Vacation to Arizona part 1

We're Back! What a trip! We had an amazing time in Arizona. Joel did absolutely great the whole week. I won't complain about him waking up at 4am every day because he handled our two hour plane delay yesterday like a champ. Here's a brief blurb about what we did every day. It's easier to post about a couple of days at a time because i tend to get a little carried away and include lots and lots of details.....this is my online journal, remember?? Enjoy!!

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Saturday the 23rd: Arrived in sunny Phoenix at John and Jamie's house. Joel did great on the plane! Didn't seem to bother him at all! Scott's cousin Taylor had her graduation party that night, so we pretty much just celebrated with the family and ate wonderful graduation party food.

Party Set-up. John and Jamie are one of the few people in Phoenix to have actual grass in their yard. The climate is way too dry, so most yards we saw were just rocks, cement, and plants.

Joel likes Arizona

Hanging out by the pool with Zach, Jesse, Stacy, and Tatum

They had some cool lights set up for the partay

Jesse liked the lights.

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Sunday the 24th: We traveled to Kartchner Caverns State Park. This was a sweet cave with lots of formations and minerals going on. Joel even made it through the caves! The cave was just discovered in the 1970s and had tons of stuff to see. There was a huge formation 5 stories tall, and lots of long "soda straws" they called them, hanging from the ceiling all the way to the floor. They wouldn't allow us to take pictures in the caves but we took a few outside....

On the way to the caves. Joel was such a great trooper, having to travel around in his car seat so much!

Out the window on the way to the caves. The landscape is very dry, brown, flat, and hot (Duh Liz, it is the desert!) Yeah, i know, but it's just so completely different looking than Iowa! I missed seeing green everywhere!

the "kids". Zach, Stacy, Jesse, Scott, Me, Joel, and Ty.

The Carson/Pfantz Family

Jesse got an enormous jawbreaker for the way home

Part 2 to come soon!!