Apron

What should I do with all tis left-over fabric and those old jeans with holes in the crotch? Well this is what I came up with. No pattern! This is my first truly original design! All it took was some experimenting, head-scratching, and a little bit of cursing.

This will look fantastic over my house dress!

Pants!

A little funny, but not bad. The sort of thing you'd be very excited to find marked 70% off with a tag that says "slightly imperfect". I'd buy them. Next time I'll use only one model instead of sizing them to fit a mix between me and my brother. That ought to solve some problems.

Fuzzy fleece for those cold, winter nights.

Holiday crafts!

It's winter break. That means more leisure reading, more fashion mags, and more crafting!

Stocking with characters from Rudolph, my favorite Christmas/clay-mation movie ever.

Really creepy bead and safety pin mini-tree topper/ornament.
This activity was a hit at the sweater party.

2nd Annual Holiday Sweater Party

Success! Although we missed Beth and her margarita pie, this year's turnout was great. We saw a lot of really great sweaters, some nice vests, and one really festive holiday sweatshirt. No better way to celebrate the end of the semester and the beginning of the Holiday season!

So much Holiday cheer.

Susan, Fin and ice sculpture.

A certain course reader is used as kindling for the fire.

Taylor and his quilted vest/Santa suit t-shirt ensemble win by a landslide. Congrats, Taylor!

No party is not complete without a craft. David agrees.

Leah and Sandra bring their A-game with homemade sweaters.

Jennifer enjoys a margarita by the fire.

Joy, Jeromy and Meghan play dreidel.

Best Halloween Costumes Ever.

A long awaited "stuff I make" post. I hope the caliber of this creation makes up for lost time. Special thanks to Susan for constructing the "helmet" and for her guidance and help in the construction of the body. And a well-done to David for whipping up one fine 18th century get-up at the last minute. We are crafty!

Left to right (duh): Flamingo, C.P.E. Bach, Bumble Bee

Kasha-Katuwe Tent Rocks National Monument

Susan's birthday field trip. How did I not know this was only 45 minutes from Albuquerque?

Sandias in the distance.

Tent Rocks

Slot Canyon

Susan and Fin. He's a surprisingly athletic dog.

2008 Albuquerque International Balloon Fiesta- Special Shapes Rodeo

Here it is, folks. Adrienne's pick for best special shape of the year:

Reminds me of the Tiki Room! Where the birds all sing and the flowers bloom!

Susan's pick: Noah's Ark or the Gremlin/Gargoyle

Homecoming 2008

We kicked off the weekend with the alumni groups social on Friday night. Good old friends, good live music, and an open bar. Saturday before the game, the alumni band separated from the Spirit Marching Band to play pep songs in exchange for beer in the tail gate lot. We were terrible. But I can still rock a bass drum!

I was lucky to have a fan club/support team. David (a highschool band friend!) is no longer a student, so we put a bass drum on him and snuck him into the game with the band. Once a band geek, always a band geek.

David holds mallets. HA!

It was weird to be in the band again. It was such a huge part of my life for so long. Most of my best friends- the ones who have stuck around throughout the years- those are ones I met in band. Man, we used to have so much fun. And despite the rain, the bruising, and the certain damage to my spine, I had an amazing time. I got to be a musician again! And I got to spend some good quality band time with all those people who were so close to me during my formative years. Jordan, did, after all, pour me my first shot ever.

BOYZ II MEN!!

I have been to a lot of concerts. I have seen a lot of live music. This was -HANDS DOWN- the most amazing show I've ever been to. They performed a perfect balance of songs from Cooleyhighharmony, II, and Evolution, as well as some Motown favorites. I learned some very intersting information about the history of my favorite Boyz II Men song of all time, "Please Don't Go": Nate wrote it when he was only 15 years old!! And, just as I would have expected, I got very teary-eyed during "On Bended Knee". So beautiful.

I was very happy to share this once-in-a-lifetime experience with Meghan. If in middle school we had known that 14 years later we'd see Boyz II Men at Isleta Casino for $15 dollars... well, we wouldn't have believed it.

The remaining three Boyz II Men.

Meghan and I treasure our souvineers.

Three very satisfied concert goers.

