There*s no place like home

Yesterday we came home from the western slope after spending time with Nana & Papa Coble. Spencer and Maycee spent a total of ten days over there, with Matt, Thane and I joining them for the last few. The kiddos enjoyed their time with their grandparents so very much, then acted as if they had been away for months. They exclaimed with delight at freight trains even though the same trains roll through our town every day. Maycee posed her sleeping baby brother with random objects so that she could have an excuse to use the camera. And while reading his Star Wars dictionary Spencer asked us what prototype means. Hmmm. How does a parent explain that one?  Then there were the dogs jingle-jangling their tags with impatience. Oh, did I forget to mention we took the dogs with us? Yea, five people and two dogs with luggage for all of us in a Subaru Outback. Fun stuff. We were able to go on our first hike of the year while in Glenwood Springs visiting a friend. The hike involved a visit to the alleged grave of Doc Holliday. Cool. Along the way we saw two different herds of elk, multiple hawks and falcons, one small flock of brilliant bluebirds and one herd of ranch raised bison. We went from the high desert, through canyons, over passes taller than most states tallest mountains and finally found our way to the front range.
As I often like to say: Home again, home again jiggety jig.

Of spectacles and other such wonders

    In January we were told that Thane would need glasses. We knew it was coming. His right eye has been crossing since birth. Not all the time, but often enough that we knew we needed to remedy it. We knew glasses could be an option, just as a patch was an option. The idea of a patch had already earned him the nickname of Pirate Baby (thanks Aunt Joycee). His glasses, however, have earned him more recognition than we realized could ever happen. Comments have ranged from the understandable (how do they know he needs glasses?), to the down right ridiculous (does he need those?). As if we would put him and ourselves through the hassle of trying to keep glasses on a seven month old in the name of FASHION. We have patiently answered questions from strangers and impatiently ignored a few. It is wonderful to hear when people love your baby. Thanks random lady at the coffee shop and the cook at HuHot. I hope they can see him for the funny, charming and intelligent boy he is and look beyond the glasses. But hey, he is pretty dang cute...