Wishing you a Happy Holiday! If you find or need a moment to relax, please enjoy these sites! I’ve included fun for adults and a list Just for Kids!

A Winter Web Wonderland and fun Christmas stuff, including a virtual Christmas tree and Build a Snowman.

Don’t bother with the malls this holiday season: they’re crowded; the parking lots are full; and you’ll never find what you’re looking for, anyway. Come instead to CNET’s Holiday Buying Guide, your one-stop shop for all your holiday purchases. ZDNet’s Holiday Buying Guide helps out, too, withstocking stuffers. It doesn’t have to be CyberMonday to shop online at Red Envelope for unique gift items. And the Ultimate Gift from Wired Magazine is A Posh Bag Packed with the Best Mobile Gizmos.

Here’s a holiday gift from Mashable 6 Mobile Apps to Simplify Your Holiday Shopping and another favorite holiday shopping app.

copyright © 2011, Alice Held, All Rights Reserved

Hi Ho, It’s Back to School We Go!

While you or your kids have been enjoying those last few, precious days of summer, Alice has been putting the finishing touches on her pre-fall assignment: finding the best sites to get you prepared for the opening bell.

Now that’s cool!

30 ways to stay cool this summer!

Arizona is a land of contrasts and only 40% is desert.
That means that there is plenty of pine country for hiking; lakes for boating;
scenic and cool places to explore, and visit.

So, take advantage of the cool Water and Ice Palaces the Valley offers.

Ice Palaces…

Ice Den NHL Phoenix Coyotes practice here! Two ice rinks, public skating, figure skating, hockey leagues, 9375 E. Bell Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85260 (480) 585-RINK

Arcadia Ice (602) 957-9966, 3853 E. Thomas Rd, Phoenix 85018

Oceanside Ice Arena 1520 N. Hayden Rd, Tempe, AZ (480) 947-2470, learn-to-skate programs, ice hockey leagues and figure skating classes, open daily, to 11 pm.

Polar Ice 7225 W. Harrison, Chandler (480) 598-9400, and one in Peoria 15829 N. 83rd Avenue, Peoria (623) 334-1200. Hockey, figure-skating, public skating, and snow days.

Wave Pools & Water Parks…

Golfland Sunsplash – 155 W. Hampton, Mesa, (480) 834-8319, is a water park with a wave pool, slides and bumper boats, and is open Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Big Surf – 1500 N. Hayden Rd, Tempe, (480) 947-7873, is a giant outdoor wave pool and waterslide park. Open Memorial Day through Labor Day.

Waterworld Safari, – 4243 W. Pinnacle Peak Rd, Phoenix, (623) 581-8446, open Memorial Day through Labor Day.

The Oasis at Arizona Grand Resort (formerly Pointe South Mountain Resort)

Kiwanis Wave Pool in Tempe

Swimming and Diving in Arizona

Roller Skating:

Skateland Mesa 7 East Southern Ave. Mesa, AZ 85210 (480) 833-7775

Skateland Chandler 1101 W. Ray Rd. Chandler, AZ 85224 (480) 917-9444

Great Skate 10054 N. 43rd Ave, Glendale, AZ 85302 (623) 842-1181

Rollero Family Skating Center 7318 W. Indian School Road, Phoenix. (623) 846-1510.

Surfside Skate 1625 E. Weber, Tempe 480-968-9600

Then there’s…

Salt River Tubing If Rafting is too wild and wooly, then tubing down the river might be just for you!

Arizona Snowbowl Take a ride on the ski lift at 11,500? where it’s cold enough for a sweater!

Dams and Lakes in Arizona

Arizona River Runners

White Water Rafting on the Colorado

Arizona RiverRunners on the Grand Canyon’s Colorado

Camping in the White Mountains

And more…

We have more boats per capita than any other state in the nation!

Why? Because we have many lakes that store our water for the future. They offer wonderful boating, fishing, water sports and pure leisure on a houseboat vacation!

Arizonans take water seriously, with our dammed rivers for flood control, surface water, rafting, fishing, water-skiing, boating, and recreation. We do have an extended drought that has lowered some of our lakes, but not enough to prevent enjoying them!

Fishing and Boating

Arizona Lakes and Reservoirs

Pontoon Paradise!

Lakes and Rivers in Arizona

Cool Creeks and Falls

Where to Fish in Arizona and Fish in AZ

The Black River gurgles happily through the 8,000′ high country near the tiny village of Alpine, known as the Arizona Alps.

