A week away...

Momma and Daddy went away for a whole week for their 10 year anniversary while Emily and Zachary had Busia for a week-long sleepover!

The week was great... I think from all respects, except for a few small parts... the send off at the airport... Emily was quite a bit sadder and clingier than momma was prepared for; and the one day where we didn't plan well enough for phone availability to line up w/ the time change and we missed a day talking to the kids on the phone; and maybe the minor sadness when Busia and Dziadzia dropped Emily off at daycare... but I think those were about the only glitches...

A year ago, (after 3 of doing nothing for anniversaries), momma decided that for 10 there would be a trip. A trip somewhere between Michigan's borders and the continental US. Daddy had no input, so Momma picked two things off of her life's to-do list... see a Cirque du Soleil show, and visit the Grand Canyon. And then we filled a week of sites from Phoenix, to Vegas, to Grand Canyon, to Sedona and back to Phoenix!

Hoover Dam was first....

And then it was off to Vegas! The weather was chilly, cloudy, rainy and WINDY. We didn't even think we'd see the Bellagio Fountains. Figures. But we still must've walked about 10 miles up and down the strip popping into almost every casino, and even won $5 on a penny slot in Paris... (which as far as life's to-dos, ranks right up there w/ the couple bucks I won at Churchill downs... on the grey horse in the last race of the day.) Here we're outside of Paris...

The Cirque show was spectacular and well worth the trip! Momma chose Mystere... and sat mainly through the performance w/ mouth hanging open. Daddy barely escaped being called up on the stage, however, was still roped into the performance... literally when one of the characters wrapped tape (fake) around his head and from his shoulders to the seat.

Thinking one day and night wasn't enough to see the sights, we stayed for one more day... and added the Blue Man Group. Maybe we should've seen that show first... as entertaining as it was, it didn't compare to the 20 years of wanting to see a Cirque show... however, this was pretty neat...(yes he was real, but ticked off because a lady had just walked up and wiped her finger down his face to see if the blue pant came off.)

From Vegas it was on to the Grand Canyon... another to-do off the list and thourougly enjoyed!

And then on to Sedona.... which we both agree is one of the most beautiful places we've seen... certainly the best of Arizona. This was taken on a jeep tour we took through the red rocks...

And in between all these highlights there were stops at the University Nevada Las Vegas and Arizona State University, a short trip on Route 66, lots of neat shops, relaxing in the sun and lots of good food!!

Of course, even after all that, coming home to the kids at the airport was pretty close to the best part of the trip. As soon as they saw us they were jumping up and down, and I think Zachary ran in about 10 circles squealing while Emily just jumped around. That was just wonderful.

Of course Busia and Dziadzia had just as much fun... there was a "parents' breakfast" at daycare, and Emily's friend's birthday party at Old Mcdonald's. And from what I understand, there was very little time necessary in "the corner", which means that Emily took a break from her sassy self that she so often becomes during the school week. I've been told that Zachary has learned a new song "Do Da Day", but have yet to hear it from him myself. He also learned to wear a baseball cap.... but only backwards, and he's become attached to his ducky...(previously, it's only been a stuffed sheltie puppy... Uppy the puppy... that he carries EVERYWHERE. Now it's ducky too... not sure if that's Ucky the ducky or what the name is.)

I also understand that the whole time we were gone.... everything continued to be "daddy's". And once he finally said something was "Zachary's".... or rather "Wakry's"....

And over the last week since we've been home he's been speaking so much more... he's got the possessives down... (obviously as everything continues to be daddy's.... including "daddy's moon"). But now he uses Emily's and Elmo's and Momma's.... and even Wakry's.... of course my favorite is "Wakry's momma".

A couple pictures of the kids from "the week"...