Spirit of Place - The Southwest

Over the winter break, after the holidays were over, the boys and I packed our bags and hit the road. We had bad cabin fever, and the desert southwest was calling.  I was planning on bringing Sophia, but her daddy asked that she stay home with him as the long hours on the road could be hard on her.

We decided on our way to Big Bend, that we would visit our hometown. In the past 4 years, this was the first time I'd been to El Paso without having to deal with some depressing aspect of my mother's passing (funeral, helping clear out her house, or stressful courtdate dealing with the estate). When we arrived with the sunset--without any knots in my stomach or a broken heart--I was able to really *see* the beauty of this border town, and feel at peace.

After a good amount of homemade tamales, authentic sopapillas, Chico's tacos, La Terraza, great company, watching the sun set and the full [blue] moon rise on scenic drive, and a walk down memory lane, we headed toward the beautiful Big Bend National Park. 

I feel its important to expose my children to these places of wonder, so they build an appreciation for nature.
The road trip was long, but it wasn't painful. We listened to music, watched several sunsets, and at times, enjoyed the silence. It actually felt like a bit of an escape. From the frenzy of every day life. And there was something so liberating about doing this with just my boys, at our own pace. We all took turns driving (ok, so Jay drove way more than Domi), and all the while, I was overwhelmed with so many incredible feelings.

Of self-awareness, sense of place, connection, and gratitude.




Sunset, El Paso






Terlingua Ghost Town

Reminiscing :: 1977

Our grandparents had a cabin in Cloudcroft, New Mexico, and our large family would gather there yearly.
This place is one of the most treasured of my childhood memories.

This photo brings a smile to my face.

Yvonne's Birthday and Housewarming

Last night we enjoyed an evening of good food, drinks, and art to honor my cousin Yvonne's birthday, which also doubled as a housewarming party. She purchased her first home a few months ago, gutted it, and transformed it into a beautiful, inviting, and zen-like space. I wish I had before pictures of the house when she bought it. The labor and work that went into this place is unbelievable (there were many tears shed as well).
But, it is now a home.

Congratulations!



















Happy Birthday to my best friend, my cousin, my soul sister!
To many wonderful years ahead.

Boxing Day Party

Our holiday happenings have been overall, low-key, and I'm certainly not complaining. After an incredibly busy several months, we didn't want to "need a vacation after our vacation", if you know what I mean. Christmas Eve, my clan headed downtown to Congress Avenue, and enjoyed a wonderful late dinner at the restaurant my brother helps manage. After dinner, Mike and Sophia went home, while Domi and I bundled up and headed down a couple blocks to Saint Mary's Cathedral for the annual midnight mass tradition he is requesting we keep going. We enjoyed watching the carriage rides pass by with the scenery of the Capitol building and lights in the background.

Jay flew in last night and we headed straight to a Boxing Day Party. Boxing Day is an English tradition that has nothing to do with pugilism. It is the day after Christmas Day, also called St Stephen's Day (as in Good King Wenceslas), and usually the day when families and friends get together in England. It was hosted by the lovely [English] Hawes family, whom we met through Domi.

These teens are pretty much, inseperable. Domi is at the age when dating usually starts, however, there is no dating going on here. Even though I would completely approve--even be thrilled (great girls, smart, eclectic, come from a good family, and so on) if they dated, but alas, they consider themselves "siblings".

It was such a nice evening because we were all able to enjoy it together as a family. The "kids" did their thing, Sophia played with some old Duplos they had there, while us adults talked, ate good food, and enjoyed a good English brewsky. This is the way to relax, be with friends and family, and enjoy the holidays.

Thanksgiving 2008

This year was probably the smallest Thanksgiving dinner in our hosting lifetime. Our guestlist was in the single digits, whereas in the past, it averages between 15-25 heads. Even though I missed having the hustle and bustle of a pack filled home, the quaintness of our intimate dinner with our lovely family members was a relaxing change.

