Change in Seasons

I think fake winter might be here. I only say "fake" because, compared to other places where it actually snows and reaches freezing temperatures for days and weeks at a time, winter in Phoenix can hardly be considered real. I think our "Winter" might actually be what other people cheerfully call "Fall" or "Spring". Since those don't really exist in these parts, we pretty much go from summer to winter overnight. (And then we bounce back and forth between the two for a few weeks before the cold finally stays and we can actually put our shorts away and stop using the air conditioner.) Nope, no transition weather for us. Just hot one day and cold the next.

I donned shorts and flip flops when I rode my bike with the girls to school this morning. (Well, I donned the flip flops, but I still had the shorts on from last night. You know, because I wore my pajamas on the way to school today. And the girls still hugged and kissed me goodbye in front of other people. I better enjoy that while it lasts.) My toes and fingers were SO cold. I mean seriously, it had to have been less than 60 degrees. Also, I saw my breath on the way back home. My BREATH. You can bet I high-tailed it back home and put socks on. Anything under 70 degrees and I feel like an icicle, I'm telling you.

This is why I would never survive a real winter in a city where such a thing actually takes place.

I do like to visit the snow. And to get nice and cozy enjoying fires and soup and hot chocolate and beautiful, still, white landscapes. But I also like to come back home where I can run and ride my bike in the middle of December with nothing more than a sweat jacket on. And where I never have to scrape ice off my windshield. Or wear gloves. Or shovel snow. (You get the point.)

So, I'll just feel smug in my fake winter until summer hits once again and our shoes literally begin to stick to the melting asphalt while everyone else starts to live outside in their beautiful, glorious weather.

{Brrr! That's what I say!}

We've heard it before:

"To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven...A time to weep, and a time to laugh; 

a time to mourn, and a time to dance..."

It just so happens that I laugh and dance during the season when other folks are weeping and mourning. 

And, vice versa.

When Family Comes to Town (Part Deux)

Part Two of the Tracy's visit in October (and the best part by far) was our visit to the Phoenix Temple Open House. 

When a Mormon temple is first built, it is open to the public for a limited time, usually for a period of a few weeks. During that time, anyone who wishes can go on a tour of the temple; once the temple is dedicated, though, it is only open to members of the Church in good standing, so the opportunity to actually tour one of these beautiful buildings is both limited and rare. 

Wonderfully, the Open House for the Phoenix Temple coincided with a break that the Tracys had from school, so they made the long trek to Arizona from Utah so that they could be a part of it. It was such a wonderful experience to be able to tour this amazing and sacred building together with almost everyone from my family. (Nate and his girlfriend Annie came and did a tour on a different day.) 

We have been waiting years for this beautiful building to be complete and it was such a blessing to celebrate its opening with the people we hold most dear.

{J & Van at the temple site in November 2013 // Linc and Lex in October 2014}

{Nearly the whole family}

{the Terrific Tracys}

{Monsons minus Spencer}

{Fan & Zac}

{the grandkiddos}

Craig and I were also blessed with the opportunity to volunteer together at the open house on two different occasions. The first day we first worked at one of the wheelchair stations and later did tours with people confined to wheelchairs. It was toasty that day, but still a wonderful experience. Yesterday, the last day of the open house, we went again, and we served as door holders and greeters for the people coming out of the church building and onto the temple grounds. We welcomed and smiled at hundreds of strangers for three hours straight until our cheeks hurt. (We also smiled and winked at each other during our short breaks from holding the doors, I'm not gonna lie.)

Smiling that much must have done me some good because I am still in a happy mood today. I hope to never forget what a singular and lovely experience this has been.

P.S. to Cyndie:

Come back!

Happy Hoarderween, Etc.

Halloween week is crazy for everyone, right??

Two volleyball practices plus a game, baby-sitting for a friend, the Fall Festival at GCU, pumpkin carving, Trunk or Treat, MPE Vocabulary Parade, and a couple of volunteer shifts at the Phoenix Temple Open House and our house is starting to look like an episode of "Hoarders" this week. We certainly seem to be home long enough to make a mess, but not quite long enough to clean it up. 

Yikes. Talk about a scary Halloween.

Oh, and speaking of scary (and also very, very adorable), check out the kiddo costumes this year. (Make-up courtesy of Craig, the artistic genius of the family. He totally wins, right?)

Savanna: Scary Skeleton

(Thank you, Target for your affordable skeleton pajamas. 

Halloween costume + cute pjs to wear after = one happy customer.)

Spencer: The Mane Attraction

He was not crazy about wearing the mane. 

He sure loves cotton candy, though.

Julia: Cleopatra

She came up with this pose all by herself. 

(I think she really is an Egyptian queen at heart; that 

explains her reluctance to clean up her own messes...)

Alexa: (The Cutest ) Peacock (Ever)

I know, I know, blue-feathered peacocks are boys.

But, so are orphans, and look at what happened to Annie.

Fun at the the Fall Fest

Running off some of their candy-fueled energy

Scaling Skeleton

Climbing Queen...

(young and sweet, only 9 and a half...)

'Lopes Up with Grandma Linda

Two Tired Parents, just about ready for the long journey home

On a side note, we are thinking we might need a new system for carving pumpkins. Something that doesn't involve Craig trying to help three kids carve their pumpkins on a school night right before bedtime. Maybe then we will actually have time to finish everyone's.

And by "we," I mean Craig, of course. My contribution was pulling the seeds out of the pumpkin guts so that I could roast and then happily consume them all. (Carving = Craving; what can I say?)

Happy Halloween, everyone...hope yours was smashing!

Winner Winner, Chicken Dinner

It's Autumn, folks. (Well, in some places, anyway.) That means it's time for delicious autumny things for dinner. Lucky for you, I have just the ticket. It's one of my very favorite recipes for this time of year, and 3 out of 4 Monson children even agree it's one of the best chicken dishes ever. (I'll not mention Alexa, who is on a chicken strike of sorts these days. Or maybe it's just a dinner strike in general.)

It's easy. It's cheap. It's yummy. Heck, it meets all of my criteria for dinner, anyway. If you trust me at all, you will give it a try.

Autumn Chicken

5-6 boneless/skinless chicken breast halves
1 can whole-berry cranberry sauce
3 T brown sugar
3 T soy sauce
1-2 T lemon juice
3/4 tsp ground mustard
3/4 tsp ground ginger
1 tsp minced garlic

In a non-stick skillet coated with non-stick cooking spray, brown chicken on both sides. Place in a baking dish coated with non-stick cooking spray. Combine the remaining ingredients; pour over chicken. Cover and bake at 350 for 25-30 min.

Serve this bad boy with some rolls and mashed potatoes, and it's like a Thanksgiving party in your mouth.

Only without the hassle of cooking all day.

And without the relatives.

You're welcome.

Foiled Again

I guess these chairs weren't as far out of Spencer's reach as I thought they were...

(P.S. This is how you know if he's been sitting on your keyboard.)