A week of touring, laughs and fun with children and grandchildren

Addisen and her parents on Easter morning.

It’s all quiet here at Space 9-195 at Voyager Resort in Tucson. At exactly 5 a.m. this morning John and Nicole and our two grandchildren (well, three if you count the one baking) departed for their trip back to Michigan.

We appreciated them making the effort to come and see us and we just hope they had as much fun as we did. Considering the long car trip they made (the trip down was two full days of driving and just one overnight – they are a lot more ambitious than I would have been) we kept the driving excursions to a minimum during their stay.

From what they told us they are taking an extra day and night to get home. That was a good idea. As you already know there hasn’t been any posting during the last week and you can blame (or credit) the fun time we were having for that.

Griffen with his Easter toy

Fitting six people into our 33-foot trailer is not easy, but there was not a cross word or problem during their four-day stay with us.

This is the third guest visit we have had down here this visit and there is always a little bit of a letdown when our guests depart. It’s not that Joan and I don’t get along, we do, but the quiet resumes and it just feels like something is missing when a guest (s) leave.

The grandchildren were a hit here at the park, although there are several little ones down here right now because of spring breaks in the northern regions, but whenever I was out walking with them I received knowing smiles and nods from the other park residents.

Grandma Joan joins the family in the resort pool

We have been blessed on this trip as we have been able to see all, but one of our children, and all of our grandchildren during our stay in Tucson. Seeing our oldest granddaughter Brittany in February right on her 21^st birthday was very special and we are so proud of how she has grown up.

William and Timothy were fun to visit and now this week having John, Nicole, Addisen and Griffen here was the icing on the cake. We are eager and anxious to head home where we will get reacquainted with Elin, the only child we haven’t seen in the past three months. We have been in frequent phone contact with her, so it’s not as if we don’t know what she is doing.

The family on the Sabino Canyon tram

Anyway, our most recent visitors arrived late (like 11:30 p.m. late) on Saturday and after a long day’s drive they were all ready for bed. We had the trailer set up for them and we agreed that rushing up for Easter service on Sunday would probably not be a good idea for two tired children in a large room full of senior citizens.

Sometime in the morning we heard the pitter-patter of little feet sliding open our privacy door to our small bedroom and we were greeted by Addisen and Griffen, now fully awake and scarfing down candy that a very alert Easter bunny had left for the two grandchildren.

Knowing that the children and grandchildren were still weary from a long trip, we decided to hang close to the resort and let them enjoy the pool. Because of the adult nature of the resort there are certain times for children to use the pools and we took full advantage of all the times and pools.

Some of the beautiful views on the tram

Because the pools have only a marginal shallow end, John, Nicole and I headed out to a store to find inflatable water wings for Griffen to help keep his head above the surface of the pool. His father was always in the pool with him, but it gave him a little more security to have the wings.

While we were out shopping Joan stayed home with the little ones and fixed dinner, which was one of our favorites (and the children’s) – Taco Salad.

We ate outside on the picnic table as the temperatures were in the mid-80s and the children and grandchildren were enjoying a break from winter weather in Michigan.

By the time dinner was over it was getting dark and we headed inside and before long we were all in bed and soon asleep.

Picnic lunch in the canyon

Monday brought an early rise from our visitors who understandably had not yet adjusted to the three-hour time change (remember Arizona does not observe Daylight Savings Time) and the munchkins slid open our door about 5:30 a.m.

Fortunately I found some cartoons on You Tube on my computer and Griffen, Addisen and I watched “Caillou” cartoons until everyone else got up about 45 minutes later.

About 18 miles from here there is a canyon – Sabino Canyon – which has a tram that takes you up a 3.8-mile mountain road and lets you stop and get off at nine stops and take short hikes into the mountains if you want. Again, the temperatures were in the 80s so we kept our hiking to a minimum, but enjoyed a wonderful picnic in the sun at one of the stops on the tram.

At Saguaro National Park pre-nap

We spent about four hours in the canyon and then with the children fading and in need of a nap we took another short drive to Saguaro National Park which has an 8-mile loop through some of the most beautiful desert you can imagine. The trip takes about 45-minutes and both children ended up going to sleep as we took the slow tour.

With still some time to kill and sleeping children in the back of “The Beast” – as the children call the Tahoe – we headed across town to San Xavier del bac Mission, which is one of the oldest churches in America and a building that is more than 300 years old.

On the 40-minute drive over to the mission the children continued a little nap and then woke up just before we arrived at the church. We had an enjoyable hour touring the old mission. The last time I was at the mission, 18 months ago at my Navy reunion, I noticed some Native Americans making and selling “Frybread” which I wanted to try, but didn’t get a chance to at that time.

At the mission

There were two vendors in the parking lot making and selling the bread and I finally got a chance to sample the bread. We all pronounced it delicious and compared it to one of those elephant ears you get at the State Fair, only much, much better.

With appetites now rising we headed to Peter Piper Pizza a large family restaurant/game facility near downtown Tucson for dinner. The restaurant had a special that provided a small individual pizza for each child for each large pizza purchased, so both children were able to have their own pizza.

The kids played the games they wanted to play and ride on the rides they wanted to ride on for about an hour until our dinner was ready and then we enjoyed our food.

Griffen on the Peter Piper Pizza carousel

We arrived home too late for the children to use the pool, but just in time for them to collapse in bed after a long, but fun day.

