The Neal News

Sunday, April 26, 2009

Ixtapa/Manzanillo

Michael making friends with the locals.

This was our view on our drive between Ixtapa and Manzanillo.

Britt mastered her dive on this trip!

Do we look tired?

After 4 wonderful days in Acapulco with Ruben and family, we headed to Ixtapa. We lounged by the pool, ate wonderful food and spent a lot of time playing in the ocean! We debated the drive to Manzanillo (another 6 hours) but decided that we wanted to see as much of Mexico as possible. While we were there we learned about the swine flu outbreak in Mexico City- Yikes! We returned to Veracruz last night. We had to go right through Mexico City to get back to Veracruz- We paid a taxi to escort us through the city as quickly as possible. The city was like a ghost town! The people that we did see had face masks on. Really creepy!

Sunday, April 19, 2009

Acapulco for Spring Break!

Building sandcastles!

Bella is a total beach babe!

Jumping waves.

Fatima is serious about her sandcastles!

Done with the sun for the day!

Saturday, April 18, 2009

Happy Birthday Uncle Tim!

This picture is of Uncle Tim in our hotel room when we visited with him at Disney! Not a great picture, but one that I happen to have! We love you Tim!

Mexico City!

Michael's brother Ruben Cors has been an excellent host! Mexico city has 22 million people and impossible to drive through. Ruben was kind enough to arrange for his driver to meet us at the edge of the city to guide us to their home on the other side of the city. His driver helped us for two days to navigate our way around this crazy city.

We visited Teotihuacan - which includes the pyramid of the Sun - the largest pyramid in the western hemisphere. It was absolutely incredible. Getting to the top in 95 degree heat was hard for everyone - but even the little girls powered through!

Through happy circumstance - Michael's youngest Mexican brother (Andreu) was in town for business so we were all able to go to dinner with him.

We love the Mexican lifestyle and people and are so grateful to Ruben and his wife Adriana for making Mexico City great. FYI: Getting out of the city on our way to Acapulco took 2 hours 45 minutes - just to get out of that massive city!

Wednesday, April 15, 2009

Easter Sunday

This picture was taken in front on the Veracruz LDS temple on Easter Sunday.

Happy Birthday Aunt Mary!

Aunt Mary is going to open a salon in Sisters with me some day. Right Mary?

Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Salsa lessons

One of the things that I wanted to accomplish here in Mexico was dance lessons! What better place to learn right? I am proud to say that I had my first Salsa lesson last night!!! Michael has been out of town for two weeks so I had to dance with the instructor! Salsa is a stretch for me since I don't exactly consider myself a dancer! My hips don't move the way they are supposed to, but I had a blast trying!

Sunday, April 5, 2009

Happy Birthday Uncle Dave!

We love and miss you! Have a great birthday!

Monday, March 30, 2009

Happy Birthday Charlie Bug!

Happy Birthday Charlie! I can't believe you are 4 years old! Have a wonderful birthday. We miss you!

Too much time?

The girls have resorted to silliness in all of this extra time after school. Spring break is coming up and Michael and Hayden are out of town for two weeks. I am going to have to come up with something fun so we don't end up with too many of these pictures!

Funny things kids say:

Isabelle: after a discussion about grades she said "Ya, i'm not really into A's...its just not my thing!"
Olivia: "I love being a girl...you can share your secrets and laugh about them!"
Brittan: the neighbor girl confessed her love for Hayden to my girls and made them promise not to tell a soul. Brittan's response "Don't worry, my mom doesn't have a soul!"
Isabelle and Ximena are constantly cooking and after awhile it makes me crazy! Today I got the kitchen all scrubbed up and then ran an errand. When I got home I could hear clanking noises in the kitchen so before I reached the kitchen I yelled "you two better not be making cookies" to which Isabelle replied "No mom we're not, Xime's just making a cake!"
Isabelle: after being bribed..."Hey dad, is there any way I can pay you back for that popsicle I just ate so I don't have to wakeboard?"
Brittan: With a loud squeal in the car "Oh no!" Dad: What?????? "I forgot my bangles"! Dad: "What the heck are bangles"? Brittan: "Bracelets Dad..".
Isabelle: "Dad, do you know how to use a cash register?" Dad: "No". Bella with a very sassy tone: "Then why are you checking me out?"
Olivia: Bella, what is the opposite of hot? Isabelle's response: Cute?
Isabelle: "Olivia...it says no smoking in here! Put out your cigarette!"
Olivia: " Hey dad look...its a priest. Wait...i actually think its a nun....hum...I can't really tell!"
Hayden is preparing to get his wisdom teeth pulled this week and said "Mom, you really need to pick up those seduction pills for me". Of course I busted up laughing. Sedation, seduction- its all how you look at it!
I have been encouraging the kids to speak Spanish as often as they can. The other day we were in a shoe store buying shoes for Brittan (now a size 8!). There were two hispanic girls running around the store and I bribed Isabelle with the shoes that she had her eye on to go introduce herself to the little girls in Spanish. She was shy but very awkwardly said "Hola, mi llamo Bella". This experience gave her the courage a few days later to do the same thing at Hayden's wrestling match. A couple of kids were playing under the bleachers so she took it upon herself to go introduce herself to them in Spanish. "Hola, mi llamo Bella!". Again, and again and again with no response. She kept reporting that they weren't responding. Finally she approached them a final time and said "Hola, mi llamo Bella". The little boy looked her square in the eye and said "I'm African!"
Hayden: "Mom, I really need some new church clothes! I think this time around I want a black suit with a black shirt!" Mom: oh ya that will look really good when you pass the sacrament". No no no...that is serious Stake dance material!"
Olivia: "Mom, I've set a goal for myself!" Mom: "Oh ya, what's that?" Olivia: "I'm going to try really really hard to cry on the last day of school!"
Olivia: "um...Mom....you smell just like Grandma! Ya know, all lotion-y!"
Olivia: Hey dad- is there such a thing called "video-shop? Ya know, like photo-shop?"
Isabelle while playing Yahtzee: "Brittan...go with your 4's! I'm really feeling it!!! And...I was wrong!"
Dad: "Brittan!!! Stop wearing mascara!" Brittan: "Dad..get used to it! It's really working for me!"
Neal family Christmas wish list: Hayden- an iphone (ya right) Brittan- World peace Olivia- ipod Isabelle- A bubble gum machine
Olivia: "Mom, I've never noticed that my hair color is so beautiful!"
Hayden: in a sarcastic tone- "Mom I forgot to bring my coat to the cabin, but don't worry- I did bring my singlet!"
Isabelle yelling from her bed in the morning: "Mom, the tooth fairy forgot to come again!" Mom: "Oh shoot! I was worried about that when I turned the house alarm on last night that she wouldn't be able to get in without tripping the alarm! Go back to sleep and I will turn off the alarm. Let's give her another chance!"
Isabelle with her bloody-murder scream came running into my bathroom as I was trying to take a nice relaxing bath- "Olivia punched me (on accident) in the face and now I am bleeding!" I took one look in her mouth and saw a tooth dangling- through the tears and screaming I told her to look in the mirror. As soon as she saw the tooth she said "Oh... thanks Livy- I wanted to loose that tooth!"
Hayden: "I will NEVER make my kids take piano lessons!" Mom: "OK, that's cool". Hayden: "I'm not going to make them do chores either!" Mom: "Ok, that's cool". Hayden: "I'm not going to make them wake up early on the weekend's either". Mom: "Ok, cool- are you going to let them sleep until noon?" Hayden: "Yep!" Mom: "I can't wait to meet your kids, they sound terrific!"
All of my girls decided that they are tired of their long locks and one by one have all ended up with a bob. I was cutting Olivia's hair tonight and said: "So what's up with all of my girls wanting short hair?" Her reply: " Come-on mom...didn't you know that short is the new long!"
Isabelle was crying in her bed last night. She was so tired and couldn't fall asleep. I asked her what was wrong and she replied "i can't get my yawn out!"
Isabelle: "What do you mean I have to play in a soccer game on Saturday? I hate soccer- I only like practice-at the games people watch you and stuff!"
Olivia: after telling a super big lie she said "I keep praying for an answer to my problem and Heavenly Father won't even let me finish my prayer! I just keep getting the feeling that I need to come talk to you!"