Train Park

We took a drive to the train park in Scottsdale.  My family couldn't get it together to take a picture on or near the actual train (which you can ride and it goes all around the park, pretty much the best thing ever for kids).  This one from standing in line to get on is pretty cute though.

We took turns riding the carousel with Clementine.  I went first and it was her first time.  She was all cool before it started moving.  After a few up and downs on the horse, she threw her arms around my head and said "SKEEEWWWYY!!" (scary) for the rest of the ride.  It is not easy to stand upright with a tiny human on a galloping horse attached to ones head, let me tell you, least not of all while trying to ensure that said tiny human does not fall off of the galloping horse herself.

Even after all that she wanted to go again right away with Dada.

We moseyed over to the most epic complex of playground equipment, where Clem discovered misters and wet sand.  Here she is when we arrived, clean and angelic:

Here's forty seconds later:

My girl loves to play in the water and mud, like a moth to a lightbulb.  Its even better if she can rub it all over her clothes and in her hair.  She could have played this game for hours.

Seth and Bennet are the teenageriest teenagers.  Thankfully they are still perfectly wonderful to hang out with (even if they think that Alec is way more interesting than me now).

So tired on the drive home.

A walk around the neighborhood

Slowly, slowly over the last few years, my Mom's pocket of Arcadia has become hip.  Suddenly everyone is riding bikes everywhere (something that certainly never happened ten years ago).

These houses were built in the 50s which is nearly Medieval by Phoenix standards.  Most of the houses have been remodeled by well-to-do young people, but I think I prefer the original style homes.  They've been around long enough that their style has had time to develop, but you can still see where they all came from.  Everyone is planting their winter lawns this week so the grass is extra green.  

Alec, Bob, Clem and I took a walk around the block.  They jibber jabbered about politics or something and I took pictures.

Love that dusty blue tree with a yellow fence.  

The house across the street from us has converted their yard into a farm.  It's highly unusual for Phoenix but I think its rad.  What I wouldn't give to have as much planting space in our tiny Melbourne garden.

Back home again.  I really don't mind this fall weather at all.