Showing posts with label arizona. Show all posts
Showing posts with label arizona. Show all posts

Tuesday, October 8, 2013

|| Maxwell Girls in Arizona ||

This weekend was:
-shopping
-laughing
-girl talking
-tanning
-eating
-conference watching
-no sleeping
-bonding
-pampering
-shopping

So needless to say I have such a great weekend! How lucky am I that all my Maxwell girls decided to come vacation just a short drive from me? I don't think if they went anywhere I would have had to fly to that we could have afforded it so this was such a blessing. I had the best time with these ladies! I have been blessed to grow up knowing and being extremely close with all my aunts, uncles, grandparents, and especially my cousins. Family is so important to both Brett and I and that is the main reason we want to end up back in Southern Alberta someday. 

The weekend started out with me picking up Morgan at the airport! We spent the day chatting, going for lunch with Brett, chatting some more, hitting the pool and tanning! I loved getting to spend some one on one time with this girl. We don't see enough of each other since we live so far apart now! It was so much fun catching up! 

Later we went back to the airport and picked up the California Maxwells (aka Aunt Jeanne, Mackenzie, Carly) and then headed to meet up with everyone in Gilbert. We spend the rest of the night just hanging out with everyone and getting groceries! 

The next few days were filled with a LOT of shopping and eating and laughing! I also loved getting to spend some time with my bff, my mom! She spoils me rotten and we always laugh until our tummies hurt because she thinks all my jokes are funny and it's the best! 

I had such a great time and I was so sad to see them all leave :( COME BACK SOON!

All 14 ladies and their first round of shopping bags! 

Doing some damage at Forever 21

Me and my momma's nails all done up fancy!

Dinner at the Cheesecake Factory!

A bunch of gorgeous goofballs!




Love this mom of mine so much!





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Wednesday, October 2, 2013

|| Arizona Desert ||

I wanted to share all these photos right after Brett and I took them a week ago but waited until I could post one for my weekly photo on The Light Chasers blog! Brett has been learning lots about photography and I love it! He asks me lots of questions and for the most part I can help him and when I can't I learn something new too! It has been really awesome. So one night last week Brett planned a little photography date for us! He is so fun and I love him. He asked around and found a perfect desert spot that we could go to and so we packed up the gear {which included a tripod} and headed off. I had such a fun time! He even let me take some shots of just him. He is such a good sport. I think he knew what he was getting himself into when he married a photographer and rarely complains when I want to take his picture! Some of the photos that he took are amazing and I love them! He is such a quick learner and not afraid to try something new and fail. Unlike his wife who rarely lets herself go out of her "comfort bubble". Whoops... He is a great example. Lots of these shots he took! He really is getting good! Anyway it was awesome and I love that we can share the fun of photography together. 








 {All Ring Shots Are Done By Brett}





















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Monday, September 30, 2013

|| Glowing ||

For fun last night, during our Sunday walk, we decided to spice things up. Brett had bought these glows sticks to play around with while camping but it ended up being a lot colder than expected so instead we whipped them out yesterday. It was so much fun! He thinks of the greatest stuff to do all the time! He even makes Sunday walks exciting!











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Sunday, September 29, 2013

|| Glamping Fall 2013 ||



Glamping-
{Going camping, but with glamour. A combination of the two words. It's like regular camping , but with nicer things than usual, being warmer, and more comfortable. Glamping isn't done by usual outdoor types who climb mountains.}


As Brett and I made the 2 hour drive to our campsite this weekend I told Brett that I thought of myself more as a glamper than a camper. After explaining just what glamping was Brett agreed with my thinking. I mean don't get me wrong I love a lot of things about camping like going into nature, the occasional hike, I don't freak out if there are bugs, I enjoy wearing sweats and hoodies all day, and who doesn't love a good roasted mallow? The only things I don't love about camping is the sleeping and no showering. I hate being cold when I sleep but that's normal right? I also cannot go longer than about 30-31 hours without showering before my hair is the greasiest nastiest thing you have ever seen. So for those two reasons I really like the thought of camping in a motorhome/trailer. BUT since we don't have one of those we tented it up! 

I hadn't been camping since May Long 2008, I believe, so I was overdue for a good old fashion camping experience! We loaded up our car with every single blanket we owned, our tent, our queen size air mattress, and a cooler full of treats! Also before we left Brett made a comment on how little I was bringing. I was pretty proud of myself for not overpacking like I usually do and for only bringing one backpack! I figured we were camping in Arizona and it's a million degrees here everyday and that I shouldn't need to much stuff! I was so naive. Brett even said to me "You know it might get below freezing right? You packed enough stuff right?" Figuring he must be exaggerating I said I was prepared and off we went!

 dang he's handsome




I love this picture because it's so Brett. He whistles all the time! I know Brett is home from School before he opens the door because I can usually hear him whistling from the stairs! I love it. 




We got a little into our conversation at one point and realized we had missed a turn. So we flipped around and thought we were headed the right way until we came across this...

But don't worry we figured it out and managed to make it to the campsite. Okay fine we did get lost one more time but it wasn't our fault. The map said to go 17miles and turn right but turns out it was only 7 miles. I do take full blame in our extra miles of travel since I was the navigator... whoops. 

Anyway we finally made it to the campsite and it was freezing. The second I stepped out of the car I knew I was in trouble. It was just 12C and it was getting dark. We used our headlights to quickly set up our tent {that my parents got Brett for his bday} and then I put on every layer of clothing I had brought with me. I tried not to complain since my smart husband and tried to warn me and I didn't want the "I told you so" speech. Once I was layered up and by the fire I was good to go! We had made tinfoil dinners at home so we popped those in the fire and just hung out with our ward! It was such a fun night. We sang songs, visited, laughed, and drank hot chocolate. It was so nice to get to know so many more people from our ward and we are so glad we went. 

The tent all set up the following morning


The night wrapped up for us around 10:30 so we headed to bed! We made sure to pack earplugs because we knew there was going to be a lot of babies coming on this trip and thought they might help us out. It was so sad to hear all the poor babies crying all night long. Even through our earplugs we could hear them. Poor things, it was so cold out. So between the poor crying babies and the freezing weather we didn't get much sleep! Around 5:30am some of the campers decided to get up and so the noise level went down. Also the sun was up and things were warming up. We then fell asleep and woke up around 10:00am. When we emerged from our tent almost everyone had left already. At church today we had a few couples come up to us and comment on how early we must have left on Saturday since they left at 8 and didn't see us. A little embarrassing to explain that oh no we didn't leave until around 12:00pm since we didn't get up until 10:00am. What can we say, we are trying to live up the having no kids thing for as long as we can! We did still feel pretty sleepy though!!



After we got some breakfast we decided to go on a little walk and take some pictures! Almost all of these photos Brett took! He has been learning how to use my camera and he is getting gooood! Good enough that I may be using him as a second shooter someday! I love that I can talk "photographer" to him. To bad for him but I don't ever see us talking "dentist". Sorry honey. 















We had such a great time and are so grateful to have had the opportunity to go on this trip. Brett didn't have any big test coming up so he could go and we had the supplies due to our parents generosity! We are lucky and we know it. We can't wait to go again and already have a few trips planned for the future! This time I will be sure to dress a little warmer! Oh and just so you know I was actually there....

Oh you want to see a close up of my super fashionable socks + shoe combo? Okay fine here you go. {I did bring my favourite steve madden "hiking boots" but when it comes down to it, warmth won out over looking cute}