^ baby's first lolipop! ^

^ if only these gorgeous rugs weren't $15,000 a piece... ^

^ my favorite Russian ladies ^

^ this place totally lived up to the hype - delicious!! ^

^ a strong gust of wind turned this photo into a winter wonderland ^

We are back in the quiet of our little cabin today. Suitcases oozing clothes litter the floors and the dining room table is piled high with a week's worth of mail. It's nice to be home - in our bed with familiar sights and sounds around us. It was a whirlwind week and though there are no promises of life slowing down any time soon there's a comfort in the daily routines one misses when traveling. 

New Mexico was a dream. From the moment we stepped into the airport we felt like we were somewhere we had never before been - the adobo architecture, the navajo prints and the snowcapped mountains that surround you from all four directions. The downtown area was already decked in christmas lights and wreaths and a magical sort of feeling laced the air. 

We were so blessed to be able to spend a week with my cousins, catching up and getting to know their spouses. We couldn't help but feel old thinking of the way our parents would organize similar get togethers many, many years ago. We cooked, we played, we laughed, reminisced and talked late into the night. Birdie fell in love with all her aunties and uncles and she loved being the star of the show. 

I also cooked my very first turkey and according to one of our guests my gravy and bird were the "best thing he's ever had" so suffice to say I was quite pleased (I'm not sure if this is considered cheating or not but we got a pre-brined bird and I think it was a big reason it was so tasty). We had every side dish imaginable as well as some fantastic desserts, including some Russian ones! Oh, I also made my first "strawberry pretzel salad" and oh my goodness had we all been missing out!! It has officially become a must make dish!

And so it was with a heavy heart that we packed our bags and headed for the airport on Friday. It always feels like you didn't have enough time when you're having a good time with family. We all spent Thursday nigh lamenting the fact that it all seemed to go by way too fast. But there's always next year I suppose and I'm quite positive there will be another "reunion" in the works very soon.

I took an embarrassing amount of photos of our trip so I will be splitting it up. Look out for another post soon!