Hot Chocolate Sales!

Somehow, I got volunteered to "help" sell hot chocolate at school every morning this week. We've actually had some pretty brisk sales:) It's microwaved sugar and chemicals in a styrofoam/plastic cup! Great way to start the day!

Arizona Foster/Adoptive Families Bike Giveaway...

Every year, the AzFAP gives away a new bike or large bag of toys to each foster or adopted child in Arizona. Jazzy opted for the bike this year. We picked it up today:) Jasmine said, "She's pink." "She sure is a beauty!". The fake picture smile! New bike!

Temple Lights Concert

Temple Lights Concert at the huge Mesa Temple. It's almost as big as zoo lights! A massive Mormon temple with SO many lights and scenes. People come from all over to see it. Chandler Children's Choir was invited to sing there this year.

Gymnastics exhibition.....

Christmas exhibition at Gold Medal Gymnastics. There are so many kids, they had to have three different recital times:) The bleachers for parents are far away, so photos are not very good. On the balance beam. Jazzy doing her floor routine. Getting a medal from Santa:)

Desert Botanical Luminarias

We haven't been to the Luminarias for a couple of years- and wow, it has really changed- for the better. An entire mountain was covered with sparkly lights, several bands playing, lots of unique art exhibits...really glad we went this year! Sacred geometry exhibit- made from plastic water filled bottles!

Happy Thanksgiving!

Peanuts Movie in the morning, then Whole Foods Market for lunch. Easy!

WFA Weekend!

Wilderness First Aid Certification thru Solo Wilderness Medicine Group. These guys work for the MCSO (Maricopa Sheriff's Office) and do many amazing rescues- which I hear about on TV all the time. People come to Arizona thinking they can go hiking in the summer, or even in the winter, with very little water or supplies. They get lost, dehydrated, and sometimes die:( It was a long weekend of very few breaks. We did much outside work "rescuing" people from various scenarios -from more simple cuts and bruises to major fractures, spinal traumas, etc. Jasmine was doing her homework part of the time (sort of), and playing with Leslie's dog- Candy- most of the time:) With "Sparky" the owl- who is kind of difficult to see. He is called Sparky because he was caught in some electrical wires apparently! Leslie, my very long term client and her dog Candy who is a "rescue dog" among many other talents. Leslie is a professional dog trainer who has a habit of taking dogs (German Shepherds in particular) from German Shepherd rescue groups and turning them into herding dogs, rescue dogs, or a service dog of some type. Candy is a great example of that! There were Wilderness EMT's taking the class as part of their CE requirements. I didn't realize that EMT's had "specialties". A wilderness EMT has much more experience and responsibility than a "regular EMT". My partner was Andi (a wilderness EMT) who was taking the class and helping out. In this photo, she had fallen off a cliff, fractured her wrist and ankle and had dislocated her knee. After making sure all else was well, I was supposed to splint her for transport with anything we could find. Luckily, she had many of the items in her backpack. In front and in back of the North Mountain Visitors Center.