Bron Surprised Me with a Trip to Arizona for My Birthday!
^^Breakfast at Snooze^^
Anyway, my 35th birthday landed on a Friday. Bron took me out to breakfast at Guppy's Hot Rod in town (with our silly little third wheel, Conrad) for some seriously delicious high calorie food. He kept hinting at some big surprise. As Bron headed off to work for the day, he told me to be all showered with makeup on and hair done by 5pm. Of course I assumed we were going on a date!
Bron walked into our bedroom at quarter til with two very excited giggly boys; Bron had told them the surprise.
"Want a big hint?" Levi asked. "We're getting a boys' weekend until Monday!" He fell onto the bed laughing.
I looked at Bron a bit confused. "What? Where are we going?"
Bron chimed in. "You're going to Arizona to visit your sister... tonight! Your plane leaves from Boise at 9:23PM."
I was so surprised I burst into happy tears. "What? For reals?!" My sister means the world to me. To spend the weekend with her in warm sunny weather would truly be a vacation dream come true.
Bron launched into all the details (like how we'd be staying in a hotel in Gilbert paid for with points) and before I knew it, I was kissing him goodbye and hopping into the car with a small suitcase.
It felt so surreal. It was all such a big surprise that I could hardly wrap my head around it all! Excited would be an understatement.
Lauren picked me up from the airport in Mesa, AZ. She had known about this surprise trip for a couple of weeks and had an entire weekend planned of places to eat around the valley.
And so began what will undoubtedly go down as one of my life's most memorable weekends!!!
^^Look at these two good lookin' cuties! Rachel was gearing up to run a marathon in a week and Lauren is a High Fitness instructor/health enthusiast.^^
^^Taking silly pictures with a big belly is way more fun than without one. Thanks, Baby.^^
^^I think we need a name for our little trio.^^
^^I'm seriously part desert lizard. I stopped to soak up the warm sunshine every chance I got! And then my sister and cousin would giggle and want to take a picture of me. There are A LOT of pictures of me from this trip. Just what is it about being pregnant that makes people want to take a picture? I mean, I know I'm funny looking. Do we have to memorialize it? I guess so!^^
^^It's impossible to take ourselves too seriously. We love to laugh.^^
I called my cousin Rachel and invited her to join us. Luckily, she totally could! Bless her husband. Rachel feels like a second sister to me.
It was SO FUN to hang out with a couple of girls who are so much like me. It must be a family thing. For example, we all live for food (duh!) and when Lauren realized we were both singing the obnoxious instrumental parts to a song on the radio, we both busted out laughing. I am so happy there is someone else in the world who does the same weird things I do!
One of the best parts of our sisterhood (including Rachel) is that we don't hesitate to jump into something adventurous. I thought it was interesting how we all just seemed to gravitate towards the boat rental at Tempe Town Lake. I took a brief look at the options and prices and handed over my credit card. It wasn't even a discussion! We rented a peddle boat and had the best time soaking our feet in the water and disturbing the birds. Best. Hour. All. Weekend.
The three of us shopped til we -- well we didn't drop -- we just ran out of money.
We also went on a few small hikes: one to the top of A Mountain and another in the South Mountain Park and Preserve. It's a huge urban desert park on the south side of the city. We made it to the top of a "peak" there because there has to be a destination with a view, right?
We spent an evening chatting in the hotel hot tub.
Lauren showed me how High Fitness works as she prepared a few new routines for her classes that week. I want to go to a class now! Super fun.
The crowning highlight by far however, was all the FOOD! Lauren was our guide to gluttony around the greater Phoenix area. We drove all over the place for the best food in the valley and I don't regret a thing.
In two and a half days we ate at:
Backyard Taco
Dulce Vida Gelato
Culinary Dropout
Snooze
Nekter Juice Bar
Joe's Farm Grill
Breakfast at Snooze in the morning sunshine cannot be beat! The fresh pressed juice and french toast was absolutely delectable. And we filled up so much on the mouth watering soft pretzels and cheese at Culinary Dropout that we couldn't eat our meal! Also, I could talk about that gelato all day. Wow! It was heaven for my mouth. I'm pretty sure it was so good that Baby Boy begged for more. Lastly, the garlic fries at Joe's Farm Grill made me glad that Lauren and I are family. Stinky breath! But oh so worth it. Haha.
^^Three flavors of gelato heaven.^^
^^View from the top of A Mountain. We made it!^^
^^My inner sun worshipping lizard was showing again.^^
^^Pedicures!^^
^^Look at our pretty toes! Also, did you notice that I wore shorts and a yellow dress in February?! Miracle!^^
That's our weekend all summed up in pictures and a blog post. It doesn't quite do the experience justice. Sisterhood and sunshine is simply good for the soul. I feel like a whole new person since coming home; the winter blues are real and that was just the pick me up I needed to push through.
I love you, Lauren! I love you, Rachel! I miss you already.
And I love you, Bron! You selfless man who knows exactly how to make his wife happy. I am so undeservedly spoiled by you. That was the most amazing birthday gift.
P.S. A few of hiccups:
1. While checking into the hotel, we found out that they'd rented our very name and room reservation to some stranger?!? Weirdest thing ever. Um, no. That is not my husband. I am not going in there. But it all worked out.
2. An older gentleman asked when I was due during our breakfast at the hotel one morning. He gasped when I told him I still had four more months! I laughed it off; it's not a big deal. I know what I look like. But then when we were loading onto the elevator, a few other people had overheard and were guffawing and asking me questions. "Did I hear that right? You really have four more months to go?" and a host of other comments and opinions. You guys, let's make a pact here and now to just not say anything about a woman's size, especially when she's pregnant, okay? It's annoying and can be borderline rude.
3. On the flight home, I wound up with FOUR packages of cheese, meat, and crackers on the plane. They were given to me by the sweetest flight attendant who said she was passing the kindness on. One passenger bought another passenger's drink and so forth. It made me smile. People are good. I really try to keep to myself in situations like that -- you know, be a friendly face but not strike up a conversation -- but it didn't work that time! Flying is always an adventure; all these people crammed into a small space together. Sometimes that group of people shines and this was one of those times.
P.S. A few of hiccups:
1. While checking into the hotel, we found out that they'd rented our very name and room reservation to some stranger?!? Weirdest thing ever. Um, no. That is not my husband. I am not going in there. But it all worked out.
2. An older gentleman asked when I was due during our breakfast at the hotel one morning. He gasped when I told him I still had four more months! I laughed it off; it's not a big deal. I know what I look like. But then when we were loading onto the elevator, a few other people had overheard and were guffawing and asking me questions. "Did I hear that right? You really have four more months to go?" and a host of other comments and opinions. You guys, let's make a pact here and now to just not say anything about a woman's size, especially when she's pregnant, okay? It's annoying and can be borderline rude.
3. On the flight home, I wound up with FOUR packages of cheese, meat, and crackers on the plane. They were given to me by the sweetest flight attendant who said she was passing the kindness on. One passenger bought another passenger's drink and so forth. It made me smile. People are good. I really try to keep to myself in situations like that -- you know, be a friendly face but not strike up a conversation -- but it didn't work that time! Flying is always an adventure; all these people crammed into a small space together. Sometimes that group of people shines and this was one of those times.
What a fun trip. I am so glad you were able to go. Your pictures always make things even look better.
ReplyDelete