Dogs in the Desert

While Nick and I were off gallivanting about California, our pups were being well cared for and loved by their grandparents in Arizona.  (Technically, they are Belle's parents, not grandparents, but we don't need to get into the complicated family dynamics.)  So, when we got back from our trip, I worked for one day, then headed to Arizona.  The joys of a job share....coming back from Christmas break for just one day, then having the rest of the week off.  I highly recommend this whole teacher job share thing.  Anyways, I was so very excited to be reunited with my pups.  It's crazy how quiet our house felt without them.  And, I think being away from us really bonded the two of them.  Look at Belle resting her cute little head on Brontie's paw in their designated sleeping spot.

Brontie and I enjoyed a couple of long walks through the desolate desert.

Brontie is my gentle giant.  I was leaving the house to visit my parents at their school, but could hear him wailing as I was getting in my car.  It was the most pathetic crying and whining I have ever heard from him.  He was making sounds that ripped my heart right out of me.  I couldn't bear it, so I went back inside.  He came up and buried his head in my chest and would not move.  I took my hands off of him for a second to pull out my phone for a picture, and he just pushed his head further into me.  Poor guy thought I was leaving him again.  I love his little sensitive spirit.

While I was out there, I of course had to meet my mom and dad's classes.  I even got to teach each class a lesson while my parents worked on their report cards.  It was a lot of fun to get to see my parents in their new role as teachers....they are really good at it.

Then it came time to head home, so I packed up the dogs in the car, and we drove home....poor Belle!

And having them home is SO good.

The only picture I got with one of my parents on the trip....

My dad was asking me what some of my favorite apps are, now that he has his very own iPhone, so I showed him face juggler.  What more could you want?

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the desert

Last weekend, we headed out to Arizona to visit the parents.  Most of the weekend was spent on the river, boating and floating.  Nick had to come home on Saturday, and my parents headed out to a wedding in the afternoon, which left the three of us girls on our own.  Since it was only 121 degrees outside, we decided to head to the store, stock up on candy and ice cream and popsicles, and spend the afternoon watching a movie.  That evening we drove into Lake Havasu to have dinner and visit the London Bridge.  It felt a little like the Olympics were just down the street.  The rest of the weekend was spent helping get my parents' classrooms ready (that's the whole reason they wanted us to come visit) and of course, more time on the river.

My parents start school tomorrow, and my dad is about to embark on his first year of teaching!

CRAZY!!

Pray for them.

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Ode to the Desert

Over the weekend, we journeyed into the desert, where we participated in some very desertous activities.  I have never found the desert all that aesthetically pleasing, but I suppose it has its own beauty.  And, it sure does offer vast open space to play in.

So play, we did!

And we were having so much fun, that we decided to play some more.  We rode 45 minutes to an abandoned mining town in the middle of nowhere so that we could explore and ride around some more.

Sadly, we were missing a sister

This picture is decently accurate.  Kristina is tall and skinny, but her shoulders are actually the same size as each other in real life, and she doesn't have as much of a man body as seen here.  Oh yeah, she's not see through either.

We are so super tough.

I'll be honest, we have done our fair share of making fun of the desert folk (no offense to my desert family....you were always excluded from our making fun.)  But, these ATV's won our hearts over, and now we get why people head to the desert for these wild adventures.  We make such great desert dorks.
Ride on ladies, ride on!

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River Rats

Amy, Kim, two of my aunts, and I took a quick weekend trip out to Arizona to visit my parents.  Grandma just so happened to be staying with my aunt Sandy out there already, so we got to hang out with them as well.  It was a mini family reunion, and poor Dad was the only male member of the family represented.

The weekend consisted of squished together driving:

(and taking lots of pictures with our new iPhones)

Thrift store shopping:

(Except, this particular store was not a thrift store after all.  It was a Christian bookstore.  Who would have thought?)

Being river rats:

Being blown in the wind:

And lots of dominoes:

Our friend, Linda, who we had not seen in forever, was at the river this weekend, so we spent much of Saturday out on her boat with her.  It was very fun.  You may notice a sister missing.  Don't feel too sorry for her.  She is voyaging along the canals of England as we speak.  We did miss her though.

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Thanks to everyone who entered the giveaway!  I will announce the winner tonight or tomorrow.

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