The Big Game

Spontaneity has often been abundant in our lives....but not so much since we had kids. This weekend we tried to change that though! The night before our day trip to PHX, we decided to make a real trip of it and go to a DBacks game and spend the night. It sounded like fun...and it was!

Our trip's original purpose was so that I could do an interview/orientation for a new job...nothing too exciting and I'll still do my normal shifts in the ER...I am just going to work 1 Thurs. every 3 weeks at the Barnett Dulaney Eye Center here in Safford doing admitting and surgical RN stuff. (Tom, a good friend of mine had the job, but moved and recommended me...so I'm going to try it out. ) After 6 long and boring hrs of osha, testing, etc... I was glad we had decided to add some excitement to the trip. As for Jason , he had initially planned on a trip to the PHX Zoo with the kids, but since we just went to the one in Tucson 1 month ago AND since it was supposed to be 104 degrees, he opted for a big trip to Cabella's...which Reagan probably loved just as much! Favorites were the tents, big fish, and being with Daddy!
The Diamond Backs game was hit! We found the kids play area, which was even close to our seats and the kids got out some wiggles. We ate some ballpark food, watched the DBacks WIN, and just relaxed! We usually go to a game for our anniversary, but didn't go this year AND this was Reagan and Travis's FIRST game! So much fun! Reagan absolutely loved cheering for her team and informed me next time we need matching shirts, and cheering things (the big foam hands and rattle shakers). Typical. Travis was worn out from a long day already, so he was just content to just sit in our arms and watch. Good baby! What a game! What a day!

Another highlight of the trip was of course staying in a hotel room--Reagan loves this! We even woke up early on Sat. morn and went swimming while Daddy slept (he did the day before on 2 hrs sleep!). A bit of shopping and then we headed home...sort of. Jason's sister Kris had a baby during the DBacks game so we decided to drive home through Tucson to take a peak at the new addition. We saw and held the sweet baby boy Jack and then headed home...sort of. There was a huge accident just ahead of us on the freeway so we were delayed roughly 3 hrs! uggghhh.....

It was a great time and fun was had by all...but oh, how grateful we were to be home!

Duncan's Redneck Tractor Pulls

Jason would say you haven't lived until you've been to tractor pulls...if this is true, the Larson family has definitely LIVED! We've been to numerous tractor pulls in the past and Saturday kept us close to home as we traveled to Duncan for (Travis's 1st) tractor pulls. Most of the pulls we go to are strictly antique tractors, but as is much of everything in Duncan, this was a Redneck version! You were allowed to pull with anything--your old tractor, your new supped-up hot rod tractor, your shiny new Dodge truck, or even your old beater Ford truck! It was a sight to see!

A bit of tractor pull explanation for those who haven't LIVED yet....You chain your tractor to a "sled" and the weight you are pulling slowly goes up as you pull forward and you try for the furthest distance. Normally there are lots of rules--like 2 hands on the steering wheel, must go less than 2 or 3 mph, front tractor tire can't go but 6in. off the ground, etc. Duncan's was-- you guessed it--not so rule oriented so some guy pulled the sled fast and hard with his alcohol fueled modified tractor and actually broke the sled! Jason was bummed...me, not so much!

This has become a bit of a family tradition--Jason and his Dad have been going to pulls since we got married. There is a bit of competition between the two and this pull was no different. Kent and Jason drove the same tractor (our old Farmall M). Kent told Jason he beat him by a few inches, but when it was over, Jason said he got 5th and his dad got 6th...Kent didn't believe him. Silly boys! They usually drive John Deere tractors, but didn't on Saturday and what was weird was that no one else did either! There were no John Deeres! Crazy! At least there were JD fans--check out our two cuties! (And yes, they do make Wranglers to fit a 11 month old!)

The pulls were actually at the Greenlee Co. Fair so we got to check that all out and see my parents. My Dad even joined in on the tractor pull watching. Reagan loved the animals and Travis just enjoyed the ride. We had fun and of course got our favorite fair food--cotton candy! Lots of family fun.....

My First Shiner!

What a week! Shiner, 2 teeth, and lots of laughs and tears... Growing up is sometimes a dangerous thing as Travis discovered. He pulls up on everything and then tries to stand and walk, but sometimes balance is not on his side. Travis was walking along the wall, made it to the back door and was watching the dogs (one of his favorite past times) when he lost the battle with gravity and met the door and floor face first! Lots of tears later, I realized a huge bump was growing just below his eye...then the shiner appeared! Poor baby! (The day it happened, Travis was wearing his "I do my own stunts" shirt...funny huh?!)

You'd think a black eye would be a deterrent from the back door...

NOPE--still watching the dogs and walking along the wall!

Travis also managed to have his front two teeth break through this week...we are glad to know he isn't a vampire! (Bottom 2 teeth came in, then the fang teeth...odd?)

Despite all, Travis is still happy and easy going. Lucky parents!

Big Hair!

For Livi's 5th birthday party, Reagan got to go to the Beauty College and get BEAUTIFUL! She was so proud of her hair, "It was the biggest Mom!" Another exciting part was that a girl named Josyln did her hair and nails, "Not Seth's Josylyn but a second Josyln!" The funniest part of all this was Reagan loving being girly...and wanting us to take a picture of her "big hair!"

Fry Mesa or Bust!

Okay...no laughing! We aren't exactly pioneers, but this was a pioneering trip! We wanted to make a treck up to Fry Mesa to try the canoe there, but we don't have a boat trailer so this was Jason's answer! Yeah--it looks funny but it worked fine! We made it without any issues...other than that road is not so great anymore--rain has been good for the green countryside, but not so much for that road!


Reagan was so excited to get to canoe, she could hardly wait! She got the first ride with Dad and loved every minute of it! Travis and I also got in (gasp...gasp...). The baby was fine--he loved putting his hand in the water as we "sped" across the "lake." As for me, I was a bit nervous--all four of us in a shakey canoe??!! Crazy fun I guess! We drove to the cove and Jason showed us where (in the old days) he used to jump off the cliffs in to the water and ride the zip line across...now that was crazy fun per him...not too sad I missed out on that!
We had a little picnic and Reagan made some new friends...the biggest caterpillar and grasshopper you've ever seen! They even scared her a bit! Travis loved the rocks and of course the tires on the Ranger...very easily entertained these days. Jason attempted fishing--but the water was pretty murky and we didn't seen anything in it but a few crawdads.









Fry Mesa is a cool place--did you know that if you look East from there you can see Roper Lake perfectly? (We waved to the Allreds!) And that if you look North you see Pima? Fry Mesa is the corner of the angle. Weird. It is so green up there right now too. "It is SO beautiful! Take a picture Mom," per Reagan...mind you she said that about the cows we saw too! We had lots of fun and are so blessed to have such easy access to such a great place.

We Canoe...Do you??

Okay...so we don't really canoe, but are learning to! My dad found and repaired a sunken canoe from Roosevelt Lake recently and brought it down for us to play with. So, armed with only a paddle, battery and trolling motor, Jason, Travis, and I headed up to Blue Ponds this am. (This is the best part of living in the boonies--we can be having outdoor fun by driving just 5 mins.!) The canoe floats! And actually got going pretty fast with the trolling motor...it is a bit wobbly and made me nervous, but we didn't turn it over! Success! It was fun! We will have to go again soon as Reagan missed out due to school and is going to be VERY mad that she wasn't on the first voyage and Travis skipped canoeing for a nap.