Arizona adventures

While my family was here visiting from Iowa, we spent the week doing some fun things.  The first exciting thing was to take Molly to Urgent Care for an ear infection. Don’t worry, that was NOT the highlight of the trip for them. 

We took a trip on the Apache Trail.  I didn’t even know this trail existed and was so close to our house.  But, it’s a beautiful trail and a must-see if you live here and haven’t done it.  It pretty much follows all of the lakes east of Mesa up until Roosevelt lake. Then, it winds around and comes out south of the Superstitions.  We made a stop for lunch at Tortilla Flat.  And, then took the dirt road drive around and through the mountains. It was a lot of fun.

One day, while I worked, they took a trip to Sedona for the day.  Then, on Friday night, we took them to the Insight Bowl to watch the Iowa Hawkeyes for the second year in a row. I, unfortunately don’t have pictures of the game.  But, Iowa lost…..so any record of it should be deleted anyway!

I think this was at Canyon Lake

Great picture of my parents with beautiful background….minus the power lines.

Pop Pop and his girls!

Nick and his new friend

Pretty faces!

Molly and Mo Mo exploring Tortilla Flat.

Uncle Nick taking a picture of the scenery

Dad at Roosevelt Dam

 

Had ourselves a Merry little Christmas

There really is no place like home for the holidays. Especially when family comes to visit.  My mom, dad, and brother came out to Arizona again this year for Christmas.  We had a great time while they were here.  We spent most of Christmas Eve day shopping, which ended up being quite the adventure (note to you…if you plan on buying a swing set the day before Christmas, don’t do it….plan ahead and order online and pay for shipping to the house). I really wish I had a picture of the box we brought home from Wal-Mart….if you could call it a box (I think it was cardboard at one point in time…lol.). 

Christmas Eve night was full of cookie decorating, pizza eating, dancing, wrapping presents (Grandma and I) and tracking Santa’s progress online.  The girls got to open a couple of presents.  They got their annual Christmas PJ’s and their Elf on the Shelf, Dolly left them both a new ornament before she had to go back to the North Pole with Santa.

Christmas day was a fun, relaxing day with so much delicious food I’m pretty sure I’m still in a turkey/bread/sugar coma.

Dennis’ aunt Kathy and Uncle Ray just moved to town. So, along with my family, we had Dennis’ aunts and uncles here too.  I love that our families have so much fun together.  Couldn’t ask for better families! And, really…..that’s what it’s all about.

Christmas Eve cookie decorating

Molly and Uncle Nick

Molly in her Christmas PJ’s while tracking Santa on TV. (Not sure about the Spider Man towel, though.).

Lauren and Molly performing a dance move from Lauren’s dance recital. I know….it looks a little more violent than a dance move.

Santa’s plate of cookies with veggies for the reindeer……and a cup of grapefruit juice (Santa’s apparently watching his weight this year.).

Fast-forward 10 hours to Christmas morning.

Molly: “Hmmmm…Santa didn’t finish his cookie”

“Guess I’ll take care of it”

Stockings filled to the top!

Lauren’s new bike!

Me and my Doodlebug

The girls!

Dennis was the camera man this year. So, I’m in a few more pictures than I care to be in.

“Say what?”

Dad getting Penzey’s grilling spices

Santa is enabling Molly’s addiction to Elmo

See what I mean?

Unwrapping presents is exhausting for a 1-year-old.

I could go on and on with pictures of opening presents.  But, I figured this one says it all. And, this is after we picked up all of the wrapping paper. Needless to say, our recycle bin has been filling quickly for weeks, after they come to empty it.

Used my new camera lens to capture a picture of this handsome fella…love you, dad!

Let’s give this big-girl bike a test drive

“Wait for me guys! Pop Pop, let’s get this wagon moving”

“Mo Mo, can you please put me to bed?”

Christmas night by the fire pit.  Perfect way to end the day!

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!