Posted by Tagged with Arizona, devilsbridge, family US roadtrip, hiking, roadtrip, Sedona Posted in Uncategorized

Sedona, Arizona

I had heard that Sedona, Arizona is a great place for hiking. We were originally planning to spend a few days at the National Parks in Utah, including Arches and Canyonlands, but decided to head South to avoid a snowstorm.

I googled “best easy family hikes in Sedona” and got a list of about 10 choices. We chose “Devil’s Bridge” because we have loved taking family photos on bridges throughout the trip. The Internet said this hike was “Easy”.

We got the last open spot in the trailhead parking lot when we arrived. We set out feeling energized and ready for a leisurely walk to see the natural bridge. We walked for what felt like about 2 miles and I thought to myself, we should be getting close. We came to a sign that said Devils Bridge ➡️.


From that sign, the trail started a gradual climb for about a mile. My legs started to hurt, and I began thinking about how we would need to return the same distance back. At least the return trip would be downhill, I told myself, as the trail kept going up.

We asked people returning from the end of the trail how much further it would be and they kept saying, It’s a ways further.
What is a ways? I wondered. Please tell me it’s coming up soon.
We started seeing these gardens of stones piled along the trail. It gave us something to look at and put a little spring in our step. It was as if those who had stacked the stones were cheering us on to the finish line.


The last part of the hike was the hardest because it was climbing and scrambling up rocks. I was very impressed by the man with a baby carrier and the couples with their dogs on leashes scrambling up those rocks. It seemed like everyone thought this was no big deal and they didn’t seem the least bit tired. I was slipping and sliding, huffing and puffing, and whining the whole way.

We got almost to the top and there was a stopping point with an incredible view and people were taking photos. I heard a few people say, “let’s just stop here. This is far enough”. I heard that and said “sounds good to me. I’ll just plop down here and let the rest of you all finish the hike. I’ll be here waiting.”

This is typical of me. I don’t like discomfort and I would much rather quit than go all the way, if given a choice. Lately, I’ve been realizing this about myself. I knew that I had to go all the way to the top. We carried on scrambling up all those rocks until we reached this incredible natural bridge where a line of people were waiting to get their photos taken. I immediately knew that to not go all the way to the top would have been a loss. Those last 20-30 feet of climbing was SO WORTH IT! Now I would have no regrets. We will always remember this moment, but especially me because I know that I pushed myself. Ivy’s comment when we reached the top was just perfect. She said,

“You are turning your fear into fun!”


Here are some photos of our family on Devil’s Bridge in Sedona, Arizona.

Posted by Tagged with Arizona, Family travel, family US roadtrip, Grand Canyon, roadschooling Posted in Uncategorized

Las Vegas and the Grand Canyon

Las Vegas
We spent 3 days at a hotel in Las Vegas.
The last time Mark and I were in Vegas was 12 years ago. I was excited to go back and show the kids the Bellagio Fountain, my favorite spot in the city. We walked from our hotel to the Bellagio, stopping on the way for a slice of pizza. By the time we got to the fountain, Ivy, my 9 year old was holding her tummy and complaining of feeling sick. She was crunched over and moaning, “I need to go back to the hotel. I don’t want to be here.”

At first, I thought it was the pizza, but since none of the rest of us who had eaten the pizza were feeling sick, I wondered if what she was feeling was anxiety. We found a quiet hallway and sat down to take a break. We talked through how she was feeling about the cigarette smoke, walking through a casino, and seeing people dressed up in masks of clowns and Donald Trump. She was able to communicate that she didn’t feel comfortable in Las Vegas. She had a similar reaction in New Orleans. She said it was too loud and there was too much smoking.


The next day, we decided to drive outside the city and see the Hoover Dam and Memorial Bridge. The girls enjoyed that day more than the first. The third day, Mark stayed with Ivy back at the hotel and Malia and I went back to the strip and walked through the Bellagio flower show, Caesar’s Palace, the Mirage, and the Venetian. Two hours was plenty for Malia and I. We share a preference for quiet, outdoor spaces in nature over noise and bright city lights.

