3 Girls and a Guy

THANKSGIVING IN CANCUN?????
(Thank heavens for collages)

The views are beautiful. These pictures are taken from our resort except for the one on the bottom left which is in Playa Del Carmen. The five star resort treated us well!!!!

Every night the resort would have Bingo, Singers in the Lounge or a show outside. The kids would got to Kids club and do disco many nights. They would play games like, musical chairs, hot potatoe and other fun things. One minute the kids would be awake and the next they would be asleep. We wore them out for sure. Adri played musical chairs one night and kept jumping over the chairs to stay in the game. The whole audience was laughing. She was the fifth to get out. That is good for Adri because she moves a little slow. She didn't jump chairs that time and the host asked her why she didn't jump the chair. It was so funny!!!! Kaden loved it when they had xbox and he would stare like crazy. It didn't matter if he was playing or not. We called him STARE HARD many times during the vacation.

The night shows were awesome. We were out under the stars getting bit by mosquitos. That was the only downfall. They had ladies and guys on stilts, fire dancers, break dancers, and all sorts of beautiful mexican dancing along with awesome costumes.

The crocs right outside our room door. Then the kids got to hold iguanas. Alex and Abby were the only ones that did it, but Kaden and Adri petted it when the guy was holding it. The alligator that the guy is poking, Renn and the girls were on a bike tour and this was in his yard. They stopped and watched. I don't think I would go this close.

Wrong Order. We made it to the airport. It was such a stressful week getting ready to go. It was so nice once we were finally there. We had layovers and it took 8 hours both ways. Long days for sure. Alex and Abby played games, Renn and Kaden looked at planes, and Adri wrote in her note book. We would stop for lunch at our layovers. I am the navigator and Renn brings up the end.

The beach was on our resort. The kids would go to the pool and then steps away to the beach. We played football, build sand castles, ate never ending ice cream cones and laid out. There is nothing better than beautiful sunny, sandy beaches. Aren't they cute in the water. Kaden got a jelly fish sting one day. He screamed and yelled like crazy. Renn didn't want to pee on him because people were around, so we got some vinagarett and doused him. He was really timid to go back into the beach, but Renn was bound and determined to get him back in and he did.

Everyday we swam in the pool and the beach. The kids would get in even when the sun was going down and it was too cold. I would lay and watch them with a towel when the sun wasn't up. It got cold at dusk. Every afternoon the clouds would roll in around 3 0r 4 p.m. and Renn and I were done. The kids didn't even notice it. There was a 20 ft cliff that we all went off of numerous times. There was also a slide. It was a really fun resort. We were the loudest at the pool. My kids are loud. Every day kids club would have games and activities. In the pool they would have jump competitions, which Alex won, and water polo. My kids were the most aggressive. Alex and Abby were always killing each other. They are so competitive with each other. Someone was always falling asleep. We always were pushing each other in everyday.

Why is our life revolved around food. It's the drug of choice at our house. There was always chips, salsa, and quacomole around. We would get crapes with coconut syrup and strawberry syrup for lunch and dinner. Kaden always got nachos for dinner and chicken nuggets or hamburger for dinner. Adri always ate pasta of some kind. I ate fish everyday. The food was great!!!! The desserts were great!!!! Every night we would have to change into nice clothes to eat dinner. We ate with china and seven course meals. I was so proud of ALEX. She tried so much food and ordered off the adult menu. It's so great to watch her grow up and try new stuff. I can't wait for Abby to start. We ate ice cream non stop, neopolitan, coconut, strawberry, chocolate and vanilla. Kade got vanilla, Adri got vanilla, neopolitan, and chocolate, Alex and Abby ate all, and I always got coconut. Renn always ate chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream.

Our room was gorgeous. We had a one bedroom suite. Plenty of sleeping room and a nice jacuzzi. Adri and Kaden swam in the jacuzzi every night with snorkels. I didn't have to clean up or dry towels. I didn't care what they did. The girls tap danced on the balcony. We had two of them. The two doors were to the shower and toilet. It was very contemporary. Kaden would STARE HARD every night before dinner while we were getting ready. We couldn't drag him out of the room. I think he was exhausted from the day. He always had a sprite can in his hand. I think he peed the bed three times because of drinking too much pop. We had all the pop in our fridge and they would refill everyday.

Our resort had hoby cats and canoes for free. We went out a couple of times. Alex and I were timid to go out, but then we had fun and it was easy. We didn't turn over and Renn and Kaden did. Kaden laughed and thought it was fun. We couldn't get Abby to go out. She was playing with Kid Club when we were all doing water sports.

Kids club was great. They had races, dancing, movies, made crafts, and the kids could decide if they wanted to participate or not. Alex and Abby would some times. Adri would go with Margo more often than the other kids. They always had fun at Kids Club. The girl directors were cute and one was really prego. You can see her in her bikini. Alex and Abby competed against each other in the sack race. At the last second, Alex fell and Abby finished first. They are both so competitive with each other. Kaden did awesome. He won his race. Adri was a little slow, but she finished!!!! One night the girls played soccer on the beack with kids club and Renn sat out and watched while getting eatin alive by mosquitos.

Our resort had a catamaran that took us to the second largest reef in the world. Abby, Adri and Kaden have never been snorkeling. They all did it. We went on a catamaran and then got off on a little boat and headed for the coral reefs. Renn took Kaden and I took Adri. We tried to stay up with the group, but it was hard with our followers. Adri and Kaden both just looked through their goggles. They didn't use their breathing pieces. It was too hard their first time. Abby and Alex did awesome. They saw all sorts of fish, sting ray and star fish. Kaden and Adri both fell asleep on the catamaran. Luckily Margo was there and Adri hung out with her. The kids all loved the fish and no one was afraid except for ME. I do it, but it freaks me out a bit. My favorite picture of the whole vacation, bottom right LIKE FATHER LIKE SON!!!!! On the catamaran, people could jump off the sides into the ocean. Kaden was all over it. All of my kids were jumping. They are fearless. It's so much fun to watch them. I'm a whimp, but I do it because I can't let them show me up. Everyone watches them and takes pictures of them. They can't believe their eyes!!!! All because of Renn.

