Grand Cayman Island

Shayne earned President's Club status this past year at work - and that meant a TRIP!  All expenses paid and a week of adventure.  We actually flew in a day early so we could enjoy a leisure day before the planned activities started.  

We checked into the RITZ CARLTON (really, they take great care of us!) and we headed off to a turtle place.  We were able to hold the turtles and even swim with large ones.  It was really cool!

That night there was a welcome party - luckily there were two other couples from Shayne's office that also don't drink - that was kinda nice to not be the only ones!

Early the next morning - we were off to our deep sea fishing adventure.  It ended up being a really long boat ride with not much fishing - it was still great to be out on the boat!

Back at the hotel - there was a beautiful pool to enjoy - the beach of course - and getting to visit with everyone from the offices from across the States.

Cole had one request - a sanddollar - is this big enough Cole?  (it was really decor - but it would have been fun to pack that one in the suitcase!)

Sting Ray City Adventure

The company rented a catamaran and took us to Sting Ray City - which is basically a sand bar a mile or two from the beach and the sting rays have become so accustomed to being fed at this spot that they congregate here.  We were the first boat to arrive and had the area to ourselves.  This was definitely one of my most favorite things I've done this year.  They would eat squid from our hands and we would attempt to "hold them" by lifting up their wings while staying under the water.  It was an experience I'll never forget.

More random pics from the week:

This is the BUS, it's a van.

There goes the bus!

Beautiful sunsets! 

Yummy food! 

During so much of the week I didn't have a way to bring a camera (all water stuff!) - here we go on a jet skiing adventure.

We did 4 dives during our stay as well with our good friend Todd.  Luckily - he has an underwater camera!  Here are a few pics from those dives:

On the wall - 100 feet down! 

Just hanging out on the ocean floor

A few kisses too...

Final banquet - Shayne getting his award

Enjoying some Pina Coladas... yummers.

Bye-Bye Grand Cayman!  It's hard to believe that paradise is just THERE all the time - I felt very lucky to go for that little moment in time!

September highlights

Hunter turned 13!!  I am reminded how much this boy has changed when I look at any past pictures - 

About Hunter:

Wants to be an artist or inventor or both

Favorite part of his 12th year - getting the priesthood and canyoneering

Favorite thing to watch - Simpsons

Favorite game on Xbox - Destiny

Favorite thing to do - drawing what pops into his mind or he'll just keep drawing and it'll just happen

Favorite book - Michael Vey or Nerds

Misses everything about 6th grade (he had a stellar teacher last year) homework was even better

One thing he likes about Jr. High - electives

For his birthday date - he wanted to hang out at Lagoon with just mom and dad - we had a great time!  They had just opened the haunted houses and we splurged to get fast passes and we did all the haunted houses in one night.  That was a great way to do it!

Here's family party #2 with his cousin Carson - their birthdays are only a week apart.  And I think it was a Brazil cake because that's what Grandpa/Grandma brought!

He also wanted to take his best friend to the climbing place - and he spent his own money to take him.

More September fun:

Cole took 1st at the Pinewood Derby this year!  He made a Magic Carpet car.

Shayne also made a car for fun - it's a Pinewood Derby Derby car....  with a replica of that same car on the track.  Notice the block of wood car, and the other two cars are replicas of previous cars our boys built.

We also went back to Lagoon with the rest of the gang for more Haunted Houses and Grandma came too! 

And finally - there was a lot of soccer for Danny.

Check out this speedster - ran right out of his shoe and kept on going.

And on a whim, I convinced my boys to let me take their pics in exchange for a yummy dinner out - it worked and I got smiles this time around.

I had to include this pouting face - he knows how pout!

The Backyard Saga

It started with this...  a deal of a lifetime.  Shayne has a way of finding awesome deals and this one fell into his lap.  Even though we had convinced ourselves that a hot tub was not in our backyard plans - when the price is right, things will change.

Check out the hand prints - and a little Simpson's reference is there as well.

But the patio wasn't big enough for the table, chairs, AND a hot tub.  Next step - more cement.  We do have a joke that eventually our backyard will have NO GRASS...  Shayne is getting closer to that goal.

The next step - how to make that awful stain go away...  it was a good idea but it didn't last long.  Shayne did lots of homework to come up with the next big plan...

Step 1 - pressure wash.  Lots of PRESSURE WASHING - and some chemicals too.

It really looked awful.

Next step - PAINT.  Special cement paint...  so far, we're loving it.  And notice that awesome trim around the patio - Shayne cut that edge on his hands and knees with a saw and we chose a different color paint to create that look.  He was pretty sore after that part! 

TA-DAAA!!!

We got the electrical done and water in the tub and wa-lah - it's a HOT tub.  

Next step - PERGOLA.  Shayne had the vision and said he could do it with the help from a co-worker.  He ordered the lumber and created a HUGE lumber yard across our basketball court (I coudn't find a pic) and started staining before building.  BUT, the stain dried JET BLACK and was NOT the right color.  So, after a huge hassle with Lowe's and the stain company - Shayne had the tools to strip all the stain.  That was a LOT of extra hours - stripping and sanding and gosh - it was awful.  Shayne did it all. 

Then we started the staining process AGAIN.  Unfortunately - this mean that the lumber was all out in the yard for weeks - which meant warping. This was the biggest issue while building the pergola - lots of warped boards.  

Isn't my hubby AMAZING?  Really - amazing.

Since these pics - Shayne has put up small boards going across the top perpendicular.  And there are little lights (solar lights) that make you feel like the stars are just over your head as well.  

Shayne loves his hot tub - we all enjoy it - but Shayne LOVES it.  He is out there regularly and puts all that effort to good use!  And honestly, sitting in the hot tub when it's cold (which it is SUPER cold when I'm finally blogging about this) is really awesome.  Just walking through snow to get in and out is the part I wish we could skip!