Arizona is HOT!

And you're all probably going, really? we already knew that...

But the problem is that my friend, Dahlia, told me it had been cold. Like as cold as where we are cold. So while I did bring one pair of shorts for Cory, I only had long pants, and a lot of long sleeve shirts! And then it warmed up...

But we had fun anyway!

Well, except for the fact that Cory got throwing up sick the 2nd day we were there and then got a nasty cold. :(

But it was a good time to relax and hang out with a friend that I don't get to see much and really actually don't know that well (since she was a friend of Brian's).

I think the best part of Cory's week there (other than having 3 full time playmates!) was the slide! the slide! in the room where he and I slept.

It was attached to the bed that I chose to sleep in - Dahlia thought it was hilarious that I would choose this bed, but I just said it had the most comfortable mattress! And hey, I slept on an elevated bed all through high school and college.

Cory pretty much got over his fear of slides and even figured out how to climb up with his socks on! Impressive!


These friends have pomegranate trees (bushes?) out in front of their house. There were seriously hundreds of pomegranates left when we were there! (and just the other day I was in the store and they are $3.49 a piece!!!)

This is "processing" or how you get the seeds out. Break open the pom under water to keep the juice from squirting everywhere. Then use the water to just easily pry the seeds out and all the flaky bits get washed away too!

Akiva, Taval, and Makiah

Taval just turned 3. Cory is bigger than he is!

I learned that I don't really like straight pomegranates. The juice is okay mixed, but not straight. It just tastes too much like a vegetable! A bit "grassy".


Cory and I borrowed a car and drove down to Prescott to meet up with my cousin and her husband. She's enough older than me that I never connected with her when I was a kid. And the last time I spent any significant time with her I was 9! So it was a bit weird to hang out with her having this family connection, but not really knowing her as an adult. Good though!

Cory's having a fruit loops snack before dinner in our hotel room.

This was the lamest hotel ever. It was run by an Indian family and there were signs ALL OVER THE PLACE about various things that just made me feel like they were afraid they were going to get ripped off. Not welcoming at all. And the breakfast was disgusting! (precooked egg patties anyone?)

We went to Red Lobster for dinner, yum! I had never actually been and I got endless shrimp. Oh, it was heaven!

The next morning we actually went out for breakfast (where Cory managed to squeeze a jam packet hard enough that it burst - all over me!) and then to the Heritage Park Zoo.

I was so excited that the first creature we saw was my buddy, the Pisote!

These guys are camp robbers extraordinaire! I learned that the hard way when I was in Costa Rica. They're awfully cute though. Kind of a tropical version of raccoons.

We got there right at feeding time.

Big kitty - according to Cory! Actually it's a jaguar.

The bear.
Cory was growling and saying bear. I think this was his favorite animal. When we walked away he was still asking for the bear!

It was pretty big considering the small zoo and the desert climate. I always feel a little bad for animals in zoos. But these guys are all rescue animals.

Fun peacocks walking around.

This is my cousin Jennifer and her husband John. See that cute baby bump? She's due January 1st and it's a boy!

After this Cory and I headed back to Kingman and of course the check engine light came on. Thankfully we made it back just fine and were able to check it the next day. Not a major issue that need immediate attention!

More to come... Route 66 and some spiders...