Puerto Lobos

Some good friends invited us down to their beach house in Mexico over New Years weekend, along with some other good friends from our ward. We had such an amazing time. Taylor told me yesterday, "I miss Mexico, I wish we could go back!" We had 30+ people total with us and it was a non-stop, fun good time!

Puerto Lobos is a small fishing town about three hours drive into Mexico once you get across the border. It's a pretty remote little town, but the people who do live there don't have much. I wish I would have gotten a picture of some of their houses. Not anything like ours. I was grateful that my kids were able to see how blessed we are and to teach them because we have been given much, we are required to give much back. It was a very humbling experience and a good reminder for all us.
The view from their back step

Our last night there we got together with some of the locals for a serious game of soccer. Chase held his own and was in the game the ENTIRE time. He loves sports and lives to play them. Cort said one of the guys from the other team asked how old Chase was and said how impressed he was with how into the game he was. That's our Chase.


The first day there one of our friends caught an Octopus that all the kids got to check out. We also got to watch dolphins and a killer whale swim around about 15 feet or so from the shore, right out by where some of the men were snorkeling. SO COOL!


The kids got to snorkel for the first time. The water was SO COLD! I couldn't even bare to put my feet in the water, but they didn't let a little thing like cold water stop them and I'm glad that they got to experience it.





Playing on the beach never got old





Quad rides were a favorite too!

White Sand Beach. So pretty.





Sea shell hunting. There were huge sea shells everywhere all over the beach. Taylor couldn't get enough of collecting them.

Roasting Marshmallows at night. I was so impressed with all the teenagers who were there with us. I hope my kids grow up to be just like them. So kind, willing to help, and polite. What great youth we have in our ward/neighborhood.


Fun time with friends





Family time






Football on the beach. Once again Chase was loving it!


We couldn't thank the Davis family enough for the invite. A couple highlights of the trip that I didn't get photos of, were the 4 huge fish Mason caught with his spear gun while out snorkeling and then cooked up for us not even an hour later. Some of the best red snapper I have ever had. And then also, when we came across the Mexican military who were stationed along our drive down to Puerto Lobos. Ever had someone point a machine gun right at you from ten feet away?? We can now say that we have. Talk about making your heart pound. We were told by those who had been there before that normally they are never there, how nice of them to show up just for us! :) It was really such a wonderful trip. One I don't think we will ever forget.
Tally on the way home. All of the kids where asleep within about 5 minutes once we got in the car to go home. Party til you drop!

All I want for Christmas is...

a SISTER. And I'm getting one!

Due June 13

drawing class

This past fall Taylor and Chase took a drawing class together right after school once a week. They really enjoyed it and were always so excited to come home and show me what they did. I am pretty sure we will sign them up to do it again next semester. Such a fun class for them to do together!
A few of Chase's drawings





And some of Taylor's





And here's a little something we found on our front porch for Chase from one of his cutest little friends.

thanksgiving highlights

We went to Utah last week for Thanksgiving. We were there a whole week. I thought for sure a week was long enough that we would be able to get everything in that we possibly wanted to do. I was so wrong. So many things that I had wanted to do didn't happen. But lots of good things and times definitely did. As they always do when we are there. Here are a few of the highlights from our trip.

The kids missed their school's turkey trot race while we were gone. So we asked my bro B to be our turkey and we had our own race.

Somehow though the race turned into a game of tag?! Thanks Beaufort for being a good sport and turkey!

Herriman girls night out, minus sweet Christine who had to leave early.

Our Willy, who none of us can get enough of. Every family should be lucky enough to have a William. The entire week Willy was right in the middle of everything. I would be fixing my kids lunch and look over and see two of my kids on one side and two on the other and Willy in the middle. I don't know how many times Easton and him watched Cars 2 together! Oh, how we love this kid!

My nephew is an amazing football player; he lead his team to the championship a few weeks ago. One day while we were at my dads, Tannon came over with some friends and asked Chase if he wanted to go out and play football with them. Chase was so excited. They wouldn't tackle him and he even made a touchdown against these sweet 7th graders. They sure made him feel special. What great kids! Chase was in football heaven and felt so big.

