One would think that if you lived in a state that has one a few of the most highly visited tourist places that tons of people come to each year, you’d visit it quite a bit too?
Yep I thought so too, but unfortunately, we don’t go as often as I’d like.
In fact, we actually visited Sedona because we had a gift certificate from a friend to visit and take a little ‘baby moon’ before our baby was born….. 3 years ago.
And we had to use the certificate before it expired, 3 years later!
So we decided that after all the Thanksgiving madness, we would take a quick weekend trip as the girls were out of school and Steve’s office was closed for the weekend.
So we left on a Friday about 10 am and drove the 1.5 hours to get there (lame that we live so close and Steve’s never been, right?) and let me just tell you, we weren’t prepared for the temperature drop!
It was in the high 70s when we left Scottsdale and by the time we arrived in Sedona it had dropped to a cool and rainy 45-50 degrees.
Brr..
The GPS was set to take us straight to our lodging, which was this cute little boutique hotel, called Adobe Village Inn but it was too early to check in, so we went to Subway to grab some lunch and let the girls stretch their legs.
After lunch, we went to check into our room, which we stayed in the Coconino 2 bedroom suite. It had a full kitchen, 2 bedrooms, and a great view of the red mountains that Sedona is so commonly known for.
That night, we decided that maybe we’d go out and explore some things, and Steve found a casino close enough to where we were staying that also had a children’s play area for the girls to get out some of their energy. So, we drove about 20 miles south to Camp Verde and the Cliff Castle Casino where we had dinner at an OG Johnny Rockets before letting the girls go play in the play area.
And the decor inside this beauty was just as I remember going to back in the day. So awesome!
Side Note: I fully believe that if more Casinos had kids areas, they would get more business! Not just for their tables and slot machines, but for their restaurants and accomodations! It was neat that we could take them and they could play on slides, climbing things and they even have a separate bowling alley for adults and kids to play together.
Steve and I then found a seat at a Blackjack table – his favorite game and I pretend to know what I’m doing, with him mostly telling me what to do.
The only thing I don’t like about casinos is they allow smoking, and as a non smoker, it’s a bit overwhelming and I really don’t like to visit them for too long becaue the smell penetrates your entire being.
I will say, if someone isn’t smoking right beside me, I get lost in the game, and don’t notice it that much.
And this particular night, I was giving the dealer more chips than I was bringing in. Steve on the other hand was playing like a wild man – 2 hands at a time, doubling the bet and then splitting and winning (mostly). So I didn’t feel so bad that my stack was getting pretty small because his was 3 or 4 times mine.
Little tip if you never gamble or have been thinking about gambling – I NEVER put all my chips on the table at first. I bet the minimum until I start to win, and then I take my starting money out and put it in my bag so I never go home down. I only play with my winnings at that point, and if Steve (because he always does) asks for chips as he’s spent all of his, it’s out of winnings. This is the ONLY way I will play!
After about an hour and a half to two hours of play, and actually coming out $300 up, we decided that it was time to go. By the time we would get back to town, stop by the store for a few needs, and to the room it would be bedtime. Plus, they played non stop like little monkeys for that time, so they were tired.
If you know me at all, you know that I’m one for a schedule and routine when it comes to morning and nights, and being on vacation is no different. We go to bed at the same time and wake up around the same time, no matter where we are. Because the girls are little, the structure is invaluable and needed to help them in life.
Saturday morning, Steve always sleeps in and never has breakfast. So the girls and I had a short little walk to the main building to get a wonderful, homemade and delicious 3 course breakfast complete with coffee, juice and homemade muffins.
When you make your reservation, they ask if you have any dietary restrictions, and I requested gluten free and dairy free. So each morning we stayed, they had a special muffin marked just for me, and were very careful with their food preparations to ensure my food wasn’t compromised with anything I couldn’t eat. <– SO AWESOME! and such great hospitality for their guests!
If you are traveling with kiddos, the portions they make are for adults, so I just let them know the morning of that they could split the meals for the girls because I didn’t want them to waste their food.
After breakfast and getting ready for the day, we traveled into the main tourist area of Sedona to check out some shops and we stumbled upon this olive oil and vinegar shop that Steve was super into! He wanted to try ALL the oils and even tried a few of the honeys they had available.
He tried to get the girls to try the oils too, but they’ve been ‘victim’ to one too many of his funny tricks and don’t really like to try what he says is ‘good’ anymore! And Leila can read a lot now, so she knows what the labels say and if it’s spicy or something she would try. But they did have a fun time trying the honey together.
Finally, he settled on a bottle of the Garlic Olive Oil, Rosemary Honey, and Some Maple Syrup from Vermont.
