And more lights

After driving through the streets to see the lights, we decided to get off the freeway to go to Little America. For days we have seen the pretty trees decorated in lights and wanted to go see them and get some pictures. It was even more beautiful because the trees were covered in snow. Take a look.

Seeing the lights

There are some fun traditions that Flagstaff does that are unique to the city. One thing that a friend at work told Spencer we had to drive around this string of neighborhoods to see the lights. I was thinking like house lights but they were talking about white bags with real candles in them, winding many streets. They were so cool to see. We drove through, except for the times that I got out to take pictures. It was the neatest thing I have seen.

 There was also a little choir singing Christmas carols with a little nativity scene. So so fun! I think this will be a yearly tradition to go see them as a family.

Our First Snow Storm in Flag

 I'm almost a week late, but I really wanted to post some pictures of the snow storm that hit us last week. It mostly snowed during the night, but overall we got about 12 inches of snow or more. It is so beautiful when it snows here because all of the great pine trees are covered with white snow. That has always been my favorite thing when it snows, how it looks on the pine trees.

Snowflake Arizona Temple

 Saturday morning we drove 1 hr 45 min to go to the Snowflake temple. This is the closest temple for us, and I really enjoyed being there. It is smaller, but very beautiful. The session was wonderful as always, and everyone so friendly and happy to have you there. Inside the temple there was lots of American Indian art which seem appropriate for the area. The drive was nice and it sure made the rest of the day so great. They had this beautiful life size nativity displayed out front for the Christmas season!

Flagstaff Friday Art Walk

Spencer and I were trying to figure out what to do on Friday night that wouldn't cost any money, and found ourselves walking around down town at the monthly art walk. The town was also lighting a huge Christmas tree in Heritage Square, in the middle of downtown, signifying that the Christmas season had officially begun. It was a fun night of walking around, enjoying beautiful local art and getting to know the town a little better. We saw photography, paintings, jewelry, pottery, and lots more. We both really enjoyed it, and it was free. 

You have to look closely in this picture but Santa waving and the Mayor. They were driven into town on a firetruck. I tried to take a picture quick so I am sorry the quality isn't that great.

Christmas Time

I love decorating for Christmas, making new things, shopping and making fun treats. For a little while there I had stuck in my head that since we were in a little apartment without our Christmas decorations that we would have a plain Christmas. Luckily I realized that we can still enjoy this time with some new things. My mom talked me into making the little tree. She made some last year with tomato cages and she sticks them outside in her huge flower pots. I couldn't find any tomato cages so we use a wreath stand from Joanns. It is our tree for this year but in the future it will be a fun little tree to use in our home. 

 I also spent a lot of time on pinterest looking up ideas for cute DIY Christmas decor. I found some fun things, including these stars made out of twigs. the pictures don't show how cute they are, and I wanted to hang them from the ceiling in the corner but we don't have things to do that and I don't want to make holes in a place that isn't ours. Again, these will be fun things to use in our future home.

 I know that snowflakes are so typical but they are so easy, and found some fun patterns so I think they turned out pretty darn cool.

I forgot to take a picture of this yummy treat that we made. It's like fudge but with peanut butter and butterscotch in it. So good, but so bad for you. Oh well, its that time of year!!

Thanksgiving Tradition

Every Thanksgiving we get to enjoy a fun morning of bowling. But this isn't any game of bowling, this is a competition. The first round is the qualifying round, then the second is the championship round to find the winner. This year I found myself in the championship round and I was ready to be embarrassed. My typical bowling style is to do good one round then the other is not so good. So the first round I did great, but the second not so good. I was the worst score, at 94, so I owe the bowlers next year some cheese fries. Oh well, it still was so fun.

I should have taken more pictures on Thanksgiving and of our trip back home but I didn't. 

We had a wonderful Thanksgiving lunch/dinner with Spencer's family along with a movie and games. I really love spending time with family. I love them all so much.

Getting to know "Flag"

I am trying to use the Flagstaff slang for the name of this fun town we have moved to.

 I have only been here a week but I really have come to enjoy this town. Last week we had time to look at homes and get to know the area by driving around, eating out, hiking and much more. Flagstaff has so much to see and do, we have now made a list of things so we can keep track of it all.

One day we walked around downtown Flagstaff. We enjoyed some yummy chocolate treats from a local candy shop, looked at some fun shops, ate at a local restaurant called Jocelyn's.  I should have taken more pictures cause it really is fun and old.

 This is where we had lunch. It is a fun old house turned into a little restaurant and it was so fun and tasty.

Meteor Crater

 On Friday we drove 30 minutes west and visited Meteor Crater which is really cool. It is huge! They said you could fit 20 football games in the bottom of it, all going on at the same time with over 2 million people watching around the sides. The tour was fun and we heard a lot of cool info.

 This is part of the meteor that made the crater.

 This is the old museum that couldn't last in the wind up there right on the edge of the rim, built in the early 1900's.

Elden Indian Ruins

 Then on the way home, literally just right off of the main road, there are some Indian ruins. Only a small bit of the walls are standing but it was all over. There was a flyer that you grabbed and read as you went with the markers telling you which spot the info applied to. It was pretty cool.

Its hard to tell in the picture but there are four spots on the rock where the indians used to carve things and grind up their corn and things. 

Oak Creek Canyon

 We drove down to Sedona on Saturday and the drive through oak creek canyon was so beautiful.

 This was a lookout over the whole area. It was such a beautiful day.

 We went on a hike called Soldiers Pass Trail. The weather was perfect. The sun was warm, but there was a nice cool breeze. After the hike we had a nice picnic and walked through town along all the shops. Of course we had to get some yummy homemade ice cream.

I think we will be tourists for a year or two.

We are so excited to do many more things down here. Any of you are welcome to come down and do them with us, like this next summer. This place is so beautiful with so many fun outdoory things to do. Let me know if you are interested!!!