a trip to Prescott and a happy birthday to grandma

My mom celebrated another year!

We decided to travel up to Prescott to wish her a happy birthday. All the grand kids that currently live in the US gathered around her.

We ate lunch and played in the park nestled in the trees. The old piles of snow was the first time some of my kids had ever seen real snow I think!

We stopped by the courthouse to find grandpa Alvin Allen’s name on the WW2 memorial.

Then grabbed a birthday treat for everyone at a local bakery.

We be lookin’ so good...

We sang happy birthday back at her apartment. Layla took the only pictures we got since in my lap was a newly jealous 3 year old.




I’m so grateful for a mom who taught me to put the Lord first, who made a lot of sacrifices to raise and mother us, who taught me to respect myself and be independent, who found joy in the small things in life, who treats each person she talks to with value and love, and who loves each of my children. Happy birthday, mom/grandma!

hieroglyphics trail and some new friends

On MLK, Jr day, we took our girls on a hike at the Superstition Mountains—the heiroglyphics trail. 

It was a bit of struggle to get going.

But once we got going, and especially once we made it to the boulders and rocks to scramble all over, Layla was in hiking heaven. 

It’s just so cool to see the petroglyphs on the rock walls.

Gorgeous views here, too.






We went inside this little cave of boulders.

And Eric went to the other side and started growling like a bear. 

Brinna was delighted to be scared by a “bear.” So she shut her eyes tight so the bear wouldn’t get her.

Soon she realized it would be more effective to hide from the bear behind her hands.


She wanted her daddy to play the game over and over.

Layla now begs to go on this hike again. She loved it.

I havent been out hiking as much as I thought I would with the nice weather here. But I still get out by myself or with my “mountain mamas” at least weekly. Usually more. 

My good friend invited me to hike with her and some of her friends one morning. It was a rainy morning and I almost didn’t go because of it. I had to channel my former Seattle-ite blood to get myself out into the rain. But I was so grateful for the invitation and these ladies welcomed me with open arms. They were sweet, genuine, and we could bond over life’s challenges quite easily. One of the ladies I had actually texted with soon after my mastectomy to give her some tips and advice so it was so nice to meet her in person. I’m grateful that God keeps putting good people in my path.

One evening I hiked by myself and drove home under this beautiful sunset. The sun was a perfect ball of orange that night. Incredible!

because nature makes my heart sing

It takes some work to make it happen, but I never ever regret getting outside in the desert.

Mountain mamas got an early morning hike in at santan a few weeks ago.

We took our girlies to hole in the rock for a perfect 3 year old hike.

Kyler and I took advantage of his forced close contact quarantine to hike camelback together.

We got to see the christmas tree that is brought up to the top of the mountain each year.

Mountain mamas branched out and took an afternoon hike up Siphon's Draw.




The moon above that rock! (ignore the food in my teeth...)

Gorgeous views!!






It's such a unique place to hike.

This was our top so we could get back down again before the sun went down. A perfect stop for a winter solstice meditation.

Bloom where you are planted. Some trees grow out of stones.

We had amazing night viewing of the Christmas star that night. To see the moons of jupiter and the rings of saturn and the craters on the moon takes my breath away!


We had another morning hike in the beautiful superstition mountains. 




This time we went to wave cave.

I think we look like aliens on another planet in this shot. Ha!

We had a little fun riding that wave.













I had to get a surf lesson before I tried this one.

When the weight of the world feels too heavy, now here is a place to go to find relief.

  







One of the last outings of 2020 was this one. We we took our little family to Tempe for a little excursion. After Hurts donuts and a walk around tempe town lake, we hiked a mountain I have never been on before. We went up "A" mountain.


It's short, steep, crowded, but a pretty view of the city and the sky. (we missed Perry on this hike!)

And a good place for some little girls to do some rock climbing.

I love seeing their sibling bond and how he helped her down the mountain.

I really do think I am the happiest when I get out in nature often. We really do live in a beautiful world!