✨ Day 1 of Our Road Trip to Santa Fe

It’s finally here—the much-anticipated road trip to Santa Fe with my sister Alice, her daughter Olivia, and our shared firecracker of a niece (and my goddaughter), Maysie. At 14 and 15, the girls bring the right mix of sass, curiosity, and creativity to this adventure. Our plan? Take it one day at a time—with art, spirituality, storytelling, and a healthy obsession with Native American history…and chili peppers.

We dedicate this blog (Alice and I) to our parents Albert and Craig Key who taught us how to create the best adventures and get the most out of every hour of time together and learn everything you can along the way while staying in the safety lane Dad!

🚗 Departure Prep: Plants, Prayers, and Pranks

Before pulling out of my driveway at the crack of 6 a.m., I made sure the essentials were covered: every plant set on auto-watering, my car cleaned and loaded, and my spirit somewhere between excitement and coffee-fueled chaos.

And then, the snake. Not a real one (I hope). Hidden under the seat. I’m convinced one of my students slipped it in as a parting gift—no doubt disappointed he couldn't see my reaction firsthand. Kid, if you’re reading this, just know: well played.

🎒 Road Rules & Rituals

We’re flexible travelers, but each day we have a few core daily rhythms to guide the journey:

• ✂️ Change outfits of our Native American paper dolls to reflect tribal regions

• 🧠 Prize questions every few hours—correct answers earn handmade Native jewelry

• 📖 Daily devotional from Morning Mercies

• 🃏 Draw your Adventure Card for the day

• 💭 Share your Essence of the Day + something to Release

• 🎨 Complete an art activity

• ✍️ Everyone journals

• 🌶️ And of course, I’m on high alert for chili peppers of the region

We also assigned our Word of the Day: Discernment. Was our first. 

Today, the Morning Mercies reading reminded us, “You don’t get wisdom by experience or research—you get wisdom by means of relationship. Grace makes that relationship possible.” That pretty much set the tone for the day.

🎭 Trail of Tears, Seminoles & New Identities

As we cut out our paper dolls, we discussed the Trail of Tears and its ties to Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana. Olivia and Maysie dressed their dolls in Seminole and Choctaw attire while trying out new names. After much laughter, we landed on:

• He Who Seeks Balance (because someone cut off half his paper stand)

• She Who Blows in the Wind

A fitting start to their evolving road trip personas.

🥒 Big Pickles, Little Towns

We stopped in Ruston, LA for a charming lunch at The Log Cabin Grill & Market—a place straight out of a Hallmark movie, complete with rocking chairs and wood-smoked everything.

Later, at a gas station stop, Olivia decided to go full pickle pioneer. She got one of each kind. Now the car smells... very pickled. The air freshener doesn't stand a chance.

🏨 A Haunted Night in Ft. Worth

By 7 p.m., we reached Fort Worth, TX, greeted immediately by a drive-thru liquor store where Alice and I snagged our first ranch waters, and the girls clinked their virgin daiquiris in solidarity.

We checked into the historic Miss Molly’s Hotel, nestled in the heart of the Stockyards. The place is oozing with old West charm, creaking floorboards, velvet chairs—and yes, ghosts. Rumor has it Miss Molly herself still checks in on guests. We were the only ones staying that night, so fingers crossed for some friendly haunts. Olivia’s phone began typing by itself and trying to send messages. Really strange? When we left the hotel that evening - it was fine.

🛍️ Evening Strolls & the White Elephant

After a twilight stroll and window shopping in prep for tomorrow’s Stockyard adventures, Alice and I sipped Texas whiskey at the White Elephant Saloon, soaking in the stories of gamblers, cowboys, and gunfighters and watching the two steppers spin around the dance floor to live music. Alice and I sang along to all of our favorite western songs as they sang.

Then it was back to cozy beds, prize boxes full of art supplies and jewelry, and journals waiting to be filled.

📚 Books We’re Reading Along the Way:

Our shared booklist will travel with us, just like our paper dolls and cowgirl hats. We read. We reflect. We giggle. We grow.

Tomorrow’s adventures await—and if they’re anything like today’s, they’ll be full of wonder, glitter glue, hot sauce, fun adtions to our hats and possibly more pickles and peppers. Here we come Palo Duro Canyon!