We then wandered down the street and found a Mexican place (our favorite food group) where we could watch some football, each some great guacamole, and enjoy some tacos. And also a quick warm up as we were freezing already!
After filling our bellies, the girls wanted to take a picture with the painting on the wall that looked similar to Miguel from “Coco”.
Even in November, there were so many tourists from other countries visiting Sedona. It was a bit difficult to walk down the sidewalk with the girls and make sure they were safe from all the traffic happening.
We did manage to find a Pink Pig that Finlee thought was the funniest thing ever! And we tried to test out a new 360 camera that I eventually decided isn’t for me (after another trip) with a family photo looking at the Red Rocks.
On our way back to the car, about half frozen from the brisk wind and cooler than we are used to temps, we stopped by The Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and grabbed a few truffles and sweets for the room.
And the girls spotted a crystal store and convinced Steve to go take a look. He of course was in awe of the pricing they were charging (and getting!) for these ‘rocks’.
Side Note – if you are in the market for some crystals and go to Sedona to get them, they will be higher priced than buying from someone online or even a store somewhere else. It’s because they have to pay a premium for the retail space, and they will always have the energy of Sedona around them, but so many people touch them on a daily basis it’s important to cleanse them WELL.
We headed back to our ‘home’ for the weekend to warm up, and plan what we were going to do for the game that night. Steve is a diehard Ohio State fan, which of course doesn’t bode well with my “Purdue FOR LIFE” attitude, but it was the big Michigan vs. Ohio State game, so that won out.
As we started researching, we realized that there aren’t a lot of places for us to go watch the game because they were all for the 21 and over crowd. Then we remembered that we got a $40 gift card for booking more than 1 night with Adobe Village Inn to one of those restaurants and they delivered. So we ordered with them, and settled in to watch the exciting game that had me on the edge of my seat even as a non fan!
Sunday morning comes and the girls and I are treated to another 3 course breakfast that was equally as delicious as the previous.
We then packed our things, and started our long, 1.5 hour journey south to Scottsdale.
I am confident we will be spending more time in Sedona and the surrounding areas as we know what to expect with kids and as a family. Next visit, I plan to hike and visit a few of the outdoor attractions, of course when it’s warmer and the are up for it!
If you are planning a visit to Sedona either by yourself or with friends/family, I hope our visit was enough to get some ideas going for you. She’s beautiful and a must see!
I always have considered myself a strong willed woman, even from the days my siblings and I were too young to make our own decisions. Here lately, I’ve noticed that if I give up some of the reigns, I’m able to experience things much easier and with more flow.
Things like allowing others to help me complete a task, asking for help and knowing it’s ok, or accepting the fact that I’m not the greatest decorator. And maybe my minimalist lifestyle isn’t the same for everyone else in my family.
I’ve even gone so far as allow others to help me parent my children when I’m in the same house as them, because I always assumed I needed to parent them better than anyone else. But let’s face it – sometimes allowing someone else to take care of a screaming, angry almost 3 year old is kind of nice.
We all need a break every now and again.
And considering my husband sees the girls about 2 hours a day, right before bedtime, it gets hard sometimes, feeling like I’m doing this parenting thing all alone.
Having someone around who knows me before I knew my husband – before I moved across the country with my oldest without any support, because I can do it all alone (insert strong will much?) – before I became a parent and was a wild early 20 something who had her fair share of fun has been really, really nice.
I didn’t realize how much and how shelled in I had become. A piece of me was pushed down for about 4 years, and wasn’t allowed to see the light of day.
Maybe for fear of not being comfortable with who that person was.
Maybe for fear that she might want more in life than I currently had.
Maybe for fear that she might not like this life.
But after having my brother-in-law here for a month to keep me company, do the girls’ hair each day, help me learn how to cook a bit better, and even teach me a thing or two to decorate my home, I feel like there’s a new fire lit inside of me.
I feel vulnerable.
I feel passionate.
I feel powerful.
I feel that I have a valid opinion in areas that matter for our family as a whole that need to be heard.
I don’t know why for so long I didn’t allow my power to come into my life and my marriage. I guess I felt that if I wasn’t the main breadwinner, I didn’t get to have a say on anything. I honestly settled and felt trapped because I would walk on eggshells nearly daily. I knew that if I wanted to do anything or have anything that I wanted more than was needed for our family, I would have to figure out a way to make my own money.
And I also didn’t want to waste my experience and settling for what I had, even though it is amazing and many people would be extremely happy. I knew I was meant for more, and wanted so much more for me in this lifetime.
So I started my own business partially to grow and learn for myself, but also to help other Mommas who maybe struggling with the same things I went through. And some days struggle with still.
