It's a Snow Day!

We don't ever get to say those words in Phoenix, so it was fun to call today our official "snow day." It was a day with no formal plans where we could do what we wanted to do, when we wanted to do it (which, by the way, is Madelyn's everyday motto).

The weather was actually quite warm today, I think topping 60 degrees. The kids had a great time playing in the snow without jackets! Madelyn just couldn't get enough of her cousins! I'm not quite sure what she's going to do when she realizes they are headed back to Indiana tomorrow. :( She has really grown attached to both of them, as they have to her. It was so sweet to watch their relationship grow over these last few days. It makes me remember the fun times we used to have with our own cousins when we were little. And it reminds me that there is nothing more important than family!

This trip has been nothing short of fantastic! We all agreed that it was great to do a little sight-seeing, as well as just hang out at the cabin playing games. We also decided this is the way to spend our time together when family comes to town. No one has to feel like they are playing "hostess" and everyone feels relaxed! Here's to making great family memories, and to the many more that are sure to come!

  

I'll Have Some More S'Mores, Please.

Last night Grammy made everyone a special treat...s'mores! This was a first for Madelyn so we thought it would be fun to capture the moment:

Fun at the Cabin

When we got back to the cabin from our day trip to the Grand Canyon, we found ourselves enjoying all the fine amenities.

Pool seemed to be the game of choice for most everyone....except Madelyn that is! She preferred to be outside! Her cousin Mac took her for a sled ride around the back yard, and she hasn't had more fun since we've been here! We are planning a day at the cabin tomorrow so hopefully she'll get to spend some more time hanging in the snow.

We have been extremely thankful for the last bit of snow on the ground. It makes for a GREAT refrigerator for our beer!

 Click here for a few more pictures...

 

Grand Canyon National Park

This morning we set out on a road trip to the Grand Canyon. Since Chris, Mac, and Ethan had never, ever seen the most beautiful hole in the ground, we decided there was no better opportunity to go on this adventure.

We could not have picked a more perfect day to take this trip. The sun was shining and there was a slight breeze. The high hit about 57 degrees, so we didn't even need a jacket (well, Chris is a little less adaptable, and he did have on a jacket and hat for a bit).

Watching the boys' reaction to their first time seeing the massive canyon was so much fun. They had smiles from ear to ear as they looked out across the 10 miles of beautiful landscape. It always makes me happy to know that I was a part of someone's first experience while traveling.

Click here to see more pictures from the Grand Canyon.

While we were gone, Grammy & Papa stayed at our glorious cabin with Madelyn. She was long overdue for a good nap and as usual, Grammy had the magic touch. After not sleeping very well the last couple days, she took a three-hour nap! You go, Grammy! We told Grammy Madelyn would also be sleeping in her room tonight since she liked it so much for her nap. (We were joking, of course.) :)

I wonder what adventures tomorrow will bring....

  

Out of Africa Wildlife Park

Yesterday I took a trip to Flagstaff with Grammy and Auntie Kim. We spent the afternoon having lunch and indulging ourselves with a few spa treatments at Carrie's Day Salon (Auntie Kim's sister-in-law). Since we reserved this afternoon for just the girls, Chris decided to take the kids to the Out of Africa Wildlife Park in Camp Verde. He met up with Mac and Ethan's grandma and grandpa.

Chris said this was a great day with the kids! They all had fun watching the different animals and learning about their habitats. Of course, I think think their favorite par of the day was having a junk-filled menu for both lunch and snacks. I promised not to complain, after all, Chris was in charge while the girls relaxed and enjoyed some peace and quiet.

We having been enjoying our stay in Munds Park, even though we've been traveling to other towns quite frequently. As a matter of fact, a few of us are headed to the Grand Canyon as I type this. Chris, Mac, and Ethan have never been there, so we thought it was a great opportunity for a road trip. Meanwhile, Grammy and Papa stayed back at the cabin with Madelyn. We figured she's much too small to remember it (despite her amazing memory). We'll be sure to take lots of pictures while we're there and post again later.

Click here to see a few pictures from the zoo. (Our resident photographer---me---wasn't available, so Chris used his iPhone to capture some of the fun.)

 

Snowy Spring Break

For Spring Break, we decided to rent a cabin in Munds Park, AZ. Since Auntie Kim and cousins Mac and Ethan were coming out for the week, we thought it would be fun to get away from the daily grind and relax up north.

We arrived yesterday, and oh what a beautiful day it was! The sun was out, and there was about two feet of snow on the ground. Once we walked into the cabin, we were extremely impressed! It is beautifully decorated, and very spacious. Click here to see some pictures.

Madelyn really enjoyed getting to play in the snow. There was a patch of snow on the front porch, and she was quite content hanging there with Daddy, having a bit of a snowball "fight." However, since we didn't have any snow boots her size, we improvised. We found some boots in the closet (that seriously were big enough to fit me), and she was really excited to wear those, despite the fact that she couldn't walk in them. Because of this, we decided to make a trip to Flagstaff to see if we could find some that were her size. Since it's March, there weren't any snow boots, but we did find some rain boots that were almost her size. They aren't perfect, but that will do the trick for these couple of days.

We're excited to relax and have some more fun over he next few days! Stay tuned...more updates will be coming soon.