Pumpkin Patch Take Two...

After a failed attempt (due to weather) to go to the pumpkin patch we were able to make it there and enjoy some beautiful weather and fall festivities. We rode the hay ride out to the patch, picked out our pumpkins, had lunch, went down the tunnel slide, saw a cow being milked, went to bunnyville and much more.

Here is Blaise on the hayride doing his supermodel pose!

There were so many pumpkins to choose from--the only catch was I had to carry all three back. So we ended up getting fairly small pumpkins.

Here is Violet choosing her special Pumpkin.

Blaise and his friend Jaiden enjoying each other's company and the hay ride.

Here I am with baby Elyana sporting a festive cowboy look thanks to Ruby.

We had a great time and I am already looking forward to next year's trip!

Paint Out

This was an event on Canyon Road in Santa Fe. Many Artists came out and painted outdoors and created some beautiful pieces right there in front of the Gallery. My dad participated and showed off his artistic skills for the tourists and clients. It was really fun to see. It was so successful that I think they will continue to do it more often.

Here you can see my dad grinding the metal before he patinas it. What an amazing process and the outcome was beautiful. The weather was perfect and even the kids enjoyed it.



We took a little time to take some photos outside and in the gallery.

Can you say "Christmas Card?"

Sara's Birthday party at Kid Zone

Sara had a birthday party and it was lots of fun for the kids and adults. Kids Zone is a new place in Santa Fe with a giant climbing structure, super fast slide, craft area, food, drink, big tree house, water table, Wii and Dance Dance Revolution. We like to go and play. Violet likes the crafts and water table. Blaise likes the climbing structure and tree house. I like the hula hoops and dance dance revolution. I am working on these important life skills. Carolyn and her whole family took a turn at ddr. We, of course, all enjoyed the pizza, presents and cake too.

I am happy there is a new indoor place to play when the weather is cold or icky.

Siblings

My brothers came for a visit and I am so lucky to have them in my life and my kids lives. I cherish their friendship and we ALWAYS seem to find a way to have a great time.
Here are a couple of pics of Uncle Fun playing with the kids. He is great at wrestling and leggos.




Alex (Uncle Bean) and I are riding in the back of my dad's truck. You are never too old to get a kick out of that! We joked that all we needed was a wife beater and a budweiser to make it perfectly white trash.

Uncle Bean got his name from Blaise. We thought he gave him that name because right after he got back from Costa Rica he ate a lot of rice and beans. So we asked Blaise and he said "Cuz his head looks like a bean." And the name stuck!




I love this picture of my mom with her boys: Nothing is more precious than a mother with her babies. Love you guys!

Albuquerque Aquarium

We went to the Albuquerque Aquarium after a failed attempt to the Moriarty Pumpkin Patch. The weather was awful so they closed the pumpkin patch. Carey, Peter, Ruby, Blaise, Violet and I went to the aquarium instead. It was tons of fun anyway minus the two minor/major metldowns at lunch/naptime!

We did eventually make it to the pumpkin patch the next week--photos of that coming soon!

Best Guacamole Ever!

I went to Gabriel's in Santa Fe, well just outside of Santa Fe, and experienced the best guac on the planet. The guy came out and scooped 4 giant, ripe, delicious avocados into the bowl and added all the fresh goodness of tomatoes, jalapenos, onions, garlic and lime. He mashed it all up and gave it to us. It only took two of us to eat it all! You wouldn't think I would still have room for dinner but I did because they had mole. The mole was great but it sure made me miss the Red Iguana in Salt Lake.

Anyone hungry?

Santa Fe High Limbo

This is part of my class at Santa Fe High. I am teaching the dance portion of the musical theater class and loving it. I have great students and it has made me realize how much I miss teaching in a public high school. High School kids are great fun, a lot of work but very rewarding. We are usually very on task but on this particular day we did the limbo as a warm up.

They were totally into it and involved and supportive on each other. It was nice to see all the students cheering each other on when we all know how high school is. I was glad to give them something to feel included and accepted (even if they were not the winner).

