one small step for mankind, one giant step for the Garcia family

When I look back on my life, I wonder if I will look back to now and consider this the craziest stage: crying in the med room, in the stairwell, and at Relief Society presidency meetings. I don't want to complain, because I feel blessed beyond measure. And, things are starting to get a little better. Some days. 

I don't have sleepless nights before my shift as much. I don't question my life decisions as often. 

Sybil usually invites the carpool group over after school on afternoons I drive. They take all pillows and blankets from the top floor to make forts. Here they are jumping:

She's still my little velcro child (which I love) but she's also very independent, loving after-school-care because her BFFL (best friend for life) and his sister also attend.

Claire went to her first dance! 

I was going to write a few things about her first crush, but I think she might stab me if I do.

Last night, Iris had about 25 friends over for hot tubing and a movie.

Today she had a fencing tournament and now we are working on her math homework.

David is out with Claire, Elijah, and 3 friends, 

skiing down the slopes of a nearby canyon to celebrate my boy's 16th birthday!

And this was his birthday present:

The Playstation: one small step for mankind, one giant step for the Garcia family.

13.1

Iris' first half marathon!

The running crew

BEFORE

(I'm not sure why Iris isn't in this pic-she must be hiding)

AFTER

Sybil was in her natural element with her cousins:

 

Avoiding the mundane

A few Saturdays ago, David said that he wanted to avoid "degeneration into the mundane."

So we went sledding.

When the kids were initially hesitant, he said, "What's the worst that can happen--we die and then we resurrect."

Faith in action:

free soloing

 

Getting SWOLE

This dude-alicious bro benched 150!

 I really wish I could say that statement in a Cali accent while making the hang-10 sign in front of all of his friends. I have no idea why he still refuses to invite friends to our house.

Also, notice his shoes. Apparently, crocs are back in style, which baffles me. I remember getting a pair of bright blue crocs when I was pregnant with that dude-alicious bro and David refused to let me wear them in public because they were too ugly. A decade-and-a-half later, he's taking our red-footed son to the gym.

The goal for this week is 3 reps of 150 and getting David into some matching crocs.

Ancestors

Claire and Iris dressed up as and had to present about one of their ancestors (videos below). 

Claire chose Roslyn Lillywhite (Udall).

Iris chose Ruth Blanchard (Sessum)

 

A Birthday Getaway

It appears that I started this post a while ago and didn't finish...oops.

To say that my birthday was memorable this year would be a bit of an understatement. 

Romantic getaway to Miami with the man of my dreams and some of our best friends: 

Taking a small plane to Dry Tortuga: a remote National Park, snorkeling in crystal water, then exploring the ruins of a fort/prison followed by excellent and authentic Cuban food, a tour of Ernest Hemingway's home, and dessert on the beach with some of my favorite people. 

Choice of sings not appropriate for planes, but that were playe on this plane: Free Falling, Die Young, and another one with a chorus about sky diving.

Hemmingway's house had 58 cats who were descendants of his cat. 

40 of the cats were polydactyl.

We also visited Vizcaya Museum and Gardens

This picture was taken right before it started to rain very heavily.

And walked through Little Havana with David's cousin and her husband as they told us stories about growing up in Cuba.

Notice David's authentic Cuban hat:

David and I also visited Wynwood Walls museum and went to church in an beautiful, stone building right on the water.

I miss Miami.

This could be partly because I'm going back to work tomorrow.

I think I enjoy work--somedays I'm not sure--and many days it still includes a few tears, a lot of frustration, and learning things through mistakes. 

Christmas

A few days before leaving for Christmas break, Elijah got his driver's permit. 

Waiting in the DMV is always fun. Note Elijah's refusal to wear a mask (it is required in NV, but not in all states) and Sybil's useless usage. Being in the car with a driving teen whose level of driving self-confidence is overinflated, is a whole new level of fear. 

We hosted David's work Christmas party, complete with a Mariachi band and a taco truck.

David outshining the professionals:

Nola=cousin time!

Sybil as Calvin's carriage horse (not didn't turn out well):

The results of Sybil stealing my phone:

Note the suspicious sleeping character in the background

Jamming:

The Nativity: spiritual chaos

Our first Christmas without Abuela Maria was hard; there was a void. 

We visited her mausoleum on Christmas Day. 

David kept with the spirit of Abuela by "secretly" slipping the kids $20 bills.

I flew into Nola twice since I had to come back to Vegas for work. From the plane I could see blue tarps dotting the roofs, leftovers from hurricane damage. Most of the abuleo's house is fixed, but it's still in shambles, full of memories, but vacant of the most important part: Los Abuelos. 

This is Abuela's bedroom: the bed where she collapsed and took her last breath. 

David and I slept in that bed the night before her funeral, something I thought would be creepy, but was actually warm and comfortable on many levels.

Opening presents:

The kids are used to my lackluster gift-giving skills by now, 

but the greater Garcia family makes up the difference.

An important tradition: climbing the Live Oak after church

Seeing extended family is also a huge bonus when traveling to Nola:

Celebration in the Oaks

3 momentous, spiritual events happened over Christmas break: 

David ordained Elijah to the office of Priest, 

Hector gave Claire her patriarchal blessing, 

Iris went to the temple for the first time

On the road again:

Iris' first temple trip in the newly opened Mesa temple 

 

It was Elijah's first time baptizing.