I'm Back!

So, school is out and we are enjoying our summer, and it is time for me to get back into the blogging scene. I had a really great year and feel fortunate that I had the seniors and I get them again next year. The kids are glad to be done and look forward to moving up a grade. If you look at their pictures, I updated our status. Anyway, I know it has been forever and there is so much I want to tell. However, I don't know how to fit it all in. So, I will focus on my latest memorable excursion. Mexico


Matt took me on a trip to Mexico for our ten year anniversary. I was concerned. First, it is only three and a half hours away and I couldn't imagine a very pretty Mexico that close to a very (I don't want to say ugly but..) deserty Arizona. I was also concerned that it would be cheap. I was also a little bit concerned with safety. However, it was beautiful and we were totally safe. We rented a beach house on the side of the beach that was private. I don't know how Matt does it, finding these fantastic places to stay. I told him he should be a travel agent. Here is a photo of our place:

Although this particular picture looks pretty amazing, don't get too excited because we didn't stay in the big house but if you look to the left there is a separate rotund section which is the guest house. That is where we stayed. Here is a better view of it.

Not as grand, but it was really great. We had a little kitchen, bedroom, and bathroom. We had a wonderful view of the ocean ...and spent a lot of time on the beach. And the total three nights cost less than 300 dollars. Not too shabby for a beach front room. We were able to go on a "dinner cruise" (a ride around the bay on a big boat with a little fish and rice for dinner-not as glamorous as dinner cruise sounds but it was fun!).

There was a live band on the bottom level and Matt even danced with me which was one request I had-I wanted to go dancing. We also saw dolphins swimming along the side of the boat. It was amazing!

One day we went for lunch along the pier. They sold fresh shrimp and cooked it right there. Wow-it was the best shrimp I have ever eaten.

We hope to take the kids there next year or sooner. They would love the beach. Overall, it was a pretty fantastic weekend. And they let Matt back into the country:) I couldn't have asked for a better ten year anniversary get away.

The Trump

Matt and I were able to get away for Valentine's Day. Matt helped his boss out a few months back and received two nights at the Trump hotel in Las Vegas. Our room was really nice. Here is picture of our little kitchenette. This was my favorite. The bathroom had a television built into the mirror. I took at least three baths in the Jacuzzi tub. I vegged out watching television while soaking in the tub. LOVED IT!

We went sight seeing a bit on Saturday. Matt had never been inside the forum shops at Caesar's Palace so we wondered around that area of town. However, we mainly hung out in our great room, watched some movies, and played some games (a card game I took-No Gambling-wink, wink). It was a very needed and relaxing get away.

Strange Weather

This is not a lake, but the park next to our house. Mom and Dad lived across the street from it when they were here. We had many days of rain fall a couple of weeks ago and I was amazed at the chaos it caused. Arizona has a very tough terrain and the water doesn't soak into the ground very quickly. So, they build a lot of drainage areas, such as our park, for the rain to go when it gets bad, which it does every once in a while. I however, was amazed at the reactions from people. Yes, it was a record rain fall, and yes, the winds got so high that we had a tornado watch, but in my mind it was "just rain." But, "just rain" in Arizona can really be a big deal with flash floods, and high winds, that it was a bit scary. I sat at home that night and watched the many "winter weather warnings" that continued to interrupt my television shows and was just rather intrigued by it all. Now, this would have been an awesome snow storm in Idaho, but it caused a lot of chaos just the same here in Arizona.

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

I hope that everyone had a great Christmas and New Years. Unfortunately my camera broke and I therefore don't have any pictures of Christmas to post. However, we had a wonderful Christmas. Anthony and Nathan were thrilled that Santa, Mom and Dad went in together to get a wii. They have been playing non-stop since Christmas. Jaylyn made out with some dress up clothes, and a few other toys. Matt and I didn't go too crazy with the gifts, but I am finding much more pleasure in watching my children's faces as they open their presents.

Probably the greatest thing that happened this holiday season was Anthony's eighth birthday. We were able to baptise him on the 31st as well. He was so excited. He asked Micheal, his 12 year old cousin to play the piano (and he did great), Auntie Emily to lead, and his grandmas to speak. He told me I couldn't do anything which I had decided was probably a good idea since I would be an emotional wreck.

One funny thing that did happen was when Matt flooded the cultural hall. He then had to put on a "way too small" baptismal outfit and get in so that he could unplug the font. I laughed and I think he has laughed about it since, but he wasn't very happy about it that day. In the end though, eveything turned out great.

The day was very special. Anthony had all of his cousins there on the Niu side. He also had many friends there. He is such a wonderful boy and we are very proud of him. The spirit was there to witness to us all that he was making the right choice. I took some pictures with my phone. He is such a handsome boy!

A Star is Born

This video made me laugh hard! It is a video Matt's sister took of Jaylyn at his mom's house. She is very talented. She is our very own one-man-band.

Who knew she could play the paino with her feet?

I also added a vidoe of her at her dance recital on Saturday. She took tap and ballet this fall and her dance teachers put on a very grande production. I was a little disappointed that they didn't get her jacket off of her before she went on stage, but it makes her stand out a little bit. So, if you didn't recognize her she is the one in the front with the blue jacket on. She is pretty cute.