Arizona Land of My Home

I love going home. It is so nice to get away from the city, change up our day-to-day routine, and spend some good quality time with family. The girls and I left for our vacation to Bryce (Pima) Arizona on the 13th. We left for the airport at 7:30 in the morning. That is a little early for us to get everyone up, dressed, hair done, and fed. So, I gave them a banana before we left and then pack some bagels and snacks for later. Gaupo drove us and it was so nice to have great weather while traveling. I wasn't all wacked out by the time we got to the airport. Summer travel is so much better than winter! We got to the airport and got checked in. Gaupo got a gate pass so that he could come through security with me and then we went and stood in the security line. It was pretty long but luckily moved pretty quickly. When we get up to the security people who check your ID's and stuff we found out that the agent had typed Hason on Gaupo's gate pass and they were not okay with that. They told him he had to go get another one, so we decided to make a hasty non-romantic good-bye and I head through security to the train by myself. It actually went really smooth. Everyone can walk so we all walked through the scanner thing, the stroller went through the stuff scanner, so we just got our stuff, crammed the kids in the stroller and went to the train. We got on no problem and the girls liked watching it go. We arrived at our gate, and got the gate check ticket for the stroller and hung out. We had our bagels and the girls had a blast running around and playing by the moving sidewalk. We got on the airplane and the girls did really good until the end when Kylee was way done. Finally I told her we are on the ground look. She looked and said "GROUND! We are on the GROUND!" She was so happy to be done. 

Tia and Kylee playing by the moving sidewalk.

Papa and Klaire met us at the airport. Actually we had to wait a little for them, but I wasn't going anywhere by myself with 2 kids, 2 backpacks, 2 car-seats, a stroller, and suitcase. They got there after not too long and we went and had lunch at Burger King. Then we went to my house. Oma was there when we arrived she was way excited to see the girls and she was pretty excited to see me too. I kind of don't remember what we did exactly. I know we had dinner, played downstairs, took baths, and then I watched a movie with my mom. I thought it was a pretty good first day.

Kylee playing with "that thing we pull to Oma's house."

Kylee and Tia playing with the car-seats while waiting for Papa and Aunt Klaire.

Sunday was a little wild. We had church at nine which wasn't really a big deal. It was just that my kids were up at the crack of like 5:45, so the normal time I  get to have getting ready by myself was like nonexistent. At church the girls did SUPER good. Kylee sat with Oma once she was done playing the organ and Tia was pretty content playing her Cherrio game and wearing beads. After Sacrament meeting I took the girls to Nursery and left them. It was a little rough, but they both were happy as clams when I came to pick them up. Its been a while since I have gone to Relief Society and Sunday School and needless to say I am a little out of practice for sitting still for 3 hours. It honestly was kind of hard. Luckily the RS teacher had some action in her lesson. After church, I drove us home. We had lunch. My cousin Michayle was staying for the weekend at my house too, so she and her girls had lunch with us. Then it was nap time. After naps the kids played and everyone pitched in to help feed the army of 17 that was coming to dinner that night. It was fun we had good food, fun, and although my kids got tired at 7, so I had to put them to bed and miss part of the party I was glad to see everyone. 

Monday started bright and early. It has to in AZ if your going to beat the heat for your run. Klaire and I went running together. Kylee also woke up and so I talked her into laying on the couch and watching a show while we went running. My dad was around, but he had chores and to get ready for work. However, she loves watching TV and I came back, so she was fine. We had scriptures and prayers and breakfast. We sent Michayle and her girls off for their fun in the mountains. We had kind of gotten settled from that and the Boyd Bryce's decided to come up for a swim, so we went swimming. The girls had a really good time. Although, Kylee was really nervous and wouldn't do anything. Which is why I made her go to swimming lessons later that day. Yes, I literally forced her to go and came back in the house and started crying because she was having such a rough time of going. However, she did great, and I think it is paying off. That night we had dinner and FHE. Then we just kind of chilled.

