Monday, November 28, 2011

Vacation to Puerto Peñasco (a.k.a. Thanksgiving)

We took a family vacation last week to Puerto Peñasco, Mexico, on the Sea of Cortez!
Our balcony:
The view from our balcony:
We bought fresh fish in the market and cooked a lot in our kitchen.
We had a blast swimming and playing on the beach.
 
Look at these two!
The kids loved sleeping together in their big bed.
 I loved seeing David relax on the balcony.
Sarah loved the atmosphere and napped better than she does at home.
 
On Thanksgiving, we went to the local aquarium.  David cooked red snapper for Thanksgiving dinner.  It was amazing.
 
Look at the condiment spread at the taco stand!
Driving around town.
Austin was still enjoying his taco on the drive back to the condo.  The second day we were in Mexico, we went exploring.  When we got tired, we said, "Let's go home," and headed back to the condo.  When we got there, Austin said, "This isn't home!  This is the hotel.  You need to say sorry!"  The next day he decided he didn't want to go home yet.
 The girls had fun while Dad and Austin took a nap.
 Sarah napped in a makeshift crib in our bedroom.
 We loved walking along the beach.
 
Look at this cute baby!
 
Breakfast on the balcony.
 Austin turned down a breakfast burrito with fresh pico de gallo for granola.
  
Mary found a friend named Anya who kept trying to order an ice cream sundae at the swim-up bar.  We found out Mary was fearless when it came to water and the ocean.
Austin was a little more cautious.
Sarah liked to hang out with Mom.
Anna knew how to relax.  Dad called her a "back-swimming duck" because she liked to float around and chill on her back.
The local mall.  We bought the kids bobble-head turtles and some seashells.
The turtles are now prized possessions.  The last night in the condo, they spent the night on the washing machine so they wouldn't get lost.
Anna's turtle, Mrs. Turtle, relaxing on a palm-leaf placemat.
Mary's turtle, Fresa (strawberry in Spanish), relaxing on the toothbrush holder.  Don't try to speak French to Fresa because she only knows Spanish.
The resort's restaurant made a delicious chicken mole.
 
Saying goodbye to our parrot living room.
¡Hasta la vista, Puerto Peñasco!
 

Halloween activities

We enjoyed a visit to the pumpkin patch:
Anna won a prize at the ward Halloween party for being the "hot doggiest."
We had some sick kids on the day of Mary's Halloween parade, but we bundled everyone up and pushed them in the stroller anyway.  She was so excited to see us at school.
 
We had a blast at the family Halloween party.
And neighborhood trick or treating was a hit.