Unpacking Arizona

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We made it to our hotel in Tempe, AZ and worked on preparing my mom for an early departure Friday morning to head on a little road trip to see the Grand Canyon!
To say Nana has a hard time making decisions is an under statement so just picking an outfit can be an event.  I ran out to grab coffee and received this message from Jordan!  We were already 30 minutes past our planned departure.
Thankfully that was just a little hiccup and we hit the road soon after.  We traveled up I-17 and then shot over to Sedona on a more scenic route. Sedona was a precious little town and I wish we would have had a little time to explore a little more.   These red rocks were so beautiful.
Arizona Vacation
 So glad my mom got to take this all in!
From Sedona we took route 89A which is a scenic route through Oak Creek Canyon and climbs from about 4500 feet to 6000 feet on a beautiful winding road.  You can find more information about this scenic route here.   I’m loving this picture with Jordan’s reflection in the mirror.
There were seriously some moments that literally took our breaths away as we came around a bend in the road.

We stopped at a scenic rest stop to soak in a little more beauty at the top and were able to talk another visitor into taking a picture for us!

We then headed to Flagstaff and on to the Grand Canyon.
Arizona Vacation
Arizona Vacation
Arizona Vacation
Jordan is seriously afraid of heights….and umm..dying….and she was really freaking out at the people across the way who had walked out onto the rock.  I’m sure it was probably much wider than it appears from where we are standing but she seriously could not take watching them walk around out there.
I stepped over some rocks to take an outfit of the day pic and I promise I’m like 5 feet from the edge of the canyon and I thought we were going to have to get the girl a chill pill in a hurry.
Arizona Vacation
We drove back into town and stopped at a little mexican restaurant, Playa Bonita, and Jordan immediately insisted on a margarita to calm her nerves!
The food was delish and hit the spot and we hit the road back to Phoenix. We traveled straight interstate on the way back to make it in time for the first game!
These signs along the interstate are a little unnerving!  Sure am glad I didn’t see any runaway trucks. It was definitely a little different coming down from 6000 ft than it was going up.
We made it back in time to watch a great game.  TCU took game one 3-0 and everyone was happy!  It was pretty late and we had a long day so we grabbed a quick bite to eat with Riley at the Mellow Mushroom on Mill Avenue and headed to bed.
Saturday morning we slept a little later and headed to Mill Avenue to find a patio for lunch and enjoyed the beautiful Arizona weather.  We settled on the Gordon Biersch Brewery which had an upstairs patio.
Arizona Vacation
Arizona Vacation
Our waiter was super friendly and helped us choose a beer.  I love trying out beers at local breweries and this one did not disappoint.  I didn’t realize this restaurant is actually a chain and has lots of locations until returning home but that didn’t change my mind it was still a great choice. To see if there is a location in your area visit the website here.
Arizona Vacation
 This girl doesn’t even realize her true beauty.  My first baby that stole my heart.
Arizona Vacation
We decided to share a few small plate items.  Our first choice were these little lobster & blue crab melts.  Here is how they were described on the menu:  our signature mix of lobster and jumbo blue crab topped with havarti cheese and bacon on butter-toasted sourdough bread. served with cajun remoulade and a fresh chive garnish.  Holy moly these suckers were delicious!
We couldn’t pass on the “legendary” garlic fries which were also delish and we tacked on these little grass fed beef sliders complete with arugula, tomato and brie.
 A beautiful, perfect start to our day!
Arizona Vacation
Back to the ballpark and it was another really close game but unfortunately the Frogs didn’t come out on top this time.  ASU won 7-6.
Arizona Vacation
Back to Mill Avenue for dinner and drinks on the patio at Z’Tejas.  It was so nice to be able to enjoy so much outdoor dining.  I’m so ready for spring here in Texas! They serve melt in your mouth cast iron skillet cornbread that was just too good to pass up and no time for a picture because we ate it so quickly!!  The Chambord margaritas were perfect and Mom & I shared these yummy fish tacos.
Arizona Vacation
These two make me so proud!  I don’t even think they realize how much they helped shape me into the person I am today.
Arizona Vacation
We enjoyed a few shops along Mill Avenue before heading back to our hotel.
Last morning in Tempe and we headed for a quick brunch at Postinos. Some of our Tempe friends joined us and we enjoyed mimosas and some great breakfast food.  I failed to take my big camera in so unfortunately my pictures stink.
Jordan had the farm scramble:  Roasted Yukon Gold potatoes scrambled with fresh eggs, herbs, onions, gruyere and white cheddar served with mixed greens and tomato salad.  I tasted a bite and was so having food envy!
Mom and I chose the Morning Scramble:  Two eggs your style, bacon, walnut toast and roasted potatoes.  It was tasty but nothing mind blowing.  The walnut toast and jam, however, was a little different and I could have eaten more!
Back to the ballpark for a 12:30 game and another day of gorgeous weather.
The hardest thing about Riley being a closer is we just never know when he might be called into the game.  I’ve seen him come in all three games in a weekend once but typically he will only come in once or twice max.  I knew when I booked this trip we were taking a chance that we might not even get to see him come in and I knew after he didn’t pitch on Friday or Saturday that we would more than likely miss him unless the game moved super quick.  Of course we tied the game and he was beginning to get loose and we had to head to the airport.  Here are the pictures I took of my handsome boy.
TCU scored a run in the top of the 9th to gain the lead 3-2 and Riley came in to pitch the bottom 9 and earned a save!  So we missed the ending of the game and because I delayed leaving until the last possible second…..we also missed our flight!  Thankfully we made it onto the next flight standby and arrived back home about 2am Texas time.
It was a quick trip but we saw some beautiful sites and I enjoyed the time I spent with my Bigs and my mom.
Arizona was beautiful!  Definitely hoping to go back for a longer stay with the rest of the family.
And if you missed my Tips for Traveling With You Mom post on Friday you can still check that out here