Sunday Hike with Scouts ....

So we dragged ourselves to church, yes dragged, we all really don't enjoy going ... and it takes up the whole day!  So, we went out for lunch after and then stopped in at London Drugs and purchased a pretty intense SPOT GPS locator because Isaac is really enjoying exploring with his friends but the last 2 times he was out deep in the bush with his friends, the area had some cougar spottings very close to the areas he was in .... BOTH times!  Once in Mesachie, and the other time over on the mountain .... so, we bought the SPOT that works with satellites for texting and locating.  I think we will both feel better when Chris or Isaac goes out in the bush now ....so after we bought the SPOT, we got in the car and was about to drive home and for some reason I looked at my calendar and saw that today the Scouts were hiking Mount Tzhouhalem - I had forgotten!!!  So, we ran to walmart and bought them a snack, some water, new pants for Isaac and they met up with Amanda and took off for the rest of the day.  They had a great time ....

Isaac, Isaiah and Alex Sleepover ...

Nice to have Alex added to the mix .... Isaacs best friend and Isaacs oldest friend (who is a boy, Olivia is the girl who has that spot).  I find them in random spots through the day ... this one was a fun one because they had just come back from a rowboating adventure, wet and cold and they all accepted my offer of warm onesies.

Meanwhile, Marty and I worked on my summer patio furniture together;

Later on ... Isaac and Isaiah worked on their walking stick they found the other day

Herd of Turtles ....

My turtle crew is growing ... reminding me of all the fun .... seems like a distant memory!  Yet every morning at coffee time, these guys stare back at me .....

Cleaned the boys room and found this gem ..

We have a pretty creative boy on our hand .... whoever ends up with this lad, is going to be a very lucky human being.  Valentines just passed, and I do wonder if he ever carried out this plan ... I don't think he did otherwise I would have heard about it, but he did carve a beautiful necklace for her .... but perhaps he used this to have her find it?  Either way, I love his brain:

Friends in Mesachie ....

It was a really nice evening with a few VERY geographically desirable friends, who lives just down the road!  Normally I have to drive hours!  But we made necklaces, and beeswax sheets for food storage, and knitted a little while drinking wine, and cuddling babies and puppies ... an all round lovely evening!

 My dad would have loved this part of the evening ... such a cuddly sweet pooch, however, the last time I came to visit, it ran, biting and nipping at my ankles trying to chase me out of the yard ... but this moment was nice.

Scout Dinner ....

Scouts and Cubs came together for a dinner at the Mesachie Hall on Tuesday night .... Isaac and Elliot had a good improv skit that they graced the crowd with .....

 Amanda swore Elliot in .... Isaac was supposed to be sworn in as well, but he wasn't interested.

 Jolene getting sworn in ....

 And of course, here is my brood --- Jax yawning ... Isaac and Chris doodling .... blatantly bored, without the manners to fake it like the rest of us .... lol

Dishpit duty - first jobs.....and FIRST paychecks!!

He's still carving ... the middle one is his latest ....

 He still looks so little when he sleeps but he is so huge!  Still sleeps with his hat as well as Mr Racoon from Chris's childhood!

 Jolene took a couple funny shots of the boys on their first paid gig in the dishpit this weekend.

 Time sheets!!

 Getting a lesson on how the dishpit works ....

They did pretty good ... they are tired ... but started Friday around 3 for training ... did the dinner dishes and then all the meals today and they have breakfast tomorrow.  They are happy to make some money and they seemed to do a good job .... but they were tired when Chris and I went to pick them up around 8:30 tonight. 

*UPDATE*PAYDAY!!**

Good Bye Mexico!!

As a gift, I am sure, to her mama, this sweet one joined me on the balcony and read in a little nest while Jack and Carrie slept a little longer ....

 Soon Carrie and Jack joined us to take in the final view .... we went for breakfast and then came back for a little more time at the pool ....

