A Mexican Thanksgiving

This year for Thanksgiving we spent it with my family in Cancun, Mexico. It was the best time for a vacation - right after my month practicum in an Elementary school in Heber and right before finals for the both of us. Matson and I really enjoyed it. Usually we just relax our days away there, but this time my dad really wanted all of us to see Tulum and we also got to play with monkeys one morning (post coming soon all about the monkeys)! We also play a lot of tennis, volleyball, and other games!

We celebrated John's birthday (a couple weeks early)
at Bubba Gump's where they sang a ridiculous song
and made him dance.

We saw the new Twilight.

Mikado at the Marriott Casamagna.
THE best dinner!

Matson playing volleyball.

Dinner at Chili's with everyone.

Me at Tulum 

The beach at Tulum was gorgeous. SO pretty.

Thanksgiving Night. My sister's hubby was sick and missed.

My dad has this silly thing where he likes to try to kiss
the guys in pictures...He won't start until you have already counted to 3.
Matson was playing along.

At our last dinner we were sitting there and our waiter told
us there was a croc! They fed him some yucky chicken.

Funny stories for my own memory that were hilarious at the time but will probably come off as a complete yawn to you all.

• While playing Rook and after seeing the "kitty" I said, "Man, you got some good ish in there!" Then my mom in a completely serious tone said, "Wow. Good ish." I busted up laughing because my mom just said "ish." It was hilarious.
• Matson was singing in our hotel and my dad heard him and started singing along. My dad has a horrible voice. My mom and I were just staring at them singing and somewhat more like barely harmonizing together. After they finish their little tune my dad said, "We could be Nysnc or One Dimension." I thought, "One dimension? What is that? Some old band...oh no! He meant One Direction." I then said, "Dad...do you mean One Direction?"

Thank you Mom and Dad! We had the most wonderful Thanksgiving vacation.

Read about our Cancun Thanksgiving 2011

Cancun Thanksgiving 2011

My family's go to vacation spot is Cancun. We love it there. We went for Spring Break when we were younger multiple times, we've been I think 2 or so times for Thanksgiving before, Mats and I spent our honeymoon there (even though we were in Playa Del Carmen, we went to Cancun too!), my bro T* and my sis in law, N*, went there for their honeymoon too, and a couple summers ago we went for 2 weeks-it is heaven! Seriously the best of all beach locations - cheap unlike Hawaii or other places. It's Mexico..., blue water and white sand, perfect boogie boarding and body surfing waves, it's safe unlike some people think, it's not too hot and never cold, and there is a variety of American restaurants!

If that doesn't convince you that Mexico is the best then I do not know what will.

Before flying out on the RED EYE we headed to CPK to meet up with some family friends that were in town for Thanksgiving.

Sister and I at CPK. My family is usually an all water family, but CPK marked the beginning of the vaca so sis and bro ordered a root beer and Mats ordered his Dr. Pepper, of course.

Matson and our friends' son. Matson was corrupting him with even more iPhone games to get addicted too. They were having a hay day!

Due to the outrageous Thanksgiving airline prices, we flew through NYC to get to Cancun which was a major plus because on the way back from Cancun we got to stay in NYC for 24 hours (post coming after this one about NYC)!

Matson's first time flying JetBlue. He was loving all the snack selections and that you could have pretty much as many as you want! That is not my hand, that would be T*'s.

We got to Cancun and spent a full week of fun! (This might be a picture overload). We do all sorts of things. Such as...

We go to Wal Mart/Costco to get food for the week. Matson found this Spiderman mask and loved it!

We bought Chica Strawberry Jane. BAD DECISION. She was overload of nasty smell, worse then even the original nasty smell of our rental car. We were getting quite the kick out of it.

We went on bike rides on bikes that only have the old fashion break wear you push back on pedals.

We went boogie boarding and body surfing. The boogie boarding kings!

We played tennis when the sun left our poolside or we were just too hot and done for the day.

We played it every afternoon.

We sometimes hit tennis balls over the fence which made for an adventure.

We got burned. This guy got super burned this day. AHH. Ironic that he is reading "Catching Fire" while he was so burned and trying to get out of the sun?

We took naps. He was sunned out (is that a word..sunned out?).

We took funny pictures with bronze Mexicans.

We went to yummy dinners and walked around the malls and shops by them. Dad tried to kiss the guys (this happened more than once).

We played badminton and tried to balance on the boogie boards and other flotation devices in the kid's pool.

We went to an aquarium where we got to touch sting rays.

We parked in multiple parking garages where my dad's ultimate fear of hitting the top of the parking garage came out to the in-laws. It is hilarious. He drives like 3mph and ducks his body/head like he himself is going to hit the top (not the car).

I am telling you, Matson would boogie board like there is no tomorrow. I would go in and 15 mins. later would get out due to the fact my mouth was salty or was done getting worked over by waves.

We went to the yummy Ruth's Chris steakhouse to celebrate my brother's birthday (last blog post).

Thanksgiving at the Marriott hotel. Yum. Buffet full of everything and crepes. We gone to this Marriott Thanksgiving a couple times before and it always is the best! Plus, you don't get a frustrated mother and you don't have to clean up! I'd say that's the way to eat a Thanksgiving dinner.

Yummy martini glass salads (like at our wedding). Such good food!

Told you he did it again.

Thanks Mom and Dad for the vacation! It was so needed and so much fun. We loved spending time with you and the rest of the family. We love you!

New York post coming soon.

