Jolly Good Fun!

Birthdays, Family, and Monsoon Season.

Kansas may have twisters, but here in Arizona, we have monsoon season. The weather is miserable, from 110 degrees to hot rain, to humidity, it hasn't been pleasant here this summer. So, me and many other Phoenicians stay as far away from the heat as possible. But, when you have family in town, they love sight seeing, and want to go on mini- adventures. So, my suggestion? Take them up north!
My cousin Jeff came into town for a long weekend and we went to Montezumas Castle and Jerome. I had never been to either, and Jerome was a really cool town with lots of fun shops and great scenery. It is sort of a ghost town, have been an old miners town during the Gold Rush. We ate at a restaurant called the Asylum, which used to be a miners' hospital. We shopped for knick knacks, and had a great time. I really want to go here around Halloween, I here Jerom-ians really know how to celebrate Halloween!

Me coloring on our table at the Asylum

Gorgeous view in Jerome

Jeff near a Copper Mine in Jerome

Montezuma's Castle

Mom and I at Montezuma's Castle

Mom, Lisa, and I at Montezuma's Castle

It has also been the month of the birthdays. Aaron turned 24 and my gramma turned 82! (They are both such Leo's). Aaron, of course, would not let me take a picture of him blowing out his candles, but here are his cupcakes!!!

Here are some pics of my Gramma's birthday. It was really fun. Fran made amazing cupcakes and Aaron and I make lobster sauce with pasta and got my gramma this hilarious cake!

Do I not have the cutest Gramma ever?

I cannot believe that summer is almost over and school is starting again. I have lots of fun things on the horizon, like Yom Kippur and moving to our new place. See you soon!

Unexplainable journey...

Cars, Fish, and Culture...

Not everyone is as lucky as Dorothy to have magic ruby slippers to take her just about anywhere she chooses to go... some of us have to have cars. So, Aaron and I went out and finally bought one. It took what felt like a hundred years, but I am happy to say we are proud owners of a pratical, reliable vehicle. Here is a pic our car saleman took of us. I felt like such a dork.

Since it is still the dog days of summer, and since we are Phoenicians, being outdoors is something we avoid this time of year (while everyone else in the country is soaking up the last bits of sunshine, we are running from it). On our day off, we went to a place that isn't for the faint of heart, the Chinese Cultural Center. I know hearing the word "culture" in something having to do with Arizona seems odd, since the only "culture" we pretend to have here is Mexican, but this place is amazing. It is right by the airport and if you love to cook, like from SCRATCH cook, and you don't mind a little chinese man reaching in a huge pool of salt water, grabbing a fresh tilapia, clobbering it over the head with a mallet, killing it instantly, and then gutting it in front of you, than this place is PERFECT for you! Aaron and I spent about 2 hours here filling our cart with Japanese egg plant, sea weed chips, Mochi, and Hello Kitty candies. We also surprised my parents and made an amazing dinner. We made fresh stuffed tilapia on the grill, Mediterranean style, crab, and grilled Japanese eggplant. Here are some pictures!

The Phoenix Chinese Cultural Center is somewhere you MUST visit!

Well, now that summer is drawing to a close, my next blog will probably be about August birthdays, my cousins visit, and moving to the condo...

Here are my dogs enjoying the "dog days of summer"...

The rough life of being our dogs, sheesh...

Have a wonderful rest of your summer!