And more high country…

Each of the areas in the high country (communities in the high country) have their own personality! So check them all out! Take a day, a weekend or a week to discover our “land of contrasts.”

I know it’s hard to be thankful when there are job losses, home losses, and an economy with so many unknowns, but there reallyare things to be thankful for, as a balance.

Here’s my list for the first 5 days in November:

November 1. Arizona’s beauty. I live in an area with unique vegetation and mountains, and one, our stately saguaro, only grows here. To me, it’s still a marvel!

November 2. Beautiful sunsets and sunrises… almost every day!

November 3. I am thankful that the elections are over!! And the political signs are taken down!! And the political phone calls stop!! BUT, I am extremely thankful that we have a choice! For THAT, I am very thankful.

November 4. Friendships! Friends help us bear some of our burdens, whether they’re health or economic. Friends can make us laugh, can give us a hug, and we can be there for them, too! Feeling needed is special, too!

November 5. Family! All families have disagreements now and then, but most are there for you when you need them. And to know you’re thought of as being special by a family member… you can’t get better than that!

November 6. Access to just about anywhere in the world. We take that for granted, but there are some that can’t get away. And if you can’t fly or drive, there’s documentaries, either written, internet, or good ‘ol Nat Geo.

November 7. Just for fun, I volunteered to be a Steward at our McDowell Mountain Preserve (Scottsdale will be 1/3 preserve!). Little did I know that it would be so rewarding! I’ve met so many wonderful, and I mean wonderful, kind, altruistic, giving people from all walks of life from CEO’s to educators and every day folk. Moms and Dads bring their infants in backpack type carriers, strollers, and children of all ages who have a ball hiking our trails and enjoying the serenity and beauty of our mountains and lush desert. I am so thankful for being a part of it!

November 8. Thanksgiving is also a time of reflection when people gather and talk about the old times…”Remember the time that…?” These stories are gold. I’m thankful that I’ve been reminded of good times that I’ve shared with loved ones!

November 9. I’m thankful for the life lessons I’ve learned not only from my parents, God bless them, but from friends who have shared with me some of their life experiences.

November 10. I’m thankful that I have survived some major traumas because of the expertise of doctors and up-to-date medical facilities.

3. Rusty Spur Saloon
Grab a bar stool and have a drink at Scottsdale’s oldest waterin’ hole. Warm cowboy hospitality, Southwestern cookin’, and live music evoke memories of Arizona’s wild past. Phone 480-425-SPUR or visit www.rustyspursaloon.com.
4. The Yavapai Experience At Fort McDowell Adventures
Experience the history and culture of the Fort McDowell Yavapai people. Choose a walking tour ($50 per person), or travel by horseback ($75 per person) or Jeep ($75 per person). Each 2-hour experience includes refreshments. For reservations, phone 480-816-6465. www.fortmcdowelladventures.com.
5. Cool Western Fun
Gather up the family and head out to Rawhide Western Town and Steakhouse in Chandler for some wild and cool family fun! Rawhide has earned an award-winning reputation as Arizona’s original family steakhouse. The menu celebrates the spirit and hospitality of its Western roots through traditional cooking and true hungry cowboy portions. Enjoy the town and all that Rawhide has to offer, from the world renowned Steakhouse & Saloon to unique shops, stunt shows, cookouts, a blacksmith, entertainment, and a variety of attractions. We look forward to welcoming you to our 1880s Western town full of fun, good eatin’, shopping, and a true taste of the Old West! Visit www.rawhide.com or call 480-502-5600 for more information and upcoming special events.
6. Jerome
Literally built on the side of a mountain, Jerome was a boomtown in 1899 when copper was discovered. With the passage of time, however, the cliffside city gradually turned into a ghost town. And then in the 1960s, artists and assorted bohemians began renovating the old Victorian cottages and boardinghouses. Now the town is a favorite haunt for shoppers, art enthusiasts, and tourists, with more than a little something for history buffs, too. Visitors can take in the exhibits and artifacts at the Jerome Historical Society’s Mine Museum (928-634-5477), or sample an impressive collection of Arizona wines at the Jerome Winery (928-639-9067).

While we wait, though, there’s a gallery on my hiking page, that profiles many of the great trails we have and the views you’ll experience when hiking, biking or strolling.

Check them out at the Arizona Hiking Gallery.

Colorful displays are already blooming along the preserve’s two dozen maintained trails with yellow carpets of brittle bush contrasting with the fiery red blossoms of Ocotillo.

