Week 9 was all Mine!

Colt drove us to Colorado but had to go back to Idaho and Montana. So for the past week the kids and I have been staying with some dear family friends. It has been so great to spend time with them. You know how people say you have the family you were born into, the family you marry, and the family you choose. This family is defiantly family that we chose, I even think we were meant to be! They have 5 kids as well. With 10 kids running around there is never a dull moment here! They are also a homeschool family so there is not an all day wait to play. After a few hours doing school in the morning, the kids head outside and the games begin! Everyday the game seems to start where they left off the night before. An epic game of "Percy Jackson" style capture the flag, complete with cardboard shields, stick swords, and soccer shin guard/ bike helmet armor, has been all we hear from the back yard. There have been a few fights and a few injuries, but Moms to the rescue or a brief break and all is well. The kids are having so much fun with their friends. I am also enjoying my time and deep conversations with my friend. When we walked in she and I cried as we hugged! It has only been a few months since she came to Vegas to visit but I have missed her so much! She is my "person". She knows more about me, my family, even my extended family than anyone else and the best part about that is, she doesn't judge me (well at least not to my face ;)) and she still loves me! Colt and the other Dad are great friends too. It was great that they hit it off about 4 years ago because the other wife and I already decided they had to be best friends! So with kids all about the same age and hubbies that are perfect for each other and she and I being peas in a pod we are not just best friends, we are best families! They have been so welcoming.
While we are here we are making sure to get in all necessary appointment with our doctors. We are also trying to spend time with and help close friends. I didn't realize how much I was really going to miss Colorado and all the people that I love here. It will be so sad when it is time to leave. Don't worry we will be back.

Took some of the kids on a walk.

Eva doing service, helping paint Sis. R.S. house.

Playing around while working on a friends house.

Babies playing Barbies!

CJ was very proud of his letter V worksheet.

"Percy Jackson" capture the flag!

Lindy + 1, she is a pro! She acts like she has had twins before ;)

Eva at the eye doctor. She will be getting new glasses!

Until next time, I love you C,M,B,C,E, and L.

Week 8 ( I am late) it was GREAT!

First of all let me start out by saying although Montana was a very beautiful state it is one I don't ever seeing us going back to. The hotel we stayed at was an older one but they had a super fun water slide! We spent most of our time at the pool. The kids and I did make a trip to the only place that anyone could recommend to do in Bozeman. It was a history and science museum with a kids center and a planetarium. the kids had a fun time pretending to fish and be park rangers. We had family movie night and even had fun at the park. After our week in Bozeman we headed to Colorado Springs  (home). We turned our 13 hour drive into a two day trip and a little mini tour of Yellowstone. We got to see a lot of cool things. My favorite part was standing one car length away from a bison! The geysers and mud pots made me gag, the smell was so bad! The Grand Tetons were amazing. Colt loved all the pictures he was able to take of the landscape. I am so thankful for this adventure we are on. I never ever had any desire to go to Yellowstone or the Grand Tetons but I am so glad we were able to. They are two of the most beautiful places I have ever seen. They really made me wonder in awe in the works of our God.

 I have a few pictures of our week but Colt took our camera with all the "wow" shots. I will make another post of all of the pictures we have.

Until next time. Love you C,M,B,C,E, and L.

Old canoe 

Malayna asked for a picture of her new family

Ranger Bob

At the top of the rock

big brother and big sister helping CJ

Yellostone

a phone picture of The Grand Tetonts

Week 7 (2 of 2)

Like I said in post one we celebrated our sweet baby's first birthday! One year has gone by so fast. It was  a crazy experiences to get her here (to find out). She has completed our family. Her brothers and sisters love her so very much. It is fun to see her grow and learn new things each day.
 Selinda (Lindy) Marie, we are so glad that you are apart of our family. You are loved by all. You are so funny. You love to swing and love to play peek a boo. We love your smile and your laugh, they are both very contagious. You are such a beautiful little girl. Love, Dad and Mom.

We drove from Boise, Id to Bozeman, MT. On our way we stopped and stayed one night in Rexburg, ID. We picked Rexburg because I have friends that are practically family that live there. The Smalls and Garcias have been family friends since I was 9 or 10 years old.  When I found out that our travels were going to take us this way I was so excited to see them! So I talked to my other "sister" Haley and she set everything up! It was so much fun to see how much everyone has grown and to introduce them to all of my kids. We have seen each other here and there over the years but it is always few and far between. It was my FAVORITE thing to do while we were in ID (if only it could have been longer).

None the less we had to get on our way. It was only supposed to be 3 hours until we made it to Bozeman from Rexburg, but my deer Husband decided to stop what to seemed to me like every hour to "look around". We stopped to see the Rexburg Temple. Then to see and play in the St. Anthonys sand dunes. Then stopped to see a river and and army tank. Then stopped to (pee) on the side of the road. Then stopped to look around the forest. Then had to stop to for workers who were blasting in the mountains. So a lot of stops for a 3 hour drive!

  8. I learned that I do not like to "road trip". I like to get in the car and get to our destination with as few stops as possible. If it weren't for my kids' weak bladders and the fact that they refuse to wear grown up diapers, potty breaks are a must. Colt is trying to teach me to enjoy the 'trip'. Maybe one day.

Here are the pictures from the week: birthday, Smalls, road trip.

Love you, C,M,B,C,E,and L

7th Week A Critique (1 of 2)

Well we as a family have enjoyed Boise. We got to see and do many different things. Week 7 was our last week in the beautiful city of Boise. The kids and parents have learned a lot about ourselves, each other, our family, and the traveling life style.


