back to reality

Tomorrow is our 3rd First Day Linky Party!  Set your cameras out tonight and snap away tomorrow.  

I'll meet you back here on Wednesday for a little show and tell!

<br /> <a href="http://www.journeytojosie.com"><img src="http://i496.photobucket.com/albums/rr321/thehanchan/firstday.jpg"></a><br />

We are home.

But I'm not quite ready to deal with the reality of unpacking.

A month long vacation deserves at least a week of slack as we fall back into our normal life, right?

The trip was awesome.  Pretty much unforgettable.  The kids are at a great age for travel like this.  Andrew and I couldn't believe how easily they both adjusted.  I run a pretty scheduled life at home and vacations are a free for all, so I'm never sure how they will do with so much spontaneity.

They rocked it.  

Which they must get from Andrew since I was begging Amber to bring me my planner by week 2.  I was jonesing for some order.

Gabe's toes are certified organic, gluten free, and totally edible.

Andrew and I were reminded why we don't have TV at home.

Let's just say Jack Bauer has my heart and 24 hours of my vacation as well.  Yikes.

The last day of our trip, my mom and I went and had massages.  

I'd never had one before.  As I laid there getting rubbed down by a stranger, I couldn't figure out why I hadn't.  Relaxed muscles are awesome.

Even more awesome?

Silence.

I suppose I need to do something about the lack of clean underwear in the house now.  And our empty refrigerator.

Back to reality.  Full speed ahead.

Doubled Up

This past week we doubled up our fun by adding two of our favorite Georgia Peaches to the desert.

Amber and Olivia flew in early Monday morning and (tear) flew back home today.

Amber is my perfect vacation friend.  

Our kids get along great, she likes to just sit and read, she goes to bed at a decent hour, and to top it all off, she changes poopy diapers for me.

After 3 weeks with all adults, Josie and Gabe were super happy to have a friend here.

We spent most of the week swimming and shopping and eating more food then I care to admit.  I'll just say stretchy cotton dresses will be my friend for a few weeks.

It was an awesome week.

Heck, it's been an awesome month.  

I can't count how many times I've stopped to think about this past month and wondered how I got so lucky.  This is a pretty amazing life I get to live and the beauty of it all isn't lost on me.  I'm going home with a renewed sense of the need to pay it forward.  To appreciate what I have more and to quit lusting after material things.  This trip has been soul refreshing.  

So much happy all bundled up in my heart right now.

We are flying home on Monday.  I'm more then ready to see Andrew and a little frightened at what the house probably looks like after me being gone for so long, but as usual, I'm not looking forward to not having my Mom up the street.  

The kids and I are going to fill the weekend with as many memories as humanly possible while trying to fit all our junk back into our suitcases.

Can you dig it?

The Pope Kids sure can!  

And this Mama can totally dig sand stuck to sweaty, curly heads and two baths in one day!

Train Park

The parks here in Scottsdale are insane.

They are huge and clean and some even have train rides and carousels!  If we had parks like this in Georgia, we'd never have to pay for entertainment.

A little comparison to make my heart hurt:

2009 (2 years old)

2012 (5 years old)

Desert Gardens

The desert is an amazing place.

Pictures from our day at the Desert Botanical Gardens.