Puzzlemania

Margaret has mentioned how when visiting in Montana there is always a puzzle going and how much fun they have working on them. I found this really cute Christmas puzzle and thought it would be a good activity for her visit here. While most of the work was done by Margaret, Pat and I did help during our free time. It was a lot of fun to work on the puzzle, I haven't done one in too many years to count. I really liked the way it turned out and I glued it all together to save for a Christmas decoration. Since this one went so well, I bought another puzzle in anticipation of Margaret and Mary Lou's stopover in January. I figured we could get started on it and they could finish it up. Well much to my surprise Mike totally got into working on it and between him and Pat they finished it in no time. 

 

 I did get to work a little on this one and it was fun with lots of Chicago landmarks all mixed in to create one great collage of a puzzle. This one was taken apart and will be sent with Margaret to Montana to share with Maggie and her family.

Merry Christmas 2012

Merry Christmas! We went over to the water ranch to recreate our Christmas day photo from 2006. We arrive at the spot, rocks still in place, cacti blooming and a dead bird laying by the rock. ICK that was not part of the plan. Pat decides he is going to pick it up and get it out of the way, so I turn my back and start setting up my tripod. Along comes a very nice young woman who informs me that she is pretty good with a camera and would we like her to take our picture, it might be easier than a tripod. So I said sure hahahaha. I can't stop laughing because, well you have to know my family to know that this was a HUGE thing for me to get them to agree to photos, but that didn't include a stranger doing it. hehehehe So we are on the rocks in front of the cacti, not exactly posing how I would have insisted and not the angle I would have done, but we got the photo and she was very nice to offer and take her time to do this. In addition to our "2006 recreation" she thought a nice close together family photo was in order, so she proceeded to pose us and take one. Thank you to the kind woman at the water ranch!

Happy Holidays!

Christmas Past - 2011

Christmas 2011

Yep, cards are gone

hoping for next year at least a decent photo :( 

Christmas Past - 2010

 Christmas 2010

at home, Gilbert, Arizona

totally given up on cards at this point 

Christmas Past - 2009

Christmas card 2009

take at Freestone Park

Gilbert, Arizona

Christmas Past - 2008

Christmas 2008

Wow didn't even get a picture of the two boys or the family this Christmas, things are getting pretty bad around here, the holidays are not what they use to be. Maybe next year.

Christmas Past - 2007

Christmas Day 2007

Water Ranch, Gilbert, Arizona

Another warm, sun shiny Christmas Day in the desert. After dinner we headed to the Water Rance at the Riparian Preserve to take a walk. Mike and William found this interesting tree to hang out by. No card sent again this year, at least I couldn't find one.