Sedona and Cottonwood Trip

A couple of weeks ago we decided to take the camper up to Cottonwood and camp at Dead Horse Ranch State Park for two nights. Its a great central location to Sedona, Jerome, and Camp Verde. The first night we went into Sedona to look at the lights at one of the resorts. The second day we went down to Camp Verde to go to an animal park called Out of Africa. They pride themselves on how they socialize the animals to humans so that they don't mind people walking around them all day pointing and yelling at them. There main attraction is a show called Tiger Splash in which a bunch of collage aged kids run around a giant penned in field with Tigers and taunt them using inflatable objects that the Tigers tear to shreds. Then usually when the Tiger starts to get hungry for one of the collage kids they throw them some meat to keep them distracted. Its definitely fun to watch and I figure it will be on for another five or six years and then someone is going to get killed.

Sedona and Cottonwood Pictures

Superstition Mountain Hike

This Friday Tony and I hiked up to Flat Iron and on up to the top of the Superstition Mountains. Somehow we defied death once again and made it down alive. It was an odd day... (meaning it was cloudy out to Arizona people). The tops were in the clouds which I thought would make for a neat hike. It did however one thing I forgot about is how much work you do to expect a view. For the first 45 minutes we saw nothing but a white abyss as we looked over the edge however luckily for us it did eventually clear to give us the views we worked for.

Superstition Flat Iron Hike

Goldmine Mountains Hike

Last Friday Caitlyn and I decided to go take a hike up a mountain. I use the word "mountain" very loosely. Fortunately we made it to the top where we ate cookies, drank out of water bottles and threw rocks. Anyhow Caitlyn is now already to go out and climb more mountains although I think I will be the one who chooses which ones we climb as she thinks she can climb anything.

Goldmine Moutain Hike Pictures

Our New House

Well we have been in our new house for about a little over a month now and we finally got enough stuff unpacked and put away to take a few pictures of it. Its been a huge relief to be done with the whole process and we can almost find where we put most of our stuff now.

House Pictures

Halloween 2008

This year Caitlyn was Mini Mouse for Halloween. She is really starting to get into the trick-or-treating but still doesnt know how to defend her candy from me. This probably will change next year but since we have another one on the way I should be able to take advantage of him/her for the near future. The night before we carved a pumpkin and Caitlyn loved helping clean out the inside. I figured it would be best if I carved the face especially since I bought an electric pumpkin carving machine that I needed to test out. I drew up four different designs to let her choose from. Fortunately for me she didnt choose any of the detailed ones I drew up like the "Cat" Pumpkin and insisted we do the simple "Happy" Pumpkin.

Halloween Pictures

Fall Trip To Prescott

This October we were invited to go up to our friends, Becky and Tonys cabin. It was great get up to the mountains and see the fall leaves as well as do some hiking and mountain biking. Unfortunately I only had two days off and the transmission on my car decided to flip out but it was well worth the trip.

Prescott Cabin Trip

Busy Fall

This fall we have been extremely busy. We finally moved into our new house just in time for some friends from Germany to come for a visit. Work has slowed down so it has given me some time to get a lot of things done to the house. I also managed to do a little bit of hiking and we took a couple trips to the zoo as well as to Schnepf farms for their pumkin festival.

Fall Pictures

Pennsylvania

Last week we went back east to Pennsylvania to visit with my Grandma. While we were there we kept Caitlyn busy by visiting Longwood Gardens, Strasburg Railroad, Choo Choo Barn, Ocean City, Longs Park, Dutch Wonderland, and Thomas the Train. For some reason Thomas the Train was pretty much everywhere we went. They had a Model Train Thomas at Longwood Gardens, a Thomas train at the Choo Choo Barn, a Thomas ride at Ocean City, and Thomas show at Dutch Wonderland, and then lucky for us Thomas happened to visit the Strasburg Railroad. As a result Caitlyn is now a Thomas junky.

