catching up #3

Last weekend was a four-day weekend for Thanksgiving. 

We headed up to Taos for a couple of days of eating, feasting and relaxing. 

Oh, and watching the game on tv...

Football with Grandaddy. 

 ...and finding all of the animals in the house to snuggle...

Paloma in cuddly heaven. 

...and keeping Semilla happy...

Our handsome dog, wishing she was outside chasing a ball. 

...and keeping everything organised...

The redistribution of snuggly animals. 

...and we get to do it all again in a month for Christmas! Hooray for eating and feasting and relaxing!

catching up #2

In the beginning of November (shortly after Halloween), we headed down the South Valley for the Day of the Dead Parade. This is an amazing procession of all sorts of different people who want to get out onto the streets and celebrate or remember. 

We all enjoyed the parade immensely. 

Paloma gets the best seat in the house. 

Some of the procession.

Marigolds and skeletons. 

What fun!

Celebrating life. 

Ah, this is New Mexico
(check out the lowrider in the background). 

After all that, we went back to Leslie's house for a big potluck feast and some s'mores around the bonfire. What a great day!

catching up #1

We have been away from the computer a lot lately, and I know that there haven't been many blog updates. I finally got around to downloading a bunch of photos from our cameras, so I'm going to try to update you all with what's been happening in the past couple of months. 

First of all, let's take a step back in time to Paloma's birthday. The Marvellous George Mitchell recently shared some of the photos he took on that day. 

The birthday girl in action!

 Time for birthday cake!

The funny-looking cake (that took a week to prepare!). 

Blowing out the candles

It was Grandmommy's birthday too, so she got to help blow out candles.
Caroline (R) wants to help too...

The cake may not have been pretty on the outside,
but gee it was pretty on the inside!

And yummy too...

 Opening presents

The birthday girl in action!

A present-opening frenzy....

Intrigued by Old MacDonald (driving his tractor). 

Thanks again to everyone who joined us and made this such a special day!

Frances Joy Wilson, 1908-2011

One of the many wonderful things that Frances Joy told us (when we were newly engaged) was that we would have a home anywhere, no matter where we lived, so long as we are together.

We will all miss her.

When I grow up...

Paloma likes to make houses. She builds them out of blocks, sticks, rocks, all sorts of things.

Recently, she built a house that we were pretty darn impressed by.

A future architect, maybe?

a weekend in Taos

Before the Great Birthday, we had a weekend in Taos. It was Howard's last chance to go grouse hunting in the mountains.

The drive up was horrible. It rained and rained and rained and we were so glad when we made it there! We have vowed never to drive to Taos in a rainstorm again.

The storm also brought snow (later that night). It made the drive up the mountain impossible, so we didn't get to see any grouse.

Still, we made the best of the situation and stopped off for a walk in the snow. We built a snowman and had a snowball fight. I think Paloma was a little shocked by the flying snowballs at first, but soon got into the swing of things.

And, of course, Semilla enjoyed being in the Great Outdoors and playing in the snow. And the river.

Happy birthday, Paloma Lois!

Can you  believe that our little girl is two years old already? In some ways, it feels like just the other day since she was born. In other ways, that feels like an eternity ago. 

On her birthday, Howard and I woke up early and went into Paloma's room to sing 'Happy Birthday', spank Paloma (the number of spanks = her age) and roll her under the bed (a Brandenburg tradition). We ate pancakes and opened a few presents from Australia and from us. 

I made her a special birthday crown and a special birthday tutu. 

Woh! Check out this skirt!

I think she kind of likes it. 

It looks as though the present that she got for her first birthday is still getting a good workout!

Paloma and I packed our bags with a bunch of snacks, then headed off to the zoo for the morning. I didn't take many photos because I was too busy lifting her in and out of the stroller (she's a little indecisive!). 

Ooooohhhh.... zebras....

And then we came home for a well-deserved nap (I think I may have needed it just as much as she did). When Paloma woke up, we made some sugar cookies to take to daycare the next day and then we waited for Howard to come home for the next big birthday surprise. 

He made her a swing!

She likes it A LOT!!

On Saturday, we celebrated again with a party in the backyard. Grandmommy, Grandaddy and Auntie Cathy all came down from Taos, plus a bunch of friends from Albuquerque. Thank you all for making Paloma so happy!

She had a wonderful time opening all of the presents. I think she enjoyed tearing the paper as much as seeing what was inside.

 


Only another six five months to go and we'll be celebrating another birthday!