First of many commencements

Claire and the family recently celebrated her graduation from Willamette Hospital's parents' and kids' class. Sarah and Claire have been attending these classes since Claire was born. They help parents (mostly moms attend) answer questions and face challenges while caring for kids.



It was a fantastic resource for us as we tried to boost our kids' self-esteem while also giving them direction and setting firm boundaries.




The graduates got to walk across a bridge on stage before gathering for a photo.



Sarah has made good friends here and so has Claire. Here she is with Lanie comparing dresses.

Claire was her usual jovial self that night. Of course, none of the other 3-year-olds could sit still, either.





That's Claire and buddy Christopher comparing photos.



Paige will be next, I think. She and mom attended their first class together on Tuesday. Claire moved on to preschool....as you'll see....

New Mexico II

There's two sharks in here. I promise.



Look at what all happened when we inflated the kiddie pool:













Eventually all the swimwear came off:













Chowing down at Cervantes.



We paid a visit to my old friend Chuck Fresquez to catch up on his life and check out his art:



We ended up buying a piece. This graphite pencil on plywood fits in well in our bedroom colors, and it reminds Sarah of mountains from a plane.










This was a feedback noisemaker at Chuck's house. I don't recall the name of it, but musicians use it. I believe Chuck said the Beach Boys used it in "Good Vibrations."



Nana and Claire sure liked it.

That's it for this trip. Hope we can get back there again soon. Nana and papa's new place sure is nice.

Videos from summer

July 4th weekend fun you've not seen but wish you had. ??

New Mexico I

I have been awful about posting pics and I won't be getting any better. Not with school.

So I'm going to throw up some photos in coming days with little explanation or rhyme.



Here we are in flight to Albuquerque, a direct flight I understand will soon be discontinued. So much for the sweet dreams.


Nana and papa walked us each day from their casita to the dining room.


They live near an arroyo where Claire found dried, caked mud to be immensely interesting.


We spent one Sunday morning at the Indian Pueblo Cultural Center, where we saw a Navajo dance. I love this photo because it looks like I took it with a wide-angle lens, not an iPhone, and really captures the colors and the openness of the dance site.



We ate out a lot. This mural at The Range Cafe prompted Claire to wonder aloud: "What's going on with those ovens? Oh, they're crashing."





Our best meal was lunch at Barelas Coffee House in the South Valley.





Just look at that cheese on the combo plate!



Claire got up while waiting for her food to play in the misters and got caught by the camera in a ray of sunshine.



Later that day we stopped at a bakery (panaderia) on Mountain Road located near my last apartment here. I stopped in here often for biscochitos and empanadas. They were good, still.


Nana did a lot of entertaining on her back patio.


Paige entertained herself with a slinky.



Eventually we broke out the fabled marble machine, which sent the girls into a cooperative tizzy.


We also visited the sharks at the spectacular New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science. Claire was right at the scientists' elbow as he talked about the pregnant female shark.

More to come...