A Hot-Tubbin', Boot-Campin', Hockey-Watchin' Christmas in Phoenix...

2014 already, hey? How quickly did that creep up on us?! I suppose that's because Santa brought me TWO Christmas Days this year, Smith-style and Martz-style...I must have been a good girl in 2013!

My Christmas week in Phoenix seemed to fly by- but I certainly made the most of it, packing it full with...

- Exercise!

I went to my first U.S exercise class...and nearly died. In a good way! This would be an amazing class, if I had any shred of fitness!! This was closely followed by my first Christmas Day boot camp, courtesy of Miss Natalie Martz. No ordinary boot camp for us; there was an American segment (football lunges), a Canadian segment (maple tree squats), and of course a Christmas segment. In the latter, I particularly enjoyed the 'turkey dance''s sound effects- wish I had taken a video! Creative exercise is definitely the best kind!

- Enjoying the hot tub!

Pretty much every waking moment (when I wasn't eating or becoming increasingly disturbed by Gone Girl) was spent in here. Literally, what could be better than relaxing in a steaming hot tub, squinting in the sunshine and looking out to the wild, cactus-filled Arizona desert?

- Eating!

We may have started the holiday with no wings at Toronto Airport (Patrick was not a happy Canadian bunny), but we soon made up for it with countless treats in the next week. Spanish tapas, two seafood towers (promptly demolished!), EPIC steak, cabbage rolls, bacon brussel sprouts, Jamie Oliver's orange and proscuitto Christmas salad, Patrick's ol' fave Italian sausage spaghetti...I should probably stop there, this is turning into a shopping list. Oh, and Patrick got his wing-fix at the golf club! There, I've finished now. Wait- quick mention to Sabine's delicious rum cake...I literally could have eaten the whole thing. And the campfire smores, of course. (The reason I'm embarking on no-carbs January suddenly becomes clear!)

- Endless fun with Sophie!

The last time I saw this lovely little girl was when she was born...suffice to say, she's grown a tad in the last year and a half. She's a smart cookie who loves to climb pretty much everything, and has a particular fondness for 'Baa Baa Black Sheep' (don't we all?). Her 'Peekaboo' skills are also impeccable! I'm looking forward to her own personal nursery rhyme concert next time we meet!

- Exciting sports...

...both played and watched! The boys took part in a four-day golfing tournament- it was team B and P Martz against team A Martz-Gilmore, with the former taking the trophy (of $50). Then there was our ping-pong tournament, where Mr. Evan Gilmore got his own back on Patrick with a 21-18 win. I have to mention the close call between Colleen and Danielle (Sabine's mum) as well- 21-18, pretty impressive! 

I was much better at being a spectator, howling with the fans (literally howling) at the Phoenix Coyotes- San Jose Sharks hockey match. Our buddies Boedker and Erkman-Larsson were playing (who we met a few years ago)- I almost didn't recognise the latter without a box on his head! With a hot pretzel in one hand, and a Coors Light in the other, this was probably one of my most American moments. North American sporting events have a very different atmosphere to football (soccer) matches- presents thrown into the crowd in every ad break, both teams' fans dispersed randomly in the crowd. Watching the spectacle around me, as well as the game, is part of the excitement!

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So, I was very lucky to be invited to such a lovely place- thanks again Bob and Colleen for such a fabulous week, and for everybody who I celebrated with along the way! I didn't take too many photos, but the few I took are below (plus one I stole from Sabine)...

Natalie, Sophie, Sabine, moi and Caroline

 

Seafood tower!

Photo from the Phoenix- Toronto plane.