Happy New Year!

Here is our family Christmas picture. That's my dad on the right, with my mom in the middle. My first born is the tallest. (I really need to think of some names for these kids besides first born and second born.)
Here is second born. He doesn't know what's in the bag yet...but it's slippers!

Now that I have a family Christmas picture, I'm thinking of sending out some cards. Yes, I know I'm late!

Tonight both boys are out, so Mozart and I rented a movie - Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull. We are going to barbecue sausages. This will happen after Mozart stops composing. He said "Let's eat late." Well what about my stomach? I'm hungry now!

I stepped outside and was greeted by the waxing cresent moon with Venus dangling below like a jewel. I was ankle deep in yellow Ginko leaves. Our fall came late this year. The beauty of the night made me think of God our creator. I prayed for our family and for the New Year.

I think I'll go back out and pray for all of you...my friends and family.

Then maybe Mozart will be ready to eat!

Happy New Year to all of you!

You want to live WHERE?

I had to tell Mozart that this was a little too far out. Yes...I do want to get away from the crowds, but I might want some trees.



Okay...a nice balcony view of trees. How much is fire insurance?




This is nice. But a little too expensive.



On the road...



Let's drive to Phoenix and look in the town of Anthem.



I liked this home! But the weather is 118 degrees for 4 months.
The picture is off-center and focusing on the garage because we have four drivers in the family--and potentially need a spot for C. to work on his car.

This was sort of a "retirement" community feel. I wonder if they would like the sound of my youngest son's drums, and the look of tools strewn on the driveway when my oldest son needs to work on his car. Then there are dirt bikes...

A few more pictures back towards COOLER Prescott. You can see the road cut in the mountain that leads up toward Prescott. Click on the picture and you'll feel like you're there.


I just had to show you these cute Victorian homes in Prescott. You can get one for a good price...but they take a lot of upkeep.




We found a community of rustic homes. (Just above our price range.)


Picture taken in the early morning, on our way to Phoenix.

And coming home...orange clouds...like God's fingers stretching over the desert.



The home search will continue. We planned to drive through Northern California and up to Oregon this week, but due to the snowy roads and passes and my cold, we'll wait.

We'll have a quiet New Year celebration at home.

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas from Arizona!

In Prescott we stayed in a hotel built in 1872.



Oh how one forgets how beautiful Arizona can be...


More pictures coming later!

Merry Christmas!

Arizona in December

Have you ever seen a Saguaro cactus dressed up in Christmas lights? Only in Arizona. I know its hard to think of Arizona as "Christmasy" but those Arizonians can really decorate! We stayed in Prescott the first 2 nights. The town was founded in 1871 and many of the original buildings and Victorian homes still line the streets. The courthouse is the centerpiece of town and people come from all around to view the Christmas lights around the courthouse and down the quaint streets.

Further out of town are the more modern homes. This is where Mozart and I ended up the next day. Prescott is spread out in every direction and it took most of the day to explore different areas. I will try to post some pictures, but I can't find the CD right now.

And I'm typing 80 wpm because I'm quite busy. I am working 3 part time jobs and we don't even have our tree up yet. The trip set me behind as far as Christmas preparations, but we are doing a simple Christmas this year...so things will work out.

Regarding Christmas. I haven't had time to do ANYTHING...but most amazingly Christmas keeps coming to me. What I mean is...one of my jobs was to take the older woman I care for to her grandson's Christmas program at our local public high school. It was wonderful to hear so many Christian carols. One teen girl sang "O Holy Night" and the final number was the Hallelujia Chorus. As the teens were singing the chorus, people began to stand up in the audience (of 600). Pretty soon the whole audience was standing, and the students sang "and He shall reign for ever and ever!" I don't know if they knew the gravity of what they were singing, but God was there!

Christmas came to me as I had the opportunity to share the Christmas story with the 6th grade students in my Special Education class.

A storm brought Christmas to me. Our local mountains have snow...and they rarely do. They look so beautiful.

Christmas came to me in Scottsdale Arizona, as Mozart and I visited the church of an old friend and enjoyed the special Christmas music. Mozart had done an arrangement for their orchestra and it was fun to hear it played.

So I may not have any Christmas decorations up and we are a bit low on gifts, but the fresh cool breath of Christmas is in the air. I am learning that I can let things slide. And everything will be okay.

God brought Christmas to me. That's the best gift!

December 7

Oh My! I'm too busy to post.
Mozart has decided that we are going out of town.

More later!