Tuesday also started off with a run and Kylee watching another show. Then we spent the morning entertaining ourselves until Oma got back from quilting. We played downstairs, upstairs, on the main floor, and in the garage. When Oma got home we went swimming. Kylee did a little better, but still was content to sit on the step although she was the one that insisted we go swimming. Tia LOVES the water. She "jumps" into me, lets me dunk her, goes down the slide into the pool, tries to walk off the steps, and just loves being out there. After swimming it was lunch and naps. Then Kylee had swim lessons again and it was a lot less traumatic that time. Then I hurried and got the girls bathed, gave instructions to my cousin Kamry, and dashed out the door with my parents to go to the temple. Have I mentioned how awesome it is to have family so close. I mean my dad picked up my babysitter just to help out, and I was able to have my cousins watch my kids. It is SO great. Anyway, we went to the 5:30 session at the temple and it was so wonderful. It was full of peace and there was no rush, no long stressful drive, not a million other things to be done, just the temple. It was great. After the temple we went home had dinner. Klaire and I played card games when she got home and then it was time for bed.

Wednesday we went on a run, but this time Kylee was still sleeping. Although, she did wake up before we got back and opened the door and called out. So, Papa came and took care of her for a few minutes until she understood and Oma was back. That morning the girls made noodle horses with Oma and we played and played. During nap time when Klaire got home, we went swimming. The girls woke up really early from their naps (Poor Oma I thought they were going to sleep longer), so Oma brought them out to the pool to swim with us. It was fun, but I was TOASTED. When we got in from the pool we got cleaned up and went to Kianoa's for dinner. I had never been there, but it was really good. When we got home we sent the kids to bed and played games.

Not sure the exact day of these pictures, but here is Kylee trying to convince Tia to lay on her blanket for a picture.

Riding the wiggle car. One of the many fun toys at Oma's.

Kylee and Aunt Klaire wearing matching shirts. Kylee insisted on this picture.

Thursday Klaire and I did a workout video because my dad wasn't around because he had to go to Bisbee for work. Kylee watched us and did some of it with us. Then after breakfast we went to the park. The girls played hard. Kylee climbed up and down the slides. Tia climbed up things, went down slides, rode the teeter totter substitute, and ran around. When we got home we still had time, so I don't remember what we did, but did something until lunch. I think it was swimming again. Then naps and stuff. That night for dinner we had biscuits and gravy. So good. Then after I got the girls bathed Klaire and I headed out to play Ultimate with her friends. I was a little worried I would seem like a old lady out there, but her friends honestly don't care, so it was so fun. We played Frisbee for a while and then mission. Klaire I don't think was quite ready, but I felt kind of bad leaving my mom home alone, so we went back. I really enjoyed meeting Klaire's friends and playing Frisbee. I love that game and miss playing it. 

Friday we did another workout video. Then I got showered really quick and had breakfast and then went to the temple to do Initiatory. Bless my mom's heart she watched my kids again and they loved it. When I got back, we played some more. I finally caved into  my craving and told my mom I really wanted some R&R bread-sticks, so we went and got some for lunch. We came home and ate them, and put the girls down. When Klaire got home, we played card games until I started having ill feelings from losing, so we decided to do something else. Then when the girls got up we went swimming all together. That was fun. We finally talked Kylee into going in the boat. Tia had done it the day before, but we hadn't convinced Kylee. However, once she got in she really did enjoy it. While we were swimming Papa came home. So, we got out and cleaned up. Then we had dinner. After dinner, Papa agreed to take us down to visit Papa Ross and to do it one four-wheelers. We could only get one to start so the four of us all got on one and went down. It was fun. I don't know why by I LOVE driving four-wheelers with my dad. I love going through the desert with him. It is one of my favorite things to do. I was really sad that we only got to do a little short one due to him having to travel, but I still loved it and so did my girls. That night we played games together, and got ready for me to leave.

Saturday we got up had breakfast and got out the door to the airport. This time I had to pack lunch because it was right during our flight time, but it did give us something to do on the plane. Also my mom was able to get a gate pass to come with me, so that was fun to have her around for a few extra minutes. When we finally got to Denver; it was wonderful. It was so good to be with our Daddy again. We chatted the whole drive home. We got home Gaupo had dinner in the crock-pot all we had to do was throw some steaks on the grill. Then we went to the park. Came home and did baths. Sent the kids to bed and enjoyed being together. It really seemed like a long day, but it was wonderful to be together again.

We had a super great trip. Also, sorry for the severe lack of pictures.