This was the first year in a long time that we actually planned a Spring Break trip. Typically, we end up with a last minute trip to OK and KS, which is awesome also! But this year, I found cheap tix to Phoenix for the kids and I, so we left Jim and Ava home to bond.
The adventure started when her deepest heart's desire was grapefruit (over doughnut, croissant, cookie, etc) and Adam was willing to eat the other half? Weird kids. However, it wasn't conveniently cut around the triangles like mom does at home so she scooped, mashed, squeezed and mangled that poor thing to death, but she won the fight!
A direct, 3 hour flight - not too bad thanks to iPads!
On a recent fast food trip with his best friend Grant's family, Adam discovered he loves cheeseburgers. This is such a crazy new thing for one of our kids, I don't even know how to describe it appropriately. The amount of time we've spent trying to order a cheeseburger from Braum's without the meat is ridiculous. At least Laura will eat chicken strips and nuggets, but Adam usually chooses to go hungry rather than choke down something he finds offensive. So eating out has reached a whole new plateau for us!
Anyway, we were starving when we got off the plane and didn't see any restaurant other than McD's, all the way to the hotel, so that's what we ended up with for lunch.
And dinner was at the hotel, which is what we did every night for dinner. They had a fantastic free buffet and we were all happy every night. With these kids, this trip was NOT going to be about going out and eating at fancy new restaurants. So breakfast and dinner at the hotel for free - perfect!
The first evening, we tried to take a walk around Old Town in Scottsdale to find souvenirs and ice cream. But #1 - I accidentally took us down the artsy fartsy walk instead and #2 - EVERYTHING is closed on Mondays.
So no ice cream or old west stuff (except this bench) and only postcards at the knick knack store and we went thru DQ on the way home. So far the first day, we ate at McDonald and Dairy Queen! Good thing we went all the way to Phoenix for that! Ha! Off to a rocky start, but still happy.
Tuesday morning, we hiked up to Hole-in-the-Rock, a park in the city that has a...well...a rock with a hole in it. We walked down into the hole and checked out the view of Phoenix. Its a good introduction to the area.
Its a little bit different landscape than Minnesota!
Laura was so into the cacti. I think she thinks she's going to move there when she grows up. I think I should take her back in August before she makes that decision.
BIG saguaro
This turned out to be on of our most favorite places of the trip.
She really likes the cacti.
I got to go somewhere I haven't been in years!
We spent a lot of time in the pool, probably not a big surprise. When I was done, the kids would literally spend a half hour every day standing 4 feet from each other and splashing each other. I can't believe it was that fun for that long, but they sure were happy.
That night, we went to see Beauty and the Beast. Lovely, but the cartoon was better (especially the yellow dress and Be Our Guest).
Wednesday morning, we visited the Pueblo Grande Museum to see some 2000 year old ruins of the Hohokam culture. It was interesting, but I wouldn't say any of us have a huge desire to become archeologists.
The gorgeous tree behind the kids is a palo verde. Some varieties (not this one) have this super strange green trunk that looks rubber. We learned it is because it has chlorophyll like leaves. The tree's leaves are very small to prevent evaporation, so they trunk evolved to help make food from the sun too. Cool, huh?
Checking out the inside of an example pueblo was pretty cool!
After plenty of educational, natural, and cultural stuff, we needed some plain old fun. We went to Castles n Coasters for mini-golf, bumper boats, and unlimited arcade time.
That night, after more swimming and Teen Titans Go (the tv show that has replaced SpongeBob for the favorite when we are in hotels (no cable at home)) and dinner at the hotel, I decided we needed to go up one of those beautiful mountains around town. We snuck into South Mountain Park just before the gates closed and drove to the summit in time to watch the sunset.
Such twins
She is so pretty
Thursday morning, we swam one more time, then headed to the Arizona State Capitol. Its become a tradition that I insist on if we happen to be in a city that is also a state capital (did you know capital is the city and capitol is the building?). The kids gripe about it, but oh well, what doesn't kill you...
My mom loved Barry Goldwater
Lunch was at the farmer's market next to the capitol with AZ oranges and Mexican food. Yum. Then on to the airport and home to see Jim!
Guess who was on our plane to Arizona and on our rental shuttle? Our neighbor that shares our bus stop. Crazy coincidence! Hi Alexis!
