Another trip...

So this past weekend, I went on my second of three weekend trips. This time was to Los Alamos to see P. as well as friends from Texas who were visiting. It was a wonderful weekend and great to see them all - their kids are getting so big. I've known them 3 years now and it's amazing to think how they've all changed, however, these are those "big change" years. The oldest is now 7, the middle one is 4, and the youngest is a year old (today in fact... the same day as my nephew's 8th birthday as well as the birthday of one of my former advisors). They are great kids and it's wonderful to hang out with them. :)

As evidence of their coolness, here's a story from earlier in their trip:

They were all in Caverns of Sonora (wonderful cave!), and the tour guide, pointing to a formation of white flowstone on the ceiling of the cave, says to the oldest one, "What does that look like?"

She answers, "Oh, I think it looks like a polar cap, like on Mars!"

The tour guide gamely says, "Well, I've never gotten that answer before..." and asks the middle one, "So what does it look like."

He immediately says, "Pooh bear!"

So yes, polar ice cap... very cool kids! :)

The large group of us - their family as well as another friend from Texas who travelled with them, all went to Bandolier National Monument on Saturday. It was my second time going there but was very fun with the kids. We then drove up into the Jemez Mountains which was really beautiful! It's an old volcano and there's a lush valley in the caldera.

Then Sunday we went up to Taos and walked around the Pueblo and bought some lovely native crafts. There was some beautiful jewelry, but it was very expensive (and rightly so!).

And now tonight? I'm at the telescope... again. But it's a lovely, clear night... grr... all I want is some sleep! It was a fun, but exhausting weekend.

There's another one of those ahead, too.