We have had several new arrivals in the last few days.
First, Aunt Sandy and Uncle David got in on Friday afternoon from their trip to Morocco.
Then, Jake drove down from Utah Friday night for the weekend.
And last but not least, Shelby and Uncle Bob flew in from Illinois on Saturday.
Its been kind of hectic with all of the people coming in, but we've had a little time to celebrate. Friday night Lia, Jake, Lia's coworkers, and I went out to an Irish Pub to celebrate Lia's birthday on Saturday. I was one of the Designated Drivers, but we all had a fun time.
And Saturday night we all (Gram, Aunt Sandy, Uncle David, Jake, Lia, Shelby, Uncle Bob, and I) went out for Thai food and gave Lia all of her presents (most notably a new pocket knife and a new necklace).
We have lots of plans for the next week while Bob and Shelby are here before we all leave, and I'll try to keep this updated as the week goes along. :)
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Saturday, March 9, 2013
Joshua Tree National Park
I made it to California everybody!
(Just four states left on the checklist!)
Lia and I took her weekend off (which of course is the middle of the week) and made our way to Joshua Tree National Park in California.
It took us about four hours to get there Tuesday night after work, so we didn't do a whole lot except drive and sleep that night, although we did stop at the grocery store.
Right before we left the neighbor came by with a container of pulled pork that he had made too much of and didn't want to keep leftover (it was delicious by the way), so we stopped at the grocery store and got some rolls, fresh fruit, nuts, raisins, and some other odds and ends that would keep for the weekend, and thats what we ate on. It saved a heck of a lot of money and we were never hungry.
We woke up Wednesday morning and drove through the park. We came across on I-10 which is just south of the park, while most of the things to do and see are in the North end. It took us a good while of driving through curvy roads, but we stopped to explore and take a short hike every now and again and have a nice long lunch break. We did make it up and out of the park where we got gas and drinks in Joshua Tree the town before heading back in to grab a camping spot for the night. All of the campgrounds we drove through in the park are nice (I think there are nine) and simple, with no electric or water in most of them, but a picnic table, a fire pit, and nice views. Thats all you need really.
Lia couldn't find her sleeping bags, so we brought a padded mattress type deal that folds into a nice size and we just put the back seat down in the car and unrolled the mattress there for both nights. It worked out really well.
We woke up the next morning, and went on another short hike before making out way back home.
All in all, a nice weekend out camping with some great views.
(Just four states left on the checklist!)
Lia and I took her weekend off (which of course is the middle of the week) and made our way to Joshua Tree National Park in California.
It took us about four hours to get there Tuesday night after work, so we didn't do a whole lot except drive and sleep that night, although we did stop at the grocery store.
Right before we left the neighbor came by with a container of pulled pork that he had made too much of and didn't want to keep leftover (it was delicious by the way), so we stopped at the grocery store and got some rolls, fresh fruit, nuts, raisins, and some other odds and ends that would keep for the weekend, and thats what we ate on. It saved a heck of a lot of money and we were never hungry.
We woke up Wednesday morning and drove through the park. We came across on I-10 which is just south of the park, while most of the things to do and see are in the North end. It took us a good while of driving through curvy roads, but we stopped to explore and take a short hike every now and again and have a nice long lunch break. We did make it up and out of the park where we got gas and drinks in Joshua Tree the town before heading back in to grab a camping spot for the night. All of the campgrounds we drove through in the park are nice (I think there are nine) and simple, with no electric or water in most of them, but a picnic table, a fire pit, and nice views. Thats all you need really.
Lia couldn't find her sleeping bags, so we brought a padded mattress type deal that folds into a nice size and we just put the back seat down in the car and unrolled the mattress there for both nights. It worked out really well.
We woke up the next morning, and went on another short hike before making out way back home.
All in all, a nice weekend out camping with some great views.
Joshua Trees
We found a desert maple tree, this is the size of its leaves.
Some of the rock formations in Joshua Tree.
Sedona
Lia, Grandma, her new friend Marty, and I went to Sedona.
We didn't do a whole lot other than enjoy the weather and the scenery, but it was a good day.
We made our way up, and our first stop other than a visitors center for a map, was Cathedral Rock.
