Thanksgiving Arizona 2014

I wanted to put some pictures on my blog from our recent trip. We flew nonstop to PHoenix on Thanksgiving day. It left Anchorage at 9:45 and we were in Phoenix around 4:30 pm. By the time we got the rental car and headed out to the drop zone it was about 6 pm and we were enjoying our Thanksgiving dinner by 6:30 pm. Very delicious Thanksgiving dinner The next day (Friday) I dropped Rainey off at PUmp it Up for three hours and headed out to do some shopping. It was  pretty crowded but I managed to hit mainly men stores for some reason like Tommy Bahama and Hugo Boss and the mens side of DKNY. Then I picked Rainey up and we went to the SanTan mall where I hit Macy’s, Dillards(for Rainey) and by that time it was starting to get dark and we wanted to play miniature golf at the winter wonderland which was pretty awesome. It was all lit up and Christmas music was playing and Rainey was having such fun playing.

Saturday we took our time getting dressed and showered and went into Casa Grande to the TARget and Walmart and hit the Bath and Body Works which Rainey now loves. Back to the hotel to change clothes (this is the blue dress day) pictures outside and off to the Nutcracker we went. I also had to get clothes together for later because we were going to meet Julie and her kids at the Mesa Temple at 7 pm and the Nutcracker was at 2 pm and we had to fill our time in between waiting. The Nutcracker was wonderful I did notice that people in Arizona or at least Chandler do not dress for the Nutcracker like they do in Anchorage. I think it is just a cultural thing in Anchorage to dress your child for the One exciting yearly event  that you get to go to up here without leaving the state. At any rate after that we went to the Chandler mall changed clothes and then went into have an early dinner at the Spaghetti Factory before meeting July. I think by this point it was around 5  pm. We went into the mall for a little while. RAiney is going to be the candy cane fairy at her musical at school and so we were in search for parts and pieces to put the whole costume together. Then we had to leave to make it to the temple by 7 pm. I wanted to leave plenty of time to get a parking spot. Go to the bathroom, get our coats on and be ready to meet up with Julie and her kids. I managed to get the parking spot, bathroom and then sent a facebook message saying we were there and for her to let me know when they would be there and we could find each other. I got a message back saying that they were not going to be coming. That she had sent a message earlier telling me that. I looked at my messages and she was correct at 5:30 she said that it would not work for them because of a late start on dinner and a desire to go on an anniversary date. I now have Rainey crying because she had been so excited all day to see her cousins. Our whole day had been planned around this time and date that I was given previous in the week. I knew the Thanksgiving weekend was going to be busy for everyone and  had tried to give her an out several times in our messages before leaving Alaska and so yes. I was upset by this point in the evening. There was an offer to do it the next night but at this point I was tired and frustrated and I certainly did not want to try it again the next night. OH well. I know that things happen in peoples lives that are not always in their control and am willing to overlook being “dumped at the Mesa temple” maybe a bit dramatic but it is somewhat funny at this point.

Sunday was the Junie B Jones play, more shopping, more Spaghetti (Rainey loves the chicken penne) oh and Mrs Clause at San Tan mall.

Monday shopping and more shopping and more miniature golf and more packing and Tuesday morning we left at 6 am and where back in Anchorage at 11:45am to a winter wonderland (It snowed while we were gone ) .

Rainey went to school Wed, Thurs and Friday and today is Saturday. Lots to do. Enjoy the pictures.