Mexico 2017

October is the best time to go to San Carlos Mexico! Since moving we weren’t sure how much we’d be able to go, or even IF we would be able to go. Luckily we were able to go last year with my family and we had a great time. Since it worked out so great last year we knew we would go again this year (unless something major happened and we couldn’t make it). We started planning this trip basically as soon as we got home from our trip last year!

We knew, with Ryan being in kindergarten, it would be a little more complicated to go on such a big trip because he would have to miss school, but we thought we only have so much time left where we can pull him out of school with minor side effects, so we decided to go for it. We waited until my parent’s booked the condo before we booked our plane tickets, but as soon as our condo was booked we booked our flights and we were ready for our Mexico trip!

We had a few weeks of waiting after everything was booked and we were all so excited. The kids had great memories from last year and they couldn’t wait to to go to Mimi and Papa’s house that had the pool and the beach!  Luckily since the kids were in school the time flew by and we were ready to leave for Mexico before we knew it!

We flew into Phoenix again and we had a whole day to spend with Chris’ family there. (All of Chris’ siblings live up there, along with his grandparents. His mom, Nadine, drove up to pick us up at the airport and drive us to Thatcher to meet up with my family the next day.) After Mexico we were going to stay for an extra week and spend more time with Chris’ family as well. We made it back to Thatcher later that evening and we helped my family get ready for Mexico!

Friday morning (October 6) we woke up early and we headed out for Mexico. It was sad going without Beth, who was in Thailand doing volunteer work, but we were happy to have James, Lara, and Remmy this trip! This year we drove my parents Yukon with James, Lara, and Remmy. Preston, Emma, and Parker rode with my parents in my dad’s truck this time. It was great only having to take two cars for all of us and it was extra nice being able to borrow my dad’s “Mexico Car” for the trip. (My dad bought the Yukon to take some of Beth and her friend’s to Mexico this summer and kept it for us to drive to Mexico and use when we were visiting this year. It worked out perfectly!)

We made our customary stop at the Nogales McDonalds. It had been remodeled since the last time we were there and it was actually super nice. The play area was great and the kids loved being able to run around and stretch their legs. Both my kids loved having their cousins to play with and it was so fun watching them all! Unfortunately we had to load back up in the car for the rest of the drive. The kids in our car all did great though and the drive went by smoothly and quickly!

When we made it to Mexico we went straight to the boat to get it in the water. (It had been dry docked and had some work done to it.) The kids loved sitting in the boat and playing and riding it in while it was hooked to a tractor to be put in the ocean. Sadly the ocean was pretty rough so we couldn’t go out on the water, but we were able to go to the condo and swim! We had dinner that night and went to bed so we could be ready for the next day!

Saturday  morning (Oct. 7) my kids were up earlier than everyone else so Chris and I took them to the beach to play in the water. I loved having time with them and watching them play in the water. As people woke up they would come out and play with us. Again it was so fun seeing my kids playing with their cousins and we all wish we were closer together!

After the beach we had breakfast at the condo and the kids got to eat their “Fresh Hot Pancakes!” After breakfast we all loaded up and headed for the boat! My family especially loves the boat! The kids love riding in it, they love going out onto the ocean and swimming. We just love it! We were SOOO excited to go out! Sadly we went out, but the water was way rough again. My kids were laughing and loving it, but Papa wasn’t sure how everyone else was doing. Parker was having a rough time (mostly because he is a 15 month old boy who loves to move around and a rocky boat is not easy to keep balance!) Remmy was in a spot on the boat that was getting pounded by waves. It was just a bit rough to go out far so we decided to take the boat back in and make a plan B. We decided to go to Frenchy’s (Frenchies??? I’ve seen it both ways) Cove. We hoped that it would be protected enough from the wind that we could snorkel there.

Frenchy’s was still a bit rough, but we decided to risk it and try to snorkel there. At least the kids had solid ground to hang out on and play in the sand.  While kids played some of the adults were able to snorkel. It was a lot of fun even though conditions weren’t ideal! Ryan and Lillian loved playing in the sand and finding seashells, but they loved swimming in the ocean as well! Ryan has been practicing all year with his mask at the pool and the bathtub, and recently started using his snorkel as well and he was excited to try it out in the ocean. At first Ryan had the panicky breathing feeling and didn’t like snorkeling much, but he was able to calm down, control his breathing and he had a great time snorkeling with Chris! It was so fun to watch Ryan snorkeling! I was able to snorkel for a little bit with Chris as well and it was a blast!

I decided to go hang out of  the beach and let another adult snorkel while I sat with the kids for a bit! Lara had never been snorkeling before, but she wanted to try. (Lara is amazing by the way! She married James and they had a lot of very different hobbies. Instead of letting that divide them she has worked hard at doing those hobbies as well, she really is incredible! ) Lara was a little nervous at first to go snorkeling, it is pretty weird/scary to breathe underwater! But she did a great job and she was out for quite a while snorkeling with James and my dad!