Once again the day for the children started early and I repeated the You Tube cartoon program until the other adults were up and around.

We headed out about 9 a.m. to the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum – as you know one of our favorite destinations – and arrived in time to attend the 10 a.m. raptor show and then started walking through the trails to see as many of the animals as we could.

The family at the Arizona Sonora Desert Museum

For the first time – in four visits – Joan and I finally were able to see the coyote that had eluded us the past three trips. The children were excited to see the raptors – one of the owls flew right over their heads – they also saw the Javelina (pronounced Hav-a-lina), deer, bear, mountain lion and other critters.

At one stop, two museum docents were showing off a non-poisonous snake and a pack rat and talking about the circle of life involving both of them. At the end of the talk the docents offered everyone a chance to pet the snake. As some of you know I’m not a big fan of snakes, but because I was with my grandchildren I didn’t want them to fear them and we all got a chance to pet the snake.

Griffen wasn’t too sure at first, but after his sister and I petted the snake he bravely took his turn.

Griffen and Addisen "mine" some gems at the museum

At 12:15 p.m. we attended the “Live and on the Loose” presentation in the amphitheater at the museum, which is something else Joan and I have never done. Two museum employees presented two live venomous animals – a Gila Monster and a Western Diamondback rattlesnake.

The program lasted about 45 minutes and was very informative. Knowing that if you get bitten by a Gila Monster that he will simply keep gnawing on you simply firmed up my resolve to never get that close to one.

After the program we ate our picnic lunch on the museum grounds and then we toured the reptile house and the children were able to see several varieties of snakes, scorpions and tarantulas.



At the indoor pool

We just learned that the Arizona Sonora Desert Museums was named to the top 10 list of gardens in America.

With the children tired we left the museum and headed back to the resort where the children got a chance to swim for an hour before coming home to dinner.

We offered to babysit for John and Nicole so they could have some time alone and Joan made me and the children “Sloppy Joans” which is what we call the Sloppy Joes that she makes and we started an evening of children’s movies in the trailer.

More pool time on Wednesday morning

John and Nicole stayed at the resort hotel for the night and we left the children sleep in Mommy and Daddy’s bed while watching first the Disney movie “Brave” and then Addisen’s favorite – “Snow White.” I think half the reason Addisen always asks for that movie is that she knows I’m totally tired of it.

At one point during the evening Joan sneezed and when the children saw Joan spraying her nasal spray they asked about it. Grandma told the children she had allergies.

Addisen piped up and said, “I know, I know what you are allergic to, children.” Grandma laughed.

Addisen and Griffen at the Children's Museum

During the final 15 minutes of “Snow White” both children fell asleep on the bed and for some reason we continued watching the movie to its ultimate and now memorized conclusion.

And then all too soon it was Wednesday, our last day with the children and grandchildren. 

We didn’t need to get up early, but once again the children were on an Eastern Time Zone schedule in a Western Time Zone area so Grandpa Jim once again pulled up the cartoons on my computer and we watched for a while to give Joan a little extra sleep.

Griffen and Addisen in the fire engine at the museum

John and Nicole, with our blessing, took full advantage of their time away from the children and arrived back to the trailer about 11 a.m. with prearranged plans to head to the pool, which we did. After the pool we had lunch and then decided before we went to the Children’s Museum in Tucson to take a little ride up in the foothills to give the children another time for a nap, which was successful.

We arrived at the Children’s Museum at 4 p.m. with just an hour to look around, which presented a little meltdown for Griffen at 5 p.m. when we had to leave the museum while Griffen was still having a good time playing. The clerk at the museum was very nice and gave him a little stuffed toy as a reward which helped dry the tears very quickly. It is a very nice museum, but you need a little more than an hour to take it all in.

John taking a turn

For dinner we headed to Texas Roadhouse so we didn’t have to make a big mess at the trailer and also so the children could enjoy a kid’s meal and we could enjoy some meat.

Back at home John and Nicole needed some time and space to start packing for their early departure on Thursday. To keep the children from under foot I took them in the bedroom and we played catch with the Velcro plates and Velcro ball the children won at Peter Piper Pizza on Monday night.

Griffen has a pretty good arm and at one point he launched a throw at me that caught me right in the groin.

Addisen and Grandma with the soundwave exhibit

That apparently cracked him up and he went running out in the living room excitedly telling his parents: “I hit Grandpa Jim in the penis.”  Well, I’m not confirming or denying anything, but at that moment I was the only one not laughing.

By 8:45 p.m. we were all in bed and the children quieted quickly down. I heard some stirring about 4 a.m. and it wasn’t long before Griffen slid open Grandma and Grandpa’s door and he laid with us – as did Addisen – while his parents finished packing the car.

The at 5 a.m. – right on schedule – they were gone. The trailer was left spotless and quiet, a quiet and clean that is not all that good.

Little fireman

Joan and I love all our children and grandchildren and as most grandparents will attest there is a very special relationship that exists. We plan to enjoy our grandchildren as long as they will tolerate us and just hope that is a very, very long time.

Today, as I already said, was very quiet and with temperatures rising into the mid-90s we actually turned on the air conditioner and stayed inside for much of the afternoon. I did take a short break outside and used it to finish my latest Patrick O’Brian novel,  “The Reverse of the Medal.”

If I get a chance I'll edit and put up a few more photos from the visit.