The sign reads: "If there isn't chocolate in heaven...I don't want to die."
I love this picture!
Thursday, August 5, 2010
Sunday, August 1, 2010
Cancun
Never having been to Cancun, we weren't sure what to expect. One of Tobin's friends told him he was going to die because of all the drug unrest taking place in Mexico. We assured him we had done our due diligence and we weren't going to die. We wouldn't be going if it weren't safe.
As we flew down on the airplane (which I couldn't believe was just a little over 3 hours), I contemplated our vacation. I wanted them to see something of the Mexican culture. I wanted them to see life from a different space than they were used to, to see some of the benefits of being a US citizen. Stepping into Mexico, Brenna and I were excited to get stamps in our passports! I really, really, wanted one! Andy's had several from his trips to Canada, Spain, and England. Even though we needed them for our cruise, where we traveled to 4 different countries, we didn't get one stamp! So, Mexico became the first stamp for Tobin, Noah, Brenna and me.
Going to Caribbean countries and not really straying to far into the native areas was what we had done in the past. I am still not sure how I feel about that. I do think we are missing out on the culture of each country, but really would I see it in a week no matter where I went? Weren't the beaches a huge part of their culture? Weren't we visiting the best part of their culture? When people come to DC, don't they visit the best parts of the city--it's monuments, the White House, and its restaurants?; they don't visit 14th street and southeast of there. So, were we doing any differently by staying at the beaches of these countries and witnessing some of the most breath taking scenery on earth?
So, the concession we made this trip was to go to the grocery store where native Cancunians live. We went outside the "Hotel Zone" and went to the Spanish mercado. What an experience! We got on the public transportation bus and began the experience of moving from the pricey hotels to the "real" Cancun of modest dwellings. Our bus driver helped us know the stop to get off for the store. It was so interesting! The eggs and milk were not refrigerated! Andy explained to us that was because it was a luxury to have a refrigerator and if eggs and milk were not chilled from the beginning then they didn't need to be cold in the store. The other shock was to see "American" things like Oreos and potato chips with Spanish words on them. Another novice event was seeing the meat market as part of the grocery store. It was unusual to see the meat hanging like it was here for people to see. We also paid for our groceries in pesos. We loaded up and took the bus back to the Hotel Zone. However, I must say that even the "Mexican" part of Cancun must be somewhat Americanized. I saw a Sears shop, many Starbucks cafes, and wireless phone services everywhere. I'm sure this was due to the toursity spot that it was.
We used our trip to the Spanish market to provide for our breakfasts and lunches. This way we would save money. Our hotel room had a little kitchenette in it. So, we had cerael and eggs for breakfast, and sandwiches and potato chips for lunch. And we ate most of our dinners out. We tried to use our Spanish as much as possible, but it was too easy to use Andy as our translator. Andy felt his Spanish returning to him, even if he felt he didn't have his full vocabulary. After every single interaction, I would hear Noah say, "gracias." This made me laugh as I knew he felt he was contributing to the conversation in Espanol! :) He was so cute. Tobin was a little more reserved but I am so glad he tried. He will be taking Spanish 3 in school in the fall and this will only help him for that.
The first day, we arrived about 3 pm to the hotel. We went right away to a "mall" across the street from our hotel called "La Isla." It was a very big hot spot during the evenings and had many restaurants that we were used to--Planet Hollywood, Chilis, and a few others we did not know, but I am sure originated in the US. We ate lunch at Johnny Rockets that first meal; it was the first place we saw and met our needs the quickest. It was so strange and a little heart quickening to see the menu in pesos. The exchange rate was 12 pesos for 1 dollar, so it wasn't unusual to see $98 next to a hamburger, quesadilla, or chicken sandwich! Your first jump is to think how could it be $98 dollars! And then you remember these are Mexcian prices. After lunch we went back to the hotel and got dressed for the pool. Oh, how nice it was to sit and relax by a pool. The kids didn't want to leave so we ended up eating late. We were so tired, we only ate appetizers at Chilis. They were Mexican appetizers of a quesadilla and nachos! I was so tired I can't tell you that they seemed any more Mexican than normal.
