BACKTRACK: December 29th

I have decided that each day I will backtrack and record days or moments from our trip since I didn't blog as I went. Today we remember Thursday, December 29th, spent with the Holm Family in East Mesa. The previous day we arrived at their house around 1pm and they greeted us so warmly! It was so good to see them again! Their Mesa house is beautiful (like their Livingston House was) and spacious and it was such a comfortable place to stay. When we arrived, Debbie and her kids had planned an afternoon picnic and playtime at the park for our kids while we slept off our all-night drive. So we visited a bit, then ate a delicious pasta lunch Debbie made us, then showered and hit the hay around 3pm. When we woke up at 6pm, our kids were being bathed and we all got dressed and went to a receptionin Chandler for Emily & Ilene Parry (another post for another day). We returned to the Holm's in East Mesa around 9:30pm and put the tired girls to bed. Rich soon joined them, but I stayed up so Debbie could teach me how to bead bracelets. Of course we got to talking and we couldn't believe when we looked at the clock and it was 3:21 am! Yes, we are crazy, but as Debbie said, we had 18 months of chat to catch up on!

Needless to say, we slept in on Thursday morning, but when I got up at 10am , our girls were beggin to swim n theHolm's VERY INVITING pool. Although it was around 70 degrees outside, it had been cold and the pool was only about 58 degrees, but the girls insisted so we let them put their feet in. SILLIES!

Addie & Heidi enjoy the sunshine out by the pool...

MISSING MONTANA--NOT!!

After hanging out for a while and making evening plans with my sister, Lisa, we decided to take the Holms up on their offer to take us to a fun play place (think jungle-themed Chuck E. Cheese, but less annoying) for lunch. We had a great time there, then headed over to my sister's house to deliver her Christmas gift--a custom log bed--and eat dinner and enjoy family. We spent one last night with the Holm family and said goodbye Friday morning as we headed to Sam's wedding at the Mesa Temple. We appreciated their hospitality so much--and Deb, it's been years since I had such a fun "Slumber party"--you are such a great girlfriend!