Yours, Mine, and Ours

I was raised in a home that everything was shared.

"What's mine is yours." 

This was our motto.

My grandparents (on both sides) were very successful and privileged yet they shared everything they had.

I remember a time when my grandpa, who worked very very hard and long hours, finally was able to afford a fancy vehicle.

He bought a RED convertible.

It was still only days old when a young member of the ward asked if he could borrow the new car to take his date to Prom.

Without even batting an eye, my grandpa said YES!

This is the example of what I grew up around.

I believe he became so blessed because he was ALWAYS so generous. 

Even when they didn't have much they still kept their motto.

Another motto my grandma always had was, "Finders...Keepers."

As her grandchildren we LOVED this!

If we happened to stumble across a cute pair of sunglasses behind the couch

or even a $100 bill...if you found it...you got to keep it!

I want to instill these mottoes of life in my children.

It will help them continue to be selfless and watchful of those in need around them.

After all, you cannot take your THINGS into the next life with you.

All you have is your family and friends.

And that is what matters most.

Whether it be my last stick of gum or my car, I will always carry the motto

"Whats mine, is yours."

Pedicures

Adalyn's first pedicure!

I had to nurse her to sleep before they attempted to paint.

We even managed to get a little zebra action on the big toe.

I love it!

All of us girls...and poor Benton went to get pedicures.

We all chose fun different designs to have hand painted on our toes.

Benton got to watch.

I can't wait until my girls are old enough to appreciate the opportunity to sit STILL and RELAX for an hour.

Maybe in a few years.

Pioneer Day

This Pioneer Day our stake celebrated by having a mini-trek and a pancake breakfast.

Everyone dressed up and we had several handcarts for the kids to push.

I used my "modern-day" handcart...my stroller!

We had a great turn out.

Many people rode horses, including Uncle Randall...

and the kids rode the pony.

It was a great celebration.

The kids loved riding the horse and giving rides to the other kids on the pony.
Tori and Alex lead the pony up and down the football field so all the other kids could have a ride.
The pony is so mild that the kids can ride her on their own.
If they did fall they would only have a 2 foot drop.

Towards the end of the day one of our horses collapsed and wouldn't get up.
We called for the vet and he helped give her a shot...water her...and then she got right up.
Turns out she was a little malnourished.
I guess we need to get the horses from off the mountain a little more often.
She is as good as new now.
HAPPY PIONEER DAY!

On a side note: This particular day was CRAZY. Garrett had to wrangle the horses...help bury a ward member who's funeral was the same day...move another member of the ward...and flip pancakes for our stake breakfast. Being a part of a small community you become relied on heavily at times. I'm not complaining, just grateful for a supportive husband who is willing to help.

my latest adventure

I decided to take my kids to the lake for an afternoon swim.

I called Garrett and he gave us the thumbs up but couldn't join us.

His only request was that I did NOT take the new car.

So we all loaded up into the Topaz...with no seat belts...or a.c.

We were almost to "Old Town" when my front tire BLEW!

I pulled over...put on the hazards
(surprised there were any) and sat for a minute.

I soon realized that my cell phone wasn't working and I was a good mile or so from a store and I had all 4 kids...2 without shoes...and I was in my SWIMMING SUIT!

So, I walked around to the back of the car...opened the trunk and proceeded to get out the spare tire.

I had never changed a tire before!

I found the jack and started to lift the car.

Half way up the car rolled forward and tipped the jack over.

Aha...parking break must need to be on!
I started the process of lifting the car again...with the parking break ON...and it rolled forward again !
Note to self...parking break does NOT work!
I then put rocks in front of each tire and tired again...once the car was all the way up I found the tire iron and loosened all the lung nuts,just as Uncle Kent pulled up on his motorcycle.

He said that he didn't recognize the car...no one does...but he did recognize the kids hanging out of the windows.

He asked where we were headed and I told him we were going to swim in the lake.

"The lake?!", he said.

"Yes, why?", I replied.

"Well, there are a lot of B-O-D-I-E-S without their H-E-A-D-S found at the lake." he explained.

Little Tori was eavesdropping on the conversation and spoke up asking, "What is at the lake, Mom?"

I had to think of a quick answer...Uncle Kent saved the day and said, "FISH...there are a lot of fish at the lake."

That seemed to worry Tori a bit but she was satisfied with the answer.

After a short conversation we thought we were probably okay to go in the middle of the day.

He then took over and helped me get the spare tire on,

escorted me into town,

bought me a new tire,

and had the pros put it on.

THANK YOU UNCLE KENT!

I was ready to cash it in and head home.

Too much excitement for me!

The baby was crying...teething...and we had NO air conditioning, but my kids still begged to continue onto the lake.

