Spring?

So we finally arrived home on Saturday to be greeted with coldness the likes of which neither I nor the spirit of Spring Break agree with. We still managed to go to Azin and Sara's sushi fundraiser party that was held in the Old Albuquerque High School lofts. It was a really cool place that was very much a renovation with a flair for its predecessor. Pictured here is an open space where the gym used to be/kinda still is.
Then on the way to church I had to pick up some pastries - a simply had to - because we didn't have any food after a week of being gone. I snapped a picture of the flowers that Albertson's had put out front in bold opposition to this tom-foolery called freezing Spring weather.
Finally, Brian warmed my heart with a surprise taste test of many different types of apples. I landed on the Braeburn after all was said and done.

Dallas

We got a flight! We missed our connection and still managed to find the last three spots on the 2:30 departure. We've acquired a traveling companion - Stan - who's been on the road during research for his book for the last month. Needless to say, he's even more antzy to get home than we are. American even gave us a lunch voucher!

Delayed!

So, we'll hve a narrow window (25 minutes!) in Dallas to make our connection, seeing as how our departure was an hour late out of college station. Hopefully we'll see you soon, A-Town.
PS - here's Marissa opening her last gift

Cancelled!

So it looks like we'll be here another night and miss Cammy's amazing voice recital. Oh, well. We spent the afternoon with the girls nd Marissa opened some presents from grandma A. Now we're here doing Pilates with the girls waiting for Papa to come home.

Ducks and BBQ

Today we took a brief stop at a beautiful duck park and fed the ducks, then we met Dan and Nikki at C&J's Barbeque - Texas' finest. It was very Rudyesque. Then we dropped by their duplex and met their cat and saw some of the ole' paraphenalia that I used to live with when Dan and I were roomies. Observe the giant framed Rocky poster (circa 2004).

Thanks, Jabb!

Marissa and Papa just road to the mailbox and what was there awaiting them? A present from Albuquerque! She really likes it. Here she is, under my supervision, opening the card first and...checking the brandname or something.

Almost over

Last night, after Marissa had her last piece of birthday cake for the day and was sent off to bed, we talked the night away - everything from mathematics to bible - and arranged bananarama tiles. Then this morning we headed to the mall and found this really cool tea shop and then off to the movie house with Nino and I while the ladies nap.

Bonfire Memorial

While Nino was talking with one of his professors, I took a moment to check out the bonfire memorial. I'm not clear on the details, although I remember seeing it on the news, but twelve students died. It was both inspiring and sad, moreso of the former than the latter. What is it about death and our perpetual unfamiliarity with it that inspires us to get the most value out of our life?
I'll try to ponder it later, now it's back to family and Red Lobster.

Birthday princess

Pictured above: more bouncy-fun, some of the only non-blurry images of Marissa (aided by her father) since she set foot in the building, and back home after lunch, nap, cake, and sticker book and Grandma S dresses.

Bounce!

We're celebrating Marissa's third birthday in exciting style!

Day Two

Today was a pretty fun and relaxed day. We got plenty of sleep and then Nino and I had our breakfast with the girls while Erin and Leslie went out to breakfast together. I had a lot of quality time with the nieces today. It was sweet. I dropped Nino off to class and preceeded to Wings N' More, a restaurant bent on the slow death of all its patrons. Then I went back to the house and Leslie and Erin went shopping for dinner, which they prepared and which was enjoyed by Jason and Kelly. We ended by taking some pics of Marissa and her pretty nails then talking on the couches. Good times.

Cheddars

I got to drive my niece to Cheddars. she talked and talked and then, when Leslie came to get her out of the car, said, "Andy's my friend!"

Painting the nails

This is something that the niece just couldn't wait for Antie Les to do: a little manicure and pedicure! She was very patient to sit still while the nail polish dried. So adorable. She woke up from her nap and came right up to our chair and cuddled with us. Reia was nice enough to sit, yelp, and eat from Mama's hand.

Cuties and Connectors

We enjoyed the first leg of our flight. Continental is the most comfortable airline for my back thus far. We also sat right behind first class with plenty of leg room and this adorable little 5 year old flying solo. We're on the shuttle in the future land of Cory and Sarah. College Station, here we come!

Din Din

Today one of my colleagues from work had Leslie and I over, along with some others, for some Parisian food. It was a great way to ring in Spring Break. We had...and I have no idea how to spell it this french way of saying "Goose Liver"...Fraw Graw. We also had truffel paste on toast and risotto with with truffels...all stuff that Richard had somehow gotten back with him from his trip to Paris. We also had salmon with some sort of vegetable jumbaliya. There was also a smoked salmon wrapped in pastry. It was an amazing meal akin to none I've ever had before...and all this from the man alongside of whom I've been working these seven years!

oHIo

This Sunday we put the HI in oHIo when we got to skype with BriFiMeg. It was awesome until the wee one biffed (still acquiring his wood floor "sea-legs") and busted his lip, the first of many blood-drawing licks that will undoubtedly toughen him up for a stunning football career.

Sicky longstockings

Pobrecita Leslie is sick today. Hope it's a 24 hour thing!

Interesting pic

reflect...

Federico's!

I have discovered a place, a wonderful place, right next to where I work. They actually sell my favorite mexican apple soda and have good, authentic, mexican food. They even serve churros rellenos! I'll have to try those out if I have room after my chiles rellenos. I haven't seen a place that sells Manzana Lift or churros rellenos since Zacatecas.

Our newest friend

Little - or big, I should say - Allister joined us at 3:27 PM. He weighed in at 8 pounds, 14 ounces; 20.5 inches long.

Spring is in the Air!

I love to see the blossoms and appreciate it more and more every year. So far, this has been how my life has been blessed: by a deeper appreciation of what I've had all along, especially on the backdrop of Christ saving my very soul. Everything else is a proposterous blessing!

Nob Hill

If you haven't been to Nob Hill recently, might I suggest it. They have done so much there since I was younger and it's now a bustling mecca where it's common to see families walking from restaurant to Gelatti house...kinda like we did tonight.

Chillin on a Freitag Afternoon

Leslie and I finished with a wedding down at Alumni Chapel and decided on our next activity: Italian sodas and magazines at Flying Star. 2 bucks for 2 hours parking!

Home safe

Thanks for all your prayers, now let's keep the Vanaski's in prayer as they enter this new chapter in life. And thanks, Pops, for being our ride home.

Waiting for new fight

So we're being rerouted here in Columbus. Hopefully we'll be flying free first class. Right.

Good morning, Lebanon!

This morning we woke up and discovered the town of which we'd been given a tour of in darkness the night before. We went to he Breakfast Club for breakfast and then took a tour of the Golden Lamb, Ohio's oldest hotel, host of a miriad of presidents and dignitaries.

The end O' the journey

Brian and I finally made it safely, thank God, to the really cool new Vanaski castle. This place is such a cool town, this Lebanon, Ohio. It's got a great main street and it's the coolest, cleanest small town I've ever seen. I actually lived outside of this town for a month when I was in college! It's such a cool place. We'll try to blog some pics tomorrow. At the end of the day we went to this really cool restaurant and told tales of our death defying journey in this pub-like place, the perfect end to our Frodo and Samesque journey.

Last fill up!

Here's Brian doing one last fill up .

Final stretch

Well, we got off at the crack o' seven this morning and have been covering some good ground, although we've been facing some sheer winds. I've been navigating using google maps on my phone and that's proved a lot easier than the paper we printed before we left. Hopefully we'll be wheeling in town around 4PM local time. Just in time to unload the truck.
Here are some pics of our journey:
Saint Loius and Elevation
another giant cross.
Good times