What's not to love? When we first arrived and walked to our room I stood on the rooftop and breathed in the salty air, felt my cracked and bleeding toe soak in the humidity and begin to heal, looked out over the blue expanse of ocean with a big sigh and said...I'm home. ___________________________________________________________________WEEK ONE (the week we planned for and told our teachers about) was filled with all the things we look forward to and love: days passing at the pool never having the thought to go anywhere else until the sun begins to set; poolside nachos covered in refried beans, who knows what kind of cheese and why it's so good, and all your favorite mexican toppings(pico de gallo, guacamole...); searching for crabs and seashells at the beach and this time watching the massive pelicans nosedive into the ocean; "Abuelita's" famous mole' chicken and rice pudding; truck taxis and pulmonias; shopping at the market; seeing the baseball factory; painting ceramics...
Every year it gets harder and harder to fit it all in and every year it feels more and more like we've come home and picked up where we left off. It is such a memorable tradition full of so much quality time with our family and dear friends in such a gorgeous place. How do you fit over 800 pictures into a blog?
Our rightly named hotel, Pueblo Bonito.
Bree, looking for shells.
Myla and Bree--bucket heads!
KJ and Tegan--what a pair.
We take over the hot tub for a week--I think there were 16 kids with us.
Cute Jane with a very picturesque pinapple drink.
Shopping at the mercado
Girls and Kiana sporting the sombreros..yeah we bought 4.
What a great group!
Ash won this doll at the Mexican Fiesta. She was one of the last 2 finalists of this awesome hot potatoe sombrero game.
Troy dreams of this rice pudding...I wish I didn't have an texture thing.
The famous "Abuelita". What a cook!
They make this mole' for us every time we come! It's deliecious!
We love the beach downtown!
Madi and Kiana had the priveledge of their own pad at Kendric's hotel and absolutely loved the freedom. I'm still lamenting that I didn't think to mention to Beth that she needed a passport for Mexico now. Long story, but Kendric waited for her the whole week and the expedited passport NEVER came! So disappointing for all of us--not to mention my poor sister!
WEEK TWO (the totally spontaneous, what-the-heck part of the trip) was what Troy and I dreamed of doing even before our kids were born. It was such a cultural & educational week for our family being totally immersed in Spanish and major Spanish speaking opportunities through
working at the factory, making uniforms for our teachers and learning
the process of the factory, hanging out with the Padilla family --and might I
add, eating some really amazing food! It was such a great experience for our family and especially for the girls! Truth be told…Troy had to drag me back!
Amerika Sports, Mazatlan
Manuel, one of the owners
Bernarda, always so sweet to let the girls sit beside her and help cut thread
Abuelita with our family ambassador-Ash
Ariel, another owner (There are 3 brothers that own it and Abuelita is their mom.)
Rudy and Inez, brother #3
The girls were a part of the whole process of making uniforms for their teachers. They printed the design Troy came up with, walked it over to Manuel to cut. Took the cut pieces to Mari to sew and watched as she shuffled between 3 different machines to get certain stitches. Then helped cut the templates for the letters and numbers. The lazer machine broke that week and had to be shipped of to Guadalajara. Madi, not willing to give up quite yet, asked if there was a way to cut the letters and numbers by hand. We found numbers from a previous uniform in her school colors and (thanks to Luli and many at the factory) they pulled it off before we left for the airport. When they did their reports at school they presented their teachers with a uniforms that they helped make at the factory! 
Quelite--such an adorable puebla
We loved sharing it with Jared and Lissette and Ariel's family
So in summary--we love Mexico because...es diferente! (For all you Toni Col drinkers out there.)
3 comments:
cute pictures! it was so fun to see your second week there - totally awesome that Madi and Bree got to experience hands-on the uniforms being made. I bet their school reports were incredible!
Mazatlan is the best.
Great pictures! We want to go next time for sure!
I didn't know you spent another week there. how fun for the kids!
Your amazing!
I love Mexico! You make me want to go right now. And that mole picture is making my mouth water... it looks so good!
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