Queen Creek & Spring Break

Over Spring Break we were invited to visit our good friends out in Queen Creek. I remember when we were moving to AZ from CA 6 1/2 years ago and we knew we were going to be planting ourselves somewhere east-ish, that Queen Creek came on the radar. It sounded so quaint, and still does.  It has the word "Creek" in it and you don't associate that with the desert. It sounds refreshing AND cooler...and it is both of those. Brian and Michelle have 10 kids. Seven of them still live at home. Michelle went to school with my Brian and she and I  became fast friends when we met several years ago. I admire how Brian and Michelle have chosen a simple life and really focused on their family. We always feel renewed after spending the day with them. Our children enjoy each other's company and my kids get to run around outside and play the old-fashioned way, climbing, running, getting dirty, eating simple food (when you have 10 kids, simple is a must!). In the evening, since it was a Monday, we had Family Home Evening together. We made it an impromptu evening of music. We went from youngest to oldest and each child played the piano, cello or sang. It was such a treat and a perfect end to a very nice day. Here's a little taste of Queen Creek. Maybe you can feel why we like it so much:

Christy is # 9. She was almost 2 when I met her for the first time and SO shy. Not shy anymore.

 

Love Calvin's freckles. Our family loves Calvin & Hobbs, so when we first met Calvin we just knew 

we were going to like him.

Cherish, riding to the creek to play while I've got the rest of the kids in the car.

This made me think of the movie "Castaway".

 

With this many children, we just had to build a pyramid.

Thank you, Solomon family for such a fun day.