Twelve!

Yesterday my little boy turned 12. It has been several years since we have been able to have a birthday party on his birthday, so it was a special day. We went to the Sand Dunes Pool for his party. I didn't take any photos around the pool yesterday, but you can see some I took previously if you click here.

Like many boys his age, he loves video games, especially Minecraft. We purchased a cookie cake from our new Nestle Toll House Cafe.

I took in a photo of a creeper I got off the internet for them to use as inspiration for decorating the cake. The birthday boy was pleased. And the cookie cake was pretty tasty!

I did get some pictures of my birthday boy yesterday evening. The light was just right for a mini photo shoot on the front porch.

He, of course, wanted to do a bunch of silly poses too. I took those photos in exchange for his cooperation in being able to get these two good shots.

Back to a quilting post tomorrow. I will have a finish to share!!

Visit from a Friend

We had another friend visit last weekend. She is a former neighbor. We spent the weekend doing as many of her favorite things to do when she lived here as we could.

We went to the Sand Dunes.

I love the shadows of the clouds on the Dunes in the above photo.

We walked a little ways out onto the Dunes.

Me on the left with Adrienne

That spot of orange sliding down the dune is my child.

Many people bring cardboard to slide down the dunes on. It doesn't work very well. If you want to slide down the dunes I suggest renting a sand board (looks like a wider snowboard without bindings). Sand boards work quite well.

In the afternoon we walked around downtown Alamosa and shopped. We ate dinner at her favorite local restaurant, Calvillo's.

It was a short visit but very enjoyable. I suppose it is obvious that I didn't get any sewing done over the weekend. I'm working on my next scrap project this morning while waiting to hear back from folks for work projects. I've got to get enough of this quilt done today so I can write up some basic instructions for Wednesdays Scrap Group meeting.

Sand Dunes Swimming Pool

Yesterday afternoon we went swimming at the Sand Dunes Pool. It is about a 25 minute drive from Alamosa.

It was windy and chilly but the water was a warm 97 degrees F, as usual. It can be a bit hot for me in the summer, but this time of year it is perfect.

The view from the pool is amazing.

This bush was so orange! I don't know what it is but I love the color.

The Great Sand Dunes National Park is only about 10 miles away, as the crow flies. I circled it for you in the picture below.

I like to go to this pool in the afternoon and eat dinner here. Their menu is fantastic, reasonably priced and definitely not typical pool concession stand food. I had the Capresse Panini with Chicken and my husband had the Cranberry Chicken Salad Sandwich. I have heard of people stopping here to eat but not swim. It's that good! They have several green houses and grow all their own produce for the restaurant. If you are ever in the area, this place is definitely worth a visit. They even have an RV park on the premises.

Letting Go

 

My baby is not a baby any more. I'm sure all parents understand this bittersweet feeling. Today I got out the remainder of the baby items we have saved in hopes of having another child - crib, stroller, bouncy seat, swings, toys ... I gave away all the clothes I had saved about a year ago. I had piles of stuff! I set up my basting tables (6' by 6' square) and set out the clothes on it. I organized items by size and invited my friends with younger children to come over and take what they could use. The clothes completely covered the tables and there was not room for two bins that I had to put underneath. I gave away clothes to six different families and each family left with armfuls of items!

Anyway, I have several friends who are new grandparents or soon-to-be new grandparents and a neighbor with a 1 month old. I hope to be able to sell or give these folks all of this stuff that is now cluttering up the room outside my bedroom. It's not doing anybody any good in our attic and it's in the way of our insulation project, so it's time to find this stuff a new home where it will be used. Just like the clothes, I'll be glad that it is being used and not taking up space in my house, but it is still sad to part with these things that have such personal meaning. It is also hard to finally let go of the hope of another child. But they are just things and I have the pictures and memories. The one child we do have is a really great kid and we are very fortunate to have him. It's time to move on.

The photo above was taken in September 2004, shortly after we moved here, at the Great Sand Dunes National Park located here in the San Luis Valley. Parker was 2 years old.