Scottsdale

I found this quote on a blog I once followed:

"Do you know what detracts from happiness?  Rushing."

Do you know what the antidote to rushing is?  Scottsdale, AZ 

When we got home from our Thanksgiving trip to Utah, there was so much to do.  And it was so hard to get it all done.  Take down Thanksgiving, put up Christmas. Help with the Nativity at church.  Plan the 4th grade holiday party.  Learn 30 minutes of Christmas music on the piano.    Remember how to get up at 5am.  Groceries.  Dinner.  Homework.  Doctors appointments. 

By Saturday, I was ready to crawl out onto a small ledge and just hang out there until January.

Early in November, the Scout Master invited me to come with him on a business trip to Arizona.  Have I mentioned that I'm not great at spontaneous?  Have I mentioned that I'm not great at doing anything different than what I usually do?  I know most women would jump at the chance to go on a trip with their husbands, but I didn't exactly jump when I thought about this trip.  All I could think about was everything that I would have to do to get ready to go.  I didn't want to disappoint him, though, so I said yes in November and then crossed my fingers and then spent the rest of the month hoping I would be able to muster up a better attitude before we actually got on the plane.  

Honestly, I didn't get off that ledge and have a better attitude until about an hour before we got on the plane, but I did eventually get there and that's what matters, right?

And look at this amazing place!

 

My suitcase is filled with Oprah magazines, books I haven't read yet, and cards for me to write all those notes I've been meaning to write.  So that's what I've done all morning...

...from here...
 
I don't have to decorate for Christmas here. I don't have to think about homework or school projects or holiday parties.  I don't have to go Christmas shopping (but I might because there are tons of cute little places to shop here.)  I don't have to buy groceries or make dinner for four days.  I don't even have to get dressed if I don't want to.   

I'm so grateful that my kind, wonderful, infinitely patient husband invited me to come on this trip with him even though I was a little like a giant bag of cement reluctant to come.  I'm already feeling more relaxed and I still have three more days of this.