Random Act of Kindness

In Cancun we save our money by eating breakfast and lunch in our condo and only eat out for dinners. It was a normal dinner night out in Cancun that turned into a unique experience. We decided we wanted to eat at the Marriott hotel's restaurant Mikado.

We took the bus to the restaurant and before walking in we told our friends C* and T* that the meal is super good, big, and a little more spendy than other meals we had indulged in before but we also told them it was worth it! We walked into the restaurant and asked how long the wait would be. The hostess told us about 10 minutes. So we sat down next to a tall African American woman who was sitting all by herself. Rarely do you see someone go to dinner by themselves so since I am a frequent people watcher and like to make up stories to go along with what they are doing, I instantly thought that maybe she was meeting someone or maybe she got in a fight with her husband and said, "Screw you! I'm going to dinner myself!" She was seated.

After our ten minutes was up we were headed up to be seated too. We got to our Hibachi style table and realized the woman from before was seated there alone. I tried to leave one seat between me and her, but the waiter told me that I needed to sit right next to her because a reservation party was coming and they needed all the seats. I could tell the woman was a little bugged that we didn't even know each other and I had to share a small side of the table with her. I instantly felt that she wanted to just be alone and eat in peace.

Us four after ordering our drinks started chit chatting like normal. Matson told a funny story that my Dad experienced at Mikado with all their friends once. It is a funny story and the woman next to me overheard and was laughing aloud. Later when we ordered our friend T* went big and ordered calamari and was teasing Matson, who hates all seafood, that he was going to make Matson try it. She laughed again and commented about how Matson should try it.

We asked her what her name was and she responded by saying, "Erica but spelled the RIGHT way E-R-I-C-A!" We all started laughing and I said, "Well guess what? My name is Erica and it is spelled the right way too!" She started freaking out! We chatted about our shared name and funny ways we had heard of people spelling it. Right then, she started opening up to us about her family, job, life, and fiancée. She was hilarious! She told us that she was the General Manager at a big hotel in Atlanta for Marriott and that she was here to wine and dine big customers. She needed a little break so she left a big party and snuck over to Mikado for a peaceful dinner.

We enjoyed getting to know her and I think she enjoyed getting to know us. She liked that we attended Brigham Young University (BYU) and were from Provo. Due to her working for Marriott and having a personal relationship with THE Mr. Marriott, she knew all about BYU, Provo, and the Mormon religion. She was very kind and fun to talk to. At the end of our dinner right before the check, she said to the waiter and to us, "I would like to pay for their dinner, please bring it all on one check."

We were flabbergasted!

What's really funny is that the "reservation" that was suppose to come never came, which left it just her and us at dinner. What's also funny was when the waiter brought us the check she told us we were cheap dinner dates! We thought that was funny because before we were planning on this meal being one of our most expensive meals of the trip. Matson got filet, T* got calamari, and C* got a sushi roll and a hibachi meal! We were going big. Yet, she still told us were cheap dates! Probably due to the fact that we don't drink alcohol.

We kept thanking her over and over again, but she kept insisting and telling us how much she enjoyed her dinner. We hugged her and were on our way. We kept talking about how nuts it was that a complete stranger to us paid for our meal. She started as some weird lady at dinner by herself who wanted some peace and quiet and then we got to know her and she was the nicest woman ever (and not just because she paid for our meal).

This is the worst quality picture ever.
Our waiter wasn't the best photographer and there wasn't the best lighting.

Cancun 2014

Once Matson and I found out I was pregnant we decided we should do one last fun trip together as a couple before traveling becomes too difficult. Plus, my busy and crazy school year was just taking all my energy away. Plus, Matson had been going through lots of stress with our house and mortgage and all that. ANYWAY, the trip could not have come at a better time. It was the week after we moved and honestly it was kind of nice to just leave in the middle of it all and take a break!

Our friends T* and C* came with us. Everyday was spent relaxing on the beach either napping or swimming in the ocean! It was exactly what Matson and I needed and wanted!

Lack of pictures is due to me not bringing the camera or my phone down with me to the beach. But we have hours of footage on Matson's GoPro. So maybe I will upload one of those here soon. 