Still to come are Lupine, Crimson Hedgehog, Staghorn Cholla, Mexican Gold Poppy and other varieties of wildflowers that call Scottsdale’s Sonoran Preserve home. Check out some of their photos and wildlife here.

And for a preview of what’s to come, check out last spring’s displays on my blog, Springtime in the Desert.

It is easier than ever to explore the preserve and take in wildflower beauty. Nine trailheads are open, connecting to a trail system totaling 60 miles. Three trails opened last May – Tom’s Thumb, East End and Lookout.

The Preserve Gateway, designed to be the main access into the preserve, also opened in May. It’s a great launching point to explore wildflowers and includes an all-access paved loop trail with displays describing the plants, animals and natural history of the Sonoran Desert. The Gateway is located at 18333 N. Thompson Peak Road, between Legacy Boulevard and Bell Road.

The McDowell Sonoran Conservancy, a non-profit group that works in partnership with the city on the completion and sustainability of the preserve, is operating a “Wildflower Watch” this spring. It will feature reports from dozens of volunteer Conservancy stewards who are out and about in the preserve reporting on the best wildflower locations. To get their daily insights, visit the Conservancy’s website.

A recent report from the Pew Research Center found that older adults feel younger out west. Fully 78% of adults ages 65 and older who live in the West say they don’t feel old, compared with 67% of older adults who live in the rest of the country.

Not that we’re tooting our own horn out here (we are based in Scottsdale, AZ, after all), but we’re not surprised by the numbers.

If you have clients debating where their next move will be, share the following statistics:

• Two-thirds of Westerners ages 65 and older say they feel younger than their chronological years, compared with 57% of older Americans in other regions.
• Among older Westerners, half say they feel 10 or more years younger than their actual age and one-in-five say they feel 20 or more years younger.
• Older folks living in the West also feel healthier than older folks elsewhere. Among adults ages 65 and older, some 72% of those living in the West say they are in excellent or good health. This compares with 63% of those living in other regions of the country.

So, celebrate 2010 and all the possibilities it brings. Don’t worry about that extra candle on the birthday cake. Embrace the future and remember you can always join us out west. We welcome you here!

Go West, Old Man…

Deadline for qualifying: Purchase agreements must be signed by April 30, 2010, and closings must be final by June 30.

Military deadline: The deadline is extended by a year for members of the military who have served outside the U.S. for at least 90 days from Jan. 1, 2009, to May 1, 2010.

Income limits: Individuals with annual incomes up to $125,000 and joint filers with incomes up to $225,000 qualify for the full credit. Individuals with incomes up to $145,000 and joint filers with incomes up to $245,000 qualify for reduced credits.

How to apply: Taxpayers can claim the credit on their federal income tax returns. If the credit exceeds their tax bill, the government will issue a payment. Taxpayers who want immediate refunds can amend their tax returns for 2008 to claim the credit.

Cost: $10.8 billion.

WASHINGTON (AP) — Congress took further steps to right the staggering economy by expanding a popular tax credit for homebuyers and extending unemployment checks for the growing legions of people running out of benefits with few job prospects.

The $24 billion package also contains tax credits aimed at struggling businesses.

The IRS says about 1.4 million people applied for the homebuyers credit through August, helping enliven the moribund housing market. The legislation would extend the program through June of next year, as long as the buyer signs a contract by the end of April. It also offers a $6,500 tax credit to those who have lived in their current residence at least five years.

The measure doubles the income ceiling for eligible individuals to $125,000. Homes must cost less than $800,000 to qualify.

The nearly 2 million who have exhausted their unemployment benefits or face termination of benefits, usually about $300 a week, before the end of the year would receive 14 weeks of additional benefits under the bill. The unemployed in those states where the jobless rate tops 8.5% would get six weeks on top of that.

The extension would be the fourth since June of last year and the first since the $787 billion stimulus package was enacted last February. The unemployed in the hardest-hit states could, once the bill becomes law, receive a maximum of 99 weeks of benefits, well above the previous record of 65 weeks in the 1970s.

The bill would also allow businesses that have incurred losses in 2008 and 2009 to seek refunds for taxes paid on profits over the past five years.

The two tax credits, each costing more than $10 billion over 10 years, are paid for by delaying enactment of a law giving international companies more leeway in how they allocate interest expenses between U.S. and foreign sources in determining tax liabilities.