ARIZONA: Phoenix

We stayed 3 nights at the Pointe Hilton Squaw Peak Resort in Phoenix.

The resort was so nice and relaxing! 

(fountains, lush landscaping, gift shop, suite with 2 queens and living room with sleeper sofa separated by 2 doors with bathroom and sink area in between. Now that's

how you do a hotel room with kids!)

There was a pool and hot tub just below us where the kids swam freely, jumped in, met new friends and tried underwater handstands.

Cannonball

Pencil Dive

Belly Flop

Everybody loves the water!!! 

(it was heated)

There's also the water park, River Ranch

So not a mean mom.

Chums in the pool

Oh, and the longest lazy river we've (and probably you've) ever drifted on.

We went to Arizona Science Center one morning.

fun with liquid nitrogen

When JaQuay napped, we caught up on some holiday baking shows (that we never watch at home) and then went swimming till dinnertime.

The next morning we played the mini golf course of River Ranch, napped, swam, and went out for our last night at Oregano's Chicago Style Pizza. It was So Delicious and worth the wait, even if they hadn't given the kids pizza dough to play with (but so appreciate they did!)

We flew back Thanksgiving day and got back to do a little crafting and have a quaint turkey breast, sweet potato casserole (frozen ahead), green beans, cranberry sauce, rolls & apple pie Thanksgiving dinner while reading through all the thankful notes STUFFED inside the Thankful Turkey.

Next year, we'll have stuffing and although I was impressed with all the things they acknowledged they are thankful for, we'll probably limit the notes to 10.  ;)

ARIZONA: Tucson

For some sun, new experiences for the kids, and to see how friends have settled in their new homes, we flew to Arizona!

Tridib, Deepa, Aditya & Arko were wonderful hosts as they welcomed us in their fabulous home in a hot new planned community with resort-like pool and backyard. We walked around the neighborhood and JaQuay liked this barrel cactus. You need to be keenly aware of your surroundings and leave plants alone. Tridib had a baby rattlesnake in his side yard and I spotted a dried up rattlesnake along the sidewalk-eek! The kids had fun playing Even Stevens Odd and watching movies together.

tall but young (under 70 years since it is armless) saguaro cactus

The girls wanted to pose by some landscaping at the church on Sunday morning.

Then we went to a restaurant for lunch that made fresh salsa table-side!

And fresh hand-made tortillas!

 Pics at Guadalajara's / Thanksgiving time in Arizona.

This is Brandon & Betsy Barnes' front yard! They are in a very natural area in the Catalina Foothills, so they have mountain views in the front and back, plus twinkling Tucson city lights in the back.

We walked around the neighborhood and Lydia took note of all the many different kinds of cacti.

Agave

Tucson scenery. flat roof houses, mountains and big barrel cactus

Even this small one is old and illegal to kill. (But you can move them around on your property.)

Cholla & Prickly Pear

The Saguaro Cactus! Native only to the Sonoran Desert

JaQuay, Amelia and Marcilene had a lot of fun playing together and we all got in a game of Disney Eye Found It!

In the morning we walked Amelia to her school. It was really interesting to see the open air hallways.

backpacks are hung outside in the hallways

We acted out flying from Milwaukee to Phoenix on the playground map

And we took the scenic route back to the house.

1st Snow / Early Winter

November 9 looked like:

Happy Howl-O-Ween!

I know it's almost Halloween when...

we carve pumpkins (Witch hat, Jack-O-Lantern, Monkey)

And try on our costumes: Bee, Fairy, Ladybug

(I think these are my favorite costume collection because the kids like putting them on, they are portable, cute, and most of all with each getting a skirt, wings and headband, they're fair ;) )

Yes, we packed them up and took them to Great Wolf Lodge.

Lydia had more fun this year going down the slides in a solo tube and spinning. 'Can't do that in a double tube! This also helped out with the paring now that we're a group of 5. 

 I love to see how they decorate the clock tower and lobby for the seasons/holidays. This moose was a mummy, the great wolf was wearing a cape, the beaver was a fairy, and the wolf ears were howl-o-ween orange. 

There was a trick or treat trail and chance to meet Violet, dressed as a butterfly.

When we got back, our door bell rang because a group of people in the neighborhood decided they'd rather trick or treat on Saturday. This ended up being good because they girls got to hand out candy and trick or treat the next day...both are fun!

Ready to go! JaQuay trick or treated for about 45 minutes before warming up at home with soup. Lydia and Abigail covered the entire subdivision in 1.5 hours.

Special pumpkin pancakes before school on October 31st. 

Happy Howl-O-Ween!