Christmas in Arizona -- "The Week Before"

Well we decided to surprise our kids and take a trip to Arizona for Christmas. They knew we were going on a trip but they thought we were just going to Provo (4 hrs away) for a few days. We didn't tell them until we were in the car, driving away. When we dropped the bomb, "We're going to Tucson!" we were met with mixed reactions from surprise, joy, shock, confusion and even some sadness (Renae was looking forward to spending time with cousins in Utah). But once we explained everything they all got excited.

It is a LONG 16 hour drive, but we took it in 2 days. We were welcomed with sunshine and warm temps. Some of my friends apologized for the cold temps and the "bad weather" -- it was cloudy and in the 60's a couple days and rained one night. That seemed like HEAVEN to us, coming from temps in the teens and twenties with a couple feet of snow on the ground.

We spent most of the week before Christmas soaking up the Tucson sunshine outdoors. We went to the park (no pictures), met old friends at another park (no pictures - sad!), Eric went off-roading with his friend Matt and with Mason (pictures below), Mason & Colby slept out under the stars one night, and we even had a family hike on Christmas Eve day (pictures below). We just couldn't get enough of the great outdoors.

Eric went off-roading south of Tucson, near the Mexican border.

They saw lots of neat ghost towns & old buildings.

An old church, in the middle of "nowhere."

This is the "border fence" --

I knew he was going close to the border but not THIS close.

Looks like a pretty wimpy fence if you ask me.

They were even stopped by the Border Patrol

 to make sure they weren't smuggling drugs or people.

Eric said he was glad they were stopped,

"It means the Border Patrol are doing their job."

Here is our family posing by a saguaro cactus on our hike.

Don't ask what Mason is doing to Colby's face....boys!

Hiking up the rocky trail.

We played "Name that Cactus" as we walked.

The kiddos posing on a big rock.

Just look at all the cacti in the background. I miss that!

Grannie with the kids at the end of the trail.

It was hot -- notice Renae's rolled up pants -- and we ran out of water.

Hard to believe it is December!!

Eric and I both have family in Tucson and all of our friends. It is hard -- no impossible -- to see everyone but we did the best we could. Sorry if we missed you.

To be continued....