Nueva Mexico Buenisimo

It's been nearly two weeks and many warmer days since we got back from the Southwest where dining out, chile, retirement planning and swing sets reigned.



Yes, nana and papa have a swing set, so all was well with their two granddaughter. Claire hopped on the swing every day. She even wanted on when the trees above started hailing walnuts in a windswept gust.



One reason we traveled when we did was to attend Brent's 20th high school reunion. Here Claire huddles with Stacey Hill Inal's 1-year-old daughter Skye. They got along better than their parents did growing up! These are the moments reunions are made of.




Nothing like being in Espanola without stopping at Arlo's fruit and vege stand. We picked up a bushel of Chimayo green chile, though we had to come back to get it roasted after a flywheel on Arlo's roaster broke. Claire volunteered to help fix it....



Claire also offered to help papa dig up his potatoes. Here papa hands Claire a fingerling potato that looks more like a russet.



With mom and dad preparing to sell our house and move into a retirement community in 'burque, mom got out a lot of my toys to determine which to save and which to send to the dump in El Llano. Out of the closet emerged a worn Charlie McCarthy, who could still talk in his owner's lap. Charlie made a fast friend with one Claire.




Unfortunately we didn't have a seat for Charlie on the flight back to Oregon...







But we did have an extra swing.....





..and story time....



Paige officially began sitting up unassisted, save for the occasional story time from big sister ...



...and frequent in-your-face interactions with big sister. Whether Claire is reading, jumping up and down, shaking her or throwing a fit, Paige gets a kick out of it. Big smiles all around.



Nana and papa did their best to spell the parents, a thankless job at times, when you think about playing in a sand on the floor of a carport and pushing a swing repeatedly.






All parties claimed to enjoy it. (THE PROBLEM WITH THIS VIDEO HAS BEEN FIXED. YOU CAN NOW VIEW IT! SORRY!!!)