Adri found a buddy. Her name was Margo from Virginia. They found each other the beginning of the trip and hung out a lot. They saw each other at kids club, dinner, dancing, catamaran and at the pool. One night they even looked like each other at dinner. They were so cute. We wanted to pay Margo's parents for keeping Adri so occupied. We will miss Margo.

One day we took an excursion to Chichenitza. Our neighbors gave us a referral to go with an LDS guide. We took them up on it and contacted Helaman. He was an amazing tour guide. So many things from the Book of Mormon tie into this place. I learned so much. Too much to remember and to much to write down. I felt the spirit many times with him. The Book of Mormon came a live to me. Do you know where it is thought that Nephi landed his ship. Off the coast of Mexico on the Pacific side. They found a tree of life there in that spot and the tree of life is in what BOOK. It made my mind think the whole time. How could the Book of Mormon not be true. How could someone make it up. They couldn't. I loved Helaman and his tour. I know Alex liked the tour, but it was hard for the others to pay attention the whole time. This towers are 200-500 AD and they are digging down further to where it is before Christ. It's an amazing place. I sure learned about the Lamanites and how wicked they were. This was the time when the church was not on the earth. Talk about wickedness. Killing people like crazy for no reason. It made me sick, but I learned so much and it was the highlight of my trip. In one picture Kaden is running because we dared him to go inside the tomb thing. He ran back so fast. We are naughty.

There were vendors all over the place at Chichenitza. Kaden had to buy a tower. He loved them. Maybe because dead bodies and heads were in tombed there. He was happy as could be.

After Chichenitza we went to a sink hole. It was incredible. It's an underground river and swimming hole for tourists. We ate lunch before at the adjoining restaurant and it was Renn's favorite meal of the trip. They had yummy fish there and the best flan ever. All of my kids, once again, jumped off this 30 ft. jump. The tourists were taking pictures and videotaping my kids. I should have asked for money. They couldn't believe my little ones would jump. There were many adults that would not jump. Kaden didn't even hesitate. Adri took a while. I had to jump again so I wasn't the lamo. It was fresh water, but you could see little fish swimming. Once was enough for me. My kids did it 30 times each. They were tired and slept the 2 hour ride hom. It was beautiful and a sight to see.

Alex and Abby have always wanted to swim with dolphins. They have cousins and friends that have been able to do this. Renn and I decided to let them. The girls loved it. They got to touch, hug, kiss and learn a lot about dolphins. We didn't get the best pictures because their pictures cost $20 bucks each. We did the best we could. There were dolphins all over at this park. There were even sea lions. Adri and Kaden had fun just watching. It was hot watching them in the sun. Renn and I were sweating. The girls had fun and got to do what they have always wanted too.

The girls always have to get their hair done in MEXICO. That is the rule, they think. At our resort, it cost $37 for a half a head. Rip off. We waited until we got into town and paid $15 a half head. Abby and Adri got theirs done by the dolphins and Alex got her hair done in Playa Del Carmen. Alex's hair is still in. Abby and Adri's started looking a mess. I guess that shows that some people do it better than others. It's so nice when they get their hair done and I don't have to do it for the week. The girls love it too.

THANKSGIVING DAY!! We spent our Thanksgiving at the dolphins and in PlayaDel Carmen. We went into Playa Del Carmen for an afternoon and shopped 5th Avenue. It's a street full of vendors, stores, and food stands or restaurants. You feel the real Mexican feeling there. People would stop and stare and ask if theses were all of our children. Not too many families have more than two on vacations. One asked if we didn't have cable. Get it. Renn would hold Kaden's hand and I would hold Adri's and the two older were good to stay by us. We never felt unsafe. We ate at a taco stand that wasn't that good, bought Kaden a nacho libre mask, the girls got swim coverups and bracelets and Renn got a new wedding ring for $15 bucks. Kaden could have picked batman, spiderman, but no it had to be Nacho Libre. Strange boy. It looks like his old one and they say it's tungsten. Renn talked them down on everything. We got everything at least half off. We stopped by Senor Frogs which is way to American, and say a couple of Christmas trees. It didn't feel like Christmas. We were hot and onery at times and ready to leave. We had to pay $25 for a taxi to take us back home. Rip off. It was a fun day shopping. We were glad to get back to the hotel to swim and relax.

It was an awesome FAMILY VACATION. We have never gone by ourselves. We have always gone with friends. The kids got a long pretty good. It was a love hate relationship at times, but overall a good one. Kaden was the hardest. I think he got exhausted and didn't want to keep going like the rest of us. He would sit and say I'm not going. It became old very fast. We worked through it. I loved being with my Spanish Translator and he loved being with his tour guide and compass (ME). Renn would be lost without me and I wouldn't be able to understand a thing without him. My kids are pretty lucky to travel as much as they get too. We are blessed to be able to give them this gift of seeing the world. They got to see the poor places and hopefully realize how blessed they are. We are so blessed to live in America. Our resort was so full of activites, we could never get bored. I never had to do laundry, clean or make food. That was the best. Our last picture was in front of the Christmas tree right before we got on the shuttle to go back to Utah. It didn't feel like THANKSGIVING, but my mom had that waiting for us on Sunday. What a great mom!!!! Our resturant did have a turkey buffet, but nothing like home. It was a new experience and a good one. Thanks Rennie for providing us with an awesome vacation and diverse life. We love you!!!!