what my vacation taught me
I went on a vacation to Arizona and the Grand Canyon with two bloggers, Katie and Lori, last week. I learned a lot on this trip. A lot.
- when flying Southwest the emergency exit row is the place to sit
- the Grand Canyon is beautiful and magical
- camping would have been about 100% better with s’mores
- the only other person I would want to share a 2 person tent with aside from my husband is definitely Lori
- finding the bathroom in the middle of the night in pitch black isn’t easy and getting lost might happen
- when hiking, you need to drink more than 8oz of water on your way down to make the way up not feel like agony
- meeting random hikers who sing to you helps makes the ascent better
- always trust your gut instincts
- i don’t like trekking poles
- powdered hummus isn’t half bad (i won’t be offended if you just trust me on this one)
- after showering and hiking for 8 straight hours red wine makes all the aches go away
- your butt will hurt for at least 3 days after climbing straight up
- those cute hiking packs weigh a ton and aren’t nearly as cute when you finish
- you will miss your husband a lot and hearing his voice on the phone might make you tear up
- this is the best protein bar ever
- there are rattlesnakes in the Canyon
- raw vegan desserts aren’t worth $6.99 but they ARE worth $1.99
- staying up late and whispering like you’re in middle school never gets old
- people surprise you
- things are not always what they seem
- i love staying in hotels, especially in phoenix, especially with Lori, especially on my last night of vacation
- i still have the ability to make an impression on people
- there is nothing like sleeping in your own bed
- and finally….i missed him:
What is the best thing, to you, about coming home from vacation?
and i survived
I’m Back!! The Grand Canyon adventure was a fun experience with these 2 ladies: Lori and Katie. But I AM exhausted! Especially since the last night Lori and I pulled an all-nighter in Phoenix and then I caught a 6:55am flight home and went directly to my mom’s Memorial Day party yesterday. Whew. More tomorrow but for today I am just going to let the pictures do the talking.
This is us right before going down into the Canyon. It was cold at the top but got HOT fast!
More to come but right now I need food from my own kitchen and a shower from my own bathroom. You know that feeling right?
the most magical place on earth
Well guys I am taking a week off from blogging. Why? I am heading to Arizona today to meet Katie and Lori for an awesome vacation. We are going to be hiking the Grand Canyon! As in hiking with packs, sleeping on the ground in the canyon and enjoying the awesome creation that is too big for words.
Keith and I went to the Grand Canyon last year and I truly fell in love and awe. It was the most magical place I had ever been and I felt truly at peace. So I am very excited to go back and experience it with two amazing ladies. Note to Keith: you better miss me! 🙂
We will be hiking out little hearts out for the better part of a week. Thursday Katie and I will be hiking Sedona before picking up Lori. Then Thursday night are headed to the Canyon rim to camp and Friday we head into the Canyon (also that is Katie’s BIRTHDAY!!) Sunday we will be hiking out of the Canyon and headed back to Flagstaff (where Katie lives) and then Monday Katie and I are hiking Humphrey’s Mountain (the highest elevation point in Arizona!!) after dropping Lori off on the shuttle back to the Phoenix. Then Tuesday I will be headed home. It is going to be a whirlwind vacation with lots of hiking and lots of fun. I would be lying if I said I wasn’t slightly nervous about three girls hiking (and sleeping) alone in the Grand Canyon. If I you don’t hear from us by next week, send Jack Reacher. haha! I kid. This is also the longest Keith and I will have been apart since we got married five years ao. That makes me sad and I already truly miss him. But I know this is going to be a fun vacation and Keith will be waiting for me with open arms in 6 days! I won’t be blogging because I am taking this vacation for me!! So see you on the flip side with some amazing pictures!
finding messages in unexpected places
I am a big reader. I always have been. I used to devour The Babysitter’s Club books in one sitting and one of my favorite places as a kid was the library. I always liked losing myself in a story. It is like watching a movie only about ten thousand times better. I read a lot of different genres and will never limit myself when it comes to books. I read fiction, non-fiction, biographies, sci-fi, murder, chick-lit, mystery, action, etc. I have never been a book discriminator. So when Leah had a book give-a-way about a month ago I was pumped. She basically cleaned out her closet and gave away books she had already read and enjoyed. I won the book, True Love (and Other Lies),by Whitney Gaskell.
I loved this book!! I’ll be honest, I wasn’t expecting much more than a feel good chick-lit book. You know the typical boy meets girl, they fall in love, the end. Yada yada yada. And this book pleasantly surprised me in that I found a really good message buried in the pages. A message about self-acceptance and really believing that you deserve good things in life. A message that not everyone who seems so perfect really is and that everyone has self doubt. Yes even the “size 2, gorgeous, she gets every guy” type has self-doubt. This is definitely a feel good book and I read it in about half a day. Sometimes it is nice and refreshing to find messages in unexpected places.
What Kelly Said 