pictures worth a thousand words

I had such a wonderful holiday. I went home for about a week and hit the ground running with games, movies, outings, yummy food, wonderful doctors and LOTS of FAMILY (luckily). Rather than giving a rather lengthy-uninteresting-play-by-play I decided to do what I love to do most---just show pictures of the highlights.

The Sunday before going home Rach and I went and visited some of our favorite people in the world. The Bailey's! The Barney and Bailey duo is unstoppable. The kids had an award ceremony. Don't worry. I got mine for "Best Cheese and Crackers Maker". Holler.

HOME!!! First day home. Mesa Temple Christmas Lights. I loved walking around the grounds with my family. Sometimes we play a game where we try to walk from the flagpole to the visitors center or in to the drinking fountain without having a missionary talk to us or ask us a question. Whoever succeeds is the winner! Of course the picture had to be in front of the camels. Aunt Karen taught Brylin what a camel says. Ask Brylin and you will most likely get sprayed with a small shower of spit.

Second night home. First ride on the lightrail train. LOVED it. We rode downtown to the Phoenix Art Museum. It was so fun to walk around and look at some of their displays. That place is big. A lot bigger than it appears to be. I wish I could have gone back and looked more extensively at the modern art. But I'm happy I got to see the Thorne Rooms. And this awesome room of pitch black and mirrors on the walls where little LED lights were hanging and you could walk around in it. We took sillouette pictures in there which were really neat! And then Erica ran into the wall trying to get out. Nearly the best part was afterwards when Rach and Julia showed their America's Next Top Model skill as we took goofy pictures outside on our walk back to the lightrail stop.

Christmas Eve we had all the family come over for dinner and games. Of course I played the good auntie and gave the Little Miss piggy back rides. I can't believe how big she is! It was so fun playing games with her. Oh! The night before we had gone to Erica and Brandon's after the PAM and played dradle (with a home made dradle I actually made out of clay, just like the song says) and Brylin did such a good job keeping up with the game, singing the song with us and keeping us all entertained.

Merry Christmas! Check out how classic everyone's faces are. Love Christmas morning photos.

Arizona. Bless Arizona. We played croquet Christmas afternoon. Poor Rach and I were poisoned out by Joel-Bear (who even came in the game half way through and still nearly killed us all) but we had a good time. And I swear that all the people driving by have either a)never seen siblings have a good time together -or- b)never seen a croquet game before. We always get such weird looks and looooonnnng stares from passers-by.

So here I am. I think I've said it before...my calling in life is to fry things in oil. Scones. Donutes. Gyoza. And my favorite food just might be french fries. So here I am, doing what I do best. Cooking in oil.

YES!! Superstition Springs Mall is the mall of my childhood. Aunt Karen used to take us shopping there when she and Grandma would come visit. At this mall they have a merry-go-round by the food court. This merry-go-round is right next to these really tall windows that look out...to the outside. Well. This merry-go-round has been improved! It is now a DOUBLE-DECKER-MERRY-GO-ROUND! Holy Smokes. We didn't ride upstairs, but it was still completely awesome! I loved it. Going home always allows me time to have fun and goof off and be a kid again. You might say it's a cheaper, less exciting disneyland.

Teaching Brylin a new song. "Toote-Ta" Classic camp song. Mom hated that I said "Bum Out". But, sorry mom, "Rear End Out" just doesn't quite fit or have the right ring to it.

I hope everyone had a great Christmas and New Year! I will keep updates on my 2010 experiences! In fact...I have one brewing in my mind...