Arizona Vacation

I was blessed to live in various places while growing up because my dad was in the Army, but it made the question, "where are you from?" difficult to answer. Now though, I simply say "Arizona." The Phoenix Valley was the only place I lived more than a few years and so it has earned the title of "childhood home." 

I won't say I miss living in Arizona on the daily. In fact, I don't miss it pretty much ever. Well... Unless it's blizzarding outside and I have errands to run. Then I miss the dry, brown landscape of the Sanoran Desert! Buuuut, I must admit, I do love a good AZ vacation. Why you ask? 

Answer: free housing. Free food. Free access to a car. Pool in the backyard. Time with my parents. Catching up with friends. In n Out (duh). Ability to see palm trees. No snow. And In n Out once more for good measure (double duh). Among other things.

Frankie and I always seem to find some creative adventures to go on while we are in town as well as some not so creative ones. We like our lame traditions and we are not ashamed! So what if we go to Target a million times, eat our weight in burgers from In n Out and walk aimlessly around Tempe Marketplace every other day?! It's what you do in the Valley! But at least we make up for it by going on some fun trips to the mountains and stuff. Woooo!

Ultimately though, the best part of our AZ vacations is relaxing at my parents house with, you guessed it, my parents. It was hard to realize until I moved away to CO, but I've got some pretty rad parents. And the fact that my husband gets along with them so perfectly makes them even cooler. There's nothing better than seeing your spouse joke around with your father like they're long lost buds. 

Now that we have Cana, I was so excited to vacation in AZ this Christmas! We got to escape the frozen tundra of Denver and relax with some very excited grandparents. I honestly don't think I've ever seen my parents so enamored. They love our girl to the moon and back. And they love Frankie and me so well too! It was such a blessing to have a constant helping hand and endless offers to watch Cana while we relaxed, showered or even SLEPT!!! 

It was so sad to pack up and leave, but absence makes the heart grow founder, right? I suppose. 

Now, enjoy these photos as I begin planning our month long summer Vacation road trip to the Big AZ! 

First flight... Let's not talk about the amount of screaming....

They don't like her at all. What a shame.

The best babysitter ever: the toy dangler. 

The sink was made for baby baths apparently! 

Party hard. Til 7:30pm.

We took a drive to Tortilla Flats (population 6) and Cana demanded to try on this cowboy hat. 

She devoured this bottle for a good twenty minutes.

We took the light rail downtown for dinner and didn't anticipate the cold, so Cana got to wear this tiny hat of hers. 

In n Out. Nough said.

We got to go on a date! Four Peaks for dinner and Hunger Games afterwards!