8 months and 8 flights

Yes it's true...Quinn is 8 months old!  Oh my goodness...where does the time go!?!?  Yes, it's also true that Quinn has officially been on 8 airplanes in the short 8 months of his life.  Most recently, we just got home from a weekend trip to Arizona where Brad and I ran the PF Chang's Rock 'N Roll Half Marathon (see next post).  Allegiant Airlines is now flying from Bentonville to Phoenix and we were able to get airfare for $44.99 each way!  How incredible is that?!?!  Well with a deal like that, there was no passing it up so Brad, Quinn, and I loaded up our bags and hopped aboard for the short 2h20m flight west.

Brad and I actually met out in Phoenix when I was doing my masters work and he was working for Intel and completing his MBA so we try to get out there at least once a year to visit friends and family.  This 3 day trip crammed as much family and friend time in as possible.  Friday we woke up and headed up to my grandparents' house up in Rio Verde.  Nonna and Papa had never met Quinn so we were super excited to get to bring him up there.

Quinn with his Great Granparents

Nonna, Papa, Quinn, Maria, and Gigi (4 generations)

Quinn taking a ride on Papa's legs

That night we headed back into town and met up with a bunch of our friends who Brad used to play footy with.  It's so funny how things change when there are kids involved.  From the rowdy group of strong drinkers who loved their ladies (some had more than others) to the now somewhat arthritic, chill and drink a beer while watching our kids play group...it was still the same old fun group that they/we always were.

Saturday was my day to hang out with my best friend Janelle and her family.  Janelle and I met in graduate school at Arizona State and have managed to keep a really strong friendship alive despite the distance that now separates us.  You have some friends with whom you always feel like you can pick up where you left off, well for me, that's Janelle.  Both of us have children now and it really made it fun to grow our frienship and relationship to those of not just friends, but also now as moms. 

Katilin and Janelle, Me and the uncooperative Quinn =)

Kaitlin (1 yo) and Quinn (8 mos)

On Sunday, Brad and I dropped Quinn off with my mom and her friend Joy and headed into Phoenix to the starting line of the half marathon.  In true Arizona style, it was sunny and beautiful...a winter paradise for sure!  After completing our run, we were greeted at the finish line area not only by my mom, Joy, and Quinn but also by my buddy Tyler.  I used to babysit Tyler from the time he was 6 until I went off to college and have a very special relationship with him and with his family.  To me...they are family.  Anyway...Tyler is now a second semester senior at Arizona State University.  With the finish line at ASU, it made it really easy (despite it only being 10:30am on a Sunday) for Tyler to come visit us and we are sure glad he did!

Quinn, Tyler, and Me

Our Supportive Fans

Quinn and Tyler

Overall, it was a whirlwind of a trip, but it was so worth it.  Quinn got to meet his great grandparents, see his Gigi, show us that he can *gulp* climb stairs, and touch grass for the first time while thawing out.  Brad got to see his footy friends and spend some quality time with me (that's me putting that in there...hehe).  I got to see Nonna and Papa, my Auntie Nancy and Logun, my mom, hang out with my bestest friend ever, run a great race with my amazing hubby, and see my dear friends who I used to teach with back in AZ.  It was a short trip, but I wouldn't change a single thing about it and now that we know we can fly so inexpensively, I bet we'll be making the trip a lot more frequently!