Our Trip to Arizona was Awesome!!!!

I loved Arizona. Kevin and I had such a great time. No true blog entry this time. Just pictures with descriptions about our whole trip and a few final thoughts about the trip. It was a true vacation and a vacation from the whole health regimen to be a cancer free health nut.

Here I am happy as ever in Sedona.

We went to a spring training game (Rangers beat up on the Mariners). The next day we went to the desert botanical gardens where they had a Dale Chihuli exhibit there temporarily. (the same glass blower who made the famous Bellagio hotel ceiling in Vegas) This piece was absolutely amazing. This piece is way bigger than us. (love our new camera)
We took about 700 pictures this vacation. Insane right??? Well, we were learning how to use the camera and there was so much to take pictures of. 
It was in the 70s, 80s, and 90s in Pheonix and Sun City. Sunny every day. Beautiful. Here is Kevin looking cute by the blue swirly glass sculpture.
After the botanical gardens we went to Sedona. This was such a beautiful and peaceful place. 
We stayed the night and went on an early Pink Jeep Tour (the famous tours in Sedona) for two hours to go inside all of the beautiful red rock mountains. It was so much fun.
From Sedona we drove up to the Grand Canyon. Yeah!!! We stopped at just about every viewing point along the entrance. Neither of us are scared of heights, so we got really close to all the edges. There is this quiet mild wind sound there that is so calming.
I was so excited to finally be at the Grand Canyon on a beautiful day. It was amazing. Pictures do not do it justice. You really have to stop, breathe, and take it all in. 
Then, we hiked down the canyon. We went to about the mile and a half mark, but had to hike back up because the sun was setting and we wanted to take more pictures (of course). The trail was really cool and I would have loved to hike there all day (but we only had so much time)
EARLY the next morning, at 6:45, we got up to take sunrise pictures. It might be warm in Phoenix, but it is COLD in the morning at the Canyon (in the 20s) I was freezing while we were outside the hotel trying to get the pictures.
We did get some beautiful shots so it paid off. I could have gone hiking that day too, but we wanted to get back to the warm weather in the valley of the sun (Phoenix area).
So, that same day in Sun City we made it out on a sunset golf cart ride at the golf course across the street from my Grandma Arlen and Tom's house (this was our home base for the trip). It was 80 degrees back there. Ahhh warm. I can't believe this was the same day we were freezing at the top of the Canyon.
Kevin had to fly back Monday and I stayed a few extra days. My grandma and I went hiking at the White Tank Mountains. She did the shorter route and I went further up. It was beautiful and hot. We had lots of fun. She is one active grandparent. 
Tom had a birthday while I was out there and we had a nice dinner for my last night. 
They were very hospitable to us. My favorite part was going in the back yard, picking lemons, oranges and grapefruit from their trees and making fresh squeezed juice to drink. Yummy and so healthy when it is that fresh.

People in Arizona seem very nice. Everyone we encountered was so friendly.

I also got to go to a couple parties with their friends in Sun City. They had very nice friends who love to party.

I also went to my grandma's tap class with her and danced. They are good. It was actually enough to push me over the edge to get really serious about finding dance classes in the area.

To finish, 10 things I love about Arizona

1. My grandma and Tom

2. The funny quail that are constantly running across the street really fast

3. The sound of the air at the Grand Canyon

4. The sunset and sunrise in Sedona (incredible and colorful and also warmer than the Canyon). I still love the sunrise and set at the Canyon.

5. Riding around all of Sun City with the golf cart

6. The lemon, orange and grapefruit trees (I would love to have those in the back yard)

7. Cottontail rabbits all over the place (at any time you look you will see at least two)

8. My grandma's citrus juicer (I have been squeezing my lemons by hand every day. I am totally getting a citrus juicer)

9. The warm weather in the spring (and the complete lack of clouds)

10. Hiking everywhere (Sedona, Grand Canyon and the mountains around Phoenix)

There are many more things, but I'll leave it at that. Chloe is on my lap and it is hard to type. She has been attached to me since I got home. You can tell she is so happy I am back home.

Okay, I'll be blogging very soon. 

Lots of love and warm rays to everyone

Shannon