Today I am back from vacation. It was a great week the family and while I planned on blogging during my vacation, I decided that the blog would be work. Since I was on vacation, I decided that it was OK if I did not blog. So, instead I will catch up tonight.
What did I do on my vacation? I did a lot, while doing very little. Isn't that the point to vacation after all?
First thing I did to kick off my time off was taking my daughter to see Katy Perry at Summerfest. The concert was surprisingly very good. As a 40 year old mother, I have a hard time finding the merit in her music. But, she put on a great show. She seems to have talent that does not require auto tuner to make her music tolerable. She also seems like a genuinely nice person. Sometimes it is very hard to tell if celebrities are kind at heart. Based on her performance and invitation to have fans join her on stage, I would argue that she seems like a nice person.
Our vacation took us to Arizona. What is the first thing we think of when hearing Arizona? The Grand Canyon! Seeing The Grand Canyon is a wonder that has been on my bucket list for years. I always knew that I wanted to see the Canyon before I die. I saw it and believe that it was worth the trip across the country. WOW! To those who have not seen it, please make it a priority. To say it is beautiful is an understatement. I have yet to find an adjective that gives the canyon justice.
The drive from Scottsdale (where we were staying) to the Grand Canyon gave us hours of beautiful scenery that I have never seen. Sedona is almost as beautiful as the Grand Canyon. The mountains are unbelievable and the fact that you are in the desert one minute sweating and in the mountains cold the next minute is just weird! I know that is how our wonderful ecosystem works, but I still find it crazy.
I read, a lot. In fact, I read 3 novels while I was on vacation. I loved every minute of reading I was able to do. For those who know me well, you know that reading is my first love. Being a wife and mother makes it hard to get all the reading in that I would love to do. This vacation provided me some much needed reading time. I wish I could say that all the books were book club worthy, but I did read a sappy Nicholas Sparks book that I enjoyed. However, I will be the first to admit that his books are predictable and corny to say the least.
We sat my the pool, for hours and hours! The kids swam to their hearts content. They played together, well most of the time in the pool. They acted like kids without the fear of their friends finding out that they were acting "weird" as my middle child stated. They smiled and laughed. It was a joy to see.
I ate southwestern food that was delicious! Bar-b-que sandwiches at a restaurant in Sedona proved to be the best sandwiches I have had in a very long time. We also went to a pizza place in Phoenix called Pizzeria Bianco. We had heard from the Food Network that it was the best pizza in America. I have not tasted every pizza in America, but I would agree that it was damn good pizza!
I drank Margaritas every night. Normally, I do not drink Tequila. But, while on vacation in the southwest, I decided that it was okay to partake in moderation, which is what I did. They were delicious and felt very appropriate.
I met a long lost cousin who I had never met. I have been in touch with her for years, but we had never met face to face. She proved to be as nice and personable as I had suspected. I hope that it will be the beginning of a family relationship that neither one of us had ever had.
Finally, we came home. As we all know, the best part of a really good vacation is coming home.
