The Sunshine State

Okay, so we didn't actually go to Florida. We went to Arizona, which one could easily call The Sunshine State as well. Or the Hot As Sin state. Which is why we decided to visit in February.

First on the itinerary were the Casa Grande Ruins. I think that anyone who has ever attended an elementary school in Casa Grande or any outlying cities must have been to see these. It's actually a National Monument. Somehow I must have missed that field trip. I must say that I had never seen them before. Hadn't ever really had a desire to, either. I just thought they were a bunch of old mud buildings- which they are. But I felt a slight shame at growing up in Casa Grande and never actually seeing THE Casa Grande. They were actually a lot bigger than I thought. And impressive. Who knew that there's something worth seeing in good ol' CG?

You know that my child hasn't ever seen much of Arizona when he asks me, "Mommy, what's a cactus?"

I sometimes feel that Melanie gets the shaft when it comes to pictures. After all, she's the third. We don't sit around a look at all the faces she makes and take 15 pictures a minute. Plus she looks so much like Erik we could probably just use half of the pictures we took of him and, when she grows up, just use those as her baby pictures. But I'm trying to be somewhat fair.

And yes, those are earrings.

We took some pictures while we were at my dad's. I had to get a picture of the two baby cousins! Paul is such a cute dad, and I'm sure he'd gag if he heard me call him, "cute" anything. Little Adrian is huge! Here he is sizing Melanie up and considering how long it would take to devour her.

I really don't think my brothers and I look all that much alike.

And I think we look even less like my dad. But I also don't see the total resemblance between my mom and I that everyone else sees, so who am I to decide?

Here's dad karate-chopping the umbrella in self-defense.

Next to Kent is my grandma- I LOVE that woman! As I was uploading these pictures, I was bummed to realize I didn't get a picture of her with Melanie, or any of my other kids for that matter. Next to her is my aunt Debbie, then my dad's girlfriend, Gina. And then my dad. Then it's me, my little brother, Michael, and my big brother, Paul. Jacob, the boy in the front, is my cousin.

I NEEDED to see my best friend, Kim, while we were there. So we decided to meet at the Children's Museum. I loved it, and so did the boys. Much better than our museum here.

No, Erik. You probably don't want to jump.

Speed demon.

It's times like these that make me think my kids might actually turn out okay and be friends. Maybe.

Ahh, my friend Kim. I miss her!

Did I mention that Taylor has a drinking problem? Yes, those are all beverages in his cart.

Back at my Nana's house, Kimberly, my little sister, was pulling the boys around the backyard in the wagon. She kept giving them whiplash, so they decided that it was safer to just lay down.

The month before we went out there I would call my Nana and (jokingly, of course) tell her that she couldn't keel over until we got there and took a picture of our 4 generations of ladies. So here we are!

I almost wish that we lived by them. It was so nice to see family. I admit that I sometimes resent the fact that my kids won't have what I had growing up- weekends with cousins and aunts and uncles. But I guess these trips will just have to do for now. Especially since I don't think we'd be capable of surviving a summer there.