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Arizona or BUST! #CoffeeTalk

I’m so excited. Later today we leave for our family vacation to Arizona. We plan to stay for a few days at the Hyatt Gainey Ranch, a luxury resort where my husband and I stayed many moons ago when he was there on business, and then we will travel two hours north to Sedona, which will be our home base for the second half of the trip. We will drive out to see the Grand Canyon on Saturday, and on Sunday morning we have reservations for  Pink Jeep Tour, which is supposed to be one of the top 10 attractions the area has to offer. To say that I’m excited is an understatement of epic proportion.

I am almost ready to go. On Sunday afternoon, I went and got my first ever spray tan. They did a good job. It’s not too over-the-top, but it gave me a nice, warm glow.

spray tan

I can see this becoming addictive. I’ve always loved a nice tan, and while I can do a pretty good job with my favorite self tanning lotion, I can’t reach my back and other areas to create that coveted all-over glow. The spray tan looks pretty convincing, and I know I’m going to feel much more confident putting on a swimsuit with this added color boost.

I’m almost done packing. I’ve made my list and checked it twice, and I’m currently in the process of taking photos of each outfit, right down to the accessories, so I can make sure I have everything I need without overpacking. I wasn’t going to bother with that this time, and then I caught myself throwing waaaay too many “options” in my suitcase, and I decided to revert to the OCD approach. It’s worked well for me in the past, so I see no reason to stop now.

We’ve made our dinner reservations, and we have a loose itinerary planned. I hope we have created enough flexibility to enjoy some unexpected adventures, but enough planned that we won’t be floundering.

All I know is, the weather forecast is GORGEOUS. I don’t think I will be bored, even if I end up sitting in my room, gazing at the view of the Red Rocks out the window. 

If you want to follow along, I’ll be posting to Instagram. I will do my best not to flood my feed with cactux photos, but I know there will be a lot I want to share, so consider yourself forewarned. I also plan to post a couple Coffee Talk style posts while I’m there, as I often do when I’m traveling.

I need to download a couple movies and books to my iPad to keep me occupied in the 5-hour flight. I’m open to suggestions!

I’d appreciate any prayers for safe travels, and most importantly, that we have a good time and create happy, lasting family memories. In this age of the busy and digital everything, I fear we have lost many of the opportunities for family bonding that existed in bygone eras. I’m counting on this trip to expose my kids to new experiences and expand their horizons, but also to provide them with memories that they will cherish for many years to come.

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21 Responses

  1. My hubby and I were there in January. You will have a GREAT time! The Pink Jeep tour was a highlight of our trip. Which tour did you book? And the Grand Canyon? Amazing! Wear comfy shoes because you’ll want to walk “just a little farther”… 🙂

  2. Youre going to have a marvelous time. I live in Arizona, but too far from your destinations to meet for an iced coffee 🙁 The spring has been glorious here. Sunrise and sunset are equally gorgeous and your destinations are all breathtaking. I know your foot is a little prohibitive, but the hiking in Sedona is wonderful. Also, when you go to the Grand Canyon budget some time to walk around Flagstaff. Fun shops, good restaurants, and even some local wine tastings. Have a great time! Praying for family fun and safety.

  3. Jo-Lynne,
    We returned from our Arizona trip last weekend and I have to tell you something about the Grand Canyon, that I wish I had known. There is a 14 mile PAVED bike path along the rim. You can rent bikes in the park. It would be spectacular to see the Canyon that way. Hope you have a great trip!

  4. All of Liane Moriarity books are page turners. She’s an Auatralian author. Sort of chick-lit, but with lots of humor and some mystery built in. Two of her books are about to be released as movies.

  5. Have fun! I just got back from a few days in Phoenix. And you’ll love Sedona, it’s one of my very favorite places.

  6. How exciting!! My family and I are headed to AZ this week also! I would love to know what you packed!! I’m having a hard time getting it all together! We are staying in the mountains so the weather will be all over the place.

    Have a great time!!

  7. Looks like we will be following you by a few days……similar itinerary. Curious where you booked dinner reservations. We usually just wing it, but maybe one nice planned evening would be nice. You are probably in the air right now ready to soak up the sun! Enjoy. If we run into you, I will be the pale skinned Midwesterner!

  8. Have fun on your trip. If you keep spray tanning and figure out how it works some tips would be great. Who has time to lay in the sun anyway!

  9. Your trip sounds wonderful, and I’m so glad you are going. We are doing that same trip in June, and I can’t wait to see all your reviews and helpful tips in order to plan our trip details! 🙂 Have fun and relax!

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