Happy Christmas Eve

2 years

Our sweet girl turned 2 today. Just when I want life to start slowing down so that I don't forget a single day, time starts moving at lightening speed. Our little girl is growing up too fast and though it's so fun to see what she's becoming, I wish it were happening slower, much slower. She is the best thing that has happened to us and has been such a blessing for our family. Happy birthday, mama girl.

pregnancy will interrupt blogging

Acapulco beach
The water was like bath water.

Manitu.Plus special guest.

Sunset view from hotel.

Estadio Azteca.

Family shot before the boys' show.

Teotihuacan standing in front of the Temple of the Sun.
The steep climb up the Temple of the Sun.

Atop Temple of the Sun with view of the Temple of the Moon.

Ruins from Templo Mayor in the middle of downtown Mexico City.

Walking through tunnels in the ruins.

Indians at Teotihuacan.

Lex's birthday dinner.

Our poor tired baby.

For those of you who couldn't understand Astrid's broken up Spanish in our last post, we're pregnant. We're 14 weeks now, so I'm starting to feel much better although I still hate everything I eat after I eat it.

The fall pre-pregnancy was fun. I got into canning (fresh peach jam in the cold winter is so great on warm toast) and made Astrid's Halloween costume, a ladybug. Then I sort of checked out until our Thanksgiving trip to Mexico City with my family. The boys have been living there for almost a year now and I've just been dying to see their apartment and mostly how they live. We did a lot of tourist-y things, like Templo Mayor (ruins in the middle of downtown Mexico City) and Teotihuacan but we also got to go to Acapulco with the boys to one of their radio shows and if you look really hard in the pictures you'll see their guest back up guitarist.

To follow are videos from our trip, including two of the songs the boys performed.

astrid les quiere decir algo

lake powell

hated the lifevest

gorilla sand structure by damian with jack in the background

astrid just loved playing on the beach

water zombie- the kids loved him

brains, glorious brains, wonderful brains

(last two pictures taken by damian dayton)

This was my first time to Lake Powell. It was beautiful. The scenery, breathtaking- sort of made you want to turn off the tunes and listen to what Nature has to share with you.

I've never seen as many stars or bats in my life as I did in those two nights.

It was such a nice time.

a great birthday

Arthur and Astrid got me this awesome tent for my birthday. We decided to go camping over Labor Day weekend but all of the designated camping spots up Little Cottonwood Canyon were taken. Arthur's back up was a little meadow about a mile (1/2 hour hike) from Albion Basin.

As we were settling down for the night we heard what we thought was a dog barking, but then realized that it just couldn't be. All night we thought it was wolves and it made for a sleepless night for me (better me than Astrid).

But, we did wake up to this view, which didn't last very long. Two minutes after this picture was taken, it started to POUR. We waited about half an hour in the tent and then made a break for the car when the rain let up a bit.

We later found out that the wolf/dog noises we heard were actually a pack of coyotes that hang out in this meadow.

meeting papa for lunch

Hanging out at Gallivan

I've been wanting to make a family picnic quilt for a really long time and finally got around to it. Though not perfect, I'm really excited about it.

7 canyons fountain at liberty park

This has been one of our favorite things to do this summer. It's a mini replica of the seven canyons and the rivers flowing out of them. It's free, it's fun and Astrid can play in the shallow waters to her heart's content.