25th Anniversary ~ A Lovely Day, Well Spent!

After our hike, we did my favorite thing ~ sat by the pool.  Some lemon water, and some chips and salsa and guac for a light lunch before our evening out ~ 

Next we got all dressed up and had a photo session.  I was so nervous but so excited.  I wanted some special pictures to remember our 25th Anniversary.  So many marriages are falling apart, I feel blessed to be celebrating that many years with my love, and still LOVING each other.   I also wanted to have our pictures in the glorious setting where we were celebrating. There are many talented photographers here, but it meant more to us to have them taken in our beautiful dream setting.  We are so thankful to have each other and to be so happy.  God has blessed us tremendously and we are so very thankful and appreciative! "A cord of three strands is not quickly broken".

We finished off our evening with dinner in a lovely steakhouse.

And finally, a toast with our delicious fancy Ginger Ale.  Haha, yes it is really yummy!

25th Anniversary on The Mountaintop

On the morning of our 25th Anniversary, we woke up at 5:00 and prepared to climb Camelback Mountain.  It was a beautiful day, hot and blue skies.  We got our waters, and headed to the mountain.  I think it was about a 2 hour roundtrip hike, and worth the view.  A glorious start to our anniversary. 

"We've been to the mountaintop, we've seen the Glory of the Lord."

Canyon Suites ~ Oh My!

We stayed at the Canyon Suites at the Phoenician.  We absolutely cannot wait to go back here, and have nothing at all bad to say about our stay.  We were greeted upon arriving with a box of handcrafted dark chocolate bark with dried cranberries and pistachios.  After spending time at the pool, we arrived back to our room to find this yummy display for us.

24 hour room service? Coffee it is :)  (oh, and maybe creme brûlée)

Just part of the beautiful bathroom ~ It was a lovely suite with two bathrooms, office, dining area and a nice living room. Spacious, clean and beautifully decorated.

Our private patio overlooking the pool and Camelback Mountain.

Lovely, very private pool. Ben was wonderful, bringing around cooled, scented face towels, little cups of frozen grapes, frozen bon-bins, fruit skewers, and an endless supply of cucumber and lemon water. Glorious treatment!  Quiet, luxurious and the weather was just as I had hoped when I booked the trip ~ HOT and SUNNY! A dream trip.

And of course my favorite seat in the house ~~ 

  And a cupcake on our patio ~ with a funny face ;)

And that burger! Kobe beef ~ oh my.  I want one right NOW ;)

Oak Creek Canyon and Sedona

Oops. a couple more of the Grand Canyon that I just had to post.  First, what "boy" doesn't have to throw a rock when he can? My hubby has to throw rocks, skip rocks, etc. wherever we are.  We pulled off on this little lookout, and he had to see a rock go over the edge. (Okay, maybe a few rocks.)

And a quick iPhone Panoramic.

And my husband can NEVER resist taking pictures of me taking pictures.  

A couple of shots driving through Oak Creek Canyon.  There was a wildfire here just before our trip, and it had been closed for two weeks, and re-opened just four days before we came through.  A hats off to the firefighters!

There were lots of signs like this ~ so many grateful people.

Sedona ~ Another beautiful place to see!

Got to visit this darling church built into the hillside.  

Was a beautiful day ~ praying that we get to go back again very soon.