THIS TRIP WAS SO AMAZING! IF YOU LIVE IN ARIZONA OR ARE TRAVELING TO ARIZONA IN THE SUMMER TIME THIS IS A MUST DO! BRANDON'S PARENTS TOOK THE KIDS FOR US OVER THE ENTIRE WEEKEND SO WE DECIDED TO DO SOMETHING DIFFERENT THAN OUR NORMAL DATE NIGHT. BRANDON HAD MADE PLANS FOR THIS TRIP ENTIRELY ON HIS OWN, TO BE HOESNT, WHEN HE TOLD ME ABOUT IT, I WAS NOT SURE IF IT WAS SOMETHING I WOULD BE COMFORTABLE DOING. IM NOT A FAN OF BEING IN MY BIKINI AROUND OTHER PEOPLE AFTER HAVING THREE KIDS. THOSE ARE INSECURITIES I HAVE I AM TRYING TO WORK ON. BUTTTTT.... WITH A LITTLE ENCOURAGEMENT FROM MY HUSBAND.... OKAY A LOT...I DECIDED TO IGNORE MY INSECURITIES AND QUIT ACTING LIKE A BABY. 

         THE DRIVE WASN'T TOO BAD. IT TOOK US ABOUT 2 HOURS FROM OUR HOUSE.  ALL THE ROADS WERE PAVED AND THE PARKING LOT WAS RIGHT OFF THE FREEWAY  ((SUPER EASY TO FIND))  SO WE DECIDED TO TAKE THE JETTA TO SAVE ON GAS. 

       THE HIKE WAS 3 & 1/2 MILES TO "THE CRACK". IT WAS PRETTY MILD UNTIL THE LAST TWENTY MINUTES OR SO WHEN IT BECAME MORE OF AN INCLINE. IT KICKED MY BUTT.  I WAS COMPLETELY OUT OF BREATH WHILE PEOPLE OVER RETIRMENT AGE WERE PASSING ME WITHOUT A SWEAT. SAME SITUATION WITH THE PARENTS CARRING THEIR BABIES ON THEIR BACKS. I GUESS I MIGHT BE A LITTLE OUT OF SHAPE? haha.  THE ENTIRE HIKE TOOK US AROUND 2 1/2 HOURS BUT TOTALLY WORTH EVERY PAIN IN MY SIDE... LITERALLY,  WE GOT THERE AND WENT STRAIGHT FOR A CLIFF JUMP. THE WATER WAS SO FREEZING IT TOOK MY BREATH AWAY AND I CAME UP FORGETTING HOW TO BREATHE!!  WE STAYED FOR A WHILE, WENT EXPLORING, AND JUMPED OFF THE CLIFF A  FEW MORE TIMES BEFORE WE DECIDED TO HEAD BACK TO THE CAR. ON OUR WAY BACK WE WENT OFF THE TRAIL A LITTLE BIT AND FOUND THE COOLEST LITTLE CREEK (( FOURTH & FIFTH PICTURE ))  ONLY ABOUT A HALF HOUR FROM THE PARKING LOT. IT WAS GORGEOUS AND ALL THE TALL TREES MADE IT NICE AND SHADED WHICH WAS GREAT CONSIDERING THERE WAS NO SHADE DURING THE ENTIRE HIKE. WHEN WE HEADED TO THE PARKING LOT WE WERE ABOUT 15MINS FROM OUR CAR AND I TRIPPED AND FELL. TRYING TO USE MY HANDS TO CATCH MYSELF I PUT MY HAND RIGHT ON A JUMPING CACTUS AND SOME BRUSH ON THE GROUND. I HAD A FEW LONG CACTUS NEEDLES STICKING OUT OF MY HAND BUT FOR THE MAJORITY IT WAS THOSE NICE LITTLE HAIR LOOKING ONES THAT HOOK INTO YOUR SKIN ONCE YOU GET STUCK.... AND GUESS WHO DIDN'T HAVE ANY TWEEZERS..... YEP. THAT WOULD BE ME. SO. DANG. FRUSTRATING. I HIKED THE REST OF THE WAY BACK TO THE CAR WITH MY HAND STINGING AND THROBBING. WE HAD TO STOP AT TWO DIFFERENT GAS STATIONS ON THE WAY HOME TO FIND TWEEZERS.... DAYS LATER I WAS STILL PULLING THEM OUT AFTER THEY WORKED THEMSELVES TO THE SURFACE. 

THAT LAST PART ASIDE. IT WAS ONE OF THE FIRST "ADVENTURES" WE HAD BEEN ON TOGETHER AND IT WAS SOMETHING I WILL TREASURE FOREVER. ITS AMAZING HOW A LITTLE DRIVE CHANGES THE SENERY. IT WAS LIKE WE WEREN'T EVEN IN ARIZONA ANYMORE!