There are a lot of beautiful red rock formations in Sedona, but we opted for Cathedral Rock because it has a nice park around it that has a nice walk up to a stream that runs along and you can have a nice walk through the trees. You have no idea how much you miss trees after being in the desert for a while.
After wandering through the park we went back into town for lunch. We had a nice meal outside overlooking the great Sedona scenery, and of course I forgot to snap a picture.
And then we walked around the shops and window shopped (it is a very touristy place).
We didn't do a whole lot, but we had a good time and enjoyed the nice weather and great views.
We didn't do a whole lot other than enjoy the weather and the scenery, but it was a good day.
We made our way up, and our first stop other than a visitors center for a map, was Cathedral Rock.
There are a lot of beautiful red rock formations in Sedona, but we opted for Cathedral Rock because it has a nice park around it that has a nice walk up to a stream that runs along and you can have a nice walk through the trees. You have no idea how much you miss trees after being in the desert for a while.
After wandering through the park we went back into town for lunch. We had a nice meal outside overlooking the great Sedona scenery, and of course I forgot to snap a picture.
And then we walked around the shops and window shopped (it is a very touristy place).
We didn't do a whole lot, but we had a good time and enjoyed the nice weather and great views.
Peppersauce Cave
Lia and I went spelunking!
It is a fairly good size cave on the side of Mt. Lemmon near Oracle, Arizona.
We started off the day by dropping Aunt Sandy and Uncle David off at the airport for their week and a half long trip to Morocco. After swinging through the airport, we headed south to the cave that Lia and her brother, Jake, had heard/read about and visited a few months ago. We may have gotten waylaid a bit by a cute little cafe that promised hot coffee and good breakfast (and as Oracle is a pretty small town we ended up their for lunch as well). But we finally made it up the windy gravel road to the spot where you can pull off for the cave. There is no parking lot for the cave, but there is a spot where you can fit a car or two on the side of the road.
So we walked the quarter mile to the cave and strapped on our head lamps. The cave has multiple rooms, so I was a little worried about getting lost... until I noticed that someone had spray painted arrows that pointed to the exit at all times. That made it pretty easy and then we didn't have to worry where in the cave we went, we would always have a way out. The amount of other graffiti throughout the cave on the other hand was pretty disappointing. Some people have no respect for nature or its beauty.
I was surprised by how large the cave was. We did some research after we went and found out that all in all there is about 1 mile of mapped passageways in the cave. We were in the cave for about 2 hours and we think we explored most of it, but we know we didn't hit all of it because there were a few passageways that were too hard/dangerous/slippery for us to go down.
Lia said that the cave was more wet when she and Jake went, which was fortunate for us because we got to explore a little more and not get quite as muddy. There is a lake inside of the cave, and Lia was a little disappointed that it was lower than it was when she was previously there. It was still VERY cool. Nobody knows how deep and long the lake is or how many rooms of the cave it engulfs because no one has been diving in it. Apparently a couple years ago some cave divers went in, but never got to explore the pool because something was wrong with their equipment.
The lake was my favorite part no doubt, but the whole thing was a lot of fun to explore. I've never really been in a cave before, and when you turn out the lights inside the cave you really cannot see a thing. You can hold your palm to the tip of your nose and still not see it at all.
We had a lot of fun.
I didn't take any pictures because I left my phone in the car. I didn't want it to get muddy or fall out of my pocket as there were many instances where we were crawling or squeezing through entrances.
It is a fairly good size cave on the side of Mt. Lemmon near Oracle, Arizona.
We started off the day by dropping Aunt Sandy and Uncle David off at the airport for their week and a half long trip to Morocco. After swinging through the airport, we headed south to the cave that Lia and her brother, Jake, had heard/read about and visited a few months ago. We may have gotten waylaid a bit by a cute little cafe that promised hot coffee and good breakfast (and as Oracle is a pretty small town we ended up their for lunch as well). But we finally made it up the windy gravel road to the spot where you can pull off for the cave. There is no parking lot for the cave, but there is a spot where you can fit a car or two on the side of the road.