We filled the rest of our days with different excursions. We went to a "water park" known as Xcaret. It was an hour's ride away from our hotel. We left early in the morning and didn't return until about 11:00 pm. The most fun part of the day was when the boys went snuba diving! We pretty much entered the park and they took off for deeper waters. That left Brenna and me to explore the park. We discovered that it was a water park and zoo rolled up into one. Brenna wanted so badly to see the spider monkeys and then the strange deer, and then we saw flamingos and other animals. Finally, it was soooo hot, I pleaded with Brenna to find a water ride. We found one called the Underground River! I had seen in in the brochure and it was one of the main reasons why I wanted to go there....until I saw it in person. I navigated through getting our life vests, a locker, and a bag to put our things in at the beginning of the river that would be waiting for us at the end of the river, but I couldn't navigate the underground river! I was fine walking in the dark cave until I had to enter the cold water and only saw more darkness as the underground caves descended upon us! I needed air, deep breathes and I couldn't get them. It was only Bre and me, she wanted to go through and I wanted to go back. So, I used my limited Spanish to ask a mother with a girl Brenna's age to take her through and I would meet them on the other side! Did I make the right decision? How could I let Brenna go through if I couldn't? I knew I was being irrational and didn't want Brenna to suffer so I think I did the right thing in letting her go with another family of women.
I ran to the other side of the park and the end of the river to wait for Brenna. I thought of how silly I was being and especially felt so, when I started up a conversation with a man, who said, "You do know this is a children's park with children's rides? This ride isn't meant to be scary!" He smiled at me so I knew he was trying to help. It made me feel silly, but still I remembered my labored breathing and felt happy at my decision. I couldn't have been happier though to hear Brenna yell, "Paige," so that I knew she was safely through. Later on the boys went through with Brenna. Tobin didn't like it as he thought it was too slow and too cold. After the ride, they were telling me about it and Andy called it a "lazy river." Tobin said, "I didn't like it, because I couldn't be lazy."
Here at Xcaret, our lunch was provided with our ticket into the park. We chose to eat at a Mexican buffet! The food was soooo good. I loved the drink though. It tasted to me like the juice that I used to drink from the fruit cocktail cans we used to have for dinner. I think it was guava flavored, but it felt cold and fruity and tasted like manna from heaven! They boys drank a hibiscus tea that was red. They loved it and I think we spent most of our time drinking rather than eating. There was exotic fruit and amazingly cooked meats! It was sooooo good and probably one of our best meals while in Cancun.
We were all able to go snorkeling at the beach in Xcaret. The water didn't have the clarity we were used to from other snorkeling experiences. So, we had to go under the water to really see anything. But once we did, we saw many different fish. We saw the usual zebra fish, and big fish. I saw a beautiful school of electric blue fish. I realized the park had a way to feed the fish which brought them in. I felt like it was sort of cheating; they weren't where they naturally would be. But at the feeding tube, there were soooo many fish. It was fun to see them all. I was just happy we were doing this as a family.
The evening at the park ended with a show about their Mayan history and how the Spanish came and then how their cultures blended together. But the stadium was soooo hot that we just couldn't sit in there. We went back to the main building and watched these baby quail hatching from eggs and window shopping.
Another of the excursions we went on was a snorkeling tour. We got to ride a boat out to the state park and then snorkel. Our guide was quite good and was able to find us some new things to see on our snorkeling tour. He was able to find a starfish for us to hold. As I held it, it tickled my hand as it moved. We saw this huge, (I mean huge) big red fish. The boys and Brenna saw a manta ray which I somehow missed and Noah was convinced he saw a barracuda! We had a great time snorkeling. Tobin and I were in one boat, with Andy in the other watching Noah and Brenna. On the way back I let Tobin drive the boat. He did a great job with the speed and handling the wake of the water! I think, for him, it was the most fun part of the excursion.
