travel the nation

So my cousin and I, who is one of my best friends, are planning again to go to Flagstaff, AZ. We would like to go for 2 nights on New Years Eve and stay for 3 days, 2 nights. I hope we can- I really want to go sledding! Keep your fingers crossed!

We camped on a cliff and went to the beach about 30 yards below us and had a blast! Our sons loved it and I am grateful to my cousin for taking us. It was a much needed vacation!
SIDEBAR-We are getting an air mattress next time because sleeping on the ground SUCKS!!! OY!

This weekend, my cousin and I are taking the kids to CA! We are gonna go the beach and hang and camp out. I cannot wait!

This past Saturday my cousin and I, and our 3 kids, went to Tombstone, AZ. We are only about 3 hours away and so we spent the day there. We had an awesome time! If you like anything old west, see it. There were somethings we couldn’t do because of my 6 month old like the mine tour, the stage coach rides and the Ghosts & Legends tour but we did watch a show with gunfights and the whole thing. We missed out on Boothill Cemetary too but that was because it was starting to get dark. We plan on returning sometime though.

We walked up and down Allen St. which is actually a re-creation because some years ago the buildings burned down but they have done a great job at restoring what they could and recreating it. They don’t do the gunfights in the street anymore of the famed Earps and Clantons, and the locals tell me it was a political decision by the mayor.

We passed through a charming little town called St. David that seemed to be plucked out of a book-it looked so out of place in the vast desert of AZ that’s usually covered in dirt, there were a ton of trees there though. It’s also the home of a monastary that hopefully my cousin and I can come back and visit.

Next month, my cousin and I are taking our boys up to Flagstaff, AZ to enjoy the snow and each other. Flag is about 2 hours north of Phoenix. We’re planning on visiting the Lowell Observatory also so I’m pretty much digging that. After we get back, I’ll do my best to remember to post some pics.

About 2 years ago I went to Chicago for four days and it was amazing! My friend lives in the Lincoln Park area so that’s a great place to be to wander and explore. My cousin and I went to many ‘little’ places and touristy ones as well. I’ll post some of my pics. We went to a fabulous tapas places called Baba Ribas(sp?) and went to Oz Park which is littered, nicely of course, with Wizard of Oz references and statues. We also had some great cupcakes at Swirlz off of Belden. Go there-you won’t regret it!

We also went to the Field Museum, amazing if you haven’t seen it. We saw a Second City show and walked on the coast of Lake Michigan. Roamed through the Lincoln Park and Lincoln Zoo, free by the way. PLUS, we were there for the Halloween weekend in ‘06 an it was a great place to be for Halloween. Some of the best costumes ever.

Of course, we had to see Wrigley Field too but being it was October, it was closed for the season. And we had to shop the Magnificant Mile too.

I highly recommend Chicago for anyone who wants to see a real city with culture and life around every corner.

In my all of my nerdiness, I want to see America at it’s finest-theaters, ball fields, battle grounds and more. I want more than the overcrowded landmarks, I want little-town Americana.