What really helps this [frazzled] hostess now is her teens can do a lot of the prep work. In the past, I've been known to spend the ENTIRE day before Thanksgiving (or any other formal dinner) just dressing up my table. Ironing linens, polishing the silver to shiny perfection, setting the table per Emily Post etiquette, creative napkin folding, finding the perfect centerpiece, and even the final touch of personalized place cards. Yes, I get much satisfaction from these arduous tasks. And, I admit, this is the time, when I have been known to almost turn Martha Stewart crazy (short-tempered, nit picky, and maybe a bit of yelling here and there). ;)

However, since we had a smaller fete this year, these tasks were delegated to Domi and Jay. As Domi polished the silver candlesticks and Jay set the table with the Lenox Solitaire China and vintage circa 1921 Grosvenor flatware, I tell them, "one day, these heirlooms will be yours!". They both looked at me with this blank stare, and then went back to work, without saying a word. Ah well.

I share the same passion with certain antique items as both my maternal and paternal grandmothers. My paternal grandmother was an antique reseller herself. Maybe Sophia will be share in her mom's enthusiasm when she's older. She did after all, get giddy herself about having her very own place setting at the table and even managed to drink out of a small wine glass (filled with Cranberry juice) without a single spill or breaking it. Those practical life skills we work on are coming in handy!

Our (everything homemade) Menu consisted of:

Appetizers~ Baked Black Cherry Brie with Toast Points (Eric)
Main Dinner~Honey-baked Ham, Deep-fried Turkey (David), Rice Dressing, Green Bean Casserole, Green Chili Macaroni and Cheese (Eric), Shallot Whipped Mashed Potatoes (Eric), Sweet Potatoes (Holly), Fresh Cranberry Sauce, and Dinner Rolls and Cornbread.
Dessert~Bread Pudding (Eric) and Pecan Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Pralines.









Adding this photo to balance some of the refinement with evidence of a good ol' cajun deep-fried turkey.



Hope you all had a wonderful and restful Thanksgiving with your loved ones.

Alana

How could I have left this photo out?

BSM ~ Tender Moments

Friday afternoon, Sophia and I went to visit her cousins. They have such a nice time together, and I love how gentle and tender the girls are with her. They wore themselves out playing outside and jumping on the bed.





I can't get over how the little guy follows the girls all over the place, even outside (without shoes) and the rocks don't even phase him when he walks on them, or even when he falls on them. He just picks himself up and keeps on moving. He climbs into, and onto, EVERYTHING. Yeppers, we even found him in the sink!







These kids just melt their Auntie's heart. I'm so thankful they will have each other growing up because there was a moment in time, a reckless and foolish moment, on our part (the parents), in which they almost didn't even get to know each other. But that all thankfully changed this past summer.

This next photo speaks to me on so many levels.
I know I've said it before, but everytime I look at Serena, I see my mother.
Her brown eyes, fair skin, and red curls get me. Everytime.

This is my Best Shot Monday.

Sisters

A few more from the girls' recent visit.

BSM: Girls, Just Wanna Have Fun

My nieces came to Austin with my inlaws, and we got a heavy dose of what teenage girls are all about. I used to be one myself, but I almost forgot what it was like. I'm used to having teen boys around here, so it was different change of pace. We had a great time, swimming, shopping, eating, and hanging out. They were wonderfully compliant when I asked to take some photos of them. I have a few more pics from our camera play, and will post those soon,but for now, I'll leave you with this image, which I chose as my Best Shot because it shows how happy, playful, and alive they are.



For more inspiration, head over to Mother May I.

Serena

Serena was born of the 4th of July and we went over to help her and Alana celebrate their birthdays. This was the best part of our weekend. She resembles so much of my mom with her red hair and brown eyes.

I couldn't get enough of her hair. Isn't it beautiful?
Curly, thick, vibrant, red hair.

For more yummy shots, hop on over to Slurping Life.

Reminiscing

While going through photos, I came across this one that my mom took of my Papa (far left) and my uncles when they were all young men. I love being able to look back at photos to see how young and beautiful they all were. Especially since my Papa and my Uncle Edimo are no longer with us.

A Coming Home

Today, a wonderful thing happened. Sophia met her cousins for the first time.
And they were enamored. I was pleasantly surprised to see that little Serena is a pelirroja (red head), just like my mom. Alana is just as sweet and loving as she was when I last saw her as a young toddler. And we met baby Don, who was born last summer, and named after my Papa.

Here's to new beginnings.