San Antonio Adventures - Visit from Friends

We were so excited when the M* family told us they could come visit us from Fort Worth while we were in San Antonio! They are some of our dearest friends and we have missed having them close to us this last year. DANG medical school!

As I mentioned in my previous Gruene post, we met them there one night for dinner. After dinner, they followed us back to San Antonio and the family we were watching was so nice enough to let them come and stay in their guest room. It was so nice to catch up and chit chat with them all night.

That first morning their son, C*, and the little girls we were watching all woke up really early. Matson is not much of a morning person so I was usually the one to help the kids at the crack of dawn so that just gave H* and I more time to chit chat since she was up with her little boy. The girls loved C* and wanted to just play with him like a toy. Cohen was a bit shy at first but surprisingly warmed up quickly and cuddled with the girls while they watched a movie. H* was also so sweet to volunteer herself as the hair salon customer for the girls!

C* with the ladies!

More snuggle time!

The weather that morning was a down pour! It was crazy rain and so we decided to make my favorite waffles for breakfast for everyone. But by noon, the rain had stopped and we decided to head to Sea World. We enjoyed Sea World and then headed to Big Lou's for dinner. The BIGGEST pizza I have ever seen in my life. Besides a few hangry (hungry+angry) children, I think Matson was in heaven.

The kiddos sat in the splash zone at the whale show...SOAKED!

Big Lou's Pizza. Not our pizza, but there are even bigger pizzas than this!

Before saying goodbye to our friends on Sunday night we had a S'mores party where C* and the kids ate their treats, danced to some "oldies but goodies" music, and played night games! We were so grateful they could come down and play with us!

I know I told H* I would post this...
but it was the only one of us I got!

San Antonio Adventures - Gruene, Texas

Another little town we loved and adored while in San Antonio was Gruene. We actually went there twice and both times we ate at Gristmill. That probably tells you how much we enjoyed this cute town! The most picturesque town with the cutest little general store, vintage signs, and brick original buildings. As I walked around this town, I could just picture the most beautiful wedding here or bridal pictures. If I lived in Texas this would be the spot!

Our first visit was on the way back from the San Marcos Outlets (which is only about 15 minutes away from Gruene). Since we had to be back for the kiddos we were watching, we didn't have too much time to eat. We were a little worried we would be late.

BUT at Gristmill, which is the 2nd largest restaurant in Texas and seats over 1,000 people, we told our waiter and I seriously have never been served so well and so fast at a sit down restaurant in my life. He asked us what we wanted and literally in 3 minutes he was back with our appetizer. Matson had to try the onion rings, which were huge and yummy. Then a couple minutes after that before we were even done with the onion rings he was back with our main courses. I ordered a chicken salad and Matson ordered ribs. He said his ribs were probably the best he has ever had. My chicken salad was huge! We got done eating there in literally 30 minutes! Our day trip there was so quick that I knew we had to come back.

Our next visit was with some of our friends from Fort Worth that met us there. Gruene was so fun at night! This old town was modern and hopping with tons of people on a weekend night! The small town streets were packed with cars. Right next door to Gristmill is Gruene Hall which had your typical Texas country band music blasting from it. There was a hoe down going on. Matson and I looked at each other and said that were were definitely in Texas! Even though I didn't say it aloud because Matson makes fun of me for comparing my everyday life to the life of movie characters, I was thinking of myself as Reese Witherspoon in Sweet Home Alabama. Not the whole wedding drama and stuff but the small town and fun dancing part.

Gristmill was just as good the second time around as it was the first and on this weekend night it was much closer to hitting that 1,000 customer capacity than it was the other day when we were there for lunch.

Gruene is that perfect rustic town with the whimsical flowers, lush greens, and that old Texas charm. I'd highly recommend a little visit if you are nearby and dine at Gristmill where you can either sit inside and enjoy the historic old wooden buildings or outside on decks that overlook the Guadalupe River. Don't forget if you are there on the weekend there will most likely be a wait for a table, but you could always go next door and enjoy a drink and music at Gruene Hall!

San Antonio Adventures - Fredricksburg, Texas

One day we ventured out of San Antonio and drove about an hour or so to a little vintage-y (is that even a word? Wellp...too bad I am using it) town named Fredricksburg. It was the cutest little town with so many antique shops, bakeries, and a little vintage-y candy store, which I definitely checked out! They had all the classic, old candies and my favorite taffy in the world! We walked around the shops and grabbed some baked goods while doing so.

