Swimming in January

Can you believe we have been swimming all winter?? I can't! It's freezing here. I mean, I am really cold. I think it has finally happened. I'm acclimating. Summer should be a little easier this year. I'm sure many of you are mocking me right now because our temperatures here in Phoenix are so lovely in the winter (somewhere around 60 degrees during the day) I can't possibly be cold. But I am! And I am sooo glad to be cold. I'm enjoying wearing sweatshirts and layers AND sunglasses.
Well at my parents RV park they have a wonderful pool and hot tub. They keep the pool warmed up to about 85 degrees and the hot tub at about 104. It is so great. We've been swimming a lot. Brendan is a pretty good swimmer and Wyatt wears his water wings and us adults (well some of us) hop back and forth from the pool to the hot tub. It's the first winter in my life I have spent outside! It sure makes up for the hot summer we spent cooped up indoors in air conditioning that couldn't get me cold enough!

Nana and Papa Are Here

As most of you know, on December 10 (Willie's birthday) my parents signed papers and sold their business. They are officially retired. My dad continued working to help transition the "new guy" (old friend, Curt Strake) until Christmas. On Christmas Eve they left in their motor home and headed south. They spent Christmas in Kelso with Rachel and her family and then hit the road. They arrived in Phoenix on January 1. They came with no plan. By no plan I mean, no reservations. I really wondered if they would be staying in a Wal-Mart parking lot the whole time they were here because Arizona is a popular winter destination. The RV parks fill up ahead of time. At best I thought they would have to bounce around from place to place. The first place they called was Lake Pleasant RV resort. It's about 8 miles from our house and out in the desert on a lake. Like we thought, the only thing they could do was give them a spot for a bit and maybe move them to a different spot. By the time they arrived the people in the office said, "This is unheard of, but we have a spot available through the end of the month." So, of course, my parents took it and it was perfect. It was right on the end across from the pool. Yesterday was the day they had to move. For a week they will be staying kind of out in the desert in a spot that doesn't have full hookups (and you have to drive to the pool) but it is overlooking the lake and absolutely beautiful. After this week they will move back into the park to a spot that they will have for another 2 weeks or so. Then they will head to Lake Havasu and then home (I think). Praise God for His provisions and blessings! They already reserved their original spot for next year so that they are sure to be able to come back to the same spot.

It is so fun having Nana and Papa down the road. The kids are going to go through withdrawls when they leave. We're starting to get used to all the visitors (Jojee's coming in 4 weeks!). When summer hits we will be so lonely as Phoenix will probably be the last place anyone would want to be. :) We'll just come north!

Cousins

Well, I feel like I've been busier than ever. Since December 24 our lives have been filled with lots of people...and I am so glad about that. Most recently we have had Rachel and Jayden staying with us for the past 2 weeks. The trip revolved around the P.F. Chang's 1/2 marathon, which she ran with great ease and I walked with great trouble. 13.1 miles is very, very long when the most I walked before that particular race was about 5 miles! I was crippled the rest of the day and the following day. Other than losing a toenail and losing the bottom of a different toe, I am fully recovered! :) I think I'll train for the next one! Having Rachel around was, of course, fun, but I was especially glad to spend so much close time with my one and only nephew (hopefully more nephews/nieces to come....). It is true that Jayden is going through a severe seperation anxiety phase from his mother and can make her and anyone else nearby crazy. BUT, if you can get rid of the mother you can experience some real bonding time with Jayden. I had to kick her out a couple times so that he would stop whining for her to focus on him 100%. As soon as she was gone or impossible to get to (like in the shower) he calmed down and we got to play! Rand had lots of fun with Jayden too. The Saturday that we had to go register for the race, Rand took all three boys to the park to play....all by himself! Way to go super-dad! It was really hard in our car that doesn't easily fit 3 car seats. Time for a mini-van??? Never!!!!
The boys absolutely loved being together. Brendan and Wyatt still haven't stopped telling me how much they miss their Auntie and Jayden. This morning I made them waffles and Brendan asked, "Where's Jayden's waffle?" Breakfast just wasn't the same without them.
Visit Rachel's site to see all the pictures and other stories from the trip. Here's a few pics that I love.