My Thanksgiving List: 9 Things I am Grateful for in 2011

Since next week we will be in Cancun for Thanksgiving hallelujah this break is needed I will be presenting you all with my Thanksgiving Gratitude List for this year. We are so excited to go to Cancun tomorrow! And I haven't even packed...I usually am the week before kind of a packer not the night before. Anyway here is my gratitude list IN NO ORDER I have a hard time rating things or choosing anything really...ask me my favorite food and I will probably give you like 5 answers or ask me my favorite movie and I could maybe just maybe narrow it down to 8. I am grateful for all of these things. Warning: I may get emotional.

I am grateful for...

Family- I am so grateful for all my family. I would write something for each of them individually because they each deserve one, but that would just be boring for you. My husband, parents, siblings, in-laws, and all our family are the ones that make the biggest difference in my life on a day-to-day basis. They are the ones that make the good days even better and the bad days a little brighter. I seriously love all my family so much and all that they do for me.

Matson's Family - January 2011

My Family (@ My Brother's Wedding) - April 2011

Rookie - I know what you are all thinking..."Your dog really? She gets one whole list herself?" Yes, she does. She seriously brings me so much joy. I can be feeling so down and then I see Rookie dance to a musical greeting card or bury a bone in the dirt in an indoor plant and BAM! just like that I am so happy. She not only brings me joy but she brings it to so many others too. Like, watching Matson play with her is the best thing in the world. Rook loves Matson so much. And no matter how many times my mom says that she doesn't like cleaning up after her and I can't count how many times my mom has said, "She's YOUR dog, not mine!" But my mom loves her so much. I mean just look at those ears...

Friends - We have some of the greatest friends. I hope that we have been just as good of friends to them as they have been to us. Thankful for all the laughs, the advice, the times where they just let us vent, the text messages, the fun dates, the parties, and just everything. 

T*, C*, Matson, and I Skiing - January 2011

M* and Matson - April 2011

Me & J* - Her Wonderful Wedding Day August 2011

Matson & K* - July 2011

Halloween Party with Friends - October 2011

The Church and The Scriptures - The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is such a blessing in my life. I am so thankful for the gospel, the scriptures, and that I am able to go to church every week and take the sacrament where I get to renew my covenants and pretty much start over again and again each week we just taught our sunbeams class about the Sacrament last week, it is fresh in my mind! I am thankful that I was raised an LDS member and I am thankful for my testimony. I know that with daily scripture study your life is strengthened daily. I know that Heavenly Father loves me and that he knows me personally. I also know that Jesus Christ is my savior and that he died for me. I know that I can be with my husband and family for eternity if I am obedient and keep my covenants with God. All in all, it may not be the strongest testimony but I am so thankful for it.  

Our Health - I am so thankful that I am healthy, Matson is healthy, and our family is healthy. My grandpa has had some health problems this year and I have cried multiple nights in fear that he will not be ok. I love him so much and I actually have some tears forming in my eyes now just thinking of him. Health is such an important thing. Matson and I try our best to go to the gym daily and eat as best as we can. Minus Matson's occasional Dr. Pepper and my horrible obsession with rolls and homemade sweets!

Vacations - This year we were lucky to go on a few vacations and like I said earlier, we are leaving to Cancun tomorrow! It was so much fun to see different sites, visit family, catch some sun, eat yummy foods, and spend time with each other all day long (instead of just a few hours). Traveling is something that we love and will always do. I am sure when we are old and retired I guarantee that is what we will be spending our money on. 

Seattle Pikes Place Market - May 2011

Caribbean Cruise - August 2011

Cancun Honeymoon - August 2010 (Going there in 24 hours)

Pillow Talks - Each night after our bedtime routine, we lay down, and instantly I start talking unless I am dead dog tired. Most nights Matson says something like, "Erica I have work at 6am. I have to be up in 4 or 5 hours" or "Erica...I am exhausted." BUT some nights Matson falls for my trap and we talk the night away. Those nights are the best. We talk about everything and usually laugh hysterically. These pillow talks are some of my most favorite memories with my husband and I am so thankful for them. 

Thanksgiving Break November 2010 - We were feeling chidlike so we made a fort, watched a movie in it, and pillow talked in it until we fell asleep!

 
Pinterest - This year I was introduced to Pinterest. I guess you could say I am a little addited, but I do not spend all my time on it. Only when class gets boring or Matson is doing homework and I am not. I love it and it provides me with great holiday decoration ideas, recipes, fashion tips, hair tips, and so much more! I may waste some of my time away on it, but I really do enjoy it! My new hobby...
 
Children - No, we are not pregnant, yet we look so forward to the day when we will have our own children. But I could not forget children in this list. They bring me so much happiness, laughter, and they are so dang funny when they aren't even trying to be funny which is even more funny (wow I just funny 3x in a sentence...did it even make sense?). From the kindergartners I volunteer for 2x a week (I wish so badly that I had a picture of this little girl in the class that talks just like my sister when she was little, she has the same haircut as my sister did at that age, and she is very independent like my sister was...she is so precious), to the boys and girls in our Sunbeam class, and to the children I nanny - they all bring me such happiness and daily I have a smile on my face from these children.

E* and his family white board drawing. I am the one in the yellow dress with the orange flower. Too cute.

H* and I both aren't too great at making fishy faces.

Our sunbeams dressed in our clothes on our "We are Thankful for Clothing" lesson.

I am sooo blessed and therefore need to be sooo thankful!

I hope you all have such a wonderful Thanksgiving!

My one Thanksgiving tip:

Let the Holiday eating start now.