Friday's Foods, Faith, and Fellowship

We ate out often while traveling and a few times while staying with my sister Jan and BIL Lanny. I think the place we enjoyed the most was a place in Mesa called "Kneaders Bakery and Cafe" Anywhere we eat out I order either oven roasted chicken, or a salad because I eat mostly Paleo foods so am off of grains, most dairy, sugars, etc.  Kneaders has great breads, and salads!  Yum! Joel said the sandwiches were great and I loved the salads.  The atmosphere was fun and staff friendly, and you can take home baked goods.......Another place we enjoyed was in Amarillo TX.  McAlister's Deli was another place with great salads and sandwiches.  And a large size drink was.....in fact Texas size large!  The hosts and hostesses were so gracious and waiting on people hand and foot.  A great atmosphere for sure.

extra large glasses and free refills

We picked up a homemade cinnamon roll and farm eggs at the Amish Country Store.  We also went to a great place called Sprouts Farmer's Market in Mesa. My sister said I was like a kid in a candy store as I loaded up on fresh organic fruits and veggies for often half the price of what we pay here.  They carried bulk items also.  I was a happy girl.....

Main building at Gold Canyon Methodist Church

The first Sunday we were there we went to church in the association center where my sister and BIL live.  It was a nice service officiated by two retired pastors.  The second Sunday we headed to Gold Canyon to the large Methodist church there...one Jan and Lanny have gone to many times. We went to the contemporary service which Joel and I loved.  Fantastic worship, and great sermon, too!  The churches in the area have a different type of congregation with snow birds tripling their numbers in the winter months. Fascinating demographic, because where do these snow birds give their tithes and how do the churches survive when they are gone 7 months of the year?   Interesting dilemma...

Lanny and Jan

Joel and Renee

We always enjoy spending time with my sister Jan and BIL Lanny.  We never run out of things to talk and laugh about.  We spent one evening at their friend Julianne's in Gold Canyon.  We enjoyed a very nice meal and fellowship.  One Friday we went out to eat with my high school classmates, who are Beth's Godparents, and our long time friends ~~Linda and Jim who live in Mesa full time with their son, and daughter and grands just 5 houses away!  The best of all worlds!!  We had to cancel one day's visit with some people we know from Praise because I was too sick, and we also could not work out a time to see my friend Linny and her family!

It was a wonderful trip, even with the long hours in the car.  We had 46 hours driving time, not including bathroom and lunch breaks.  We were blessed to stay in Jan and Lanny's Townhome two of the 4 nights on the road, making only two nights in hotels necessary.  Our time in AZ was great. Needless to say it was hard to come back to cold damp weather!  We exchanged the brown desert for the green Midwest, but we also exchanged 80's and sunshine for the low 50's and rain.

Arizona 2016 was short but sweet and I am so glad we went.  We are looking forward to our next adventure!