Woah

Can not believe December has come and gone. I finished up finals nicely, we hung out with Tim and Elizabeth, Zach's parents came in from Illinois and then set up camp in Sedona. Angie and the kids spent a night at our house before we met the rest of the Stanford crew in Sedona for Christmas week in red rock country. The week did not go quite as I had hoped cause I caught the cold Zach had the week before. I just finally stopped blowing yellow snot. My parents came back about a week and a half ago and Zach went back to school on Monday!!

Here's a few photos of our trip.
Zach and his brothers and sisters (minus one bro)











The adult gang at PJs for the Bears game.











The tree swing.



























Preparing for the big football game.











Me and Aleigha.











Hiking around Bell.

Miscellaneous

I can not believe it is almost time to head back to Prescott. These 2 months have totally blown by. Just a few random photos taken over the last couple of weeks.


Out on Brian's Trail




I know these are not exiting pictures, but these roads are where we spent alot of time riding when we lived here. I enjoyed getting back out on them. Zach...not so much.




Rachael and I had a really fun ride out at Palos. I can't believe that was in JUNE!!! We haven't made a Wednesday night since then. WTF! Do I always look like such a rookie?

A nice turnout for the Thursday night group ride.




We took my dad out for a little spin.



This was in Galena. The first picture explains why we were laughing in the second.

Not what I thought

Well, we've been back in Illinois for 3 weeks now, and I'm a little disappointed that it's not what I expected. I am taking 2 online courses and have so far spent entirely too much time working on one of them. I'm enjoying it, but I definitely pictured myself being able to spend alot more time with family and friends. And I have not been getting enough riding in at all. Okay, enough of that...just needed to get it off my chest.

I feel like we've done so much since we've been back, but we still have so much to do!!! A few highlights:
Hanging with our parents who are so graciously letting us stay with them.
Seeing my sistos and their families.
Riding with the old crew and getting our butts kicked by them.
Hitting Wausau with Rachael, John and girls and seeing all our old Wisconsin buddies.
Going downtown with Karen and Justin. I made it until 2am.
Spent an evening with my mom's brother and his family. My cousin just delivered a baby boy today!!!
Going to Larry's Diner almost every morning.
And of course visiting with all of my grandparents.

We get snow too!

The day after the Gardner Canyon race, Zach and I drove to Sedona to spend our spring break with my parents who are back out here for a short while. It was the strangest day. We took a short hike after breakfast on Big Park Loop and then decided we would call the remaining part of the day a rest day. Good thing because it ended up snowing pellets that day. We felt so cheated. Our first day back in Sedona and it snows. Check it out.

I mean, look! You can still see the snow on the ground the next morning!!

Luckily, the snow didn't harm the wildflowers that are starting to bloom. I've been trying to get some good shots, but I'm having a hard time focusing in on what I want with my point and shoot.


Good thing the rest of the week was sunny and 70s.

We had a great week of some new hikes and alot of our normal rides. We hiked around the base of Mescal Mtn and down in Carroll Canyon for the first time. We also checked out a spur off of Mystic.

Most of the week we just rode from where we stayed right over to Bell Rock and rode the trails from there. Llama, Templeton, HT, Mystic, Broken Arrow, Little Horse and back on the new trail.

We also rode up the ridge that overlooks cowpies. Very exposed and scary. I walked alot that day. We made it up to the saddle but we couldn't find the trail down the other side. So we rode back out to Schnebly and climbed up to the top.

There are some spectacular views from up there.


On Saturday Robert and Jack drove from Prescott to join us on a ride. It was a pretty fast day of riding.

This was taken on the top of Submarine.


Sunday morning we drove back to Prescott to meet Christina and her crew to ride up Copper Basin Road from Skull Valley. It hurt pretty bad, my legs were shot from the week of riding.

My parents met us back in Prescott to check out our new landscaping and to have one last dinner out before they head home.

Sisters

We got people

A quick trip back to Plainfield last weekend allowed for some fun reunions.

After a visit to urgent care and the pharmacy to cure my sinus infection (which made the 1 am flight into Chicago oh so pleasant), I headed to Larry's for breakfast to meet my parents, my younger sister and her 9 month old daughter. I have seen lots of pictures of her, but it was the first time we've met. She's a doll, and did this cute little head down, shy thing.

I went back to my parents house and hung out there all day while Zach rode to the shop and caught up with JeffJeffJeff and Ted. We met back up at our roommates house and got ready for our big night out.