Here is what the kids said they learned:

1. We keep growing up and getting bigger no matter where we are. (Malayna)
2. You can always learn about something when you go for a walk. (Bobby)
3. I learned to swim! (CJ)
4. That I am a big girl. (Eva) 

I learned a lot about a lot! I will try my best to explain my lessons learned. Here it is:

1. Choose to be happy!  I have learned that for the most part 'happy' is a choice. This life style was not our ideal. Hitting the road with 5 kids and living in a hotel was not what we wanted. Being in a new place with no friends or family is hard. With all the things that were out of our control the one thing that was always up to us was how we reacted. So from the moment we started our adventure and with all the other ways I could have felt about it, I choose happiness. It was not always easy but everyday I woke up and made the choice and made a deliberate effort to be happy! 
2. Be a friend and make friends! I am a very social person. The hard part about our journey is that we know we wont be at any place for very long. Which is why I am so thankful for our church and that no matter where we go it is the same. I am lucky to belong to a world wide organization of women called Relief Society. I have built in friends where ever we go. Before when we have moved to a new place, I would just sit back and people watch for a few weeks and see who would come to introduce themselves. Now knowing that we will be gone in a short while there is no time to mess around. Right away I was talking to everyone offering my time and service in anyway I could. Making plans to get together for dinner or lunch. I will now be leaving ID with fun memories and new friends.
3. Everyone needs a space that is just theirs, no matter how small. With a family of seven in a hotel, space was very limited. Adults and kids alike each need a place that is theirs. We used to have our own spaces (rooms, beds, toys) in the house but we can't do that now. Colt and I are used to sharing all of our space but hey that's what being married is about. The kids on the other hand had a hard time with this. There really is no sense of personal space in our family anymore. The kids (minus Lindy) all shared a king size bed. With your brothers or sisters arms or legs or elbow in your ribs or on your face 'my space' became very important to them. They each had one dresser drawer that was theirs no one was allowed to touch it or the things that were in it. This was where they kept their things. 
4. Things are just that, Things! I thought it would be a lot harder to live with out all of my things. My kitchen things. My craft things. My bedroom things. My hobby things. My electronic things. My home things. My kids' play things. I have learned that we really don't need so many things. There are a few things that I really miss but all of them I can (really I can) live with out them. We brought a few 'things' with us like clothes, laptops, tablets, cameras, stuffed animals, school stuff, a few little toys that the kids picked and legos. Colt has asked each of the kids this question...."How does it make you feel to know that everything you own fits into this one suitcase?"  They always answer with a smile on their face and the answer always seem to be something like "wow I have a lot of stuff" (perspective). I have often pondered this question but with "everything I own fits into my car", and I am not yet at the point of answering with a smile or thinking that this is all I want. Maybe it is because I know that all of my things are in a storage unit waiting for me. But I really do know that I have everything I NEED!
5. Home is where my husband and kids are! When Colt was traveling by himself and the kids and I were with out him, no place felt like home. Not Colorado, not Las Vegas. Yes, we called them "home" but they never felt like that when Colt was gone. Now that we are together as a family home is where ever we are. Home was Idaho while we were there, and on our drive to our next place home was in our suburban and for now home is in Montana. Next our home will be.......? 
6. I can sometimes miss cleaning. SOMETIMES! LOL! Yes! Just a few times I wished that I had a vacuum cleaner or that I could sweep. Even one time wanting to clean the bathroom. Crazy right! I know! I am afraid that my kids will forget how to clean. Maybe I can send them to work with the house keepers ;) But in all reality I do love going out for an afternoon and coming back to new sheets and made beds, fresh towels hanging in the bathroom, clean toilets, everything dusted, carpets vacuumed and once in a while if I was in a rush the dishes done. You know what never mind I don't miss cleaning! 
7. All we have and really need is our family. This was a big lesson learned for me this week. We celebrated our little Lindy's first birthday this week. In the Mexican culture first birthdays are a big deal! Each of the other kids had huge first birthday parties with friends and family, themes, activities, decorations, the works! So I was having a very hard time thinking that her birthday would just pass us by and that we wouldn't remember it. I was also sad that my Lindy (my last baby) was not going to get her huge birthday party. I wanted to do it all, she is my last baby after all but that just wasn't how it could be. So we got a cake and some balloons. Then made our way to the park just us as a family. You know what, we had a great afternoon with Lindy as the center of attention. Reflecting on that day I realized that that is what a birthday is supposed to be about celebrating the life of the birthday girl and what a gift she is to our family. On the other hand watch out because her 5th birthday is going to be insane!

This is just a few things that I have learned. There is a lot more. I am so glad that we get to be on this adventure together as a family. I love my husband and kids more each day! They make me want to be a better wife and mother. 

Colt said that he learned: I learned the same as Gen but change all the girl things to guy things, for example Relief Society would be Elders Quorum.                

                             In the next post I will share pictures and the stuff we did this past week.

Until next time. 

Love you C,M,B,C,E, and L.

Week 6 Just Pix

A few days late but here is our week in pictures! Week 6 went by fast but we had fun!!! Hope you enjoy!

Coldstone

Ice cream

Boise ZOO!!!!

life size giraffe slide!

 real clam replica 

life size shell replica

Boise Temple

afternoon hike

half way up

when you have no toys you get creative. using a roll of trash bags as a veil.