A final excursion was the scuba diving dive that Noah and Tobin got to do! They got "resort" certified and were able to go about 35 feet down! They spent the morning learning in the hotel pool and then went diving in the afternoon with Andy! Andy said they were a natural in the water, especially Tobin. Neither one had any trouble with their breathing. The instructors couldn't get a proper gage of Noah's weight so he didn't go down to the bottom as easily as he could have and he had his guide hold his hand the whole first half of the dive. They were both so excited for their excursion. I stayed behind with Brenna as she was too young to go. We got her hair done with a single braid and we went for Italian ices across the street at "La Isla."
We had a great time in Cancun. I am so glad our family got to bond together. I saw a lot of fun taking place between all of the kids, Tobin and Brenna, Brenna and Noah, and Noah and Tobin. I felt so blessed to be able to take my family on a trip like this. Even though there was some bickering, I know that they will remember throwing the football on the beach, wrestling in the fountain, and sliding down the slide at the pool more than anything else! Andy and I didn't get a lot of alone time, but that wasn't our purpose and I think we came back a stronger family!
As we flew down on the airplane (which I couldn't believe was just a little over 3 hours), I contemplated our vacation. I wanted them to see something of the Mexican culture. I wanted them to see life from a different space than they were used to, to see some of the benefits of being a US citizen. Stepping into Mexico, Brenna and I were excited to get stamps in our passports! I really, really, wanted one! Andy's had several from his trips to Canada, Spain, and England. Even though we needed them for our cruise, where we traveled to 4 different countries, we didn't get one stamp! So, Mexico became the first stamp for Tobin, Noah, Brenna and me.
Going to Caribbean countries and not really straying to far into the native areas was what we had done in the past. I am still not sure how I feel about that. I do think we are missing out on the culture of each country, but really would I see it in a week no matter where I went? Weren't the beaches a huge part of their culture? Weren't we visiting the best part of their culture? When people come to DC, don't they visit the best parts of the city--it's monuments, the White House, and its restaurants?; they don't visit 14th street and southeast of there. So, were we doing any differently by staying at the beaches of these countries and witnessing some of the most breath taking scenery on earth?
So, the concession we made this trip was to go to the grocery store where native Cancunians live. We went outside the "Hotel Zone" and went to the Spanish mercado. What an experience! We got on the public transportation bus and began the experience of moving from the pricey hotels to the "real" Cancun of modest dwellings. Our bus driver helped us know the stop to get off for the store. It was so interesting! The eggs and milk were not refrigerated! Andy explained to us that was because it was a luxury to have a refrigerator and if eggs and milk were not chilled from the beginning then they didn't need to be cold in the store. The other shock was to see "American" things like Oreos and potato chips with Spanish words on them. Another novice event was seeing the meat market as part of the grocery store. It was unusual to see the meat hanging like it was here for people to see. We also paid for our groceries in pesos. We loaded up and took the bus back to the Hotel Zone. However, I must say that even the "Mexican" part of Cancun must be somewhat Americanized. I saw a Sears shop, many Starbucks cafes, and wireless phone services everywhere. I'm sure this was due to the toursity spot that it was.
The first day, we arrived about 3 pm to the hotel. We went right away to a "mall" across the street from our hotel called "La Isla." It was a very big hot spot during the evenings and had many restaurants that we were used to--Planet Hollywood, Chilis, and a few others we did not know, but I am sure originated in the US. We ate lunch at Johnny Rockets that first meal; it was the first place we saw and met our needs the quickest. It was so strange and a little heart quickening to see the menu in pesos. The exchange rate was 12 pesos for 1 dollar, so it wasn't unusual to see $98 next to a hamburger, quesadilla, or chicken sandwich! Your first jump is to think how could it be $98 dollars! And then you remember these are Mexcian prices. After lunch we went back to the hotel and got dressed for the pool. Oh, how nice it was to sit and relax by a pool. The kids didn't want to leave so we ended up eating late. We were so tired, we only ate appetizers at Chilis. They were Mexican appetizers of a quesadilla and nachos! I was so tired I can't tell you that they seemed any more Mexican than normal.