We had a blast. Started the night out at Moe Joe's for dinner with Aaron, Amy, Adam and Stacy. My dad came and hung out too. From there we all walked next door to the Uptown. Which is much more enjoyable now that it's smoke-free. Brian came out and hopefully relieved some stress. Tim walked from home....a 2-3 mile walk in 10 degree weather. He was boiling by the time he got there. Mikelsall showed up after putting together and taking apart his 3 cars 4 times. Karen and
Justin had a party to prepare for but still made it for a while. And Angie, after sipping a few by herself at Moe Joe's (she thought she was in the right place) finally found her way over to Uptown. A few of Tim's friends were there too.

Saturday we had breakfast at our roommates house with my parents and Kathy and the baby. After that it was a day of rest until we started getting ready for the baptism. The party after was fun, they always have a great crowd. It was amazing to see how big all the kids have gotten.

Sunday is always breakfast with my mom's side of the family. My grandparents were surprised, with Kathy and Hayden in from Florida, and Zach and I in from Arizona. Later it was back to my parents with all the sisters and kids and Dave and Aunt Kathy. Pat was coming down with something, so she and Ken skipped it. It was the first time I've seen all the nieces and nephews together. A great day, but by then we were beat, late nights and early rises....we are not used to it.

Monday was the last breakfast at Larry's. Then it was just getting ready for the trip back to Midway.

We had a great weekend. It was awesome that our people made arrangements to spend some time while we were there. Now you all just need to get your butts out here.

Reunion then New Years

At the end of the Christmas week, Zach and I drove to Sedona to greet my parents. We had last seen them at the end of September when they were here to help us move in.

We fell right back into the old routine: ride, dinner out, hot tub, hike on Sunday, hot tub, dinner out.


On Monday all four of us drove back to Prescott to ring in the new Year. We started off with a hike, then met up with Ken and Pat for dinner at Murphy's. I called 5 minutes before we left to make reservations and lucked out getting the chef's dinning room. We were lead through the restaurant, back out a side door, then back in another door to a little room with a good size table and our own bathroom that was up this little staircase. It was pretty cool. Dinner was delicious.

My parents wanted an early dinner so they could get back to Sedona before it got dark. Okay buy us, we were in bed before 9pm.

Backtrack

I have a problem when I get preoccupied and neglect the blog. I have a hard time not going back a little and at least highlighting on the major events. So here we go.

We went on some great rides while Zach was off. Christmas Eve was a tough ride. We climbed and climbed and kept on climbing (62 to 9854 to 299, up 52A to 297 and down to 305). All the work paid off though, heading down 297 and 305 is such a blast.

Zach on 62











Me on 297











That night we went to dinner with Ken and Pat...I think we went to The Office. But before dinner Pat and I treated ourselves to Egg Nog with a little nutmeg and JB. We thought of the other Stanford women who were not with us to join in the fun. (I've decided I like mixing my own vs the gut rot from years past).



Christmas day we drove up Iron Springs Rd to ride out to Granite Mt. We did 37 to 40 up the road a little to 351, 346 and did an out and back on 347. Then took the new 332 back to Iron Springs Rd and rode that back up to the trailhead. That is a fantastic loop. You start off climbing for about 15 minutes and then head down 40 which starts off with big drops, roots and eroded gullies.

That afternoon K&P came over to our house for a nice simple Christmas dinner.

The next couple of days were cold, cold, cold. We had to wear full winter gear at least two of the days.











And then thank goodness we took care of this table before Ken and Pat left; it took all 4 of us to rig it up so the glue could dry properly.

Happy Hour Ride

After our trip to the Dr, we picked up K&P and headed to the Coyote to meet Jeff. I love Coyote Joe's more every time we go there.

It was probably in the 30s that night.

Out on the patio, they had 3 fire pits that put off some serious heat. They always have some kick-ass band playing, and you can look up and see the stars....alot of them. 2 fer 1 from 4-6 and 8-10 (that special includes Fat Tire if you can believe it).

Jeff showed up a little later and later yet came the mysterious Vienna. She is lovely.

Pat had quite a time, apparently the White Zin must go to her head faster when she drinks it outside. She was making friends with everyone there. KR teased her good.

We spent the night at the apartment and woke to the smell of sausage. After some homemade egg mcmuffins, we drove home and slept till 1. How lame, but I think I am fighting a cold, so it was probably for the best.

We did end up riding, not very long or hard, but both of us were proud for going out all. And we were glad we did, it was another beautiful day.

Change it up

Finally! I can count on two hands the number of times Zach and I have made something other than burritos or tacos for dinner....SINCE WE'VE MOVED OUT HERE. That's over 4 months. Not normal.... Not necessarily bad, but not normal.

It worked out really well. I made a roast in the crock pot Monday night with plans to have it all week. Bought some veggies and rice to make a little stir-fry.

Zach ended up canceling sports club on Tuesday night, so we headed over to the apartment and made dinner for four.

It was a blast.

Roast with stir fry; I'll add that to my list of 6 other things that I know how to make.