MARCH 2013 Recap

In keeping with my new "recap" tradition.... MARCH 2013

Things we DID:

A) Greg and I went on a trip to MEXICO

B) Maelynn got her Driver's License 

C) we had Parent Teacher Conferences

How I FELT:

A) I know I mentioned a little bit about the trip - but let me expand some. I was looking forward to this getaway for quite some time.  There was a little bit of planning involved because we had to both renew our passports. That took some time (and a chunk of change too) and we also had to arrange babysitting. I feel so lucky about having the willing and generous in-laws that I do!
  So - we got on our way very early on Friday morning, March 8th. We flew out of Idaho Falls - so that was convenient. We had a stopover in Denver and then straight to Cabo. I have flown sooooo much in my earlier life (pre-marriage/kids) that it is still annoying to me every time that I fly now that they don't ever serve snacks. What's up, America? I want my Biscoff cookies - or at least a tiny bag of nasty peanuts. Come on!!
  When we got to Cabo, we got on a chartered bus with a bunch of Greg's other co-workers and were taken to the resort. This place was jaw-dropping amazing. I felt spoiled the instant we walked up the steps and saw the view out onto the beach.

We actually had to wait for an hour or so for our rooms to be ready since our flight got us there before the official 'check-in' time, so we wandered around and had some free drinks and just kept breathing in the fresh warm air!

Then we were able to check in and let me tell you what - this room was WAY COOL. It had a jetted tub, large screen TV, fridge/bar area, sitting area with a couch and table and chairs, and a private balcony too!

Then we went out to dinner the first night at a fancy French restaurant that was one of the options of fine dining at the resort. I think I had lamb and Greg had duck, but the french onion soup was my FAVORITE thing there! Mmmmmm - I'm seriously drooling just thinking about it!

The next day morning I decided it would be nice to get a little exercise - so I went down to the beach area to join the "Power Walk class". Well - as it turned out - I was the ONLY person who had that thought. So - it ended up just being me and the instructor. He was a young 20 something kid who was from Tijuana and was working there. He and I walked for about 3 miles on the sand - super fast - in our bare feet.  He was quite a nice kid and we had plenty of time to talk - but my poor feet were KILLING me the rest of the day. I am pretty sure that one should build up to that sort of abuse. Ugh!

After a lovely breakfast at the international buffet, we decided to be adventurous and took a public bus into town. We wanted to just see the 'real people and the real city' and not only be stuck on the resort with the rich tourists. We also wanted to be able to find an LDS meetinghouse so that we could go to church the next day.  We had a great time. We met some nice people. First there was this young kid who was working at a pharmacy where we bought some, um...OTC medicines ('nuff said). He was super helpful with getting us to the right bus stop and headed where we needed to go. Then there was a man who was the owner of a cool art gallery - he helped us find out where the Mormon church was located. Also, when we got off the bus to try and find the church, we wandered aimlessly with no luck for quite a while, until we ran into a random lady who was on her way home and said that she knew right where the Mormon church was and walked us all the way there!  We never felt like we were in any danger at all and the people were so friendly.

 We made our way back to the hotel and spent a few hours on the beach.

Then that night we had a dinner with all of the Rehab Authority employees. It was super fancy and it was neat for me to get to know a few people that Greg knows from work but I had never met.  That dinner was also held at one of the specialty restaurants they had on the resort - it was a seafood restaurant. Since I don't particularly enjoy fish (ok, NOT AT ALL) I just asked for seconds of the appetizer. It was a creamy potato soup and it was delish!

The next day we went back into town and we found our way right back to the church. It was such a cool experience for me. For one thing - the gospel in Spanish is so native to my heart - it was like my little 12 year old brain was back in church in Argentina again. I also thoroughly enjoyed meeting some of the members there and being able to attend Sunday School. It has been several years that I have been in Primary, so it was a treat for me.  Greg was getting quite overwhelmed with all of the Spanish and then with me trying to translate to him - it was just a bit too much. But, it was a neat day. I feel so happy to be part of a Church that is the same all over the world - where I can just show up with total strangers and yet feel right at home! I love being a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints!