Pennsylvania Pictures

Woods Canyon Lake Camping

This past week we went up to Woods Canyon Lake for 5 days camping. It was nice to get out of the valley heat and into the trees for some hiking, biking, and fishing. The first night we were there was the most exciting. I heard some noise outside the camper in Penny's dog dish. Naturally being in the woods with my camera I was eagerly hoping that it was a friendly bear that I could take pictures some pictures of and alter to make it look like it was eating my arm off and demolishing the camper. However it was not bear, instead it was a giant skunk! I wasn't sure how to handle the situation. I didn't want to scare it and have it spray me or the camper but I didn't want it to eat all the dog food up either (I'm not sure why this was a priority). Anyhow I tried talking to it calmly and running the water.... it didn't phase it but eventually it walked off on its own. I haven't read any books on the proper response yet but I'm pretty sure they probably all advise the same thing.... get a giant trash bag and jump on top of it before it gets a chance to spray you. Ill have my wife try this next time and post how it works.

Woods Canyon Lake Camping Pictures

Mount Union Hike

Yesterday my friend Tony and I decided we needed to get out of town and do some fun adventure hiking. We decided to choose a place that had all the aspects of a good hike - cool temperatures, rain, open mine shafts, lightning, forest fires, unstable structures and killer squirrels. It all made for good pictures. Especially where Tony climbs up a steel rafter of an old mining building in an electrical storm:)

Mount Union Hiking Pictures

New England

This June we took a trip up to see Molly's uncles and grandpa in the New England States. The weather was nice but and the beach was fun. But the best part was watching Molly get chased around her uncles house by a bat!

New England Pictures

Memorial Day Camping

This memorial day we went camping up at Stoneman Lake which is just a bit southeast of Flagstaff. It was neat trip. We had snow and wintery weather the first two days then it cleared off and felt more like a normal Memorial day camping trip. Unfortunately Stoneman lake is not stocked at all and despite the way it looks has more water in it then it has in the past 10 years. However maybe after my next visit the lake will pick up after it has a few Stripers and Tuna in it.

Stoneman Lake Camping Pictures

Camping at Tonto Creek

Earlier this month Caitlyn, my mom, and I went up to Tonto Creek to camp out. This was our first camping trip of the year so I was eager to take the camper up to the woods. The spot was nice just a 100 yards from Tonto Creek which was stocked full of trout. Unfortunately I did not have my fishing gear but the fish probably wouldnt have been to hungry anyhow after Caitlyn bombarded them with rocks for hours at a time.

Tonto Creek Camping Pictures

Caitlyn's Birthday

Caitlyn turned two in April. We had a small birthday get together at Mollys parents house where she opened lots of presents and ate birthday cake. She didnt seem to be as much into the present thing yet but loved the birthday cake and singing. Birthday cake now seems to be one of her favorite subjects to talk about.

Caitlyn's Birthday Pictures

Easter

This Easter we spent the day at Mollys parents house where we had brunch and hid easter eggs from Caitlyn. Fortunately Caitlyn was still too young to realize that as she found eggs and placed them in her basket we turned around and hid them as fast as she was finding them. This kept her busy for a while.

Easter Pictures

Hiking Camelback Mountain

In march, Tony who is a friend of mine, and I climbed Camelback Mountain. Its a great short hike to get a good view of Phoenix. It was the first time I had climbed it durring the spring and we ran into several gigantic lizards and lots of crazy people who like to run up and down the mountain as fast as they can.

Camelback Mountain Hiking Pictures

Mexico Cruise

This past february we took a 3 night cruise with some other couples from our church down to Ensenada Mexico. We figured it would be an economical way to figure out if we liked cruises. It was a lot of fun and we definitely want to take another one. So if anybody wants to buy us cruise tickets feel free:)

Mexico Cruise Pictures

Rock N Roll Marathon

Its been a while since I have updated this blog so I am backing entrys in. In January this year Karen ran the PF Chang Rock and Roll marathon. My mom, Caitlyn and I waited to watch her pass from the finish line but somehow never saw her finish. She later called us from the finish box and said she was done. I think she must have found some sort of short cut or something. Being that she ran 7 marathons now she probably knows a lot of good short cuts. She probably should publish a book on shortcuts for marathon runners becuase I bet a lot of people who run marathons for the free gatorade would want a book like that.

Rock N Roll Marathon Pictures