Joy

Sunday, December 28, 2014

My New, Old-Fashioned Hobby

Last January I started some gifts for this past Christmas.  For some reason I was compelled to take up a new hobby that requires an absurd amount of time and patience because you know how I have plenty of both of those things.

I started with this half square triangle quilt for my nephew TJ.
   
I was really feeling accomplished when I finished it in March.  
 I then started on this one for my cousin Marisol.
 
 The drunkards path squares proved to be much more difficult and I kept putting it aside for many weeks at a time as the year's busy-ness kept getting in the way.  It was a close call the last 3 weeks before Christmas as I still had to bind it with my broken wrist but I got it done and I am quite pleased with the finished product.

Originally, I had hoped to gift 3 or 4 quilts this year.  Maybe next Christmas, we'll see how this year goes.

These quilts are in their new homes now and I hope the old saying is true: 
 "One who sleeps under a quilt is comforted by love."

Friday, December 19, 2014

Leaves > Snow

We can tell it's almost Christmas because the leaves at Nana's house are finally falling.  

  The girls LOVE to play in the leaves.  A much better alternative to snow in my opinion.
 

Paige particularly liked it this time.

She is our little comedian. 

 She has a ton of silly faces.
 She thought she was sneaking up on me to throw leaves on my head.

I'm still finding leaves in the laundry.

Hours and hours of fun!




Saturday, December 13, 2014

Seeing Santa

The past two years we've done big Christmas excursions (Polar Express and the North Pole Experience) but this year we decided to take a break and do something not so expensive.  We were just going to see Santa at the mall but there was/is a Groupon out for MacDonald Ranch's Christmas Festival so we thought it would be fun to try.   It was way up on Scottsdale Rd and Jomax.  I was glad at first that it wasn't crowded but it was so empty that it was awkward.  For a long time it seemed that we were the only people there but eventually a few more people came.

The girls had a good time.  
 

There was a petting zoo, 
 
 
 
  games, 
 
 a hayride and a train. (the cowboy took this blurry picture)
 
  Panning for gold was by far the favorite though - they could have done that for hours.  
Santa was there and each girl (but not Paige!) told Santa what they wanted for Christmas. (Anna and Elsa dolls - the small Barbie size kind) 
I was so proud of Joy for not being too shy and she spoke loudly and clearly as she told Santa her wish.  Joy says that Santa "freaks her heart out."

When we got home we decorated our Christmas tree and Claire was ecstatic that our 3 little Christmas Elves were found hiding in the tree that we bought early that day!  What luck that we happened to buy the tree they were hiding in!
Now that we have our tree and our elves, our house is full of Christmas excitement.

Tuesday, December 2, 2014

I Went to Sedona to Break My Arm

 On Monday my mom and the girls and I all drove up to Sedona to spend a night with Rachel's parents at their time share.  We could only stay one night due to my work but we thought it would be a fun getaway.  We got up there around noon, ate lunch and then went for a short hike near Bell Rock.
After our hike we drove to a park to let the girls play.   About 2 minutes after we got there I got on the swings and was going to do my back flips off the swing like I always do and have been doing since I was 5 years old.  Well,  I was wearing a scarf and as I was in the air upside down, the scarf flopped over my face so I couldn't see the ground and I landed in a sitting position with my hands on the ground behind me.  I didn't think anything was seriously wrong until Bryan said "Did you break your arm?!  You broke your arm!"   I was hoping it was just jammed but it was definitely hurting and "twisty" as the ER triage nurse described it.

 So, Bryan and Emily took the girls back to the hotel while Bob drove me and my mom to the ER - 18 miles away.  To make a long story short, we spent 6 hours at the ER, they x-rayed it, straightened it as best they could, splinted it and sent us on our way.  I have to see an orthopedist and have surgery on it asap.

Robin, Rachel and Emily took care of the girls for us all afternoon/evening and the girls were in heaven.  They took a bath, played games, watched a movie etc.  It was so nice for me and my mom to know that they were in good hands and still having a good time.

 The next day we walked around Sedona.  Since there was nothing too exciting for the girls, we tried to take a photo with every statue we saw.




 Playing music.










We had the special treat of eating lunch at a restaurant and then headed home.  Tomorrow I have my ortho appt. Now that I am home I am getting more and more frustrated since my right hand is completely useless (but I am left-handed thankfully) and I am unable to do any of my paperwork.  Thankfully, Rachel stepped up and will do it for me this period since she knows how.  What a life saver! 

Sunday, November 30, 2014

Thanksgiving

We had a fun filled Thanksgiving this year.   On Thanksgiving day we went to Josh's parents house and spent the day watching movies, eating, roasting marshmallows be the fire and playing at the park after dark.   We had a really fun time but I only had my little camera which doesn't do too well in low light so I don't have pics:( We had a family photo shoot last month though so here are a couple of my favorites:)




This year Rachel's family came out from Oklahoma to spend Thanksgiving and to stay for Rachel's baby shower this weekend.  So even though we were missing some family from Tucson, we gained a few more people:)

 
The kitchen help.
The adult table.

First year having a kids table.

 Claire was not feeling too great on Thanksgiving and when we got together with my family (2 days after) she was REALLY sick and pretty much laid on the couch and cried most of the time.
After eating we all went outside and Claire felt better for a little while and played.


 
Johnsons and Coots (Rachel got a bad deal on the name change)


 My pregnant sisters-in-law. Rachel is due mid-January and Michelle in mid-February.
 The kids love Emily


The engaged couple!  
We are SO happy to have Jason join the family.


 It was a good Thanksgiving!  We were sad for Claire though that she was so sick most of the time.

 Next year we will be adding 2 new little ones to the group!