ARIZONA: Tucson

For some sun, new experiences for the kids, and to see how friends have settled in their new homes, we flew to Arizona!

Tridib, Deepa, Aditya & Arko were wonderful hosts as they welcomed us in their fabulous home in a hot new planned community with resort-like pool and backyard. We walked around the neighborhood and JaQuay liked this barrel cactus. You need to be keenly aware of your surroundings and leave plants alone. Tridib had a baby rattlesnake in his side yard and I spotted a dried up rattlesnake along the sidewalk-eek! The kids had fun playing Even Stevens Odd and watching movies together.

tall but young (under 70 years since it is armless) saguaro cactus

The girls wanted to pose by some landscaping at the church on Sunday morning.

Then we went to a restaurant for lunch that made fresh salsa table-side!

And fresh hand-made tortillas!

 Pics at Guadalajara's / Thanksgiving time in Arizona.

This is Brandon & Betsy Barnes' front yard! They are in a very natural area in the Catalina Foothills, so they have mountain views in the front and back, plus twinkling Tucson city lights in the back.

We walked around the neighborhood and Lydia took note of all the many different kinds of cacti.

Agave

Tucson scenery. flat roof houses, mountains and big barrel cactus

Even this small one is old and illegal to kill. (But you can move them around on your property.)

Cholla & Prickly Pear

The Saguaro Cactus! Native only to the Sonoran Desert

JaQuay, Amelia and Marcilene had a lot of fun playing together and we all got in a game of Disney Eye Found It!

In the morning we walked Amelia to her school. It was really interesting to see the open air hallways.

backpacks are hung outside in the hallways

We acted out flying from Milwaukee to Phoenix on the playground map

And we took the scenic route back to the house.