The Things I Did While Traveling to and from Arizona

As I promised earlier today yesterday, here is a view of what I did while taking a vacation to and from Arizona with pictures:

I drove 17 hours my first day to spend the night in Deming, NM. I got stopped by Border Patrol once in New Mexico (read about it here). Before that, I almost got a CD permanently stuck in my mom's CD player.

After the first day, I got hit by a snowstorm that almost scared the pee outta me when I spun across the interstate into the median. Later, I made a pit stop in Tombstone, AZ, where I ate a late lunch at Big Nose Kate's Saloon, visited the Birdcage Theatre, O.K. Corrall, and Boothill Cemetery:

behind the bar at Big Nose Kate's

Birdcage Theatre

A sample of  a headstone at Boothill

Once I began the rest of my trip to Phoenix, I got to enjoy some beautiful scenery, which inspired the header and a button for my blog:

I got to visit Erika's office and take a couple pictures of Chase Field, home of the Arizona Diamondbacks:

I celebrated New Year's Eve by going bowling in the afternoon to meet new friends, then later that night celebrated the holiday with my best friend and new friends:

me, best friend, new friend :)

On New Year's Day, I went to a nice brunch with best friend and parents, where a really cool replica of Willy Wonka's Chocolate factory was on display. It was made of candy and chocolate. I had my first ever (and second!) IN-N-OUT Burger experience before and after the Fiesta Bowl! (AMAZING) Then I got to cheer my Sooners to a BCS bowl victory, and take my FIRST EVER! picture with OU President David Boren. I also got to see some sorority sisters that I missed!

Chelsea, Erika, Nicole, me, Aubrey

D.Bo! 

OU = Fiesta Bowl Champs!

Throughout the entire week, Erika came home for lunch, I played Lego HP, read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, and relaxed and slept. On Wednesday of that week, we went to the Phoenix Suns/L.A. Lakers game for free!

just before tip-off!

Erika also introduced me to Baja Fresh. delish.

Saturday, Erika woke up with a migraine and I ended up having to drive her to her first urgent care visit since she's been in PHX. Then later that night, she stayed at home :( while I went out to Old Town Scottsdale with a bunch of her coworkers (I didn't want to document this night for good reasons)

Sunday I got to stay in PHX for one last night because of snow all over the Southwest!

Monday I got to start heading back home, and got to enjoy MORE beautiful scenery almost the entire drive!:

I spent the evening in Tucumcari, NM, watching the National Championship game in my hotel room with pizza and beer (love that dinner combo!)

Then on my way back on Tuesday, I got pulled over by Texas Highway Patrol for going 72 in a 70 (you can read my rant about that here). I then made it safely home to my good ol' smalltown, OK, USA around 7:00 p.m. to multiple family members that missed me and The Killers waiting to be watched with an aunt and uncle.

Pretty successful trip I think :)

Hope you enjoy the pictures!

p.s. It's also Fab Friends Friday on FTLOB. Check out their site to find great new blogs, including a majority of the ones I follow! http://forblogs.blogspot.com

Insert Creative Title Here

As I sit here in Phoenix for my SEVENTH morning to wake up in this beautiful state, I'm kind of at a loss for words. I know, I know, this is a big shocker. This is partly why I didn't update yesterday (the other part is because I was attached to Lego Harry Potter on the Wii ALL DAY. I'm obsessed!). I love this town, I love this state. I know for sure that I want to come back again. Heck, I may even change my mind and want to live here at some point, instead of just visit. Everyone here says "Wait until you feel the heat of the summer," but I love the hot summers! I love them in Oklahoma when it's 100% humidity! (Okay, maybe loving the humidity is stretching the truth a bit. No one actually loves feeling like they're sweating when they're not actually sweating.)

Last night, Erika scored us some free tickets to the Phoenix Suns game against the L.A. Lakers. I LOVED the game! It was so much fun to hear the entire crowd get into every aspect of the game! (even the RUDE Lakers fans behind us) A lot of times when the Suns were on defense, you could hear then entire crowd shouting "DE-FENSE!" I loved it. I wish OKC fans would get into it as much, maybe I would try to go to more Thunder games than what I already do. And of course, seeing Steve Nash play was pretty freakin' sweet. I don't keep up with NBA too much, but I have heard about him of course. He's definitely a team-oriented guy. ANYWAYS. Erika and I spent 3 hours cheering on the Suns to a very close loss to the Lakers. It was one hell of a game.

I'm sad that my time here in AZ is coming to an end, but I know my family back home is ready for me to return. And I'm sure once I get back, I'll be ready to be home as well, but for the time being I NEVER WANT TO LEAVE. Leaving means returning to Oklahoma to enjoy my final semester as a college undergrad (YIKES!). It means I won't randomly score free tickets to an NBA game (although I am going to the Clippers/Thunder game in February with HESSA.) It means going back to having responsibilities. But the best part of going back to Oklahoma? Returning to my family and friends that aren't here with me. This 10 Day vacation has been a fantastic break, but I kinda miss my brothers and the little rugrats that are more like sisters. But I'm sure once I graduate, they'll be ready for me to go back to school :) And, I kinda miss my littles. They're pretty legit.

Hopefully upon my return, I WILL NOT fail Capstone, and then maybe Erika can return to "God's country" to see me walk across a stage. If not, she has big girl responsibilities now, and it'll be during season. I will love her anyways.