Rocky Point, Freezing style

We went on our annual Puerto Penasco trip last week during the freezing storm that drove about 60% of the country crazy with the chills. And guess what? Mexico can get cold! Bet you didn't know that! Even though we couldn't swim in the water, we bundled up and played in the sand and dipped our feet in the water. Gabriel LOVES his cousins and they are so great with him. We played Who Stole the Cookies From the Cookie Jar, and the Animal Signs game every night, had morning devotionals, played games, played marbles, wrote in the family Mexico scrapbook and ate a lot of great food. My brother in law Daniel bought a smoker just for the occasion, so he could make smoked pulled pork sandwiches for his cooking day. 

*Lots of pictures here. Susan, these are for you! ;)*

Danie and Gabe curled up watching a movie

New water shoes :)

Isn't this amazing looking?

Low tide

It was COLD. Not a soul out there.

Danie collecting shells

Riley in his hamster ball in front of our house

Playing Gobblet

Daniel and Nate playing Cosmic Cows

"Hello lady... you come here often?"

The kids found a treasure map in a bottle on the beach!

Hyrum and Gabe are best friends. Gabe follows him everywhere.

Digging for the pirate treasure

My favorite picture of Danie, making a sandcastle for Gabe

Grandma Rene's marble collection

The only picture of me on my camera from the whole trip.

Riley pulling out the treasure chest

This reminds me of Sean Connery in Indiana Jones

"Let my armiesh be the rocksh and the treesh and the birdsh in the shky."

Watching Grandma and Riley play marbles

Taking over for Riley

Score!

Grant and Daniel relaxin'

Hiyah!

My feral child

Gabriel has become very independent. If we don't do what he needs in his time frame, no worries. He's got The Stool. It's a step stool that we bought so I could reach the high cabinets in our kitchen in Flagstaff. Just a small folding metal step stool. Gabe has discovered he can reach high things with it.

-He can open all the doors in the house now as well. One morning he comes walking into our room and wakes me up by shoving an apple in my mouth. He had eaten half of a whole apple! He took his stool and climbed up onto the counter where the fruit bowl was.

-He wanted a drink of milk from a "big boy cup". They are a set of four cheap ceramic mugs from Walmart that he likes to drink from. I told him I would get him some, but didn't move fast enough. I came into the kitchen and he had opened the dishwasher, climbed up on the washer lid with the help of his stool, opened the top rack and got a mug and climbed down. He brought it to me saying "Milk?"

-Had a cup, scooted his stool over to our ice/water fridge and filled up a cup of water!

What a self sufficient guy. Can't wait for him to cook me meals.. :)

Fifth Wheel? You betcha.

My dream came true last night. My sister-in-law Kelly had to go to school last night. No, that's not the dream. The dream come true was that she gave me her ticket to Wicked. I went with her mother, SIL, niece and my niece Danie. I just totally honed in on a family girls night out and I have no issue with that. I have no shame when it comes to Wicked! No cameras in the theater. Poo.

The awesome stage with moving dragon

The Glinda and Elphaba of the night.

They're no Kristin Chenoweth or Idina Menzel but they were quite excellent!

It was so wonderful. Bawled the entire time? Why yes I did, thanks for asking!

Thanks to Kelly for thinking of me.

Christmas and New Years

These needed to be done! Not a lot of pictures taken because our Holiday season was pretty laid back. Spent Christmas just the three of us and then had a small brunch at our house. Late that night, Emma arrived and stayed for a week. We had friends over for games, watched a lot of movies/tv, Emma cleaned my house... :) It was wonderful.

Nate's brother Daniel got us Nerf guns and Nate was threatening Gabe's life...

But gave up in the end because he's a softie daddy.

The loot from Gabe's stocking. After opening up his Cars cars, we had to force him to open his other presents! He just wanted to play cars!

His new cars, the Charger, Lightening McQueen, Flo, Ramone, and the "woo woo" Grandma got him from Germany.

I was a lazy picture taker but I got a new nativity set, Fiestaware, new clothes, new cleats, shin guards, and soccer balls and a bike trailer for Gabe! Gabe got a darling stuffed barn, a floor piano you step on, a train set and some wonder markers. Nate got a Spanish sword letter opener, a steering wheel cover and a huge pile of lumber to build a workbench. It sounds like I really made out this year! Sheesh! Apparently I need to be giving more!

Playing a board game with our friends Jesse and Camry (and pretty much the one picture I have of Emma..)

Cute Lyla hiding in my snack cupboard.

Gabe and Lyla on the floor piano

Playing Beatles Rock Band after Emma left

This is how I feel after the holidays. Whew!

Cake baking and Cheerios

I have a papier mache Dia de los Muertos skull from Mexico and it sits on my piano. Gabe was eating his Cheerios on the floor. It got very quiet so I looked over and he had taken the skull off the piano and was feeding it Cheerios!

I was baking a cake the other day and Gabe wanted to help. So he sat on the counter and "measured" flour for me.

Official Christmas Card

This Christmas snuck up on me. I wasn't able to send out cards snail mail style but this is just as good I suppose... right? Merry Christmas! We love all of you!

(click to enlarge)