While we’ve had a great time exploring the area and seeing the many sights Arizona has to offer, yesterday may have ranked up there as everyone’s favorite day. We never got in the car, never saw any grand sights. It was a day of relaxing, playing, and just hanging out together.

Ruthie was quite spoiled this week with 12 people to dote on her. Here are two of the 12 cuddling with her in the morning.

Jake showed Nicole how to whittle.

Later in the day, all the kids set up a trading post of sorts (appropriate for the area–we’ve seen dozens of Indian trading posts since arriving). Some kids were pine needle merchants, some were bed-makers and had to buy needles to make the beds, and some bought the beds. They wrote money amounts on leaves and rocks and began their buying and selling.

Here, the bed makers:

When they came back inside, we had a lineup to compare heights. It appears that the children are beginning to overtake the adults.

After dinner, we had a Bubbie birthday celebration. Jeremy and Nathan were buddies; there was never a lull in their conversation. Mr. Chatterbox, meet Mr. Chatterbox.

The balloons had to pass through quality control:

Then the kids lined up to drop the balloons on Jeremy after we sang Happy Birthday.

The balloon drop!

And just to make sure everyone had enough sugar for the night, we even had a pinata.

A great day from beginning to end.