2 more days!

I found this on Pinterest!

It's titled "Summer in Arizona" :)

2 more days (1 more for Braden) of school!!! It's getting HOT outside and homework is getting in the way of swimming!

Tucson trip 2011

After Christmas, we traveled down to Tucson for a couple of days. We did some hiking in Sabino Canyon, what a beautiful place! The weather was gorgeous and the desert landscape is just awesome.

We took the kids to a minature museum that had all kinds of minatures from different eras. It was unique and kind of cool, something you don't see everyday.

We also spent some time at Trail Dust Town...

 I love that they have preserved these buildings. They have so much character!

 While we waited for the Trail Dust town to open, we walked next door to Golf N Stuff to play some games. From the 1800's to the present...

and back to the 1800's :) 

 I think my family got tired of me gushing over this adorable general store :)

 We ate dinner at Pinnacle Peak. Aaron has been to the location in Scottsdale and so we made sure the kids had ties on.

 This sign is by the front door

 The waitress rings a bell and makes you take an oath that you will never wear a tie to their restaurant again. She cuts the tie and then hangs it on the wall. The ties are everywhere and the food was really good.

 Heston wasn't sure about this lady cutting his tie :)



I {heart} this sunshine

Sunshine does wonders for the soul...

I {heart} winter

Took this yesterday in our front yard...I can't even tell you how much I love AZ in February

it's August and 70 degrees in AZ!

School starts on Monday! I'm excited for a new year and getting my kids back on a schedule. I feel like I've been playing catch-up since we got back from Utah. It is 70 degrees outside this morning! I love it! We're having a Primary swim party at my house this morning and the water will be just right.
Wes and Ricci had their baby boy last Friday. Brandt Wesley was born premature at 4lbs. 7 oz. He has Gastroschsis and is in the NICU at Primary Children's. He had surgery yesterday and is doing really well. I talked to Ricci yesterday and she was so happy because she got to hold him for the first time. It made me emotional just thinking about that. I'm still waiting for some pictures and will post them as soon as I get them. I'm blessed to be the auntie to 18 nieces and nephews and I love each and everyone of them to pieces :)

Our weekend trip to Tombstone, AZ

Last weekend, we took a trip to Tombstone, AZ. Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday and the shootout at the OK Corral all happened here. It was fun to just look around and take pictures. I was blown away by the craftsmanship inside some of these buildings, you just don't see that everyday.
After we left Tombstone, Aaron took B&P (I stayed behind with H) to the Kartchner Caverns that are about 30 miles away. They all said how cool it was, we'll have to go back when Heston gets bigger. It was nice to get away and just spend some time together as a family. Before we know it, our kids will be teenagers and they'll want nothing to do with us! :)

our New Years trip

After Christmas, we decided to take a little trip with the kids. We headed up north and stayed in Cottonwood and rode the Verde Canyon Railroad. The weather was nice and the kids thought the train was fun.
We spent New Years in Sedona and on our way home, we stopped in a little town outside of Cottonwood called Jerome. I loved the old buildings and houses, they have so much character.
The kids went back to school today and now I’ve got to get everyone back on a schedule.

stepping out of my comfort zone

This last weekend, we attended our ward campout at the Peralta Trails just outside of Apache Junction. One of our bishopric members does team building stuff for a living. We camped at this place where he does his trainings.

When we woke up refreshed and ready to go on Saturday (can you sense the sarcasm? I don't enjoy sleeping in a tent but I was a good sport) we did a couple of the high rope activities. One of them involved a set of partners where each person walks into the middle of this rope and then they help each other to get to the other side, while being suspended 15 feet in the air. Aaron and I made it through that challenge. (The whole time I kept saying to the church folk, 'I'm trying really hard not to vocalize any profanities right now'...if they only knew how hard that is for me when I'm freaked out)

The other challenge involved us climbing to the top of a 25 foot pole and standing on top. Braden was fearless!

These are the Superstition Mountains. Living here, I have a greater appreciation for how beautiful the desert is.

I love this cactus. It was so tall and the way it leaned to one side like that...I've never seen that before. A tall cactus with bad posture...it's built like me :)