Sedona and 60th birthdays

There are so many times I feel like I have to thank the whole damn universe for surrounding me with these people I call family...and even more so, thankful that I actually want to spend all of my time with them. Just the other weekend my Mom turned 60 (still don't know how that's possible- in my mind I think she'll always be 35 or so) and my sister and I wanted to do something extra special. We knew we wanted to do Sedona, so we searched hotels and house rentals until we found the perfect place, via Airbnb. It can be hard to accommodate all 9 of us, and we're the kind of people who would prefer to stay in one big place together, rather than split off across a hotel, so this little spot was perfect. On a side note, remind me sometime to tell you the story of the one hotel room in New Jersey. Cra-zy.

So anyway, we ended up booking "The Roost" at Sedona Sacred Rocks, which is a former Buddhist Retreat turned healing center. Very, very cool and right up my Mom's alley. Our hosts Meaghan and Stephen were so warm and inviting and made the weekend so special. My Mom, sister, and I actually participated in a few of their ceremonies too. The place is surrounded by hundreds of miles of national forest and the overall feel is incredibly serene and peaceful, so even just sitting on the back porch made you feel good. It was the perfect way to ring in my Mom's 60th.

The whole weekend was full of lots of food (Simon's Hot Dogs, our favorite), walking, hiking, and just enjoying each others' company. 60 is such a big year, and with all my Mom has been through over the past decade it was pretty great to be able to move into a new chapter surrounded by all of the people we love.

Happy birthday, Mom! We love you.