Planning Another Family Trip to Sedona

I was so, so, so happy to see the calendar switch over to April, because spring break is almost here. And the best part of spring break… planning this year’s return trip to Sedona! We visited once before for a four-day weekend, but it wasn’t nearly enough time so we are excited to have a whole week for our vacation.

I mentioned some tips on using ChatGPT to help plan a vacation (you can find the post here), so I created this year’s itinerary from a combination of place/things we liked before, stuff we wanted to do but didn’t have time for, and recommendations from ChatGPT that felt good to us.

Here’s our current plan:

Day 1: Fly to Phoenix and drive to Prescott, AZ

Last time we visited Sedona, we flew into Phoenix and stayed in a hotel overnight before exploring Phoenix and Scottsdale. This time, we decided to fly into Phoenix a little earlier, get our rental car and drive straight out to Prescott, AZ. Why Prescott? Well, we wanted to be within easy driving distance to Phoenix and Sedona, but not pay the sky-high Sedona prices. I found a cute VRBO to rent in Prescott and we are excited to make it our home base.

Day 2: Explore Prescott

After a day of work, airplane and then driving to our home base, we want the first full day in Arizona to feel a little lazy. So we will stock up at the grocery store, explore the town, and go on some local hikes. I have a few restaurant recommendations, secondhand/antique stores, and even a popular rock shop on our list, thanks to ChatGPT.

Day 3: Explore Sedona

 The drive from Prescott to Sedona is about 1 ½ hours, so we will make our way there after breakfast. Once we get to Sedona, we definitely want to revisit the local donut shop Sedonuts for a morning snack, because they are awesome! We’re going to do a hike, stop somewhere for lunch and then visit the Tlaquepaque Arts & Craft Village, since we ran out of time on our last trip.

Day 4: Explore the Grand Canyon

Will we ACTUALLY make it to the Grand Canyon on this trip?! The chances of being snowed out are certainly less in April than when we failed back in January 2023, so this time we may actually make it to the South Rim. The drive from Prescott is about 2 ½ hours, so we are planning to drive there, hike part of the Rim Trail and check out a bunch of the scenic viewpoints. On my ChatGPT recommendations was to drive along the Desert View Drive with stops at Grandview Point, Lipan Point and Desert View Watchtower. Depending on our hunger, we will either stop in Flagstaff on our way back for dinner, or eat somewhere on the way home to Prescott.

Day 5: Explore Prescott

Another day to explore Prescott, this time with some hiking, e-biking and maybe even some kayaking around the Dells at Watson Lake!

Day 6: Explore Sedona

Back to Sedona for another day of hiking! Some possible hikes on our list include: Bell Rock Loop, Cibola Pass to Jordan Trail, Cathedral Rock Trail, Boynton Canyon Vortex, Scorpion Trail, and Fay Canyon Trail.

Day 7: Slow Return to Phoenix

We will wake up, clean up and leave the VRBO by noon. Then, we will either hang around Prescott for the morning, or we will make the drive to Phoenix and spend the morning there – possibly at the Desert Botanical Garden. We will eat a yummy lunch somewhere in Phoenix and then do the whole return the car, check into the airport, and hop on a plane to come back home.

I can’t wait! If you have any recommendations for places we shouldn’t miss – whether it be food options, hikes, stores, or views – let me know!

My Style: March 2025

I’ve always loved the saying “March weather comes in like a lion and out like a lamb” because it gives me some hope for some sunny, spring-like days in the dead of the gray cold winter. Sure enough, the month started with tights and boots and ended with bare legs and sandals.

Let’s take a look back at March:

Here are two very similar work looks using the same formula — dress + belt + topper + boots. The dress to the left was a consignment shop score with a scandalous deep v neckline, so I’ve enjoyed styling it as a pinafore over a top for more versatility. For a work event, I topped it with a blazer and wore tights and booties below.

The wrap dress on the right was also styled with a belt, even though I could have just used the wrap belt. For that look, I topped it with a navy cardigan and green suede booties to play off the green in the dress pattern.

This dress is one of the easiest in my closet to throw on with basically any cardigan and pair of shoes. So on a busy day, this look took no thought at all and still look professional enough for a half-day meeting.

Here are another two similar looks, this time with — top + cardigan + skirt + tulle. For the outfit on the left, I added my own tulle surprise by way of a neon pink skirt worn as a slip that peeks out of the bottom. For the outfit on the right, the skirt came with it’s own tulle fun! Both these looks were easy to throw on for work, while still giving a little extra bit of personality and pep to my step.

New vs Secondhand Tally

This month, I count 14 thrifted items and 5 that I purchased retail!

How to Refresh Secondhand Shoes

I know what some of you are thinking… secondhand shoes? Ew, no thanks. But hear me out. There are SO MANY amazing shoes out there that have barely been worn, just sitting around waiting for a second chance. Think about it, how many times have you bought a pair of shoes that you thought you were going to wear all the time, only for them to sit in the back of your closet gathering dust?

So, why not scoop up a barely-worn pair of shoes for a fraction of the price and give them a new life?

Here are my easy-peasy tips for cleaning up your secondhand shoes. Of course, you can also do this to the shoes already living in your closet to help keep them looking new for years to come!

Disinfect the Inside

Grab yourself a handy dandy bleach wipe and wipe out the inside of the shoe. Get all up in there and give it a good cleaning with the bleach. Even better if it’s a lemon scented bleach wipe!

If the insoles are removable, just throw them out and replace them with a new pair.

Tackle the Outside

I typically wipe down the outside with a damp rag. However, for fabric shoes you can also use a damp Mr Clean Magic Eraser.

For shoes that have exterior details that look a little dusty, I grab a soft bristled toothbrush from the stash the dentist gives us for free.

I just wet it and give the edges a little brush, paying special attention to the areas where the sole meets the upper part of the shoe.

Buying secondhand shoes is a fun way to save money, find unique styles, and do your part to keep good footwear out of landfills. So next time you’re scrolling through Poshmark, browsing your local thrift store, or hitting up a consignment shop, don’t be afraid to give those pre-loved shoes a second chance. A little TLC is all they need to be as good as new!