Between Christmas and New Years

Kirsti and Ryan and Alice returned to Utah on Thursday, the 27th.   By the time they left, Alice was pretty comfortable with Grandpa and me.  In the morning, we took her on a walk in the borrowed stroller over to the library for about an hour while Kirsti and Ryan packed up.  Here she is with her Aunt Sarah....

 I drove the Merrill family to the Mesa airport in the late morning and then I drove to the mission office where Steve and I worked the afternoon "shift".  Sarah drove Steve to the office and then they left early to get Steve to a P.T. appointment at 4:30.  Such was that day....

I might explain that the mission office was closed on Monday, the 24th and Tuesday, the 25th.  Because the Poulsons and we have family in town, the Harris's offered to cover the office on Wednesday, the 26th.  The Poulsons filled in Thursday morning and we took the afternoon.  Then, Elder Wall covered all of Friday. 

Friday, we explored South Mountain.  We drove to the summit for a panoramic view of Phoenix.  A chilly view, I might say...

We then headed back up to northern Phoenix to visit the Deer Valley petroglyphs - ancient rock art located right smack in the middle of housing subdivisions! 

There is a small fee to visit this site but a nice little museum is included.

Saturday continued to be chilly - and we had a "chill" kind of day.  Steve and I went to the temple in the morning.  Sarah and I baked an apple pie that afternoon.  And, in the evening, we collected a patio table and four chairs from the missionary apartment in Anthem.  The history of this table and chairs is buried way back to some set of earlier missionaries however many years back.  With the Harris's apartment purging (they are the senior missionary couple assigned to housing inspections), it was decided that this outdoor furniture was no longer necessary for the elders.  I suggested it might be appropriate for a senior missionary house and so that is how we now have patio furniture.  Now, if it would just warm up a bit so we can enjoy it!  Notice that there are now just three bikes in back.  Torey Crook, former missionary, down from Idaho for a visit during the holidays, also came by on Saturday to collect his bike.  Now there is just Sam Webb's bike and ours (which are actually mission bikes on loan to us)   

On Sunday, we had our Anthem missionaries over for dinner.  Elders Faber and Eldridge.  And, they fell in love with Lily and Bones, much to Sarah's delight.