sara with camera

White Sands

We hit Ruidoso, NM first and were a little dissapointed.  I had expectations- that's where I went wrong.  On the way back, we had just an hour to enjoy White Sands and we loved it.  The boys said it was the best day ever.  Before we stepped out into the sand though, Matti asked if it was poisonous.  I thought that was great.  Auden and I didn't want to leave (an hour is not enough camera time there).  Might have to make another trip soon.  Oh, and Matti was not being camera cooperative- usually Auden's m.o...  Must go to bed now.  Congratulations to all of you who have the bar behind you!  Love, Sara 

No Dead Cat

 


I'm sparing you.  Just so you know.  I have a photo of a dead, almost mumified cat that I'm not posting.  Instead you get photos from a downtown walk we took last week.  Nothing really exciting to write.  Still just trying to get this house together, trying to get back into running (4:45 am wakeups- Eileen, I don't know how long I can keep the madness up), taking care of the kids (I'm vicious: making them do summer homeschool), job searching, and the occasional evening trip out with the camera.  Auden is finally into reading (Magic Treehouse series), and that's super exciting for me.  And, today, we were discussing the difference between Walmart & Target when he said, "I just prefer Dillard's."  Yep.  He's great.  Might have some people photos for you Monday-ish!  Love, Sara

Edit: realized I can't post the photos of Kalissa because Dusty would see her in the wedding dress...I have to wait a whole month.  August 21st though, they're going up! 

Missing Manhattan (KS)

Will had a black eye- I didn't try to edit it out.  Will, I need the Cars 2 scoop sometime soon (still haven't seen it b/c Gamma took the grandkids).

  And we're not just missing Hana, Will, Cori, & Bill...

but Matti's best friends too.

 
Hope this finds you all well.  We miss you (and everyone from the old hood and you Topeka folk too for that matter).  Love, Sara

ps. I'm pretty sure Becky was standing on a rock wall.  Dralinn is a giant. 

Spoiled

Our new washing machine arrived yesterday. It's pretty cool (there was a moment, at first, where it outsmarted me, but now that I have the upper hand- for now, at least, I'm thinking it's great).  We decided not to buy a dryer though since it's almost always warm, dry, and windy here.  

The washing machine took two weeks to get here and in the meantime, I made use of a neighborhood laundromat.  I was dreading the first trip and put it off as long as possible.  And then I experienced the laundromat for the first time since...I can't even remember.  Laundromats (especially when located across the street from a bakery) are really amazing.  It's the structure I like the most- then the people watching and the snack eating.  As for the structure, it's the perfect set-up.  Thirty minutes: all laundry clean; 20 more: it's all dry.  Then you Have to fold it before you go home.  No laundry situations.  So if we had a dryer maybe I would adopt this new system.  Fold the clothes as soon as they're out of the machine (why that never occurred to me before I don't know).  ONLY we don't have a dryer.  Gonna miss the laundromat (seriously).  Strange, I know.  

So I was thinking, not only will not having a dryer save money, but it would be environmentally friendly too.  Nice.  Except I'm spoiled.  My first fit with line-drying involved having to carry a large clothes basket full of Wet clothes out to the backyard.  I am old.  I have lower back issues.  I don't carry heavy things unless I'm on a mission.  Other issues: the line sags very low, all the clothes won't fit on the line, there's DIRT underneath the clothes (remember that wind), & I had no idea how towels were supposed to be hung until Chris set me straight.  

I was in a bad mood the whole latter half of yesterday and I think it still has a hold.  Gonna quilt 2 lines on the hand-quilted quilt, shower, and get a move on (grocery shopping, post office [really hate post offices], & Maybe (if I can get Chris on board- need him for chop saw maneuvering) build another outdoor table).  We (mostly Chris) organized the garage last night and all that's left is the study (if my photos are a little dark lately, that's why- not working on the giant monitor).  

I'll give an update if my opinion of line drying improves.  Have a great weekend, Sara

P.S. And while we may not be living in an Airstream like I wanted, we are living a somewhat primitive life with no dishwasher either!  

Two Before the Storm

Living in the shadow of a mountain has its disadvantages, namely: there's a shadow.  I prefer evening to morning for shooting, mostly because if I'm getting up that early I should be running not shooting.  That last hour of sun though, in our neighborhood, is cut very short when it dips behind the mountain.  Good light gone at 7:15.  Not a problem if I drive a couple of miles from the house, but it's a learning curve.

Last night, my shooting was cut short by a oncoming storm.  I noticed the clouds first, then the air was sand-hazy.  No more photos (so I just drove around, trying to get to know this place a bit better...may or may not have driven down two different one way streets the wrong way).  It rained though (during the night), and that was awesome.  Not only did I get to sleep to rain, but on a KING sized bed.  Totally luxurious after 8 years on a full sized one (sometimes with 2 adults + 2 kids).  Oh, and here I go jinxing myself, but those boys haven't crawled into bed with us yet...

Sunday I have an art fair at the San Elizario Mission & I'm not really ready for it yet (thinking I'll pull it together in time though).  Other than that, nothing of interest going on At All.  Love, Sara

 

Pumps

This little gas station caught my eye that very first trip we made to El Paso to find a home.  Some collector's hobby/project I'm guessing, but I don't know.  There are 4 pumps, each labeled differently- but otherwise the pumps are exactly the same.  After taking so many non-people photos for awhile, I'm more than ready for another portrait session (Hannah's doesn't count since it was abbreviated by that whole antler piercing the tire thing).  Might have to pay the boys to model again :).  

As of today we're finally down to unpacking the garage and doing a bit more with the study and the outside.  I was beginning to get depressed, but now that there's a bit of order, I think I'll be alright.  A job wouldn't hurt either.  

Nick, on Facebook, asked how I liked El Paso so far and I told him that it's like living in another country (like Japan was for us, but a different flavor). It really does have its own culture and some super large percentage of the folks I've run into don't spreken the English... I love it!  Totally butchered that spelling, I'm sure.  

We went for a hike tonight and that was sort of fun (might be developing a fear of heights in my old age...fighting it).  Love, Sara

Wyler Aerial Tramway

The Wyler Aerial Tramway is a couple of blocks from our house (we can see them going up and down), so we checked it out the day before the movers finally brought our stuff (they arrived at 5 p.m. on Sunday and we've been organizing, cleaning, and breaking down boxes ever since (oh, and crying over broken antique taxidermied antelope ears).  Except for today... there's still a bunch to do, but we're about unpacked-out (I'm sure there's a better way to express that, but it's all I have).  This is one of the two gondolas coming down the mountain (not sure which peak [edit: Ranger], but they're the Franklin Mountains). 

The view from the top is of New Mexico, Texas, and Chihuahua...

Pretty cool, huh? I mean that's the view (the mountains) from our front and back yards.  At least on the one side.  The view from the other side is, at night anyhow, city lights.  So pretty.  The boys actually watched two different fireworks shows from the front yard with the neighbor kids (there are 5 in the one house: ages 7, 5,4,3,& 1).  The oldest two carry the baby around like he's a doll.  Auden has already picked up a little spanish.  Bicicleta!

Neither of the boys would let me take their photos at the top, so this is all I have. 

In other news: the ice cream truck drives by at least once a day.  Love the tweety bird with bubble gum eye balls ($1.50). 

I ran with the El Paso Running Club this morning and it was awesome.  I can Not run without company.  The problem is coordinating my running with Chris' required PT at 6:45 am Every weekday.  I need you Becky Johnson.

And I STILL need a job, else I'm going to lose my mind. Love, Sara