My trip out west was picture perfect (with plenty of pictures to share with you all)!
I decided to book a trip to see my Aunt Linda & Uncle Jeff out in Arizona while I could take the time off. I think the only times I've seen them in the past 10 year was due to funerals, which is every thing but joyful and exciting. Mom and dad decided to make a road trip out of it and meet me out there when I landed. It was a week full of memories that will never be forgotten.
We arrived at their house in Prescott, AZ to find adorable Scrabble letters with a welcome message, bottled water, hot chocolate mix with Baileys, and the most well-stocked bathroom basket I've ever seen. Aunt Linda definitely puts the complimentary toiletries at hotels to shame!
Uncle Jeff wanted me to look through his late-mom's silver and crystal while I was out visiting and told me I could have whatever my eye fancied. Little did he know, I'd want all but maybe 3-4 pieces of it. Mom and dad definitely have a trunk full of silver and crystal to store for me and Chris until we get a house that we can display it in. I am so grateful that Uncle Jeff thought of me when he received all of this. It's really nice to have pieces that every time you use them, they remind you of the person who gave them to you. Always best to keep items like these in the family!
The first full day in Prescott included one of the best lunches I've ever had! A full page (I'm talking like 30 choices) of tapas and homemade sangrias - what can go wrong?!? La Gato Azul proved to be a hidden gem. It's worth the wait that the lunch crowd brought and we all enjoyed a delicious and filling outdoor meal in perfect weather!
I will admit that the puppies were unforgettable. I never thought I would want to splurge and get a Coton puppy one day, but Aunt Linda has had an influence on me and made me a Coton-lover! I've already found breeders near our hopeful residency locations. Cody and Cooper, the two Coton pups, were so lively! They were the most well-behaved and lovable dogs I've ever been around. Riley, the beagle, was as precious as they come! She loved everyone!
Since people get baby fever, I'm pretty sure it's safe to say I have puppy fever! Bring on fall of 2016 when we're in a different location in residency and I can get my own little pooch :)
The drive back to Phoenix on Sunday was stunning! We had to pull off at a rest area and take in the scenery!
I never thought roses could live and thrive in the Arizona heat, until I saw their back yard. They have the most beautiful rose garden I've ever seen in person.
And as always, you know you're in Phoenix when the thermometer is ticking closer and closer towards 100 degrees (in March)!!! Thank goodness for the <10% humidity or I'd be scorched to a crisp out there! Saying I sat outside and enjoyed a few beers in the 95+ degree heat is something I never thought I'd say. It was actually quite enjoyable in the shade, believe it or not.
Here's to keeping up visits with Aunt Linda & Uncle Jeff in the future! Hopefully they can come visit Chris and I in residency and explore the town we live in!
