The GRAND Canyon

West End of Canyon right above the Colorado River

     Mike has wanted to take me to the Grand Canyon, oh let me see, for the last 36 years.  This month we finally made it.  I booked a week at the Red Rocks...Sedona, AZ.  That was our home base.  We not only saw the Grand Canyon from the west end, which is part of an Indian reservation, we also drove the south and east end another day, and then finally made it to the North Rim.

At the bottom of the canyon on the barge.

Some of the Red Rock in Sedona.

     We finally made it to Sedona on Sunday night about 8 PM.  We drove to Tucumcari, NM Saturday night and then stopped in Albuquerque, NM for lunch Sunday.  We drove through the painted desert and The Petrified National Forest on our way to Sedona.

South Rim of Grand Canyon

     We looked at all the Red Rocks around Sedona, took day trips to Jerome, Prescott and in and out of several canyons.  We took the train through the Verde Valley.  If I mis-spell something forgive me.  These names are not familiar to me.  I am doing my best.

East end of Grand Canyon

     The best trip was the day we flew in a plane to the West End of the Grand Canyon..hopped a helicopter down to the bottom of the canyon and then floated on a barge down the Colorado River.  It was an all day trip and we also walked out on the skywalk.  You must put on shoe covers to walk out there and NO electronic devices were allowed out there.  No cameras, phones, videos... nothing.  They have a photographer that is out there to take pics for you and you can purchase the disk for $100.00 and print your own pics.  I chose to get one picture that they took.
     Our favorite view of the Canyon was from the North.  We did have an encounter with a large Bull Bison who did not want to get off the road.  He even thought about charging our car.  We would have lost.  A ranger drove up behind us and blew a device that was supposed to scare the bison... it sort of worked, but only in the bulls own time.
      I kept seeing a beautiful picture of the Colorado River all over Arizona.  Postcards, posters, and just pictures of this beautiful place.  I finally found out it was called Horseshoe Bend  and it was a couple of miles south of Page, Arizona.  When Mike and I left the north rim we drove north to Utah and drove the southern border until we ended up in Page, AZ.  The next morning I got to walk 1 1/2 miles round trip half of which is up hill to see this wonderful view of the Colorado River.  I must say it was worth it.  I would do it all over again, even though it was hot, and I felt like I might not be able to make that last climb, I did and I have the pictures to prove it. LOL

North Rim at Angle Point by the Lodge

     We made it back to Albuquerque, NM in time for me to eat at my favorite Cafe in Old Town.  The Church Street Cafe is probably the BEST Mexican food I have ever eaten.  Someone asked me what made it the best in my mind.  I had a hard time answering the question.  I am not sure why it is the best..it just is!!!  I also go to eat there on the way to AZ.  Mike knows I love that place and I can even tell Mike how to drive to within a block of the Cafe.  It has been 3 or 4 years since we ate there last time.
      It was really good to get back home.  It has been almost a week since we got home, but I am good on the traveling thing for awhile.  The next trip we have planned is to Philly in March.  I know that is going to be fun too.

Bull Bison who wanted to say hello!

     Mike and I really do well traveling together.  We can be together for about 10 days non-stop before we start to need some space.  I think that is pretty good.

Horseshoe Bend, Page Arizona

Vacation with the boys!

JJ wanted to go with Mike and I to Hawaii this year.  We would have taken him, but didn't think he was ready to be gone two weeks and ride on an airplane for 8 hours.  Maybe we will take him in two years.  We did promise him a vacation.

We took JJ and Dominic to Tatanka Ranch for a mini vacation.  The boys had a blast.  It was hot, but we managed to have a good time.  The ranch has 10 cabins.  We stayed in cabin #5. The boys swam and swam and swam in the pool.  Mike took them on a canoe ride on the lake.  They rode horses, and went in a wagon to feed the animals, goats, deer, donkey and some long horn cows from a distance.  There was also a playground that had a little western town built inside it.  The huge swings reminded me of the swings on our playground at school when I was little.  You can get them to go so high.  They are big enough for adults to enjoy too.  We also drove over to  Stroud to eat at the Rock Cafe.  There is a cafe on "Cars" that looks like this cafe.  The food was good.  Next time I do hope to take the kids when it is cooler.. Late July is so hot.

We stayed two nights and three days.  I think the boys loved being together and we just love all the time we get to spend with our grands.

Indian Fair Parade 2010

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Mike loves parades and never misses the local Indian Expo Parade if we are in town.  JJ was here with us so he went with us to the parade. Some of his friends were in the parade, but he found Callie to stand with and watch the parade.  He loves getting all the candy that they throw out.  Every August people look forward to the Indian Expo.

Summer Fun 2010

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This is a look at some of the fun things that the grands did during the summer of 2010. JJ played T-ball.  He was so good.  They had him play 1st base most of the time because he could catch the ball.   They also had fun, all three of them, swimming in the back yard at Amanda's. Mike took both boys fishing at Fort Cobb Lake one at a time.  They both caught fish.  Anadarko opened a water park in 2010 which the grands loved going to.  We went out to my friend Rhonda's to swim in her pool and ride the four wheeler.  Also took JJ and Amara to the library to see the animals, including a very large snake.  Summer is always fun!

Amara's second birthday!!!

 Amara loves Elmo...so it was easy to come up with a theme for
her birthday party.  The cake was soooo cute.

Chips is Amara's favorite food... much better than cake.

JJ on the slip and slide.

Swimming  just seems like the thing to do!

Presents oh boy!

Make a wish!!!!

This cake is all mine?

Amara turned 2 years old on July 17th, 2010

Maybe a model someday.

JJ is 5 here, such a big boy.

This smile melts your heart!

This is my favorite look she gives!

 Kaci was really able to capture all of Amara's personality in these pictures.  She has so many faces and she just is so cute. JJ is a really good big brother and you can tell by the picture of the two of them together.  I just love these kids.  Amara is going to keep all of us on our toes.

They love each other so much.

What does she see???

I love her laugh!

Amara can give some looks....

Her expressions never cease to amaze me.  She can cut those eyes and it says everything.

4th of July

We have been home for a week now from Hawaii.  I have packed up my room at school, we have been to Stillwater to see Dominic, and to OKC to see Amara and watch JJ play T-ball.  Now we are home in Dodge and it has been raining all day, Mike had to work and I spent the day doing laundry and doing nothing much.  This is not one of the best 4th of July's I  have spent.  I did get to talk to one of my good friends on the phone.  That was pretty much the highlight of the day.  Everyone keeps asking me what am I going to do now that I have retired.  I have so many things on my list to do that I have no idea how long it will take me to get them all done.  One of the first things I need to do is make all of the doctor appointments that I have been putting off for the last couple of years.  I also need to de-clutter my house according to the people on Clean House.  I have at least 5 friends that I have promised to come visit.  They live all the way from northern Oklahoma to southern Oklahoma, Houston, Dallas, Toronto, and San Fransisco.  I also have promised to take a grandson on a vacation and another friend to Dallas to shop.  I really don't think it is too hard to find things to do.  Right now I am having more problems finding enough time to do all the things I want to do.

Mike and I drove up to the high school gym and parked where we could see the fireworks about 9:30 tonight.  I few other people had the same idea.  You can see them pretty good from there.  They did not last a long time, but they had some pretty ones.  Mike loves fireworks.  Well, it is bed time and I guess I will post this.  I don't really have much to say and that is unusual for me.  I hope that everyone is having a fun and safe 4th of July weekend.  Good night!