Preston and Emma were able to snorkel a bit as well and spend time playing in the ocean with Parker. Emma snorkeled last year when we went in October and she took to it right away as well. She even did some Scuba Diving then as well. Again another one of my Sisters-in-law picking up new hobbies to do with her husband! Its so fun watching their cute family play in the ocean and to see how much Parker was enjoying it!

After we spent a few hours at Frenchy’s Cove we were ready for some refreshments. We stopped and got Coconuts at a cute little stand. Emma and I especially love the coconuts and I can count on her to be up for coconuts! Everyone got some coconuts and we had a nice time visiting and eating our coconuts!

We went back to the condo for lunch then spent sometime at the pool, then we spent some time at the beach. All the kids loved playing in the sand, building sand castles. They also loved going in the ocean and body surfing. Next time we will probably have to get Ryan a boogie board to use! Ryan loved being able to walk out in the ocean to see how deep he could get. The kids were in heaven! (The water here is WAY warmer than it is at home!)

Sunday (Oct. 8) we woke up early again and headed for the beach. The weather was different that day. It was kind of over cast, but still kind of sunny, it was a bit cooler and just different than we have experienced before. A bit later we headed to church for sacrament meeting. After church we went back to the condo and had lunch. After that  we split up. My parents took my family out on the boat and the rest of the crew took naps (Parker and Remmy), then went to the beach.

I was glad my parents were willing to take us out on the boat! My kids were really excited and so were we! We decided we would head out to Double Point and do some snorkeling. The water was still a bit rough, but my kids were loving the boat ride. They kept yelling, “Best boat ride EVER!” and laughing every time we went over a big wave and got a splash of wave on us. Those type of boat rides are my favorite as well and it was just a lot of fun! We made it to Double Point and the kids had a blast swimming around with Chris. Ryan again was brave enough to try snorkeling and snorkeled with Chris for about 15 minutes! (Double Point has some really shallow places, but it also has places that are about 20 feet deep, which can be intimidating. But Ryan was so brave! He was able to see a lot of fish which was awesome!) Even though we missed everyone else, it was nice to go out with just my parents and family.

When we were headed home we decided to stop at the other marina we used to park the boat at and check it out. As we were pulling into that marina one of our engines in the boat went out. We were able to make the boat ride back, but it was slow going! (Normally it’s about a 15 minute boat ride, but it took us about double that). The kids would have liked to go faster, but they were still having a great time on the boat. My dad had his boat guy come look at the engine. We all hoped it would get fixed so we could go out the next day. Unfortunately we would only have one engine the rest of our trip. Again the weather was really weird that day and overcast, with really low clouds, but with sun in some parts of the sky. It got a little windy and cooler, which was nice, but it was still weird weather! The rest of the night we just hung out and visited. It was a great day!

Monday (Oct. 9) we spent another morning at the beach, but after that we loaded up and headed out on the boat again. Everyone came with us and we headed for Double Point again! We were there for several hours and everyone had a great time snorkeling and swimming in the ocean. We packed a lunch so we wouldn’t be rushed and we just enjoyed our time there! I was able to stay on the boat and hang out with the kids! I loved having time with my niece and nephew that I don’t get to see much! Parker wanted to run around the boat, but he would lose his balance easily. He wanted to be in the water, but didn’t like just floating there. (He knew that Preston or Emma weren’t touching the bottom and didn’t like that.) I finally sat on the deck of the boat and put my feet in the water and set him on my feet. He loved that! He felt like he was swimming in the water, but felt secure. (I did that with Lillian the first time we went to Mexico when she was just about Parker’s age!) It was fun watching my sisters-in-law snorkeling around with their husbands! Everyone had a great time!

After the boat ride we spent time hanging out at the condo. My dad offered to take some people Scuba Diving and James and Chris took him up on it. Lara and I decided to tag along. We would ride out on the boat with them, and while they dove we would hang out on the boat and visit. Our husbands tried to dissuade us from going (sitting on a rocky boat didn’t sound fun to them.) But sitting on a boat without kids or chores to do sounded great to us! Lucky neither of us get seasick, and lucky Mimi was willing to watch out kids so we could go. I think the boys had a good dive, and I know Lara and I had a great time visiting and relaxing on the boat! I’m glad we went!!!

When we got back we headed out for dinner at this great taco shop my dad has been to before. It was so good and the best tacos I’ve had in Mexico! I think everyone loved it! I know I ate way too much there, but I was still wanting to eat more! I’m a little mad my dad hadn’t taken us before!!!!

Tuesday morning (Oct. 10) we had one last beach trip, and then it was time to load up and head home. We always have a hard time saying goodbye to Mexico! We had a blast! Our days filled with sun, sand, saltwater, boat rides, and laughter. Our nights filled with crab hunting on the beach, milkshakes, and visits! It was a perfect trip despite the weather being rough, and the boat having one engine. We were still able to do all the things we love! I’m so grateful we were able to go!

On the drive home my parents and Remmy rode with us. It was nice having time to visit with them some! About an hour into our trip our kids were asking if we could go back to Mimi and Papa’s house. I told them we could, but they meant Mimi and Papa’s house with a pool, they were already hoping to go back!!! It really was a perfect Mexico trip!