About two weeks ago (i think?) Leslie called me up and in a normal tone of voice asked, "so, would you be interested in going to my parent's beach house in Mexico next week?" Um. Let me think. "YES!" A few days later we were buckling in two toddlers and two babies for a 12 hour drive and international border crossing to the beach in Mexico. The hours passed quickly since I had someone to chat with and the kids were (mostly) entertained by the DVD player, snacks and throwing objects around the van. We stayed the night in Phoenix with Leslie's very kind aunt and uncle, watched Owen and Liesel chase a bunny all over the backyard and adjusted to the time change.
The next morning we watched the saguaros disappear and the ocean come into view. I love crossing the border. It's always a thrill and humbling at the same time to see how different life can be just because you were born on the other side of an imaginary line.
family stand-up paddle session.
These chairs were initially set up for all these babies-mamas, but we were promptly kicked out and told to get snacks. We obeyed and then watched at how grown-up they all looked lounging on the beach. I also love this photo because you can see Casa Alaja in the background. What a beautiful and relaxing place to be! The boy on the far left is Russell-- Leslie's sister Alison joined us with her little boy (or should I say I joined them? That's probably more accurate). It was great to get to know them both!
pals. I'll never tire of watching these two play together. I can genuinely say that I love Owen. I've watched him grow into a handsome, sweet little boy.
We thought the whale skeleton was cool. They were more interested in trying to get tetanus from the rusty wire cable.
Liesel loved the beach. She really did. Every day on our way down the steps she would plop down in the sand (as seen in the first photo) and scoop, dig and build in the sand. Then she would decide suddenly to run down to the ocean, run in the waves and play till she decided to go back to the house and would start walking back.
Liesel loved dead crabs, but especially loved the live one! She kept poking it's head. I loved watching the salty sea air make her hair curl like Shirley Temple. So cute!
Liesel's new "say cheese" smile. And Hannah finally makes a debut (more than her chubby foot anyway)!
L's mermaid bracelet
L's artwork on the right-- she made the circles and then added a dollop of sand on each one.
check out Hannah and Sam on the right. Hannah looks so bald!
Speaking of chubbers . . .
guess who started sitting up for 20 second intervals while in Mexico? Right on her 5 month birthday.
My one regret is not snapping a photo of Liesel's surrogate grandparents for the week: grandma Jayne and grandpa David (also known as "the man" by L). They were so gracious in not only opening up their home to us, but cooking every lunch and dinner to boot! We spent our evenings chatting, watching Brian almost buy a trailer in Moab, watching a surf movie about the Mavericks and eating sugar. It was such a great mini-vacation.
And the ride home. The ride home was better than I anticipated with the exception of the insane and somewhat embarrassing ordeal at Wendy's in Flag when Owen spilled his milk all over, Liesel was grabbing everyone's food, Hannah had a massive blowout that I had to change on the wendy's bench (where was the change table in the bathroom??!) and I'm pretty sure neither toddler had shoes by the end.
Thanks Rogers family for an awesome vacation!
4 comments:
Ha ha! This post was great! I love L's curly hair, crabs, seaweed bracelet, love the beach and pictures of you running in the water carrying Hannah! So fun, and so glad you got to go.
The kids looking like adults in the lounge chairs cracks me up. Sam's a cutie. I miss Owen! ...and Hannah, and Liesel and Co. Liesel looks like she was in heaven.
Love this! It made me smile more than once: the kids on the chairs, L's adorable curls, and the "mom of the year" picture of you paddling with a toddler on the paddle and a baby on your chest. Woah!
What a great vacation! You took some really classic pictures! You got a few of Liesel full-on looking at the camera (her new "say cheese" face is hilarious by the way); the one of you and Liesel in the canoe with Hannah strapped to your waist (good thing your were in shallow water!); the three children in the adult beach chairs is so cute! Liesel with the hat on looking intently into the distance (I love that one!); her budding artistry in the sand and the one of Hannah sitting up! (way to go Hannah). By the way, how does it look different once you cross the border? I went to Tiajana with my family when I was a teen but that's the only time I've been to Mexico.
Post a Comment