Desert Days and Reset Buttons

Butterflies, bubbles, trains, and realizing this trip was exactly what we needed.

This week has been absolutely nonstop.

We wrapped up a major period of change at work and officially started our holiday on Tuesday. Honestly, the time away was desperately needed, even if this trip wasn’t originally carrying the excitement I thought it would. Sometimes your brain gets so buried in work, stress, and routine that it takes a while for vacation mode to actually kick in.

And the trip definitely made us earn it early.

The red-eye flight to Arizona was… an adventure. Jasper didn’t sleep nearly as well as we hoped, which with a toddler on a plane overnight can feel like a very long experience for everyone involved. But honestly, the people around us were incredibly kind and patient with him, and that made a huge difference. Those little moments of grace from strangers really stick with you as a parent.

By Wednesday, we finally got our first full day in Phoenix and things started feeling lighter.

We visited Butterfly Wonderland, which honestly felt surreal at times. Watching Jasper react to butterflies flying all around him was one of those moments where you just stop and smile. Then of course came pool time, which might officially be his favorite activity on earth right now.

The biggest disappointment of the trip so far came when a friend I had really hoped to reconnect with ended up getting scheduled to work. Timing just hasn’t been on our side lately, which was tough. Life gets busy, schedules drift, and sometimes people you really want to see just can’t align in the moment. Still hoping we figure it out soon.

Thursday turned into one of Jasper’s dream days.

We took him to a place called Bubbles, and it was exactly what it sounds like — endless rooms, giant bubbles, floating balloons, colors everywhere, and nonstop toddler excitement. Pure chaos in the best possible way. His face the entire time made the trip worth it all by itself.

Then Friday arrived… and honestly might end up being one of my favorite family days in a long time.

We started with a peaceful morning walk before heading north on a road trip to Williams for Jasper’s birthday present experience. And wow… what a day.

Between the playgrounds, jungle gyms, and nonstop movement, he was already having the time of his life before we even boarded the train. But once we got rolling toward the Grand Canyon, he absolutely became the star of our train car. Smiling, waving, exploring — everyone seemed to fall in love with his energy.

Seeing the Grand Canyon together as a family felt special in a way that’s hard to fully explain. One of those moments where life slows down just enough for perspective to hit you.

After staying overnight, we headed south through Sedona and stopped at Bell Rock before finally making our way back to our Arizona home base. Red rocks, desert skies, warm air — it all just felt different from the pace we left behind.

And honestly… this trip has surprised me.

It’s become so much more than just a vacation.

Somewhere between the desert drives, toddler laughter, pool days, and slowing life down, I’ve started realizing what I actually need more of when we get home. More presence. More experiences. More intentional time with Jasper while he’s still little enough to think bubbles and trains are the greatest things in the world.

Because one day these moments won’t feel ordinary anymore.

And I don’t want to miss them while worrying about everything else.

We’ve still got friends, more adventures, and Memorial Day ahead before heading home — so the story isn’t done yet.

And don’t forget to check out the free photo drops from the trip over on Buy Me a Coffee. ☕🌵