Bye-bye, Bug

Today we head to Fresno (which, although it's just over the mountains, is a seven-hour drive from here!) to trade in our beloved Volkswagen Beetle for a four-wheel drive truck. We'd just paid off the car, and have enjoyed the 45+ miles per gallon for the past five years, but it's time to face reality. Gone are the days when just Brian and I, and possibly a couple cats or a dog (or, once, all three) would pile into the Bug for a trip to some far-off destination.

Turkey day... but where's the turkey?

You know how, when you get sick on a certain food, you can't eat it again for a long time? Well, that's how I've been with the traditional turkey dinner since last Thanksgiving. Brian didn't want a turkey, but I insisted on having one, and with that darn bird I prepared all the fixins. The trouble was, halfway through the day I started feeling ill. Rather than admit it, I forced myself to eat the dinner which I'd worked so hard on. Later on, I painfully regurgitated the meal, and spent the next day or so in bed. So this Thanksgiving, I agreed to crawfish fettuccini. It's only the three of us today, in our new little house in the Eastern Sierra, and we're happy to have a few quiet days together before the madness of Christmas season truly sets in. We are truly blessed. HAPPY THANKSGIVING to all my wonderful family and friends, and may God bless you as well.

A third birthday party

Today is Granny's 75th birthday, and she and Jack shared a celebration last night. (I think Jack is really getting used to the cake and presents!) He actually almost blew out the big "2" candle, but spoilsport cousin Matthew impatiently did it for him. Oh well... we'll have one more birthday cake, I'm sure, once we get back to Mono City. Maybe all this practice of blowing out candles is leading up to the final show, the one that matters, the one when his daddy will be there! We fly out tomorrow...

Birthday boy

I can't believe that Jack is two today! My baby is transforming into a big boy before my eyes. We celebrated with a party here in Las Cruces yesterday. Jack enjoyed the Elmo cake and the balloons hanging from the chandelier. Oh... and the presents, of course. On the agenda for today: a trip to Scoopy's (an absolute Las Cruces MUST) for Frito Pie and massive frozen custard sundaes. Strawberry shortcake for me, please!

Exploring "the yard"

I've heard stories of Brian exploring family friend Raymond's yard while growing up in Las Cruces. Today, Jack got his first chance to explore the yard as well. Here he is, perched oh-so-excitedly on an old handcar.

Nine days o' big Texas fun

Jack and I just spent some time visiting my sister Val ("T.T.") in Texas. My parents were also there for part of the time. Highlights of the trip include:
*A jaunt to Shreveport--where Jack rode a carousel for the first time--and the very southwestern corner of Arkansas:

*A visit to the Ft. Worth Zoo (elephants and giraffes and monkeys, oh my!):

*A walk through the Stockyards in Ft. Worth, where we caught just in time the twice-daily parade of longhorn cattle through the streets:

*A bounty of bubbles, courtesy of cousin Jody, batted at with two pinwheels:

*A yummy dinner at St. Alphonsius Church's Greek festival:

*And an early second birthday celebration for Jack, including dinner at a Cajun restaurant and an ice cream cake set ablaze with waaaay more candles than two:

Time spent with family is always precious, and Jack and I are still enjoying our trip; currently, we're in Las Cruces for a few days. More pictures to come!

Trick or treat, smell our feet

We celebrated Halloween last night at a neighborhood party hosted by one of Brian's co-workers. Jack was thrilled by the chance to dress up like a train conductor once again and carry his "pump."

The party featured an array of spooky snacks, including bloody fingers, ghosts on a log, spiders, monster pizzas, and my personal favorite, barf:

Afterward, about forty of us packed up, the youngest pulled in wagons, and began a trail up and down Mono City. Jack was a trooper. It took about three houses for him to get the hang of the whole trick-or-treating thing, but then he started inviting himself into people's houses. At one house, he even pulled a rocking chair around and picked up a book.