Of course, I couldn't go on a blogging binge without including a recent picture of Sonora. Who knew she liked to play dress up? Well, she actually doesnt but it sure does make us laugh! When we went to San Diego we dropped her off at Camp Bow Wow again. She really enjoys it and they enjoy her. They have Camper Cams in the play areas so we were able to watch her play from California, it was pretty neat. When we picked her up, they had framed a picture of her they had taken in a magnetic frame that said "Favorite Camper" on it. It was a small gesture but one that will definitely keep us coming back and giving them business! 
Friday, September 17, 2010
Sonora
Cooler Mornings & Evenings
September has brought with it cooler mornings and evenings but the days are still hot...reaching over 100*. Can't wait for the winter!! Winter in Arizona is beautiful, the summer is almost worth it because the rest of the year is perfect weather. My car has a sun roof and I cant wait to ride around the city with the windows down and the sunroof open; its the little things :)
As for Rob, he is so extremely trying to balance full time work, full time graduate work, and a full time wife who loves to have him around (LOL). Right now he is in the middle of a paper writing marathon and I am urging him to finish early so we can go out and celebrate the ending of his Summer quarter. He goes to school full time year round...has been at it for 2 years straight now with one more year to go. I truly dont know how he does it-he amazes me!
September saw a dear friend of mine make a huge life change/decision as she bought a one-way ticket to New York City!! She is going to look for an RN position there-she is such a Phoenix girl but she is going to slip right into NYC life-they'll probably think she's a local. I will definitely be making trips to visit her in the Big City. I already told her she has to find some cool restaurants to take me to!
Leanne and me having drinks at her going away party at Casey Moore's in Tempe. Havent been around that many college grads since I use to visit my friends when they were going to Boulder. All college bars have the same feel thats for sure.
Rob and I trying to mix in with the co-eds even though we are no longer in the college days...I'm kinda glad for that though. Its definitely a phase of life...and why some choose to stay in that phase for their entire life, well thats just a personal decision, but not one I'd make! :)San Diego Trip
We just got back from San Diego over the weekend. We headed out to check out the San Diego City Fest that was going on at Mission Bay Park. Rob works for the non-profit who is organizing the Arizona City Fest here in March, so the staff went down to check out how it'll work. Rob shadowed his counterpart in San Diego and was very busy the whole weekend. Our friend Barry joined us from Canada and me and him tried to make the most out of the weekend and relax!
The first day we were there we explored Torrey Pines State Reserve. The beach was beautiful and as we walked the coastline, we had a couple of dolphin sightings which was really neat. This isnt the season for the whales and dolphins and I would love to come back when it is. All the locals were saying you can watch the whales passing by from some of the look-outs on this beach. We will definitely be making a trip for that. Above is one our our "jumping pictures". Barry, who is an awesome photographer and has a great camera, took most of the jumping pictures on his camera. I have to wait to get pictures from him...this was the only one we captured.
That evening, we checked into the Hilton Resort at Mission Bay. Beautiful hotel. We really enjoyed it. One of the highlights (besides the view and great room) was having breakfast with Barry at the restaurant. We decided "when in Rome, do as the Romans (aka the rich folk) and that is how we came to the conclusion to splurge on a $20.00 breakfast buffet that was anything but disappointing.
Saturday, we checked out San Diego City Fest and walked around enjoying that. That evening, we heard Luis Palau speak and watched the Newsboys and some other Christian artists, pretty fun!
Sunday we found this great local spot for breakfast called "Perry's Cafe". So, so good! We then headed over to SeaWorld. The weather was great and there were no lines for anything, we were able to see 95% of the park. The only parts we didnt check out were the kid areas. SeaWorld has come good shows and the way they have those animals trained is unbelievable.
Sunday night we made the long drive back to Phoenix, not ready to come home! I am hoping to plan another vacation very, very soon...
Wednesday, July 21, 2010
Monsoon Season
The monsoon season started a week or two ago and that means high temps (greater than 100) with humidity. It is the worst time of year here! So hot and muggy! I am hoping it doesnt rain this weekend though because my mom and Barb are coming out for the weekend. They fly in Friday night and leave Monday morning. We dont have any major plans except to just relax and hang poolside.
Work is stressful and I have my first exam in my critical care class so here I go, studying again. It never ends! Rob just had a week off of work so he could attend a week full of all day classes. He is again, back in the grind of work and school. This is one busy summer as we knew it would be.
Can't wait for that cool weather, no more studying, and a time to really enjoy only having to work 3 days a week and more importantly, take a vacation!!!
Wednesday, July 7, 2010
Sonora hanging poolside
Sedona Getaway
June 2010 on the grounds of L'Auberge de Sedona ResortRob surprised me with a short weekend in Sedona in celebration of passing my RN State boards and knowing that our summer is going to be full of work and school for both of us. He is taking a full summer load of courses at Fuller and I am in a Critical Care Course all summer. Rob wrote a review on TripAdvisor and I thought he did a great job really sharing our experience at the resort so I am including it here. Kills two birds with one stone: updating the blog and saving me the time from writing it myself!
Absolutely amazing. My wife and I decided to do a quick getaway from our busy lives by coming up to L'Auberge de Sedona. Having found a great deal on one of their cabins through Travelzoo, we soon realized that the touting of this Inn as one of Conde Nast's favorites was not out of the question. From arrival at the complimentary valet, the service was friendly, very professional, and not at all snobby! We were ushered in with promises that our bags would be brought in, and were escorted to check-in. Here, we found out that our room was not yet ready, and after calling to the manager, they ensured that we would not have to wait. We were upgraded to one of the Creekside Cabins (1 or their 2 best suites) and we were blown away. The finishings were detailed, plush, and extravagant. The comfort and relaxation of the room, listening to the rush of the neighboring Oak Creek immediately put us in a relaxed state. The furnishings were top notch, and the outdoor, cedar-lined showers were absolutely amazing!
We also ate at their Restaurant, having been tipped that it was worth the price by a friend prior to going. And it was! While pricey, it was a romantic, tranquil creekside table served with only the best service and quality of food! My wife had a Lobster bisque and Filet Mignon which were both perfectly cooked while I enjoyed a Seared Foie Gras w/ peaches and the Chef's speciality Lamb. Truly amazing, and their wine list was extensive and composed of very good vintages and varietals.
We truly did not leave the grounds of the Inn, sitting on our patio in front of the cabin, taking walks through the gardens and in the shade of the oak trees next to the creek ,and watching the mallards, hummingbirds, robins, and other birds enjoying the foliage. We were able to enjoy the No Tippiing Policy on all services except those for room service of food and wine. In fact, this was the one slight complaint - that the $6+20% charge for having a bottle of wine sent to the room was a bit much, even though the service and convenience was great! The complimentary Wine & Cheese Manager's reception in the evening and Coffee & Pastries in the morning were very enjoyable. The ambiance was just amazing. We left after a short 20 hours, but felt refreshed and relaxed from a stay much much longer. Very Highly recommend and we will definitely return when we can!
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Amanda McFarren, R.N., B.S.N
Well I did it, I'm just super late on updating the blog. I passed and now I'm an official Registered Nurse. So far, working in the Trauma ICU as a new grad is stressful but rewarding. I kinda feel overwhelmed with everything that is going on so it'll be nice once I start to feel in control of the situation...but that'll be awhile.
Now that school is over, I've just picked up taking the Critical Care Course, EKG course, and ACLS course/certification...so now I'm super busy studying much harder material but at least I am getting paid for the class time. It's going to be a super busy summer for us!
Well Rob is calling me to go...off to church on this HOT 4th of July in the Valley of the Sun!
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