Change in Plans

We were all set to go to the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and then carry on to Arches and Canyonlands National Parks. Mark woke me up the morning we were scheduled to leave and said “We have to talk!” I am not a morning person, but the urgency in his voice woke me up pretty quickly. “The North Rim isn’t even open!” he said. “And it’s going to snow and rain all week at Arches”
I felt so dumb. I hadn’t even checked the website to know that the North Rim doesn’t open until May 1st. Snow and ice are common well into May in this part of the country. We quickly came up with a new plan and headed to Flagstaff, Arizona and the South Rim.

When we got close, we saw that there was a long line of cars waiting to get into the Canyon. Apparently, spring break brings the crowds. We were informed there would be up to a two hour wait just to get into the park. We waited until a little later in the day when the line had died down. We arrived around 2:30pm and only had to wait in line for about 30 minutes.

The Grand Canyon is AMAZING. When I first walked out to Mather Point, I felt my eyes well up with tears. I wasn’t expecting to cry, but the beauty and grandeur of the canyon filled me with emotion. I’d been to the North Rim before, but this was my first time at the South Rim. There were more options for trails to walk at the South Rim and shuttle buses to take you to the different overlooks.

Many people have said a good time to visit the National Parks is in the fall instead of during the summer or over spring break. It was busy, but I didn’t mind that much. It’s such a huge area, and you can always find places off the beaten path if you get tired of the crowds of people taking selfies. Photos really don’t fully capture the Grand Canyon; you really must visit at least once during your lifetime!

Posted by Tagged with Arizona, Family travel, family US roadtrip Posted in Uncategorized

Disco in the Desert

We just finished a month stay in Vail, Arizona at Solquest Retreat. Vail is a small town within driving distance of Tucson. We were able to explore Saguaro National Park, Sabino Canyon, Madera Canyon, Mount Lemmon, the Desert Museum, Medella Vina horse ranch, and the Tucson rodeo and gem show.

It snowed 3 times during our month stay, which is unheard of in Arizona. Many days were cold enough for us to need our winter coats. It was still much nicer than back in Minnesota though. Our family back home experienced record snowfall and blizzard conditions on and off all month.

I went into this month seeing it as an intentional personal retreat. I joined an online group to go through the book The Artists Way by Julia Cameron. One of the assignments was writing “morning pages”. These handwritten journals entries helped me uncover some harmful thoughts that have been hindering me from living my best life. I was able to recognize and release some fears and forgive myself for things I regret. Mark and I had some good talks that were important in strengthening our marriage.

Lisa Kindle, who we stayed with, is an artist. She supplied us with art supplies and a space to create. One of Lisa’s passions is the power of words through affirmations. You can learn more about Lisa’s work here.

Lisa Kindle Arts

She encouraged me to create my own personal affirmation cards and gave me the cutest little box to put the cards in. The front of the box says: “Give it to God” and the inside says “She is clothed with strength and dignity and she laughs without fear of the future”. Proverbs 31:25

Here are some examples of my affirmations.
I will speak these aloud to myself until I begin to believe them and live them out.

Being able to walk outside the front door and be surrounded by mountains was a great feeling. We drove up Mount Lemmon and took pictures at a place called Windy Point.
It was spectacular.

Another new experience was walking a giant prayer labyrinth right outside our door.

On our last weekend here, Dean and Lisa hosted a Disco in the Desert with Mark as the DJ. There were costumes, a photo booth, yoga with Kaeli Hines, fondue, and tie dye cookies. It was a fun night!

Mark did an awesome job, as always, bringing the music and lights.

As our time in Arizona comes to a close, we are so grateful. Our next stop is California. We have been on the road traveling for 4 months now! It’s hard to believe that we will be home in St Paul on May 1st. If you’d like to cheer us on toward the finish line, you can join our Patreon. It’s a $6 gift that will go straight to our gas money fund, and we will send you a postcard as a thank you! The Patreon will end when the trip ends so there is just one month left if you’d like a postcard.

