Mckaley's favorite things to do!

Two of Mckaley's favorite things to do are going to the zoo and going to the park.  

Last fall we got a season pass to the Phoenix Zoo which has been a lifesaver.  Sometimes we go just to see Michael the Monkey or just to pet the stingrays.  Seriously, our visits range from 4 hours to just 20 minutes.  Either way, she loves every second of it.  Some of her favorite exhibits are the zebras, the orangutans, the stingrays, the flamingos and the giraffes.  

Her other favorite place is the park.  Kim Smith (Kim Hansen to all you Pleasanton folks) introduced us to Tumbleweed park (you know you are in Arizona when. . .huh?!).  Despite the name, it seriously is one of the best parks we have gone to.  All the play structures are designed to look like barns and they have animals painted all over.  They even have a little town with a fire engine, a school bus, and mini roads for kids to ride their bikes or scooters around.  Mckaley calls it the barn park and we go there a lot.  

The other park she likes is Freestone park.  On the weekends they have a carousel, a train ride, and some other small rides designed for preschoolers.  The actual park with slides isn't that great, but the rides and the lake with all the ducks makes it worth it.  

Christmas in California 2009

I'm a little behind on posting, so I thought I would whip out a couple today now that Tyler is gone for a business trip and he can't yell at me for working on the computer ;)  Just kidding Ty.  Anyhow, here are some pictures from Christmas in California.  I apologize ahead of time. . . there are a ton of pictures.  Tyler bought me a new SLR camera for Christmas (Thanks Ty!) so I was just a little picture happy.  

We were up in Ca from Dec 17th-Dec. 26th and had such a great time.  While we were up there we got to visit a lot of friends and family, which is what the holidays are all about-spending time with those you love.  We have a lot of happy memories from the trip.  My parents made the week very special for all of us-thanks mom and dad for hosting all of us!  

Next year, we are doing Christmas in AZ though :)  Keegan start looking for flights now so you don't have an excuse for not coming.

Mckaley getting ready to go to Christmas Eve mass in Sonora
Showing off her note to Santa.  She also left cookies, milk, and carrots for the reindeer
Presents under the tree after Santa came.
Opening gifts. . .

Playing doctor with daddy
Thanks Mimi and Keegan for the Christmas gifts

Dad admiring his new shoes

Hanging with Mimi and Poppa
Taking a walk with Aspen and Poppa (one of Mckaley's favorite things to do at the lake)
My mom and I 
Playing 'Scene It-Seinfeld' on Christmas night.  Don't we look thrilled.  I guess Keegan was a little tired of my camera at this point.
Surf and Turf Christmas dinner - yummy! Thanks for a great meal!!

Equestrian Center

When we were in Ca we went to the Equestrian Center by the lake.  The grounds were kept beautiful and while we were there we met an owner/trainer who gave us some carrots and let us walk around, pet, and feed all the horses.  Most of the horses were gorgeous- you could tell they were really really well taken care of.  Mckaley had a good time and will probably be asking Mimi and Poppa for riding lessons soon.  Start saving up for a neigh-neigh mom ;)

A pic of the lower stable
The upper stable with a horse peeking out to see who the visitors were
Inside the upper stable

Mckaley pretending to be a horse and eat all the carrots

Mimi and Mckaley petting the horses.
Mom and Mckaley feeding carrots to a horse
Dad and Mckaley hanging out watching the horses in the pasture.
The three of us

Mckaley playing around outside the stables.