Jerome, Arizona 2008

Jerome is an awesome wild west biker hangout and a former mining town. Jerome is also known as an art destination, with more than 30 galleries and working studios.

The street you drive into when you enter Jerome


Kevin

View of the San Francisco Mountains

Beautiful old building facade

Peek-a-boo.

View behind Jerome

Sedona, Arizona 2008

Sedona is known for its red sandstone formations, the Red Rocks. The Red Rocks make Sedona look a civilization on Mars or another more alien planet. Tourists mostly do a lot of hiking and "spiritual pursuits." Strangely, Sedona is named after Sedona Miller Schnebly (1877–1950), the wife of the city's first postmaster?!

Church of the Holy Cross

Kevin and me on top of the Church of the Holy Cross mountain

Full view from the top

Andrew and Kevin on top of the Church of the Holy Cross mountain

View inside the church

More formations

More formations

Grand Canyon 2008

For Easter, we went to visit Kevin and Andrew's father and his wife in Arizona. We roadtripped from Peoria to the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is a famous gorge carved by the Colorado River, and the Grand Canyon National Park was one of the first national parks in the United States. We all agreed with Kevin's assessment, "Not overrated at all!"

Kevin and me at Mather Point

View from Mather Point

Brothers Andrew and Kevin

Sons and father Ken

Warning: Falling Into the Grand Canyon is Bad

The "Kids"

The whole crew on a look out


Taking it in

More views


Wow!

South Kaibab


Orphan Mine


Mohave Point

Sunset at Lipan Point

Christmas in Cape Cod 2007

Kevin and I went to Cape Cod to celebrate Christmas with his family. I'd met his mother and brother before but he was waiting to propose before he brought me to the big family Christmas.

Kevin's mom Kathy and his brother Andrew

Kathy's Christmas tree

His mother lives in an apartment attached to her friends Dave and Dolores's house, so we had Christmas Eve dinner with them and their son, also named Kevin) and wife Monica.

Kevin A toasting the engagement

Christmas Eve snuggles

On Christmas we went to his grandparents' house for some traditional Chinese food. His mother's side of the family is Grandpa Buff, Grandma Ruth, Kathy, Aunt Nesie and her husband Steve (not pictured), Aunt Mary, Uncle Dickie, Kevin, Andrew and cousins Katie and Chris.

Kevin's maternal side on Christmas Day: Grandparents, Aunts, Uncle, and cousins

Grandparent's Christmas Tree

Investigating the Chinese takeout

The day after Christmas, we went back to Dave and Dolores's for a family engagement party. Kathy's family was there again, as well as family from Kevin's side, and Kathy and Dolores's book club.

Kevin's father's side uncle, aunt, and cousins

Snacking

Ice cream cake is my favorite!

Cheers!

Since my grandparents also live on Cape Cod, about an hour away in Truro, we went to go visit them the next day.

With Grandma Catherine


Grandpa James

It was a wonderful holiday and visit full of wonderful people.

Thanksgiving 2006

Kevin's mom Kathy, brother Andrew, and cousin Katie came to Charlottesville for Thanksgiving. Kathy, Andrew, and Dayami are roommates in Boca Raton so they brought Dayami too. I met Andrew's brother after the basketball game on Wednesday, and then they visited my apartment and we went to meet his mom and Dayami. On Thursday, Katie joined us from Baltimore. It was my first time meeting all of them, and my first holiday with Kevin!

Thanksgiving: me, Kevin, Kathy, Andrew, Katie, and Dayami

The next day we all went for a short hike and picnic at Sherando Lake.

Kevin, me, Kathy, Andrew

Picnicking with mom

Brothers hiking!

Hello!

Andrew and Dayami victoriously crossing bridge.

UNC-Asheville v. UVA Basketball 2006

Wednesday night a bunch of us went to a basketball game. Roger, Brian, Katy, and I sat in the student section, and Kevin and his brother Andrew sat in the public seats where you have to buy tickets. His brother and other family is visiting for Thanksgiving, but his brother's 23rd birthday was also on Wednesday, so Kevin took him to the game as his birthday gift.

Roger and me

Katy and Brian

The game was amazing, in part because we could not take our eyes off UNC player, Kenny George who is at least 7'7". And we won, 81–64!

Guess which one is Kenny George.

Yep.

More on meeting Andrew and Kevin's other family in next post!