What's Cookin': ABQ Trip

Also in July, I got to go to Albuquerque for a week--the main goal: meet my nephew, Daniel! I had some credit on Southwest from a conference flight cancelled in March 2020, so since then, I'd been thinking of taking a trip to ABQ. It took a while to make it happen, but I'm really glad I went this summer. (Mark stayed in BG this time around--even with the credit, plane tickets were really expensive!).

Julie captured my first moments with
Daniel (Mom is photogenic even
when she's photobombing! :-)

I stayed at Mom & Dad's, and we did a lot of our gathering there--lovely meals out on the porch, many pots of tea, and lots of conversation with everyone.

Dad's pond & waterfall

the garden is as beautiful as ever

the tea table with fruit, quiche, and scones
(the scones must have been toasting still :-)

another day, tea and cinnamon rolls

another day, another tea pot!

Julie, Daniel, and Ben at lunch

Grandpa Mike, me, and Grandma
(fyi: Grandpa Mike is my Dad's dad;
Grandma is my Mom's mom)

We also spent some time at Grandma's--a couple short dips in the pool with Daniel, plus spaghetti dinner one night, just us kids. Grandma also treated me, Mom, Julie, and Daniel to lunch at Weck's. Another day, she took me shoe shopping--we had great luck!

Daniel & Mom in the pool

Mom under the new shade canopy at Grandma's

Weck's sausage breakfast burrito smothered in green

Daniel enjoying dinner at Grandma's

the view from Grandma's kitchen table

Grandma's famous spaghetti (yum!)

a first--Daniel fell asleep in his high chair!

As intended, Daniel was the star of the show! He was about 7 months old when I was there, and that's really a fun age. He seems so good-natured--happy to play or hang out with any of us. Not always quick to laugh, but generous with smiles. He was also trying out lots of new sounds and foods, and more or less figuring out how to use his arms and legs. Not crawling or standing yet, but pretty good at rolling back and forth on the floor. Also enjoys putting his feet in his mouth! (enjoy that flexibility while it lasts, kid!) It was so fun to see my sister and brother in-law being awesome parents and the joy of my parents as they spend time with their first grandchild. Also neat to see my grandparents becoming great-grandparents!

me & Daniel

Dad (aka Papa) with Daniel

Grandpa Mike, Daniel, and me

me reading Daniel a book

Daniel playing on the floor--
he loves these blocks!

I brought a few gifts from BGSU...
naturally, he liked the bag best! :-)

Mom (aka Nana) with Daniel

Mom, Daniel, Grandma, and Julie

Julie and Daniel--he got a kick out of this!

Papa helping Daniel stand up for a bit

Daniel, just chillin with Nana

I also enjoyed hanging out at Julie's one afternoon--we had Dion's pizza and salad, and I got the tour of the condo with lots of updates since I'd been there last. Plus the nursery!

Daniel playing in the high chair

in Daniel's room, reading a book

thanks to my friend Joe, a children's
librarian, for recommending this one:
All of Baby Nose to Toes

reading Babymoon, another great
recommendation from Joe

And we had a big day trip to the Jemez mountains with Mom, Dad, Julie, Ben, Daniel, Grandma, and me. It had been a while since any of us were out that way, but it's always fun to revisit our favorite spots: Soda Dam, Battleship Rock, and the Gilman Tunnels (I want to remember, though, that we should skip the last one if Mark's with us--too many winding roads and risk of carsickness!).