Visiting with the Sisters amongst the Canyons

This past week has been a total BLAST!!!! Busy as all get out. But such fun! It all started a week ago today when we went to Phoenix with Max and Ben to see them compete in the Odyssey of the Mind State Finals. Both of their teams had advanced to the next level of competition in Regionals last month. It was such fun to see all the teams do their skits and show off their problem solving skills. Best of all was when they announced that our Ben's team took FIRST PLACE in State Finals and is now heading off to World Competition! So we are heading to Ames, Iowa next month to compete with the finest of the fine and try to dazzle...well...the world!!! Hee hee!

Ben with the team trophy! First Place! Woo Hoo!!!!

The second the awards ceremony drew to a close we hit the road running and racing back to Tucson. We sailed in right about 7:35 p.m. and I was right back out the door again 10 minutes later to the airport to pick up my baby sister, Nikki, and her family! Once I gathered her and her dh and two cutie pie little boys, we visited and caught up and collapsed...exhausted! The next morning, bright and early, my older sister Donna rolled in and our sister trio was complete! We were off and running! We spent most of Sunday out at the Desert Museum checking out all of the native plant and animal life. Nikki's dh, Joe has never been to the desert, nor had her boys...so it was all new to them! We had such a fun time. No real amazing pictures from the museum that day. But here are a couple....
Clara and my sister Donna
My sister's two boys...Drew and Nate
Bird soaring.

After a full day at the Desert Museum, we got ourselves home, ordered pizza for the kiddos and were relieved of duty by Chris' mom who was sweet enough to come watch all the wee ones while the sisters and the hubbys headed off for a sunset horseback ride! Giddyup! It was so much fun riding through the desert beauty and watching the sun get lower and lower and redder and redder and the mountains take on that warm, beautiful evening glow! None of us are horseback riders...Nikki has always loved horses...but the rest of us...not so much. Horses are really big, for one. And strong. And heavy. I don't imagine it would take much for one to decide he just didn't WANT someone on his back and dispose of the situation! I've always had a healthy fear and respect for them. I had a nice, gentle horse for my ride. As did Nikki and Joe. Chris and Donna however had little stubborn spitfires. Chris rode a horse named Bart. He did okay for the most part. He seemed to think the desert trail was one long buffet and kept wanting to stop to graze and snack. Donna's horse, named Max, kept biting Bart in the butt. I mean BITING! That was fine to a point...but toward the end of the ride, Max bit Bart and Bart whipped his head around as if to say "If you bite me in the butt ONE MORE TIME....". Talk about a moment!!!! Shortly after that, Chris showed us his lone ranger/rhinestone cowboy moves as his Bart got sassy at one point and reared up on his hind legs. For a moment we all thought we'd be pulling cactus out of Chris's backside from being tossed into the cholla cactus! But he held on and recovered control of the beast. He didn't seem too fazed at all by the toss attempt...but I was pretty much done with the ride by that point. I had jokingly told the guy at the stables that Donna needed a really nice, slow, barely make it back to the stables kind of horse...and it seemed she had gotten exactly that. Her Max was in NO hurry to get down that trail. Other than the butt biting, he was pretty okay. And I truly was beginning to think he would barely make it home again. But then...as we came in sight of the stables, Max took off! Donna was hanging on for dear life. Shouting WHOA! WHOA!!!! But Max was suddenly deaf and not hearing a word she was saying. It turns out that Max becomes a bit impatient at the end and as soon as he knows he's home he heads for the front of the line to be put away and fed! I don't think Donna found it to be too funny...but for a couple of seconds there...I was laughing so hard I thought I'd pee in my pants! I didn't think I could take pictures and hang on to a horse...so....no pictures of this fun event!

The next morning the sisters and company were off to Sabino Canyon. We rode the tram all the way to the top of the canyon. It was fun to go the whole distance and see the canyon beauty, There was a lot of water in the streams and the boys had a blast playing in it and splashing and climbing on the rocks.
Sabino Canyon

From Sabino Canyon, we went to play in Honeybee Canyon and do some pictures of Nikki's family.
Honeybee Canyon

And after playing in both Sabino Canyon and Honeybee Canyon we decided to head off and play at the

GRAND CANYON!!!!!!!

And what a GRAND time we all had! We camped there. We spent the day walking around the rim, hiking down the trails and laughing and relaxing. Once the sun set we warmed ourselves by the campfire and stuffed ourselves with hot, gooey marshmallows and chocolate and all sorts of yumminess! We enjoyed steaks on the grill and breakfasts of pancakes and eggs and bacon. It was a magical and fantastic trip to be sure! And the canyon was...as always....well...Grand! Here are some pictures of the fun!

Chris playing King of the World

Us!

The three sisters!

Joe with Nate and Drew checking out the canyon.

My crew enjoying the view!

"oooey, gooey, YUMMY!"

Roasting fun by the fire!

Nate and Ben enjoy the fire!

Drew and Max laugh it up!

The Princess and her Daddy snuggle up by the fire.

A sweet visitor passes by the campsite!

All in all, the week was magically fantastic!!! I can't believe it's already over! We are already thinking about and planning the next sister's weekend! I can't wait!