Matthew's and Mommy's trip to Arizona 2007

This is Matthew after everything I describe below.

Matthew and I went for a 1 week trip to Arizona to visit my parents in Lake Havasu. The weather was hot, hot, hot, when we arrived...a balmy 102 degrees - just a bit of a shocker to the system, but I'm not complaining. This is the waterway that connects the lake area to downtown.

Excuse the number of photo's posted, but it was difficult narrowing down to only a few scenic pictures....it was all so very beautiful and we saw and did lots of neat stuff within a short time.

A scenic shot on our way down towards the famous London Bridge, where there are a few touristy shops.


The London Bridge

Matthew desperately wanted his picture with a cactus and because he loves flowers so much this seemed to be a great spot.

I didn't post the next picture, but it was beside a very tall cactus that we ventured not to far out into the desert for. After my dad took the picture of Matthew and I, Matthew ever so calmly said "Mommy there's a rattler", I really don't know what I was thinking, but didn't take him seriously until again he insisted "no really Mommy there's a rattler!" I looked in the direction he was pointing and my eyes focused in on a very large snake! It wasn't a rattler, but what I did see was a black and white banded snake that was moving towards me, that was only about 2-3 feet away from my shoes. I absouletly freaked!!!!!!!!!!! And quickly bolted down the hill with Matthew in my arms. I had a serge of adrenaline,.... I believe this is what they call "fight or flight"....it was a flight in my case. It was an experience I'll never forget! Although my dad didn't zoom us in for this shot, the snake still made it into the picture (as dad was trying to capture the scenary around us), the snake is hard to make out, but he is there though..... so we have proof to our story.

Parker Dam

On our way into the town of Parker (just pretty).

We went to a very small historical gold mining town called Oatman. It was neat, the town was only about 1 block in length with old southwestern style buildings from the beginning of the 1900's. Matthew was up on Papa's shoulders so he could get a better view of the "shoot out on the street".

Wandering freely amongst all the tourists downtown were donkeys that you could feed carrots and alph alpha sprouts too.

Grandma , Papa and Matthew (& the donkeys begging for food).

Some of the beautiful landscape as we were coming into Sedona.

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Downtown Sedona, the landscape surrounding us was gorgeous (a cloudy day doesn't really do it justice...the rocks varied in colors red-brown-grey-white).

Shopping in Sedona with Papa and Grandma.

The Great Grand Canyon - words and pictures don't describe the enormity and beauty of this natural wonder of the world.

Mommy and Matthew at Mather Point (Grand Canyon - West Entrance).

...more Grand Canyon shots

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We walked along the walkway viewing the sights. It was a bit nerve racking with a 4 year old though, because there were some very dangerous spots.

Outside one of the many Mexican restaurants that we ate at along our journeys.