Join the Postcard Club

Thanks for following along. We would love to hear from you if you’d like to host us in your state. Especially if you live in Oregon, Idaho, or Colorado.

Posted by Tagged with Arizona, roadtrip Posted in Uncategorized

Tucson, Arizona

As I write this post, our home state of Minnesota is getting dumped with snow and I am thrilled to be missing out on the shoveling. I do miss the feeling of being cozy in the house while the cold wind blows outside, everything is cancelled, and we are forced to hunker down and do a jigsaw puzzle. We have not needed to double layer our socks or wear long underwear at all this winter. We’ve spent our time in Georgia, Florida, Texas, and now Arizona.

We arrived in Vail, a quiet little desert town about 20 minutes South of Tucson on February 7th. We are staying on a gravel road off the beaten path at the home of Dean and Lisa Kindle for about 4 weeks. They have given us new experiences such as learning about our life path color, providing us with art supplies, and introducing us to a cacao ceremony. Dean and Lisa have named their property Solquest Retreat and that is exactly what we were seeking. We craved a few weeks to slow down in one place, center ourselves, and listen to God for direction. Part of this trip’s purpose was to rekindle our marriage and family relationships and re-center our lives for the next season.

There is a labyrinth in the front yard, and each morning we’ve been able to walk the stone-lined path to the center of the 40 foot circle. Before beginning the walk, we remember what we are grateful for. The walk to the middle is a time to release (intentionally let go of the things that are troubling us). In the center, we take time to receive what God wants to give us for that day. The walk back out is a return to our work and play for the day. It is an active form of prayer and reflection.

Some of our daily outings in and around Tucson have been driving up Mount Lemmon, attending a rodeo parade, hiking in Sabino Canyon, studying saguaro cacti, riding horses at Medella Vina Ranch, and playing tennis at Reffkin Tennis Center in Tucson. We will end our month here with a Disco in the Desert on March 4th. If you are in the Tucson area, you are invited!!
Here are some photos of our adventures in the Arizona mountains.

Rocks are all the rage here. We went to a gem show the first weekend and now we can’t stop seeing rocks everywhere.

We watched the Super Bowl at a little restaurant in Vail called Dos Hermanos. We had the place to ourselves and they served the best tacos we have tasted on the trip.

Being so close to mountains has been a highlight from this part of the country. The kids had never seen a mountain before this trip.

The road has become home (for now) and it’s hard to believe we have made it almost 4 whole months.
Next stop, California!

Posted by Tagged with Arizona, Food, travel Posted in Uncategorized

A Crash in Cactus Heaven

My husband, Mark, was invited to do a video shoot in Scottsdale, Arizona area for a wellness company called Inspire Life. I came along for the sunshine and good company. We stayed at a Casita found on airbnb. It was on a gravel road lined with horse ranches. The first thing I noticed upon arriving in this state was the cactus. So many cacti!


There were also Lots of Hiking Trails. They were everywhere. We are not in the greatest shape, but we took in some of the trails marked “easy” and they did not disappoint. We quickly learned the importance of water and sunscreen.

We enjoyed wonderful food over the 4 days. My favorite meal was at a place called The Farm at South Mountain in Phoenix. They serve a farm to table breakfast that was absolutely amazing.

The last day of our trip came to a crashing end as I took a bad tumble off a BIRD scooter. It was at the end of a 30 minute ride and after countless compliments from Mark on how well I was doing, I accelerated, lost focus, and went flying off the scooter and onto the pavement. I felt my head hit first and knew it was bad when I saw blood flowing onto my hands and legs. I started screaming and quickly drew a crowd. The onlookers who were trained in first aid jumped into action and another bystander called 911. I heard her telling the first responders “she must be in her 20’s” and I responded ”I’m 42!” At that point, Mark said he knew “I was going to be ok.”

I was so sore and weak from the fall, that I requested a wheel chair at the airport. We got back home to MN at midnight, and I’ve never in my life been more thankful for my own bed.