Thursday, January 27, 2011

18 Months...

WOW!  We have survived 18 months with twins.  The funny part is, is that they are now actually closer to 19...but who is counting.  We just went to the doctor last week and have some updated stats....

Hallie
19 lbs 8 oz - 3%ile
31 inches

Remie 
20 lbs 0 oz. - 5%ile
30 3/4 inches

They are almost the exact same....Remie has 1/2 lb on Hallie, but that is it.  I went back and looked at their 1 year stats, and we have gained 3 lbs. and stayed within 1/2 inch of each other.  Too crazy.  

They are so much fun to watch.  They kind of have a "love/hate" relationship going on.  They either get along really well, or fight like cats and dogs.  Every morning they come into the bathroom and "help" me get ready.  One will usually sit on the toilet while the other sits on a stool.  This is great until the one on the stool wants to sit on the toilet.   She will literally pull the other off the toilet and onto the floor, and it doesn't matter which one is sitting on the toilet....they both do it.  Little Stinkers.  They also love their big sisters.  Rylie, especially, loves to play with them and get them giggling.  It is fun to watch.  They are both very active and love to climb up and down on ALL of the chairs in our house....right now I think their favorite word is "up".  They are actually starting to prefer to stand on a chair at the table verses sitting in their high chairs to eat.  Maybe that means we can get rid of the high chairs and make some more room in the kitchen.....wishful thinking, I know!  They are starting to talk more.  Remie has always been the talker, and continues to talk and imitate more.  Hallie is catching up by picking up more, and more words.  I tend to still worry about them with their language....I guess that is one of the perks with my line of work.  Some of their favorite words include: up, NO, Rylie, ball, dog, Honey, mom, dad, hi, bye, Remie also says "Hallie."  They are such a joy to have in our home.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Mexico 2010

Since this is the only journaling I do, I don't want to leave anything out....beware it is a very long one!!

Ryan and I were fortunate enough to be able to spend some time in Cozumel, Mexico over the Christmas break.  We went with our dear friends, Scott and Lindasue.  We left for Salt Lake, at 3:30 in the morning on December 26th, and made it to Mexico by 2:30.  When we arrived, the wind was blowing, but it was definitely warmer then the sub-freezing temperatures we left behind in Utah!!!

What a view from our room...at the Cozumel Palace!!
  Looking west towards the mainland and Playa de Carmen.

Looking to the North...
 

Looking South...
 

On our first full day, we took the ferry over to Playa de Carmen and met a tour guide that took us to the Mayan Ruins.  We went on a Book of Mormon tour, with a our guide named, Lemuel. It was wonderful.  Lemuel, is a Bishop of his ward in Cancun, and he was able to show us all of the Book of Mormon ties to the ancient ruins.  It was truly amazing!!!

Our first stop was Tulum... 
This was one of the entrance into the ruin.
 

 
 

The temple
 
 
 

 
 
 

The view from behind the temple....beautiful!
 
 
 
 
 
 

One of the many iguanas that we saw.

Our 2nd stop was Chichen Itza.  This place was just as amazing, and insanely huge!!











Listening intently to what our guide has to say.
 What is left of one of the "highways"



They are still restoring this side of the temple.  So amazing to see.





This is one of the many aquifers that cover the landscape.  Yes, those are people swimming in it.

Our View
Once the wind quit blowing, it was fun to watch the boats go by, from our room.  We were also able to see some of the cruise ships dock.  That was the craziest to see.  Those big boats can do a 180, right in place.

 
 
 

Scuba Diving
The whole point of the trip, according to Ryan and Scott, was so that they could go scuba diving.  They have been working on their scuba diving certifications for the last 3 years, and well, there are not a lot of places in Utah, to go diving.  On the flight to Cozumel, Scott sat by a couple that has been going to Cozumel at least three times a year, for 20+ years, to dive.  Scott got some good info from them and they hooked him up with their personal guide.  Ryan and Scott were able to go on 7 dives over the course of the next two days.  They had a few close calls, but they both made it home, safe and sound.

Getting ready to go on their 3rd dive of the day with Dan and Debbie, their new friends.
 

Ryan getting ready to go.

What Lindasue and I got to see while we were waiting for them to come back up.


Ryan and Scott with their guide. I am not even going to attempt to write his name....they were even having a hard enough time remembering what it was.

Shopping
 
 
 
 
 

 Driving Around the Island
On our last day we were able to rent a Dune Buggy (I need to steal one of Scott's pictures of it, we didn't end up with one) and drove around the Island of Cozumel.  The locals kept saying, there is only one road in Cozumel and if you get lost you are an idiot, "no one gets lost in Cozumel."  Fortunately for us, we never got lost.  The road itself is only 42 miles long and goes from our hotel, down around the southern tip, up the eastern side, and then cuts arcoss the middle of the island.  Just like a big circle.  We were able to see some beautiful beaches and ALOT of crazy wind!
 
 
 
 
 
  
An Orange Iguana
 
 
 
 
 



After all of the great warm weather, this is what we got to come home to....
 ....8 inches of fresh snow and sub-freezing temperatures.