Well its been quite a while since I have posted anything. It was so busy for a while that I just didn't have time, and then after a while I got out of the habit of thinking about writing on my blog, and then I just got lazy. I guess it happens to the best of us.

There isn't necessarily anything special that I want to post about today, just a little bit about what's going on these days. Things have finally slowed down to a nice, busy enough pace. Now that the holidays are over I usually only work one or two shifts a week at New York & Co which is just enough on top of my other job. I still really like both my jobs, they are fun and challenging and I learn new things all the time.  And, when I get a little sick of working, I just try to remember how badly I wanted a job when we first moved here. That usually humbles me enough to make me get out of bed and get moving.

Just a couple weeks ago Phil and I made a trip up to Salt Lake to visit family and friends. Because of the holiday hours I had to work we weren't able to go anywhere for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Luckily, my parents and little brother came here for Thanksgiving and we had a really fun time.  Then, for Christmas we went out to Mesa to have dinner with my aunt and uncle and cousins. Two of my cousins are getting ready to leave on missions (one has been called to Panamá and the other is waiting for her call) so it was good to be able to spend time with them before they both leave. I'm really glad we have family close by here in Arizona, its hard to be away from family for the holidays.

So, once the holidays were actually over, we made our trip to Utah. We found cheap flights and were able to stay for a whole week. We stayed at my grandparents in Bountiful and ate yummy food and played cards and just had the best time. It was so good to be able to see our friends again too. We have made some good friends here, but I especially have really missed our old ward. I always felt really needed and appreciated in that ward. I felt like I knew everybody and everyone was important to me and I was important to them. Its hard to go to a new ward. I know people always say that the church is the same everywhere, but that's only kind of true. The gospel is the same everywhere, but church is not.     So, even if it was just for one Sunday, it felt really good to be back in the 11th Ward.

We also got hit by a huge snowstorm. It snowed 16 inches in one night. It was fun to see the snow, but even better to come back to AZ and enjoy the 70 degree weather we have been having this week. We had a lot of fun with my grandparents; we always do. When I was little, my family would almost always drive up to Utah every summer and visit my grandparents. When I was old enough my parents let me stay an extra week or two after they left and then I would fly home later. My grandma and I would always go shopping for school clothes and grandpa and I would fight over the remote control. Those are some of my favorite memories. Once Phil and I got married we would go out to Bountiful almost every weekend and work in the yard if it was warm or stay inside if it was cold. We would have dinner and always play cards. Its something we have really missed since we have been in Arizona, so it was really nice to stay with them the whole week and catch up on some much needed card playing.

Hopefully we will be able to make a trip out to New Mexico next. Its been over a year since we have visited and I miss it. Something about New Mexico is just so charming, and also very full of happy memories. I'm grateful to have such a good family, and grateful that even though they are far away we are able to visit. All in all, life is pretty good right now.  There are challenges as always, but the good definitely outweighs the bad.  I think I'm a pretty lucky girl.