Arizona 2014 (Sedona Day 5)

We didn't have to leave to catch our flight in Phoenix until noon, so we got to do some more exploring in the morning.  We ate breakfast at Wildflower, think Bread Co but better!  So good with beautiful views from the patio.

The guys really wanted us to go for a hike on the same trail they ran yesterday.  They promised us we would love it and they were right.  Even Krista was a great sport and hiked to the top with the rest of us!  I wouldn't be surprised if she had placed an order for hiking gear from REI by the time we got home :)  So much fun and so pretty!

You probably can't get a good idea, but this is a view of the "mountain" we climbed from the head of the trail.  We went up pretty high!

Allan and I actually ran back to the hotel - don't be too impressed, it was two miles, downhill the whole way :)  We all got cleaned up and drove the hour and a half to Phoenix where we ate at In and Out Burger for lunch - yum!  Mine and Krista's flight was packed for the trip home, so we didn't get to sit by each other.  I watched a movie on my iPad and dozed a little bit and we were home before I knew it.  Back to reality and freezing weather.  

I have to say I was never so happy to see my girls!  I missed them lots, but was so thankful to be able to get away for a few days.  A huge thanks to our parents, Ness, and  our sitter, Makayla, for taking such good care of our girls while we were away.  They never even missed us!  Allan and I can't wait to take them back there someday.

Allan stayed in Phoenix for four more days for meetings.  The temperature was near 80 everyday and he was able to run at a national park a couple of times.  Great trip!  He goes back to Phoenix in November.  If we can afford it, the girls and I will go out with him again.

Arizona 2014 (Grand Canyon Day 3)

Next, we continued driving on the 4+ hours to the south rim of the Grand Canyon.  The scenery on the drive was not bad, but we knew that we were about to be blown away by God's creation!  The temps had dropped to the low 40's by the time we got there.  I think my favorite part, besides the sunset, was the contrast of the snow and the rock of the canyon.  Just beautiful!  Naturally, I took hundreds of the same exact picture of the canyon, just from different angles.  I thought that each view was better than the next, but nothing compared to the moments when the clouds would part and the sun would peek through, bathing the stones in in light and making the most breathtaking colors.

Someone had built a tiny snowman on the edge of a cliff.

We followed a paved path for quite a way, but Allan kept walking out to the furthest edge of every cliff, nearly giving Brian a heart attack each time.

This picture is out of order, but one of my favorites that Krista took of Allan and me on the Bright Angel unpaved trail.

See what I mean by the colors?

I loved getting peeks of the canyon through the snow-covered trees.

Allan striking a pose!

Another one of Allan on the edge...

…and one of Brian hanging on to the tree for dear life :)

This was one of the funniest moments of the day.  Brian thought he would be cool and climb a tree (that was far away from the edge).  We got some nice pictures, but then he got stick.  He was literally stranded only 5 feet off the ground and could not figure out how to get down.  We were all laughing way too hard to help him.

The Bright Angel trail was a highlight of our time at the Grand Canyon.  It is an unpaved trail with no handrails or anything that leads way down into the canyon.  It was a little nerve-wracking to go on it since it was packed with slippery snow, but we couldn't pass it up.  We did decide not to go all the way to the bottom, though.  If I get a chance to go back, I will definitely go all the way!

In person, the sunset was just majestic!

The sun went down and the temps got lower, so we got in the car and drove to Flagstaff to eat dinner and stay the night.  We ate at a local brewery that was a big hit with all of us - especially the beer cheese fondue.