With COVID restrictions relaxing and life becoming more and more safe for my kids, getting out of dodge had been more and more a priority. The COVID life has had various layers of really-hard for my family, but since November I've had a particularly difficult season. We had covid over the thanksgiving holiday which was concurrent with loosing all of my back office staff at the clinic. Between making up for lost time while sick & school closures, the holidays and the significant increase in clinic demand during Christmas AND having no staff to support me during that time, my already notable work load nearly doubled--taking nursing triage calls during dinner and working until after 11pm had become the norm into January. February brought significant medical visits for both kids leading to new medical issues that now need to be addressed and my mother found herself in the hospital for a week and needing nearly a month of rehab in her home thereafter. Not to mention the Seattle Winter Gray--uggg. It was A LOT. I admit, I cried out more than once "Lord, this yoke is NOT easy. The next step in front of me has to be Yours". We needed to get out of town. I needed to get out town.
The criteria was set--Warm. I needed the sun and lots of it! No cooking. No cleaning. Somewhere we've never been. Pool for the kids. Space for me to read after bedtime. Everything else was negotiable.
Location: Phoenix.
Day 1:
I can't say it enough. My kids are STELLAR travelers. Even after 3 years of being grounded, they stepped right into their frequent flyer shoes. (Maybe when your first exposure to family life is a 5,300 mile flight to America, you are predestined to travel greatness??) Both kids also know that traveling is one of the two times that they have access to their tablets, and there is usually a surprise tucked away in their backpacks...which means momma gets to read uninterrupted on the plane. #mommasnotstupid
Turns out the Great State of Arizona has a fabulous drink called a Shirley Temple. It's because the drink is ONLY available in Arizona it became a daily poolside treat. Too bad Washington doesn't have them. *shoot*. We'll have to visit Arizona again someday. *wink*
Day 2:
When planning for our trip I stumbled upon a Expedia package deal that included a hotel at the River Ranch Waterpark. Oh my...this was incredible. We have been ruined for any other hotel pools!
Day 3:
Early morning swim in the 'normal' pool' followed by a drive to Tortilla Flats in the heart of the Superstition Mountains and a boat ride around Canyon Lake.
Tonto National Forest...coming from the PNW, these "forests" were giving me a good giggle.
Prickly pear lemonade:
The Dolly Steamboat on Canyon Lake:
Day 4:
Gramma joined us for the last half of the trip. I love that my kids are filling their memory tanks with special Gramma times (that is something that I did not have as a child).
Isaac literally threw a ball back and forth in the pool for a hour. Mila had a big win in the pool--she never learned how to breathe & drink at the same time (something that is learned through safe feeding as a infant); getting her face wet in the shower or pool is a big anxiety producing event for her. I hadn't found a way to help her take those first steps toward swimming independently by blowing bubbles in the water, UNTIL I accidently threw a ball in her direction, it splashed her in the face and she was willing to throw it back to me. It was an ah-ha moment. I spent the next 45 min accidently-on purpose throwing the ball so it splashed her in the face and she didn't complain (or choke) once. POOLSIDE WIN!
We adventured up the South Mountain to Dobbins Lookout for a panoramic view of the Phoenix area. Flaaat-pile of rocks!-flaaat-pile of rocks! is the best way I know to describe the jarring landscape.
Massive win for me in the evenings: I left my work phone and laptop behind, gracefully asked my staff to not call me, took social media off my phone and brought a 450page book, which I read cover to cover. A real live get away.
Day 5:
An early morning visit to the Botanical Gardens before the real heat kicked in. Both kids were interested in taking their own photos. Despite 315 deleted photos later, they actually found some really great shots!
*****
More pool time. The lazy river has become our #1 favorite spot. At one point, around one of our many turns around the river, the kids were peacefully floating in their tubes, I was walking slowing in the water between them, the sun was warm and perfect, we were surrounded by the fragrance of jasmine and chirps of doves, quails and grackles and despite traumatically breaking my toe in the lazy river (don't ask), I thought THIS. This is perfect. Sensory heaven.
Day 6:
A last dip in the pool before packing up and grabbing lunch with some local friends. They recommended their favorite gelato place, which did not disappoint!
On the hottest day of our trip (nearly 100) we swung by Arizona Falls before heading to the airport for our now delayed late flight.
1145pm. Woody is officially done with traveling.
We collapsed into our own beds at 0100, sun kissed, relaxed and ready to add many more lazy rivers to our travel list.
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