Arizona, Mesa - Wednesday, December 31, 2014 - New Year's Eve

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYBODY!!!!

I’m not sure I’ll be able to see the New Year in – it’s only 8:30 here in Arizona and I’m already falling asleep on the couch.  Tomorrow I plan to spend some time going back over posts from the past year to reminisce over all we did in 2014.  This is the 7^th New Year we’ve seen together, seems like just yesterday that Greg and his wonderful family came into my life – what a beautiful blessing that was.

Here at the resort they are having a Black and White Masquerade Ball to celebrate the New Year.  It’s a very formal affair, not exactly our cup of tea.  I think Greg left his tuxedo in storage along with all my ball gowns (or maybe not J).  But, I was curious to see the ballroom so we walked up to take some pictures and Pam, the Activities Director here was kind enough to unlock the doors so we could get a sneak peak at the most beautiful party set up I’ve ever seen.  The events crew here really knows what they are doing.  I'm not sure where they got all of this black and white stuff or who decided where it would all go, but it was inspired.  I understand that tomorrow they have 160 to 185 more RVs coming into the resort, that ought to be a day long parade, hope the staff doesn't party too much.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Arizona, Mesa - Thursday, December 25, 2014 - Christmas Day

Hope everyone had a very Merry Christmas and took time today to remember the reason for the season.

We checked in with all the grandkids by phone or facetime today.  It appears Santa was very generous this year.  We knew they were all wonderful kids (no prejudice here), but we had no idea they were all that good J.  The social media available today does make it a little easier for us fulltimers who are away from home for the holidays.

We came to Arizona for the supposed warm winters with no rain.  Seems this year is an exception, we have had several days of rain and right now the temperature is only getting into the 60’s during the day and right now they say it will be in the mid 30’s at night for a couple of nights.  Got to admit that is better than Indiana, but not quite what we were expecting here.  All the locals say wait just a couple more weeks and “winter” will be over here.

We celebrated a candlelight Christmas dinner in style here at the Jones’s rolling estate.

Grilled lobster tails with roasted garlic butter and lemon

Baked potatoes with butter, sour cream and green onions

Spinach and mushroom salad with bacon and homemade celery seed dressing

Rolls and Ballatori sparkling wine

 

 

The lemons were a gift from one of our neighbors, fresh from the tree.  What a difference from the ones you buy in the store!  They smell wonderful and the juice just flowed from it when I cut it.

Arizona, Mesa - Wednesday, December 24, 2014 - Christmas Eve Services

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO MY WONDERFUL MOM!!

This evening we went to Christmas Eve services at Central Christian Church with our new friends and neighbors, Lee and Edie.  We were very glad they invited us to join them.  The service was a bit less traditional than we were used to, but it was very enjoyable and we were glad we went.

 

 

 

Back at home I put some stuffed mushrooms in the oven that I had put together earlier in the day.  We were discussing earlier how glad we were that we weren’t the ones putting together last minute bikes, kitchens and trampolines like we did in our past.  Loved the past, but love the present also.

 

We are so blessed with such wonderful children, grandchildren and a great grandson.  Not sure how we got so lucky, but we thank God for them every day.