My Trip to Arizona (Super Long)

I know I should probably write about Christmas, but since this just happened I am going to write about it first. I got back today from a wonderful trip to Arizona. It was crazy, kind of stressful, fun, weird, and most importantly a great visit with family.

I left on Friday (26th). I know super horrible to do the day after Christmas, but that was the day I needed to go. Anyway, it started snowing at around 2PM on Christmas day. It was the beautiful falling snow and my first Christmas snowfall so I didn't have the heart to complain. However, the snow kept up through the night and covered our snowless area. This would have been great except for the fact that I needed to get to the airport. Gaupo was working until noon, so I played with the girls, got Tia a nap, and got us some lunch. As soon as Gaupo got home we got in the car and started out. It was going pretty well. The roads were sort of plowed, but people really were not being safe enough for the road conditions. Consequently about 20 or so minutes into the drive we witnessed a car lose control. She was calling or texting (not looking at the road) and she glanced up and accelerated, then the car in front of her put on its breaks and she slammed on hers and the car fishtailed, spun around, and she ended up off the road. Safe but off. It was really scary. We also hit a couple patches of ice, but Gaupo kept us under control. We were safe, but that didn't mean that I wasn't stressing about being safe, getting to the airport on time, etc. Finally we get to the airport, and Gaupo is going to park to help me get in, well everything is FULL. I mean everything. We drove around for about 10 minutes and Kylee kept asking "What are we doing?" To which we started responding, "Praying for a Miracle." Well our miracle came. We saw a car pulling out and we pulled in. By the time we had parked, and got our stuff out of the car I had about an hour to get through security and to my plane before it was scheduled to leave. So, I decided not to check my carseat. 

Well, as I got in the security line (which was long) I noticed that one half of the airport said West Terminal and the other part said East. I started freaking out because I thought I might be in the wrong terminal. Well turns out it doesn't matter. But anyway, I start try to go back through the line, but my brain is not functioning properly and I can't figure out how to wind my way out so I start going under the ropes. Well, this is effective put very hard because I have a baby, a roller bag, my backpack, and carseat I am lugging around. So of course my bag falls. Then a nice couple says "Do you need help?" To which I desperately respond "Yes. I don't know if I am in the right spot. I don't know what to do." They tell me that I am, but I am still not convinced and don't know what to do. Well at that moment, a airport guy comes by escorting a older gentleman through the security line and asks if I need help. I say "I don't know if I am in the right place." He asks me what airline I am flying and I tell him US Airways, he then opens up the security line for me and this older gentleman to cut to the front. 

As I go through security Tia is so not helping me hold her and I am still kind of struggling and looking really pathetic. Well a nice guy with 3 kids asks me if I need help. I accepted and he helped me get the carseat onto the conveyor belt, while I got my liquids out of my carry-on. So, I finally make it through security and I find out I have to take the train to my gate. I am not sure this is what I am suppose to do, because previously the only time I have taken the train is when I go to baggage claim, but I decide to do it and it took me to the right place. By this point Tia is so not helpful. She is so squirmy, and my gate is all the way at the end. By this time I have like 25 min till departure time. Yeah I am stressed. So, I just book it down there as fast as my load will allow, get my gate check for the carseat and finally settle down. I leaned our stuff against a pole sat down with Tia on the ground and had some chocolate. 

Well, we waited and waited to board the plane. It started boarding about 10 min late, which I thought was not big deal, but it took FOREVER for the plane to board. As I was boarding I must have looked helpless again because another guy asked if he could help and I said yes he could take the carseat. So, he hauled it down to the plane for me. I am really so grateful for all the help I had. Once we were finally on the plane it took forever to leave. There was some kind of hold up and then they had to de-ice the plane, so by the time I finally left my plane was about an hour and half late. Tia was really good on the plane and the guy next to us was really chill which was good because Tia kicked him while trying to fall asleep and kept trying to go through his seat-back pocket. Finally we arrived in PHX. I learned from Denver that holding on to Tia probably wasn't the best. So, I strapped her in her seat and then the seat to my bag and then headed out. She was SOOOO much more content. My mom met us just outside security, and my dad came and picked us up. It was so nice to finally be on land.

Tia on the floor at DIA.

The drive home was uneventful, but was nice because I got to talk one-on-one with my parents. Tia traveled good and we got home around 9:30. My siblings were playing a game, but I decided to just watch which is highly unlike me, but I wanted food and to keep and eye on Tia. I still had fun watching them and visiting with them. It felt so good to be home. Tia had a blast finding all the things she shouldn't touch and getting her wiggles out. I think I finally went to bed around 11:30.

Saturday morning I was awakened by Tia opening and closing the closet door. I apparently didn't have the pack-n-play far enough away. However, she did sleep till 7, so it wasn't too bad. When we woke-up everyone except Papa was still asleep and was that way until about 8:30 or so. Tia, Papa, and I just talk and sat and let Tia roam around. At around 9 we had breakfast and I put Tia down for a nap. Then around 10:15 we went to high school to play Frisbee. It was so fun. I loved running hard in to cool air, catching, throwing, and everything. I LOVE Frisbee. Every time I play I wonder, why don't I do this more and then I remember oh, yeah two little reasons (Kylee and Tia). They are great reasons but oh it is so exhilarating to play. Kitt invited her friend Dillon to come so we played 4 on 4. It was a lot of fun and we mixed the teams 3 times so everyone played with everyone. It was so fun. After Frisbee we cam home. I cooked up some fajita meat I marinated that morning and we had a lunch of burritos and tamales. It was so tasty. During lunch Tia went down for a nap and I took a shower. Then I played game with Kitt, until Ian, Klaire, and my mom joined us. I really liked spending so much time with Kitt. Then that night was the whole purpose of going to AZ--Kitt went through the temple. It was so awesome. The session of course was great, but I loved being in the Celestial room with my family. We had a lot of extended family there, and so it was so cool to be surrounded by family. I also loved seeing OUR family together. I missed my Guapo and Klaire, but I loved knowing that they were worthy to be there. I am so grateful Klaire watch Tia, so that I could go and not have to worry about her. Once we got home from the temple, we had brownies and ice cream. Then my siblings and I chatted until about 11:30 again when I threw in the towel to go to bed.

