Seach The Maas Family Blog

Saturday, January 10, 2009

Family Vacation

We didn't really take a family vacation until the last week of the year and went to spend the after-Christmas holidays in Phoenix with Grandma and Grandpa Maas. Our last night we found time to swim a bit in the hot tub. (both pools at our hotels were broken) I love this just random sweet picture. The weather was INCREDIBLE, and the kids had a great time playing outside every moment they could!
Uncle David brought a cooler full of snow, so we had a snowball fight in 75 degree weather; it was fabulous!!!

This was the sweetest Christmas picture. Annie LOVES her jammies from Aunt Christina, but David got the big hug.
David brought down some helicopters that won't fly up north, but I could never tell who had more fun flying them...
We spent a great afternoon at Rawhide - a real western town that is a MUST if you are ever in the Phoenix area!!!
Waiting for the train...
Ben and Annie each picked one ride; Annie chose the train. Ben chose the Burro ride (of course!).
We spent another day at the Zoo, which I completely LOVED!!!
Emily learned to get shoulder rides from either Dad or Uncle David by patting herself on the head. Her sweet little legs carried her most of the way around the zoo.
I am a total sucker for snow cones. In high school I worked at a popcorn store that also sold the BEST snow cones, and I would make a grape/coconut snow cone most afternoons. It was heaven! Only one other time have snow cones been that good. These definitely didn't have the most flavor, but I couldn't be the best judge as mine was quickly swiped...
Our last day we did a stuffed animal factory tour and a candy making factory tour. Both were fabulous! The kids got to make breakfast, and we all had several samples!
We also did a little family hike on The Mormon Trail. The kids did awesome!!! Annie totally kept up with Ben, which shocked me. I now call her my little mountain lion.
Family picture at almost our Family Peak - we didn't make the entire trail, but we were happy with where we got to!
This is the Pirate Tree - so named by my little explorers. This tree created many hours of fun outside play; I would love to have brought it home!
The End! Thanks all for the fabulous vacation! We had a wonderful time and can't wait to compile all the pictures together...someday!














2 comments:

kristie said...

Is there really that much to do in the Valley? I haven't been to several of those places and I grew up in Mesa. I'll have to keep them in mind when we go visit next time.

Unknown said...

How fun! I remember going to Rawhide as a kid on a family vacation...and thinking it was SO COOL then.