Matson trying to act as a native Texan by the candy store's M&M

For lunch we stopped at this little cafe that may have looked not the nicest. I mean we ate on plastic picnic tables, but man was that food so good! Mahaley's Cafe gets 5 stars from us for a middle of nowhere cafe. Matson is still dreaming about that Philly Cheese Steak Sandwich - for my manly eater, it definitely filled him up and he enjoyed every last bite of cheese, grilled onions, and bell peppers! I just got the Turkey Club...I am probably the boringest eater you will ever meet - once again I am making up words, "boringest" - but both sandwiches were fresh and good!

Our visit to Fredricksburg also included visiting Enchanted Rock, which is a a state park that is a huge rock sticking out of the earth. Literally that is all it is. A huge rock sticking out of the earth that a lot of people go and visit. Before going there I looked up "Enchanted Rock" and read from various people online that it was "a big hike"...so Matson and I were expecting a big hike. We had on our active wear all ready for what was to come. We had fun hiking it, but it was not that big of a hike and did not take us long to get to the top. Lies on the internet, LIES!

Lesson Learned: Never ask an old lady that does not
know how that an iPhone is touch screen take your picture.

Matson enjoyed the views and we stayed up there for a while. Notice how I did not say that I enjoyed the views. I did enjoy it...for about 1 minute. I consider myself a hiker and really do like hiking. Yet, for some reason I like to take all the effort, sweat, and time to hike something but then as soon as we get there I seriously would just like to hike back down right away. Matson on the other hand is this nature obsessed man that likes to "take in" the views and nature for at least a good, quiet half hour. This usually leads me to feeling really bad about not being appreciative of the world around me and for about 5 SECONDS and only 5 seconds I wish I was a nature lover. The other minutes are full of me just sitting and waiting for my nature man to finish.

This is how I enjoyed the view. 

This is how Matson enjoyed the view. Walking around and taking pictures for the longest time!
Notice me sitting down - bored.

San Antonio Adventures - Restaurants

My last post I wrote was about when we watched this fun family while their parents and my parents traveled together. While we watched them they were in school so Matson and I took some of the days to explore around San Antonio! We tried a lot of yummy restaurants while we were there. But two of those places still stand out to me not just because of their food but also their ambience and service.

// The Bird Bakery
Cutest, quaint location and decor. The food, lemonade, and desserts were delicious too. I ordered the Nostalgic Grilled Cheese. YUM! Matson loved his sandwich but was still a little hungry afterward. So we would say this is perfect for a ladies lunch date! Also, if you check in on Foursquare you get a free mini cupcake.

// Dough Pizzeria Napoletana
Since I have been to Italy and tasted many pizzas there, this reminded me of being in Italy! We even sat outside on the patio just like in Italy! The pizza was not completely authentic Neapolitan pizza, but it was close! Matson and I both ordered and shared the Richard's Caprese appetizer. The best mozzarella ever! Both of our pizzas were served super hot and were delicious. My only complaint is that it was a little spendy for two single sized pizzas, but I would definitely go back!

May 2013 - Texas Time

"I like you more than Matson."

"When does my mom get back?"

"I love when you swim with us!"
"Matson, you can put your arm back around me."

"Tuck me in and do the tornado!"

"I want Maaatson to sit by me."

"Erica, will you read us just one more book?"
"Can I have my iPad?"

"You're so mean! (cue the stomping down the hallway)"

"Jump us on the tramp!"
"I have a question. I have a question. I have question!"
Then we all say what and she clearly does not have a question but rather a long comment.

Those are just some of the hilarious, sweet, and sometimes not so sweet (but still funny to us) things these fun kiddos said to us while we were there. We went to San Antonio, Texas for 20 days in May and we had a blast! We went to watch some of our family friend's kids while they went to Europe with my parents. We seriously had so much fun with the kids and miss them! As soon as their mom and dad left the partying started! They have an awesome backyard where we swam almost everyday and played a variety of pool games. We also jumped on the trampoline A LOT and I taught the kids some of my favorite "night games".

iPad time happened on the early weekend mornings.
I also got these little girls into Mary Kate and Ashley adventure movies!

