Merry Christmas!

 We had a great Christmas day... We started with our traditional get together on Mom and Dad's bed and the reading of the Christmas Story.  These pictures speak for themselves...

 

 

After opening presents and having dinner, we went to the center to see one of the big Cathedrals.  Then we went to the mall and saw a movie.  It was a fun day!

Christmas Eve fun

 So, we have heard about "the waterfall" for many months and all the missionaries talk about how pretty it is and we have always thought that we should go there someday.  We thought it would make a good Christmas activity, so off to Nealtican we went today. 

 I know I take a million of these pictures, 

but I can't get over how cute they are!

 the entrance to where the hike to the waterfall starts.  We were lucky that it was open today.  The elders told us that it has been closed for a long time.

 After about 10 minutes of hiking, we came upon the waterfall and it was beautiful!

 Elder Goodsell, our guide for the day

 I thought the layers in the mountainside was very interesting.  

We saw this in several places as we drove down the mountain.

 

This is an old convent or monastery that was built into the side 

of the mountain.  It was very far away, so we couldn't see it too well, 

but if you look closely you can see a waterfall going down 

through the right side of the buildings.

 

Mom grew up in San Buenaventura (Ventura) in California, so when 

Elder Goodsell told us about this place in Nealtican, we had to take a picture.

 

  After the hike to the waterfall, the boys met up with some of the Elders to play a game of soccer.  Ben, Brian and Bradley played.  I'm sure Lindsay would have played, but she is expecting a baby, so she sat on the sidelines.

 It was tough playing for the boys because they aren't used to this much physical activity at such a high altitude, but they had a good time.

Darren and Lindsay are here!

We drove to Mexico City again today to pick up Lindsay and Darren... On the way to Mexico City there is a place where we have to stop or slow down to go through the toll booth.  Alongside the road is a field and this tree.  Every time we go by it there are all these egrets in the tree.

It's been a year and a half since we have seen Darren and Lindsay, ever since we were set apart for the mission, so it was good to see them again...

Now that Darren and Lindsay are here, we can really start to see and do all 

the things that make Puebla a really special place! Let the fun begin!

On Wednesday, we had a Leadership training meeting that lasted most of the day.  The boys came with us to see all the missionaries and ended up staying for the meeting and lunch.  Then they got a ride home with the De la Rosas because we had a baptism to go to also. 

 On Thursday we traveled to Teotitlan because Dad had an interview and we were able to get some sugar cane that fell out of this truck... it's a beautiful drive.

 Then we went to the Parian to look around the shops and to Las Ranas for dinner.  On Friday we spent the day with the Lopez family in Atlixco.  It was such a fun day! 

The boys got to meet two of our elders, Elder Shipley and Elder Foster and 

the Lopez family... President and Sister Lopez, Rebecca and Abram

We played ping pong...

  and visited with all their animals...

One of the brothers of President Lopez owns a hawk that is blind.  He lives at his house

 and just sits on their patio.  President Lopez brought him over so we could hold him...

That's Bradley underneath the hawk's wing...

  

Afterwards, we went into Atlixco to look at all the flower gardens.  

Atlixco is famous for it's flower gardens and at this time of year there were a 

lot of people crowding the streets in and around the gardens.  

After visiting the flower garden and buying a hammock for Bradley, we went to a 

Trout Farm, where they raise trout and have a restaurant...  These lanes are FULL of fish!

Of course, the boys had to find something that was a little more fun than looking at fish...

During the warmer months, there is a zip line and other activities for the kids...

 Of course, we had to eat at the restaurant.  And yes, we had the fish.  

It was good, but it was prepared a little differently than what I'm used to.  

Head, eyes, fins, the whole thing!  But it was good and fresh!