Rockin' R Ranch Tour

Last month, we went on a fieldtrip with some random homeschoolers to the Rockin’ R Ranch in Mesa.  It’s the only  working ranch with it’s own stoplight in front of it, because it’s smack in the middle of the city.  A few of our dear friends were able to join us and it was great fun.  The kids got to learn about native life, check out a teepee, use a primitive grinder, weigh and pan for gold, create their own ranch name with native American symbols, turn a lasso and rope a bull, see how primitive tools were used, and pet some sheep!  They also got to watch a performance and see an old saw being used as an instrument.   A fun and educational day was had by all!  I hope you enjoy the pictures in the slideshow!

Sedona Columbus Day 2012

We’re driving to the Balloon Festival in Albuquerque today, so I actually had a bit of time on my hands to go through some pictures and blog.  And change our background from the Christmas theme we had!  We are finally feeling a bit more settled here in Arizona and, with the weather cooling off some, we have been able to get out and play a bit more.  Monday, Bill had the day off for Columbus Day and we got out of dodge.  We drove up to Sedona, which is one of our most favorite places and thoroughly enjoyed our adventure.  One of our favorite places in Sedona is a park called Crescent Moon Ranch and is a beautiful reprieve from the speed of life.  The last time we visited, Kaitlyn was in a backpack and had a four-legged buddy and this time, we were down a dog, up a kid, and each kid had their own packs.  It’s amazing how quickly time flies, isn’t it?  We had a great time hiking, playing in the creek (well, the kids did…it was freezing and just walking through it made the adults look like boring wimps with numb toes), and enjoying the amazing beauty God created over so many years.   Here is a slideshow of pictures from our adventure.   Enjoy!

A LONG Overdue Update

Wow!  Talk about neglect.  This blog has so many layers of dust on it, I don't even know where to begin.  Well, might as well start with the present.  After 8,000 air miles and 2,200 miles in the swagger wagon, our family is TOGETHER in Phoenix, Arizona.  The trip from Florida to Arizona was uneventful and the kids (and old people) did really well in the car for the 5 day drive.  Turns out the uneventful drive would be making up for our very eventful first couple months in AZ.  We are unfortunately STILL living out of suitcases after some crazy house hunting adventures, but thanks to the kindness and generosity of several sweet families, we will have only been in TLFs on base for about 3 1/2 out of the 10 weeks waiting to get our own home.  We are taking a huge leap of faith with the hopeful purchase of a home we love in an awesome location in the town of Surprise.  There are a lot of pieces that must fit to make this work, but they are all coming together in God's time (read "not mine") and it has His hands all over it.  We move into our home in an awesome planned community next week as a rental and hope to be under contract for the short sale of this place within the next couple of weeks.  The next biggest step is the bank's acceptance of the short sale.  Like I said...HUGE leap of faith.  There is a pretty big risk, but we're trying not to think about that.  :)  We'll keep you posted!

We are all thrilled to be back in the Valley of the Sun and reunited with many lifelong friends.  Bill is looking forward to the family friendly pace of Luke AFB and instructing in the F-16.  He is also loving that flying is his number one job again, though that is a little harder to remember while sitting in the cockpit, all suited up, waiting on the tarmac when it's 110+ degrees out.

Here are a few drive by pictures of the outside of our home.  We'll get some better ones once it's ours.  The little room on the right of the driveway is what they call a casita.  In spanish it means little house.  To us, it means guest house.  It's our 5th bedroom and has a closet and full size bath, so we have plenty of space for guests.  Hint, hint. ;)  We should be here for 1-3 years and are working on our Arizona Bucket List.  We ran out of time to fit everything in the last time we were here, as we were only here for about 10 months, and as for the things we already did...well, half of us were either too young or too insulated in a belly to remember, so the list will be pretty long.  Let us know if you want to come out and explore this part of our beautiful country, we'd gladly host you and cross some stuff off our list.