I first met my hubby – in person – four years ago. We hit it off great and right from the start. Exactly one year later we got engaged and were married 8 months after that.

At about the time we got married we decided that we would move south to warmer climes in three to five years time. So it will be three years this coming spring and we are right on track for the three year mark!

In anticipation of that forthcoming move, we traveled to Arkansas again this past week and followed it up with a side trip to Albuquerque for balloon fest. We had a ball!

First in Arkansas we drove around the four counties that we have centered our search on and tried to narrow down our focus a bit. I think we’ve decided to center in on the area just east of the cities and south of the lakes. that would give us good access to town and still be out in the boonies a bit. While I like the house in the north it just seems like such a long drive. And who’s to know what will be available when we are ready to purchase? We also got to meet the local SCA group and are very pleased we will eventually be able to call them family. We toured a cave, we had lunch at the tea room, we went cashmere shopping – it was a very relaxing vacation.

In Albuquerque we went to balloon fest. We took the Gondola package which involved special parking, a closed off area near the field with breakfast and golf cart rides wherever we wanted to go. We also got a special pin and then I went off and bought all of the penguin pins. It was a very fun morning even if I did have to get up at 4am. During the few days we were there we also went to Santa Fe to visit the oldest church, the oldest house, and the oldest municipal building. We got some pilgrim badges for the shrine, visited a mine and got some stone beads and a bone button, got lost in the scenery, and visited lots of old friends.

And now we are back at home and there is so much that I need to get caught up on!