The Valley of the Sun

Playing some catch up with uploading and posting some photos. We were in Arizona for about 9 days in late December and, as always, enjoyed ourselves. This was Ben's sixth trip to Phoenix and I believe it's becoming a favorite place for him, just like it is for his father. We pursue a "deja vu all over again" approach to our Arizona holidays, spending just about every day at the same park where there's a train, merry-go-round, old Western town replica with requisite jail and stagecoach, and a playground that the kids never tire of. Hiking is one of the newer activities that they boys have joined me on and Ben in particular gets excited whenever there's the prospect of climbing a "mountain" (even when it's a foothill). And on this trip, Zach was a good little soldier as well.

We indulge the ease and simplicity of our routine and with a lot of extra family in town during this particulr trip, it made it extra special, especially for the kids. I'm really pleased that both boys know and now remember Baboo Becky. She's aging rapidly now, but I can tell that her relationship with her three great-grandkids is special for her, which in turn is extremely special for me.

Regardless of where we live, I hope and expect that these Arizona trips will remain a Portnoy family tradition.