Monday we took advantage of the warmer weather and headed down the mountain to the Albuquerque BioPark. The BioPark is a zoo, botanical gardens and aquarium.  We hit the zoo today and got to see some really neat animals.  The Rio Grande Zoo is really nice.  I was really impressed.  We have been going to the National Zoo in DC for the last few years and it’s shame that it’s not as nice.  Of course, the National Zoo is free so that makes a big difference.  We decided to go ahead and a get a family pass since I know we will be going down frequently.  I think our favorites were the gorillas, a baby chimp that wanted to play with Baden and kept leaping at the glass to get Baden to play.  We also enjoyed the zebras, giraffes and the newest addition to the zoo, Daizy, the baby elephant born on September 2nd. Billy and Baden really loved the huge jungle gym. They had a blast climbing, jumping and sliding.

Before we even moved to our new house, we saw a picture of the backyard and thought what a perfect spot for a trampoline.  Last week, Bill went out and bought one.  With the help of my dad, they got it put together.  Billy was so surprised when he got home from school.  Baden is enjoying it, too.  The boys love to jump to their hearts content. 

Anyone that knows Bill knows that he is a big fan of Boy Scouts.  He is proud of his Eagle Scout status and he even named our second son after the founder of the Boy Scouts.  The Boy Scouts of America will be celebrating 100 years next year.  A coin from the US Mint will be issued and a huge Jamboree at Fort A.P. Hill in Virginia will be held.  How else can one commerate the 100th Anniversary of Boy Scouts? A gun, of course.  To commemorate this occasion, Henry Repeating Arms has released its Henry Golden Boy “Boy Scouts of America® Centennial Edition” licensed rifle. To mark this milestone, this special rifle features the Scouts Oath, Scouts Law, scrollwork and traditional Boy Scouts of America logo embellishing the receiver, as well as a 100 Years of Scouting logo and Centennial Edition gold filled etchings in the buttstock and forearm.  This is a no brainer.  Bill had to get this gun.  It’s a beauty. 

A house is made of walls and beams; a home is built with love and dreams.

On Friday, we sold our house in Maryland.  We are happy and relieved especially in today’s market.  It got me to thinking about the house on Hummingbird Drive.  This was the first home we had ever bought.  When we drove up, I fell in love with the porch and decided this is the one.  Of course being homeowners can be fun and exhausting.  We had some surprises along the way in our homeownership.  We had to fix things. Bill is handyman extraordinaire.  He amazes me with his talents.  But beyond the things that had to be repaired, the house on Hummingbird Drive became our home.  It was where we brought Billy and Baden home for the first time.  It was a place of comfort after a long day at work. It was a refuge.  It was a healing place. I spent my recovery from kidney surgery, two c-sections and ankle surgery in that house.  It was a house of laughter and sometimes sadness.  It was our home.  Now another young family is starting their lives in that house. It’s their first house, too.  I hope they find comfort and joy in their new home on Hummingbird Drive.  

Bill won second place at the 2nd Annual Edgewood Ward Chili Cook off!  Finally vindication for all of those years that he would enter his chile verde in the squadron’s chili cook off and would be disqualified because it wasn’t traditional chili.   Good job, Bill!

The state question of New Mexico is Red or Green? I have been told by a good friend that hails from New Mexico that the answer is always green.  So armed with that knowledge, we bought a bushel of green chilies and had them roasted.  We froze some and ate some the same night.  Chile Rellano, anyone?  Chilies come mild, medium hot and hot.  As gringos, we went with mild and we are glad we did.  A chile pepper in New Mexico is a lot different than anywhere else.  The canned stuff is tame.  We had quesadillas for lunch yesterday with green chilies.  They were so good, but sometimes I would get a bite of one of the “mild” chilies and have to a take a bite of just the tortilla to ease the burning.  Tonight is our ward’s 2nd annual chili cook off. Bill made Chile Verde.  We will see if it’s good enough.  We have both always loved Mexican food and are now learning about the intricate nature of New Mexican food.  So if you are ever in New Mexico and someone asks, red or green? Always say green. You won’t be disappointed.

A little over a year ago, our beloved beagle, Eddie, passed away.  It was a hard time for all of us.  He was part of our lives for 13 years. Billy’s first word was Eddie.  We knew we wouldn’t want to get another dog anytime soon, so Bill told Billy he could get some fish when we moved to New Mexico.  This helped Billy to be somewhat excited about moving with the anticipation of getting fish.  So finally on Saturday, we got some fish. They are neon fish and are pretty cool.  This is our first venture into the fish world.  I always wanted fish when I was little, but my dad always said no.  It was fun looking for things to “decorate” the tank.  The tank is in the boys’ room so they really love that.  I know one of the fish is named Dorothy after Elmo’s goldfish, but I am not sure about the others.  I heard something about Big Bird, Elmo and Ernie. I guess it’s an ode to Sesame Street, a favorite show here in Dunowland.  So far the fish are great. They are low maintenance and we like to watch them explore their new home.  Long live, fish!   

It’s back to back birthdays in the Dunow household. Last Friday, we celebrated Baden’s big day and now it’s Bill’s turn.  He spent the first part of his morning on a plane coming home from Spokane, Washington after being gone for about three weeks.  He really wanted a nap for his birthday so he got one. I don’t know how restful it was because the boys are so excited he is home.  I never know what to get Bill because he seems to just buy it if he wants it.  He claims that he has always known what he was getting for his birthday. I don’t know if this is true or not, but I think he was surprised this year.  It started off with his favorite hand cream from Duluth Trading Company. This is manly hand cream and I accidentally threw his jar away before we moved.  I also got him some Anti Monkey Butt Powder.  I mean who doesn’t want that for their birthday?   The big present is a glider ride with Sundance Aviation in Moriarty, New Mexico.  He wasn’t expecting that and he is looking forward to taking flight.  We had pizza for dinner and I made a yellow cake with chocolate frosting.  Baden did some manuvering and made it to the cake before it had cooled and did some damage, but it was still edible.  I think overall Bill has had a good day.  I think the best part is just having him home.  Happy birthday, Bill. We love you.