Christmas is Coming

December is a busy month at Val Vista Village.  There are many activities inside and out of the park.  This is the first year we have stayed until the middle of December and were able to take part in some of the festivities.

Music at Ranchos

Doug plays a song with Northstar

Decorations in the Ballroom

A group of us attended the Celebration of Christmas Show at the First Assembly Phoenix Church.  It was a wonderful show, complete with lights, music and dance, an elephant, camels, tiger, and a Nativity Scene.  We will certainly add this to our list of things to do next year, perhaps purchasing tickets a bit earlier so we can sit closer!!

Hundreds of bikes are assembled and given to children

Victorian Christmas with horse drawn sleigh

The camels

Elephant doing tricks

The Nativity Scene

We were also fortunate to attend the Spirit of Christmas Show.  Rachel and Don's grandson Kolton was one of the dancers and the show was amazing!!

The set for the show

Don, Kolton, Rachel, Norma and Doug

Doug celebrated his birthday with friends at a Mexican restaurant.  This was the warmest birthday he has ever had!!!

The Birthday Boy

We also had many afternoon and evening sessions in the courtyard or the ballroom (depending on the weather).

Playing in the ballroom

Mike and Rachel 

Doug and Deb having some fun

Thanksgiving at Val Vista

We gathered with good friends to celebrate Thanksgiving at the Bocce Courts.  This year over 40 of us got together to share food and give thanks for the many blessings of the year.  After a delicious meal of turkey and all the trimmings we sat back, visited and listened to Doug play and sing.  He was joined by the Kazoo band and then Lou and Henry entertained us with a song and dance.

Margaret makes a speech

Henry and Lou

Mary

Henry and Diane and friends

Richard and Nancy

The gang

Bob and Mary

Mary and Darrell

A table for 13

Our leaders: Carol and Sandy

Pat and Steve

Ray and Viv, Pat and Bob

Ken and Thelma

Mike

Bob and Judy

Fun with Friends

There is never a dull moment at Val Vista Village, and we certainly don't have time to get bored!!  The guys went to a hockey game one evening and we went shopping, to dinner and a movie.  "Last Vegas" was full of laughs.  As we left the theatre, a group of 30something girls commented on how much fun we were having and said "they want to be just like us when they grow up!!"

Saskatchewan Roughriders had a great season this year and many of their fans live in our park.  We enjoyed watching the semi final and the Grey Cup with other Roughrider fans!!

Doug played at Superstition Views for an Open House.  I went along and enjoyed touring the show homes and visiting with potential buyers!!

Bob and Judy, Steve and Pat and Doug and I went to the Mesa Market Place one Sunday morning.  Doug bought a new hat and everyone found a few last minute Christmas gifts. Then we headed to Filly's for lunch.  The sun was shining and the music had our toes tapping!!

A Visit From Megan and Gary

In early November Megan ad Gary flew to Arizona for a few days of sunshine and site seeing.  We went for a drive to Tortilla Flats and stopped for lunch at the Cafe in town.  We stopped along the way at Canyon Lake and Goldfield.  Kaitlin came for dinner one evening and Megan and I did some shopping.  They were also treated to Music in the Courtyard with Doug Bailey.  They even heard me play with the Kazoo Band!!

After four whirlwind days in Mesa we drove to Las Vegas.  This was Gary's first visit to the city.  They attended Rock of Ages and Ka and walked from one end of the strip to the other.  Doug and I went to see Jersey Boys again and also went to see Million Dollar Quartet.  We enjoyed spending time with Megan and Gary and were sad to see them leave!!

October in Arizona

I have been cleaning up some of my photo files and thought I would do a quick recap of the last couple months.  We arrived in Mesa on October 21.  We were greeting by warm weather and old friends.  A few days of cleaning and reorganizing  and it was time for some fun.

Doug and I attended the Junior Varsity football game with Rachel and Don to watch their grandson Konnor  and his team.  What a great experience it was for us, and very different from watching our favourite team, the Eatonia Spartans, play on the home field in Eatonia.

Doug had his first courtyard gig.  Everyone had a great time, lots of great music and dancing!! The Kazoo Band joined him for a song or two. This year there is music in the courtyard 6 days a week so we will be treated to lots of great entertainment and fun times with good friends!!

We went to the Halloween Dance with Don and Rachel and Larry and Norma .  There were lots of fabulous costumes and everyone had a great time.  Doug dressed up as "50 Shades of Grey" and I was a flapper girl!!