what I packed: labor day weekend

I hadn't been back to Arizona yet this year. This was no small feat, considering that last year I probably took the trip a whopping twelve times.

Temps were hitting 107 degrees on average all week, but "it doesn't feel that hot there" as I kept telling people while I prepared for my trip. I love to torture my sinuses with the quick switches between hot (outside) and cold (AC).

To say that I overpack but only bring one suitcase is something that people rarely find charming - like saying that your legs are too skinny to fit into skinny jeans (cue the eye rolling). But let's put it this way, packing a suitcase would be my talent if I was competing in Miss USA. Here's what I packed for my Labor Day road trip to sweet home Arizona.

A bad photo of a well-packed suitcase. Also, that's a swimsuit top, not a bra.

Shoes: I like to have options, but it's usually the shoes that weigh me down. I knew that this would not be a glamourous trip by any means, so I brought my running shoes. There was great biking and walking to be had*, not to mention a 6 hour drive that I proudly drove two hours of (Nick drove the rest). My pretty tan sandals came along but I only lasted one day of shopping in them, a day which started off with me dropping and breaking a bottle of blue nail polish on them at a salon. It stained my toes and the straps, also giving me odd bluish paint spots all over my feet. Thankfully, the place had nail polish remover, and they didn't charge me for the broken polish or for staining their floor. I gave the girl who cut Nick's hair a big tip. I also brought regular flip flops and TOMS, both of which I always carry with me in case of minor shoe emergencies.

Tops/shorts: black and white are all I need, in both tanks and tees. With those crazy striped shorts, and an embroidered pair underneath, there was no need to be flashy, just comfortable.

Dresses: I brought three:
1) a lightweight denim chambray that never left the suitcase (3/4 sleeves = too hot)
2) a cozy heather grey sweatshirt dress for lounging
3) a form-fitting black knit tank dress that I wore while shopping, which garnered more attention from the athletically-clad Saturday morning Scottsdale residents than I had intended. It also made trying on clothes difficult, as I had to plan my tops/bottoms options accordingly before going into the fitting room. Yes, even I can make shopping organized and boring.

Hat, scarf and swimsuit: none of these items were worn on the trip, since I avoided outside like the Valley Fever (get it? That was an Arizona joke). The scarf was meant to be a stylish shield/head wrap from the sun in the car, but I was never in a situation where the sun was beating down on me for more than a few moments. I am notorious for getting sunburned while riding in the car, which is why there is a giant bottle of sunscreen under the driver's seat, next to the first aid kit. That hat is not a hat for doing anything other than just sitting in, as it is too big/floppy/awkward to see out from under, especially while driving/walking/riding a bike.

Various cases: holding makeup, my manicure set, jewelry, toiletries and more jewelry. I always bring too much jewelry and never wear enough of it. I think this is overcompensating for the time I only brought one necklace with me and felt under-stylized the entire trip. Granted that was a cabin trip, so I should not have worn any jewelry, but I like to have my favorite things with me. I also like to pack bags that can double as clutches - so I used the tan snakeskin one as my purse for most of the trip.

In case you haven't fallen asleep yet reading my explanation of everything I didn't do or wear on the trip and you're wondering what else happened:
--I still have a toenail that is stained blue from underneath
--I got five rather large and hideous bug bites on my stomach
--I had more Sonic Java Chillers and other ice cream treats than I can count
--I ate at all my favorite places, including Olive & Ivy, Sauce, El Zocalo, Sonic, Dairy Queen and Arriba
--I scored some amazing vintage jewelry and a dish to hold it all at Merchant Square

*There was no walking, swimming or biking, but instead TV watching and talking about how hot it was. My most overused phrase was, "it's too hot for that." Look for the exciting sequel to this post in November, when I return to Arizona for Thanksgiving and slightly cooler (jacket-weather!) temps.