Spring Break in Arizona

Since I don't get a real spring break, I made my own this year and went to visit friends in Arizona. I just had to see Lachelle's new baby Ellie, and it was a good excuse to go out there and enjoy the nice weather! I have decided that travelling in my life is just never as easy as it sounds, yet I continue to do it! My back was still hurting a little, so sitting on a plane for that long wasn't the least bit appealing to me, but I survived. I flew from DC to Salt Lake on Thursday night - along with my Institute teacher, my bishop's daughter, and another guy in my ward (I can't take that flight without knowing someone on it!!) and went from there on to Phoenix. Ironically, it took almost as long for me to get to AZ from Utah as it did for me to come all the way across the country when it was all said and done!

It was pouring in Phoenix when we landed, but I was ok with that since it meant that things would cool off a little! Just as long as it stopped raining for the baseball game we were going to on Friday, I was fine with it! Well, I waited for my bags. And waited. I hate checking luggage, but these days with all the restrictions on liquids/gels, you just about HAVE to check things. Then they changed carousels, and we all moved. I started wishing the pink and white polka dot suitcase that kept going around and around was mine. The bags kept coming, and I kept waiting. And waiting. Until finally the belt stopped, and it was one other guy and myself left standing - no more bags in sight. We went to talk to the Delta baggage guy, who assured us that he would find them in the computer - just as soon as he finished tagging all the unclaimed luggage ... unclaimed because those people's flights hadn't even arrived yet. Well, my suitcase was on another flight that would come in later, and since Lachelle had already been waiting for about an hour by this time, I gave them Nicole's address and told them to deliver it when it arrived. At 9:30 the next morning, I finally got it ...

Lachelle picked me up and we went back to her house so I could meet little Ellie. She is so stinking cute!! Nicole was already there when I got there and we hung out for a little while and then went back and crashed at her place. Friday we had to hang out until my luggage came, since I couldn't really do anything until I had it! We met Lachelle and my cousin Stacey for lunch at a cute little place in downtown Mesa. We didn't have a long time to catch up because ...

Nicole and I headed to Hohokam Stadium for the Cubs-Giants spring training game. There were sooo many people there, so we had to wait in traffic forever to find a nice man to let us park in his driveway (after we paid him of course). Of course there were lots of scalpers trying to sell tickets - our favorite was the guy that said "need a ticket?" And we nicely said no as we kept walking right passed him. Then he said "need a man?" ha ha That's Spring Training baseball at its best! :) The game was great - the Cubs won, and since that is their 'home field' it was great - although all the little boys around us were huge Giants fans, and knew pretty much everything about every player on the team! Maybe if Barry Bonds would have played it could have been a different story. Hmmm.

Friday night Lachelle, Rob, Ellie, & I went to Cafe Rio, my favorite restaurant on earth! I have to take advantage when I'm near one to go since it is a little piece of heaven. Ellie's first Cafe Rio experience was very exciting ... she slept the whole time! Good thing loud noises don't phase her :)

On Saturday, Nicole and I went to get massages (since my chiropractor told me I had to get one ... that's one doctor's order I'll willingly take!) and then met Lachelle at the mall. We found the cutest little dress for Ellie to wear on Sunday (I thought I'd teach her young ... just like her Aunt Shanna ... to buy new clothes for church every week! ha ha But since all of her other dresses were still too big for her, she needed it. Its never too early to learn the art of justification either)! I went to a ward BBQ with Nicole, and then we hung out at Lachelle's that night watching a movie and playing with Ellie.

I went to church with Lachelle on Sunday - and thank goodness for Ellie keeping me warm during Relief Society! She is so cute,

I could just hold her all day (and practically did - sorry Lachelle)! I gave Ellie many-more-to-come photo shoots while Lachelle was cutting fruit and Rob was playing X-box ... I love her little face in the one on the left! I think she was sick of me taking pictures of her :)

Ellie spent a good deal of the weekend trying to figure out who this other person holding her all the time was ... my favorite is when she tries to suck her thumb. With a little help, she can do it for a little while, but she's just not quite sure what to do with the rest of her fingers, and when it comes out, she starts flailing around trying to get it back. Soooo cute!

I went with Nicole to dinner at her parents house with all her cute nephews, and then went to see Stacey and Ryan for a little while. Then we played Settlers at Lachelle's house before crashing that night! Lachelle took me to the airport on Monday, and that began my journey home ...

I was suppossed to have an hour and a half layover in SLC, so my mom was coming to the airport to meet me. Well, it ended up being about 3.5 hours, which was fine with me because that meant that rather than hanging out at the airport, we went home house for a few minutes to hang out with dad and Josh. Kelli left work early to come and visit me for a little while too! It was a very welcome break from the airport and planes! :) I also got to see mom's new glasses ... and tried to steal them for myself (I really liked them)!!

The only bad thing was that it meant my flight didn't even leave SLC until 7pm, putting me back in Virginia at 1am ... then waiting for my luggage (which did come this time, thank goodness!), and then taking a cab home. I wasn't about to make anyone come get me at that late hour - which I started second guessing when I had Mr. Chatty Cab Driver on the way home! When he asks what smell I am wearing because I made his whole cab smell good, I start to get a little worried! But, I survived and even ended up giving him a pass-along card when he dropped me off. By that time it was 2am and was simply elated to be back home in my comfy warm bed!! No doubt though, it was a great weekend and a perfect getaway - just when I needed it!