Perfect Present

Merry Christmas to me!
My fabulous husband gave me a weekend trip to El Paso, Texas for Christmas to visit my beautiful, wonderful, incredible bff Camille and I got to redeem it this past weekend.

We are kindred. We are soul sisters. She is a gift.
Camille lived here when our oldest were little two year olds and we spent every day together in the throes of raising toddlers while juggling new babies together. We bonded in a way that young moms do and then she moved to Texas. I miss her. I was so excited to see her.
(Prepare for picture overload.)

Friday
Flew to El Paso with a layover in L.A. My flight got delayed and I didn't mind one bit! A delay with no children is a welcome respite.
I got to El Paso and was greeted by my girl. Manna from heaven! She is sweet sustenance for my soul. We stopped for gas and I almost got out of the car just so I could stand next to her. I was so excited to see her again!
When we got to the house, her little Luke "Dookie" was awake and suddenly was standing next to my chair with the cutest little smile and squinty eyes and shoulders hunched with a "notice-me-because-I-want-to-shower-you-with-my-love" look. He looked like a little mouse in love.


I was ready for him! He's so irresistible and so cuddly, so full of love like his mom. The whole family oozes with it. He didn't even know me and he let me squeeze him and cuddle him. In love.
Camille and I talked until 3:30 in the morning and we could've talked all night.

Saturday
Camille and I started the day off with a hike so I could get a good feel of the Southwest Texas landscape. Beautiful...(it was crazy windy!)




At the top...






So fun and exhilarating.

After that we got cleaned up and headed over to Old Messiah, a cool little town just across the border in New Mexico where Billy the Kid liked to frequent.

(Camille made this sign for me to greet me like a limo driver at the airport but forgot it. I couldn't let it go to waste!)
The drive to Old Messiah...

The town square...

We had lunch at a great little place called La Posta with the best Green Chile Con Queso I've ever had. I wanted to drink the whole bowl!


Yummy sopapitas (sp?)...

It had a great little courtyard with live toucans and macaws...

And an adorable pink girly bathroom that we loved...

Then we browsed the shops...


(She's wearing boots and I'm in flats.)

We also bought matching rings at an adorable shop called Lulu...


We got tired of asking people to take our picture, so we started taking pictures of each other and found cool backdrops and got into it and it became like a little mock photo session. We thought we were America's Next Top Mommy Models. It was hilarious and fun. If I'm brave enough, I'll post those pictures.
We found an old hotel called the Double Eagle that was straight out of the Wild West. You could just see the aristocrats and Easterners frequenting this joint...(the saloons were down the street)



After Messiah, we went to meet up with my Maryke, who was my best friend in high school when I lived in Florida and now she lives in El Paso too. So crazy! I hadn't seen her in nearly 8 years.

I saw her beautiful home and met her adorable kids and especially fell in love with this one...

Then we headed over to this cool little place called The Magic Pan for dinner. Great ambiance and a live guitarist helping the mood. So fun to have two of my very best girlfriends from two very different times in my life at one table. Crazy and surreal!

Maryke and I sat on her couch for many hours catching up later that night. Crazy when you're with a friend that you haven't seen in years and it feels like no time has passed. It was so wonderful to see her and catch up. Love you Maryke!

Sunday
The time change threw us off a little for 9 a.m. church but we made it.

Here are her adorable boys all dressed for church...

Lukey

Dallin and Jackson
Another member of the family I fell for was Maggie. Oh Maggie. She is full of love and cuddles just like the rest of them and she had a certain something for me.
I couldn't get enough of her...

or her of me.

She would just lay there so I could rub her tummy...

and put her paws up on me for a little slow-dancing.


Perfect dog for the perfect family.
More love with Camille...


After church, we cooked all afternoon for family dinner. Camille is half Mexican and everyone in her family cooks (even all the men) and they get together every Sunday at her parent's house. We made (she made and I helped) chicken tortilla soup and grilled chicken and tacos and this yummy lime drink and other family members brought rice and beans and shrimp ceviche (sp?) and mango salsa and desserts. Everything homemade and authentically Mexican and sooo yummy. It left me wanting some Mexican in my blood!

Wonderful family and friends. Great day!

Monday
It was cheaper to fly home on Monday so John worked from home so that I could save money and stay an extra day. I had the luxury of sleeping in (after another long night of talking) and then we headed out to see downtown El Paso.
She showed me the border which crosses to Juarez, Mexico (which is an insanely dangerous place right now and has been in the news because of the complete lawlessness due to fear from the drug cartels. Crazy!)


Look at all the people coming over!! (The mountain says "Juarez--The Bible is True. Read it.")

Downtown...

Then we met Camille's mom for lunch at the Stateline, a big Texas steakhouse that is literally on the border of Texas and New Mexico...

We had yummy ribs and the best peach pie a la mode I've ever had!
I even met a true rancher and cowboy...


And then it was time to go.
Time to go to the airport and head home.
It was blissful. I miss her already.
Thank you Camille for a wonderful weekend!
Thank you Eric for watching the boys all weekend so your wife and I could play.
Thank you John for being the best husband ever!