"Where my mom and dad grew up" Tour

For Thanksgiving 2009 we decided to drive to Arizona and show the kids where Eric and I each grew up and then eventually met. Needless to say the kids were not excited and I honestly could not understand. I was really excited to show them the desert landscaped house I grew up in (which now has grass instead of gravel and cactus in the front yard), where I went to elementary, middle and high school, and just places I hung out. Eric didn't help our situation. As we were passing by Marana, AZ we were listening to some great music, singing along as a family, when he turned the music off and said, "Kids..Kids, this is the city where the girl was from that I took on my very first date. I saw Hailey in the review mirror just as she was rolling her eyes. I think Dallin said, "so". I was bummed because we were heading to my hometown of Scottsdale, AZ and now the kids were wondering, "just how dumb is this trip going to be?"

In Scottsdale we showed them the house I grew up in and schools I attended.My House on Camino Santo.

(L to R) Sandpiper Elementary, Desert Shadows MS, Horizon HS (with my old spanish teach, Ms. Kelly, who is now the asst. principal).

We also showed them the Paradise Valley Mall (celebrating 30 years), where I hung out at, often, and the softball fields that myself and family spent a good deal of our time at. I was surprised to see that the fields looked the exact same! No improvements whatsoever. We are spoiled here in Flower Mound, where are sporting facilities are as nice as most college campuses.

After spending the night with our friends from U of A, the Dohogne Family, and driving around the Scottsdale area (I wanted my kids to see the nice sidewalks and organized desert landscapes, before we ventured off to Tucson, which I have always teased about because I hate how Tucson's neighborhood streets just blend it with the edge of the desert (rarely any sidewalks/curbs) and how most people's yards are just wild desert.)

We started off by going to see the house Eric lived in and the schools he attended as well.

(L to R: Eric's house, Cross Junior High, Canyon Del Oro HS)

We stayed the night with our good friends, the Harrisons, and then showed the kids around the University of Arizona, where Eric and I met. Unfortunately the duplex we lived in when we were first married is now a parking lot! Quite a sad thing for Eric and I as we drove up and realized it no longer existed.

This is Bear Down field, where my powder puff team consistently kicked butt. The other picture is the UA football stadium. Lots of fun memories! Go Cats!