Fun in the Arizona Sun

So we took one week out of our "one year in Winston-Salem" to visit our cousins in Arizona. I have to tell you it's really handy when people on opposite sides of the family choose to live in the same city! Chris' cousin, Ryan, got married on Saturday and I got to see my cousin, Rachel's baby for the first time!

Our travels are never simple flights from one city to the next. Even before leaving North Carolina, our plane had a hole in one of its tires. Of course, the Piedmont Triad Airport doesn't have a maintenance division, so a mechanic had to bring a spare tire from Charlotte. As Chris pointed out (complete with pit crew sound effects), the guy ought to be able to change the tire in 20 seconds flat if he was a true Charlotte resident (They're ALL race car fans, right?) Thanks to the 3.5 hour delay, we missed our connection and got to spend the night in Houston - arriving after midnight and having to be back up by 5:30 to catch our plane to Phoenix.
Anyway, we stayed in this two-story casita with Mike and Jane at this fantastic Hilton resort that had multiple pools, a lazy river, a water slide, etc. etc. I loved being able to eat/nap/read on the lounge chairs found on the patio outside our second floor. Ahhh beautiful Arizona sunshine! We also hiked Dreamy Draw with an expert flora and fauna guide (none other than the Mike Miles), and got in some great workouts as well: running along the canal, using the Tocasierra fitness center, and attending a yoga class - (Mental note: be sure to ask what type of yoga it is before you go strolling into a class full of upper-middle aged women. Kundalini yoga is much different than the typical Hatha yoga - let's just say there was lots of chanting and crazy breathing with your fingers on your nostrils...)
The wedding was beautiful - the bride and groom are so happy. I was watching for Ryan's reaction and right when the doors opened, he said to the pastor with such genuine warmth, "Man, she's so gorgeous." It was interesting because there were cousins of Chris' there that he had never met.

And one whom he's known but who has grown up radically compared to the day at our wedding when she, as a charming 8-year-old said something to the effect of, "This is my first party - it can't be over yet!" [Hi, Haley!] Dancing, eating, smiling for cameras, and balloons ... yep, definitely a wedding - (and a little bit of Wii and Guitar Hero too.)

Intermixed with the pre-wedding barbecue, the pre-rehearsal luncheon, and the post-wedding celebration back at the house, we got to see my cousin Rachel three different times. I can't tell you how exciting that was! She and I were best friends growing up (as we are only six months apart), and it seems like a long time since we've seen each other.

We went out to lunch on Thursday at My Florist (not to be confused with a recommendation from "her florist" as we thought at first). Then, Friday night, she, Kory, and baby Owen came over and Kory made THE BEST homemade guacamole ever! It was so much fun hanging out with them and just catching up - albeit slightly bittersweet as I realized what fun the four of us could have if we lived near each other.

We decided that we liked Houston so much that first night, that we volunteered to get bumped from our return flight (in exchange for two ticket vouchers). All I can say is that I need to find a travel size contact solution that comes in a 3 oz. bottle! (My four-ouncer had to get checked which resulted in me being a four-eyes for two days too long.)