The week in Santa Fe went really quickly. Tuesday the guys went fly fishing and the rest of us went first to the Georgia O'Keefe museum and then to the Children's museum. The littles and Bella appeared to enjoy the O'Keefe museum and really loved the Children's Museun. Here are some pictures from the children's museum.
Here's Bella pulling herself up the pole by using pullies
Grace and Nonna threading beads
Ella playing music
Grace playing music
Bella surrounding herself with a bubble (sorry for the orientation - I forgot to flip it)
Ella and Sara making bubbles
In the afternoon while the littles napped Nancy and I went to Whole Foods and Susan's wineshop for food and wine (the staples of life). We also shot some baskets in our private court, played with the kids, had a late supper and got to bed early in anticipation of an early start the next day for a balloon ride.
Grace makes a basket (with a little help)
Mark making a point after dinner. Of course Wes and I are attentively listening to his sage advice.
Wednesday arrived early (like 4 AM). We left the littles with a babysitter and met our balloon pilot, Johnny, and drove to the launching site by way of the balloon storage area. We 'helped' inflate the baloon then all hopped in the basket and we took off. Mark had driven and still had his keys as we ascended. The crew had forgotten to tell us that they needed the keys to move the car so we sat down on a bush, gave the keys up, and took off again. Down the canyons, up over the ridges and down the next canyon until we arrived at the landing area Johnny had picked out. A great ride. We were even allowed to fire the burners at times. We were back home a little after 10 AM.
Getting ready
Laying out the baloon
Filling it with hot air (Bella and Johnny in picture)
Ready to go
Lift off!
Airborne
Bella firing the burners
The scenery
Do these people look happy or what?
Polly takes a shot at triggering the burners
We almost land in a bush
The balloon gets deflated
And packed up
A celebratory party to attest to our survival (it was a great experience)!
After some short naps Nancy, Wes and I toured the downtown area around the Plaza which was interesting but kind of touristy. The next day the women went to the spa and the rest of us took Bella, Grace and Ella swimming at a public pool. It was inside and the water was warm with slides and lap lanes. All had a good time. That night we had dinner catered in by two Native American chefs. It was all local and all Native American food, most of it coming from the reservations around Santa Fe.
The table before dinner (with Lois, one of the chefs)
Making desert plate decorations - everyone is involved, escpecially the granddaughters
The results
Blowing out the candle
Ella's decorated plate with desert (mostly the littles watched a movie but they came out for desert)
Polly and Sara read an original poem in honor of my birthday, much to the delight of us all
And the girls put on a terrific skit!
We all went to bed full and happy that night.
The next day we all went to a pueblo village at Bandelier Monument. It was fun climbing up into the caves that were used as part of the Native American houses.
Ella in a pueblo nitch
Grace is the same nitch
Sara, Wes, and Ella in a pueblo 'house'
After the pueblo trip we came home and started to pack up for our trip back the next day. Saturday we said good bye to the house and to Santa Fe and headed to the airport in Albuquerque. After almost a day of traveling everyone arrived home safely.
And packed up
A celebratory party to attest to our survival (it was a great experience)!
After some short naps Nancy, Wes and I toured the downtown area around the Plaza which was interesting but kind of touristy. The next day the women went to the spa and the rest of us took Bella, Grace and Ella swimming at a public pool. It was inside and the water was warm with slides and lap lanes. All had a good time. That night we had dinner catered in by two Native American chefs. It was all local and all Native American food, most of it coming from the reservations around Santa Fe.
The table before dinner (with Lois, one of the chefs)
Making desert plate decorations - everyone is involved, escpecially the granddaughters
The results
Blowing out the candle
Ella's decorated plate with desert (mostly the littles watched a movie but they came out for desert)
Polly and Sara read an original poem in honor of my birthday, much to the delight of us all
And the girls put on a terrific skit!
We all went to bed full and happy that night.
The next day we all went to a pueblo village at Bandelier Monument. It was fun climbing up into the caves that were used as part of the Native American houses.
Ella in a pueblo nitch
Grace is the same nitch
Sara, Wes, and Ella in a pueblo 'house'
After the pueblo trip we came home and started to pack up for our trip back the next day. Saturday we said good bye to the house and to Santa Fe and headed to the airport in Albuquerque. After almost a day of traveling everyone arrived home safely.