We filled the rest of our days with different excursions. We went to a "water park" known as Xcaret. It was an hour's ride away from our hotel. We left early in the morning and didn't return until about 11:00 pm. The most fun part of the day was when the boys went snuba diving! We pretty much entered the park and they took off for deeper waters. That left Brenna and me to explore the park. We discovered that it was a water park and zoo rolled up into one. Brenna wanted so badly to see the spider monkeys and then the strange deer, and then we saw flamingos and other animals. Finally, it was soooo hot, I pleaded with Brenna to find a water ride. We found one called the Underground River! I had seen in in the brochure and it was one of the main reasons why I wanted to go there....until I saw it in person. I navigated through getting our life vests, a locker, and a bag to put our things in at the beginning of the river that would be waiting for us at the end of the river, but I couldn't navigate the underground river! I was fine walking in the dark cave until I had to enter the cold water and only saw more darkness as the underground caves descended upon us! I needed air, deep breathes and I couldn't get them. It was only Bre and me, she wanted to go through and I wanted to go back. So, I used my limited Spanish to ask a mother with a girl Brenna's age to take her through and I would meet them on the other side! Did I make the right decision? How could I let Brenna go through if I couldn't? I knew I was being irrational and didn't want Brenna to suffer so I think I did the right thing in letting her go with another family of women.
I ran to the other side of the park and the end of the river to wait for Brenna. I thought of how silly I was being and especially felt so, when I started up a conversation with a man, who said, "You do know this is a children's park with children's rides? This ride isn't meant to be scary!" He smiled at me so I knew he was trying to help. It made me feel silly, but still I remembered my labored breathing and felt happy at my decision. I couldn't have been happier though to hear Brenna yell, "Paige," so that I knew she was safely through. Later on the boys went through with Brenna. Tobin didn't like it as he thought it was too slow and too cold. After the ride, they were telling me about it and Andy called it a "lazy river." Tobin said, "I didn't like it, because I couldn't be lazy."
Here at Xcaret, our lunch was provided with our ticket into the park. We chose to eat at a Mexican buffet! The food was soooo good. I loved the drink though. It tasted to me like the juice that I used to drink from the fruit cocktail cans we used to have for dinner. I think it was guava flavored, but it felt cold and fruity and tasted like manna from heaven! They boys drank a hibiscus tea that was red. They loved it and I think we spent most of our time drinking rather than eating. There was exotic fruit and amazingly cooked meats! It was sooooo good and probably one of our best meals while in Cancun.
We were all able to go snorkeling at the beach in Xcaret. The water didn't have the clarity we were used to from other snorkeling experiences. So, we had to go under the water to really see anything. But once we did, we saw many different fish. We saw the usual zebra fish, and big fish. I saw a beautiful school of electric blue fish. I realized the park had a way to feed the fish which brought them in. I felt like it was sort of cheating; they weren't where they naturally would be. But at the feeding tube, there were soooo many fish. It was fun to see them all. I was just happy we were doing this as a family.
The evening at the park ended with a show about their Mayan history and how the Spanish came and then how their cultures blended together. But the stadium was soooo hot that we just couldn't sit in there. We went back to the main building and watched these baby quail hatching from eggs and window shopping.
Another of the excursions we went on was a snorkeling tour. We got to ride a boat out to the state park and then snorkel. Our guide was quite good and was able to find us some new things to see on our snorkeling tour. He was able to find a starfish for us to hold. As I held it, it tickled my hand as it moved. We saw this huge, (I mean huge) big red fish. The boys and Brenna saw a manta ray which I somehow missed and Noah was convinced he saw a barracuda! We had a great time snorkeling. Tobin and I were in one boat, with Andy in the other watching Noah and Brenna. On the way back I let Tobin drive the boat. He did a great job with the speed and handling the wake of the water! I think, for him, it was the most fun part of the excursion.
