Merry Christmas!!!

We had such a fun Christmas with Rhys this year. He doesn't really get the concept of Christmas yet, being only 9 months old and all. We think he had a good time even if he didn't understand what was going on.
Momma Jo sent Rhys some cute jammies she had made. Too bad they are like 3 sizes to big. We'll hold on to them for a year or so and see if they fit then.

Rhys was not really into opening presents. He tried it and he wasn't interested. I got to open them instead.

Rhys is so funny lately. Check out this cute video!!!

The Dreaded In-Laws!!

Just kidding. I love my in-laws. I think I won the in-law lottery. They're great people. They came and hung out with us for nearly two weeks and it was a blast. I need a couple days to recover from all the fun . Blaine loves to snorkel so we had to go to as many beaches we could to snorkel. We found some really cool stuff and had a blast. These pictures are a little bit out of order so bear with me here.

This is a picture of Rhys at Mar Chiquita. Someone told us there was good snorkeling here but when we got there to look at it we realized very quickly that we wouldn't be doing any snorkeling there. The waves were huge and it's surrounded by these razor sharp rocks. Even though we didn't swim there Rhys had a blast. The actual beach is behind him, this water is run-off from the huge waves crashing over the rocks. It was still and clear and shallow so he had a really fun time crawling around in it. He's so happy, and of course you've got the sickly starving dog in the background. That's Puerto Rico for you!




This is why we didn't snorkel. It's a small beach with huge waves and sharp rocks. Not a good combo for snorkeling. So beautiful though. I think I took about 50 pictures.

I had to show Rhys cowboy boots to Dad. I got these before Rhys was even born and he's almost grown into them. I even have spurs!! We had to check them out. Sasha's good for something, right? Dad's excited for us to come to Idaho in the summer so we can try the boots out on some real horses.

We had the chance to go take a ferry out to the island of Culebra. One of the beaches there, Flamenco, was voted one of the best beaches in the world so we had to check it out. It was a super fun, super exhausting adventure. Here are Rhys and Dad hanging out. They had a blast together.

This is Flamenco beach. It really was beautiful. We didn't stay very long cause there isn't snorkeling here. We left the beautiful beach to hike over the hill to go to an ugly beach with snorkeling where I got about 75 mosquito bites. The snorkeling was pretty wicked awesome though.

Us on the Ferry. I'm trying not to get seasick.

We took a break from the beach to go to Old San Juan. These are the boys checking out the Forts.

So Scott got asked to be Santa at our Wards Christmas party. It was so funny I almost wet myself. Keep in mind we live in Puerto Rico and the church doesn't have air conditioning. He was so hot!! He was sweating before he even left the bathroom. The suit itself is hot but he's so skinny we stuffed it to fill him out more. The kids thought it was pretty funny. The best part was we tried to get Rhys to sit on Santa's lap and he totally freaked. He screamed for 10 minutes straight and took another 10 to get him completely calmed down. I didn't get a picture but some people from our Ward did and I'm waiting for them to send me a copy.

If I really was married to Santa I would so let myself go. I would love to be Mrs. Clause.

The Fruits of my Labors!!!

This is pretty much all that my blood sweat and tears amounts to. Two peas. Yippee. I tried my hand at growing a garden. I figured that things should grow really well here since it's so warm and sunny. So I decided to pull up some of the grass in my back yard, fill it with dirt and plant some seeds. Easy, right? Not so much.

First of all, I didn't realize how hot it was outside. I think I literally sweat out a gallon of water just pulling the grass out. It wasn't really hard work but about 5 minutes in, I would be dripping in sweat. Gross, huh?

Second of all, I didn't realize how much dirt it would take to fill in my small garden. I kept on having to go back to the store and buy more dirt. I started filling it in with potting soil, cause that's all I could find, until my last trip when I found topsoil. I could have saved a ton if I had found that first.

Third of all, I didn't realize how persistent Sasha would be about getting into it. I was planning on her trying to get into it so I bought a little fence to go around it to discourage her from trying. Yeah, well I must have forgotten that I have the worst Great Dane ever! Pretty much the day after I had planted she got into it and rolled around. I would have had the most beautiful straight rows of peas and corn you've ever seen, but NO, she had to mess them up. I replanted the places she ruined and reinforced the fence to discourage her, bit it didn't work. She got in again. Anyway, long story short, I had to make a new fence. But by that time, I'd had to replant a couple of times. So frustrating!!

