Ten Year Anniversary Trip to Cozumel Part 2

Steven and I took an all day excursion to see the ruins of Chichen Itza as well as Ik Kil which is a cenote or natural water hole. By all day, I mean that we traveled 40 minutes on a ferry to the main Yucutan peninsula and then for 3 hours in a very comfortable bus...and that was only 1 way. We left at 6:30 in the morning and did not get back until after 9pm. Needless to say we were exhausted!!! Here are some of the pics from that trip:

This is Ik Kil...see Steven swimming in the middle. The 120 foot deep swimming area is accessible by a staircase that meanders down into the amazing area. Ik Kil has majestic charectieristics where the sunlight from 85 feet above filters through holes in the ground and vegetation. Known as “the Sacred Blue Cenote”, the fresh water is an intriguing clear turquoise blue and hovers at a comfortable 78 degrees Fahrenheit. (OK...I didn't write that, I stole it off this website which has more information if you want: http://www.mexicovacationtravels.com/snorkeling/enjoy-the-mayan-beauty-at-cenote-ik-kil.html ) The water actually felt cold to me...but that is probably because I have my bath water somewhere around 94 degrees. It was really pretty with the vegetation hanging down and the sunlight streaming in. We both jumped in the water...but I didn't stay in long...someone had to take a picture of Steven, right?

Here's a picture at the top of the staircase looking down into the water hole.

This is Chichen Itza...the sacred Mayan ruins. They used to let you climb up the stairs, but not any more. It was very intriguing to learn about...I would like to even read some more, especially from an LDS Book of Mormon perspective. As for our thoughts on this day...it was VERY HOT!!! About 3pm in the afternoon with no shade. The tour guides offered us umbrellas and we turned them down...what were we thinking? It was cool to see, but I don't know if I'd go again...maybe it would be more interesting first thing in the morning and not after 4 hours of travel and being SOOOOOO HOT!

Most of the days we just hung out at our hotel. It was soooo fun. This is a picture taken from the pier of the backside of the hotel.

Our kids insisted we build a sand castle for them and take a picture. Here is our master piece. We also built Chichen Itza's Temple...but forgot to get a picture of it. Notice Steven's bending over pose. He didn't put sunscreen on his back and a small one inch strip was showing while we worked on the sand castle. He got burned pretty bad on that strip...like we're talking fluorescent RED! Ouch!

This is standing on the pier and just taking a picture from above of some angel fish. The water was amazingly clear and blue on our beach.

This is the view from where we ate each day! Aaaaahhhh! Isn't that water beautiful...I'm ready to go back!

End of the Year Craziness- The after school CELEBRATION!!!

So...if you scroll through the last 10 posts or so...you can see that we had a busy end of the school year!!!!! Talent Shows, Recitals, Dance Festivals, Graduation, Fieldtrips, etc! (****Please note that I finally figured out how to post video of Michaela and Andrea's talent shows and dance festival...I'd love for you to watch their talent shows since I worked so hard to figure out how to cut down the video in size so I could post!) All that craziness ended Friday and we had a little party to celebrate. I decided to have the party on Thursday and made a few calls. (I'm kind of last minute that way.) It was supposed to be for a couple of hours...but everyone was having so much fun it went well in to the afternoon. The kids had a blast!!!!! We'll have to do this again.

Here's a bunch of the girls in the jacuzzi.

The best part was this cool waterslide we borrowed from our neighbors. That is me going down the slide with Steen and Andrea. Way fun!

The boys hanging together....

Here is Steen and his buddy Luke going up the slide together

Cute Michaela!Friends eating popcicles.

Andrea in her cute new swimsuit with matching towel. Michaela has one too. (Lands End...shopping online...oh yeah!)

My friend Erika...

I ended up making homemade pizza...yum! Others brought chips and salad and stuff. All the moms came and hung out for at least part of it, so I got to celebrate with my friends as well. After all the end of the year craziness...this was a fun way to end. Summer laziness...here we come!

End of the Year Craziness - The Dance Festival

This was my first year attending the school's dance festival. The kids did a great job. Michaela performed a Singing in the Rain act with all the first graders. They were adorable! Click above if you want to watch a condensed version, she is in the back row with the red umbrella and a pink rain coat and boots.
Andrea's preschool class did going on a bear hunt! Of course, I forgot to download all the pics on my camera from all the crazy activities early in the week, so I didn't have enough memory left to record the whole skit. Here is a condensed, condensed version! (Andrea is in the pink shirt)

It was really fun seeing all the kids from the neighborhood and they all did really well.

End of the Year Craziness-Last day of playgroup for Steen

For the last day of playgroup we were supposed to all meet up and go on a picnic. With all the end of the year craziness, it got put off till the last minute and nobody had planned it, so I decided it would be fun if we went to Thanksgiving point farms. It was kind of last minute so several of the kids couldn't go and we invited some other friends as well that weren't in the playgroup...but technically it was to celebrate the last day of playgroup. Both Andrea and Steen had fun riding the ponies. There were lots of little baby animals that had recently been born...so cute! We'll have to go in the spring more often!

Look at that baby calf!

End of the Year Craziness- Andrea's Preschool Graduation

Andrea graduated from preschool...kindergarten here she comes. She has told me several times she does not want to go to kindergarten because she will miss her teacher Mrs. Chris.
Here is Andrea graduating! They were so cute in their little hats...and yes, if you listen to the video, that is the parents humming the graduation march....not always on key either ;-)

Andrea had 3 teachers in her afternoon class. Thanks Mrs. Chris, Ms. Diane and Mrs. Jennifer! They were all awesome!

Here is a short video of one of the many songs they sang. This one is called Days of the Week.

End of the Year Craziness- Andrea's preschool talent show

I figured out how to post video...check it out!!!! Andrea played both the violin and piano for her preschool talent show. She did a great job! Here is a video of her violin song called O Come Little Children. I had to cut the video down in size to post, so she is only playing one verse and then I split to the end where everyone is applauding and she is beaming. So cute!!!!

End of the Year Craziness- The Whole School Talent Show

****I figured out how to post the video...please watch it!
Michaela was 1 of 2 first graders selected from over 7 classrooms of first graders to play in the school talent show. Way to go Michaela!
Just before the talent show, I snuck up on Michaela and took her pic.

Here's the video of her playing! They actually had the 6th graders perform first and went in reverse order, so it was a little noisy by the time she got to play but she did a great job despite all the background noise!!!

At the school assembly, Michaela also received an Outstanding Citizenship Award for the year. She was one of two students from her classroom who received this award. Great job Michaela!!!! (Michaela is 2nd from left)