Prescott trip

We FINALLY took the kids to Prescott to see Great Grandma Jarrel. (Well, actually we did this three weeks ago and I'm just FINALLY posting about it!)
Great Grandma had never met our youngest, though she has sent countless gifts for Christmas and birthdays and many, many times in-between.
Great Grandma is really good about this. The girls all know that there will be something in the mail a week before their birthday and they are delighted from the surprise packages that arrive whenever.
The older two hadn't seen her since they were about five and two years old. So it was good for them too, to see the mystery Grandma behind all of the spoils.

Great Grandma looked the same. I swear she doesn't age. She may have a little harder time getting around, but really, she's still going quite strong!

She had THE cutest room in the retirement home she lives in. Most people make due with just the necessities. A bed, a dresser, a bedside table perhaps. No pictures or decorations. Just plain white walls.

Not Grandma Jarrel. She has been there for several years and has her place completely decked out! She's got a whole life worth of stuff fitting into that little space, and you will likely never take it all in no matter how many times you look.

All of the pictures and keepsakes and memories in that room made my heart swell.

Great Grandma also had some raised garden beds out in the court yard where she is currently growing squash, tomatoes, strawberries and herbs among other things.


Our favorites were the giant sunflowers that towered over everyone.




Oh, and though they weren't planted by grandma (at least we don't think they were) the girls really enjoyed picking and even sampling some cute little crab apples growing near the gazebo outside.




We also had the pleasure of a picnic with Dennis' Aunt Janice, Uncle
Denver and cousin Colleen. They were really happy to meet the girls and visit with everyone.


Prescott is such a beautiful town. The weather was around seventy five degrees and a light mist of rain fell for a few hours each day we were there.
Of coarse, coming from desert country where it doesn't rain, the girls thought it warranted umbrellas.




So they chose to spend some of their trip money on umbrellas from Wal~Mart. They didn't really need the umbrellas, but they sure had fun playing around in the rain with them!



Which was a good photo op for mom!



On our way out of town on Sunday, we stopped off at main street to look around the picturesque town square in the center of many quaint shops, art galleries and restaurants.


We ate at a restaurant that occupies what used to be the old fire station. The food was delicious! I had a really good lump crab salad with sun dried tomatoes. I'm still craving it!

The kids loved Prescott so much they didn't want to leave.
Literally, they cried on the way home asking if we could move there!
I had to consol them with chocolate pudding...

We will definitely be taking another trip there next summer if not sooner!

And now, with all those pictures, you can see why it took me so long to do this post!