This is a complicated post because it involves my brother. I haven't really spoken to my brother in about 10 years for reasons I won't go in to here, but dad wanted to go and see his son and his grandkids and Melinda and I volunteered to go with him.
No matter what, I can't even tell you how AMAZING it was to travel with these two. We haven't traveled together, just us, since I was in high school.
We rented a condo in Scottsdale and got out of the cold weather and into the SUN
We had some time to burn on Saturday morning, so we took a scenic drive up the mountain.
Navajo women selling jewelry
We had such a good time in Arizona, but honestly, I don't get the appeal of Phoenix, It was the 'in' place to move to after college and I know a ton of people that migrated down here. Maybe I'm just too much of a Yankee Midwestern girl. The ENTIRE place is brown on brown on brown. I'll take lakes and greens any day. Although, giant cactus are pretty darn cool.
Saturday afternoon we met up with Jeff and the kids and went bowling. I haven't seen Michael since he was about 2 and I held Emma as a baby. I was so good to see the kids
I hate bowling, but we had SO MUCH FUN. Dad was a giant geek, Michael was adorable and it was so good to hang with Emma.
We went to a park on Sunday, but Michael had a little meltdown. Jeff took Michael home, Dad went back to the condo to rest, and Melinda and I stole Emma and had a girl's day!
She is OBSESSED with all things Harry Potter, so Melinda and I spoiled her with gear and books.
Just the girls!
Dad didn't trust me with the wine selection and had very specific instructions. How did the funniest guy I know not get this joke??
We ate steaks the size of our heads
Not sure when the the last time we had our picture taken
Oh Michael. Melinda and I just fell in love with this kid. He is severely autistic, but seriously, just the cutest. He chirps and sings all day. He is obsessed with mirrors, so the next day when we were checking out of the condo, there were Michael fingerprints on every mirror in the house.
Overall it was a great trip. It was amazing to travel with my sister and dad, it was amazing to see my niece and nephew, and it was amazing to get the heck out of Missouri in February!
Matt is one of those guys that just needs one good guy friend. I need a flock of friends in my circle, but not Matt. Eric is that guy. They may fish together here and there, but they mostly go months without seeing each other until deer woods/hunting season. The deer woods is this amazing piece of private land in the middle of Missouri where they are lucky enough to have permission from the owner to hunt on. Over the years we've camped there and other various activities. They try to go down and work on the land as payment for the privilege to access it pretty much any time they want. Eric's kids and B&E have grown up together, (they are technically cousins since Eric and Matt were married to sisters). But it's a rare treat when all the kids can get together on the same weekend. Eric and Matt put so much work into this weekend to get all the kids there at once. The planets aligned, and even though there were some hiccups, they were able to all go on the same weekend. Even little Charlie got to go. This is his first big boy trip the deer woods and he was SO excited to be included. He's heard about the deer woods his entire life. They had SUCH a good time. The weather was perfect, everyone got along, everyone helped with Charlie, it was great. I'm hoping they get to do this every year for years to come.
They got a late start on Friday - Ethan had a choir competition. So they didn't hit the road until about 8pm
They didn't get in until about 11:30 at night
B&C - Bridgette drove down from Columbia late Friday
Ready to play with the big kids
Clay Pigeon Shooting
Getting an early start on gun safety with a BB gun
Smacked in the lip playing catch
I guess Charlie was a trooper all weekend except for the late Saturday afternoon walk down to the river (that's him lagging WAY behind and mostly crying - in dire need of a nap)
They gave fishing a shot, didn't catch anything
Charlie and Kelsey
Bridgette napping on the rocks....only Bridgette
All the kids! Bridgette & Charlie, Kelsey (Eric's stepdaughter) Alex & Aaron (Eric's boys)
OUT
Everyone was sleeping, so early Sunday morning Matt & Charlie went for a walk. Matt took a ton of pictures of Charlie, mostly because he knows my obsession with trickling streams (proof that, as much as I deny it, Missouri is the place for me)
Three stinky boys on their way home, not as chipper as on the way there.