Then Fourth of all, Puerto Rico's weather is crazy!!! It's either scorching or it's raining. It rained for like a week off and on and flooded my garden about 5 times. Here's a lovely picture of one of the times. By this point half my corn is already laying down and my peas are totally drowned. Now I realize why I haven't seen any other gardens in Puerto Rico.

Oh well. On the bright side I have gotten some peas!! 5 to be exact. All that work and 5 peas!! I have to say though, that they are the best peas I've ever had in my life!!! I'm saying lots of prayers that I'll get more than just 5 peas or I will feel completely defeated. Bested by a garden, that will be me.

This is how we spent Black Friday. No shopping for us! We took Rhys (another fruit of my labours) to the beach. He loves the beach. Anywho, he was crawling around and totally face planted into the sand. The funny thing it that he wasn't upset about it at all. Scott said he looked like the sandy Phantom of the Opera. I think I'll pulling sand out of his hair for the next week.

Ok, so total side note, what is the deal with European men and teeny tiny swimsuits? Seriously, who wants to see all of that? I mean if I go to the beach and my husbands swimsuit is smaller that mine, don't you think that's a huge read flag? We saw this couple and it completely looked like this dude had stolen his girlfriends bikini bottoms. He wasn't hiding anything! Gross! Another guy was sporting a speed-o with sparkly bling. Dudes should never wear a bedazzled sped-o. Even if you are gay (which I'm sure he was).

Here's another side note, I love seeing chubby girls on the beach. They make me feel so much better about myself. I feel so much better knowing that even if I don't look like Giselle in my board shorts at least I don't look like the chubbs who shouldn't be wearing a bikini. Insensitive, maybe, but so true.

Rhys was helping me do the laundry. SO CUTE!!

Fun Times in Puerto Rico

We've had some awesome adventures here in Puerto Rico lately. We got to check out a new beach, Luquillo Beach, which was amazing. It looked like a postcard! I stink at arranging the pictures on here so they're kinda backwards. This picture is of Rhys as we were getting ready to leave. I set him on the chair while I was packing up and this is how I found him. He was actually pretty content all squished like that.

Rhys Loves the beach. He had an awesome time crawling around and trying to eat sand and pine needles.

We had the chance to go to another one of the big Forts here named Cristobol (like crystal ball). It was really neat to wander around. This fort was designed to catch rain water and that's what the Forts residents drank. The water was all collected in these reservoirs that you can still look down. The boys were checking it out. I have the most handsome guys in my family!!

Rhys' First Halloween

Not only was it Rhys' first Halloween, it was our first Halloween in Puerto Rico! I'm not used to celebrating Halloween in 85 degree weather. It was fun though. This is Rhys' first cotton candy. It was really sticky because of the humidity and wherever it touched it immediately stuck there.

This is Amy, she's in my ward. She just had this beautiful baby and he and Rhys were twinners. There was another little boy wearing a skeleton costume and we tried to get them all together for a picture but he decided to have a melt down before Scott could find the camera. They're still super cute just the two of them.

La cucaracha, la cucaracha.....

As per my complaints with the pictures on my last post I decided to post the pictures anyway. These pictures really gross me out, which is why I HAVE to share them. Now I'm really paranoid that I have huge cockroaches crawling all over my house. But so far, luckily, no more sightings (at least in my house anyway)

Isn't that the most disgusting thing you've ever seen? The other day I was standing in the check-out line at Walmart. I was right next to the candy and what-not that they always put in the line to tempt you while you're standing there waiting (and if you're in Puerto Rico, waiting, and waiting, and waiting...) and I saw this little creature crawling all over the shelf. I tapped the guy in front of me on the shoulder and asked him if it was a cockroach. It was! I thought cockroaches were nocturnal and wouldn't calmly come out with people right next to them, but I guess I was wrong. I will definitely think twice next time I am tempted to buy a candy bar while waiting in the check out-line. I hate cockroaches.