Perfect Saturday

Heidi's Raspberry Farm, Corrales

Corrales is adorable, and I love raspberries. $20 got us 3 pints of berries, two jars of honey, and a morning of fun.

One for the basket, one for me...

David gets after it.

Turkeys love raspberries too!

Abiquiu Lake

After the berry pickin', we enjoyed lunch and patio at Village Pizza (how had I never been the before? yum!) then headed out to the lake.

A clothed rehearsal for the New York Naked Yoga Troupe retreat in Jemez.

Susan catches some rays.

Even though we're all a bit more paranoid these days about accidentally drinking the water, that didn't stop us from jumping in! You couldn't wipe the grins off of our faces.

21st Annual New Mexico Wine Festival

Unfortunately, we forgot the camera, but here are the highlights from our little excursion to Bernalillo:

• Don't worry. We had a designated driver: the Rail Runner! So much fun! It's like living in Europe again. I can't wait until it goes all the way to Santa Fe.
• I wish I remembered which wines I tried. David was taking our notes. We did end up purchasing a glass of the St. Clair White Shiraz. Love me some pink wine.
• In line at the St. Clair tent, this girl asked the man in front of us to take a picture of her and her friends. He said sure, under the conditions that she would show him her boobs. She agreed. The man's wife overheard, HIT him, called the girl a tramp, and the show began! As a punishment, the woman made her husband pull around thier floral suitcase filled with wine. The man turns to us and affirms his masculinity by assuring to us that he is not gay, despite his floral suitcase. David affirms his taste by assuring to the man that even though he IS gay, he would not carry that suitcase. Poor horrified man. Oh yeah, then boob girl's brother showed David and Justin his boobs. All this entertainment for only $10.
• Then we were ready to dance! Local Paul Simon inspired group, Wagogo, does an interesting cover of "Down on the Bayou", and David and I get our cardio for the day.
  
• We also sampled some delicious goat cheese and locally grown peaches. Yum-o.
  
• On our way out we stopped into the local Obama campaign office to get a sign for my yard. (Check out some cool Obama artwork designed by my friends Manuel and Kirsten.)
  
• We had dinner at the new Flying Star (totally one of their best locations) where a local group called "The Java Divas and John" played their reditions of such classics as "Ring of Fire" and "Sweet Home Bernalillo" to the tune of "Sweet Home Alabama". David stole one of their egg shakers. That's what they get for trying to get the audience involved.

Overall opinion of this year's wine fest: success!

That's why they call it fishing, not catching... at Fenton Lake

A few photos from our father-daughter fishing trip:

What a lovely morning.

No better way to spend a day.

Just when we were about to give up, our single catch of the day! After fishing licenses and supplies for the trip, this little guy probably cost around $80 a pound. That's some expensive trout.

Ben's Big Mexican Wedding, July 2008

Guanajuato

En el funicular

Amigos

Paletas in the rain. Qué romántico.

Momias

Callejón del beso

Our daytrip to León proves fruitful.
Look at those fancy botas and snakeskin belt!

How can someone love something so much when it causes so much pain?:
Susan's love for tortas finally takes its toll.

Tequila

It's okay. We got the table by the bathroom.

Awwww!

San Miguel de Allende

Anything to get the shot.



Piñata gigante!

They are famous for the ice cream.
The shrimp ice cream actually had whole shrimps in it.

Taos, Carson National Forest, Orilla Verde, Ojo Caliente

OMG, New Mexico is, like, sooo awesome. It just keeps getting cooler and cooler. Seriously, you have no idea. It is a totally hip place to be. Right, David? Hell to the yeah. I'm going to build a compound in Taos. Only people who love New Mexico will be allowed to come and stay with me.

Asserting our love for NM in our finest outdoor apparel.

So pretty!

Jennifer admits she loves NM...the proof!


Enjoying some Chick Light at the camp site.

Butch.

Butch-er.

Butch-est.

Teepees!

Outing conclusions:
1. We love Taos!
2. To maximize enjoyment at Ojo Caliente hot springs bring a good sandwich, an ipod, and sun protection, go during the school year so that there are no children splashing around, and finally, don't lose your glasses.
3. Eff Santa Fe. Damn straight.