Arizona fun!!!

We are in the last hour of a 12 hour car ride heading home from Christmas in Arizona. ( the drive has included a bit too much whining but for 24 hours in the car with no iPad it wasn't bad...). We had a great trip! Highlights included: 

Girls brunch, train park, and dinner out with great friends. 

Kids getting spoiled by Santa, uncle Aaron, and grandma and grandpa- Harrison's favorite gift was uncle Aaron's old wii- they had lots of fun playing on Christmas Day 

A great Christmas Day hike with the family ( including my mom and Larry's bird skipper) 

Lots of hugs and fun with grandma and grandpa and uncle Aaron . Family is the best ! 

Lots and lots of trips to quick trip for the best diet coke around :) 

An amazing hotel 'room' provided by my generous mother. ( the big kids had their own room and loved it ) 

Beautiful weather and sunshine!! 

A successful trip to last chance for mommy-- two pairs of shoes for carter , one for me, and one for Cory 

A visit to the cemetary to see where my dad is buried. I miss him but love chances to talk about him to the kids. 

We miss you already az !!! 

Mmmmmmmm.... 

Playground at the hotel

Look! A cactus with no stickers!!! 

At the old ranch house at the end of our hike 

Silly at the train park 

So. Many. Kids!!! 

We love you grandpa!!! 

No trip to the cemetary is complete without a pike of grass...and some brother /sister wrestling ??? 

So loving 

Dinner with the fillers . We ate as much real Mexican food as possible. 

Gabe was a bit obsessed with Jefferson . I think that means Lisa needs another baby ?? 

Leaving the desert . Yeah . It may not look like much but those wide open spaces and blue skies blow my mind . 

Getting Christmassy

I've been a slacker on this blog. Cory's promised to make me a new blog which I've been waiting patiently on :) plus I started a little part-time at home job..and once December hit there was just SO MUCH to do ! We've accomplished most of what was on my Christmas fun list.  i love the magic of celebrating this time of year: we made and delivered neighbor gifts, made ornaments, went to zoo lights, drove through the lights at thanksgiving point, got a tree at petersons farm, decorated, read Christmas books ( yesterday Harrison read tom and Jerry's Christmas to us with very little help--it's amazing to watch how his reading has improved since starting kindergarten.. It's been so fun to watch!), shopping, advent calendars, looking for elves at Gardner village, more candy then I can handle :) I even took a quick trip out to Pittsburgh last weekend with Jefferson and brought back an elf on the shelf we named redee (I've already forgotten to move him.... Twice... But the kids are loving it anyway).  After one more batch of cookies for primary teachers and one last day of school we head down to az Tuesday to spend Christmas with my family. So excited!!!  (And so need to pack. Eeeeek !!! )

Thanksgiving visit to antelope island 

Thanksgiving weekend at this is the place 

Crazy. As usual . 

Ready to visit Santa at the zoo 

2 out of 3 brown kids love Santa Claus 

Carousel ride at the zoo 

Bundled carter 

Cory's traditional birthday cookie 

Carter taking a scooter ride around the tree. 

Packed bag for the p'burg trip. Essentials. 

Little j man catching up on us weekly at the airport. He was an angel on his second cross country flight. 

#selfie 

Elf hunting for a free piece of local salt water taffy 

Just so you know. I made the naughty list ..... 

Jefferson hits NINE months... What the????