I gave in so we stopped at the next DelRio for Slurpees and treats and went out to the lake.
We had the entire lake to ourselves!
I got to soak in a little sun and enjoy a good magazine while my kids swam in the lake...they were a little paranoid about all the "fish" they heard about but they all got in and had a good time.

Stay-cation...again

Since the summer months are hard to get away...if you are married to a chile farmer...I've had to rethink my whereabouts. 

We used to come to Mexico for vacations.

Lots of others come from afar to vacation here so why can't I enjoy this place like a visitor?!

I think about what I'd like to do...see...eat...during these summer months and I put the to-do's and chores on the back burner.

This is my summer vacation too!

Whether I am on the beaches of Hawaii or here in Mexico.

It is all about how you look at the situation.

The other day I took my kids swimming and we brought strawberry pina-coladas and chocolate chip cookies to the pool.

I still got my pool side service and enjoyed a luxurious afternoon by the pool.

I am going to enjoy some shrimp tacos and a swim in the lake...

late night visits with friends...tennis...shopping.

Who said a "stay-cation" couldn't be any fun.

We are relaxing and enjoying being lazy this summer.

Spontaneity is the name of the game.

A late night round of golf...shooting hoops at Grandma's house.

The options are endless.

HAPPY SUMMER!

Grandma Udall

My mom is a PARTY and a half! There is never a dull moment with Grandma Udall around. My kids adore her and look forward to every visit. She is so good at having little surprises for each grandchild...even kids that are not her own she will find something for everyone in her magical purse. We love having her come to visit.

Grandma Udall was so good to come all the way to Mexico for Tori's baptism and she did not disappoint. I love visiting with my mom on the bed or taking long walks with her. She can still whip me on the tennis court too.

I know she was not thrilled when we announced we would be moving to Mexico but she has learned to appreciate where we are now. With VONAGE phones (unlimited long-distance) and occasional cheap airfare we get to see each other more than once a year and visit on the phone daily. I love my mommy. Every now and then I have to comfort her and correct the information she gets from the news. After all, her first born is living in MEXICO. How on earth did this Canadian family end up with a daughter SOUTH of the border?!

Where do I live?

Yes, sometimes this question runs through my head...

"Where do I live?"

Last night I was enjoying a quiet evening while Garrett took the kids out.

It was about 8:30pm when the lights went off.

They had gone off earlier in the day but came back on shortly thereafter.

This time they did not come back on.

I had so much to do.

We were hosting Sunday dinner so I needed to get the roast in the crock pot, make dough for the rolls and get the potatoes peeled and cut and into a pot of water.

I only had two small candles and a Tinkerbell flashlight so I ended up doing most of that in the dark!

I had my fingers crossed that the lights would come back on sometime during the night so the meat would start to cook and I could do the rolls in the morning.

We went through our nightly routine by candlelight. 

It was kinda romantic and nice not hearing the TV and the hum of all the appliances, and something Garrett suggested we should do every so often.

Well, much to my surprise the lights did NOT come back on during the night and they were still off in the morning.

I decided to put my crock pot on the stove to start heating the now thawed meat...

soon I heard a huge CRACK.

Needless to say, that does NOT work and I need a new crock pot.

I then had to empty my large pot, holding my potatoes, into two smaller pots so I could put the roast into my largest pot.

Finally go the meat mopped up off my stove top...the roast now boiling/simmering on the stove...now onto the rolls.

There was no use in hoping the lights would come on at this point so I started kneading the dough by hand.

It wasn't has bad as I thought, although a good arm workout.

Garrett then came home from meetings and announced that we were one of the only families in town that had running water so we needed to provide the Sacrament water.

We also provided water for a large tub that was used to fill buckets to flush the toilets at the church.

Glamorous...YES...I know.

I am just so grateful we got to church clean and showered.

Church was dimly lit by the side doors being opened and the one window at the back of the chapel.

The speakers were barely heard, although we were able to rig some sort of Kareokee machine for sound.

During the meeting the lights flickered on and off once but ultimately stayed off so the remainder of the meetings were cancelled. 

Upon arriving home the light had come back on!

Nice timing...not that I don't LOVE church.

They stayed on long enough for me to light my oven and get the rolls rising.

Soon thereafter,the lights, once again, went off.

The potatoes took especially long to cook so Garrett pulled a few out and they were cut into HUGE segments.

It was then I remember that I had to do that in the DARK the night before.

No apologies.
At least I still have all of my fingers.

The rolls were becoming a lost cause but the meat and gravy was coming along nicely.

Just as we were about to mash the potatoes, the lights came back on!!

They have been on ever since...and we even got rolls...eventually!

At least it is nice weather outside....if this happens again.