Valley of the Sun

The real 30 celebration happened in Scottsdale, Arizona!! I got to go all by myself on an airplane to Arizona for 4 days!! Let me just say that it was HEAVENLY!!! I got to visit my kindred spirit and her kids. It was the best trip of my life!!! 

On our first night we visited the LDS Temple in Mesa to see the Christmas light display. It was so beautiful and the nicest part was that it wasn't raining or snowing and the temperature was quite pleasant for this Oregonian. 

These little ladies are SO amazing! Funny, cute, smart and just all around adorable! 

They were getting ready to move to Texas so there Daddy got them some adorable boots!!

I had never seen such a sight!! Oranges growing on a tree that is adorned with Christmas lights!! It was astounding to me!

Me and Linds. Oh, I love this lady so much. She is amazing, truly amazing. We met when our hubby's were in Chiropractic school. We are literally the same person, except she has amazing long legs and fabulous curly hair! We love the same things and think the same way and I love her and miss her like crazy.

Such a beautiful manger scene.

Just look at that sight. Isn't it amazing. I was so glad that we made the drive out to Mesa to see the lights. It was the perfect way to start my trip.

The next day we headed out for pedicures and lunch. This was so heavenly sitting next to my dear friend and getting massaged and pedicured (is that a word?). We decided to get red Christmas toes! 

HEAVEN!!

 Christmas toes complete!! 

Right after our pedicures we got in the car to drive over to lunch. Unfortunately Dan called and answered. Usually this is not an unfortunate event, but we were oblivious to the tragedy that had just happened in Newtown, CT. Dan told us about the shootings and we were both shocked, upset, scarred and devastated  We sat and cried for several minutes and then prayed. Prayed for those families and loved ones who lost their babies that day. We finally collected ourselves and decided to have lunch and not discuss it until later. It was hard to avoid the topic, but we did have a delicious lunch. I got this piece of cake for my lunch time dessert. It was awesome!! 

We ate at the most amazing places, shopped, watched movies, talked and ate some more!! Here are the lovelies on Sunday before church! 

I have always been a desert hater. Not dessert, but desert!! (I love dessert!!) I have to say that I started to like the desert and to see it's beauty. Now granted it was about 50 or 60 degrees when I was in AZ and not 120, but I could definitely see the appeal of the AZ climate! I had to snap a few shots of the desert because it was so fascinating to me. I am surrounded by fir trees, ferns, moss and everything else that is green. The desert is pink, tan, light green and blue sky! Different and yet beautiful in it's own way.

Oh man. I did not want to say goodbye. I wish Lindsey lived next door to me. I wish all my friends lived next door to me!!! It was SO SO SO SO much fun to be with her. It was great to get away from motherhood for a few days. The best 30th birthday I could have imagined!!