We go to da MOUNTAINS!!

Well, kind of anyways.  Last month we decided to get out of this crazy heat and take a weekend trip up to Sedona, which technically involves driving through the mountains.  In order to get Z properly motivated to take a 2.5hr car ride and leave his droves of toys behind we promised him we were "going to the mountains".  And he certainly latched on to this idea, it was VERY exciting for him.

So exciting he HAD to make a silly face for the camera ;).  We arrived in Sedona around lunch time and hit our favorite Mexican place there for lunch, this is our routine every time we go up there, and evidently Z remembered from this past winter when we drove up, because he immediately wanted to look for "grasshoppers!!" in the courtyard in front of the restaurants.  Unfortunately it's hot in Sedona in July, I mean, it feels awesome to us, because it's obscenely hot in the valley in July, but I'm sure by grasshopper standards, Sedona is hot, so they were not out hopping around like they were in December.   After a very filling lunch we hit the tourist trap shops, did some walking around, and then checked in to the hotel.  Since in the Summer in the Phoenix metro area it's pretty much out of the question to go outside and play, Z was itching to do this here, where it was *only* in the 90s.

So we indulged him, and he immediately found some wildlife.. errr.. ants, to inspect.  Whatever makes you happy kid :).  The next day we decided to go on a "hike", and that means everything you'd think it means with a 2 year old, an easy walk in the outdoors, albeit with beautiful sites to soak in, because, well, Sedona is gorgeous.

This particular hike took us back and forth across Oak Creek, Z was a little timid about this creek crossing business, but by the end of the hike he was all about getting in the water.  Oh, and he has discovered the camera, and taking pictures, and he's not to bad at it, when his little fingers aren't covering the lens ;).

He is carefully taking pictures of the ants, I assure you people, we have ants in Phoenix, I have no idea what this was all about. 

On the last creek crossing on the way back, we decided to change his shoes into water shoes and let him burn some energy playing in the creek a little, he LOVED this..

He loved looking at the little fish in the creek, and picking up small little rocks to throw in the water so they would splash.  This hike will definitely be on our agenda when we come up "to the mountains" from now on, it's one that B and I enjoyed pre-Z, especially in the fall, when all the trees turn their leaves into a beautiful spectrum of colors.  I have a feeling Z will love coming here in the fall too... as long as we bring his water shoes :p.