The trip started at 5am. So right there I should have known this couldn't go well. But the kids were so excited once we got to the airport, especially Jack. I on the other hand was not too thrilled with my role as a mule. WE HAD SO MUCH LUGGAGE! We brought one big suitcase, one smaller suitcase, a large duffel bag, a large tote, Addie's car seat and Jack's booster, plus this huge backpack filled with laptops from Levi's work. We had a lot of time to blow at the airport and I was nervous that the kids would get antsy but they LOVED watching the airplanes.
I'm sure it took a whole bottle of Windex to clean all their little nose smudges and finger prints off the windows. Oh well.
Jack kept asking to do the slide thing. I didn't understand until he showed me in the "just in case we crash" manual and inside is the picture of the emergency exit with a man sliding down the inflatable slide. I tired to explain that he really didn't want to have to go down the slide but he wasn't convinced.Back to my story...we arrive in Arizona, drive for 1.5 hours and end up in Sierra Vista. We get checked into our hotel and soon discover that there is no cartoon network, the Internet is SLOW, and the Wii that added 5 pounds to my luggage cannot be hooked up to the dinosaur of a TV. Okay, I can handle this. No biggie. We will just go to the pool.
We are swimming for maybe 10 minutes before Jack announces he's had a poopoo accident. WHAT?!?!?! This was the first introduction to "THE WEEK OF DIARRHEA." Dun dun daaaaaaa!Let's just say that in 3 days we had gone through every pair of underwear and shorts that I had packed for Jack. Every time we would go do something such as play at the park, we would get 10 minutes into it and then all of a sudden the PooPoo monster would attack. So the kids and I spent 3 hours of the third day in the hotel's laundry room. This was not fun considering I had to wash Addie's Cuddles because she got ketchup on her. This was the longest hour and a half of my life. It didn't matter what I tried, Addie stayed right by the washer and dryer crying, "CUCAH!" (She can say Cuddles but she still calls her Cucah.)
We spent a large part of every day in the room napping. Levi would get up and go to work sometimes as early as 4:30am and therefore the rest of us were awake at 4:30am as well. So our days started very early which meant nap time was a must.
We spent a large part of every day in the room napping. Levi would get up and go to work sometimes as early as 4:30am and therefore the rest of us were awake at 4:30am as well. So our days started very early which meant nap time was a must.
The kids had to share a bed and I was a little nervous that they would kick and wake each other up but it didn't matter how much they tossed and turned they both slept soundly.
I thought this was soooo cute!
The best part of the whole trip was the times we got to spend with Levi. We actually got to eat dinner together every night which was sooooo nice!
By the 4th day the kids and I were getting a little stir crazy. We had already visited the mall, which was a half step up from Crossroads and only because it had a Dillards. The park had lost it appeal due to the lack of necessary bathrooms. So I thought that this would be a great day to pick up lunch and have a picnic by the pool and then go for a swim. After ordering our $20 sandwiches from the hotel restaurant, putting on bathing suits, packing towels, blowing up floaties, applying sunblock, searching for everyone's sunglasses and then one more potty break we went down to the pool only to discover caution tape all around it. Not that I would have gotten in that pool without it because it was pretty obvious that the water was far from clean. (Apparently there had been a party by the pool the night before and I don't even want to know what made the pool the foggy mess that it was.)
So plan B...I get us all dressed and we head for Tombstone. We had quite a drive to get there but despite the fact that it is just souvenir shop after souvenir shop filled with overpriced breakable items my kids would just love to get their clumsy little hands on, we still had a pretty good time. We stopped into one of the fudge shops and the kids got to try the different flavors, even bubble gum. We went to a petting zoo and got to see goats, donkeys, horses (which Addie continued to yell, "MOO!" at) and an emu. So not that impressive. We were really hoping for a Gila monster or roadrunner since we were in the desert but at this point we would take what entertainment we could get.
We got to take a ride in the stage coach and although the kids didn't care one bit what the driver was describing about the tour they had a great time!
They didn't want to sit on the same seat as me so they moved to their own. So grown up.
I know! Weird picture right? This is only one of the many crazy things that makes me believe that Arizona has some issues. I mean, who rakes their rocks? And for that matter, why not have grass? I know the answer is because it is the desert but don't you see grass in this picture? So it is possible.
Stef, this picture is for you. I thought you would get a good laugh at Jack's long body and short shirt.
The absolute best part of the whole trip was our drive up in the mountains. we drove up for two hours and still didn't get to the top. But we did get some really beautiful pictures. It is sad that the camera doesn't really show how high up we were but if you look closely you can see a rainbow. It was so pretty!
Oh, okay. So here is another thing that is kind of off about Arizona. I understand that it is close to the border and all but do they really stick the illegals in that sad little stray dog carrier thing on the bed of the truck? Get a van border patrol.
Once we drove as high as our rental Corolla could go we got out and started to hike. This was fun for the first hour...
Then it started to rain. Should have figured.
Jack hurt his foot and couldn't walk the rest of the way back so for the hour back we had to carry the kids. I took Jack even though he is the heavier one because Addie is much harder to carry because she is sooooo squirmy.
Back in the Corolla, wet but happy.
We got to take a ride in the stage coach and although the kids didn't care one bit what the driver was describing about the tour they had a great time!
They didn't want to sit on the same seat as me so they moved to their own. So grown up.
I know! Weird picture right? This is only one of the many crazy things that makes me believe that Arizona has some issues. I mean, who rakes their rocks? And for that matter, why not have grass? I know the answer is because it is the desert but don't you see grass in this picture? So it is possible.
Stef, this picture is for you. I thought you would get a good laugh at Jack's long body and short shirt.
The absolute best part of the whole trip was our drive up in the mountains. we drove up for two hours and still didn't get to the top. But we did get some really beautiful pictures. It is sad that the camera doesn't really show how high up we were but if you look closely you can see a rainbow. It was so pretty!
Oh, okay. So here is another thing that is kind of off about Arizona. I understand that it is close to the border and all but do they really stick the illegals in that sad little stray dog carrier thing on the bed of the truck? Get a van border patrol.
Once we drove as high as our rental Corolla could go we got out and started to hike. This was fun for the first hour...
Then it started to rain. Should have figured.
Jack hurt his foot and couldn't walk the rest of the way back so for the hour back we had to carry the kids. I took Jack even though he is the heavier one because Addie is much harder to carry because she is sooooo squirmy.
Back in the Corolla, wet but happy.So even though it wasn't the best trip ever it was still better than the alternative, which is what I am enduring at this moment and that is missing my guy. He only has two weeks left and I am flying up this weekend for a romantic spa getaway (SO EXCITED) so I just keep counting down the days.
Sidenote: For all you killers and crazys, my giant super strong dad lives next door to me and he will so kill you if you even think about bothering me and the kids while Levi is gone. Seriously, don't even go there. You WILL end up dead. Just letting you know.
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