The Biosphere and Sonoran Desert Museum

Hey Everyone! In the past few days we've to the Biosphere and to The Sonoran Desert Museum here in Tucson.  The Biosphere was a little disappointing to me.  The neatest part of it was the actual building.  Architechurally it was impressive.  The Biosphere was built about thirty years ago by a private investor.  It was for research on how plant life and water worked together to help us survive.  Very complicated stuff.  Different schools still do research here and a lot of it !  There was all different climates within one building and they had the ability to change the climate at a moments notice.  Each climate zone had its on eco system.  So basically everyone there really liked the rain forest eco system.  I really found this funny because it reminded me of our back yard!  Lots of humidity and sweat! Lots of nice green plants everywhere....What was so cool about this? LOL

Now I will move on to our adventure at the Sonoran Desert Museum.  This was cool.  It was actually just a giant zoo with animals from this area.  We went from 7 to 10 at Night!  Great time to do anything in Arizona!  Once the sun starts to go down the temps drop and the wind gently blows....it feels great!  A lot of the animals we saw started long before we got to the zoo!  On the winding road up the mountain to the Museum.  As we were riding along we came across three wild hogs grazing on the side of the road. On that same road coming out we saw a Momma dear (as peighton calls them) lots of fat mice, and some sort of strange looking squirrel!  Needless to say we drove slowly! 

At the zoo there was mountain lions, black bears, scorpions, owls, bats, Mexican wolves....you name it and it was there!  We all had a great time but Brinson really loved this!  We will probably make another trip before we leave.  The scenery was unbelievable here.  We were basically at the top of a mountain and the sun was setting when we arrived.  It was Gorgeous!

lets go cave exploring!

Bat ears make you hear so much better

Love that Arizona sunset!

black bear

mexican wolf

Live from Arizona!

Well everyone! We finally made it!  Peighton, Brinson, and I flew out on Thursday.  We did have a FEW delays at the airport.  Both flights had delays of two hours each. I could not have ask for better children!  I had at least five different people comment on how well behaved my kids were. I think the twenty five year old who sat in front of us on the first leg of our flight was a little worried.  Needless to say my kids were better behaved than most of the grumpy grown ups on the flight. She was one of the people who gave them great compliments!  I could not have been more proud!  Ten hours in an airplane or at an airport and not one complaint out of either of them!

Once in Tucson we spent our first day relaxing and getting use to the three hour time change.  I will have to give rave revues to the Residence Inn by Marriott.  This is a great place for family's to stay.  Its like a very small apartment.  Full Kitchen, hot breakfast each morning, and Monday- Thursday they serve supper.  Awesome!  I told David I could get use to this! The maid comes in each morning makes beds and does dishes.....I may never come home! I highly recommend it when traveling....especially with kids!

We did go to Pinnacle Peak Western town.  It is a small make believe western town that was used in the making of a western movie that featured Glenn Ford.  They have a pretty neat Restaurant there with great steaks.  After our dinner we watched a  "shoot out" in the town.  The kids loved it!  There was even a small railroad that circled the town.  Of course, we needed to ride it. 

Arizona itself is so unique.  The biggest tree here would be considered a large bush at home.  You can see all the way across the city! No trees to block the view! Tucson is surrounded by the Sonora Mountain range.  Every direction you look you can see a beautiful mountain range!  Its truly unbelievable!   Its very hot here but in a strange sort of way.  I never sweat outside, even though its 106.  Maybe it evaporates before it leaves my skin...not sure.  It is also very windy here.  This is something I did not really expect.  Its like you always have a fan of really hot air on you.  Our lips, eyes and nose have been dry...adjusting from 100% humidity to 0% humidity has been a little different.

Since we have been here I have been ask so many times "Where are you from?".  I think my southern accent gives me away! LOL.  I have been very touched by some of these people.  There are so many people around here who have evacuated their homes because of the fires.   One man told me that it has not rained in over four month's!  I pray these people get relief soon.  So sad! 

Today we enjoyed fathers day with David.  We grilled steaks and the kids bought him a cake.  Then we hit the pool for a little while.  So far it has been a great adventure!  We will keep you posted!

Going thru security....yes...we had to remove our flip flops!

Ready Set GO!!

Snacks and then time for a nap!

Thank goodness for electronics! There are a few times when they are a good thing!

My Angels!

cannon used in The Alamo with John Wayne

100 year old merry go round!

God is sooo Good!

Arizona here we come!!

Daddy's on his way!  It was an early morning.  David had to be at the airport at 7 am!  We threw the kids in the car at six in their jammies and off we went.  Once we got there, and the kids were dressed, we hit our first bump in the road!  It seems that the government FORGOT to pay for Davids airline ticket!  Oops!  So his ticket had been canceled.  That was quite an ordeal.  It took a full hour for him to straighten it out on his cell phone.  How did we ever make it without cell phones?


Once that was done we said bye to Daddy at the gate.  Just being at the airport got us all excited.  Peighton and Brinson are looking very forward to the trip and I am ecstatic!  Off work for a month and soooo many wonderful adventures ahead of us!  We even sent our clothes with David.  One less thing for us to have to carry to the airport when we head out on Thursday.  Life is such an adventure.....Arizona here we come!!