Jen's Journey

I am finally catching up my blog! I know you are proud of me! :) A few days after Christmas Santiago, our former exchange student from Mexico, and his family along with his aunt, uncle, and cousins came to Gilbert to spend a few days with us! It felt like we went and did something, came home and ate, ate, ate, and they warmed up. Even Arizona is cold to Mexicans! :) We love Santiago and ALL his family, you are always welcome here...mi casa es su casa! (I don't know how to spell in Spanish!)

Satiago and I at the Temple lights.

All Santiago needs...mom's famous homemade chocolate chip cookies and a coke!

Elsa and Marco (Christie and Erika's parents).

Santiago's mom and dad.

Marco and dad...the best of friends!

Elsa, Brielle, and Erika.

Talk to the hand!

The happy uncle!

We made this gingerbread house. Only Santiago had made one before when he was living at my house in Washington. It was fun to do with people who hadn't had this experience before. I think this one was one of the best ones we have decorated! Elsa said it looks like a punk house because of the Hershey's Kisses on the roof! :)

Temple Lights

Everybody in on the action!

The men plus Brielle.

The jalapeno tree....just for the Mexicans!!! :)

I love my dad!!!

We went to this ghost town and there was this man talking into a microphone inside the store and it made this "dummy" talk! "Get away from the gold!" "Don't touch me!" etc. It was hilarious because his wife was shocked by the events first and then we went in and talked with the guy. Then we got Marco to sit down "to take a picture" and the store owner talked to him and called him his name! It was so funny! I wish I could have gotten a picture at that moment! His eyes were as big as flying saucers! :) How did he know my name?!?!? ...and he was speaking in English!

I hate how you can't rearrange these pictures to put them in order once you get them on here!!! Wouldn't it be easy if they let us cut and paste on here?!?!?

Temple lights.

The family and extended family! We had such a great time! If you look carefully you can see that Scott is even with us (at least in spirit)! That is a life size sticker believe it or not! My mom had it made of Scotty when we went to Mexico during the summer because she missed him so much...and she saw one that Santiago had made. He has traveled all over the place since he has been on his mission! :) We love and miss him dearly!

Grandma and Grandpa with Santiago.

Dad, mom, and I at the ghost town.

In a bird cage???

The Superstition Mountains

Oh no! What did we get ourselves into? YIKES!

Santiago...the one who brought us all together! Now we are a BIGGER happy family! :)

Again....cut and paste please!

Us with the gun fight crew.

I love my mom!!! When she is in town we eat like kings and queens every day! I love her for more than that though!!! :)

Lunch at In-N-Out.

Santiago Sr. was so cold in Arizona that when we went to the Swap Meet he bought this hat.

Santiago's aunt is a Superintendent at public schools in Monclova. When I went there this past summer she took me on a tour. We visited my school in Mesa. It is amazing how different the schools are. Santiago is playing on the preschooler's toy. Silly boy!