tenery

i think the pictures speak for themselves, but i know our trip would not have been as exciting, fun, action packed, funny or interesting without tenery!  everyone that know tenery knows what i'm talking about.  tenery adds a spice to things like no one else that i know.  my children absolutely **adore** tenery.  the boys and lindsay loved driving with tenery whenever we would go somewhere.  tenery even decided to give the rest of us a little love tap while she was in her car.  we couldn't all fit in our mini van we rented so we took 2 cars pretty much everywhere we went.  one day we were in a lot of traffic and we stopped really fast and tenery.... didn't.  it wasn't anything bad, but i had to mention it since i'm talking about tenery.  

tenery also can make some mean brownies!  we loved it when she made those for us!  tenery took us to her school and we got to meet some of her friends.  i think tenery is amazing for having such a great attitude about spending her junior and senior year with my parents in puerto rico.  she is getting the experience of a lifetime!  i also have to add that tenery's room is soo cool and she has an incredible view!  tenery - thanks for making our trip so much fun!  we all love you so much.  have fun at byu!

ferry ride and snorkeling

one day we took a ferry ride to another island.  i can't remember the name of it because we were planning on going to culebra.  grandma packed a whole bunch of yummy food & snacks!  we loved the bimbo cookies the most!  after the 1 hour ferry ride, we took a taxi (15 passenger van) to the *blue* beach.  we drove down a very bumpy road for about 15 minutes, but when we got there it was like we were on our own private beach.  the water was clear and the sand was white and beautiful!  everyone loved snorkeling and ellie loved finding shells.  we saw a starfish and i saw a sting ray.  i must admit i was a little scared when i saw it.  i definitely didn't swim closer to get a better look!  ashley was a natural for her first snorkeling trip!  the kids loved playing in the ocean every time we went to the beach in puerto rico!!  luckily on the way back we all had a change of clothes.  tenery and i were laughing so hard as we tried to change into our warm clothes.  the ferry was moving back and forth and we almost fell over!  good times!

ashley snorkeling

ellie was so cute and needed her goggles on to help her find shells!  ;)

snuggling on the ferry

clatie, tanner, tenery, and lindsay had SO much fun on this trip & were laughing all the way!

bella definitely loves her grandma and i love my mom holding and loving my bella!

clatie wants to go to Walgreens and i don't know what to title this blog....so there

my parents took us to this Really cool restaurant that over looks the ocean!  we got to order our food, then go down and play on the beach while they were making our food.  i haven't found a restaurant like that in arizona!  we were loving it!  the kids found some coconuts and were trying to throw them on the ground and crack them open.  it was a lot of fun!

i'm still trying to decide if i like this picture so much because of tenery's face or clatie's face.  :)  those two together are. . . Lots of FUN!!

these 3 Loved the ocean & i Love the 3 of them!

my dad and my girls

as i have been looking at our pictures from puerto rico, i absolutely love the ones of my dad with my girls!  i miss my dad so much and have enjoyed remembering how sweet he is with each one of them.  i love you dad! 

grandpa & bella!

ashley loves her grandpa!  

(ellie does too.  she just didn't want to turn around for the picture)

love this picture too!  lindsay with grandpa at El Morro

pure joy - kites, missionaries, snails. . .

i can't believe it's been over a month since i last posted a blog.  i have been to salt lake city twice and to maui.  i am also still trying to adjust to life with 6 kids!  i usually can only find enough time to check my email and calendar.  i hope that will change soon.  :)  i really want to blog my pictures from maui, but if i don't do my trip to puerto rico first, it will never happen.

yummy bread!  in puerto rico, they sale fresh bread that is to die for!  my mom brought 6 loaves when we went to fly kites and we devoured it!  thanks mom!  :)  

we were able to go to a transfer meeting.  it was such an eye-opening experience.  i loved watching my parents in action and seeing all the missionaries.  we took this picture in the parking lot where all the missionaries who were being transfered were moving their luggage and bikes around.  we were the first people to leave.  i think all the missionaries loved seeing each other and everyone wanted to talk to each other.  i was grateful to experience this so when my boys are serving their missions, i will sort of know what they are going through.  new language, new country, new culture, new mission president, new companion, new missionaries. i know clatie and tanner will be GREAT missionaries!

these are all the missionaries that came to puerto rico while we were there.

i loved watching ellie look for snails.  she was so intent on filling up her bowl.