Trip to Cali

Yes, it looks like UT might be our home for a while. We decided before Newel started his new job and got super busy, it would be best to fly back to Cali and get our belongings out of storage.
The boys flew out early on Thursday morning to Cali.

My friend Larisa took care of Arden while Newel and his buddies loaded the truck. Thanks Larisa and all of my friends for the fun time Arden had with your children.

What a fun play date! Arden had one last chance to play with his friends from Stanford again.

He loved playing with them. Newel said that when they arrived at EV, Arden just opened the back door and walked into the playground like he had never left.
He had a wonderful time. I'm just jealous I didn't get to go.

Later that day, they started their drive back home. They stayed the night over Newel's friend's house near Sacramento. Can you tell his friend, Skinner, also served his mission in Mexico?

The following morning they did more driving, until they got home around 7:30PM.

Newel said they had fun driving together through the desert...

And eating In and Out Burger...


Once again, I'm totally jealous!

Our First Snow

It doesn't look like much, but it was my first real snow experience.

This is my snow history:

In 1998, an old boyfriend, who was visiting his family in Wisconsin, brought me some snow in a little cooler. As soon as he got home from the airport, he brought the snow to my house. That was the first time, I had seen snow.

In 1999, I visited UT for the first time with my best friend, Jenn. It was the beginning of May and while we were out here, we went to the mountains and played with what little snow was left over from the season. Also, a couple of days before we left UT, it snowed a little bit, but it didn't stick.

In 2004, while visiting family in UT, it snowed a little bit, but once again it didn't stick. We went up to the mountains to go sledding.

Thanksgiving 2006, on our way home from UT to Cali, we got stuck at Donner's Pass, with the first snow storm of the season.

Tahoe 2007, we took a family trip, played in the snow and I even tried skiing.

Spring 2008, we were camping in Seqouia National Park, it started to snow. That trip was shortened due an unseasonal snow storm.
October 11, 2008: My first snow experience. I'm actually living at a place that snows! And I might have to shovel snow and do all kinds of snow stuff, whatever that may be.

So there you have it. My life time of snow experiences.

That morning, when we woke up, all around us was covered in snow. White everywhere. I still didn't have my winter clothes, so I refused to go outside to play in the snow.

A couple of days later I gathered some courage and we went up to the mountains to find whatever snow remained (most of the snow had melted away on our yard by the following morning) and went sledding with the kids. They both really liked it. Yes, Mayita also went sledding. What a dare devil.

I must say, it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.

Snacks for Sunbeam

Last week in Arden's Sunbeam class (the class he goes to in primary, for church on Sundays), he was asked if he could bring a snack. He was so excited. I asked him what would he like to bring, and he said, Goldfish crackers.

However, throughout the week he was really excited to bring the snack for his class, so he made his own snack and put it in the Sunbeams snack box.

Can you tell what it is?

There's sliced zucchini (he sliced it himself), potatoes, tomatoes, and apples. Yummy!

The following day, he also made the kids tomato and apple juice, prepared with lots of love with his own little hands.

We finally convinced him, that Goldfish crackers would be best, even though his snack was a super healthy snack.

Cousin Portrait

A couple of weekends ago, my sister-in-law Mary, came to visit the family for the weekend.

On Sunday afternoon, before dinner, before the children got tired, and would refuse to cooperate, we sat them all together.

And attempted to take a family photo with just the cousins. Grant it not all of them were looking at the camera at the same time, but overall, I think it turned out fine.

Not bad at all.

The only cousin who was missing was Mia, so here's my attempt at adding her to the picture.

Autumn Leaves

A few weeks ago, we went up to the mountains to see the leaves change colors. It was so colorful. There were reds, oranges, yellows, greens. The mountains looked like a rainbow.

Of course, I had to take pictures with the kids.

I asked them for "mad poses" and silly poses.

At the end we even got a few cute poses.

Its never a dull moment when you have your cousins around.

Arden sure does love them.

Maya's First Birthday!

How exciting! Little Mayita turned one on September 26.
This little girl can now say: Arden!

She got 1 new front tooth. Really cute, and she worked really hard for it to come out.

She's perfected walking.

She's become more picky about her food.

She loves to go down the slide, all by herself.

Her birthday was party was pretty laid back. On her actual birthday, we went with the primas to the park, had a yummy picnic, and played. It was a lot of fun.

The following morning, during breakfast, she opened her presents, with the assistance of big brother Arden.

On Monday night for FHE (Family Home Evening) we went up to the mountains with family. We had a nice fire going, where we roasted marshmallows and made smores. That was the 'cake,' smores.
It's been an amazing year with her. She's been such a delightful little girl. I just love her so much. She's so fun, even though she has that red-headed, Latina temper. Boy, is she feisty!
I'm truly blessed to have such wonderful children. I really enjoye them and feel privileged to be their mother.

Mexican Independence Day

In the true spirit of embracing other cultures, we went to the Mexican Independence Day celebration. Let me back track...In the spirit of celebrating Newel's Mexican culture, we went to the Mexican Independence Day.

Of course our main reason for going...the food. Yummy! There were folkloric dancers and other cool stuff, like these awesome Mexican hats. They even let us in the downtown library with these hats...which, by the way, if you ever go downtown, check out their public library. It's awesome!

It was a nice, somewhat warm day, so after the party, the library, the kids hit the water fountain.
Today there's a lovely layer of snow all around us, and I'm wishing for a day like in these photos.

Been Busy

We're sorry we haven't had time to blog lately, but we've been kind of busy. We'll I've been busy cleaning up Hurancan Mayita's destructive path.