(December): Christmas in Mexico #1

I'm not doing so well on my goal to be caught up by the end of May since I'm still only in December!

We had a great time visiting my parents for Christmas.  They bought a house in Mexico 4 years ago with the intention of retiring in Mexico.  Last October they made the move from Saudi Arabia, and now live in Mexico year round.  Their home is in Ajijic, which is about 45 minutes outside of Guadalajara.  Many expats retire in that area, so they'll be able to make friends with other English speakers as well as the locals. They've been anticipating this move for so long, and it had been 8 years since I'd been able to visit my parents in their own home, so I was so excited to visit them at their house in Mexico.  They wanted all of us there with them for their first Christmas in their new home, and we're glad it worked out.  Jen and Heather and their families were able to come too.  The only ones missing were my brother David and his son Isaiah, and we really missed them.  Please forgive all the pictures - it was such a great week and I had a hard time narrowing down the pictures :)

This is the only picture I got of their beautiful new home.  

The main living area is upstairs and there is a casita on the lower level where visitors can stay.  Mike, me, Heather & Trevor (and our babies) stayed in the casita.  Jen & Jared were in the guest room upstairs, and the three older kids had a sleepover on my parents' bedroom floor (and yes - that was their idea and they were so excited about it!) :)

Day One

Isaac and Ryan, meeting for the first time

We all flew in on the same evening and spent the next day at the pool in their community.  We were so happy to escape the cold winter and enjoy some pool weather!

Jen & Gavin

Gavin & Erin

All ready for the pool!  Oh, this boy is so cute!  

Elaina looks like she's about to get someone wet!  I think this was the beginning of a week full of practical jokes!

I think someone taught Gavin a few tricks too!

All ready to swim!!

Me & Isaac.  Like the flower in my hair?  Courtesy of my middle child who wanted to make sure I look pretty :) 

Erin having fun at the pool

Gavin 

Me, Isaac & Erin

Erin & Nana

Erin & Gavin squirting each other

Heather & Ryan

My Dad, taking in all the chaos that just invaded his house, I think :)

Elaina and my parents

Mike & Isaac

Elaina getting swimming lessons from Nana

Making a gingerbread house

Gingerbread house!

ok, so the little boys weren't much help - look at Gavin's face as Isaac sneaks a candy! :)

Heather, Trevor & Ryan

We were sitting on the terrace and looked over to see these donkeys crossing the hillside with sticks on their backs.  Just a little local flavor! 

My Mom put all of her breakables away or up high, but left this one music box out thinking the kids might enjoy looking at it...and maybe they wouldn't touch it :) haha!  Gavin went straight to it and it was the first thing he picked up when he woke up that morning.  So, it was put up high too :)

She does have a lot of fun and beautiful decorations, so they kids did get to look at them, just with some supervision :)

Lucky for Gavin Nana had buckets of toys for him to play with instead

Erin playing with Jen's old Polly Pockets

Decorating the window with Christmas stickers

The girls were so helpful with the younger kids

Cute cousins: Elaina, Erin & Gavin

Day Two

Every year when I was growing up my Mom organized several families in our ward to go caroling to other people in the ward.  Then we'd come back to our house and have Christmas treats and Wassail.  It was one of our favorite traditions, and people in the ward looked forward to it each year too.  It only seemed fitting to go caroling this year too since we were all together, so we went to some of their neighbors.  

Yay for helpful husbands in the kitchen on Sunday morning

Wrapping party

Such a sweet family - Trevor, Heather & Ryan

Day Three

Isaac loved this little Fisher Price nativity

Erin & Ryan.  

The girls were great helpers with the little kids - especially when Heather & Trevor offered to pay them a dollar to watch Ryan every once in a while.  Little did Heather & Trevor know, the girls would have done it for free, but were happy to make a few dollars too!

It seemed like someone was always hanging out in the hammock.  And if you went out there to rest and have some peace and quiet it wasn't long before some kids would come to cuddle

Another hammock picture

Wasn't my breakfast pretty?  Mom had lots of Christmas dishes so every meal was festive.  

We ate berries every day, and all day long it seems like!   They are grown locally, and are so cheap, and so my Mom kept the fridge stocked.  I had a bowl of raspberries every morning for breakfast.  Yum!

And, this was my view each breakfast.  No complaints :)  

We ate every meal on their terrace, which has a beautiful view of Lake Chapala.  Supposedly National Geographic ranked this area as having the 2nd best weather in the world (the first is a place in Nigeria) and I would believe it.  It was perfect!

Erin, admiring everyone's Christmas stockings

Isaac playing badminton

Ryan and Gavin checking out the Christmas tree