I’m kind of obsessed with Arizona now. Below are some photos of our trip that might help you understand just how wonderful AZ is;)

I took this one while driving through The Painted Desert (I know. I thought Don Miller made that up too.) What an awesome name, huh?
The Painted Desert.

I love this photo of Bobby.

Crazy hair.

We decided to check out the Petrified Forest and could not stop making jokes about how frightened the rocks were to see us…. get it? Petrified.
Yeah, I know -we are in the 99th percentile of hilarity.

Bobby got really into the “guide” role and read out loud the whole process of Permineralization and the life story of each fossil. He thought I was bored just because when he asked if I had any questions, I said “Do you think there’s a Forever 21 around here?” But I really did think it was fascinating- well, that might be an exaggeration. I thought it was… neat.

After the Petrified Forest, we had to hit the road in order to reach Canyon de Chelly before sunset.

Canyon de Chelly was amazing. I absolutely loved it. I think I might have liked it more than the Grand Canyon… Can I say that? My apologies to God and Theodore Roosevelt. (I really really love love love the Grand Canyon. I do) Anyways, You have to have an authorized Navajo guide to hike down to the bottom. (Because it is a Navajo Tribal Trust Land.) It was already five when we arrived and the visitor’s center was closed so we were kind of bummed. BUT then we found one trail that we were allowed to hike without a guide. I am so so glad we randomly found this trail because it was one of the coolest things I’ve ever done. I only wish we could have had more time to see everything. We want to go back and do it right- with a Navajo guide and maybe camp a few days. (Do I sound outdoorsy? I’m trying to sound outdoorsy. Should I get those shoes that go around your toes?)

We passed this amazing little cave on the side of the cliff. It was almost too cool. I couldn’t stop staring at it. I took a few photos and thought out loud “That would be such a cool picture if a person was standing inside there.” When I turned around, Bobby was already climbing this impossible rock wall. I was so nervous he was going to fall down to the bottom and die from either the fall or be bow and arrowed to death. Also, he had the car keys so I didn’t know how I’d get home. He somehow is still alive and I have a new favorite photo:

To sum things up, I am in love with Arizona. I love Canyon de Chelly. I like the Petrified Forest. And I love my life.
Okay, bye.

Like Christina Heaston Photography on Facebook!