Hiking, Golfing and Ghost Towns

 We loved the desert around Queen Creek, where Jer and Jen lived.

They took us on a fun, easy hike with so many cactuses that we'd never seen.  When we were almost at the top, I challenged Freestone, who was missing the exercise of ballet class, to run all the way back to the car.  He just took off.  He never quite made it all the way back up because he ran into cousins on his way, coming down.  He's the funniest kid.

I told Kate and Ptolemy to look like saguaros.  Jenny said that it takes a hundred years for a saguaro to grow its first arm.  They're fascinating plants.

After the morning hike, I took Scott to the airport and the rest of us drove into the foothills to visit Goldmine Ghost Town.  Ryan had a ghost hunting app on his phone.  It was a big hit with the kids, especially Jackson.

Best friends Neeley and Araceli!

Found another ghost!

The only downside to the ghost town was that Ptolemy has five dollars from Grandma and Grnadpa that he wanted to spend, but he couldn't decide what to buy, and he was stressed, poor little guy!  He survived.  Next, we went to a movie where I sat eating buttery popcorn and resting.  That was fun.

Here are a bunch of pictures from Top Golf, although I can't remember if it was that same day.  The kids loved the golf.  Lilah was an animal with her drive!  Tizzy usually hit the ball hard enough for it to fall over the edge of the wall, and one time, almost gave me a heart attack when she ran after it.  We're on the edge of a three-story drop off, and she's two feet from the edge.  Yikes!

The highlinght for my kids was that they each got their OWN root beer.  Wow.  I never do that.

Freestone is a thoughtful guy.  He was always carrying the kids on his back.  While we were scorpion hunting, he heard a kid cry at the park.  I was talking to him, and he took off running towards the park, as if it was instinct.  

This was Sunday, before Scott left to go back to work Monday.  He's got some pretty good form, huh? He's good at everything.