A final excursion was the scuba diving dive that Noah and Tobin got to do! They got "resort" certified and were able to go about 35 feet down! They spent the morning learning in the hotel pool and then went diving in the afternoon with Andy! Andy said they were a natural in the water, especially Tobin. Neither one had any trouble with their breathing. The instructors couldn't get a proper gage of Noah's weight so he didn't go down to the bottom as easily as he could have and he had his guide hold his hand the whole first half of the dive. They were both so excited for their excursion. I stayed behind with Brenna as she was too young to go. We got her hair done with a single braid and we went for Italian ices across the street at "La Isla."
We had a great time in Cancun. I am so glad our family got to bond together. I saw a lot of fun taking place between all of the kids, Tobin and Brenna, Brenna and Noah, and Noah and Tobin. I felt so blessed to be able to take my family on a trip like this. Even though there was some bickering, I know that they will remember throwing the football on the beach, wrestling in the fountain, and sliding down the slide at the pool more than anything else! Andy and I didn't get a lot of alone time, but that wasn't our purpose and I think we came back a stronger family!
Monday, July 12, 2010
Brenna-isms
Yesterday, while taking the boys to camp I was asking them "scenario" questions. One of the situations I set up was that they were lost in a forest with no water, their compass broken, and the sun was setting. What would they do? What would they look for? Brenna immediately answered, "a map." We all broke into loud laughter at that one!
This morning, while getting ready for camp Andy walked into Brenna's room and found her ceiling fan going at full speed; Brenna was using it to dry a pair of shorts she wanted to wear to camp that morning.
With the boys gone, and Brenna's nighttime buddy (Noah) away at camp, Brenna pulled a mattress on the floor in our room! She knew we would say no if she wanted to be in our bed, but would laugh at this "cute" action of putting a mattress on our floor, like we were practicing for our new puppy.
This morning, while getting ready for camp Andy walked into Brenna's room and found her ceiling fan going at full speed; Brenna was using it to dry a pair of shorts she wanted to wear to camp that morning.
With the boys gone, and Brenna's nighttime buddy (Noah) away at camp, Brenna pulled a mattress on the floor in our room! She knew we would say no if she wanted to be in our bed, but would laugh at this "cute" action of putting a mattress on our floor, like we were practicing for our new puppy.
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Red, White and Blue
We had a great time celebrating the 4th at a party with many of our friends. We loved the comraderie, the energy, the food and the sparkly things going off at dark! Anji, thanks so much for taking this picture of us. I think it's a great picture (and I don't say that too often.).
Although, you can see how sweaty Brenna and Noah are. They spent a lot of time on the trampoline, jumping, playing popcorn, and flipping.
At dark, we made a mad dash to be with Andy's brother, Chris and their families. It was a little eerie how no one was on the road. Roads that are normally packed with cars were empty. As we were driving from here and there, we could see the fireworks going off in the sky. We were a little crazy to change venues right at the climax of the evening, but Tobin really wanted to be at our next party. We had a great time catching up with family after the fireworks. It was a great 4th for us.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Nationals: Brenna's Competition
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Brenna did great! She scored 9th in her flight and I'm not sure how she did overall. She was competing against 41 other girls in her age group. So, things had to go absolutely perfect for her to place. Brenna was the first one in her flight to compete and she was scheduled for 8:40 am in the morning. Now people, believe me when I tell you this is terribly early. Earlier then Bre needs to be at school and really early when she was up until 10:00ish the night before.
She got to do two passes (routines) on the double mini. She got 3 practice runs and then they were set to go, right at 8:40 am! Brenna's first pass didn't go so well. I could tell as she was rotating over that she wasn't going to make it. I don't think she tucked in time. She fell on her landing, but popped right up with a smile and her arm raised to signal the judges. I was so proud of her for that. Her second pass was amazing! She did it absolutely perfectly with only one tenth of a deduction. But even with a perfect second pass, her first one was low enough to place her in 9th position. Tenths of points seperated Brenna from those next to her in rank. I was so proud of her, regardless. As they said on opening night, during the march in, "they are all champions. These 1800 atheletes are the best of the best." Brenna's coach later told me that everyone in her flight had been to Nationals previously. She told me that that indeed makes a difference. I think Brenna did great. She had done her passes perfectly during the practice, so I knew she could do it. I think Brenna needs to learn how to handle the excitement and nervousness of such a large meet. I couldn't have been prouder of her!
