MEXICO!

Well folks, I'm back. Did you miss me?!? Mexico, as you might be able to guess, was FABULOUS!!!! Mostly it was just really great to be together as a family. First and foremost, this stud got his mission call:

He is going to Jacksonville, Florida and leaving on October 6th. Don't even get me started about how crazy that is!!! It was so nice to all be together as a family when he opened it! The week was super chill... you could be as active or as lazy as you wanted. I usually opted for the latter. ;) A typical day was as follows: up by 7 at the latest (unless you're going fishing with Dad, then it's 5:30), breakfast, slather with sunscreen and hit the beach. We kayaked, snorkeled and played in the sand all week! By about 11 it was too hot to enjoy it, even the water was warm, so we went inside and ate lunch, read, and visited. We were back out by 3 or 4 and we played in the water until dark. Then we had a delicious dinner (each couple was in charge of one night) and hung out until bedtime. We really didn't even watch movies or anything, we just enjoyed each other's company, and it was SO NICE!!!!! Words cannot express how much I love my family, or how grateful I am for them. I want to talk about each of my family members and why I love them, so bear with me. Or just skip this part. ;)

Mom and Dad: Mom is so cheerful and helpful! She was a master organizer for this trip, and did a great job. Dad is adorable with his grandchildren, and the King of the Fisherman! He was out every day at 5:30 fishing with someone, and was giddy every time someone caught a fish.

Kaitie and Logan: Kaitie is a darling little pregnant girl (albeit not really showing) and energetic and fun to be around. Logan is hilarious and thoughtful. It was really fun to be around them so much, since it's so rare!

Cali and Josh: LOVE them! Cali is happy and level headed. Josh is hysterical and a great dad. Piper is my favorite of course, but that's a given. ;)

Taylor and Shawn: Taylor is such a great mom! It's so fun to see her interact with her kids. She is very witty and easy to talk to. Shawn is an adorable dad and plays hard. I'm so glad I'm going to Seattle to visit them in a couple of weeks!
Matthias and Cale: Matthias is the most adorable teenager on the face of the earth. He is funny, witty, and VERY MUSICALLY TALENTED!!!! Caleb is loving, helpful and very creative--he was the mastermind behind the Sandcastle competition.

Neal... what can I say? He is cheerful, helpful and easy going. He impressed my family on this trip, as this was the first big get together with Neal. I LOVE HIM! Now just a few more pictures to make you even more jealous:











"Twas an AMAZING VACATION!!!!!