Ruidoso

Our day exploring Ruidoso was filled with rain. No, not rain, an insane storm. Like lightening cracking in the near vicinity so loudly it shakes your body and hurts your eyes. The main road through town turned into a mud filled river and shops were shooing water out of their front doors. We were troopers though and hopped between awnings and explored all the shops, getting little souvineers for us and family. We got some mind blowing salsa from here.

This is a grumpy husband who's tennis shoes were soaked via running through the road-river. He should have listened to his own advice when I inquired if I should wear my faithful boots with a dress and he said, "yes, it's supposed to rain." Silly boy, how I love you. So glad you never stay grumpy for long.

Christmas shops, you are the best. The lovely lady running this place greeted us with a joyous, "Merry Christmas!" and told us there was only one hundred some odd days until Christmas. A woman after my own heart. What a dream job!

The largest piece of carrot cake ever from the Blue Goose Cafe (which is delicious and run by a UT fan!). Freaking monster cake. He ate some then, on the drive home, and finished it off the day after we got home.

Other great places to eat: The Village Buttery: adorable little soup and sandwich shop with a killer patio, the asparagus soup was phenomenal. Grace O'Malley's Irish Pub: BEAUTIFUL place, so classy! Great food, excellent beer list, and an awesome patio. Sacred Grounds Coffee and Tea House: excellent breakfast and excellent coffee! We had some seriously note worthy oatmeal and the best little bagel with honey cream cheese. Best breakfast of the trip and maybe my favorite meal.

Also, I must mention how kind everyone was! Everyone we talked to was super sweet and not at all "ew tourists". Maybe it's because they live in such a pretty place and that effects their mood, but everyone was just so genuinely nice us!

We stayed at the cutest little hotel, the Sitzmark Chalet. It was adorable and that was our selling point. We got the last room (they even switched on the NO vacancy light after we checked in!) and it was teeny tiny, but perfect for us. After getting soaked in the rain, we spent the rest of the evening curled up in bed reading. Perfect day. These pictures were taken the next morning, which was a beautiful day and made leaving that much harder.

The next morning we packed up and headed down out of the mountains for good. And I cried a little in the car. I don't know why being in the mountains has such an effect on me, but it's like I'm supposed to be there. It's my happy place. I am scheming a way for us to end up there for a long period of time. And I'm not sure if I'd feel the same way if we lived there, but my whole life I feel like I've just wanted to be in the mountains. I blame the Sound of Music.

Ruidoso you were so good to us. I love you and I can't wait to get back to you.

The rest of the trip here.