I believe in you sister, and know you are made for so much more and that your desires and dreams are there for a reason. Don’t give up and compromise just because.
You are the result of the love of thousands. Honor that, and give gratitude to those who came before you, who made it possible for you to exist.
At some point or another, we say “I don’t want to be like my Mom or Dad,” and then before we know it, we doing things/acting like our parents. Sometimes it’s good, other times, not so great.
I’ve been there too.
Here’s the thing – your parents, grandparents, etc are only doing the best they can to NOT be like their parents. They are trying their best to give and do things for you that they had and didn’t want to continue in their children.
While they are trying to make things better, parts of their past are coming through as well. When we choose to get angry over those who didn’t have all the tools or the awareness that wee do today we are simply giving into the fear and judgement parts of us.
Instead of looking at these incidents as faults or fears, we can take them as an opportunity to learn from the experience and express gratitude for the lesson to be presented in our lives.
I can’t count anymore the number of times I have heard my parents say “Well, we did the best we could with what we had and knew.”
And, for a really long time, I didn’t think that was good enough or acceptable. I thought it was a cop out or an excuse as to the experience I had in childhood.
When I started realizing and looking into my ancestry, I began to understand that was true. I was so concerned with the things I thought I was missing out on, I failed to see the experiences I was given that others weren’t able to experience. As I gave gratitude and love to my childhood, I started to have a different and better relationship with my parents.
The gratitude I gave to my parents went to my grandparents and on down my ancestry. It helped me to understand, give up judgement, and heal my anger and victim mode.
I no longer feel the burden of my past. I’m at peace with my history, and love that I have those experiences to make me who I am. I don’t carry them around like a weight on my shoulders any longer. I have released the weight not only from myself, my parents, or grandparents, but also from my children and their future children.
Are you carrying around more than you bargained for? Let’s book a call and see what all is ready to be released for you and your family.
13 years ago, I joined a platform in the fall of 2005. In my freshman year of college, and very much in my infancy of freedom and adulthood.
Facebook was also in it’s infancy. Back before all the videos, ads, marketing, random PM messages, groups. The days when only those with a college email address could join.
Looking back, no one could have predicted our journeys as they are today. Maybe Zuck saw it for his baby, but I certainly didn’t see mine for me.
When these memories come up and I think back to that time in my life, I had all these hopes and dreams of who I was going to be and how long it would take. I was majoring in Radiology – mostly because I wanted to prove my dad wrong. Because he was ‘old’ and didn’t know anything.
I now appreciate his guidance and opinions.
I wanted the freedom to be me. It was the first time I felt I could finally escape the childhood and past that I deeply wanted to hide. So much so that I started dating a guy much older than me. I was so consumed with is affection and attention that I spent every weekend with him in my dorm or traveling back 2.5 hours, 20 minutes from my parents, at his house. I didn’t do the normal college things often, only 3 times that whole year. I stopped attending classes and actually dropped most of them after the financial aid was released.
I was completely terrible to my roommate, whom I had known since 3rd grade and saw daily in middle and high school since our names were so close together, our lockers were next to each other. I forgot who I was and realize looking back, I had no idea anyways. I was running, I was hiding. And that became my story until about 2011.
Most of those years, I went to community college, worked full time, and dated the same guy who didn’t want to go anywhere with life fast. Because that was safer than returning to face the things of the past. That also meant I could support myself and show everyone I didn’t need them.
I had it all figured out…..at least it appeared on the surface.
Deep down, I had no idea there were hopes and dreams dying a little more every day inside.
At one point, I had so much shame and gilt that I couldn’t take it anymore. So, in typical AJ fashion, I ran. I did things I’m not proud of but realize it was part of my journey.
Running away and not dealing was my escape when backed into a corner with no other foreseeable options. To me, running away was easier than standing and facing the truth. I would have rather carried the burden inside of me with a smile on my face than deal with the truth. Or telling the people I was in a relationship with in any area of my life, to their face.
Looking at the pictures and memories from that time, I don’t recognize that girl. I can see sadness and a cry for help. But I also see the calculations of who and what next move happening.
It’s so easy to compare that to now. It’s so easy to look back and point the fingers and imagine “what if…..”
In reality though, I have no idea where I would be now if I didn’t take those risks or calculate the next thing. I honestly couldn’t have even planned the life I live today, not even a little bit.
I do know for a fact that I am far better and happier today and yesterday and tomorrow because of them. I am forever grateful to have these experiences and opportunities to make mine and those around me’s lives better.
You are allowed to be with your journey too. Stop for a second and just be you. Don’t compare who you were or what you were. Just be present in this moment and listen. Listen to what your body is saying. To what that little voice inside is saying (both good and bad). Then decide where you go from here. It’s completely your choice.
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