Traveling is always so hectic, and this was no exception. The dog sitter arrived and I (Andy) was still packing my carry-on backpack. But we had plenty of time at the airport to think of everything I forgot: the small camera and more importantly, a jacket. Leilani spent a lot of time in the cockpit after telling the pilot that she wanted to be a pilot when she grows up…
After an uncomfortable red-eye flight to Phoenix (at least it was a direct flight), and a few adventures getting the rental car and shopping at Costco, we stopped at a thrift store so I could buy a jacket (and Leilani got more sweaters that fit over her cast). Then we got some lunch food from our favorite place: Trader Joe’s. We packed all the food in the car and took our picnic lunch to a cold picnic table at the former Squaw Peak (now called Piestewa Peak).
That’s where we realized we also forgot the battery and battery charger for Sonja’s new camera. We drove back towards Phoenix and found a camera store that carried them, then we drove to Sedona. We got checked into the time-share on time, then we made kitchadee dinner and waited for Jim and Rosemary to arrive, and much later David.
The next day started out gray and rainy, so we stayed indoors and relaxed. We made the first of several puzzles on this trip:
Grandma Rosemary made aprons for all of us, which was great because we all did a lot of cooking:
Then it started to SNOW! SCHNEEEEE! Leilani was very excited and running outside several time until she got so cold she had to come inside. Andy grabbed Sonja’s new camera and confirmed that it takes great pictures, but only if one does everything right. Sonja says: I should read the manual…
The snow started to accumulate, so we all went outside to see it. Spot the weird one:
Andy checking out Jim’s bumper stickers: not feeling the Bern… and wondering if hell did freeze over. The Bernie bumper sticker was later found off the car in a snow pile, which prompted Sonja’s criminal-mystery-trained mind go into overdrive:
Leilani getting warm by the gas fireplace:
And the rest of us getting warm with apperitif (the first of many this trip):
Leilani made shave-ice replacement: snowball with eggnog – it tasted really good!
That evening, Sonja, Andy, and Leilani went to the Sedona Unity church for a holiday celebration. By now, the snow was thick on the ground, and we had to drive there carefully in the snow, fortunately Andy remembered how. We met Shawn, Sonja’s friend from Standing Rock, sang lots of holiday songs, and even received some gifts. Outside, they had a nice garden, and we Hawaii residents were fascinated by the plants covered in snow:
Later that night, Sonja and Leilani went to bed, and the rest of the family went to 10:30 choir and mass at the Catholic church. They had more nice music, traditional songs, and more snow covered plants. Andy drove home and saw two people stuck in snow, but he made it back in the rental car.
