in the blink of an eye

Bachelor and Bachelorette parties. We didn't want to plan the normal ones seeing as though our 20s, mine especially, were spent in a Bachelorette party type daze. Getting wasted wasn't high on our priority list. So we decided to do what any bride and groom do on their wedding morning and spend some time swimming with fish and flying in the air. Jeff, his dad and his guys went on a snorkeling adventure. Their trip with Sea Quest Adventures brought them to two different snorkeling spots where they saw sea urchins, an octopus and schools of fish. Their boat ride led them to sea caves and they were lucky to coast along the ocean accompanied by a pod of dolphin. Me, my mom and my ladies decided on a parasailing adventure. We zipped across the water, ... read more

Arizona is usually synonymous with dry heat and cacti, not luscious vineyards and juicy grapes. But there it is...Arizona Wine Country! And only a short jaunt from Tucson. We decided to go to Sonoita with some friends, on Violet's 1st birthday. Not just a celebration of her birthday, but of the past year, our growing family and new friends. The drive down AZ SR83 is a delightful one: meandering two-lane road, rolling hills, the occasional grazing cow, and mountains in the not so far off distance. We chose to visit the fairly new, sister-ran winery; Arizona Hops and Vines. It is such a cute, family friendly winery. There were games both inside and outside, an eclectic array of paintings and décor, comfy vintage couches and a wishing barrel. We swung on swings made from pieces of ... read more

I went on a quick roadtrip with my friend Rochelle. We didn't want to venture too far since I'm only a few weeks from having a baby (possibly even sooner!). We opted to make the quick hour & half drive from Tucson to Bisbee since neither of us had been there. As soon as we drove through the tunnel at Mule Pass the rolling hills laid out before us and were speckled by houses perched against the ledges. What a beautiful, quaint town. Bisbee was once, in the early 1900s, the largest city between St. Louis and San Francisco. It's hard to believe that in less than the span of one decade, a city can go from a bustling metropolis to a sleepy town. Alas though, a town with a rich history in mainly copper and ... read more

(Amy's trip sans Jeffrey) I recently went on a fieldtrip with my Dendrochronology class that I'm taking at the U of A. We ventured north to Flagstaff to escape the heat and collect tree ring samples. But first, we endured a hellacious drive in a university van, with no AC (in triple digit weather), that rattled & shook so bad as it cruised down the highway that I thought it may fall apart. We also hit Phoenix right around rush hour time. The lunch that I packed turned into an unedible hot pile of goo from being in the sweltering heat for so long. Needless to say, I hoped this wasn't a premonition for the rest of the trip because if it was, I was going to be one bitchy pregnant person. I was delightfully surprised ... read more

My youngest sister Arianna graduated high school the same week Jeff's cousin was getting married, so naturally we decided to fly out for a visit. First on our whirlwind week & a half stop was in South Bend to visit my family. My sis graduated with honors and a scholarship and I couldn't have been beaming anymore had you shone a spotlight on me. Yay Arianna!! I can never visit South Bend without the mandatory Lake Michigan visit and of course, the University of Notre Dame. I've seen that place a gajillion times and it never gets old. Maybe it's because it holds somewhat of a nostalgiac essence to me. My Grandma worked at the University and took me with to work once--overnight as she did her nightly runs as a night dorm security watchwoman;) I ... read more