Our Visit To Arizona

Hi All

While Allen was away in the UK I decided to go to visit our friend Carrie. We first met Carrie in DC as Jake was in preschool with Jacob. They then moved to Denver and we visited each time we came out on holiday here. Then, as we moved here, they moved to Page, Arizona. We visited them last October and camped at Easter in Zion National Park. We all get on very well and once again the trip was great fun and actually quite relaxing (hope Carrie felt the same!). It was an 11 hour drive there which I decided to do in one go. Jacob and Abi were pretty good, mainly due to the DVD players and Mc Donalds stops. We spent most of our time at the beach on Lake Powell. Luckily Carrie has friends who own a boat so we had a day on the Lake - the Lake is about 400 miles long so we got to see a small part of it. I've included photos of Carrie and Jake with an arch behind called Rachael's Arch. Also one of Abi, Jacob and Annie swimming. We also did a hike to Horseshoe bend. A look out point that shows a horse shoe bend in the Colorado River. The children loved it, they generally ran there and back. I've included a photo to try and show the amazing scenery.

After 4 nights and three days we drove back. Unfortunately it took 14 hours to get back due to traffic and the engine of our mini van blowing up (a mini van is a people carrier). I dumped the car in Denver and luckily Allen was back and could pick us all up. The garage said it would cost between $3000 and $5000 to fix so we decided to sell it for scrap as it looks like we'll be leaving sooner than we thought for (maybe as early as Jan 09). I'm happy that Allen will be promoted but would like the children to finish the school year.

Speaking of school Jacob had a hair cut today - see photo. He's so excited about starting school. We've had to jump him a year as Jacob and Abi would have been put in the same class and that would have been a nightmare for all concerned. Academically he'll be fine, but emotionally it may be tough! Back to school BBQ tomorrow and first day Monday - hooray! Abi is strangely quiet on the school front. I'm not sure she wants to go full time so we'll see what happens next week.

So it's the end of the summer for us, very weird but we are really looking forward to Mum and Dad arriving. We have loads planned which now involves hiring big cars too as we're going to try being a one car family for a bit. Luckily our friendly neighbours have a spare 7 seater we can borrow.

Hope everyone's well and have also had a great summer.

Maybe seeing you in January

Rachael.

PS I will try a video clip again but if you can't view it go to Carrie blog at:
www.sweatlands.blogspot.com/ and you will see Jaocb and Abi on that.