arizona and the BIG 25

Last weekend my parents were SO NICE and flew me out as a birthday present to Arizona for baby Charlee's blessing. It was such a fun weekend, packed of everything necessary when making a trip to the old AZ.  

First off, my dad invited me to a SUNS game the first night I got there. His awesome friend, Tom, has these front row tickets and so in the past when my family was in town, they always made it a guys night out. This time, after my subtleties of wishing I could go after the last game, Daddio took me! It was SO stinkin' awesome! I have not nor will I probably ever sit that close again. 

This is Tom chatting with his old buddy Ronald. 

Yeah, look how close we were! We could see the sweat on their heads. (Ok I must admit I may have used the zoom on my camera here, but still..).

Then on Saturday morning, Julie invited Melissa, Kim and I over for breakfast. It was so great to see baby Ruthie for the first time and hang with the girls.

And Sunday, Charlee (Charlotte) was blessed! It felt so good to be together and to add this little girl to our family. 

She is amazing, so beautiful, and just perfect. 

This is Nana with her new grandbaby.

Both of my lovely Grandmas.

The new happy family.

and an even bigger new happy family

I completely fell in love with little Charlee and loved to kiss and snuggle her. She is such a good little girl and could seriously sleep through a hurricane (notice her sleeping in all the pictures).

I had the chance on Sunday to go visit Grandpa's grave site, with Grandma and Dad, and see the new headstone that was recently placed. I miss Grandpa and this picture of the temple reminds me that it's not at all over.

This is a painting that Tom (mentioned above) painted for my Grandma after my Grandpa died and he had a copy made for each of the children. It is incredible how life-like it is and just having the painting in the center of the kitchen in Grandma's house made it seem like Grandpa was that much closer.

On Monday was my birthday, the BIG 25! Crazy, right? Donna tells me that by the Chinese calendar this is my year of luck. Oh, and I believe it. So on my birthday Kim took me out to get ice cream and pedicures. It was so wonderful to be with Kim again in AZ and it felt like we still lived right down the street from each other. 

That night, I know it's hard to believe, we went to Rosa's. This has always been my choice of a birthday dinner for the last several years that we lived in AZ, so it felt like old times.

Jake and Charlee.

It was a FABULOUS birthday thanks to my fam. They are pretty great. We missed Lara and her fam even though I saw them not too long ago. Not seeing them everyday is still too long.

Charlee and her proud Auntie. 

Yes, she's actually awake here cause I was cruelly designated to wake her out of her hibernating sleep to eat.

Simply Stated: Family is all that matters...not much else does