 Jack and I taking in some reading time .... they left around 11, and I left around 12 because she told me the airport was nuts!  So glad I left when I did .... turns out it was the start of spring break for some and the last day for others!  It was also a long weekend for some ... so it was as nuts coming and going from Mexico!

 The flight was uneventful and abit relaxing ... I actually got the front row because I checked in the minute I was able to!  Pretty fun to get 'first class' .... It was so nice to see my boys upon landing!  Back home where I belong!  The ride home, my heat rash flared up so bad!!  It hurt!!!!  Calamine helped ....

Day 6 - Final full day!

Roughly 7am .... This is Ellie asking for something to Carrie who was still trying to rest .. she was probably saying she was hungry .... I had to take a pic ...  

 Hanging out on the balcony ... nice view ...

 I just love how much Jack loves his mom ....

 Walking through the markets ... pretty sure we didn't buy anything .... Jack really wanted a sombrero, so we were hunting for that for awhile ....  we ended up finding one once we sat down for something to eat on the boardwalk -- a taco and crepe place (funny combo, but everyone was happy with their food!)

Then back to the pool for the afternoon ...(we tried hanging out at the beach, but we were just accosted too much!)

 I just thought this was hilarious ... bit of a misprint.

 That evening, I met up with Ryan, my old friend from Qwanoes!  We were lifeguards and assistant head counselors together .... he had just flown in for about 10 days .... so we met for drinks and went for a walk on the malecon.  It was so good to catch up .... I always really liked him.

 Once Ryan went back to his hotel, Carrie texted to say she was coming down -- so we went for a walk back to the malecon again .... such good time spent.... I am not sure the week could have gone any better.  I don't think I have ever really had such a perfect week .... I love that we all stayed healthy and happy and we all had our space and when we were together, it was fun .... so thankful for this time we were given.  So SO thankful ....

Day 5 - Final day in Chacala!

On our last morning, Carrie and I did a little walk down the road for some last minute shopping and just time together.  Loved my time with her ....

 I think you could tell that everyone was pretty happy but tired at the end of the week ... here is Jack and Ellie both on the chair with their mom, reading ... when during the rest of the week they were in the water or playing in the sand.  Eden and Elliott joined us for one last drink on the beach .... here they are chatting with a local carver .... such an interesting couple ... they really helped to make us all feel so at home in Chacala ....

This pic I took for Elliot ... imagine! A cat on the beach!!  And with so many stray dogs running around!  She kindof looked like Mittens ....Friday also had so many tourists!!  It was the beginning of the music and art festival this weekend, so it was a great time to leave ... we had been used to having the whole place to ourselves for a week! 

 Sigh .... this girl.

 Migel was a great driver!!  It was a 2 hour drive to Puerto Vallarta ... the sweet man gave Carrie and I each 5 pesos so we could use to the bathroom when we were on the road ...

 Once at Los Arcos ... Maria met us for dinner ... we just did a little walk around the block and settled on a cute Italian restaurant (we were all done with tacos for the week) ... had to laugh at the photobomb in the background ...

 And speaking of photobombers ... this guy seemed quite pleased to get into our selfie!  Laura Maria and I stayed out til almost 11 just catching up and laughing about life.  It was a great first night back in the 'big city'.  She was on her way to see her parents in a town 5 hours away by bus ... so she was going to catch a 2am bus ...

 

Day 4 - Hike to the Volcano and Fermenting class!

On Carrie's bucket list this week was to hike to the Volcano .... so because we had met Eden online on the Chacala forum, when we asked her for directions, she did us one better and sent her husband with us ... Elliott is a computer programmer

 Their version of 'ruins' behind us .....

 The volcano behind them .... yes, greenery has grown in the opening of the dormant volcano....

 The beach we lived on all week down below!

 Mama and her babes ....

 He led the way down ....

 Beach time after volcano time ... and time for sister tattoos ....

 Best part of the tattoos was telling Isaac I got a tattoo ....

Fermenting workshop on milk kefir .... really nice group of people.

So, Isaac continued his tantrum to get the truth from me ....