Come with me, I'll take you home
Last month we celebrated our first Arizona-versary.
One year ago we hugged in the Ranch driveway for the last time and Seth sent us off on a two day adventure that would end at our new home. He and the puffs would follow after the movers had packed everything else up.
I was heartbroken to be leaving the first state we had made ours and terrified that the kids would turn the road trip into a coup. Thankfully the first day was smooth with the help of gas station treats, behavior clips, and letting them "play" loudly and ridiculously in the backseat.
We spent the night just outside of Vegas. There was an unbelievable park to stretch our legs, DQ grilled cheeses, and PJ Masks on the Disney Channel.
Our second day was dotted with weird and wonderful roadside finds. We made wishing well wishes to Santa Claus in the (for sale!) town named after him. What once was a roadside attraction from 1937-1995, now there were only crumbling buildings in faded colors. It was everything I love about places that were. The kids still talk about that time we went to Santa's and he had moved.
We drove past Nothing, Arizona even though I was looking for it and had to turn around, which was actually perfect. In its previous lives it had been a cheeky rest stop and later a pizza place. Currently, it's an iconic backdrop for travelers. We met a father and son who used to go there when it was open and talked for a bit before the wind pushed us back into our cars and onto the road.
Before I knew it we had traded Arizona past for our future. The kids excitedly ran around a house they were seeing for the first time. We jumped in the pool in the dark because it seemed like the perfect christening. We were home as far as they were concerned. And so I decided we were home too.
::listening to banks' "crowded places"
One year ago we hugged in the Ranch driveway for the last time and Seth sent us off on a two day adventure that would end at our new home. He and the puffs would follow after the movers had packed everything else up.
I was heartbroken to be leaving the first state we had made ours and terrified that the kids would turn the road trip into a coup. Thankfully the first day was smooth with the help of gas station treats, behavior clips, and letting them "play" loudly and ridiculously in the backseat.
We spent the night just outside of Vegas. There was an unbelievable park to stretch our legs, DQ grilled cheeses, and PJ Masks on the Disney Channel.
Our second day was dotted with weird and wonderful roadside finds. We made wishing well wishes to Santa Claus in the (for sale!) town named after him. What once was a roadside attraction from 1937-1995, now there were only crumbling buildings in faded colors. It was everything I love about places that were. The kids still talk about that time we went to Santa's and he had moved.
We drove past Nothing, Arizona even though I was looking for it and had to turn around, which was actually perfect. In its previous lives it had been a cheeky rest stop and later a pizza place. Currently, it's an iconic backdrop for travelers. We met a father and son who used to go there when it was open and talked for a bit before the wind pushed us back into our cars and onto the road.
Before I knew it we had traded Arizona past for our future. The kids excitedly ran around a house they were seeing for the first time. We jumped in the pool in the dark because it seemed like the perfect christening. We were home as far as they were concerned. And so I decided we were home too.
::listening to banks' "crowded places"
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