We spent the rest of the day just relaxing and reading and EATING more delicious food of course.  Then on Monday morning we got up quite early and went to play a little basketball together - and by 'together', I just mean Greg and me! We played "PIG". And, of course Greg won! But, I won the 'Most Improved Player' award, so it's all good!

Then we got all packed up and we went to a store to find some Mexican treats to bring home to the kids, and some yummy Mexican Vanilla to bring home to my pantry! We were shuttled back to the airport and had an entire day of flying home. On the way back - we had to stop in LA and in Denver - so it sort of sucked that way. But, on a good note, I was able to finish nearly 2 books. One was a silly novel that I will likely never re-read called "Matilda Savitch".  The other book is one that I have probably already mentioned and that I ADORE and will likely re-read several more times. It is called "The God Who Weeps" and I am going to do an entire blog post all about it. Soon.

B) Maelynn has been driving for at least 6 months since taking her Driver's Ed course last summer. She is pretty good. I feel quite confident that she will be a responsible driver. She had told me that she would just go alone with the instructor and I would wait at the DMV for her to return, which I was totally fine with. Well, the tester showed up and was like, "So, are you coming along, Mom?" I told him that I didn't know that I could come because Maelynn had told me that I couldn't talk to her or she would fail. He said that was true - that if I said anything at all to her, it would be called 'driver interference' and she would fail, but that I was welcome to sit in the back and be quiet. So I went. I was all sitting there quietly, when as soon as she was out of the parking lot, the tester turned around and started asking me questions.  At first I was scared to answer for fear of interfering with Maelynn's test. But, turns out he was just a super friendly guy. So friendly that he proceeded to have a conversation with me for 99% of her test - only stopping to tell her "take a left at the next light" and other such commands every once in a while. It was actually pretty funny. He used to be a cop and I had just finished my concealed carry class - so we talked firearms for quite a while, even after Maelynn had finished the driving test and was parked in the DMV parking lot! Needless to say she passed without a single mistake and then got her license! I am super happy to have another driver around and she has already been helpful in taking Lane to his music class and Landen to his track practices so I could stay home with the babies. I feel blessed to have Maelynn as my daughter and I have a lot of confidence in her abilities and her helpful nature.

C) Every time we have parent teacher conferences, I feel a little bit 'guilty'. I know that it is going to sound weird, but I always hear the stories of how parents go to the meeting with the teacher and hear all of the stuff going on with their child and it gets worrisome, etc. Well - every single meeting I have ever had with any of my kids' teachers has always been positive. I mean, like, every time. I hear them say things like, "Your child is wonderful." "I wish that I had more children like yours". "You guys must be great parents, because all of your children that I have had are so great". Etc. Etc. I honestly feel guilty even just going to them. I feel like it really has NOTHING AT ALL to do with me or Greg - but we simply had a lot of DUMB LUCK when it comes to our kids being able to grasp new concepts and to learn well in the classroom.  I am not complaining, nor am I trying to brag at all (ok - maybe just a little, but it is MY blog after all) - but I am just explaining how I feel guilty because I feel like we really hit the jackpot when it comes to our children and their academic performance. I do realize that I have a child named Lane who challenges us (and every person who knows him will agree) - but even though he is not always a 'calm child' per se, or not always a 'polite child' per se, he is still quite an 'intelligent child'.
     I fully realize even as I am typing this - that there will likely come a day when all of my kids do NOT have perfect grades - and I may even look back on this paragraph and laugh about it! But for now, I am just plain old PROUD of my kids and their scholastic achievements. Some of them work really hard at it, some of them have it just come 'easy' for them, but all of them are able to keep up and get great scores on their tests and homework and I am proud of them for that. I know that I was not the ideal student, often choosing to socialize and procrastinate over studying and planning ahead. So, I feel like I am only living 'on borrowed time' with regards to the 'no issues with schoolwork' fortune I have been having. ;)

And - that pretty much sums up March 2013.