Yuma, AZ and Family

I arrived in Yuma on February 6 and left March 17.  The time passed so quickly with the highlight being the birth of Kyle Furtah, 7 lbs, 7 ozs, 21 inches.  He arrived via emergency c-section because the umbilical cord was wrapped around his neck three times!  Mother and baby are doing great!  We’re all so happy everything turned out fine.

Now I know what the phrase “bundle of joy” really means.  Ky, as we call him, pretty much sleeps all the time with short bouts of feeding and eliminating.  I understand that is what newborns do. I’ve never experienced a newborn before or held such a small baby.  He’s so light!  It’s been a joy to be here with Kevin, Mariya and Mason, and now Ky to share the experience of welcoming a new member of our family.  We will be doubly blessed because my other nephew, Michael, and his wife, Lauren, are expecting the next little Furtah in August.  We are all thrilled for Michael and Lauren. 

I’ve been helping out where I can and loving every minute.  Mariya and Kevin are such good parents.  Mason is adjusting and is very loving and gentle to “his baby”.  I had to remind him, “He’s our baby too”.

 

My niece, Theresa visited from Florida.  She flew into Phoenix so I was able to go a day early and visit with a book club friend, Lynn, in Surprise and my friends Mary and Gerard in Apache Junction at an RV park.

Unbeknownst to me, it is baseball spring training in Phoenix for the SF Giants and the LA Dodgers. It was so crowded! Hotels in the area were double and triple the normal prices.

Lynn was staying with a friend in a beautiful RV resort.   It had RVs and park models. The resort had many amenities including a large pool and many activity and craft rooms, a full woodworking shop, ceramics and glass workshops, sewing rooms, and painting and craft rooms, etc.  Plus they had many physical activity areas and rooms.  I think the monthly dues are around $600.  It looked like fun and you sure wouldn’t be bored. 

The second day I drove out to Apache Junction to visit with Mary and Gerard.  We drove the Apache Trail in the Superstition Mountains. “The Superstitions are the largest of the mountain ranges surrounding Phoenix, visible from many miles away along the straight roads through the suburbs east of Mesa. They rise steeply above the flat desert to a high point of 5,024 feet, and are characterized by sheer-sided, jagged, volcanic peaks and ridges separated by boulder-filled canyons, all covered by saguaro at low elevations, with other cacti and bushes higher up. Trees are found only at scattered locations, at springs or beside streamways. Early settlers named the hills on account of the many myths and stories told by the local Pima/Apache Indians about the mountains, and tales such as the fabled Lost Dutchman gold mine.”  Americansouthwest.net   .Click here for more info.

For more than 120 years, the legend of the Lost Dutchman Mine has haunted the minds and souls of treasure seekers throughout the world. Said to be the most famous lost mine of all time, it continues to draw prospectors to the Superstition Mountains of Arizona in search of its rich gold. Read more here.

The Supersition Mountain Lost Dutchman Museum is worth a stop. Formerly the Apacheland Movie Ranch, it was the shooting site of many Western television series, movies and commercials.  Many famous celebrities and movie stars have graced the grounds.  This list includes: Elvis Presley, Steve McQueen, Will Rogers, Jr, John Wayne, Audie Murphy, Linda Evans, Stella Stevens, Ida Lupino,  Rosemary DeCamp, and many, many more!

We also stopped at the Lost Dutchman State Park to take photos of the beautiful desert landscape.  They let you stay for 30 minutes to take photos for free.  We didn’t have time to hike, so the 30 minutes was plenty of time.  To learn more about the park, click here.

 

I’m so happy I had a chance to meet up with my friends and see the sites and see my favorite niece! 

On the way back to Yuma, Theresa and I stopped at the Painted Rocks.  I had a little trouble finding the right exit off I 10, but finally did.  I’ve camped here in the past. 

Painted Rocks near Gila Bend, AZ

For one week it was a Furtah frenzy!  This was a wonderful opportunity to hang with family.  I miss them all so much!

I think having a home on wheels will afford me the opportunity to spend quality time with friends and family located around the US.

My next stop is Tucson for the Escapees’ Escapade 57, an RV Rally.  Read about it soon!