Uber Cute Pictures

Sometimes this blogging thing makes me crazy! I've been trying to rearrange pictures and put writing over the top one and it won't let me. If anyone has any tips on how to do this let me know. I'm sure it's super easy but I am not smart enough right now to figure it out. I was trying to put a picture of this HUGE cockroach that we found in our house. Actually Sasha found it and was chasing it all over the living room. She got it cornered and Scott caught it. Luckily Scott was there because I can honestly say I don't know what I would have done. No way I want to touch that thing and no way I want to leave it in my house. Thank goodness for a husband who will do the stuff that I won't do.

Anyway, can I just say that I have the cutest kid ever? I love him so much. He learned to crawl a little while ago and now he's zooming everywhere getting into things. Here are some cute new pictures of him that I'm sure you're all on the edge of your seats waiting to see. (p.s. I don't know why this is blue and underlined. This blog has a mind of it's own)
I thought this picture was cute because the bear is the same size as he is and it was like they were pals hanging out together.

I found this cute pool (for only $10!!) for Rhys to play in. He was really excited! Look at that cute face!

Ok, if you don't think this is the cutest picture ever, there is something wrong with you. He loves those little Gerber puffy star things and he's gotten so good and picking them up and putting them in his mouth. He was just off a little bit from his mouth with this one.

San Sebastian is Awesome!!

Scott had Columbus Day off so we used the day to continue exploring the Island. We went with some families from the ward to a waterfall in San Sebastian. It was a whole heap of fun and we will definitely be going back. Thank you Columbus for giving us a national holiday so we can have the day off and go play!!

Rhys was totally pooped after all the fun he had playing in the water.

Technical difficulties and cute pictures

Man! I've had a heck of a time getting these pictures to upload and it's not working letting me rearrange the way I want so I'm just going to leave them the way they are. If I mess with it anymore I'll probably have a nervous breakdown. Anywho... guess what Rhys got really good at doing this week. This week he just decided he likes to sit up all the time. I can't get the kid to sleep cause he spends all his time sitting in his crib. It's been fun watching him learn and grow. Look at that happy face!!


I love torturing my dog! I decided that she needed some glamor in her life so I gave her a pedicure. Isn't it so pretty!


Don't you love babies faces when babies eat sour things? Here we have lemons. His facial expressions were priceless!!!



This weekend we made it to the Observatory in Arecibo. It's big. It only took us 2 tries to get there too. We tried a couple weeks ago and ended up aimlessly driving all over the winedy potholed roads until I got too carsick to go on. We tried again today and made it. It's pretty cool. As you can see the weather was a little sketchy, could have rained any second. It was great because there's a little hike up, not too long, but not one you want to do when it's 90 degrees. It cooled it down nicely. It was really pretty with the green trees and the grey sky and awesome radio thingy. Here's our cute family in Puerto Rico!

I have a pony in my house!!!

I found a fun video of Rhys and Sasha. I need to find a saddle!

It's October?

It's 95 degrees outside. I had to look at the date on my phone several times before I realized it said October. I still don't believe it. It's so weird not to see the leaves change. I think I might be homesick or something because the blogs with fall pictures and activities make me want to cry. I don't miss being cold but I am missing the fall. I really want to stroll through a pumpkin patch and eat corn on the cob and wear a soft comfortable sweater. I know a lot of you are hating me right now cause you're freezing cold and cause our family is going to go to the beach today after conference, but I can whine a little bit right?
Another reason I don't believe it's October is because next week I'm going to plant a garden. I bought one of those Topsy-Turvey things where you plant a tomato plant upside down and I'm excited about that because the tomatoes at the stores are really crappy. We're also planting some corn (cause I want corn on the cob and I can't find it here anywhere) and some peas. The soil is really sandy and sucky here so I have to dig a spot and fill it in with store bought dirt. next week we're planning on picking up some orange and lime trees as well. So I'm excited to try my hand at growing things. It might end in a huge dirty failure but I should at least try.


