November 9

Though our trip wasn't a long one, we spent our evenings out making the most of it. Both by exploring the shops and restaurants, and also by exploring the countryside. Leave it to a couple of small town Iowans to visit a new city and drive for miles to get a view of the countryside.

November 8

I love an opportunity to explore new places, and this was my first experience with the southwest.

November 7

I don't have a lot of experience flying. Aside from a trip in the Cat Scale plane, and my honeymoon, I had not flown. Cory and I managed to get permission from work to attend the same PMI seminar event, so on Sunday morning we dropped our girls off with Grandma Lori and Grandpa Carey and we flew out of Moline to Scottsdale, AZ.

November 6

Leila's first kid birthday party, at the Iowa Children's Museum with lots of her friends from school.

November 5

The favorite hiding spot in the house got lots of attention when our good friends the Weber's stopped by. Leila and Bryce managed to fit in there, but it was snug. When Matt and Cindy stopped by our house way back in the winter of 2005 to tell us that they were going to have a baby, we were very surprised. They had always been our couple friends, from the time that Cory and I were a couple. When we started dating, I was sharing an apartment with Cindy, and practically Matt too. We were all very close, and thankfully, many years and five kids later, we are still close. Judging by the close quarters of our respective first born children, the kids are close too.

November 4

One of my favorite things about the new house...the beautiful window in my front door.

November 3

This was one of those days. One of those days that I go back and forth thinking that either:
a. I wish I didn't work, and I could be with my girls during their happier daytime hours instead of only getting a few hours of tired cranky babies at the end of the day, and
b. Thank God I don't have to spend all day with cranky tired babies and instead have the opportunity to work quietly by myself.

Thea was crying and whining while she wandered around the house, only to throw herself down on the front rug and cozy up under her blanket. I had intended to get a picture of her miserable little face and use November 3rd as a day to complain. When I came up behind her she perked up and gave me a sweet smile. Even on bad days, I get a lot of bright spots.