Tucson and The Reese Effect

The last day we had to spend in Arizona we drove down to Tucson for a visit with Nathan, Linnley and their dog, Reese.  

In case you were wondering, Tucson is very moutainy.  Just as much as Provo, for sure.  

While we there there, we ate Sonoran hot dogs....

Photo Credit

(hot dog wrapped in bacon, covered in pinto beans, tomatoes, onions, grilled onions, mayo, mustard and jalapeno sauce.)  These are a really big deal in Tucson.  And pretty tasty!

Outside of El Guero Canelo, which means "The Guero Canelo,"

Luke drove this old tractor:

After plowing 40 acres, I could sure go for a hot dog wrapped in bacon!

Played some Jenga.....

Toured the University of Arizona (where Nathan is getting his PhD)...

That Wildcat family is awesome! And those cats are pretty cool too.  

Does your finger need a foam finger?  

Hit up Golf 'N Stuff for some batting cage action.....

Poor Nathan.  He missed like, 3

....and some fossball.   

We found our Native American brother....

Narrowly missed getting hit by this swirling desert sandstorm....

This was so weird, like a microburst with sand

Drove by this restaurant, "Little Luke's" which has "Chicago style sandwiches" and yet has a picture of a hot dog on it..... (What is it with Tucson and hot dogs?)

No one takes a picture with a pole in it quite like me.  It's a skill.  

And secretly took this picture of Linnley while waiting for our BBQ dinner.  

But who are we kidding, the real star of Tucson was this girl!

The kids LOVED this dog.  She was the most patient and kind dog ever.  Please note that in all of my vacation photos, these are the only ones where Cindy was smiling.  It was ridiculous.  Ridiculously awesome!

The kids fed her approximately one million treats

Here is more evidence of the Reese effect:  Cindy was running. In the sun. Without complaining.  What planet am I on?

Besties.

Thanks Nathan, Linnley and Reese!  

We had a great time in Tucson and can't wait to see Rees- I mean, everyone again :)

Take a picture with a dog?  Well, that's totally different.    

Scottsdale Arizona Mission: The Musical

(The following post should be read to the tune of the Primary classic, 

"Oh, What do you do in the summertime?")

Oh, what do you do at the Mission home, where these two kids were seen?

Do you steal Grandpa's keys?

Or pick fruit from the trees?

Or ride all the mission biiiiiiikes?

Is that what you do?  No surprise!



Oh, what do you do at the Mission home, where this great tree is seen?

Do you smell lemon leaves?

Kill zombies with ease?




Or eat on the porch, waving Hiiiiiii!??????

Is that what you do? So did I!

Do you eat a small snack?

Or roll in soft grass?

Or give beating Grandpa a tryyyyyy?

Is that what you do? 

One more time!

Do you juice up a storm?

Get hugs that are warm?

Or play songs one thousand tiiiiimes?

Is that what you do? Lucky guys!

We got to spend 4 days at the mission home and were treated like royalty. We had such a good time hanging out, visiting Scottsdale and seeing a small slice of what mission life is like.  

The mission home itself is like Xanadu.  Fruit trees, soft green grass, flowers, a small path, large porch, on the lot of the church and right across from a beautiful high school- it is a sweet setup.  The kids will forever remember that as the coolest place they ever visited.    

Karl and DeAnne are so good to us and so good to those missionaries. They are so lucky to have them there.  We miss them every single day, but you can't really argue with their reason for leaving for a time.  I am so glad we got to make this trip.  Sixteen months to go!

Why was I making this face??!!  It makes no sense!!

Go West: Part 2- Cacti-lackin'

You know what is amazing about Arizona?  You might be thinking it's the fact that the bolo tie is the official state neckware, how they stuck it to the man and decided against that whole daylight savings thing or maybe even how the guy who narrates the original Charlotte's Web was born there- but you would be so wrong.

It's cactus.  Seriously people, I had no idea about those things.  They. are. EVERYWHERE.  And not little wimpy ones either, I am talking about the giant two armed cactus that you see in cartoons and on Mexican restaurant menus.  (They are officially called the "Saguaro" cactus, but it's pronounced "Sha-chef-ski." Okay, really it is "Suh-whar-oh.") Seeing them is like when a person comes to Florida and sees gators everywhere- they realize that stereotypes are there for a reason.


