Trip to Arizona 2009

The kids and I were able to go to Arizona June 14-21. My brother Mark, his wife Mariley, and their two boys Jens and Kale were visiting from Texas (where Mark is in Medical School) so, we all stayed at my moms house and got to hang out lots!

I don't know if you can see this enlarged but, it is the view from my mom's backyard, it's amazing, you can see a lot of the Valley.


On Sunday we got in a little after noon. We got to spend the day at my mom's with my brother Martin and his wife TaNee and my brother Mark and his wife Mariley and their two boys Jens and Kale.

My mom had set up a blind date for a couple of her friends at her house, for them to come over for our family dinner and play games, it was fun.


On Monday the 15th, my brother Michael, his wife Wendy, and their girls Sera and Cassie came over to visit and we sat out back and enjoyed the nice weather and the kids enjoyed playing together in the back yard and toasted Smores'.Wendy and Michael

Sera. Michael, and Cassie toasting marshmallows.


Grace hanging out on the back fence.


Kale



Grace, Kale, Jens, Sera, Cassie, and Michael JR.


On Tuesday the 16th, we hung out at the house in the morning, my sister in law Mariley showed me how to better cut Michael's hair and in the process gave him a hair cut, YES! Thanks again, Mariley!
Grace having fun, hanging out at Grandma's. This was her favorite place to be while at Grandma's.

Later that afternoon Mark, Mariley, the four kids, and myself went to the Tempe Town Lakes Splash pad and had some fun in the water.
When we were done at the Splash pad my kids and I went for a old tour of Mesa and stopped by 2 of my old casa's

The place we called home from Jan.2002-Oct.2005. Michael's first room was the one with the blue tint.


My first LDS church building.


The house we lived in when I was in 8th grade up until the summer before 11th grade.

we ended our tour at my FAVORITE store EVER, Fallas Parades or as I call it FP. If you are ever in Mesa you should check it out, it's on University and Mesa Dr., and so WONDERFULLY cheap!


On Wednesday the 17th we swam and my Uncle Aaron, his wife Deb and my cousin Aaron Jo came over and swam with us. Michael ended up going to Maricopa to spend the night with Aaron, Deb and A.J so Grace and I just hung out at the house.
Michael, Aaron Joseph, and Jens, swimming at Grandam/Aunties.


Grace enjoying the pool.



On Thursday the 18th, Grace, Mariley, Jens, Kale and myself went out and did some of my kind of shopping, the .99 cent only store,FP again and lunched at Rosa's right next to FP, YUMMY!

Jens, Grace, Mariley, and Kale on the carousel outside of the .99 cent only store.

Then I dropped Mariley and the boys off so I could go pick Michael from his sleep over with Aaron Jo.
Aaron Joseph and Michael enjoying some i-c-e-c-r-e-a-m!


The Richards family came over and we celebrated Erica's 17th Birthday with them.


On Friday the 19th my mom was SO graceous to let me hang out with my best friend, Mandy.
We had lots of fun! We started out at the yummiest place to have French toast, the Egg&I, then got pedicures, shopped at FP, went to AZ Mills mall, and had linner at Mimi's cafe, the best place to get French Onion soup. French was a theme of the day I guess, LOL. Mandy dropped me back off at my mom's and we hung out the rest of the night.

On Saturday the 20th, Mariley and I started out the day at Walmart...I was a good girl a didn't get too much. In the afternoon we caravaned to Anthem with my mom and Mark and his family, where my brother Martin and sister in law TaNee live. They bought a house out there about a year ago and I am glad I got to finally see it, it's really cute.


Martin and TaNee

Michael, Wendy, Sera, and Cassie met us out there too.


A picture of our caravan to the rec center. Martin and TaNee are in the lead, followed by Mark and Mariley and family, followed by Michael and Wendy and family, followed by mom, Michael Jr., Grace, and me.

We got to pet some puppies,had a picnic, rode the park train, and then we all went to the Anthem recreation center water park, it was so FUN!

Michael, Sera, and Cassie riding the train, it was great to be able to play with cousins!


Family picture. Left to right and back to front: TaNee, Martin, Mariley, Cassie, Kale, Me, Mark, Michael, Wendy, Grace, Michael Jr., Mom, Sera, and Jens.


My mom with 4 or the 6 grandkids. Cassie, Jens, Grace, and Sera.


Gamma and Grace, tender moments.

After the water park those of us who were traveling back to the East side of the valley caravan ed to In and Out burger and had my last supper in Arizona. When we got back to Mesa we stopped at Krispy Kreme to get a going away desert for me and the kids and a father's day present for Grandpa Matheny. After Krispy Kreme, we went and visited Grandpa and Grandma Matheny, it's always nice to see them! We got home at about 10pm and I got the kids ready for bed and getting up at 4 am then, I packed our suitcase and went to bed myself.

On Sunday the 21st we traveled back to Iowa just in time to celebrate Father's Day with the love of my life!

Unpacking wasn't even started until Monday and Tuesday due to our busy Fathers Day and having daycare children first thing on Monday morning. We had a great time in AZ and the weather could not have been more perfect! I miss my siblings and mom terribly but, I am sure that Heavenly Father has called us to Iowa and it is great here.