I do also think that if you look at the picture of her where her arm is raised (signaling the judges) that she is still tired. I think I didn't serve her the best I should have by not having her in bed earlier than I did. I will in deed remember this for next year if we go again!!
Virginia Beach: July 1st
Brenna and Noah slept in until 10:00 am! I couldn't believe it, but it just goes to show you what tired kids and closed blinds can accomplish. So, we were out on the beach by 11:30 am. We stayed until about 1:00 pm. Brenna, Noah, and Andy spent the entire time in the water: jumping over waves, diving under waves, and playing in the water. I came down to the edge of the water and played catch with a small nerf football with them. We had a lot of fun together. At 1:00 our hunger drove us upstairs to get ready for the day and find a place for lunch. We had lunch at a place Andy had eaten at on 5th street. We rented a 4 person bike to get around the boardwalk and to take us to lunch. We had a rocky start on the bike, but worked it out. I was a little nervous to let Noah drive, but once I calmed down and he learned to navigate the turns we had a great time and a deliciously tasty lunch. Good job picking the place, honey.
After lunch we rode the bikes around the boardwalk. It was really fun and we saw a lot more of the boardwalk this way. Then we had to turn in our bike and we walked on "beach street USA". We found a tattoo place and the rest is history. Brenna walked away with moon and stars, Noah --the Atlantic Falcon logo, Andy got a ninja shadow and I walked away with a PandA. It took a while for them to do it, but we had a great time. Afterwards we walked back to the hotel and went to the beach. Again, it was laughing and playing in the waves. I didn't go in; it was toooo cold and a little tooo rough. Andy is such a good dad and went in anyway.
Finally, we returned to get ready for the Level 5-7 beach party on 17th street. There we met up with the rest of the trampoline team. Most of them had competed throughout the day, so it was fun to hear the stories and how they did. It made me really excited for Brenna's turn tomorrow. Then we ate a late dinner and hurried back to get Brenna in bed.
As I snuggled her tonight, she wanted me to sing a song that I used to sing to her when she was teeny tiny--my version of "You are my sunshine." I told her to wake up happy and to remember that Daddy, her two brothers and I love her very, very much and that we are so proud of her. I want so badly for her to do well for her, for her confidence. But as I type this, I realize this is what every mother wants for their competitor.
Brenna, you are a fierce competitor when you want to be! Tomorrow morning, when you compete, finish strong and stand tall. You are a daughter of God and of parents who love you very much. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. And breathe....
After lunch we rode the bikes around the boardwalk. It was really fun and we saw a lot more of the boardwalk this way. Then we had to turn in our bike and we walked on "beach street USA". We found a tattoo place and the rest is history. Brenna walked away with moon and stars, Noah --the Atlantic Falcon logo, Andy got a ninja shadow and I walked away with a PandA. It took a while for them to do it, but we had a great time. Afterwards we walked back to the hotel and went to the beach. Again, it was laughing and playing in the waves. I didn't go in; it was toooo cold and a little tooo rough. Andy is such a good dad and went in anyway.
Finally, we returned to get ready for the Level 5-7 beach party on 17th street. There we met up with the rest of the trampoline team. Most of them had competed throughout the day, so it was fun to hear the stories and how they did. It made me really excited for Brenna's turn tomorrow. Then we ate a late dinner and hurried back to get Brenna in bed.
As I snuggled her tonight, she wanted me to sing a song that I used to sing to her when she was teeny tiny--my version of "You are my sunshine." I told her to wake up happy and to remember that Daddy, her two brothers and I love her very, very much and that we are so proud of her. I want so badly for her to do well for her, for her confidence. But as I type this, I realize this is what every mother wants for their competitor.
Brenna, you are a fierce competitor when you want to be! Tomorrow morning, when you compete, finish strong and stand tall. You are a daughter of God and of parents who love you very much. You can accomplish anything you set your mind to. And breathe....
Brenna, good luck tomorrow! We love you!
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