On the road again

Cindy got this nice shot on the way back from White Sands. We're headed southwest on U.S. 70 with the southern section of the missile range on our left.

White Sands

This was a pretty darn cool day trip. From El Paso, we headed west a little to Las Cruces and then north to White Sounds National Monument. There, we found the world's largest gypsum dune field.

The 275 square-mile site was created because there are no rivers to carry away rainwater or the melted snow from the mountains. That means the sun can bake the small lakes that form, leaving behind large gypsum crystals that are then worn down into sand grains by the whipping winds.

And boy, did the winds whip up on us yesterday. It was about 45 degrees and the sun was very nice and warm, but the gale didn't let up for a second. Good thing we dressed for the occasion and got to climb, stand atop and then roll down all the dunes we wanted to. We will definitely go back in the summer - buckets, small shovels and sliding devices in hand - for a picnic and what is advertised as a one-of-a-kind sunset.

Why we love the holidays

1. We don't ever really have to change out of our PJs.

2. We get to watch English soccer on the tube pretty much every available second - and the boys get to wear their new jerseys.

3. We try out/on all our presents in a dizzying 15-minute session, then rediscover two-thirds of them over the next three days.

4. Food and drink.

5. Seconds and nightcaps.

6. We get the chance to escape with that book we've been meaning to start since August.

7. We catch naps during the slower parts of that book.

8. Board games, baby.

As close to an official photo as we'll get

Happy holidays, everyone. May 2008 bring you plenty more of the fingerlickin' good stuff that came your way in '07. And may all the crud that crawled into your life this year stay there as you move on with a smile on your face.

Go Speed Racer

Here's a quick photo from our very nice Thanksgiving trip to Cindy's sister pad in Sevierville. After a filling brunch at Flapjack's, we drove down the road a little and landed at the NASCAR Speedpark.

Unfortunately, there was no open-wheel wonder in sight, but both Sebastian and Geert took a turn burning some go kart rubber. Buddy was Joe Cool, all sunk low in his ride and focused on the obstacles ahead. It took him a lap or two to get in the zone, but once he was in the zone, he was flat out. Good stuff.