There is no Arizona

I bet that's what you all have been thinking after regularly checking my blog for a report on our (somewhat) recent trip to Arizona. I have to admit, one of the things I don't like about going on vacation is feeling to need to blog about it afterward. Is that strange? Blogging about everyday things is enjoyable and simple, but after an eventfilled week out of town, I just feel overwhelmed by all there is to remember and say. Well, I found a solution. Just wait a few weeks (or months...) after you get home and then you won't remember 3/4 of the things you were going to say anyway. That way, it's not so overwhelming. Okay, I admit that it's not a very GOOD solution, but it's a solution nonetheless. So here is the condensed version of our trip to Arizona!

Our wedding anniversary was on Aug. 25th. We celebrated by leaving Brooklyn with Jason's brother Justin's family and going out to dinner at Outback. (We went there on our honeymoon too.) It was the first time we went out on a date away from Brooklyn since she was just a few days old. That time, my mom offered to watch her and we went, got some food, and I was so emotional about leaving her that we were back in less than an hour. This time went a lot better. We actually got to talk and then go for a walk around the mall. It was so nice. Thank you, Justin & Jennifer! However, the break after the big move, was short-lived. When we got home, we had to rifle through all of our still packed-up belongings to put them in suitcases for the trip. We left the next morning on our 12-hour drive to AZ. Jason was disappointed that it did, indeed, take us 12 hours. We have different philosophies when it comes to car trips. He is a "get there" person. I am an "enjoy the ride" person. I think Brooklyn would rather make a lot of stops along the way as well.

While actually in AZ, we enjoyed a few dining out experiences. This included Trapper's German Chocolate pie. I am not a pie person. Jason had told me about Trapper's before and said that he needed to take me there. Not being a big pie fan, I wasn't too enthusiastic. Boy, has that changed! It was like Celestial Pie or something - if that exists. I am a convert.

We enjoyed several of our at-home meals out on the front patio. The weather was perfect and we liked watching the hummingbird's fight over the feeder. Brooklyn was especially fascinated. We all got the chance to make a meal. Jason's dad made us his famous egg sandwiches. Luann made us a pasta dish. We made our favorite lettuce wraps. But, as usual, Jason's mom did most of the cooking. (THANK YOU!!) One morning, she made steak and eggs for breakfast. I was thinking that the steak was especially delicious when Jason asked me, "Did she tell you that was elk meat?" I think Mom about fell off her chair. "You're not supposed to tell her that!" she said. It really didn't phase me. I've never been a huge fan of hunting, but heck! If it tastes like that, I understand!! (I still don't want a carcass hanging in my house... ever.)

We didn't really do a whole lot there but relax. On the first day there, we went to eat at Pizza Hut with some of Jason's family who had just been to the temple. On the way home, Brooklyn started throwing up in the car. That was the first time she has ever done that. She threw up a few more times that day (and the next, and the next) and had diarrhea. We had been planning on going fishing, but I didn't want to take her too far from home with her new need for consistent baths. A few days after that, Jason woke up in the night throwing up too. So the tummy bug threw a kink in several of our plans. We did get to go bowling one night, and I went to the Sweet Corn Festival with Mom & Luann while the sick ones stayed at home. Before he got sick, Jason got to help his dad mow the lawn with the riding mower. I have a cute picture of Brooklyn and her daddy on the lawn mower as the wallpaper on my cell phone. We also got to go to JR and JT's football game on Friday night. (They are our nephews. They won the game and we were very impressed.) Unfortunately, that was the only time we got to see Jimmie's family. They were going to come over and visit, but when Jason got sick, Jimmie and Jill decided to come without the kids so they wouldn't catch it. It was nice to visit with them, but I was really disappointed we didn't get to spend more time with their beautiful little girls.

I think my favorite part of the whole trip was when Jason took me on a tour around the property and told me stories about his childhood. I got to see the chicken coup with the hen that lays blue eggs. I even got to collect one from the nest! He showed me the orchard and the garden where he spent many summer days doing chores. We saw the big barn with some of his old toys, the huge cement barrel they used as a swimming pool, the remnants of their tree fort, etc. The trampoline was a big hit with Brooklyn, and I now even know what it's like to get stuck with a cactus spine. Overall, it was a very relaxing little vacation. We are so grateful for the Maners' hospitality. Hopefully it won't be another two years before we go back again!

At the bowling alley.

I took this picture as evidence. I still don't think I got more than 80 points... if that.

Our view of the football game. Those cheerleaders made me remember, with clarity, why I did not like high school pep rallies.

Brooklyn with her GORGEOUS cousin, Jennifer. Jennifer wanted to hold her, but Brooklyn was being so wiggly I couldn't even get a picture in focus. So sad...

The way the baby and the daddy spent most of the trip.

Luann works as a school librarian and wanted to make a bulletin board of all of her nieces and nephews reading. Here is Brooklyn's contribution.

We loved looking through old photo albums. This is one of Jim & Kathie's wedding pictures. Jason wanted to try and superimpose them in front of the temple since they don't have any of them with the temple in view. Unfortunately, the picture isn't the best quality and we're not the best photo editors. I thought it would still be fun to put it up here.