THE STATES REVISITED

It has been almost a month since we got back from our lastest visit to the States (as Charlie calls it) and I am finally able to post about the trip. I can proudly say that all the suitcases are unpacked and in their proper place. I have to admit it did take almost two weeks but I got it done. It was hard for the kids at first to adjust to the change of time which made going back to work for Mom and Dad even harder but good thing Grandma Yolanda and Aunt Cristina were willing to take shifts to be with the kids. Overall we had a fantastic time as usual visiting the FAM and Charlie is already talking about going back again. Originally our trip was supposed to be only a 3 week trip but it turned out to be almost a 4 week trip due to the fact that the day before we were supposed to leave, Charlie was admitted to the hospital because of unexplained high fevers. In the end it was only a combination of a bad case of Strep throat and Mono but he certainly was a sick little boy for awhile.

We love the States so much we don´t even mind traveling 28 hours to get there. Both Charlie and Clark were troopers during the whole trip. Even though we almost missed the first plane because we left the house too late, Clark had a major blow out on the second of 4 plane rides and I had poopy pants literally for the rest of the trip and we had to run to catch the plane in London and were the second to last people on, all in all I would say the trip went fairly smoothly.

We love so many things about our trip to THE STATES that I thought it would be best to explain it through pictures.

THINGS WE LOVE:

:
Parks in the backyard, cousins included

Being able to go to the temple open house

family reunions

hot dog roasts with the family

cousin bonding time

going to favorite Aunt Ashlee´s salon for a first hair cut

spikey hair

on the job training

business opportunities (AKA Bubble Show)

Going to the park with lot of green grass and not have to worry about dog poop

American ice cream

being able to sprawl out on the carpet to take a nap or just to relax

being able to play sports right out your back door

County fairs even the "small potato" ones

seeing pigs alive not just hanging in the store

fun carnival rides

visiting old friends

community softball games

attending the first grandchild´s baptism of the family

meeting new family members

excellent hospital bed manners

Welcome home comittees.

A SPLISHIN´ AND A SPLASHIN´

We signed Charlie up for swimming lessons for the month of July. At first Charlie was a little hesitant but in the end he looked forward to going every day. There were even some days we didn´t want to take him, but he would have nothing to do with that. WE HAD TO GO. There were only two other kids in his class and one of them was his best friend from school. These pictures are from his last day of class. On a side note: ever since swimming lessons, bath time is much more enjoyable now that Charlie doesn´t mind getting his head wet.

YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN SPAIN WHEN..............

You have heard of "you know you are hick when.......", well you know you are in Spain when you go out one morning and you find this outside your door. I think the neighbors forgot to take out their have eaten garbage. Jamon Serrano anyone?

MORE "THRILLING" SUMMER MOMENTS

It is a tradition in our ward that during the months of July and August, the ward gets together every Friday night to eat together at the church. Every family brings their own dinner and we also try to have some kind of activity. In July of this year, the activities committe decided to organize a talent show in which the participants were to chose a decade and represent it in a dance. Even before the "great white gloved one" passed away, Leo and I had decided to represent the 80´s by dancing Thriller by Michael Jackson. We looked for a video on You Tube explaining the steps to the dance and then we spent hours practicing for several nights after the kids had gone to bed. Of course we weren´t as good as my sister Ashlee and her cohorts dancing the Thriller but everyone at the activity was impressed. They didn´t recognize Leo at first and were totally amazed that the once reserved young man they met 10 years ago was now cuttin´ it loose to Michael Jackson. I was pretty impressed myself. Of course I am used to doing crazy things in front of people but now I am glad I have company.

Two dead zombies workin´ it on the dance floor!

Charlie had seen us practise many times, but even he had a hard time recognizing Leo. He asked the person next to him if that person (pointing to Leo) was his dad.


The kiss of death.

What a pair!