Goodbye Arizona

Goodbye ground.

Goodbye mountains.

Goodbye warm temperatures.

Goodbye, our family.  This week went too, too fast.

Tennis Tournament on Vacation! Part 2

Todd's follow-up tennis match was the afternoon after the first.  The mountains seemed to be covered in a perpetual haze.

Peekaboo!

I see an Owen!

While Todd was hitting tennis balls in his second match, Owen was busy picking dandelions.

Look at my sweet boy.  He's thinking about what to wish for when he blows on this dandelion.

Made the wish, but this is a tough dandelion.

It's not going anywhere.  He blows and he blows.

Success.  Some of the whispies are blowing away.

After Owen blew so hard that his cheeks hurt, he resorted to pulling the parts of the dandelion out and tossing them to the wind.

After the tennis match ended (Todd didn't win this one), we went back to the playground.  Owen climbed a tree.

While Chloe climbed the rock.

Owen thought the rock looked cooler than the trees and climbed up fast.  He looks proud standing so tall?

Our two monkeys hung out together while they watched over other kids trying to climb the rock.

Before we left, Chloe stood motionless for quite awhile watching another little girl play in the sand.  The other girl had siblings and her Dad covering her legs in sand, then she would lift her legs up and squeal with laughter.  Chloe just stood their quietly, with her arms crossed and a little smile on her face.

One last shot at the park before we left to go home.  The kids just love being with their grandparents and getting spoiled.  BIG THANKS to Papa Wenzel and Grandma Sharon for letting us stay with them for our week in Arizona.  We ALL had SOOOOOO much fun!

The week went entirely too quickly and there were still things on our list that we didn't get to do.  Perhaps next year, but just relaxing every day and not having to deal with work issues was wonderful.  Spending time with our family was wonderful.  Hearing our kids giggle and seeing them swim every day was priceless.

Swimming Pool Showers

Owen was enjoying the shower by himself as he washed off all the chlorine.

He wasn't very happy when his sister intruded.

Bean somehow hurt herself as she was getting scolded by Owen and us to give him his space.  Then the boy was concerned.

"Um, Chloe? Are you fakin?"

Kids, did you know we have eyes in the backs of our heads and know exactly what you're thinking?  All the time?

Chloe, let your brother shower in peace.  Daddy has some special hugs and kisses for you!

Love this girl child.  Look at those eyes!

Three little bunnies, eating their dinner in peace.  They let me get up close.

And then two little munchkins ran up behind me and all we saw were these white tails, high-tailing it out of there!

Then the kids high-tailed it back to the house :)

They move fast!

Playground Fun!

After Todd's tennis tournament, we drove to the other side of the big recreational park and found our monkeys.

She was a good 8 feet up in the air on top of this rock.  And very pleased with herself for scaling the backside of this rock that was completely vertical!

After the rock, they moved on to climbing the fence.

And seeing who could move along it the fastest.

Once they reached the end of the fence, they moved onto the trees.  The girl is limber!

Doesn't she look comfortable up there?  And pleased with her vantage point? :)

Can you find the monkey in the tree?

What about here?

Owen was so pleased with his climbing abilities that I got no arguments about smiling for pics!

Look at that boy up there, just hanging out!

Had so much fun hanging out with my Aunt Gail!  My Uncle Mike split before we got pics together.  Boo.

Tennis Tournament on Vacation!

Todd was supposed to play a match on Thursday afternoon, but got an email in the morning that he had already won.  His opponent forfeited the match.  So we didn't go out to the courts until Friday morning.  It rained on us a little as we drove over.

Nice courts.  The viewing green outside of the courts was raised for a good view of each court and their lines.

It sprinkled a little during the match and the skies looked nasty, but it blew over.

Todd played well and beat this opponent.  I love watching Todd serve.  I am in awe of the power that springs through his body as he bends his knees and then just releases his arm to hit the ball in an incredible jump.

Grandma Sharon had the kids occupied at the park on the other side of this recreational complex.  Papa Wenzel, Uncle Mike and Aunt Gail were all there to see Todd win his match.  It was a great morning!

Dog Walk

I tried to walk with Papa Wenzel every morning when he took Jude out for a walk.  I grabbed my camera several times and this is what I saw.

Love the clay tile roofs in Arizona!

Cool lamp posts throughout the whole neighborhood.

So many palm trees.

The texture of the trunks is the best!

It's alive!  Look at all the arms on this cactus.

So many golden flowers.  All over.

Cute little metal flowers.

Purple!!!

This cactus was almost as tall as me!