Time for a wee update

It's been awhile since the Grays posted any new material...once fall semester is finally over, the tests are graded, the grades submitted and the house clean for the first time in months, the holiday season kind of sneaks up on us--we haven't done a proper Christmas letter since the first year we were married--and then spring semester always comes charging in before I'm ready...case in point, here I am flitting around on the blog instead of writing the syllabus for my spring semester course...nevermind the fact that I still haven't decided what to put in the course packet that should have been printed months ago....in the meantime, here are a few shots of what we've been doing:



More visits to the Denver zoo while the weather was still nice--dad and baby enjoying the sun alongside some theatrical sea lions...




























We finally got the Christmas decor up, and scored, truly, the most perfect tree. We told them we didn't have much money, so they took us to the back of the lot, where the hobos get their trees, to this sad little pile under a black tarp...and by a Christmas miracle, it turned out to be the most symetrical, bushy, grand and regal tree ever.

Chez Gray!

We spent Christmas at the Gray the Elders in Fort Collins, and much fun was had by all--I think Glenn and Judy are still recovering from the madness. No pics of xmas morning...our camera disappeared under the inconceivable pile of loot beforehand and was only found right before we left.

No, he isn't ordinarily this dirty...but often...

A few days after Christmas we took Stelli to the dog park...kind of as a belated gift, since she loves it and we almost never go there anymore. Sawyer had a great time toddling around watching the other dogs, and always managed to narrowly miss stepping or falling into big piles of doodoo.

Maman and baby shadows

You may recognize this Halloween suit...

Grandma Bates gave this hat to Sawyer for xmas, along with a number of other cute clothes...as you can see he's a little ambivalent. I'm pretty sure it will grow on him when he realizes how awesome he looks, and how warm it keeps his ears...

so we never got around to doing a Christmas letter, but finally took a moment for a few pics in front of the tree yesterday (Dec. 28).

Happy new year to everyone, may you all lose ten pounds, learn mandarin, start a succesful business and write the great american novel...I know that's what I'll be doing.

Sawyer turns one

Had a low-key little dinner get together for Sawyer this week; he turned one on Wednesday the 19th. Here are a few shots of him getting into his presents...

the beginning of a beautiful relationship

between Sawyer and the box that something for Sawyer came in...Chris made it into a little house.

Halloween festivities

At our Halloween party last week, Glenn and Judy dressed as prohibition-era gangster and flapper floozy.

The women grimace during the candy corn toss

So the men throw them harder...

An unkempt Elvis poses with Kathi Dougherty

Sarah, dressed as a dead Victorian, makes banana-caramel-walnut crepes. Apparently this was a very scary costume--Sawyer would have nothing to do with me at first. Does anyone remember this prom dress??

Actually maybe these are the scariest costumes...

The night of Halloween, we got ready for a little trick-or-treating. Rest assured, we didn't actually let Sawyer eat any of that candy.

First stop: the Battistas.

Sawyer was incorrigible; he pounded the pavement for hours, dreaming of getting enough candy to equal his own body weight.

Scariest pumpkin ever

That freaky one on the left is Sawyer's. Is that the evilest freakin pumpkin you've ever seen, or what?

Weekend in Santa Fe

Family getaway this weekend: Santa Fe, NM. Beauiful colors, stunning landscapes, hip, spiritual
city and oooohhhh delicious food


After our complimentary hotel breakfast, our first foray into the local food scene was an impulse-tamale in the Plaza. It did not disappoint.













One thing we really loved was how faithful the city has been to its architectural heritage; pretty much all of the buildings (and houses) old and new are respectful of the adobe standard.














Another thing we loved was the concentration of artists and their galleries. There is an official gallery row called Canyon Road, but every third shop in the rest of town is also a gallery, and even driving out in the middle of nowhere, every few miles you see a sign pointing into the bushes to "Carlos' Gallery"...














Exploring the old town and its shops

Sarah and Sawyer continuing the gallery hop...

The Miraculous Loretta Chapel

The plaza next to the Loretta Chapel hosts more jewelry and art vendors.













The Chapel itself was the subject of an episode of 'Unsolved Mysteries' a few years ago, as their sign eagerly advertises. Why? Because of the miraculous spiral staircase...




















...that has no center post and no side supports. It just ascends, miraculously. Chris thought it was miraculous that he'd actually seen that episode of Unsolved Mysteries...















The light in the chapel was really stunning, so Chris did a little photo shoot of bebe.























































More beautiful southwestern colors and architectural shapes