It's been a long time!

I see it has been quite awhile since my last post.  We have been busy enjoying AZ but nothing special to put into a blog post!  The weather has been up and down here these past few weeks.  Cold and rainy and then sunny and beautiful.  The latter more common than the former but AZ can always take any rain it can get.  I believe they said they met their average yearly total over those few days of rain in January!  The desert was extremely dry, even by "desert" standards, so this bodes well for a valley full of gorgeous blooms in March.  I look forward to hiking that time of the year.

Mark and I spent 3 days at the Phoenix Open and enjoyed every minute of it.  It is such a fun event although I would estimate that 60% of the visitors knew nothing about golf and everything about how to have a good time!  I got a kick out of all the young girls in their stiletto heals trying to navigate around all the people.  Mark got a kick out of all the cleavage they had on display while trotting around in those shoes.  :)  I guess it must be the place to see and be seen!  As for the golf, the course provided players with ample birdie opportunities so scores were very low.  Phil won the event and the crowd was pulling for their ASU grad every day.  I am sure he felt like a rock star here with all the adoring fans. 

We continue to go to the gym several times per week.  I don't know if I am getting any stronger but I can open my own jars without having to ask Mark for help now so it must be working.  :-)  We really enjoy the workouts that Matt provided for us and am still rather shocked that we are going so faithfully.  Now....what to do when we return to Iowa with the closest gym MILES away?  I might have to get my farmer to buy a home gym for those months!

I am SO lonesome for Drew, Kayley and Ryan.  We do skype (facetime) with them so that helps so much but not being able to hug them and play with them is extremely hard on old granny.  They are coming here over spring break and we are excited about that but Drew's spring break isn't until the end of March so that seems very far away....

Some random pics from the past few weeks:

Hiking at Spur Cross in Cave Creek

Spur Cross scenery

Sister Sharon getting taped up after a fall off the trail!  It could have been way worse!

Mark and I went with friends to Turf Paradise for horse racing, always a fun day!

Hiking friends at Cave Creek

Green #9 at the Phoenix Open

Mark getting ready for the first golfers to come through.

Fairway #9