Winter Getaway 2012

The Airport - Lazy Pool Days - Dining Out    
     We were lucky enough to be able to plan a winter getaway this past week.  My kids were on "winter break" from school and we had 5 free vouchers from Delta so we decided to head back to sunny Arizona!!  The weather did not disappoint and we had a great and relaxing time!
     We arrived at DTW last Sunday morning a bit behind schedule.  If I can, I like to be sitting at or near the gate maybe a half hour before boarding.  When my husband calculated our departure time from the house, I don't think he was allowing for 5 people traveling instead of just himself.  Boarding was well underway when we arrived, but we made it nonetheless.
     Our beloved Goldendoodle, Lucky, had again been boarded at Canine College the day before.  Once my husband got there, he was told another virus was going through the kennel and so we hoped and prayed he would not end up sick like he did last year.  I consulted with our veterinarian for peace of mind.
     We had an uneventful direct flight into Phoenix.  Once we arrived, Jacob and I ran ahead to pick out our rental car (a black Nissan Pathfinder) while the others waited for our luggage.  I have a theory that virtually everyone from our flight heads directly to the rental car lot, and so by going ahead I ensure we get an SUV or crossover big enough for our family of 5 and luggage.  I think I was right, as 3 different people in the rental lot could not see me and Jake inside our tinted windows and tried to pick the same car we did.  Our next two choices were a Ford Flex (sorry, me no likey) or a white Jeep Cherokee that I loved, but was too small inside.  In other words, everyone goes for the bigger vehicles.  We almost had a guy loading his stuff in the trunk even after we started the car to scare people away.  Shortly after that, George and the girls caught up with us and the luggage.  I know, I'm crazy!!
     After stopping at Sweet Tomatoes for lunch (great soup and salad bar among other things), we headed to the Scottsdale Links Resort (check out the link for much better pictures than I took).  We again had a 2 bedroom condo with a pullout couch in the living room, kitchen, dining room, 2 baths, 2 flat screen tvs, laundry, and a balcony.  We love being able to have breakfast in the condo in the mornings, make and bring some lunch by the pool in the afternoons, and go out to dinner.  That's pretty much what we did most days.
     After checking into our room and getting settled in, we went to the grocery store to stock up our kitchen with breakfast and lunch foods for the week.  We also picked up some deli items for a lite dinner since we were not that hungry from our Sweet Tomatoes lunch.
     As we were in Arizona less than a year ago, this trip was designed to be much less "touristy" and much more "relaxing" (because I said so!).  This post focuses on a glimpse of the condo, the pool, and how we spent most days.  The temps were about 78-80 degrees which is about 8 degrees warmer than the "normal" temps at this time of year. 
     I am convinced the majority of people poolside at our resort were from Michigan.  Lots of Detroit Tiger shirts and hats and two ladies I chatted with separtely were both from Michigan.
     We ate dinners at the Yard House (great appetizers which we shared for dinner at happy hour prices, tons of beers on tap), Gordon Biersch (garlic fries), dessert from The Cheesecake Factory (my kids are obsessed), NYPD (New York Pizza Dept.) (awesome Soho Pizza Salad), Charleston's, and Pita Jungle.
     On the trip home we had to make a connection in MSP.  This time we allowed enough extra time to make our flight and my husband even got me bumped up to first class on the last leg home -- which is always a good thing!
     We arrived home about 1:30 am on Sunday safe and sound...to a snowy landscape and driveway.
     My next couple of posts will focus on the little day trips we did take in Arizona, but these lazy days in the sun were probably my favorite!!!