OCD Madness

Throughout 2016, the National Park Service is celebrating its 100th year. In honor of this milestone anniversary, Eastern National has issued a commemorative centennial stamp to nearly all of the 410 units in the NPS. Our current tally of units visited as a family is 115. So while we didn't check off any new units today, it was a successful day of stamp collecting for me!

After a quick breakfast, we loaded up the minivan (welcome to our family, Odyssey II!) and headed south to Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. The last time we visited was in 2012 (read more details about this unit here), during our first-ever trip to Spring Training.

M and J were convinced to do the Junior Ranger booklet again because Casa Grande had updated their badge to a cool-looking wooden one.

From here, we continued south towards Tucson, stopping at Picacho Peak State Park for the Juan Bautista de Anza National Historic Trail Stamp. We were surprised to learn that Picacho Peak was the site of a skirmish between a Union cavalry patrol and Confederate pickets in April 1862, the westernmost battle of the Civil War.

Next was a quick stop at the Presidio San Agustín del Tucson in downtown Tucson for another Juan Bautista de Anza NHT stamp. If you didn't understand the extent of my OCD before, you surely do now!

The boys opted for Sonic for lunch. Poor J has had a open sore on back of his throat for over a week - we took him to the pediatrician before we left on vacation, and she prescribed milkshakes and ice cream. He would be happy to follow doctor's orders if he didn't have to suffer so much pain!

We spent the rest of the afternoon at the Rincon Mountain district of Saguaro National Park on the east side of Tucson. Check out our chauffeur for the Cactus Forest Drive!