Birthday Weekend

May is full of so many family birthdays, but I will have to hug them all when I get home. I had a fabulous birthday with friends and family!

My teacher friends took me to a great restaurant with nice outdoor seating and tasty pizza. However, that outdoor seating turned into a memorable moment when a bird sky bombed the girl next to me! Thankfully, everything washed out well and no harm was done.

They insisted on this photo, too.

Ben took us to Puerto Paraiso, a mall in the same city as the church we attend, and we ate at a 50's diner. Afterward, the kids loved seeing the spotted fish and the crabs in the marina waters. We took their picture in this:

Then our friends threw me a poolside pizza party with chocolate tres leches cake! Talia swam until she HAD to get out and everyone had fun.

The next day everyone was sick except for myself and Elias, so we went to school, where even MORE surprises awaited. I am so spoiled. I know it. I'm surrounded by beautiful, loving people and so blessed. ❤️ 

Teacher's Day Celebrations

May tenth in Mexico is always Mother's Day. We had a huge 80's themed program at school to celebrate the mothers and then, the following weekend was...... Teacher's Day!

It was amazing! Our school took us out on a camel adventure with Cabo Adventures. We hiked through the desert, went camel back riding on the beach, and ate delicious typical food like chicken in mole and beans and fresh-off-the-'comal' tortillas and quesadillas.

The guide said the dress they modeled for the excursion was after North African camel herders. Our safety helmets had head coverings sewn on just for fun.

The next day we were all invited to a fellow teacher's family vacation house near a beautiful dam between mountains. The view of the water and cactus covered mountains was really pretty.

Of course, the kid's favorite part was the pool!

Talia stayed in as looooooong as she possibly could. She loves jumping in the water!

All of us had a lot of fun spending time with fellow teachers who are also close friends. I'm always so thankful for the wonderful people I work with! 

Desert Plants and Flowers in San José del Cabo

Talia and I like to run and hike together when we get a chance. Sometimes we go to the estuary and sometimes we visit the camels and the dolphins, or visit the horses at the beach, and other times just walk around the historic district of San José. 

One of our favorite things to see, besides the animals, are the interesting flowers and plants that exist in this dry environment.

Mangos are Talia's favorite fruit and it is almost mango season!!! They are just starting to change from green to red and yellow.

Of course there are cactus fruits.

And this cactus was budding.

This little bush looked like it had apples but they weren't as hard or big as an apple.

There are lots of interesting seed pods.

Some are really weird kiwi-looking things.

Others are bright orange....

With red circular seeds inside when they burst open.

Guamuchil fruit that gives you dry mouth.

Talia loves the flowers!

We saw hummingbirds around these yellow trumpet-shaped flowers.

This looked like a tree at the bottom and a cactus at the top!

Come hiking with us!