We hadn't really made any definite plans for how to spend the last few days of our Spring Break, with Colin off of work. We had talked about different things; the Catwalk, Mimbres to visit Gramma and Papa, Tucson, Phoenix...but never finalized anything. Friday morning, however, Colin and I decided to take a road trip to Tucson. Usually, we leave fairly early for road trips, but since we just planned it on a whim that morning, it was 10am before we loaded up and took off, excited for our trip out of Las Cruces!
Our first stop, not counting one gas and bathroom break, was at In 'n' Out Burger for lunch - a family fave! We then went and checked into our hotel and then spent a couple of hours shopping at the Tucson Mall before heading back to the hotel so the kids could swim a bit. I was too busy enjoying the hot tub to take pictures, but I did manage to get one of them in the hotel room before they changed into swimsuits:
After swimming, we all got ready and went to Cattletown Steakhouse for dinner, which was a first. Not as fun as Pinnacle Peak's, but the outside looks like an old western town and the food was pretty good. The next morning, after breakfast, we went to the Tucson Zoo. We hadn't been since Colton was about 2 (my brother and his wife lived there before moving to the Albuquerque area a few years ago), so he didn't remember much and Cady had never been. We got there a little before it opened that morning and not only beat the crowds and the heat, but the animals were all out and active!
We spent a lot of time at the anteater's enclosure. Such strange and interesting animals:
Colton found some termite mounds:
The giraffes are always one of my favorite sights at the zoo: 
Love the zebras, too:
While looking at the zebras, we noticed this hard-working little squirrel who kept filling its mouth full of leaves and pine needles, then scampering across a small grassy area and going down a hole with it. Probably building a nest. It was so much fun to watch:
Then, there was another squirrel who found a generous turtle to share its breakfast:
Otters are always fun to watch because they are so playful! Here is one that was drying off in a hollow log after water-wrestling with a friend:
Cady found a fun water area, but all we would let her do was use the pump:
Lots of pretty and interesting birds to see:
We spent a lot of time at the anteater's enclosure. Such strange and interesting animals:Colton found some termite mounds:The giraffes are always one of my favorite sights at the zoo: Love the zebras, too:While looking at the zebras, we noticed this hard-working little squirrel who kept filling its mouth full of leaves and pine needles, then scampering across a small grassy area and going down a hole with it. Probably building a nest. It was so much fun to watch:Then, there was another squirrel who found a generous turtle to share its breakfast:Otters are always fun to watch because they are so playful! Here is one that was drying off in a hollow log after water-wrestling with a friend:Cady found a fun water area, but all we would let her do was use the pump:Lots of pretty and interesting birds to see:Many beautiful peacocks around:
There was even a gorgeous white peacock - the first one any of us had even seen in person:
Can't remember what this one was called:
Cady wanted to take home a pet snake:
It was a fun morning! I love zoos! Afterward, we did a little more shopping (Ulta! Sunflower!) and then, much to my excitement, found a Chipotle's to eat lunch at. Colin has eaten at one in Denver before, but I wasn't with him, and I have been really wanting to try. Boy was it good and I have never seen burritos that big before! Needless to say, I didn't eat all of mine! Next time, Colin and I are going to share one. We then bid Tucson farewell and headed for home. Much to the kids' delight, though, we had one more stop to make...in Tombstone - the Town that Wouldn't Die. It is a neat little town, full of history and famous for the gunfight at the OK Corral involving Doc Holiday and Wyatt Earp and his brothers. We were there last in 2006, when Cady was a baby, and Colton had been saying how much he wanted to go again (he just loves that kind of stuff).
We spent over an hour walking Main Street, looking in the shops, seeing the gunfighters and "shady ladies" on the streets and enjoyed some ice cream.
We spent over an hour walking Main Street, looking in the shops, seeing the gunfighters and "shady ladies" on the streets and enjoyed some ice cream.We then drove over to the famous Boothill Graveyard:
Finally, it was time to get home and prepare ourselves for heading back to school and work on Monday. We had a wonderful family get-away. Sorry to see Spring Break leave, but now the countdown for summer can really begin! Thirty-nine and a half days to go!!!
Finally, it was time to get home and prepare ourselves for heading back to school and work on Monday. We had a wonderful family get-away. Sorry to see Spring Break leave, but now the countdown for summer can really begin! Thirty-nine and a half days to go!!!
After a yummy picnic lunch of sandwiches, chips, pickles and cookies, it was time to do some exploring around the rocks. So many great places to climb on, over and in between!
We had a great time and enjoyed the beautiful spring weather with family! So thankful for fun places like that near home. 
They also made the nigeri-type sushi, just by taking a rectangle of rice krispy treat, placing a Swedish fist on top, then wrapping a strip of fruit roll-up around it. Below, Cady is cutting a strip of a roll-up:
It was a fun and easy treat and they are actually quite yummy (and colorful)!
Stay tuned for Part Two of Spring Break '12, coming soon!