SNORKELING=perfection

Can't believe I've only been home 

ONE

day and my headaches have returned!

I suffer from MIGRAINE headaches

and

they are a constant burden to my every day life...

except when I'm on vacation!

Could it have something to do with the STRESS of everyday life?

I think so!

Just makes me WISH I was back on vacation 

where we spent the day

SNORKELING.

One of the amazing things about

CANCUN

is the many excursions you can choose from and how well of a job they do in making your vacation and your experience

UNFORGETTABLE.

You are picked up from your hotel and driven to your location.

Today it was Puerto Morelos, Mexico.

About 15 minutes from Cancun 

and in the heart of the beautiful

CORAL REEFS

that blanket this area of the Caribbean...

we got to experience this...

Oh yea...it was REALLY that spectacular!

After stopping at TWO different locations along the reef they take you back to the beach for an

AMAZING LUNCH,

VOLLEYBALL,

RESTING IN THE HAMMOCKS,

A GAME OF KEEP AWAY,

NEGOTIATIONS,

AND REST AND RELAXATION.

 HAMMOCKS  are the BEST!

 Rachel and Ron in tight negotiations!

 Coconut Keep AWAY!

We finished with another trip to the reefs before heading home for the night.

Ron had tried to get ALL of us to get scuba certified before we left on this trip...

and we were ALL a little hesitant to do so...

UNTIL NOW!

When we get asked about how we liked our trip, I tell everyone the same thing:

 everything about this trip was pure perfection!

Snorkeling day was just like every other day...
it was perfection!

Family FIRST...

We have just arrived home from our family vacation to

Cancun, Mexico.

I have mentioned several times that this was going to be our family's
DREAM VACATION.

From the moment we arrived at the airport...

and took the escalator to the sky train...

you could tell this was not going to be an 
"ordinary"
vacation.

I will NEVER forget their faces when they first saw the clear, blue ocean and the white sandy beaches...

or the beautiful two-bedroom hotel room

or the view from our hotel room...

all the look on their faces are etched clearly on my mind.

It had...
"exceeded" their expectations!!! 

That first night while swimming together in the ocean I realized why this was going to be my
"dream vacation"!

It was a dream vacation to me because I was able to share it all with my husband and four kids.

I was able to feel their joy and their excitement.

The kids kept telling us how much they felt blessed to be there and we reminded them right then...
right there...
that if they EVER doubted our LOVE for them,
then to remember this moment...
this trip...
this vacation...
this time together!

My family will ALWAYS come first for me...
and this trip
just helped my kids realize it!

p.s. I have so many pictures to share and can't wait to show you the many adventures we had and will try to get them all posted each night this week.

Speed Dating

Several months ago our

PRIESTS AND LAURELS

had an activity

we called

SPEED DATING.

I think Bailey is "really" excited about this activity!

 Each round was 3 minutes long.

We would give each couple a question to answer...

and the date was on.

Then the girls would rotate...

and the next round began...

and so on and so on...

until everyone had a chance to date each other once.

 Christian was a GREAT sport for the camera!

 I loved how each "couple" really enjoyed each date. 

 It's NOT always easy to get a bunch of 

16-year to 18-year old kids

to come to CHURCH

every Tuesday night each week to hang out...

 but these kids aren't like most kids.

These kids have a belief that they are

CHILDREN of GOD.

 That He knows them individually.

Loves them unconditionally.

 It is because of that knowledge they choose to put their

FAITH and TRUST in GOD...

and not in the ways of the world.

 They are the BEST youth.

 And their isn't any other place or position in the church I would

rather be...

than right here...

right now...

with these kids!

Two Parties in ONE

Two parties were held in ONE this last Sunday.
PARTY #1:

Baby Shower--Tom and Britni

My stepdaughter

BRITNI

is having baby number 3!

Recently when Britni and I were at a football game...
 I started to introduce her to a friend of mine.
I couldn't think of the word "stepdaughter",
so I clumsily said "daughter".
She didn't flinch.
I'm so glad she feels that I can care and love her as if she is one of my own daughters...
because I do! 

 I'm grateful that we could celebrate this
GREAT time
in their life with a party!
 I asked Chelsea to be in charge of the games!

They did not disappoint!

Can you guess who won this game?
Since Chelsea spent most of the time laughing her head off...
you can pretty much guess it wasn't her!
I didn't participate,
Chris was in bed,
but everyone else is up for grabs.

PARTY #2

Katie's 13th Birthday Party

We began celebrating Katie's birthday the day before...
with a trip to the lake with
her friends!

I laugh when I see pictures of my family and friends in

UTAH

and see them with snow...

and we are off to the lake enjoying the warm weather!

Ummmm...yep I think I will stay here for now!

And enjoy these two special girls.

 (Cafe Rio Shredded Pork Salad--Cilantro Lime Rice--All the fixings!)

(Leo taking a turn at the Pinata!)

(Katie is going to bust it wide open!)

I'm really grateful to have another teenager in the house.
Sounds crazy but I've always
thought I was a better mom to teenagers than I ever was when they were younger.
Yes...I get stressed.
Because raising children is not easy.
But when you have a beautiful 13 year old daughter named
Katie Lynn
it makes it all worth it!

Whether I am your
MOM,
STEPMOM,
GRANDMA,
OR MOTHER-IN-LAW,
it makes no difference...
I love you all,
to the moon and back!