MUCH TO BE THANKFUL FOR IN 2008!! part 1

So after months of waiting, literally, our much anticipated thanksgiving family vacation was here. Aunt Darlene and Uncle Doug Williams had invited us up to their 160 acre horse ranch in Pie Town, New Mexico. (we can gather the origin of the name as their is more cattle & horses then the population of 300 people)

With the move and everything, we didn't get to take a real family vacation this summer so we were all definately ready for this (although we were not looking forward to the 12 hour drive pulling the trailer.)

Fortunately, my brother John, his lovely wife Allison & their boys Alan & Hyrum, live at the exact halfway point between here and there. It was perfect since I haven't ever been to see my brother in Phoenix (I mean who goes to Phoenix just to go?) They agreed to put up with us for a whole day and 2 nights. It would be fun... if we got there with our sanity intact.

Mostly we were concerned for Tyson. He HATES the car, just like Kierstin did at that age. When she gets frustrated with his tantrums in the car we roll our eyes and tell her we are reliving her life in dejavu!! Now she has a taste of her own medicine.

How were we to survive the 6 hour trek? In style of course...

We just let Tyson drive...problem solved!! (j/k for all you concerned mothers this was taken when we were actually at the ranch, lots of land, no other vehicles around).

This is how we survived... see the blank stares?
Portable DVD system of course that the gamecube can plug into.... nice thing about it?....
2 seperate screens that can play 2 seperate DVDs so not everyone has to watch Max and Ruby the whole way there and back. Although we LOVE Max and Ruby, we've read the Rosemary Wells books for years and were delighted when they made it a cartoon. Tyson can't live without it. We couldn't live without it on our trip! Of course you have to have yummy snacks to top it off.

We left Sunday, an hour and a half after church and arrived about 6 hours later in Phoenix just in time for some yummy dumpling soup Allison made for us (I need that recipe) and bed.

The next day, Bryce saw a hill behind their house (several tracts away) and suggested we all hike it that day. John & Allison informed us it is actually a popular hiking trek so we all loaded up and went.

It a perfect AZ day to go hiking.... about 78 degrees intead of 178 degrees!! It was about a mile up.

Off we trekked, Alan was feeling so well but he was quite the trooper. Even the dogs came, ours, Tiki and their corgie, Buddy. He sure got a workout carrying snacks and waterbottles in his doggie backpack (can you see it in the pic on far left?) John & Alison claim, corgies were trained cattle dogs and he needs the extra workoout.... hmmmmmmmmmm.?

Tyson was sure ready to stretch his legs after an all day drive the day before. Dad leads the way,

for a while....

I wish I could have ridden up there in style!



Bryce & Brian led the way. We had to practically run to keep up. At about this point, we still had about 1/3 way to go but Tyson had enough. Dad took him back and apparently got a good workout the way down as he fell asleep as soon as he hit dad's shoulder. They had made it a little past the half way point so it was a good workout.

The rest of us made it to the top and a fantastic panoramic view of Pheonix. John infomred me that is NOT smog in the background, it's desert dust. I didn't realize how large Phoenix is. I guess it's the 5th largest city in the US? Amazing that many people would want to live there. They must be there for the same reason John & Alison are, he loves his job.

We got back and had pizza. Danny helped John get the ceiling fan working he'd installed in the boys rooms last summer. We had lots of fun visiting, and playing games and cards.

Thanks for putting up with us John & Alison. We loved visiting with you!!