A year ago, our move to Arizona held with it a promising future and great expectations. While Ryan looked forward to a new job and finally beginning his career, Braden and I had our own hopes for what was to come. For Braden, it was the Grand Canyon. For me, wearing sandals at Easter. While wearing sandals at Easter seems a small thing in comparison to the grandeur of the Grand Canyon or a job twelve years in the making, to me it is all about the underlying significance. Sandals at Easter means no more spring flowers dredged in snow; no more tiptoeing through slush in open-toe pumps; no more winters in April and May.
It was then with some excitement that Easter weekend we headed north for the Grand Canyon. Our short 3 1/2 hour drive was full of anticipation and speculation, though plagued with car sickness as we didn't even make it out of the valley before our first incident. Nothing could dampen the moment though when the six of us peered over the railing for our first look at the infamous canyon. I think Emme said it best when she said, "It looks just like a picture way out there."
Taking two two-year-olds to a steep-sided canyon that drops 6000 feet was a bit unnerving to say the least, so it was not long after that we piled back in the van for the next leg of our trip. Thankfully we were headed just an hour away to Flagstaff where our friends the Tullis' live because our car, a car seat, and a couple days worth of toddler clothes were in need of a good steam cleaning.Other highlights of our trip: hiking down to a waterfall near Flagstaff; sliding down a natural 80-foot water slide in Sedona; and sledding. Yes, sledding. The kids were thrilled to wake up Saturday morning to find snow. We left the mid-west only to find snow on Easter in Arizona. We have been teaching Emmry a new word... ironic. Yes, I would say it was ironic. But strangely, the snow did not dishearten me despite my great
expectations for Easter this year. In a way, at someone else's home in someone else's town, the snow helped us to feel at home. 
4 comments:
Looks like a fun trip!! I'm glad nobody fell in the grand canyon (with twins I guess you never can tell) :)
You are always keeping it real. I am amazed at all the journeys you take, even with carsick kiddos. By the way, you look amazing. I would never guess you had four kids and twins to boot!
I am still learning this thing...
I love seeing the family grow. I have a question for you... when we were in Primary together we did we do something with a tie. I think we cut it depending on how well the kids sang? Do you remember and is that what we used it for?
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