First Day of School

What a crazy month!!! We have been in America for a little over a month and are happy to be back. We have been in Arizona for a few weeks and other then the heat it is really nice. I think we will be very happy here. The kids started school 2 1/2 weeks ago and they seem to be enjoying it. Brady and I are getting use to all the homework...much more then we are use to, but Brady is doing great. Blake is going to preschool three days a week for 6 hours and loves every minute of it. He really wants to go everyday but there is plenty of time for that next year. I still want him home a little while longer. We found a nice gym here and Abby is happy to have her class to go to again and kids to play with. I'm also very happy to be back at the gym and back on a bit of a schedule again. Travis is still getting use to being in America and his new job, but is loving the golf he has been able to play a bit here. We are currently living in corporate housing for a few more weeks. We found a house in Cave Creek which is north of Phoenix. We should be closing on the house in a few week and then we will have to do painting and all new flooring. It is a bank owned house so we are getting a great deal but it needs a little work. It will be really nice once we can move in and get settled in our new neighborhood. The kids are very excited about having a pool in the back yard. The kids still ask when we are going home to Australia but I think they are adjusting quite well. We miss Australia and all our friends but we are glad to be back in America.

Hanging Out in Utah

We got to Utah July 15Th and the next day Allyson and I went to Arizona to find a place to live. We had an idea of the area we wanted to look at after seeing it we loved it. Cave Creek is where we will be living which is north of Phoenix. In the few days we were there we found a house to buy and place to stay until we close on the house. It was a very productive visit it was also a lot of fun to hang out with my sister. We ate some good food (mostly Mexican I really missed it)and did some shopping and of course got a pedicure. We stayed In Utah for a few weeks Spencer, Andrea and the kids were there which was so fun to hang out with them. We did a lot of swimming, mountain visits and just hanging out. The kids had a great time playing with their cousins. We would have liked to stay longer but we had to get to Arizona so Travis could start work and the boys could start school. We had a great time in Utah, it was so nice to spend time with family and friends.

Sight Seeing With Tori

While Tori was visiting we did some sight seeing...we had to take her to some of our favorite spots. I was able to do a lot of packing and cleaning while Travis Tori and the kids went to the Great Ocean Road, Halesville Sanctuary and a Footy game. Tori was also very adventurous and took all the kids on the train all over Melbourne. It was such a big help to have her take the kids so I could get stuff done. Tori we can not thank you enough for coming and watching the kids and all your help...you are the best!!!

The Great Barrier Reef

We got to take one more amazing trip in Australia before we moved. Clint and Amy came to visit before we moved and we went with them to the Great Barrier Reef. Tori was able to come and stay with the kids so that Travis and I could go have some fun. We had such a great time. Our first day in Cairns we went to the reef and went snorkeling and scuba diving. Amy and I just snorkeled and Travis and Clint scuba dived, it was amazing. The reef had so many amazing colors and the fish were like nothing I have seen before. It was awesome.




Travis and Clint getting a lesson before they went for their first dive.



we went on a boat tour looking for cros



In Carins they had a big Fourth of July celabration with fire works and everything...it was quite a surprise.



We had a great time we are so glad Clint and Amy came to visit and thank you thank you to Tori for watching the kids.

Fitness First

We have been going to Fitness First since we moved to Australia and it was a big part of our time there. Abby and Blake loved to go everyday to play with the other kids and the teachers. We will really miss everyone at the gym. I will miss my workout buddy Janet the most. Janet is the most down to earth person, she is so positive and just has such a great energy about her, she is just great to be around. It was great to have someone to workout with and talk to each day. I met a lot of great people there and will miss them all very much

Great Lady's

I was able to visit these amazing lady's each month and I learned so much from them. I was not able to get a picture of my visiting teaching partner Peg which I'm sad about. Peg is the nicest person I have ever met she is just a genuinely kind person and I loved being around her.



This is Betty she is such a great example of using her talents to serve others. Betty knits booties for every holiday for children in the NICU at a children's hospital. She makes things and quietly gives them away and doesn't want anyone to make a big deal about it. Betty loves children and she was always happy to have the kids come and visit. She had a bucket full of toys that were her sons from 50 years ago and the kids thought they were so cool. We will really miss visiting her.



Mavis is a great lady who likes to have fun. She has a beautiful home that she loves to decorate and an awesome yard that she is always working on. She is a hard working fun loving lady. It was always a party when we would go to visit her.