Like me, my dear friend Melanie turned 40 this year. I met Melanie when I was 18. We had our first of many geology courses together at F and M and we were fast friends. We have traveled all over the world together and have seen each other through good times, bad times, sickness, health, love, loss, triumphs, and everything in between. She is a wonderful friend and a beautiful soul. She matters to me and I am forever grateful for our friendship. We celebrated Melanie and her birthday big this year! It was awesome! 6 of us celebrated friendship and love and the great outdoors by heading to Arizona to hike our hearts out! What a way to celebrate!!! It was perfection....the people, the place, the conversations, the laughs, the food, the weather, the shenanigans, the love. SO good for the soul! Happy 40th Birthday, Melanie!
Wandering for hours in this beautiful place with interesting and lovely people was beyond amazing!
Here were are! 6 ladies from 6 different states gathered to honor and celebrate our dear friend!
We saw other hikers and mountain bikers each day and I think our group of laughing and chatty ladies had everyone smiling. Just being outside in this beautiful weather and gorgeous surroundings was pure bliss!
Icy in some spots. Such a cool area. We were in hats and gloves at the beginning of our hikes and in the shady spots but in the sun it was a different story
A javelina!
These colors are pure magic!
Such a great group!!
Red rocks for days! Gorgeous
That's Sarah in the background sliding down the hill I just slid down...really the only and best way to get down!
Cory flew home out of Flagstaff so we took a group field trip to drop her off at the airport...this is what a 45 minute drive and a gain in 2000ft + elevation will do to a landscape. Incredible!
Taking it all in!
Contrails made the only clouds, we had PERFECT weather!
Wide Open Spaces
This is the view from the front porch of the house we stayed in. That is a chapel built into the red rocks. So interesting. We could get on the trails right from our house...no driving necessary. It was so awesome! Just get up and hike!
My lunch view on Day 3. Peanut butter and jelly never tasted so good!
I loved being in the American Southwest. I loved the hiking. I loved the scenery. I loved the vastness. I loved the company. I loved the time. I love the friendship!
Also, things got weird once the sun went down....and I loved that too! :-)
And meanwhile, back at home my boys were surviving and thriving! They were busy and productive and had so much fun! There was a wing challenge and a Pokemon tournament win and a shed door replacement project and basketball practice and The Office viewing parties and quality father/son time! I missed them and they missed me and I am so very grateful for a partner that so effortlessly takes on two parenting roles and has the house spotless and the laundry done when I return. Grateful!!
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