So we walked the quarter mile to the cave and strapped on our head lamps. The cave has multiple rooms, so I was a little worried about getting lost... until I noticed that someone had spray painted arrows that pointed to the exit at all times. That made it pretty easy and then we didn't have to worry where in the cave we went, we would always have a way out. The amount of other graffiti throughout the cave on the other hand was pretty disappointing. Some people have no respect for nature or its beauty.
I was surprised by how large the cave was. We did some research after we went and found out that all in all there is about 1 mile of mapped passageways in the cave. We were in the cave for about 2 hours and we think we explored most of it, but we know we didn't hit all of it because there were a few passageways that were too hard/dangerous/slippery for us to go down.
Lia said that the cave was more wet when she and Jake went, which was fortunate for us because we got to explore a little more and not get quite as muddy. There is a lake inside of the cave, and Lia was a little disappointed that it was lower than it was when she was previously there. It was still VERY cool. Nobody knows how deep and long the lake is or how many rooms of the cave it engulfs because no one has been diving in it. Apparently a couple years ago some cave divers went in, but never got to explore the pool because something was wrong with their equipment.
The lake was my favorite part no doubt, but the whole thing was a lot of fun to explore. I've never really been in a cave before, and when you turn out the lights inside the cave you really cannot see a thing. You can hold your palm to the tip of your nose and still not see it at all.
We had a lot of fun.
I didn't take any pictures because I left my phone in the car. I didn't want it to get muddy or fall out of my pocket as there were many instances where we were crawling or squeezing through entrances.
Friday, February 22, 2013
Yellowstone
So, those of you who are Facebook friends with me may already know, but I have accepted a position to work at Yellowstone National Park from April 20 to July 23 (or possibly a little longer).
I decided that I would apply to a few National Parks for summer jobs because I have no plans between traveling and college in the fall, so I knew I would have a few months of free time.
I heard back from Yellowstone about three weeks after I applied, and then waited the maximum amount of time before replying to make sure I didn't get any more job offers. I didn't even get a chance to apply to all of the places that I could because I already got an offer.
I will be stationed at the Mammoth Hot Springs inside of Yellowstone working at a deli type place for the three months, and I will be staying in a dorm with a meal plan while I'm there.
So I will have to work, but I get 3 whole months to explore Yellowstone and the surrounding area!
It should be an adventure!
Also, this means that all of you have to come visit me while I'm there, so plan your vacations now! :)
I decided that I would apply to a few National Parks for summer jobs because I have no plans between traveling and college in the fall, so I knew I would have a few months of free time.
I heard back from Yellowstone about three weeks after I applied, and then waited the maximum amount of time before replying to make sure I didn't get any more job offers. I didn't even get a chance to apply to all of the places that I could because I already got an offer.
I will be stationed at the Mammoth Hot Springs inside of Yellowstone working at a deli type place for the three months, and I will be staying in a dorm with a meal plan while I'm there.
So I will have to work, but I get 3 whole months to explore Yellowstone and the surrounding area!
It should be an adventure!
Also, this means that all of you have to come visit me while I'm there, so plan your vacations now! :)
For those who wondered what my plans are between now and when I start in April; I plan on staying in Phoenix until the middle of March and then going home for the month in between. This still leaves time in between Yellowstone and college to travel more if I want to, or stay longer in Yellowstone if I want to. :)
Sunday, February 17, 2013
Connie, The Farm, Quilt Shows, and Marathons
Since Wickenburg last weekend, we have added a new temporary occupant to the house.
Aunt Sandy's friend Connie came here on Thursday, and has been visiting since.
We picked her up just before noon from an Aunt who lives on the other side of Phoenix (she was there for a couple of days before we picked her up). On the way back we stopped at a place called 'The Farm at South Mountain'. It was BEAUTIFUL.
When you are out here in Arizona, the cactus are really interesting but after a while you kind of want to see some green instead of the brown desert. This is the place to go. It's like you've stepped into an orchard in the middle of the countryside when really you're on the edge of Phoenix in the middle of the desert. They had a cute little shop that sold sandwiches, soup, salads, and various baked goods so we had a lovely lunch on one of their many picnic tables and enjoyed the great weather and atmosphere before walking around. In the Farm there were two other restaurants (a breakfast cafe and a fancy restaurant that served supper), a tiny gift shop, and plenty of room for a nice stroll.
