Now That's Hot

When Paris Hilton coined the phrase, "That's hot," she didn't really know what she was talking about. Because if she did, she would only say it in reference to someplace really hot, such as Phoenix, AZ. We journeyed there ourselves this past weekend, mainly so I could attend the bridal shower of my future sister-in-law, Nikki. Here is the bride-to-be, looking pretty at her shower (she's the blondie in the middle):

And these super adorable mini cakes that the hostesses made:

We arrived in Phoenix on Friday at 7pm, and as soon as we stepped off the plane, we were hit with a blast of heat. I felt like I was suffocating. Saturday, the day of the shower, was a blazing 115, and I felt like I was going to die. The shower was lots of fun, although I had brought Asher, and within half an hour, something triggered his allergies, and he became extremely itchy. Also, it was in the middle of his normal naptime, and he just wouldn't fall asleep in the car, even though total driving time was an hour (next baby must take a bottle so mama can go to things like this alone!). So, he was a tired, itchy boy who kept rubbing his face, and I spent most of the time bouncing him, taking him into the other room, and trying to soothe him as best I could. It was a rough time, and I felt like I missed a lot of the shower. It was exhausting trying to keep Asher mildly happy. But, I was glad to be there anyway. I wish I had more pictures, but that's the way it goes sometimes when you have an Asher on your hip.

After Saturday, it cooled down a couple degrees to 113, and on Sunday my parents hosted a small gathering to celebrate two birthdays - my brother's (Chris - the one who's getting married), and Eric's. The highlight was going in the pool (which is saltwater and not chlorine - perfect for Ash's sensitive skin!), which was a BIG HIT with the little guy. This boy just loves the water! It was the perfect relief, because his eczema almost always flares when we travel there (due to animals), which leads to him being pretty unhappy almost the entire trip. We had previously done allergy elimination (NAET) for my parents' cat and dog, and it seemed to have really helped since his eczema never got as bad as it has on previous trips. However, he is also in the midst of teething (why he always teethes around the time of visiting the grandparents I don't know!), so it was great for him to have a refreshing, fun distraction. That night, I think he spent at least a couple of hours in the pool! Here are some pictures from the trip:

Here's the little fish right now, enjoying his floating contraption:

Hanging out with Grandpa:

The birthday boys opening presents (we gave my brother a President Bush card as a joke because he used to be a big supporter of his even though he insists he's a democrat):

Chris (yes, he really is my brother - we have different birth fathers) and Nikki (Nikki is wearing a bridal shower gift from me and my mom - a future Mrs. shirt):

The boys with their super yummy birthday cake:

All in all, despite the raging heat, we had a fabulous trip. Although, I have to admit, it was sure nice to return to some cooler weather!