Puh-hoenicks

Well, we have been here in Phoenix for a full 4 days now. Leaving Milwaukee was sheer craziness. So much to do, so little time to do it in. But somehow we managed. And even with a measly 25 minute layover in Denver, our luggage managed to make it to Phoenix with us. Miracles do happen.

Friday, all day, was spent doing wedding things. The rehearsal was at 11, then lunch at noon, and then we spent from 1 to 5 getting ready. Yes, four hours. A little bit ridiculous. And where is poor Derrick during all of this? Roaming around this behemoth of a church. Seriously, it's gigantic. It's one of those Billy Graham, bible thumping kinds of churches. This place had 5 football fields on it for kids leagues, giant domes for other events, a hill with a tomb on it. Random. Very nice church, just very large. So Derrick explored every inch of it, and then took a nap for a couple hours in the car. We took pictures at 5, then the ceremony was at 7. Reception from 8-11:30. It was good to see Laura, but weird b/c I didn't know her other bridesmaids and I felt like I wasn't really part of it b/c I wasn't around for the pre-wedding festivities and such. Still fun, though.

Laura and Justin

Waiting during pictures

Laura and me

Saturday we were pooped so we slept in and then David and Tiffany showed us around Scottsdale and Tempe and then we ate at this place called Organ Stop Pizza which has the world's largest Wurlitzer organ. It was amazing. The organist takes requests all night and plays while you eat our pizza. We met the Pearsons and the Calls there and had a good time with the kids and listening to the music. She played some awesome stuff--Star Wars, Snoopy, and our favorite, William Tell Overture. It's a really cool place, especially for music buffs.

Not the best picture, but you can see the organ in the middle, and then through the windows on either side are the pipes. And David closing his eyes.

Sunday was low-key. Church, nap, dinner, walk, tv. Perfect day.

Today we took a tour of Chase Field, where the Diamondbacks play. It was pretty cool. We got to go in the visitors locker room and sit in the dugout and walk along the track on the field. The guys were loving it.

View from suite level

Inside the visitors' locker room

Using the visitors' batting cage

Hanging out in the dugout

After the tour we met Carl and Jen for lunch at the Heart Attack Grill. I heard about this place during one of my classes, where nurses all over the place were in outrage about the image it was portraying. It's a burger joint where the waitresses are sexy nurses, the burgers are called "single bypass", "double bypass", etc., and cigarettes and beer are on the menu. I thought it was pretty funny. People in class were getting upset about it, and I was just laughing. So we went. The burgers were disgusting, but they sold Coke in glass bottles, so that was cool. The restaurant is an old Carl's Jr. which they modified and put windows all around so you can see the girls from the street. If you eat a triple bypass a nurse will wheel you to your car in a wheelchair. Ha.

The burger. Tons of cheese and pure grease.

The menu

Our nurse

Hanging out with Carl and Jen

The rest of the day was pretty uneventful. I worked on some homework. Watched more TV. The Bachelor finale was LAME-O. Tomorrow we are headed to Glendale to tour yet another stadium, this time the Cardinals' stadium. I'm in sports overload.