don't need no makeup

Our weekends here are very relaxed. Not knowing many people yet, we spend our time either exploring the area, or just lounging as a family. Since our furniture hasn't arrived yet, our lounging surface is generally the floor. The babies love it, though: Helena runs around on two feet while James sticks to what he knows, crawling on all fours. They love to laugh and play: one chases the other, then they switch. James' favorite game is being chased until he's caught and tickled.

Yesterday we drove up into the Jemez mountains. It was a rainy day, and beautiful. The drive up through the woods reminds me of Transylvania, or at least what Transylvania looks like in the rain. the scenery is beautiful, especially the Valle Grande, a huge grass valley in the Valle Caldera. We originally intended to get a babysitter and check out some of the local rock climbing, but we were shut out by the rain. We made the most of it, and had a pleasant drive over mountains and through valleys and canyons. The volcanic nature of the area means there are hot springs and interesting geological formations all over. We had dinner in a nice little mountain diner. I had an elk burger, Logan had a La Cueva dip, which is a French dip sandwich, New Mexican style.

So, a culinary aside: New Mexico's biggest crop is Green Chiles. And New Mexicans' favorite food is green chiles. They put it on everything. Enchiladas, tacos, and the usual suspects, but also burgers, soups, and more. We were invited to a BBQ where we had chicken with green chiles and cheese.

Being newly New Mexican, we have embraced the green chile. Everything is better with green chiles, especially French dip.