Day 1 in Albuquerque & A Winner

I love to travel and have tried to help my children enjoy it as well. We usually go to a different state every time that we go somewhere for spring break or summer vacation so that our children can add more states to their list. After visiting New Mexico last week, they now have been to 14 states. I wonder which will be next. Whenever we chose a place to visit, everyone asks us, "Why there? Do you have family there?" But we just like to go explore and learn about new places. I know this seems like a LOT of photos, but I really whittled it down.

Our first full day in Albuquerque (the first day we got there and the kids went swimming at the hotel and then it was time for bed), we visited Albuquerque Biological Park which has an aquarium and a garden (kind of like Thanksgiving Point, but it does not compare). They also have a zoo for extra admission, but we decided not to do that. Sabrina was not happy about that, but she is the only one of the three kids who wanted to and we all had to make concessions about where to go.

These are the handles on the aquarium doors. The aquarium wasn't really big, but it was fun.
Manta Ray belly

Right as we came over to this part of the exhibit, I saw this big fish finishing off inhaling a fish so I said, "Look. He just ate a fish." Those words barely came out of my mouth when Sabrina burst into tears. At first she sat down and bawled and didn't want to see the fish any more, but then she came back over and stared at the fish with such a look.

I can't imagine being bitten by one of these sharks. SCARY!

Then we went to the gardens. This part was funny because it has a motion sensor and when you walk near it, it makes a loud buzzing sound (like a giant bee), it startled us and Alex jumped. Then we heard some people who came after us scream when it started buzzing.

Alex was so excited that they had a Japanese garden, but it wasn't exactly what he hoped for. Still, it was a nice, tranquil part of the gardens.

I loved these two photos of the little bird that was hopping along this tree in the farm part of the gardens. I might even have one of them enlarged and frame it. The sky was blue and cloudless our whole spring break.

After the park, we went to Old Town and looked around at the shops. I found out that I L-O-V-E the jewelry and pottery in New Mexico, but they're really expensive so I didn't get any. I found a few necklaces I liked and they were all around $200 each and a small pottery item with beautiful turquoise was $2200. So I just did a lot of window shopping.

I loved all the fun architecture everywhere. It often felt like we were in a different country (Mexico perhaps).

And now for the part you ALL (all 5 of you who entered) have been waiting for...

Using random.org, I got the winner and it is-----

Serene from Serene is my name, Not my life!

I'll be happy to send you the jewelry set as soon as I get your address.