Green Monster ride at their grandparent's house.

We loved spending time with these kiddos. They are always up for something fun and they went along with all my shenanigans. Homemade treats, scavenger hunt, Disney charades, and hours spent playing sardines. Even doing the everyday things the kids do like family scripture reading and homework was fun for Matson and I to see.

My scavenger hunt partner and our list!

Once again, Matson and I did our own little reward system that worked like a charm. We did "stars". They got rewards depending on how many stars they got to. They could lose and get stars at anytime and they were handed out and taken away for all types of things. My favorite and only rule about the stars was that they could not remove or add any to their own or anyone else's. If they did, they would go back all the way to zero stars. And yes, even with this rule it still happened. I will be honest that the stars worked better with the three youngest, but it still motivated the older kids.

I thought it was funny that the middle children were always
farther ahead than the youngest and oldest. (Go middle children! I was one too.)

If they got to 5 stars by a certain day they got to be apart of our movie and sleep over night. If they got to 10 stars by our last day they got a reward that they could choose. They all chose out something at Target, except the oldest because he chose a different reward.

Ignore the fact that they are dressed in their PJ's,
but this was when they got to choose out their rewards.

We went to Six Flags, Sea World, and Schlitterbahn with the kids. We loved all the parks. Schlitterbahn though was awesome, Matson and I were surprised at how much fun we even had. The kids had a blast too and of course we made everyone go on everything, which meant that the youngest was crying and throwing tantrums in every line. We put on a little entertainment show for everyone standing around us in line. It went a little something like this...

B*: I don't wanna go on this!

Matson: You can sit right by me, B* and you will be safe.

B*: a little louder I don't wanna go!

Matson: You will be perfectly fine and you know how to swim! This one even goes slower than the last one.

B*: Cue the fake tears I am not going! She falls on Matson and her tube. 

Crowd: Staring.

B*: You can't make me go. dklka#TEARS]fjld;WHIMPERING+ldkaf;kds

Me: Look, B*, there is a baby going down it in her own tube. She is only 2 or 3!

B*'s Older Sister: She's gone on this before.

Me: Matson, just ignore her she has gone on this before and can do it. It's just like a lazy river.

B*: alkd;afjd; I AM NOT GOING aldkhf;ajkjwnnj;f

Matson (to the crowd): She has gone on this before. We just have a little actress on our hands.

Crowd: Instead of judging they are all now laughing as they watch our highly entertaining show.

---------------We go on ride-----------------

B*: That was so fun! Let's go again!

This probably happened 17 times. No joke. And you know what? Even if this crowns me the worst babysitter in the world, I was laughing the whole time. She was like this on any ride we went on and she seriously liked almost every ride we went on the whole 20 days we were there except one roller coaster at Six Flags.

Notice all the kids on the right side.
C* loving it and behind him, his sister is hiding already!

And when it is all said and done, we love these kiddos and miss them. Not only did Matson and I have a ton of fun touring and playing in San Antonio, but also our parenting skills improved big time. We learned the importance of being the good examples, having a lot of family time, disciplining, and how important it is to sit and listen to the kids and what they have to say.

Hold on Tight Spider Monkeys

As I previously mentioned in my last post about our Cancun Thanksgiving Trip, we were able to go and spend a couple hours with some spider monkeys at The Jungle Place. The Jungle Place is a sanctuary for spider monkeys. They take in injured, diseased, or malnourished monkeys and take care of them. Because of this, the monkeys are very use to people and the time you spend with them is their play time! It was a blast and so worth the crazy drive and long time it took to find their location.

It was an amazing experience. The monkeys are amazing animals and it was so fun to just play with them and they love to play with you too! They pull on everything and try to grab everything they can, which is why you see that most of us had our flip flops off and nothing in our hands - no shiny things including bobby pins or any jewelry. My favorite monkey was Victoria. She was this little, spunky one. Matson sat on the edge out to their play area so all the monkeys would just swing right on to him.

Pulling on Matson's shirt. 

A lot of the monkeys just wanted to snuggle up to you.

Thank you Mom and Dad! It was such a great experience!