets and loved how cute all the shop displays were. They really make everything look so pretty. Luckily every meal we had was absolutely amazing and did not dissapoint. We did have a fail at one restaurant that was a little too fancy for our wild boys. I’m talking about they only had valet parking…fancy I know!! They didn’t have any available tables, which we were ok with since we definitely felt out of place with our super casual attire and loud boys. To make matters worst Sebastian falls off a chair, while we were waiting outside, drawing even more unwanted attention to us. We laughed all the way to get our car and started yelping other places to eat. Fun times indeed. We can’t wait to visit Sedona again, it’s only a 3 hour drive so I’m sure we will visit plenty.

 

 

#3yearsold #1yearold #10yearsold