OK-lahoma

This year, Chris and I took Lena to Oklahoma for the Osage dances and left the twins with my mom...(thanks mom!!!). It's so much easier to travel with just a five year old.

Here's the group getting ready to dance.





Lena and her great grandad - who celebrated his 90th birthday while we were there!



The Tinker boys.



Lena getting some instructions from her very handsome cousin!



Putting on her shawl for the dances.



Flying with tio Nick.



Morning. You think someone's been staying up late???



Oklahoma prairie.

Oklahoma teaser

(Well...could YOU resist pretending to eat a dead tarantula you found in the road???)

More photos to come...I'll try to spare you any more arachnids, though.

Lena's artwork

Here is one of Lena's recent creations. The one on the left is a girl with pig-tails, smiling and showing her teeth (not a bespectacled, grimacing bunny, although that would be cute, too!) I just love the way she draws.

I think we've got a monkey in the house.

Yes, yes we do. And he's sporting his most handsome hairdo...the one-sided-banana-faux-hawk.

A few recent shots

i see you!


hmm...so far this has happened twice. notice the line in the sugar from his finger dragging through it, just prior to a blissful, naughty treat.


that's an armful of cuteness!

On the road again

The last weekend in April, Lena and I went to visit Chris' parents for their second annual "Roadrunner Road String Jam" - a friends and family bluegrass festival on his parents' property in Northern New Mexico. Last year Chris and Lena got to go...this year, my turn!



Another really good reason to visit New Mexico...the longjohn at the Spic and Span. Seriously, this donut is about as big as my head!!


This is the house where Chris grew up, no Tinkers there anymore, but we had to sneak a shot. See the huge beam on top of the gate? Hewn by Lena's own Grandad!

Out to eat...

Out to eat...again.

Somebody's really gonna miss her tio!

Lena and I each made rock piles...so we can check and see if they're still there next time we visit.

In Santa Fe, enjoying some time with Nana and Grandad, and looking quite smug after getting two new princess dolls from Toyopolis. Oh dear...

Vacation in the sun!

We just got back from celebrating my mom's 60th birthday down in Southern California...sure stinks to come back to 40 degree weather and rain.

Pool kids!








Three girls out to lunch.



A hummingbird in its nest in my mom's backyard.



If you ever visit Palm Springs, they've got a great play structure at the airport!



Stella looking a bit tan on those cheeks!

The Living Desert

We also went to the Living Desert, which is kind of like a zoo crossed with a botanical garden, featuring all kinds of desert wildlife. It was beautiful, but very hot!

Puddle jumpers

gone fishing.

moments before eli falls into puddle...

stella's not buyin' it. not for one minute.

Eli's latest fave

Dirt of one kind or another