Category: Family

Planning a Quick Family Trip to Arizona: Phoenix, Sedona & the Grand Canyon!

Photo by Anthony Melone on Unsplash

Jack has a random 4-day weekend off of school, which obviously means we need to take advantage of it and go somewhere fun! My only criteria on choosing a place was: “warmer than Maryland” and “never been there before.” So, boom… Arizona it is!

I booked our airfare, hotel, VRBO and have a vague outline of what we are doing, but I’d love some feedback if you’ve been to Arizona!

Here is our current plan:

Day 1: Fly to Phoenix. Stay in Phoenix for the day and explore.

On our plan: We will be arriving in Phoenix, picking up our rental car (booked by Travis because he cares what car we drive more than I do), and staying at the Embassy Suites by Hilton Phoenix Scottsdale that evening.

Possible things to do that day:

  • Eat. We need breakfast, lunch and dinner in the area.
  • Explore Historic Downtown Scottsdale
  • Explore Old Town
  • Hiking/Sightseeing – open to suggestions for an easy hike with beautiful views

Day 2: Drive to Sedona and explore.

On our plan: We will be checking out of our hotel after breakfast and then hitting the road for Sedona. It is about a 2 – 2.5 hour drive but it is very likely we will make stops along the way. We will be checking into our VRBO and staying there for the next 2 nights. It has a HOT TUB!!

Possible things to do that day:

  • Eat. Lunch, dinner and all the snacks.
  • Tomb Natural Bridge is said to be a good stopping point while driving. State Park entry is $7 per adult and there are hiking trails.
  • Possible hike: Devils Bridge. It is a popular trail that is said to be easy enough for most skill sets. It is 2.1 miles one way, or 4.2 miles round-trip.
  • Tlaquepasque Arts & Shopping Center is supposed to be super cool with locally owned shops.
  • Airport Mesa Viewpoint is said to be a great place to watch the sunset.

Day 3: Drive to Grand Canyon and explore

On our plan: We will be heading out to the Grand Canyon after breakfast and spending the day there. The drive takes about 2 hours each way. After a day at the Grand Canyon and the surrounding areas, we will return to our VRBO in Sedona for a second night.

Possible things to do that day:

  • Eat. Breakfast in Sedona, lunch somewhere in between, and dinner somewhere.
  • Flagstaff is about halfway between Sedona and the Grand Canyon, so it can be a great place to stop to stretch your legs and eat.
  • Only the South Rim is open in the winter due to snow. Grand Canyon permit fee is $35 per car.
  • There are various tours to take, ‘hop on and off’ buses… I need to research and could use some recommendations!

Day 4: Head back to Phoenix and come home

On our plan: We will wake up, have breakfast and pack up. Then we will drive back to Phoenix (about 3 hours), turn in our rental car, eat some lunch and hop on a plane to come home.

We have a quick stopover on our way home, and also will be getting in super late. So, I’m planning to try to just pack carry-on luggage so that if we are delayed or cancelled, we can just find a hotel and try again later.

I can’t wait! If you have any recommendations for places we shouldn’t miss – whether it be food options, hikes, stores, or views – let me know!

Family Fun: Glass Blown Christmas Ornaments

Back in April 2022, Travis and I had a glass blowing date night where we made our own pint glasses. It was super cool and you can read about it here: Date Night Fun: Glass Blowing. At that time we wondered whether Jack would enjoy the activity as well, but decided to wait a little bit… for maturity purposes.

Well, we went as a family the first weekend of December and had an amazing time!

Before I get into it, let’s get the important information out of the way. The studio we visited was McFadden Art Glass in Baltimore, Maryland and you can find their website here: McFadden Art Glass The workshop cost $40 per ornament – we had planned for each of us to make one, for a total of 3 ornaments (gifting one and keeping two). However, Jack loved it so much I let him take my turn too.

I made a cute video of Jack doing his thing. And NO I can’t believe they let him hold molten glass on the end of a stick and walk with it.

