I love being a Jimenez,,,obviously, I love my husband...but with him came the blessing of his family.
And what a FUN family they are!!! :-)
We spent a few days with Jason's parents before Christmas...and they were filled with fun things to do.
We went to a Bethlehem Marketplace...
one of the churches in town had gone all out to create a reenactment of what Bethlehem looked like (smelled and sounded like too!) on the night Jesus was born.
The kids were able to visit different stations and meet potters...carpenters...farmers...bakers...toy makers, etc. At each table there was a Bible verse printed on a card...the kids collected Bible verses from the Old and New Testament about Jesus throughout the entire evening.
Then the lights dimmed and we watched Mary and Jospeh and the entire Nativity story unfold!
Afterwards, we snagged a Roman guard and a rabbi to come take a quick picture :)
Right around the corner was a pizza place Jason and I used to go to growing up...
and sure enough it was exactly the way it was back then...AMAZING!!!!
The kids had SUCH a good time at their grandparents house!
Poppy (Jason's dad) had recently gotten a dune buggy and most of the time we were there...the kids were outside adventuring through the desert.
But Amy was also fascinated with following around Poppy and Grammie - helping them with their garden and filing away little tidbits of information for when she one day has her own!
The next night was Christmas Eve...and since we were in town...we were able to share in the annual Christmas dinner with the entire family!
After dinner, we headed to Winterhaven...
...an entire neighborhood decorated with Christmas lights.
It was cold for Tucson weather...but it was a fun, beautiful night!!
The next morning we were greeted by Santa...er...Poppy!!! :-)
The kids wasted no time digging into their presents...
and quickly playing with them...
or showing them off!!
We were SO thankful to be in town this year for Christmas to see Grandma Jimenez!!!
And Jason was especially thankful for a bowl of her steaming posole!!!
Christmas also gave us the wonderful present of a broken van door!!
We were loading up to head to another house on Christmas day, when it just fell off...literally!
Thankfully we were able to get it back on temporarily until we could get it to the shop.
(SO glad it happened when we had the help of family...and NOT while I had been travelling!!)
After Christmas, the kids and Jason spent several days out with his parents while I was in California.
I heard that there was A LOT of fun that happened in those few days!!
The kids went hiking through the desert (with the cactus to show for it afterwards!)...
lots of hot cocoa drinking...and cookie eating...puzzle making...craft creating...and precious memory making!!!
While we were in Tucson this time...Jason really wanted to take the kids out to see his mother's memorial.
It was a special time for us to remember her...to thank God for her life and the legacy she left through her children...and also to reflect on the blessings God has given us for right now.
On the day that the girls headed off to sip tea and eat scones...the boys went to the Pima Air Museum!
This is one of the largest air plane museums...with more planes then you could possibly see in a day...from all different eras!
Most of them are planes used during World War II...but they also have the biggest planes...smallest planes..and even space ships!
Needless to say, the boys had a blast...and of course...Poppy made it even more fun by just being...Poppy! :-)
We had such a good time with our family in Arizona...soaking up their love and creating so many precious memories.
It was a blessed time and we hope and pray that the road was made shorter by travelling...and that it will soon be traveled once again!
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