Good times in Peoria

I spent a week with Megan, Drew and Kayley and had a splendid time.  Matt drove over from Omaha and was there Thursday through Monday morning so everyone was there except Mark and Andy.  They were busy attending Cactus League BB games in AZ with Andy's brother!

It was so good to see the kids.  They had grown a lot since our January visit.  Things change so quickly when they are little!  The weather was very good most days so we could be outside.  Lots of bike rides to the park, fishing for the very first time with Matt, riding the Gator and tractor, etc.  I assumed it wouldn't be all that great in Peoria in March but I guess this year doesn't count as being normal.  Unbelievable warmth in the midwest!

Mark is leaving Sunday morning for Iowa.  He will make it to Matt's home on Monday late afternoon, spend the night with him and head to the farm on Tuesday.  I wouldn't be surprised if he is in the field later in the week! Another unheard of thing this early!

My sisters are flying to Phoenix next week.  We hike the Grand Canyon (Havasupai Falls) on April 6-8th so we are getting pretty excited about that.  Jan will arrive this coming Thursday and Sharon will get here Easter Sunday.  Sharon and Jan haven't seen each other for two years so it is well past time for us to get together!

Unless a spring blizzard hits Iowa I will most likely start back after the sisters leave.  No reason to stay here when it is nice in Iowa!  We hit 90 degrees here this week so I am assuming it is going to start getting pretty hot in the desert and that is my signal to jump in the car.  Neither one of us is looking forward to our drive home but not much to do about that except do it!  The worst part is staying in the motel in a dumpy town (Dalhart, TX) all by yourself.  If you love/know Dalhart please forgive me for slamming it!  Just not fun alone.  :-)

I couldn't leave Drew and Kayley without getting a few pics and video!

Matt teaching Kayley about the patience of fishing.  Ha!

Drew showing his skills at the park

Bicycle safety town in Peoria.  Awesome.

Drew Matt Kayley

Kayley and the Easter Bunny at gymnastics

Mark's cactus in bloom.  He was gone last year when it bloomed but this year was early!

Kayley with her favorite snack

I bought puzzles for Drew and he finished them in record time!

Kayley, Matt and Drew

Dressing up in anything and everything

These two made Grandma a beautiful birthday cake!

Ready to bike to the park

At the park

Drew's first time fishing!

Baseball, Golf, Hiking and Horses

Mark and I have been very busy these past two weeks having fun in the sun!  We enjoyed two spring baseball games,  spent two days at the LPGA tournament, hiking several times (me), and another trip to the horse track on a bright sunny day.  The last two days have been the exact opposite of the last month.  Very cold, much needed rain in the desert and even hail and thunder.  I thought I was back in Iowa except it was nicer in Dayton than it was here Sunday and Monday!  The weather is turning back to warm sunshine today.

This afternoon I hop on a plane to go visit Drew and Kayley.  I am excited.  Mark is staying here.  Andy and his brother Mitch are coming to attend spring baseball games and Mark will be their host while I go see my grandchildren.  It will be great to see them and also Megan and Matt.  Matt is driving over to Peoria on Thursday and staying through Monday morning.  I fly back on the 27th to Phoenix.

Mark will leave for Iowa the first week in April.  I am still contemplating on what day I will leave.  The weather in Iowa will be a huge factor for me.  If it continues on its present pattern I don't think I will be far behind!

Some pics from all our fun:

Up high on a recent hike by our home

White Sox spring training stadium in Glendale

At the horse track

A view from another hike

Putting on the 18th at the LPGA

Padres/Mariners spring training stadium

Hail on our patio!

Iowa neighbors

We have been busy the past few weeks.  Our neighbors from Iowa (Both Petersons, Barb and Craig and Jeff and Patty) came to our home two weeks ago and we had a great time with them.  After giving them a tour of our little home here we drove to Cave Creek to look around.  We all especially liked "The Town Dump", a store with tons of unique and special order items you would never see anywhere else!  I will be going back there before I head back home to Iowa.  After shopping we stopped at Harold's Saloon for a cold beer then back to our home for visiting and dinner.  It was a very nice day!

Last Friday we spent the day back at the horse track helping our friend Alice celebrate her birthday with her cousins, uncle and one other friend.  We had a blast and I even won $112 on a race with a $6 bet so that was extra fun!  Normally I only bet $2 per race but decided to up it this time and a long shot came in to help boost my winnings.  Yay!  That evening we took Alice and her Wisconsin cousin back to Cave Creek for the all you can eat fish at Buffalo Chip Saloon.  What a place!  It was packed to the brim and out back they had an actual rodeo arena where we watched bull riding and toddlers riding sheep.  Good time.

I still fit in my hiking, as I need to get in shape for a trip I am taking with my sisters in April.  We are hiking down the Grand Canyon, or Havasupai to be more precise.  It is a beautiful place and we are looking forward to this adventure!  We hike down, stay two nights and then hike out on the third day.  It is the "hike out" part that requires you to get into some sort of shape!  They do have a helicopter that will haul you out if you cannot make it but it can't be cheap and that is not what we want to do!  :-)

Now we are busy looking at the Cactus League baseball schedule to see what games we want to attend.  The Diamondbacks have a new (last year) stadium that we have not seen so that is on our list.  Spring baseball is a huge thing down here every year and it is fun to go to the games.  Our son-in-law Andy is coming down here to go to some games so Mark will entertain him while I fly to Peoria to see my daughter and grandchildren.  I cannot wait for that!  Well, that is about all I have for now.  Hope everyone's snow is melting!!!!

Pics from the last few weeks:

Mark at Turf Paradise

Barb, Patty, Marla at Cave Creek

The Three Amigos....Mark, Jeff, Craig

My winter geraniums are doing well.

I love this color of geranium!