Zoolander, Wedding Crashers, and the Rangers Clubhouse?

What do all of these have in common? Owen Wilson. If you have been reading the sport section in the Ft. Worth Star Telegram, you would have read about Owen Wilson shadowing our team so he can study on how to be a relief pitcher for his upcoming movie with Reese Witherspoon. Kelly got to meet him and hang out with him for awhile in the locker room. I got to meet him and give him his credential but was not lucky enough to get a picture. I think Kelly has a new BFF...sorry Josh and Justin.

Welcome to Arizona Ya'll

We would like to thank all of those who made the long journey to the desert to see us. We had such a good time with my mom, Lacy and Ashley even though Ashley technically came to "work". Hopefully we were good hosts!!! Maybe next time we won't be as tired and will stay up past 10pm.

Mom and I at West Gate

Mom is enjoying the desert scenery

Mom and Kelly taking a break along Water Fall Trail

Ashley and Lacy at Pink Taco (notice that Ashley did NOT use sunscreen)

The Wall of Fame

Kelly and I are definitely eating our way through Phoenix. We typically take turns picking places so one night Kelly suggested us going to Don and Charlie's in Scottsdale. Kelly really likes this place and has to eat there at least once a Spring. This place is a combination of a steak/rib house and locker room (without the sweat stench). Every square inch of this place is covered in memorabilia. Jerseys are hanging from the ceilings, signed baseballs in the bathroom, even table tops have signed things on them. It is similar to Kelly's office at the ballpark but 150 times worse. What is so cool about the place is that they have pictures of their famous guests on the walls. Kelly said that his picture made the wall so we had to find it. Turns out it was in the entry way of the place so everyone could see it. I was so proud that he made the wall that I had to take a picture of his picture. Yes, I am that dorky girlfriend.

Pointing out his picture on the wall.

Kelly is second from left.

Home Sweet Home

Distance sure does make the heart grow fonder. I have been in AZ for a month and Kelly has been here 6 weeks. That is a long of time away from Texas. It is definately making us appreciate all of the little things we take for granted such as:

1. Sweet Tea - NOBODY serves it around here except for Chick-fil-A. Thank goodness for them. Even BBQ places don't serve it! Don't they know that BBQ and Sweet Tea is a powerful combination. My sweet mom felt sorry for us and made us sweet tea so we could have some in the apartment. So nice and so needed!


2. Taca Casa - If you haven't been to this fast food mexican joint, go right now. It is so good. One night, we were sitting in the hot tub and I got really quiet. Kelly asked what I was thinking about. I replied "Taco Casa". I don't often day dream about food but we had just gotten done working out and were relaxing in the hot tub...dinner was definately on my mind! He laughed and said we would be hitting that up as soon as we get home. This place also serves sweet tea.


3. Texas Cops - Arizona is in a financial crisis and in order to try to raise money, they have installed electronic radars all along their highways. You can't go 200 yards without seeing a radar gun pointed at your car or a decoy vehicle in a ditch radaring cars. It is super annoying to have to put on the brakes all the time. You will get busted for going 3 miles an hour over the posted speed limit. So if you think cops in Texas are bad, please visit this state. It will make you appreciate our cops and their lack of policing (compared to AZ) so much more. Having said this, I did receive my first ticket in 10 years so I am a little bitter towards the law enforcement out here. I was going 46 in a 25 so yes, I did deserve it but in my defense, I was lost and not paying attention.


4. Water - You are probably thinking that I am crazy for mentioning this but Arizona's water is hard and will dry out your skin and hair super fast. I have even had to switch to a moisturizing shampoo b/c my normally oily hair is getting dry. Kelly is having to super glue his finger tips b/c they are making deep, painful cracks. Lotion is your best friend out here.


5. Tex-Mex - Arizona does have good mexican food but it is influenced by California and New Mexico. Black beans, green chilies, and rice with mixed vegetables are the norm. Give us some refriend beans and greasy cheese enchiladas and we will be happy. We haven't actually had a bad experience yet but we are still missing tex-mex. Nobody makes mexican food like Texans. You can find us at Joe T's when we get home.

These are just a few of the things we are missing from back home. Of course #1 on our list is our family and friends but that is a given. It is hard being away from everyone for so long. Thanks to my mom who came out last week and our friends Lacy and Ashley who arrive today. Hopefully more people next year will come visit us. We will be home in 17 days...get excited!

On the road again....

Arizona has so much to offer its visitors. You can be in the desert one day and up in the mountains skiing the next all in just a few hours which is exactly what Kelly and I did. I followed him down to Tucson for a game and then on our off day, we headed up to Flagstaff for some snow skiing. As we were riding up the snow lift, we were thinking how crazy it was that we were just sweating profusely at the ballpark and now we are so cold that we can't keep our nose from dripping!

About to get our grub on at El Charro.

El Charro is famous for Carne Seca. They dry the meat above their restaurant for 2 days. This is the meat hanging.

Kelly is eating the carne seca burrito featured in USA Today.

Skiing in Flagstaff. This would be fall #2.

My ski instructor

Taking our Ranger Pride to the mountains