It was a nice little retreat.
Aunt Sandy's friend Connie came here on Thursday, and has been visiting since.
We picked her up just before noon from an Aunt who lives on the other side of Phoenix (she was there for a couple of days before we picked her up). On the way back we stopped at a place called 'The Farm at South Mountain'. It was BEAUTIFUL.
When you are out here in Arizona, the cactus are really interesting but after a while you kind of want to see some green instead of the brown desert. This is the place to go. It's like you've stepped into an orchard in the middle of the countryside when really you're on the edge of Phoenix in the middle of the desert. They had a cute little shop that sold sandwiches, soup, salads, and various baked goods so we had a lovely lunch on one of their many picnic tables and enjoyed the great weather and atmosphere before walking around. In the Farm there were two other restaurants (a breakfast cafe and a fancy restaurant that served supper), a tiny gift shop, and plenty of room for a nice stroll.
It was a nice little retreat.
At the Farm
After we went to the Farm at South Mountain, we drove up South Mountain to get a nice view of Phoenix from above.
Friday was more of a relaxing/do nothing day where we spent the day visiting, but Saturday was pretty busy.
The reason, or one of the reasons, Connie came out to visit was to participate in a marathon on Sunday, so Saturday we needed to pick up her race packet with her information and race tags.
So we started off Saturday morning by stopping by the local farmer's market that is only once a month before hunting out the place we needed to get the race information, which just happened to be in a mall courtyard area that was hosting another, larger farmer's market. So we spent all morning at farmer's markets, but accomplished picking up the race packet as well before making our way to Gram's to check out a quilt show.
The people inside Gram's community put together a quilt show (of a pretty good size) that we wanted to check out. So we met her for lunch before spending over an hour admiring the hard work that goes into making a quilt.
One of the aisles of quilts
This morning was the marathon, and Connie did great! She met her goal and beat her personal best, coming in with the time of 4hr31min27sec.
If I had the willpower to run 26 miles it would take me a lot longer than that. To celebrate we had a relaxing afternoon and went out to supper at a great Mexican place (Guadalahara's), and ended the night at the movies.
Aunt Sandy and Connie at Guadalahara's
Saturday, February 9, 2013
Wickenburg
Lia and I went horseback riding!
Ok, I'll do this chronologically; first we went to the Toby Keith Bar and Grill with her work friends Wednesday night.
It was fun, they had three different live bands throughout the night who were all good, and good food too. The complaint of the night was that even though there was a dance floor, it was full of people who just stood still listening to the music rather than dancing.
But we had a good time with all of Lia's coworkers.
Thursday, we woke up and met Grandma for breakfast before going to Wickenburg to go horseback riding. Aunt Sandy found coupons for a trail ride; two for the price of one.
We got there, signed our lives away, and set off for a three hour ride.
Our guide (or wrangler), Dave, was very nice, had a great sense of humor, and helpful.
We set out, and after a few minutes he came around and checked all of our saddles and made sure everyone was comfortable, and helped out when there was trouble.
The best part of the ride was that after a half hour or so on the trail, since we were all doing great and keeping up, we decided to go off of the trail. For most of the 3 hours we were out riding we got to roam around the desert, going up and down hills and making our own way rather than just following a trail nose to tail on the horses like most rides of this nature would go. He encouraged us to make our own paths as we went along instead of just following in a line, as long as we were all together.
I even got to lead the pack for a little bit. We stopped to pick up a cow skull that we found as we were wandering, and after a bit of joking around Dave told me to take the lead, so everyone followed me for about ten minutes and I got to figure out where to go and what was the best path to get up and down a couple of hills before I handed the lead back over to him.
Today, we went back to Wickenburg.
Aunt Sandy, Uncle David and I met Gram for breakfast and then the four of us made our way to Wickenburg for their Gold Rush Days.
Wickenburg was a big gold town, (but is now known for their dude ranches) so every year they celebrate and have a carnival and whatnot. We got there in time to see the parade (which involve a lot of horses and started with a cattle drive at the front), and then walked through the art and craft fair, but couldn't find anything we needed.
The start of the parade.
Yes, that is a real cow inside of a car...
Part of the Art and Craft Fair
A little of downtown Wickenburg.
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