Tucson, AZ

The weather in Tucson during the winter months is so gorgeous that we usually try to spend as many days as possible outside. Growing up in Tucson I have spent quite a bit of time on 4^th Avenue and in the University of Arizona area. This weekend, my husband and I took our two children down to 4th Avenue. We spent about 30 minutes in a few shops. My daughter’s favorite was Hippie Gypsy. We allowed her to pick out a shirt, which of course was tie-dyed. I looked through the incense and oils since patchouli is one of my favorite scents. We then wandered down a block or so to O’Malley’s for lunch. It was pretty empty and so our food was fast to arrive.

We finished just in time to catch the trolley which runs along 4^th Avenue to University and back. We exited in front of Gentle Ben’s and walked a block through the main entrance to campus.

I spread a blanket in the shade and just sat, relaxing, and doing a bit of writing. My husband and kids enjoyed running through the grass and looking at the various designs, that many consider art, on campus. There were quite a few people strolling through campus, walking their dogs, playing with their children. Some co-eds were jogging and a number were riding skateboards.

We then re-boarded the trolley which took us back to 4^th Avenue, where I went into a smoke shop to buy a hookah for my brother. We definitely decided to leave the kids outside with my husband for this one. There is also a food co-op, Food Conspiracy, where we have shopped for years so we stopped in and picked up a few basics.

Overall, it was a great way to spend the day and apparently a lot of other families with young children felt the same way as they brought their scooters, bikes, and other ride-ons downtown and to campus.