Merry Christmas from the Desert!
Merry Christmas friends! I hope everyone has enjoyed their Christmas holiday celebrations and are still enjoying family and friends! I didn't want this Christmas to go by without an official Merry Christmas from our house to yours. I count you among my friends and thank you from the bottom of my heart for following along with my adventures in creating a life from home.
 We are blessed to be in Arizona enjoying time with my parents and loving the break from the cold snowy weather back home. 
This has given us the opportunity to play at the park and take walks around the lake. We miss these things during the long winter. Simple things like being together as a family and playing together outside are again appreciated.
Greg and I took a moment away and hiked to the top of Pinnacle Peak to check out the views and enjoyed a brunch at the Four Seasons following our work out.
There are several restaurants we always make sure to hit when out here. Our favorite by far is a little local Mexican place called Raul and Teresa's. The salsa is HOT and we can't get enough of it.
Another thing we enjoy doing during our time here is cooking and baking. My girls love baking with Grammy and spent a morning prepping cookies for a visit to the local hospital. After cookies are made, there is always a contest for the tastiest and most creatively decorated cookies. Greg and I are more than eager to be the judges! The winner this year was a special Santa cookie.
Also, I have tried out some new recipes which I'll feature on here soon.
We have a family tradition of taking cookies and small gift bags to a local hospital. We started this years ago and the girls ask to do it every Christmas. It's a way we give a little Christmas joy before our own festivities begin.
And of course, Santa found his way to us all the way out here. It seemed to be that Superheroes were the theme of the year. Grant got a whole army to defend against the evil villains.
Emma, our snuggler, got a snuggie and Olivia, our athlete, lots of Under Armour to add to her collection.
Over the next few days, our plans include celebrating Olivia's 10th birthday and enjoying more time outside, playing the card game 5 Crowns, and checking out some new movies we want to check off our list.
I'll check back with you over the next few days.
