Summer 2020--NM/Colossal Caves in Vail, AZ

We bought tickets to the big island of Hawaii back in December 2019 for July 2020...but to travel to Hawaii this month of this year would require us to quarantine in our hotel for 14 days before being able to actually leave and enjoy the beautiful island.  Who can afford that?!?!  Not us.

This year has been full of huge disappointments so we have tried to make the best of it.  Chris had already requested the time off so we set out visit family in NM and to see our own beautiful state--mostly because there is a lot we haven't seen and a little because AZ is considered a "hot spot" for the COVID-19 epidemic and as such AZ residents are asked to not travel to certain areas like NY or Connecticut.  Funny story as we drove into NM for the 4th of July celebrations:  We all received a nasty text from the state of NM requesting that we quarantine for 14 days in NM and we would be fined $100 for not wearing a mask.  Well, obviously they don't really care about the little border towns down south.  And nobody in Deming cares about what the people up in northern NM say either.  So we were able to go just for the weekend with no repercussions.

Here are a few pics of our trip to Deming for the 4th.  It was the first 4th of July without my mom so my sister and I were put in charge of staying with all the animals at my dad's house.  Which we FAILED at as my dad's little black chihuahua escaped and we have yet to find her.  We felt HORRIBLE but truth be told...he has 6 other dogs.  So hopefully Patitas has found herself a nice new home--she's been pretty miserable since my mom passed.  (She has been listed on every lost animal page on FB so hopefully someone turns her in)

Lola did NOT appreciate being locked up
while we were away from the house:)

Scaredy Cat--she settled down
after a few minutes:)

Darla--the house donkey...

From NM we brought back my niece, Sabey--Tatum's favorite cousin--to hang out with us for a couple of weeks. 

We told each of our kids to pick an AZ destination for the week.  Here is what they chose:
Tatum-Colossal Caves
Max-Grand Canyon
Ethan-Vulture Mine
Chris & I-cabin in Pine and Jerome

First AZ stop:  Colossal Caves in Vail, AZ.  We always enjoy a good cave.  Colossal Caves is a GREAT place to get out of the AZ summer heat.  I actually learned quite a bit on this tour.  Caves are "dry" and caverns are "wet."  So this being a "cave" it was a really easy hike with no slippery areas.  Places like Carlsbad Caverns are "wet" and still growing.  So very informative tour but I personally like the "wet" caverns overall but still a great place to see.  

Sabey & Tatum

LOVE this formation--
It's called "The Witch"
See the large nose AND the cat shadow below?

The Tyrannosaurs Rex

Silent Waterfall

They actually shot a "Sesame Street" scene here.
This is the "Big Bird" cut out they used.

Castle on the hill in Vail, AZ

We would have loved to have gone to Old Tucson afterwards but that was closed so we hit a Chilis on the way home.  Great day trip.