Grand Canyon

The weekend after Valentine's Day, Daddy (aka Pop) and Jillian (aka Auntie JJ) came to visit for a whole week! They flew into Pheonix REALLY late and we stayed in a hotel there. We woke up the next morning to travel to the Grand Canyon. Y'all, it was awesome. We enjoyed a picnic lunch before Justin began his 19 mile round trip hike down the canyon and back, while Daddy, Jude, Jillian, and me enjoyed the scenic drive and breath taking views. (Unfortunately, I find no thrill in hiking 19 miles in less than 24 hours, nor does sleeping outside where bears, mountain lions, and other critters roam thrill me, but it does my husband and I graciously support his wild endeavors.)We stayed there over night, enjoying good food and the amazing beauty of God's creation. The mere vastness of the Grand Canyon was thrilling. We saw elk at one view point and there were literally only 5 feet away from us...these make our little while tail look puny. Jude LOVED being spoiled by Pop and Auntie JJ. He even rode with Pop to McDonald's in the morning all by himself and was a big help in bringing in the food, haha.

The weather was wonderful there too. It was cool, but not nearly as bad as I was afraid it would be. We did see a lot of snow on the trip up but there was very little once we got there.

On the way back home, since Justin and I loved Sedona so much, we wanted Daddy and Jillian to see it too and it was only 30 minutes out of the way. We enjoyed same amazing food there as well, the beautiful rockscapes, and the shops. As you can see, they had some really neat things there and we really enjoyed having a good time being silly.

My Dad is a mess. He wanted to carry Jude the whole time and did not want to use the stroller or carrier. He literally kept him in his arms pretty much the whole time he was here, haha. Once we got home, we were able to get to church on time for the Sunday evening service and use the next few days to show Daddy and Jillian our town. They enjoyed the beautiful mountains and the authentic Mexican food. More than anything, just having a piece of home means so much. We shared some really special memories that week, including Jude actually saying "Mama" for the first time...not Baba. He didn't know what to do once his buddies left!

When we dropped Daddy and Jillian off at the airport, Justin, Jude, and I also travelled to Seattle, WA. We went for some things for Justin's job, but we got to enjoy the amazing sights of the city. The harbor was beautiful and has so many interesting and cultural sights. I really enjoyed the opportunity to visit a place I never thought I would.

In other news, Jude's 1st birthday is creeping up in a few short weeks and we'll be making a visit home to NC for his baby dedication and big birthday bash soon. We are so excited to be with almost ALL of our family on both sides to celebrate in this special time with us! :)