HAPI 2012

Here we are again - it's Christmas 2012.

Wow! How did we get here so fast?!

First of all, there was Thanksgiving with Granddaddy in Taos (while Grandmommy was getting used to her new knees in Santa Fe).

Paloma is an avid reader, and Granddaddy was happy to oblige.

In the meantime, Imme was eating (again). 

 It was a lovely, simple Thanksgiving, with plenty of time for just hanging out.

Imogen likes hanging out. 

Back in Albuquerque, we decided to take a stroll down to the river to see the last of the autumn colours...

At our favourite spot near the Rio Grande Nature Center. 

... and do a spot of baking...

Paloma decided to put a thumbprint in every little ball that she rolled in coconut. Yum! 

... and do some more hanging out...

Imogen loves hanging out! She's pretty good at pulling herself up to stand, and she likes shuffling around on the edge of the furniture. 

 ... and elk hunting. Howard went with Mike and Lee down to the Gila: Mike got his elk on the first day and Howard got his on the second. (Lee didn't draw a tag, but was happy to be the scout/meat-hauler.) We have a full freezer and a couple of happy meat-eaters. (I think Paloma has already declared herself to be vegetarian. We'll see if it sticks.) (Imme had her first taste of elk meat and seemed to like it! Howard is over the moon!!)

Houghton Canyon in the Gila Wilderness.
(How do YOU pronounce 'Houghton'?)

Merry Christmas everyone! We're off to Taos tomorrow - let's hope that they have plenty of snow for our White Christmas!!

Birthday wishes for Dad

 HAPPY BIRTHDAY MY WONDERFUL DAD!!!!!

This is a big birthday for you, Padre! I thought it would be cool to post some pictures of you so I scrounged around in my old (paper) photos to see what I could find. Oddly I found a lot of pictures of you outside, hunting and fishing. I wish I had a photo of you walking back home from your deer hunt in the mountains behind our house (circa 1978??). I remember seeing you returning. You were a tiny speck at the base of the mountains and watching you walk across all the fields on your way home.

I found pictures of you and our family, lots of pictures, but these two sum it up. You are a wonderful Dad and have given so much to all of us. I think about you as I raise my children as I have a wonderful guide to follow..

Cathy and I loved the image of you and Duff sleeping in the motorhome. We hovered over your bed giggling and snapping pictures. By the angle of this photo we were sitting damn-near right on top of you and you did not wake up...not too surprising.

In my search for pictures I even turned up a photo of you stuck in a dog door. I contemplated posting it but remembered the pact we had made and the trade for the down jacket and kept it off this blog. It makes me happy though that I still have a photo of that night. Do you want to trade something else for that picture?

I love you Dad!! Happy happy birthday. With any luck you will have Elk in your freezer for a birthday gift!