Slideshow Image 1 Slideshow Image 2 Slideshow Image 3 Slideshow Image 3
Monday, October 29, 2012

Viva La Mexico

Last Saturday morning we got up super early and traveled along with three couples we are friends with to Mexico.  The good pictures are still coming but I have a few from my point and click to share.  It was beautiful, relaxing, fun and none of us wanted to ever leave.  Sunday we had an adventure finding the local branch for sacrament meeting.  I understood maybe 3 words the whole meeting but it was such a neat experience to be there.  Their primary consisted of 9 kids that I counted with their primary president teaching them all together.  6 men, 12 women, 2 missionaries and a few teenagers made up the small group that met in a converted apartment in a not so pretty part of town.

Then we spent our Sunday checking out the hammocks and beach chairs.  87 degrees and 90 to 100 percent humidity felt like heaven.  I am sure working in those conditions would stink.  I ran twice and literally had to ring out my pants afterwards.  But to lay around and do nothing in felt wonderful.  Ignore the drool - I think I took a nap every single day there:
We played on the beach, laid around and read, snorkeled, swam in the pool and had crazy contests, ate at a bunch of restaurants, went to Tulum to see the ruins, did a jungle adventure of zip lining, rapelling and snorkling in a cenote (underground river/lake) and just loved every minute of it.  One of the coolest events was watching turtles hatching out of the sand right next to us, collecting them and then coming back late that night to help "launch" them into the ocean.
And it was so fun to be traveling with friends to hang out with.  We all got along great and just enjoyed each others' company.

Before we had left I had been taking Taylor in for his x-ray (still completely backed up) and going back and forth with his doctor as we changed meds.  How many laxatives can one person take?  That was my only concern when we left.  But evidently everything finally kicked in and he started pooping up a storm - so sad I missed that!  And he has been happy and chirpy and walking around ever since.  Meredith sent us a few updates that made us laugh and miss our kids - at least for a few minutes.  They all pitched in and did their part to make the week work and they loved all the people who helped take care of them.  While we were at 87 degrees they were seeing snow.  I think they were a little sad to see us come home.

Friday we got up super early to watch the last sun rise and enjoy a few hours on the beach before heading home.  Then it was a long day of sitting in airplanes before we got home after midnight.  Saturday we stuffed in as much Halloween kid fun as possible.  Spencer had a BYU pow-wow to go to.  We picked out pumpkins:
And then while Taylor stayed with Melissa and helped her with wedding invitations, we spent the afternoon and evening at Cornbelly's our nearby pumpkin festival.  We have never been before and were quite impressed.  At 9 we were cold, tired and ready to head home for some hot chocolate.  Jeremy initiated Spencer into the haunted houses which he loved although Jeremy laughingly said Spencer was booking it through the scary spots.  Spencer thought he was just so cool.
Robyn could not understand why she couldn't ride the exact same go cart as Spencer.  So Spencer willingly towed her around for several minutes while she strained to reach the pedals.  It was great to see him being a big brother and we laughed as afterwards he stretched and moaned "my back, my back"

So I am willingly facing my loads of laundry and big to do list as it has been a great few weeks and I am feeling blessed.

Friday, October 19, 2012

Because I want to go back...


Jeremy has been staying up late lately processing photos.  So a flash back to August:
Taylor could not stop laughing that week

Fog could not keep us out of the ocean


And to end with the best rest stop of all with a petting zoo

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Family

After spending Monday at the dentist and taming the household chaos of laundry and dirt, Tuesday getting a root canal and Wednesday driving kids to activities and packing up, I was more than ready to leave Thursday morning.
I decided to be brave and take my first solo long driving trip with kids to see my brother Daniel and his family in their new home in Denver.  I was feeling so good that everyone was happy and helpful and that we made 9 hours still smiling and without the use of vast amounts of chocolate.  (Then my brother David and his wife Griselda make an insane 24 hour drive to meet us in Denver the next day - my feat pales in comparison!)
I only broke out my camera the first day and then just enjoyed and loved every minute of spending time with family.  We went to a pumpkin festival on Friday and after a severe 30 minute storm drove most people away we had almost free range of the festival.  I am go glad now that I looked at a shivering, wet Allison holding her hot chocolate with blue lips chattering and told her to tough it out.  Kids had a great time riding little carnival rides, ponies, face painting and lots of treats.

Then we met up with my brother Daniel home from work and my brother David's family for an evening at the pool and pizza.  Cousins were joyfully reunited, Taylor discovered a therapy pool kept at a toasty 98 degrees that he could swim in and everyone enjoyed the family time.

Saturday we got to attend my neices Samantha and Claire's join pirate birthday party and spent the day hanging out with sugar wired kids.  It was nice to put kids to bed and just have the adults visit.  While there I got to run and walk through a preserve right next to my brother's house.  One morning on an early walk with my nephew Lathan and Allison we even saw a fox.  It was a beautiful place to greet the morning.  Sunday we timed it right so we could hear my brother Daniel give a talk in sacrament meeting and went to one of the best parks I have ever seen.

