Arizona oct. 2011

Lake Pleasant. Only 30 minutes away from Scottsdale. You can rent boats and kayaks and seadoos. We didn't go any of that, but it was still beautiful!


Montezuma's castle. Some native american ruins that are built into the mountain. So cool!

Hockey fun with Jurgen and my friend Stacey (Holly). The Jets lost, but is was still super fun!

A mountain/desert hike the morning before the game.

Our amazing view from our deck!!

Sedona. What can I say? So gorgeous.

Rain falling

The rain falls like tears
flowing like a river down the street.
Washing everything, cleaning, healing.
Inside it is dry and warm.
Outside it is fresh.
The grey sky an echo of my heart.
Sometimes I like the rain
because then no one
can see me cry.

Belly photos - set 2

Week 21 (more than half way!).

Week 23 (almost 6 months!).

fall bliss

I love fall, especially the fall we have been having. The weather is hot during the day, but not sweltering, and cool enough at night that you can open your windows and not turn on the A/C. And, NO bugs (well, at least no misquitoes anyway)!
The colours this time of year are incredible as well! We were at the lake a couple of weeks ago doing some work, and I couldn't help exclaiming just how gorgeous it was! With the leaves all turning colours in yellows, oranges, browns, and greens against the green-gold of the hillsides, and the blue-green of the water - breathtaking! Not to mention the sunsets this time of year: Firey reds and oranges, pinks and purples against the backdrop of the gold of freshly harvested fields. Yep, this is definitely my favorite time of year.
I have been siting outside with my kitties for the last hour just soaking up the sun, listening to the sounds of nature - Rustling leaves, the chirp of crickets, the occasional tweet from a bird, and far off in the distance the yelp of a coyote. It is so peaceful out here! I would never move back into the city.
The kitties love it too. As long as they stay in the back yard (keep in mind the coyotes that I mentioned) they are free to roam around as long as they want. Our yard is pretty big, so I am pretty sure that is enough. Seven loves to sit by the fence and watch the birds and eat the grass. Stupe loves to try and catch the butterflies that flutter past. They are both pretty good hunters, too, considering they are mainly house cats. Seven is better at it then Stupe, but they have both caught stuff (which makes a Mama proud!).
Someday soon, we will have another set of feet running around in the backyard exploring all the goodness of nature. I can't wait to share that with little Peanut!!