AZ SCOW SQUAD

Flying alone with 4 kids is exhausting.  But the older ones really step up and are so helpful with no complaining.  We took a red eye out as usual.  Harper was so exhausted and would snuggle up and attempt to sleep only to be awakened by some small disturbance. We did get lucky and our flight attendant made the kids balloon animals and did magic tricks while we were waiting for our turn to get off. 

A stop at the Seattle children's area is always a must.

The boys thought they were going to melt when we got there and almost instantly stripped to their under and relaxed in the sun.

Grandma loving on Harper

She is PERFECTION

I love it when Marv tells the grandkids stories.

Family football game

Denton has been dreaming of taking these boys to a spring training game for years.  After we got there we realized that being in AK has limited our exposure to baseball, the boys loved it.  It was a hot day but fun to experience this with family.

The boys got a ball signed and were pretty pumped

Mel showed the kids the art of black lighting for scorpions.  Cohen thought it was the greatest and spent much of his time at night outside searching for them.  Mel has been doing this for a while and has a giant glass jar filled with alcohol and dead scorpions.  It is disgusting!!!

The boys loved getting to have cousin sleep overs every night.  Nothing like 4 kids in one bed.

I have wanted to hike Flat Iron since I lived in AZ almost 10 years ago.  When you read about the hike it makes it sound super hard and I was always intimidated by it.  Mel had done it a few time and offered to take me up.  Having older nieces that can baby sit is great and allowed me to do a lot of fun things while we were in AZ.  The hike had some steady incline but was definitely do able.  

Spent nap time relaxing in the backyard.  It was too hot for me to not be in the water. 

We spent lots of time in the backyard playing volleyball.

Grandpa putting Ollie and Mason in the old mine. 

Mason got to spend lots of time with Mason playing card games.  She said having the boys there was like getting to have the little brothers she never had. 

Marv and Bev took the older kids to the movies while Mel, Haper, and did a little shopping. Mel also took me to Encanterra for lunch and I still dream of their garlic parmesan fries.

All the adults went to a Brazilian restaurant 

We basically spent as much time outside as possible which included many walks to the park.

Cohen managed to catch a lizard. He was so proud of himself.  Him and Mason spent hours chasing them along the walls of the backyard. 

It was so fun to spend time with Jay and Mel.  It's been way too long.  We spent nights staying up playing games and laughing way too hard.  Now that we live in the frozen North hopefully we make it back again soon!