Oak Creek Canyon

 Even though it was only a 17 mile drive south of Flagstaff, I fell asleep on the way to another one of my mom's favorite places to visit while in college - Oak Creek Canyon.

 But once I woke up...there was no stopping me...I loved hiking, climbing and exploring the canyon!

 It was a beautiful day to enjoy the sunshine and the canyon.

Oak Creek Canyon was on the way to Sedona...my grandma Karen's favorite spot to visit when she came to see my mommy in Arizona.

Smokey the Bear Fun

 We actually have a collection of Smokey the Bear pictures that my mommy can't find right now but everytime we see Smokey during a hiking or camping trip...I ask if we can stop and take a picture with him.

 My sister wanted to join in the fun of meeting Smokey too!

I wanted to make sure Smokey's nostril was clear so he could smell any smoke from potential forest fires!

 



Visiting Mommy's Alma Mater

 My mommy had a hard time believing she graduated from NAU 14 years ago. Our trip to Flagstaff, AZ brought back a lot of memories for her. This is the indoor facility she trained and competed on during the indoor track season. The track is covered by turf every fall for football.

 I enjoyed meeting Louie the Lumberjack (my mom's college mascot).

 We stayed a few nights in a cozy little cabin on the edge of town.

 I had fun reading stories to my sister.

 I also had fun on the rustic playground near our cabin.

 Karen obviously enjoyed her warm bath after our first night in Flagstaff.

 We visited Arizona Snowbowl just below the San Francisco Peaks (almost 13,000 feet elevation). This ski area is 7 miles from downtown Flagstaff. We enjoyed our hike but I wish there would have been a little more SNOW to play in!

Grand Canyon Grandeur

 We stayed at a lodge only 1/4 mile from the south rim of the Grand Canyon over Thanksgiving...and we had so much fun visiting all sorts of scenic overlooks, going for walks & hikes and enjoying the beautiful fall weather.

 I rated the Grand Canyon "two thumbs up"!!

 My sister and I were fast asleep when my papa (and mama) pushed us up some steep terrain.

 This photo was taken just before sunset...but doesn't quite capture the beautiful view the Grand Canyon's clean air and expansive vistas offer. It was awesome!

 We had Thanksgiving dinner (turkey, stuffing, etc) in a restaurant along the edge of the canyon...Karen enjoyed watching me color as we waited for dinner.

 Our final day...

 If you look closely in the picture below you can see the Colorado River flowing at the bottom of the canyon. I even spotted some rapids!!

 Hermits Rest offered a place of refuge for early travelors along the Grand Canyon.

 Karen was exhausted after all the fun we had!

Sleepy Girl

Thanksgiving Crafts

 I used tissue paper and the outline of my hands to make a paper turkey.

 I had fun making loud GOBBLE GOBBLE sounds with my turkey!

 Then I helped my mommy make some cute little pilgrim spoon people.

Fun with grandparents!

We had so much fun with grandpa Mike and grandma Donna this past weekend. They even watched us on Sunday so my parents could go out to eat and watch a movie for their anniversary.

 We completed this giant floor puzzle and I showed them my new tongue-rolling talent!

 We spent lots of time at our local park!

Karen and Holden Committed to Christ

We have been blessed with a community of faith (student-athletes, coaches and other staff) at Concordia University; so it was special to share this memorable day with them during last Friday's weekly chapel service on campus.

Chilly Breakfast

 I know I was born in Montana...so my parents couldn't help but laugh this morning when I insisted on wearing a coat, blanket and knit hat during breakfast because the house felt COLD! When they checked the thermostat it read 59 degrees...yet when we lived in Montana they set the house thermostat at 61 degrees and it felt very comfortable. I guess I'm getting used to this southern California weather and anything below 70 feels cold!!

 I told my mom to put Karen's hood on because she might be cold while eating breakfast too!

Potty Training Prizes

The big news around the Brewer house...I'm finally getting the hang of going to the bathroom in the potty. I'm still having accidents but I'm getting a lot better with #1 and #2. It definitely helps that I've been winning some Little People Superheros for my successes!

Noah's Ark

 Karen and I had so much fun playing "Noah's Ark" today in this laundry basket. We load the animals in and out of the boat with us each time our living room "floods".

 Karen and I thought the windy thunderstorm I created was very funny!