We had a two way tie for first--and the girls totally took the trophy!

Balloon Fiesta 08!

This year we were able to make it to balloon fiesta in Albuquerque.
We woke up early...but not early enough. Even though I was up at 5 am we still missed the end of mass ascension by about 10 minutes. We were lucky though because the last balloon to go up was Darth Vader and Blaise was quite excited about that. It was the special shapes day and we were able to watch all the shapes...energizer bunny, champagne bottle, bee, dinosaur, etc. Then the regular balloons flew right over and just seemed to keep coming. The movement in the sky was spectacular. I was not sure it would be this great but I was not disappointed and I am already looking forward to next year (I will get up at 4 am though).

The kids favorite part was the grass. Growing up in Santa Fe they are not used to it and loved rolling, running, playing, leaping, crawling, wrestling, and touching it. It turned out to be a beautiful day and we had soo much fun.

This is a picture of my favorite balloon. Lorissa took this picture and sent it to me because she knew how much I love this balloon--thanks lorissa. It is a beautiful picture and it made me fall in love with balloons and the whole balloon fiesta!

Someday I might just have to take a ride in the tulip balloon!

Blame

Though others have faults,

Concentrate on your own.

Some people have the habit of blaming others. Perhaps all of us have this weakness. The list of scapegoats for our miseries is clever and endless. Parents, community, teachers, government and even demons and gods are all invoked when we have problems. If difficulties truly come from the outside, the problem comes from within, the soution must come from within as well. Before you blame friends, relatives, or teachers for bad habits and shortsightedness, you should remember that no one is to blame but yourself.

It is an equal mistake to lose self-esteem simply because you have some flaws. Looking at your shortcomings and taking steps to eliminate them should be viewed as a dispassionate project. You are not worthless because you undertake to rise above your faults. That description is only for those who never attempt to perfect themselves. We all have a perfect core and a special self inside.

Bops can shoot some pool!

We went to dinner the other night and I became completely exposed to my dad's pool skills. The man is great. Every ball in the pocket one after another, and it has been nearly 30 years since he played. He was amazing! I want to enter a tournament with him. We will be the secret underdogs and take home the championship (I am terrible at pool but make a pretty good cheerleader for it).

After a great (kids were free) dinner and even some smores we hit the tables. Blaise and Violet had a lesson and I just had almost too much fun for a Tuesday evening!

Alice and Wonderland

We are working on Alice in wonderland right now for our show in mid-November. I have completed about 8 dances with maybe just 2 or 3 to go. It is a wreck right now but we are working hard to get it ready. Here is some video of the kids doing the Macarena as a warm-up. They are funny and still need a little work at it :)

Don't you wish life was a musical?

365 Tao

I have a book that I read passages from quite often. It is a great book to find tidbits of inspiration. I love to read a small amount from time to time to help me find peace in this life.
This one struck me in particular today:

Creativity

Storm breaks into pieces

Clouds charge the horizon.

Revolving of the heavens

Generates all movement.

Without movement, nothing could be created in this universe. The revolving of the heavens can generate wind, rain, thunder, lighting. The revolving of the earth enables us to have day and night, the very cycle of the weather, the seasons, and the growth of plants. Movement is responsible for creativity.

Kids in boxes and young lovers

These are just cute!

Violet and Nathan (2 years old--violet is the older woman by 6 weeks)

Running on...

My mom and I ran a 5K last weekend and had a blast! It made me really think why I don't do it more ofter. Is there some reason I hesitate to do it when it makes me feel so good? I deserve it and I am worth it. So...I think I will start working towards a 10K somewhere in the near future or if not at least the Eldorado 5K Fun Run again next year.

This picture is taken from a friend who had her daughter running the 1 mile race. I hope to have the kids do that with me next year. Blaise seemed excited when I asked him.

Here we are running/walking at the end of the race. I finished and came back to finish with my mom. As you can see we are working REALLY hard. Sometimes I even amaze myself with my ability to have way too much fun all the time.