Christmas in Puerto Rico

Rather than stick around here in Portland to enjoy the white and cold Christmas we headed to Puerto Rico to enjoy a little different Christmas flavor. 

We had a blast staying in an authentic Puerto Rican house  near Rincon beach with all of Ashley’s family. We were thrilled with how well our kiddos traveled. Luke wasn’t too much of a surprise - eating and sleeping most of the way. And  Lydia, despite having to sit on my lap, was a good sport. Naturally, she loved the taking off and the landing. 

Each day we visited a different beach. At the first beach Lydia just stood still in the sand not wanting to move. It didn’t take her too long to get used to it. It was pretty funny to watch her in her floaty thingy in the water yelling to anyone who would listen, “I swimming! I swimming!” It reminded me of the sailing scene in “What About Bob?” 

Ashley and I were content to lounge around the house or the beach and make frequent trips to Pollo Tropical - a grilled chicken and rice and beans restaurant. We also gave boogie boarding a shot in the waves surrounded by real surfers. 

Now we’re back home safe and sound. Of course we’re cold, and we go to bed at 8 PM and wake up at 4 AM because we no longer have any concept of time. Here’s a link to some of the pictures taken on our trip. Enjoy!

It’s snowing! It’s snowing!

Snow in Hillsboro? And it sticks to the ground? Apparently so. It started snowing this morning, and for Portland standards, it built up in a hurry. The roads were covered enough that they actually cancelled our Sunday church meetings. Lydia had only ever been in the snow once before  (she was less than a year old and had just started walking) and wasn’t a big fan. But today she was in heaven. Of course, the most fun part was stuffing snow down mommy’s coat. Who knows where she got an idea like that. :)

Pious Lydia

Lydia said her first prayer all by herself the other day. We were sitting around reading a book when all of a sudden she looked down, folded her arms and said a prayer to Heavenly Father. I didn’t understand much of what she said other than, “Heavenly Father.” But I guess she just felt the need to pray. She looked up and smiled when she was done. It was so cute!

She prays all the time now - sometimes when we ask her to and sometimes just because she feels like it. Yesterday, she thanked Heavenly Father for the Cosby Show and that was it. She’s sincere, I’ll give her that.

Christmas lights

Earlier this week we pulled out some Christmas lights to make the house a little more festive, and Lydia has been in heaven ever since!  She loves to see them twinkle and takes me by the hand to look at them with her several times a day.  “Mommy, come here!  You sit right here,” she’ll say, patting the ground beside her.  “Look, oooh, so pretty...”  She also enjoys looking out the window at the neighbor’s outdoor Christmas lights, shrieking “Look, look at Christmas lights!  Whoa!”  Lydia isn’t much help putting up lights, but if you want someone to admire your work and make you feel like you made the best Christmas light display in the history of the world, she’s your gal.

Spit-up Happens

Oh, the joys of motherhood! But seriously, isn’t his spit-up the cutest looking mucus-bile-milk mixture you’ve ever seen? :)