Christmas Traditions

Sugar cookies this year: Trees, Gingerbread Men, and...Cactus

Treats for neighbors

Sleeping under the tree:

Lights in Mesa

We've been able to do quite a few things with some of the other residents lately, including meeting up to see lights at the Mesa Temple and attending the annual resident Christmas party at Dr. Buhrow's house. Unfortunately, I didn't take any pictures at the Christmas party (and Dr. Buhrow's "labor-inducing" Elk meat didn't work, darn!), but I do have a few from seeing lights at the temple.  

These girls love to play when they get together! It really is too bad we live so far away from each other!

Carrolls, Keyes, and Meyers families. (I offered to take the picture...something about being 9 months pregnant...)

 Saying good bye

Now we wait on the arrival of our new addition! Just a few days!

Thanksgiving

We were able to spend three days in Utah for Thanksgiving thanks to some last minute schedule changes with Lance's work, and we fit in all the family time we could.  

Playing on the stairs:

 Evelyn was lucky enough to have her hair curled by my sister Emily, who is quite the hair styling pro. She loved every minute of it.

 Just before going to my grandma's house for Thanksgiving Dinner

 We also got a chance to go with my family to Temple Square and City Creek, I just love all the lights!

It was a short trip, but we had so much fun, saw so much family, and got to experience some beautiful Fall weather! We're excited to see family again in just a few weeks when the baby comes!

Goldfield

We went to the town of Goldfield, which is an old, abandoned gold-mining town, and now sort of a tourist trap. We learned our lesson after living in San Francisco for three years and never visiting Alcatraz--don't put off the tourist traps! It was a fun little town where they have rebuilt all the buildings and then put the original wood on the outside of the buildings. We did the mine tour, watched a western shootout, visited the stores, church, and rode the train around the town. Overall a fun place to visit, and definitely part of an Arizona experience!

Arizona Fall

Fall in Arizona is one of the times that make you say, "So THIS is why people live in Arizona!" After three months of blistering heat, the weather is finally perfect. We love taking walks and the kids love picking up all the unripened oranges that have fallen prematurely to the ground.