Arizona....Josh says it best

I have recently realized I have been blogging about being in Arizona, but have not really shared how we even got out here in the first place. It is really a neat story that can be contributed to one thing...God. God is the reason we believe we are currently in AZ and we have just said "Yes" along the way. Josh explains it best in his blog www.moxygolf.com or go directly to this link http://moxygolf.com/category/faith/

It has been a fun journey so far and I am just glad to be a part of it. Currently, I am reading a book titled What Happens When Women say Yes to God. It is really a great read for those of you looking for a new book to read. I have been challenged with what it really means to say "Yes" to God. I really do want to be a part of the plan He has for my/our life and I know that there are times when I have said "Yes" to Him and there are probably many more times when I just ignored Him. My desire is to be more aware of His promptings and be prepared to say "Yes" when I feel that He is moving me to do something, say something etc. Part of that I am learning is being still enough to get to know Him better so that I am more in tune with His promptings. Being still has never come easy for me. I really enjoy doing things and visiting with people. Since we do not know many people out here (and we are sharing one car) it has really forced me to be still more. This has been a great challenge and lesson for me. Hopefully, I can remember the values of this in the future when I am back in a place with more distractions & things to do.

Public Library

Since moving out to AZ, Caleb and I have been to the nearby public library about 2 times each week. Fortunately, we are in walking distance and are able to enjoy a stroll to the library. We only have one car to share here so this has been a great outing for Caleb and me. Public Libraries are great...not only can you check out books for free, but they have a huge selection of movies to check out and yes those too are free! That is not why Caleb and I have been going 2x/week, but we usually leave with a few of those items. We go to their programs they have for babies called Story time and Shake, Rattle, & Roll. They are geared for little youngsters and have nursery rhymes, singing, musical instruments, puppets and short stories. Caleb has loved this time and I have enjoyed it just as much. So for those of you that are serious readers, don't forget you may be able to check out a book instead of purchasing it and same goes for those movie buffs. For those mothers out there that are looking for something to do outside of your house, go check out your local library and see what they have to offer for children. Not only has Caleb loved our weekly outing, he has started to read...OK he really just likes to chew on books right now, but hopefully he will realize soon books are so much more than just a good teether!

9 months old

Yesterday I turned 9 months old! Mommy can't believe how quickly this time has gone by. I am now doing many things like crawling, pulling up, walking around everything (holding on), waving, saying "mama" and "da da", playing on my own and into everything. I have four teeth and crazy, fun hair that stands up everywhere :) I love swinging, playing in the kitchen cabinet, bath time, being outside and knocking down stacked blocks. I am now over 23 pounds (quite the chunk) and am already wearing 12-18 month old clothes. I am very social and love going out and about with mommy. I take two naps a day. Each one lasts around an hour to an hour and a half. I am drinking four bottles (every four hours) at 8 oz each. I will also eat other foods 2-3 times during the day. I really like bananas, sweet potatoes, carrots, yogurt, icecream, cheerios and bread. I sleep from 8pm till 7am. I am an early bird :) Well I have to go to bed, so that is all for now :)

Cupcakes, Sundaes and frozen yogurt

We have had quite the sweet tooth since coming out to AZ! I must say there are some really yummy desserts out here. We first started off by having a sundae/banana split at this old diner that is in "Oldtown" Scottsdale. I knew it would be delicious the minute I entered the diner because everything was pink inside (their booths, menus, doors). This diner, The Sugar Bowl, is where the writer for the Family Circus did a lot of his drawings etc. You can see Josh went for the biggest item on the dessert list and enjoyed every bite.



Our next favorite sweet stop was at Sparkles for cupcakes. Yes, that is plural. We had to get 4! Sparkles started in CA, but has opened up stores in many areas including Phoenix. They were worth every calorie! Our next sweet stop was in Beverly Hills, CA where Josh found his favorite frozen yogurt at Pinkberry. You get to add as many toppings as you would like for one flat fee. It was great and very fresh! Who knows where we will go next, but I can't wait to find out :)

Lions and Tigers and Bears Oh My!

This past week and a half has been full of fun and surprises! Josh's mom came out to visit for a few days and we made some fresh homemade lemonade for her arrival (which is so delicious by the way)! Josh is the master at making it and I am just his lovely assistant so he gets most of the credit for it's yummy taste. The hardest part is picking the lemons from the trees and not getting pricked. Who knew lemon trees had thorns?!? While Gayle was visiting we went to "Oldtown" Scottsdale and the Phoenix Zoo. Caleb loved his first trip to the zoo and laughed at some of his new found furry friends! He even got to sit next to a monkey (separated with glass of course). We rode a Carousel at the zoo and a Ferris Wheel at the Sainta Monica Pier(CA) where we saw the most beautiful sunset. My surprise came when Caleb decided to start saying "Ma ma" (his first word) on January 26th. He is now babbling a whole lot more and trying to communicate more with the world around him. It must be his new teeth that have come in :) He is now up to 4!

Jumping Cactus

So, apparently Arizona has what is known as a "jumping cactus"! Unfortunately, I am not sure of what these jumping cactus look like yet and Arizona has a lot of cactus so I am hoping I don't learn the hard way. The trick is not to stand too close to these particular cactus because if you do then you might just find yourself being shot with pricks! We have so many different cactus in our yard and even more exciting lemon and orange trees! I am hoping there are not any jumping cactus in our yard especially near the trees where I will be picking my lemons for lemonade. I am so excited about making my first batch of fresh squeezed lemonade...which you will have to wait to see how it turns out :) This 3 months we will be living in Phoenix (actually we are in a great area called Scottsdale just outside of Phoenix) is going to be great! I am going to have more time to read, blog, take walks/jogs with Caleb, make lemonade and just explore this new area with my two favorite people! I am so excited to be on this adventure! On a side note, Caleb's hair is getting so long and it stands straight up on the top and sides even after I wet it down flat. We have had several people comment on his hair. I have heard "he must have static electricity" and I have to say "no that is just his natural hair". I couldn't help but notice his hair stands straight up and out like one of the cactus you see in our yard! I guess I am going to have to get this little guy some hair gel :) Well, off to squeeze some lemons!

2 months later....

So, it has apparently been more than two months since my last post. Where does time go? I really enjoy reading others post and want to blog so that my family memories will be somewhere to be read in the future, but I must admit I am not that great at this blogging thing. In fact, I find that most of my blogs are somewhat boring compared to my friends. Josh says I cannot compare mine to theirs, but I do. I never really have been a great writer and just tend to write the facts and that is it. And sometimes I don't even get all the facts written down that I would like. Anyways, that is my disclaimer for the two to three people that read my blog :) A lot has happened in the past two months...Caleb is pulling up on EVERYTHING and is beginning to show signs of his desire to walk. He is now 8 months and we are having more and more fun! As you can see in the pictures, he went on his first trip to Disney and loved looking at the lights and even rode a few rides. He ate his first sand at the beach over New Year's and did not seem to mind the taste! He went on his first hay ride and caroling with my family over Christmas. Although, my family is not known for our musical abilities it was so much fun caroling and the children really had a blast doing it. And lastly, Caleb made a flight to Phoenix, AZ where we will be living January through March. 2009 was such a great year for our family and by far one of my favorites! I am looking forward to seeing what 2010 brings. Hopefully, my next blog will not be in two months from now and I can share more about the beautiful state of Arizona.