Here are some other cute photos of the process:

We had so much fun making our own ornaments and each year when we decorate our tree we can brag again about that time we went glass blowing.

What I’ve Been Watching

Photo by Ajeet Mestry on Unsplash

When it comes to my spare time, I typically choose to read a book rather than watch television at this point in my life. Back before I was married with a kiddo, I had all this extra tv time and I would watch cable from pretty much the moment I got home from work until bedtime.

Of course, nowadays we don’t even HAVE cable television. Instead, we have a few streaming services: Netflix, Amazon, Discovery + and Disney +. Without fail, I watch whatever new Marvel show is on Disney +, but other than that… it’s really sporadic.

All this to say, I’ve been watching a bunch of shows lately! Within the past month or so, I’ve actually binged FIVE different shows, so I thought I’d share my recommendations in case you’re looking for something new to watch.

Show #1: Wednesday, stream it on Netflix

Of course, you’ve heard of Wednesday – it’s currently the number one show streaming on Netflix. I watched the first episode this past Friday on my lunch break, which then turned into binging the entire series over the weekend. Jack joined in on episode three and we finished out the season together (with Travis joining in for the last few episodes too). The premise is that Wednesday from The Addams Family goes to a boarding school and has her adventures. I LOVED the entire show and can’t wait until they announce that they’ll be doing a season two. Jack also very much liked it, but a few parts were a little scary for him (so he hid his eyes behind my arm).

Show #2 Warrior Nun (season 2), stream it on Netflix

Here’s the synopsis: After waking up in a morgue, an orphaned teen discovers she now possesses superpowers as the chosen Halo-Bearer for a secret sect of demon-hunting nuns. Yes, it’s quite out there but if you like a female-led show with some badass fighting, this might be a good fit for you. I watched the first season with my friend Lindsey when it came out back in 2020. I was really excited to see that season two came out in November and I immediately watched the entire show. This is one that I watch alone, as the fighting and demon scenes would be too much for Jack to handle.

Show #3: Upload (season 2), stream it on Amazon

The premise of Upload is that in the future rather than dying, you can upload your consciousness into a virtual afterlife. The first season came out in 2020, the second season launched in March 2022 and it has been renewed for a third season. I really enjoyed the first season when I saw it, but then I totally forgot about the show and figured it hadn’t gotten renewed. I was very pleasantly surprised that the second season was out when I googled it, so I binged those seven episodes within a few days. This one is not appropriate for kids, as I realized a bit too late in the first episode. Oops.

Show #4: Julie & The Phantoms, stream it on Netflix

Yes, this is totally a kid appropriate show. It’s a musical-comedy about a trio of ghosts who come back into the world of the living to make a band with a teenage girl. I know, ridiculous. I watched it when it first came out in 2020 and then again with Jack a couple weeks later. When I had Covid over Thanksgiving, I needed a feel-good show that I could kind of pay half-attention to while I was sick and this one was perfect. And it totally reminded me to add some of the songs to my Spotify playlist. I don’t care if it’s corny, they’re dang catchy! Unfortunately, this show wasn’t renewed for a season 2.

Show #5: Grace & Frankie (season 7), stream it on Netflix

The series stars Jane Fonda and Lily Tomlin as Grace and Frankie, two aging women who form an unlikely friendship after their husbands reveal they are in love with each other and plan to get married. I’ve been watching this show since the beginning, but never got around to finishing the last season. And to be completely honest, as much as I enjoyed the show’s previous seasons, I did skip a few episodes in season 7. The last episode though – the finale – had me in tears. Such a great ending to a super awesome show.

Bonus Movie: The Guardians of the Galaxy Holiday Special, stream it on Disney +

I love all things Marvel, so as soon as James Gunn posted on his Instagram account that he was making this holiday special, I made a note to hunt it down once it came out. It’s available for streaming on Disney + and it’s super adorable. And the soundtrack is really great too, in fact I added a few holiday songs to my Spotify Holiday Tunes playlist! Travis, myself and Jack all enjoyed this movie and we especially laughed at the random ‘swole’ Groot.