Catching up....

Hello from Arizona. We've been here for a couple of months, so there are a lot of pictures included. We are really enjoying our time here and the weather has been great since it's cooled off.

This is a picture from our hike on Thanksgiving morning. It rained during the night before and was one of the few cloudy days we've had since moving here. These cactus are all over.

The sunsets are gorgeous here. I've heard the sunrise is beautiful too, but I've yet to be out of bed in time to see one. Jeff could tell you about them. :-) This was taken from our front porch.

The water is so much fun!!!!!!

The pool has a water feature that has 4 fountains that shoot up from each edge of the pool and are aimed at the center of the pool. The girls had lots of fun playing in when it was warm enough outside to play in the water, but the pool was too cold to swim in. It's like having the Gateway fountains in our own backyard! Peyton playing in the fountain.

Sydnie playing. It took her a little longer to be as brave as her sister.

We LOVE the hot tub!!!! It is so much fun.

Halloween!!!!

Doesn't she make a cute butterfly? Unfortunately due to the hot weather, she refused to wear the bottoms to go with it. She shed her wings about 10 minutes into trick or treating because she was melting right along with the chocolate treats in her bag. Who bought a Halloween costume in SLC prior to moving to AZ? Oh wait, that was her mother. :-)The witch and the butterfly.

Peyton decided to be a pirate witch after she got the eye patch at her school party. There was no talking her out of it, but I have to say she was the only pirate witch I've ever seen.

Peyton the pirate. Notice the flip flops and shorts. Yes, it was Halloween.....

Sydnie's pumpkin is on the left, Peyton's is on the right.

Carving pumpkins is serious business at our house. This year we (Jeff) pulled out the power tools. In the end, he went back to the old fashioned way of using a knife, but it was fun to watch while it lasted.

Pumpkin guts are just too much for Peyton. Every year she tries to be brave and every year I end up taking the guts out of all of the pumpkins myself. I wish the picture had sound effects to go with it.

All of that for one little seed........

Sydnie wasn't even going to touch the guts. She looked, but that was as far as she went.

These were the scary spiderwebs from Grandma Judy's Halloween package. Peyton strung them all over her room.

Making pumpkin cookies for Halloween. Yummy!!! I had two great little helpers. They love to help in the kitchen.

Packages from Grandma Judy

Christmas package from Grandma Judy. Playing with the nativity scene. Notice that Snow White has become part of the Christmas Story. Funny, I don't remember hearing about her being there the night Jesus was born, but Sydnie has found a way to incorporate a princess into just about everything.

So many things to open. Is it Christmas already?

Oh, Grandma!!!!! Why do you have to double wrap the gifts!!! It is very frustrating for a 4 year old.

We love getting packages and mail!

More of the Zoo.....

Here are a few more pictures from the zoo. This was the day after Thanksgiving. Notice the short sleeves. It was a great day and we had lots of fun. We weren't able to see it all in one day, so we'll be going back soon.

Sydnie on the merry go round. Peyton going for a ride on a humming bird.

Peyton posing on a frog.

Riding a tractor at the zoo.

Petting the goats.

Peyton being a baby Kangaroo in the pouch.

Sydnie, Jake, Irena and Peyton on the lizard bench.

Yikes!!!!! There's a giant frog!!!!!

A trip to the Phoenix Zoo

Jake, Sydnie, and Peyton having a good time at the Phoenix Zoo.