The Painted Desert and My Baby

Last February I was feeling the Winter Blahs and made my husband promise that for our coming 10th wedding anniversary in December he'd take me far away to somewhere warm where I could stare at something pretty and drink coffee. Later that month we booked our flight to Sedona AZ.
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So fast forward to December 27th when we leave and land to this beautiful sight (among so many others). We landed in Phoenix and rented a car so that we could drive to Sedona through the Painted Dessert.

It's about a three hour drive so on the way we stopped at a gas station (the only place we'd seen in an hour) for some food. In the gas station they had "Cafe Charo". I was skeptical hoping it wasn't taco-bell-ish Mexican food. But MANNN I was wrong! The picture below is nachos! Nachos! (The chips are under there I promise). So freakin good... I was in heaven. If you know anything about me it's that I will eat food like this until I am sick, I love it so much.

The sun was setting as we came into Sedona - Breath taking.

We settled in for the night and the next morning this was the view from our continental breakfast. Big change from Candor!

I thought it was interesting to see turquoise "golden arches".... Later googled it and this is the only place that has them.

The first day we headed off for some horseback riding. It was about 45 degrees which was colder than i had wished but it was -0 at home so no complaints.

I know, I know, us kissing. We do it a lot.

We had a charming cowboy as our guide.

Mistletoe. I had no idea before our cowboy told us that it's a parasite. I guess it takes hold of trees and slowly kills them. We came across some white sage (the bush here). He said the Indians used to burn it and said it warded off bad spirits. What's cool is that when it burns it kills air-borne-germs so in a way they were right. He also pointed out this plant that smells fresh and told us it's the one that they make all of the rain scented candles, etc with.

Cold and hungry we drove around town looking for something to catch our eye where we could grab a bit to eat. I spotted "The Barking Frog" and how can you not go in to a place with a name like that?!

The food was great. Honestly the best part about being on vacation was the fantastic food we ate all day long.

Took the picture of the frog because I knew Elise would think it was super silly.

Next, shopping.... some cool finds.... Elise has always had a fascination with rocks too so this pic was for her as well:

The view from the front door of our room:

The view from our patio:The idea that started it all. So incredible. Pictures do it NO justice. Makes you feel God's bigness and your smallness.

Kissing again but after this one a bickering fest which two on-looking ladies thought was great. Yep, we're either making out or fighting... we're well aware. But it works for us.

My souvenir.

Lunch while shopping...

The town was full of art - a great place for me!

The above piece reminds me of my cousin Sara the dancer.

On the way home we had a long lay over. To entertain ourselves we bought a children's card game called "Go Nuts". Well, this game required you to yell out "Go Nuts" at certain times, bark like a dog at others, etc. It was REALLY fun but weirdly enough, the area we were sitting in cleared out quickly... :0) Rob and I have never been afriad to be the freaks in the room... in fact we sort of thrive on it.

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Sedona, you were all I had dreamed of and more. Happy 10th baby. I love you more now than I did then because we have refined each other over time... now kiss me.