Arizona

Wow that was fast. We drove to Mesa and back we were gone for a total of 36 hours. While there Noel had to go to work on thurs. So the girls and I went to one of the parks in Pheonix it was hot but neat. We saw a desert tortoius, Lizards, coyote, birds, a jack rabbit, a roadrunner, and for me the best of all was the suguaro cactus.
Then we went and got Noel from work and headed to Mesa to the temple for the Easter pageant. When we first got there I took Sasha to the visitors center, while Noel and Elise saved us some seats and had a nap. When we walked into the visitors center and Sasha saw their Cristus statue she said with all the wonder of a 3 y.o., Wow it is Jesus".
I traded girls with Noel and took Elise to look at the temple grounds and visitors center. She liked the fact that the temple is square like the ones the Nephites built. She really liked the refection pool and palm trees. In the visitors center she liked all the laungages the Book of Mormon is in. They have one copy of each language on display. We also watched a film about when the Savior came to visit the Nephites. She had tears in her eyes and the Sisters explaind that was the Holy Ghost. She has now added the Mesa Visitors Center to places she'd like to go on a mission.
We went back to our seats to wait. During this wait Sasha made friends with a Young Womens group from Blanding UT. She wrote them notes and blew bubbles with them it helped her wait without getting into trouble! At 8 when the pageant started it actually was chilly enough for long sleeves!
The Pageant was really neat and beautiful. My favorite part was when they told about the parable of the 10 Virgins. There was a really neat dance and the narration explained it and I got some inspiration about it I've never had. Noels favorite part was the ending when Jesus ascended he was lifted way above the stage on a crane. Elise's favorite part was about Adam and Eve. Sasha's was the nativity and when Mary sang the song Mary's Lullaby.
Getting out of the crowds wasn't hard it was getting out of the phoenix area-so confusing. But once we got on the road we had a good drive home except a bad wreck that stopped traffic by Grants. We got back home around 6am and slept until 9, the rental car had to be back by 11.
It was great to spend time with the family and no distractions. We needed that!
Now the girls and I need to get ready to go to UT next week for a whole new adventure!