Gaupo and Kylee were here by themselves. From what I gather they had fun on Friday and Saturday too. Friday they got home with only one scare on the road. Then they played, and watch Princess Diaries while having Chicken Nuggets for dinner. Then on Saturday they went sledding, took care of Moca (our neighbors dog), watched Mulan, went shopping, and had fish sticks for dinner. They had a really good time. Sunday they went to church. Kylee loved nursery and wanted to stay with Gaupo after church for his Elders Quorum meeting. Then they had Mac N Cheese for dinner. 

Kylee's hair done by her dad.

Front view.

Kylee posing in her new dress.

Sunday Tia woke up around 7 again. This time I woke up from the door again although I was sure I had moved her bed far enough away, but it wasn't just that. When I woke up my eyes say what looked like Tia pulling herself out of bed and straddling the sides. I jumped out of bed say "TIA, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" Luckily my eyes were tricking me and she was just playing with the door but it still scared me. No one was up when we got up. Papa was I guess, but he wasn't out in the living room. Although, he did come out soon after we came down. So, we just let Tia play again until I thought it was time to get breakfast (8:30). So we had breakfast and Tia went down for a nap. During that I read my scriptures and got ready for church. Tia woke up and I got her ready and had lunch and then we went to church. We had to sit in the very front row, so Tia kept trying to crawl up the stairs to the stand. I finally moved a row back and that went over better. Church was good and other than chasing Tia because she is only one it was good. After church, I packed my bags, taught my family how to play Quiddler, and helped with dinner. Around six we had dinner. My cousin Mary Anne came to visit with us. It was kind of a crazy meal, but it was super tasty my mom did a great job. Then around 7 chaos felt like it erupted. Gaupo called so Kylee could tell me about the day and good night, Tia was having a fit because she was super tired, there was still dinner conversation going, and we trying to get ready to leave for Mesa. Finally, it all ironed out and we were on the road. It was good to talk with Dad and Kitt, so I am glad we left the night before.

Tia in her new dress. Thanks Oma.

Tia and Aunt Kitt chillin' in the hotel.

Tia being so cute!!

Then there was today. It started around 3:30 when Tia started sounding like she was going to throw-up, so I hurried and grabbed her and took her to the bathroom. However, she kept it all down. I put her back in bed and went to sleep. Well around 5:30 she did the same thing, and I rushed her to the bathroom and this time she did throw-up. She felt really warm to me to and I was kind of worried. I asked my dad to give her a blessing and he did. I laid her down and went back to sleep. Well, the blessing worked, but we didn't wake up till 7:30 when Gaupo called. Tia still wasn't awake, so I read my scriptures for bit and started getting ready. Then I started to get Tia ready and had to wash her hair because it had vomit in it, gross. Long story short we were late getting out of the hotel. We stopped by McDonald's for lunch and rushed to the airport. Well, I didn't check in the night before (lesson: ALWAYS check-in ahead of time if you can ) and it was about 50 min till my flight was going to leave. So Kitt, Tia, and I went to check in. Well the line was long! So, we called Dad and told him to go ahead and come in. Well, luckily he did because he knew you could print your boarding pass downstairs. He rushed down there and got those for me. We jumped the ropes again to get out of that line and went up to security with everything again. So, Kitt and Dad went as far as they could such a great help. Shout out to those two for being awesome and remaining calm while I was not. So, they let me take the employee line because I have a baby (thank goodness) and I go up and get through but they have to hand check the carseat and it takes FOREVER. I finally get the seat and we book it to the gate. If I could have ran I would. When I get to my gate the door is closed. Luckily there was still a lady there. I rush up and ask, "Is this to Denver? Can I still get on?" Bless that sweet lady because she opened the door  and let me on. Once on the plane, the steward carries my bag and all is well till we get to Denver. Here it was snowing and blowing. Kylee and Gaupo were here to meet me and after a restroom break we headed out. It took us almost an hour and half to get home but it was without incident, so counting my blessings. We were late enough getting home that Gaupo called into work and said he wasn't coming. When we got home we had lunch, the girls and I took naps, Gaupo played a game, and it was great. Then Gaupo got a call with another blessing, the person who was scheduled to work tonight got stuck and couldn't make it, so we decided to send him in so he could make up the hours. Let me tell you Heavenly Father cares about me and my family and blesses us.

Blessings: ability to make up hours, made the plane both times, got home safe, got to be with Kitt in the temple so the reason I went turned out perfect, family who loves me even when I get upset, stressed and don't make the best decisions; Tia's health and the Priesthood, peace, and many more I can't think of right this moment. 

Lessons: Check-in ahead of time, have Gaupo take the whole day off work if I am going to travel, don't travel during rush hour, be patient, I really need to work on being calm and going with the flow. I am better than I was, but it still needs work.

Thanks to everyone. Thanks to Mom and Dad for transportation. To my siblings for putting up with me especially Klaire for sharing her room, and Kitt for sharing a bed with me in the hotel. To Gaupo and Kylee for taking care of things here so that I could go. I could not have done it without everyone. 

WOW WHAT AN ADVENTURE!