Hawaii!!!

My family had originally planned to go to Hawaii in July of this year, but with everything going on with my Grandma Hazel we didn't end up going then. We finally got everyone on schedule to go the first week of November, and my mom hired a caretaker for the week for my grandma through hospice.

We left Phoenix on Thursday morning, October 31st, on a direct flight to Maui. There is a Costco right by the airport in Maui so we stopped there, mainly to get some beach clothes for Kyle. He literally made a game time decision in the Phoenix airport when he decided whether he was going to check in for the flight to Hawaii or whether he was going to check in for the Denver flight (he had originally planned on going home that day). He chose Hawaii, and we are all happy he did!

We stayed in a condo in Kaanapali so it was about a 40 minute drive from the airport to our hotel. The first night for dinner we just walked down the beach to go to Duke's (I think this was dad's favorite restaurant from the last time he was in Maui).

Dad, Mom, Me, Kellyn and Kyle. Unfortunately, Coby was not able to make it.

The first morning we were all up early since we were still on AZ time. Kyle and I went for a 3-mile run on the beach and when we came back Kellyn joined us for some planking and...

abs.

We then spent the day snorkeling in Napili Bay and relaxing on the beach.

Naplili - this is how it really looked…no filters here.

Friday night we went to a luau in Lahaina which will be the next post...

Thanksgiving Day 2013

Thanksgiving morning started out with heading to the Kruckenbergs to ride with them to do the Phoenix Turkey Trot 5k. This was the second year that I have done this race, and last year I actually ran into them at the race, but I had only been going to New City for a couple of weeks so I barely knew them.

Cute turkey hair bows that Gina made for Faith and Bella.

The kids ran the 1-mile kids dash.

Gina and I at the finish line. My time was 25:01 which is an 8:03 min/mile. I can't seem to break the 8 min/mile pace. Brian, Gina and I were all either 7th or 8th place in our age groups.

After the run I came home and watched the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade. But watching on TV is not the same as being there. I then made a pumpkin pie to take to my parents for Thanksgiving Dinner. This year's Thanksgiving kind of came together at the last minute. We were originally planning to go to Kevin and Jocelyn's, however, that was kind of up in the air as Jocelyn's mom had been in the hospital for a while. Wednesday Kevin came down with the flu, so that afternoon the group Thanksgiving was cancelled. Mom and Dad also could not host a huge Thanksgiving this year as Grandma Hazel had not been doing well for approximately a week prior to Thanksgiving. Also, since the previous Sunday, she really wasn't doing well. However, on Wednesday she rallied a bit so we thought maybe she would be up for Thanksgiving dinner. I was at Trader Joe's on Wednesday night, so decided to pick up a turkey as their's were not frozen and they were hormone and antibiotic-free. On Wednesday night and Thursday morning my dad kind of planned out a meal and invited Randy and Todd, Jennifer and Colby over.

Grandma was doing well again on Thursday and wanted to go outside so we took her for a short walk around the block with Cruzer.

All the spices I used for the pumpkin pie - I made this recipe from a few years ago.

I also made a butternut squash and apple soup that I found online.

The recipe called for Camembert cheese - I just thought it was neat packaging.

The final presentation of the soup - recipe here.

The turkey.

The group ready to eat - Todd, Jen, Colby, Kyle, Grandma Hazel, Kellyn, Coby, Mom and Dad.

We were all so happy that Grandma was feeling well enough to eat at the table with us all. We love her.

Kellyn and Grandma

Me and Grandma

Lauren and Grandma having a little pumpkin pie. When we asked Grandma if she wanted pie she said "Of course!"

Thanksgiving was good because Grandma was there, and if it had been 24 hours prior she would not have been sitting at the table with us. Right now, we are thankful for each day that we have with her.

ASU Beats the Bruins

This last weekend ASU was scheduled to play UCLA in Pasadena. I was not planning on going to the game, but then my friend David Hori (who is a UCLA alum) messaged me saying he had tickets. So, Dad and I decided to fly over on Saturday for the game.

Our plane landed at ONT at about 11:30am, so we were at the hotel in Arcadia by 12:30. Kevin, Tyler, Eric, Bryan and Shane were staying across the street from us, so we met up with them to carpool to the game.

Pre-game picture with all the Hortons…Me, Shane, Tyler, Kevin, Eric, Bryan and Dad.

Pitchforks!

David and I - we met up with his group for a little tailgating before the game.

David wanted this picture…he said it was going to be the winner (himself) with all the losers. Instead, it was the other way around :)

ASU coming onto the field at the start of the game.

Me with Erin and Greg - Greg was in the accounting program at ASU and I graduated with him. He and Erin live about 45 minutes from Pasadena so they came to the game as well.

It is a little hard to see, but this is the team coming over to all the ASU fans after the win. The last few minutes of the game were stressful but ASU was able to hold on - ASU: 38 - UCLA: 33.

With this win (and since UofA beat the University of Oregon), ASU clinched a spot in the Pac-12 championship on December 7th. If ASU can beat the Cats this Saturday then they will host Stanford for the Pac-12 championship game! #NoPityForTheKitty

Siphon Draw/Flat Iron Hike

Last Saturday, November 16th, I hiked the Siphon Draw trail to Flat Iron with the New City cross fit group (and others). After all my years of living and hiking in AZ I had never done this trail (or even knew it existed) so it was fun to explore this area of AZ.

The view from the start of the hike. It was actually a pretty cold day for November.

 The group - myself, Gabe, Gary, Jessica, Dave, Marianela, Crystal, Hugo, Kaitlin and Tre.

Had no idea there was anything even call the "Superstition Wilderness."

The girls

The guys

So pretty

There was quite a bit of cactus…especially close to the summit.

Made it to the top - it was freezing up there (mostly due to the clouds and wind).

The view of Flat Iron from the summit.

Gabe and I at the summit

The views were amazing

It was a 6-mile hike round trip and we made it up and down in about 4.5 hours. I would definitely do this hike again!

The Day I Pulled A 50-Ton Jet

On Friday, October 11 we had the US Airways Jet Pull. This is a fundraiser for the United Way, and teams of 20 come together to pull a plane a specified distance. My group, Accounting and Controls, combined with the Corporate Accounting A/R group and we were The A-Team.

Group picture at the office before heading to the hangar

Showing our muscles

This was the plane we pulled - it is an Airbus A319.

For the month of October, some of the tugs are pink for breast cancer awareness.

Sharonne and I with the Cardinals mascot.

Scott and Riemel

Ready, set, pull!!!

Paula giving it her all.

Chris and Nathan.

The big guys in the back.

Our time was 5.9 seconds. Not close to the top, but not last either. The team that ended up winning was Rampage - they consisted of a bunch of the ramp guys that were probably all at least 200 pounds. So, when you have a team with people my size we really don't have a chance against them :)

Team pic after our pull.

Now I can cross off "pulling a plane" from my bucket list (not that it was on there in the first place).