Holy moly, I am finally on top of updating!

Back to school/reality tomorrow. It has been a great week of fall break. Mom's plane left early this morning and even though we had an awesome week, I was a lil homesick all day today. Things are going well out here, but it still doesn't feel like home. The cooler weather I wished for all summer finally came, and now I am upset that there are no leaves to change colors! And, even though I complain about how I will likely die of hypothermia when I come home at Christmas, I really do kinda miss the snowy/slushy/yucky Cleveland winters. Never thought you would hear that one, did you!?! Rob and I are both planning on heading back east as soon as we can, so there probably is no need to be sad about being here now, because it is something we really can't change. We have good jobs that we enjoy...most days :) and also each other, which is best. We will make it. On to happier things...

We did so much while Mom was out here...made homemade granola bars (which even Rob thinks are delicious!), discovered chocolate chip cookie dough coffee syrup (which Rob does not think delicious thoughts about at all, but I do!), explored Queen Creek/school/a few houses, shopped at the outlet malls (new shoes!!) and Costco (I am now the proud owner of 72 ounces of honey...), and even went flying! Rob flew us over the stadium where the Super Bowl was held in Glendale, the Indians/Reds spring training camp in Goodyear, our hopeful new town to live in-Queen Creek, and through Saguaro Lake and the other lakes in that area. The view was beautiful! We left in the late afternoon and were in the sky for the sunset, which I hadn't even done before! Mom and I turned it into a little photo flight and a few of the million pictures I snapped turned out really well. I sat in the backseat this time because there were three of us, and actually was able to take pictures from angles I couldn't get to before. I was pleased.

ready to fly!

Indians spring training ballpark...the one for games, not just practice.

These are the San Tan Mountains. I like to call them the backyard mountains because our hopeful house is right in the middle of the foothills of them!

The city of Queen Creek from the sky!

Not positive what city this is, but I took the picture because I thought it was crazy how this lil piece of civilization just pops up in the middle of nowhere. Queen Creek and other towns that are just being built up as Phoenix continues to expand are just like this.

This is one of the canyon lakes. (Rob would know which for sure, but he is at work!) You can see a little bridge...there is a dam right around it.

sunshine reflecting off the lake

sunshine on the mountains...we have a lot of sunshine out here :)

more sunshine...this time reflecting on the water again. I like this picture a lot.

Just after the sun set over Deer Valley (the city where the plane is stored). This is just before we landed.

I am not sure the pictures do the view justice (and I think Mom and Rob would agree). I guess this just means you all will have to plan a visit out here to come flying :)

It will be good to get back into my usual routine tomorrow. We have a busy week this week. I bought a ridiculous amount of plain, boring old oats, thinking Rob and I would be super healthy and make them for breakfast. We each made them one day. Disgusting. Plain, boring and gross. Soooo, I think I will bake oatmeal cranberry cookies and perhaps some more of my delicious granola bars with all these oats! Rob is in need of some new running shoes and our official half marathon training plan starts this week...eek! We also have some hunting to do to put together our fantastic Halloween costume idea (technically the fantastic costume idea Brian came up with in Vegas) and of course, must carve pumpkins. I think we will keep our costume idea secret for now...but I will hopefully post pictures of the costumes and pumpkins after our Halloween party on Saturday! We hope all is well with everyone and wish we could be there with you, but are looking forward to seeing Rob's parents at Thanksgiving and lots of family at Christmas :) Love, Sarah and Rob