Category Archives: Parks

Museums/Events, Parks, Wildlife Preserve/Reserve

Museums, a storm, and Palo Duro take 2!

06/13/2019 Danielle Huddleston Leave a comment

Being in an rv during storms is all at once beautiful(I love the sound on the roof) and terrifying. A big storm rolled through during our stay at the Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge in Texas. We drove into Amarillo on our second day in Texas to check out the Don Harrington Discovery Center.

It was another ATSC Passport museum so we got in for free again! It was a great museum but my pictures are a bit deceptive.

It was VERY crowded.

There were several school groups there and it was not a huge place so it was SUPER LOUD! I went in with our four oldest and Nick stayed out with the dog and our youngest who needed a nap. Anyone else feel like they need to go be in the middle of nowhere around no people after visiting a children’s museum? Afterwards I dropped Nick and the girls off at the camper and took the boys to the Palo Duro Canyon to hike and take pics.But because it had rained the night before, they closed the trails!

Our campsite was a good 30mins away so I felt obligated to still go even though I did still have to pay the entrance fee.

At this point it was getting laughably ridiculous.1st they are all booked up, now we cannot even go for a hike there!We still went into the museum and stopped at the lookouts at least.Our last trip to the canyon went a lot better though for sure.When we got back to the wildlife refuge we decided to check out some of the trails.It was a pretty walk.

I had to keep reminding myself that I really did love the Palo Duro Canyon and that this time it was just a flop.

Have you ever had a really bad time at a great place?

My Family, Parks

Celebrating 15 years!

06/05/2019 Danielle Huddleston Leave a comment

We went to Woodward park on our first date. I also got the call about little bit at this park.

We have spent several anniversaries there as well.

So many memories at one park.

I asked for pictures with just Nick for our anniversary.

The girls decided they were missing out and kept running into the shot. The Linnaeus Teaching Gardens in the park are so beautiful! He is always bouncing. I quietly put my oldest in the spot I wanted him to take a picture from and hoped the girls were distracted enough we could sneak a picture with just Nick and I. Got one!They figured it out fast though!

See them sneaking in the corner of the pic?

The lime mint smelled amazing, now I want some! The greenhouse is one of my favorite parts. I have been wanting this shot since a memorable day we spent lounging like this while engaged. I am glad I have my own little photographer along so I can get shots like this 😉 15 years married to this guy.

It does not seem possible that it has been that long.

Today was pretty laid back and perfect(well as perfect as it can be with 5 kids in tow).
I told them they could be in one if they let us take some alone.

Stinkers.

My Family, Parks, Wildlife Preserve/Reserve

A Volcano and Camping in a Wildlife Refuge ~NE New Mexico

05/20/2019 Danielle Huddleston 2 Comments

Our first stop in New Mexico was the Capulin Volcano National Monument.

We had taken the boys there when they were little but it had been a 9 or 10yrs since we had been.

You can’t take trailers to the top so we left it at the visitors center which worked out great.

The view from the top is beautiful and you can hike around the rim and into the crater.

I did not hike the rim because someone needed to stay in the car with the dog.

Pets are not usually allowed out at national monuments.

We did not plan our next stop until last minute.

I saw the Maxwell National Wildlife Refuge on the map on the way to a state park we planned on camping at and decided to make a quick detour.

When we got there we found out they offered free camping! I was sold with this view! We also got to drive around that evening which is a great time to see animals. And we got to mark off another state on our map! It was rustic camping so no hookups but it was so beautiful! And the next morning I got to wake up to birds singing and beautiful views. This is my new favorite way to camp!