Monday with very sad kids we drove back home to face reality.  My kids are already talking about how we need to do it next year.  My sister-in-law Griselda came by on her way back home to spend the night and my kids especially Allison were sad that it was only for a night.  I love my family and the influences they have on my life.  I am always grateful for the time I get to spend with them.  Although Monday night I told all the kids to go to bed and told Jeremy I just needed to sit on the couch and not have anyone talk to me for thirty minutes.  There is something about a long car drive with kids that brings out that side of me...

Sunday, October 7, 2012

Dentists, witches and cousins


We are enjoying our conference weekend with our two nieces here, Kayla and Brynn.  I don't think they enjoyed spending Friday weeding the garden with me or teaching art to the 1st and 5th graders or even watching everyone get their flu shots.  But we have been having fun ever since.  Friday evening we went up to Gardner Village along with Allison's friend Evelyn to do a witch scavenger hunt.  They have witches set up everywhere and we had to find a specific 15 of them.  We knew it was going to be a good time when as we were waiting for a parking spot, a fully dressed up fashionable witch knocked on our window and asked if we were waiting for the parking spot.  When we told her no, she replied "oh thank goodness!  That is where I was planning to park my broom"  Kids ran around in the nippy air laughing at all the witches.  Robyn's favorite was Witchy Poo once the joke kicked in, she could not stop giggling.
Boys refused to cuddle in for this photo
 After a little over an hour of fun we were ready to go claim our prize cookies and head home when we noticed people gathering along the sidewalk as if a show was about to start.  So we thought we would wait a minute to see.  Big mistake.  Ten minutes later we were swarmed by 1000+ zombie dancers doing thriller along with their parents and friends.  Kids were trampled, we couldn't move literally for 30 minutes.  Then to get out of there ended up taking a long, long time.  So kids watched a movie on the way home (which is usually a 30 minute drive) and were grateful for Jeremy having pizza ready for a late dinner - along with yet another movie.  So everyone went to bed tired and happy.

Saturday kids were waiting for waffles as soon as I returned home and we got to enjoy a day of conference and coloring books with jobs getting done in the breaks.  That night Melissa came to stay with Taylor and while Spencer and Jeremy did their priesthood meeting and obligatory manly dinner after, the girls and I headed for a night out.  We hit the creamery for corndogs and ice cream and then went to the Peaks for some ice skating.  A perfect night to ice skate as without all the dates and BYU crowd, the ice was practically empty.
Robyn was thrilled that she could still remember how to skate and was busy showing me her tricks.  Allison has become Brynn's second mother this weekend and took her on endless laps - along with doing her hair, teaching her how to spell, helping her get dressed and doing a great job of taking care of her.
Robyn was very concerned that I was posting this picture as she wanted everyone to know that she was getting the cones for Brynn - she did NOT need them
 And then today girls were up jumping around waiting for cinnamon rolls to rise and having a hard time getting still.  Jason, Kelly and Garion return today from St. George where Kelly spent yesterday running a super fast marathon - next stop Boston.  My girls are going to miss their ready made playmates and sleeping buddies.

Tomorrow I go to the dentist for I am afraid a third root canal their year and a fourth crown.  This week we had two early morning visits to the dentist as Spencer broke his retainer and then they had to make him a new one.  He likes his new one better as its removable.  The dentist just smiled at me and said now you have two retainers that he can loose - they recognize Spencer by name in that office, not a good thing.  Spencer was overjoyed Saturday morning when he realized that he had grown an inch this last week to now be 5'10", he only has 1/4" left to be equal with Jeremy.  I think he is stretching himself at night to get to that mile stone.  And then to hear it announced that he could serve a mission in 4 1/2 years (and Allison in 8) just set my heart racing a little.  How on earth will I have him ready in 4 1/2 years.  I keep reminding myself that that sentence needs to read that we and God will have him ready in that time, but my heart isn't fully believing that yet - definitely something to work on.  They are having skills classes at school that you or a teacher can sign your child up for.  I signed up Spencer for an organization class which he really, really didn't think was necessary.  But he has been spending this week cleaning out his back pack and organizing his locker all things which just make me happy.

This week has been full of a lot of little things that just seem to fill the days up.  I went to Home Depot and bought my first hedge trimmer.  I have gone a little crazy decapitating bushes in our yard.  Its amazing how fast you can trim bushes with that thing.  Fall weather hit so we have been having hot chocolate and picking our pumpkins.  Our yard is full of plants to pull and things to trim.  Our truck was finished this week after undergoing some body work after my run in with a pole in August so now I can make trips to the green waste dump again.

I had my second Just Desserts get together here.  Had several women friends come over and visit and eat apple desserts.  No idea why my jeans are getting a little tight at the waist!  It is so nice to be surrounded by women I admire and learn from but hardly ever get to spend time with so it was a great morning.  I also got to go with Allison on a field trip with her new 11 year old Activity Days group.  We went and toured the bishops storehouse and then spent an hour stocking the shelves.  Those girls were so excited to do service that was meaningful.

This is a short week for us as there are only three days of school.  On Thursday the kids and I are taking a short trip out to Colorado to see my brother Daniel's family.  My kids have been counting down the days!