17 Ideas for Capturing Couple Time This Fall

Fall inspires romance doesn’t it? Seems like love is in the air everywhere you turn. The cooler weather makes it ideal for snuggling up closer to the one you love. The changing colors are a good excuse to go for a drive or a walk and enjoy some time together. Those are just a couple of the more popular ways to capture couple time this fall, but there are others. Here’s some ideas inspired from my own experiences as well as from articles I’ve read (and noted herein) written by fellow Families.com bloggers. Passing Time at Patches, Orchards, and Farms … Continue reading

School Fall Festivals and Carnivals

It is now officially fall. I love the weather! We go outside in the afternoons and a soft breeze feels wonderful! Along with the coming of fall, many schools host fall festivals and carnivals. Each school has their own method of organizing such events. Most carnivals or festivals include games and food. It is very popular for all school events in my location to rent the huge blow-up jumpers for the children to jump on. Other small games such as pick up ducks and ring toss are also usually on the list. Some schools host their events on Saturdays or … Continue reading

Seasons Greetings from Santa Fe

Yesterday I received a Christmas card from a friend bearing that exact greeting. Little did she know that her holiday correspondence would serve as inspiration for a travel blog. As I stared at the card and the photos she included inside it made me wonder how much people know about New Mexico’s state capital. Sure, its popular ski resorts get a lot of press, but what about the other attractions the sunny city has to offer? If you have never visited Santa Fe then you might not know that it averages 300 days of sunshine a year, which means that … Continue reading

Controversial Tourism Commercial Creates Drama in New Mexico

I’ll admit the first time I saw the state funded commercials aimed at attracting travelers to New Mexico I laughed—a lot. The 30-second ads feature creepy looking reptilian spacemen dressed like tourists with the tag line “New Mexico—-the best place in the Universe.” Anyone who knows anything about the state realizes the campaign pokes fun at New Mexico’s famous connection to aliens. Most notably the fact that in 1947 the U.S. military said a weather balloon crashed in a Roswell desert, but the overwhelming consensus by residents (both past and present) is that it was a UFO. Since then the … Continue reading

Seasonal Travel: Spending Thanksgiving in New Mexico

My parents met and married in Albuquerque, New Mexico and subsequently spent a number of Thanksgivings in the land of hot air balloons and roasted chilies. They now live in the land of pineapples and big surf. Hawaii is a popular holiday destination, but you’d be surprised at how many visitors descend on New Mexico during the long Thanksgiving weekend. Many hotels and resorts in the area are offering Thanksgiving packages, which include elaborate turkey spreads, but it is New Mexico, so don’t be surprised if your meal features a Southwestern accent. Common holiday dishes such as green chili and … Continue reading