Old Glory Mill and Mines - Arizona Jeep Adventures {mobile monday}

Ok so after our first botched attempt to find these Old Glory Mill ruins, we set out again early last Saturday morning more determined than ever to find them.  We embarrassingly discovered that it was not five minutes from the place we were last time when we couldn't find them - we simply didn't turn up the right path the first time we were out there.  It did not disappoint - nice easy trail, cool mountain air, sunshine, plenty to explore... mission accomplished!

I was reluctant to take my 5D with us on this trail because the first time we went out that way it was terribly dusty and I don't want to risk ruining my gear... but I was able to take these with my mobile phone.

Grandpa Dan and Military Man brought along their metal detectors and found a few junk pieces while Grandma and I made a make-shift picnic under a grove of mixed mesquite and sycamore trees.  We watched some mating dragonflies and talked about geodes.

It was a lovely day - except for the blazing sunburn Sam and I got on our shoulders after I had convinced him to take the top off the Jeep... the road back through Arivaca was long, and straight sun the entire way home.

Happy Trails!
xo - Jess

I {heart} Summer Flowers

Freckle Face's Mural Project on Sahuarita Road

Here's the link to the article on the PAG Youth Art Project recently published in the Sahuarita Scene.

http://sahuaritaaz.gov/DocumentCenter/View/1344

We are so proud of Freckle Face's hard work and dedication to this project... it looks incredible!
xo

Our Summer, Week 4 {mobile monday}

The girls spent an amazing week at Camp Zion on Mount Lemmon with our Stake, hiking, crafting, sharing, growing, and working on their community service projects.  This snapshot is of the girls and their beloved youth leaders from our ward.  They came home dirty, tired and full of the spirit.

Meanwhile, Monkey Boy and I spent the week watching Ancient Aliens and Star Wars, playing video games and staying out of the dreaded Arizona summer heat.  We took him and best bud Christopher to Rocks + Ropes, an indoor rock climbing adventure in Tucson... wore them right out!

- Jess

California Gulch + a bit of Monsoon Season

Summer has been very low key around our place the last three weeks. Freckle Face started her first job working with the city through the art program at the district to create a mural for part of the underground crossing between north and south Sahuarita Road. She has enjoyed working on the project, although I suspect she is relieved to know that it doesn't go on all summer - she's realizing it's just as much work as getting up for school, if not more being up and ready super early in the morning and staying on your feet working all day measuring and cutting tiles, drawing and laying out plans, painting, etc. it really is WORK, lol!

We make a Jeep trip with the Bishops out past Arivaca to the California Gulch area near Ruby, AZ and Pena Blanca Lake. It was HOT and dusty... like really really dusty. We missed the area we were shooting for but found it on our way back from the trail. Well at least we know how to find it, so we
can go back and have a look around another time - maybe after it has rained sometime so we don't
have to breathe hot, dry desert clay-dust. It was still nice to finally get out and enjoy a little Jeep adventure, even if we couldn't find the right trail and landmarks.

Other than that, things have been fairly quiet around here. Buggy has decided she would like to follow her big sister's footsteps and join the NJROTC this coming school year... which had lead to her deciding she better start practicing her physical training NOW so that she's a little more prepared for the end of summer Hell Week that hits everyone like a ton of bricks if they're enjoying the lazy summer a little too much. She and I have started a walk-to-run program, running at 5am three days a week. It has been rough some mornings, but it feels good to get back into a routine that resembles some more of our family normalcy after the crazy year that we've already had.

Monsoon season has officially begun... temps have already reached 110 *F and we've had a few short bursts of rain. I love this time of year, even though it's insanely hot - the storms are phenomenal and there's really no words for the brilliant sunsets monsoon season brings... I can't wait to capture some this summer.

Hope you're all enjoying your summer too!
XO - Jess