Thanksgiving

Yes... I'm still trying to catch up, so hopefully I'll get there soon.

Thanksgiving this year was great. I got to spend it with my family up in Gunlock. Being there for Thanksgiving is probably one of my favorite traditions. While there we did all the typically things we do at Thanksgiving. Take family pictures, hang out with family, yard projects, make lots of food, eat lots of food, go for hikes and have a fabulous Thanksgiving Day parade. This year was just as good as the rest, so here are a few pictures of all the fun we had. Thanks to Shelby who was a photographer for the family pictures.

Arizona State Fair

So the Saturday I flew back from Israel I had my roommate pick me up at the airport so that we could go right to the Arizona State Fair. I typically wouldn't have tried to pack that much into one day, but I didn't want to miss my favorite part of the State Fair. That would be the demolition derby. I was actually introduced to demolition derbies about 3 years ago when I moved to Arizona. For those of you who don't know what a demolition derby is I've posted a short video, but basically what happens is that they take old cars and play with them.

Then they take those cars and it's basically the last car moving is the winner. They spend a few minutes ramming into each other in a mud field. It's amazing how quick you pick a car you want to win. It's enjoyable not only to watch the demolition derby, but to also watch the people that are there. After the demolition derby we spent some time walking around the rest of the fair. We had to get something fried to eat (since that's what you do at the fair). There were a few people that actually got (and ate) chocolate covered scorpions. I was not one of those people, but I did take pictures to document it. We played some fair games, but couldn't seem to win any of the big prizes... actually we couldn't win any of the prizes. Finally my roommate decided to play a game that she would win. Some game on the iPhone, but she won that was all that mattered.

Israel- Roman Aqueduct

One of the last stops for the day (and the trip) was to the Roman Aqueduct. It was located relatively close to the city of Caesarea. We got to watch the sun set over the Mediterranean Sea while we were standing on the beach near the aqueduct. It was a beautiful way to end the day and the trip. After the aqueduct we headed into Jaffa to get dinner. We enjoyed our dinner while sitting at a park over looking the city of Jaffa. Then sadly we were headed to the airport to head home. Honestly my trip to Israel has been one of the best trips that I have ever been on. I've had some amazing experiences, meet some amazing people and saw some amazing things. I'm so thankful to the Gee's for making the trip possible and successful. So thankful to Jimmy and Ahmad, our tour guide and bus driver, for taking us all over Israel. So thankful to all the people I meet who made the trip as fabulous as it was.

By the way this is Finally the last post for the Israel trip. It's been fun to remember all my experiences, hope you enjoyed some of them too. If you are interested in seeing more pictures look here. And as a note if any of you EVER get the chance to go to Israel... TAKE IT! It's a fabulous experience. Here's the info for the group I went with, called Discovery Expeditions & Adventures.

Israel- Caesarea

Our next stop was to Caesarea, which is a large port city located on the Mediterranean Sea. There was a really well preserved and partially reconstructed amphitheater. The view from the amphitheater was a gorgeous view of the Mediterranean Sea. We spent some time walking around the ruins learning about some of the history associated with the area. We spent some time on the beach enjoying the feeling the the sand between our toes. I was actually a little surprised at how warm the water was.

Israel- Megiddo

Our next stop was out to the ruins of Megiddo or Armageddon. It's a settlement where many important battles have and will take place. There isn't really much of what was there at one time.

Israel- Jordon River

Our first stop on Friday (our last day in Israel) was to the Jordon River. We visited one of the sites that is believed to be the site of the baptism of Jesus. The river is really pretty with all the trees hanging over the water.

Israel- Mount Tabor

Our next stop was to Mount Tabor. Our bus actually couldn't make it to the top of the mountain. We had to stop at a certain place up the hill and get into smaller buses that shuttled us to the top of the mountain. The road up to the top was a little crazy and since the drivers drive it regularly they drove it super fast. Mount Tabor is believed to be the location where the Savior was transfigured and where Moses and Elijah appeared. The church at the top of the hill was in my opinion one of the more pretty churches we had been in. It was made of the light colored stone and was very open and light inside. I also like the wooden beams in the roof. The church was also surrounded by a beautiful garden.