Thursday Jan 5 – our ‘we need to have more fun’ day in Tuscon. Our original plan was to head home today – but we are staying just one more day. A little shopping, a bunch of swimming and sun bathing, and then the kids got to spend their Christmas money – they had a riot and bought whatever they wanted! Now that most of our tourist attractions were done. . . . they bought . . . lots of plastic (ugh).
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| Here we are in Tucson outside our hotel – actually on my running route with the tall cactus |
Friday Jan 6 – on our way to Farmington with a stop in Gallup, New Mexico. We drove on Route 66, saw a few places where Duane lived and served on his mission. We met one of his favorite families in Gallup New Mexico ( these are the ones he came back and lived with when he learned to make jewelery). They were WONDERFUL! Oh, and Johnny Depp was in Gallup at the exact time that we were! Do you love Johnny Depp? Ha Ha! We didn’t have time to go and stalk him – but we thought about it! We had dinner at “Blakes Lotaburger ” and had a burger with green chilies and jalapenos on it – it was spicy deliciousness – WOW! And we were definitely the minority in the restaurant tonight – LOVED IT!
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| Snowflake Arizona Temple – on the way |
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With the Sellers – it was SO GREAT to finally meet Duane’s other family – they were awesome.
Allen and Deborah with their daugher in law Natasha
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Duane and Nathan – Mr. MMA – at his gym, with the ring from the movie ”The Warrior”
– which is a pretty good movie by the way |
Saturday Jan 7 – Swap Meets. Duane finally got his mutton and green chili on a homemade tortilla – he was in heaven… he also got his Navajo tea (Emma and I think it looks like bundles of dandilions. . . . but we haven’t tried it yet?!)
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| Look how happy he looks – oh the memories of mutton with a green chili – Perfect he says. . . |
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| We Made it to 4 Corners – Cool! |
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| Monument Valley was amazing – do the kids looked ‘rocked out?’ |
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| What a view of Monument Valley- Priceless |
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| The Twin Rocks in Bluff, Utah |
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| Good-bye amazing mountains, rocks, desert, sunhine and heat – we will miss you terribly! |
We encountered our first snowstorm in Moab – reality bites
We were supposed to get to Angie’s but we just couldn’t go any further, so we stayed in a Staybridge Suites in Salt Lake City – which was a really great one! It has a water park, and laundry on every floor – I was impressed. We think we should come back and stay at this one sometime. . . . that would be fun.
Sunday Jan 8 – Home again, Home again – Jiggity Jog. . . . Knowing we couldn’t go to church today, we counted Mormon churches and temples in the Salt Lake Valley and we saw from the freeway 3 temples and 65 churches – WOW! We drove to Angie’s and had lunch with the Casperson’s a quick visit and we were off again. Roads were great all the way home. We hit wind at about Augusta . . . . . We arrived home at about 10:45pm – exhausted and the wind was blowing like CRAZY! So we grabbed our one bag and left everything else in the van. Monday will be here ready or not!!
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| What an adventure! I’m tired. . . . are you? Phew . . . . |
you. stayed. in. salt. lake. and. didn't. call. me? YOU COULD HAVE STAYED HERE! (we have laundry on each floor too!)