{Grandma's Funeral}

We started our trip on Thursday to Arizona. Early in the morning we wake up to get moving. Went to move Mike's truck, and it wouldn't start. After 15 minutes, he rolls it so I can pull out of the driveway, and we take off. Gas pump went out. GRR! We drive on I-10 going west towards El Paso. It was an unbelievable beautiful trip... full of valleys that turned into mountains. We saw a ton of windmills along the way, and it was an awesome sight (yes, I ended up taking 15 pictures of those things!). We saw two trains that were heading towards each other after we passed Las Cruces, New Mexico. Mike & I knew the trains were on two tracks, but the girls didn't. Boy did they freak out... they thought the trains were going to hit each other, and when they didn't, they just laughed and laughed! We finally hit the town at 6:30 Arizona time (we gained an hour). We were tired, beat & just plain tuckered!

We had Mexican food with my MIL & SIL Marcie & her little girl Presley. We had Taco Bell for lunch, but this was good Mexican food! I ordered a Big Daddy which was a fried flour tortilla w/ refried beans, lettuce, cheese & tomatoes on it (like a tostada). I didn't order the "Tiny Daddy" b/c I thought it would be little. Out comes this Big Daddy that's the size of a large pizza. I kid you not. It was HUGE!

Friday morning I wake up too early, and decide to hit the gym at the hotel. {{funny side story: I tried to explain to Maddie the difference between a hotel & a motel. I told her that we were staying at a motel b/c it has doors that leads to outside. A hotel has its room doors that is inside. She said "I'd rather stay at a hotel b/c it'll be much comfier there!" Mike looks at me and said "ha ha... she's a snob just like her mom!" GASP! Turns out Madison thought a motel meant we were sleeping OUTSIDE!}} Well, even though the motel shows there is a gym, they didn't have it set up. DARN! So, I ate some breakfast and gazed at the beautiful mountains.

The "girls" (meaning my MIL, myself & my SIL's) left to go to the funeral home to see Grandma. We had a wonderful, tender time with her. We decided to go to lunch afterwards. We head into another Mexican restaurant and see the guys w/ all the kids are there. ha ha! We still eat at our own table... I had stuffed sopapillas that was divine! It had beans in the middle w/ green chili meat sauce over it!

That night we were all a little hungry, and so my FIL suggested ice cream. Sounds good to me, until somehow... someone (named Mike) suggested Mexican food (AGAIN!), so we ate at one of the same restaurants we went to. I was not hungry, but I still ordered something (why, oh why?!). I had a cheese crisp: fried tortilla w/ cheese & diced chiles on it. Yumm! Afterwards, we finally get ice cream. By then I think most of us are sick. (why am I talking so much about food in this post?)

Saturday morning we get up and have to leave by 9:45 for the church. We thought the funeral was at noon. I had to get there in time to practice singing w/ my SIL's and other granddaughters "How Great Thou Art". Well, I was the only alto, and I was still congested. My SIL Tiffany was also congested... but we did the best we could. Turns out the funeral didn't start until one, so we were bored to death (not to mention hungry).... it was a beautiful funeral. Until we messed up horrible w/ the song. Tiff & Marcie (my other SIL) were a little emotional, and weren't able to sing, and you could tell how horrible we sounded without them. I had to stop myself from laughing out loud when the sopranos who were singing ::tried:: to hit the high notes. Oh what a sight we were!

Burial was beautiful. Mike parked right smack in the middle of a tumbleweek bush, and I had a hard time getting out. Got stickers ALL over me, and boy do they hurt! Mike was a pallbearer (all the grandsons were pallbearers). They all had a corsage and they took it off after placing the casket where it was to go. It was pretty sweet yet sad.

Went back to the church, and had a luncheon.... and guess what it was? Yep! MEXICAN food! At this time, I'm telling myself "no more mexican!" After the luncheon, we changed clothes & went to Ash Peak, an inactive volcano just outside the little town. Mike had been telling the girls' stories about the stuff he used to do, where he used to hike, etc. He promised to take them to the base of this volcano... so we packed some more people in our Expedition, and went off roading (it was a bit scary, if you ask me. I thought we for sure was going to topple a few times!). I found a few geodes that had some crystals in it, and the girls picked up some volcanic rocks.... awesome! For some reason, we still ate out that night. Golden Corral this time.... I'm surprised w/ the amount of refried beans we all ate, a natural explosion didn't occur w/ the gas that was emitted. :D

Sunday morning we left to head back home. Had a great drive home, and it's good to be home. We've loved being around the family... hope we can do it again soon!