We had an exciting experience this last week. I have a friend here who lives in my neighborhood named Mariely and she LOVES my Great Dane Sasha. She comes over to see me and brings treats for her and lets her drool and climb all over her and they both love it. The other day she invited our family (and of course Sasha) over to her house for a swim in her pool and a BBQ. Mariely has a blue and green Macaw named Coco that she's had for 3 years, since before it even had feathers. She has taught Coco all these tricks and it might talk, I can't remember, but anyway, Mariely was having Coco show me all her tricks when in a flash of black, blue and green, Sasha POUNCED and knocked Coco out of Mariely's hands to the ground. It was chaos! Coco was squawking and throwing feathers, I was trying to pull Sasha off Coco, but that wasn't really working cause she's 120 pounds and I was holding Rhys at the same time. Scott heard the screaming and came sprinting across the lawn to help and between the 3 of us we pulled Sasha off the poor bird. It had lost some feathers and it was panting. My heart was like beating out of my chest I was so freaked out and I was super pissed at Sasha. I would have felt so bad if Sasha had eaten her bird. It would have sucked. It all turned out alright though and Mariely still loves Sasha and spoils her whenever she sees her.

6 Months Old!!

On the 10th Rhys turned 6 months old. One half year!! I haven't accidentally killed or maimed him yet! I'm so proud of me. I just wanted to add a couple videos of him. Look how much he has grown!! Seems like just last week I brought him home. He is just the most awesome little kid ever and I thank Heavenly Father every day for sending him to our home.

Labor Day!

Things have been going well for us in Puerto Rico. Scott ordered us some snorkel gear online. They came in the mail and we were really excited to try them out. Sasha was really afraid of me in my get-up so I was chasing her all over the living room (which is pretty tricky in flippers). I look pretty awesome, huh!

Here are some cute new pictures of Rhys. He is getting so big! His first bubble bath!! He thought the bubbles were pretty cool.

Scott is already ruining our son. This is their quality time together. Rhys kept trying to grab the controller and help dad play call of duty. I'm not so sure that's the best game in the world to be playing with a small child. Scott and I will have to have some words about that.

I have to make sure that I put awesome pictures of the beach and fun things here so that our family and friends are inspired to come visit us here. This is how we spent our Labor Day! They call this beach Horseshoe Beach. There is a neighborhood next to it that's a little sketchy but the beach is pretty nice. A bunch of people from our ward were there and that was awesome because nobody pointed out how white Scott and I are (which happened last time we went to the beach). We brought Sasha and she had a good time playing in the waves and eating all the little kids food that they gave her or dropped in the sand. She's full up on hot dogs now. She actually swam too, which is amazing for anyone who knows her. She is not a swimmer!

Rhys did really well. He watched the waves for a while with me and then took a nap on some towels on the beach under the shade of a palm tree. It was nice because we had a pretty good size group there so we had a lot of baby sitters to make sure he didn't get kidnapped. Scott and I got to swim for a while together, which you can't do with a little baby. We had a really good time at the beach. Scott and I our nursing some sunburns but it was totally worth it!!

PICTURES!!

I finally got pictures of my house! Actually I finally felt it was clean enough to take pictures of it. But I went on a cleaning spree and took the picts. It will be dirty again in 10 minutes when I get Rhys up and start cooking dinner. Here's Rhys in his crib. We have a fan clipped on the side of the crib so it blows on him all the time. If it's 85 degrees in his room it actually feels pretty good. He's getting used to being hot.

This room was painted this blue color when we moved in, which was perfect. His room is all fish and coral reefy, which I think is super cute, and perfect because we live on an island in the Caribbean.

This is my entryway (where the lizard lives) and I love it because I love the plants and the way the stairs go up and the vaulted ceiling. It's a bad picture to show that but I think it's cool.

I love my kitchen (except we don't have a dishwasher yet, hence the empty spot by the fridge. We have to wash our dishes by hand, eek!!) We have a dining room with a table and chairs but we eat at the bar cause it's convenient.

This weekend our family decided to take a drive towards the center of the island, which is the mountains. We were going to stop in Caguas but it didn't look too exciting so we just kept on driving. I'm not sure the name of the place we ended up but it was a cool little place with booths set up where you could buy souvineers and these resteraunts where your lunch was cooking in the window. Nice, Huh? Scott had the ribs and I had, well, a hunk of pork really. The cook takes a big cleaver and chops off a hunk for you to eat. It was really good actually. They kept the skin on so you just have to watch out for hair. Weird I know, but it was really fun and a cool experience and I'm glad we went. I would go again.