Lyndon B. Johnson NHP, White Sands NM, Sedona, Wupatki NM, Grand Canyon NP, Death Valley NP, Hoover Dam, Las Vegas

The Holiday Season is officially over. Goodbye 2012. Hello 2013! As much fun as it was seeing and catching up with friends and family, it's nice that things have finally calmed down. A lot happened during my birthday month of December, and I'm very excited to share it all with you.

As I mentioned in my last post, I had my 3 month follow-up consisting of a CT of my chest in early December. The results came in, and there was no definite findings of metastatic disease! This was beyond amazing news. I can't tell you how relieved I was, and looking back on it now, all my worrying seemed silly. I really try hard not to overreact over these things since it's out of my control, but it's really difficult to do.

With that taken care of, it was time to celebrate the rest of my birthday month. After 3 1/2  years of a long distance relationship, Andrew was moving from Houston, TX to the Bay Area, and so I flew over so that we could road trip over together. I figured it would be a really fun way to explore more of the United States, as well as spend time together. We visited the following areas:

1. Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park (TX)
2. White Sands National Monument (NM)
3. "Red Rock Country" (AZ) 
4. Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument (AZ)
5. Wupatki National Monument (AZ)
6. Grand Canyon National Park (AZ)
7. Death Valley National Park (CA)
8. Hoover Dam (Border of AZ & NV)
9. Las Vegas (NV)

It's incredible to experience these natural wonders that have been around for millions of years. The world is so beautiful, so if you have time, and want to do some traveling but are on a budget, I'd highly recommend doing a road trip. Enjoy the pictures below.

Lyndon B. Johnson National Historical Park
Johnson City, TX

LBJ's family moved from a farm near Stonewall, TX, to Johnson City in September 1913. 

He never forgot where he came from and worked hard to provide electricity throughout 

the rural counties that surround Johnson City. 

What a tasty Gingerbread Man!

The National Park maintains a herd of Hereford cattle which are 

descended from the President's registered herd. 

Talk about famous cows!

During LBJ's presidency, the original century-old farmhouse 

became known as the Texas White House. 

I just couldn't resist. 

White Sands National Monument
Alamogordo, NM

White Sands Missile Range surrounds the park. The 4,000-square-mile range
is an important site for testing experimental weapons and space technology. 

White Sands is the largest gypsum dune field in the world, encompassing 275 

square miles. The gypsum that forms the white sand was deposited 250 

million years ago, and rarely found as sand because it's soluble in water.

Sledding on the dunes is allowed, but the hard part was getting up there!

Andrew was able to make it to the top, whereas I couldn't, and 

had to walk all the way around. Epic fail. 

The Alkali Flat Trail skirts the edge of Lake Otero, once a 1,600-square-mile lake. 

We learned the hard way that the trail was more about 6 miles!

"Red Rock Country"
Sedona, AZ

We woke up early for the sunrise, but it was overcast and drizzling that day,

so we didn't get to see the glow of the red sandstone. 

Surprisingly, my clumsy self did not fall into the cactus. Win! 

Sunset Crater Volcano National Monument
Flagstaff, AZ

Sunset Crater Volcano features a 1,000-foot volcanic cone and its 

lava flows. We were able to see the volcanic cone pretty well, 

but the snow covered most of the lava flow. 

Wupatki National Monument
Flagstaff, AZ

The construction and settlement of Wupatki Pueblo followed the eruption 

of nearby Sunset Crater in approximately 1080 CE. The environmental range 

from mountain to desert was unbelievable!

Grand Canyon National Park
Coconino County, AZ

The Watchtower at Desert View is a re-creation of the strange prehistoric towers 

found scattered over large areas of the Southwest. It was intended to bring about 

a better understanding of the American Indian and his life in past and present. 

American Indians used the route followed by the Bright Angel Trail long 

before the first pioneers arrived in the 1880s. We were lucky to have 

arrived during the first snow of the season!

 I was not ready for the snow.

Death Valley National Park
Inyo County, CA

Death Valley is one of the hottest places in the world. Summer daytime temperatures often exceed a blistering 120F (49C), and nights may fail to cool below 100F (38C). It's also the driest place in North America, with an average rainfall of less than two inches (5cm) a year on the valley floor. 

Badwater Basin is the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere, with -282ft (-85.5m) below sea level.

The Devils Golf Course is composed of jagged crystallized salt formations.
A fall could result in painful cuts or even broken bones. I'm definitely living life on the edge!

Hoover Dam
Border of AZ & NV

The Hoover Dam was built from 1931-1936 for flood control 

and electric power generation of the Colorado river. 

Be careful, don't trip!

Las Vegas, NV

We were playing the penny slots after dinner at Wolfgang Pucks, and 

a woman approached us and gave us free front row tickets to KÀ! 

What a great way to experience my first Cirque Du Soleil show ever!

I guess I missed the memo about it being Lady Gaga night at Hyde Bellagio. 

Please excuse the photobomb. 

To end our time in Las Vegas, we feasted at The Cosmopolitan's Wicked Spoon Buffet. 

The only downside was that my plate wasn't big enough to hold all of the 

food that came in mini pots. 

This blog was intended to talk about the changes of my taste buds as I underwent chemotherapy, but as my taste buds returned back to normal, I've realized that my blog has become more of a celebration of my life. I want to take the time that I do have, whether it be short or long, traveling and spending time with the people I love. That makes me the most happiest. I hope you enjoy this journey with me. 

Sephardic Dried Fruit and Nut Spoon Sweet 

Courtesy of The Book of New Israeli Food

A sinfully rich combination of deep-fried dried fruits, nuts and honey, perfumed with triple sec. Serve it with tea or spoon some over yogurt and ice cream. 

Ingredients (makes 1 liter jar)

1 lb. assorted dried fruits (prunes, dates, figs, pineapples, apricots, raisins)

9 oz. assorted nuts (pecans, walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts, cashews)

12 oz. honey

1/4 tsp. of triple sec

Oil for deep-frying

Directions

1. Heat the oil for deep-frying to medium heat. 
2. Cut the larger fruits into small cubes. Fry the fruits and the nuts in batches of hot oil for about 1 minute. Be careful not to scorch the fruit. Transfer with a slotted spoon to a bowl. 
3. Pour the honey into the bowl, add triple sec and mix thoroughly. 
4. Cool to room temperature and serve. It will keep for a long time in the refrigerator. 
5. Before serving, heat for 20-30 seconds in the microwave oven. 

Perfect for anyone with a sweet tooth!