Do I have really have 11 vacation pictures devoted mostly to the cactus?  No, I actually have way more than that, silly, but these are the cream of the crop.  Of cactus.

I rest my case.  And no, this cactus does not come up to my waist.  Luke is not that small.

Grandma said to hug the cactus, Cindy was apprehensive.

Cactus garden at the Mesa temple- awesome!  

Straight out of a movie! That is a REAL cactus!

How old is this thing??

The three amigos

They are like weeds!

The coolest part is that a Saguaro cactus has to be about 100 years old to have one arm.  So some of these guys are ancient! The survival rate of those things is astounding to me.  Cactus, you have blown my mind.  As soon as I find a roadrunner and coyote on rocket skates, my desert experience will be just as I had imagined it to be.


P.S.  For 50 truly amazing facts about Arizona, that really are quite fascinating and NOT written by some lame-o from BuzzFeed, click here.  It's worth the read!

I Mustache You to Read This

I need to mention here that while we were at the St. George, UT temple, Cindy and I were witness to something incredibly rare and incredibly cool.  It is called a mustache cloud.  The only reason I even know about this weather phenomena is because of one of those stupid BuzzFeed stories about 10 Weather Things You Probably Don't Know About and Never Will Believe or some dumb thing like that.  (I secretly loathe BuzzFeed and their hideous lists that pass for journalism.  Ironic that I would be making fun of lists that are not up to journalistic snuff, however...)  Anyway, here is what a mustache cloud looks like:

Multiply the coolness of this by a factor of 6 to really understand what I am talking about

NO kidding, there was one of these in the sky right over the temple and Cindy and I both saw it as we were driving away.  Jacob was totally confused as to why I was freaking out about a cloud.  And of course the batteries died in my camera as I tried to take a picture, making me look like a total liar, but it happened! We saw the rotation and everything.  Bucket list, you are now one item shorter.

Go West: Part 1- Temples

As we are finally getting back into the swing of things after our vacation out to Arizona and Utah (and technically Nevada as well) I decided the only way to blog about our amazing adventure is to take it in bite size morsels, lest I get overwhelmed.  And lest I bore everyone to tears with my travel log. Although, it's never stopped me before so I don't know why it would stop me now.  

It wouldn't have been a true Sweeney trip without seeing some temples.  Boy oh boy, do the kids just LOVE driving around to see them!  Oh, the joy and elation they feel! (Where is that sarcasm font when I need it?) Well, too bad, kidlets!  There are almost 175 of these guys so get used to it.  This trip we knocked down six more, bringing our total to 22.  

The Sunday afternoon we spent in Scottsdale seemed like the perfect time to take a drive.  I cannot tell a lie:  it was hot.  I know, you are shocked at that news.  The desert is hot? Well, why didn't anyone tell us?!  

Phoenix Temple

This temple is way outside of town and apparently most of it is underground.

A random stranger offered to take this picture for us now and I love them for it.

I think was the only family picture of the entire trip!

Mesa, AZ

  

Well, except for this one.  Linnley was our photographer here and she did a fine job.  

Though most cameras fail to capture the amazing beauty of this temple.  It was truly stunning.

St. George, UT

This was officially our fist night time temple stop!  We saw it off the freeway as we drove up to Draper and so we make a quick, Chinese fire drill style visit.  This was the moment we realized that Utah was kind of cold.  We were all in shorts and tees so we were pretty much freezing and looked like complete tourists.  Just the way I like it!

I guess this is technically a family photo as well.  My memory is solid.

Payson, UT

  And just in case you can't see us, I have lightened up the picture just to prove we are really there.  

Our last stop was the Mt. Timpanogos temple.  This was the day after Cindy pulled an all-nighter with her cousin, so she was beyond thrilled to be a part of this trip ;)  

I don't think I will ever get tired of visiting temples.  I love to see them, I love how different they are, I love torturing my children-  they simply are the best :)