Full of Thanks

The holidays always hold a teeny tiny bit of apprehension for me.  I worry it won't all work out.  Feelings will get hurt.  I won't spend enough time focusing on the TRUE meaning of the season.  My kids will be exhausted.  I will burn the one batch of cookies I decide to make.  The gifts I pick will be wrong.  I will forget to buy a gift.  I will be tired and crabby at the wrong time. I could go on, but like I said... just a teeny, tiny bit of apprehension. 

But wow 2012 is proving me wrong this year.  Thanksgiving was great.  It was easy and painless.  I was assigned the veggie tray and cranberries so no chance of screw up there.  And the weekend that followed turned out to be just wonderful.  We finally went on the "Destination Christmas Present" that was given to us in 2011 by Justin's Parents.

It started out as the gift that kept on giving...*wink wink* but when we finally decided that Sedona was the place we would spend two nights exploring it was pure relief on all fronts.  

SEDONA

The Girls wasted no time getting in the pool.  (Yes, heated...but still it is November!)

The first night we walked through the lovely Light Display at Los Abrigados Resort.  Carissa spotted Santa and decided to get a closer look.  I loved that she is a pure hearted little 6 year old.  Full of belief and hope. 

 

She had a nice long chat with St. Nick.  He even whispered to her that he loved milk and cookies.  There is a strong possibility this wasn't one of Santa's Spies.  She thought it might have been the REAL one!  Audrey choose not to participate...

 

 The next day we headed out into the desert for a full 8 hours of 4-wheeling. 

 

 

Pink Goggles? Check.  Set Belts fastened? Check.  Let's hit the dirt! 

(You might not know this but apparently my family has a Need for Speed.)

 

 Our first stop took us to this cave on the side of a mountain.  Now I didn't personally witness this sight for fear of ... well, my life.  But Daddy took the girls.  And Grandma.  The next part is her story to tell so I won't include it but I will say it reconfirmed that I made the right choice.

 

So far we had diverted soo many obstacles.  Spirits were really high and the girls weren't even minding the hike.  It was like the aura of Sedona was flowing through all.  Until...

Audrey fell hands first into a cactus. 

 

If it was going to be anyone, it would be her. 

 

So we spent a good while extracting as many needles as we could then moved on. 

 

Next stop was the Hohokam Ruins (more Pics here).  They were over 1,000 years old.

  It made my life seem slightly insignificant in the grand scheme of things.   

 

The trip was fantastic.  We went.  We did.  We were spoiled by the Grandparents. 
*thank you thank you thank you*





With our new found love of 4-wheeling we may be doing it again very soon. 

 



 

Oh, and it's true what they say about Sedona.  It IS very calming.  Everything just felt right - so we couldn't resist!

 

To the great annoyance of our darling daughters!!

When you stay home...

You take your "job" seriously.  You put in a lot of thought in simple things like how the clothes are put away and where the backpacks are hung up.  You know which bathroom is running low on toilet paper and what mirrors haven't been windexed in a while.  You pass the same small little toy stuck between the couch and the wall every time you vacuum - but you just let it lie.  Because only you know. 

Sometimes it feels good.  What difference does it make that you forgot towels were in the washing machine (again.)?  You do the laundry and you can just rerun them.  Yes, maybe it's been a full month and that beef stew is still in the back of the fridge.  But, then again, YOU clean out the fridge.  So it can wait until tomorrow.  It is a little bit of power and control in our little piece of the world that only someone who stayed home would know. 

So when you stay home it's nice to have someone notice.  It feels good when you have made a conscious effort to change out all the soaps to the holiday-theme scent and someone mentions they like it. 

Nothing is better then being asked where the long blue socks are and you can rattle off the location without even thinking.  A "Your the best" mom, makes it worth it. 

You hope they all get that you care about making it nice... for them.

So your husband bringing you a rose fresh cut from the garden when your have the stomach flu makes your day.  Because it is you, who usually does the little things, when you stay home. 

And to think that they just might know, that it matters...

At least to you.

Food is what it's about

We called and said we were coming to Lake Havasu for the weekend to visit.  She texted and said we were having Chicken Noodle Soup.  For most people this wouldn't mean much.  But for us...Food is what it is all about.

 

When we arrived the house smelled so yummy.  The broth was nearing completion and the noodles needed to be made.  So we mixed the eggs with the flour and the girls kneaded and created the dough.  Grandpa brought out the equipment.

 

 Carissa helped stretch the dough as long as it would go. 

 

Then it was put back through to be cut into smaller strips. 

We improvised and made a drying rack with PVC pipe and wax paper.  All the while we are talking. 

 

 How easy is it now to just go and purchase a bag of noodles for $1.00 and toss them in a pot of boiling water?   That saves so much time.  But for what?  (I often wonder if the modern day conveniences have maybe given us more time but taken away more moments?)

  I have spent many years with my family around the kitchen counter.  If you ask anyone they would tell you this is where you will most likely find us if you stopped by. 

 

 

And if you did happen to knock on the door, rest assured, we would give you a drink and we would feed you. 

Because the Food is what it's all about.