Cousins



We tried to go sledding while we were there. But couldn't find any snow. So the kids improvised!

Swimming at the South Jordan pool


Great friends


The UP house

november birthdays

My kids are growing up! I keep trying to talk them out of it, but they just won't listen. Unfortunately, it seems to be out of my hands.

Chase turned 6 years old on November 4. I had to think about that for a minute, just now. Is he 5 or 6? He is definitely 6 and he is proud of it.

Chase allowed me to take one picture of him when I came to his school for his birthday lunch. However, there was a stipulation to that, we had to go around the corner so no one could see me take it. Apparently, having your mom take your picture when your in kindergarten is EmBaRaSsInG!

Chase really has changed and grown so much over the past couple of months. He is such a self-motivated little boy, as soon as he gets home from school he pulls out his homework folder and finishes the entire week's homework packet in a matter of minutes. He is a perfectionist when it comes to drawing and writing. He is so inquisitive about everything around him. He loves to play sports, his very favorite being football right now. He also loves to try new things and he makes me so proud. Parent teacher conferences were a few weeks ago and when I went in to meet with his teacher she said "Well this is going to be the most boring parent teacher conference ever, because I'll I'm going to do is sit here and gush over how wonderful Chase is for the next 10 minutes." On his report card she said this "Chase is a member of the 100 club. Chase is a leader. His peers look to him for advice, assurance, and direction. He is a great contributor to our class. It's a joy to work with him."
He is still a huge tease, (not sure where he gets that from), but he really does have the hugest heart. Chasers we are so lucky to have you in our family. We love you a whole lot and then some.
Chase getting ready to take his new bike out for a spin.

Chase's birthday wish this year was "I wish I was a real football player!"


On 11-11-11 our Easty Peasty turned two! I have always felt like once my kids turn 2 that's pretty much the end of the baby stage. However, with Easton being my youngest, I am trying to hold on to his babyness a little bit longer. I still rock him before he goes to sleep at night and for his naps, just so I can get in those much loved cuddles. And thankfully he lets me. Easton is obsessed with Cars, in any form. But especially Cars the movie and Cars 2. The first thing out of his mouth in the morning usually is "I watch Cars 2, Mater?" He also loves riding his scooter and wiggle car outside, he can really get that wiggle car going. A few weeks ago he was out in the driveway cruising around on it when I noticed a trail of blood all around the driveway. I pulled him aside and looked at his feet, he had huge cuts on the tops of both of his big toes, but that wasn't about to stop him. He's a pretty tough kid too. Kind of has to be since he's the youngest of 3 boys. Last week at Chase's soccer game, he wanted to be right in the middle of it and was dribbling the ball all the way down the field and sneaking into the teams huddles. Some of my favorite things Easton says these days are "WHOA! Awesome!", His giggle that is almost identical to Gus-Gus's from Cinderella, "Ka-chow!", "open it," and "Stop it!" He is full of personality and can always make me smile. Easton you are a joy and we all just think you are the cutest 2 year old BABY out there.
"I'm two!"

To say that Easton absolutely loved his new birthday bike and scooter would be a understatement.

Birthday cake

Cort made Easty's cake. He is such a talented guy. He pretty much did it without a pattern, just eyeballed it. He is amazing!



Happy Birthday to two of the cutest and sweetest boys I know!

proud moment

Taylor's gymnastic studio did a in-house meet a couple of weeks ago. I was so proud of her. Taylor loves gymnastics. She has such a passion for it. I am so glad that she has found something that she loves to do. When we first moved to Arizona I tried to get Taylor involved in dance, as well as her tumbling, but she didn't want nothing to do with dance. Instead she wanted to start doing full gymnastics, with the bars and beam. I love that she knew exactly what she wanted to do. It was so fun to go and watch her at the meet and see all the new things that she has learned. I am amazed by her and her determination to keep getting better. You are awesome Taylor!