Arizona Part 1

Last Thursday Cordelia awoke early. I heard her in her bedroom. She was whisper yelling, "Is it time?" I tip toed in the dark to her room and assured her that we would indeed be getting onto a plane....when the sun was up. Then, from back in our bedroom, I heard Bumblebee get up and shake. The shake made her collar loudly jangle, the jangle woke Elise...and then we were all up. The sun soon followed as we gathered our belongings into a crazy big suitcase.
*For the record our luggage pre-kids would have been a carry-on each. Now we have two kids (one is always carried, the other occasionally), 2 car seats and one base, a suitcase that weighed 69 lbs.(it contained-clothes, diapers, a baby bed and we bought some stuff at Ikea), a large camera, a diaper bag, backpack filled with kid toys....

We left Bumblebee in the care of a friend. We headed to the local airport and met up with my parents and Sam.



We boarded our plane, ready to leave the land of snow and ice and wind. The flight was a very fast hour and a half! Cordelia continued her trend of being a good traveler. Elise had only a very brief meltdown and was otherwise an excellent traveler. It's funny though because we are now that family that people eye warily as we board the plane. Ha ha.

Anyway, we landed in Mesa with no trouble at all and gathered our zillion pounds of stuff, rented a car, installed car seats and were ready to go (easy breezy). My grandmother Carol was there to meet us. What a great feeling it is to see her smiling face waiting for our crew!



We drove to Leisure World (it's a real place yo) and met my brother Ben and sister-in-law Sara who had flown in from North Carolina! Family reunion commenced. Once we were all settled it was time for dinner, talking and family time. We checked out Grandma's patio and basked in the sun. Cordelia p-l-a-y-e-d until I thought her head would explode. She was in heaven. Elise was happy to flirt and pass from one set of loving arms to another, always returning to be with her momma.





The following morning we enjoyed a delicious and fruity breakfast before heading out to check out the Riparian Habitat. We walked the trails at a leisurely pace for a couple of hours.




The family...getting a photo where we are all looking at the camera and making normal expressions is impossible, fyi




Uncle Ben and Cordelia




Sara and Elise


Cordelia and I


My brothers...


Mom and Elise



Later we returned to Leisure World for some lunch and relaxation before heading off to the Flea Market.


Eric and Cordelia at the flea market

Once we were done flea marketing we returned to Leisure World. I went out for a little time with Ben and then we returned and took a walk with Cordelia before enjoying a large family dinner.



Join me tomorrow as I wrap up our trip in a sweet little package!