Arizona: Sedona

Keith and I took a long weekend trip to Arizona the first weekend in December. We flew into Phoenix and drove a couple of hours north to Sedona. The drive was beautiful. 

We got to Sedona right before sunset and stopped at one of the recommended overlooks. 

The next morning we went on a hike with a guide from our resort and one other couple. The couple, Rick and Sarah, are personal trainers in LA. Sarah trained Kelly Osbourne when she lost a lot of weight a year or so ago. Anyway, on our hike among the red rocks we saw Coffee Pot, Snoopy and Thunder Mountain. 

Coffee Pot is on the right (I think).

A foggy Snoopy

Thunder Mountain

Our resort, Enchantment, was incredible. If anyone's ever in Sedona, stay here!

 Our room:

with a view:

Of course I have to mention the food. Yavapai is one of the resort's restaurants. Keith can recommend the Arizona Buffalo Burger. 

I decided to succumb to what I'll call a pregnancy craving and my meal consisted of chips and guac and black bean soup. 

One belief in Sedona is that there are "vortexes" where you can go to feel some sort of energy. One of the vortexes was close to our resort. Keith and I didn't make the hike, but of course I took a picture.

Chapel of the Holy Cross

Before leaving Sedona, we stopped at Cowboy Club for lunch. The food was good, but my memory of Cowboy Club will always be of the waitress who is also named Raney. She spells it Raynee. 

After lunch and much debate over braving the weather and risking road closures, we set off for the Grand Canyon. 

Christmas Wrap Up

We have had a busy month with a trip out West, finding out Baby C is a boy and celebrating with family, putting finishing touches on the floors and of course, Christmas festivities. 

Here are just some of our Christmas pictures.

Darcy helped pick out our tree again this year. 

We went to Opryland with Joey and Lauren. Note: Do not go the Saturday before Christmas. It was craziness!

Christmas Eve Traditions:

*Homemade breakfast

*Appetizers before the Christmas Eve candlelight service

You can find the recipe for the mushrooms (YUM) here
and tomatoes here. 

*Christmas Eve dinner after church

This year we tried a Cooking Light recipe for a lamb leg. Don't know that we'll be making this again, but it was fun to attempt to cook something different. 

*Open one gift

This year Keith's parents joined us for appetizers, church and dinner so they got to participate in the gift tradition as well :)

Keith had been planning Christmas morning breakfast since he had the General's Stack at a restaurant in Arizona. He recreated that meal, which was a stack of potatoes, eggs, sausage, salsa verde, tomato and onion. Delicious. 

Then it was time for Darcy's favorite part- unwrapping! 

 We had presents for Parker too (a few things for his nursery and some sweet little things from Joey and Lauren).

Keith and I did have gifts for each other, but those pictures in our pjs and glasses will not be posted on the internet :)

After our Christmas, we went to Keith's parents for Christmas lunch, gifts and quality time with everyone. 

 

 Including the dogs

 Keith's dad did SO much to help us with our house this year. So he got a commemorative brick from our old fireplace, among other things :)

We also got a few more things for Parker!

Christmas is also Nancy's birthday so we had cake and more presents to celebrate!

Merry Christmas from the Cronins and Dorrolls!
We hope you all had a special day with those you love most!

Merry Christmas & 22 Weeks!

Merry Christmas from our little family!

Including Parker who's 22 weeks and the size of a papaya!

And Happy Birthday Jesus! 

21 Weeks!

So today I'm actually 22 weeks, but this picture was taken last night so it still counts, right?

Two things about these pictures: 

1. I feel like I look bigger in the pictures than in real life- at least a little bit. Maybe I poke my stomach out when I pose? 

2. I need to stop taking these at the end of a long day!

In Week 21 I started wearing maternity pants. I have a black pair for work, a pair of jeans and a pair of cords. They are so comfortable. Why have I not been wearing them my whole life? ;)

We also got a phone call that scared us to death. Last week, a few days after my gender ultrasound, I noticed at the end of the day I had a missed call from my doctor's office. The nurse identified herself on the message and asked that I call her back. No one told us that we'd receive a call after the ultrasound, so I was immediately incredibly nervous. Keith, of course, was super level headed, which was wonderful. We called first thing the next morning to learn that all is well and Parker is perfect. We're so thankful!

In more fun news, we've worked on our registries and ordered wall decor for the nursery!

I can't wait for the rhino and zebra from Anthropologie to arrive! Now if we can just decide on a crib and changing table...

It's a...

BOY!

Keith and I found out last Thursday, December 8, but we kept it a secret for a couple of days. Greg and Kathy came to Nashville for a visit so we had a big family dinner on Saturday night and revealed the gender with blue cupcakes for dessert!

Before cupcakes, though, we made everyone cast their vote on boy (mustache) or girl (lips). Everyone except Kathy chose boy!

We're SO excited to meet James "Parker" Cronin in April 2012!

19 Weeks & 20 Weeks

In Week 19, Keith and I visited the Grand Canyon (and Sedona and Carefree, Arizona)! We had a super relaxing trip with lots of great scenery and food, naturally. There were a few weather issues along the way, but luckily we still got to do everything we planned.

Week 19 didn't end as well as it began though- I got into my first fender-bender. I'm fine, but Ellis (my car) didn't fare so well.

Yesterday marked the beginning of Week 20 and that means that we will soon be finding out whether Baby C is a boy or girl! We're so excited to finally know! For the record, we both think boy. 

Baby C, who is now the size of a cantaloupe, went Christmas tree shopping this week. Here's how the conversation went when this picture was taken:

Me- (While poking out my stomach) Can you see my tummy?

Keith- Um, yeah.

I guess that means I'm showing now.

During weeks 19 and 20 I've started feeling little, sporadic jolts in the lower part of my stomach. Since I've been reading for a while now that I could start feeling movement at any time, I don't I know if the "jolts" are my imagination, if I'm just hungry or if I can actually feel the little one moving around! I like to think it's the latter. :)