for printing-quality pictures, email me at boonman2 at uiuc.edu
taken with a Canon Powershot s500 and edited in Photoshop
Paulina and I hang out outside the Phoenix-Scottsdale airport late
at night.
It's balmy and warm and we couldn't be any happier about it.
Mama paces, looking for the rental car. Paulina has no comment.
A look outside our window: being the smart person that I am, I forgot
to open the screen.
This is the Marriott Resort in Scottsdale: mainly inhabited by business
people, so there are never very many people in the pool.
The Marriott here is also home to the best beds I have EVER slept
in.
Then it's time to watch the consumption hole, a.k.a. one of the
many shopping centers here in beautiful Arizona. My dad commented
that he had never seen so many expensive-looking people in his entire
life.
But there was this tiny adorable baby getting his picture taken
with a pretty authentic-looking Santa!
Paulina and I hide behind a bear that is bigger than us.
Then it's time for us all to do some quality thrift store shopping.
Unfortunately, everything is hand-selected and therefore very non-age
appropriate for us girls.
We take a drive out to see Camelback Mountain, but end up in this
residential area made mostly out of concrete.. and apparently, garbage,
which is what my mom is looking at in this picture.
It's still a nice view, though. On the way back we stop at a health
foods store and Paulina and I sample everything in sight, because
there are samples in every aisle. Who knew there was vodka pasta
sauce?
The family returns back for an excellent game of pool out on the
back balcony.
I think I won this game, but I don't remember. Paulina is still
such a sharp shooter, though.
Paulina and I are ready to eat some yummy food.
We went to Gardunos for dinner, which is like a Mexican Cheesecake
Factory and has even more the fantastical decorations on the inside
(it is seriously huge). Note giant paper mache margaritas.
We got sopapillas, flautas, and enchiladas for dinner.
I'm very happy about all the food.
We later stop at a Walgreen's to get detergent. No candy was harmed
in the taking of this shot.
Then, we all took a trek out to the desert! This is our Christmas
letter photo.
Paulina is trapped in the rental car.
But we get out to go for some more sight-seeing.
The prickliest desert plant I ahve ever seen in my entire life.
