Mexican Moments with Greg and Peg: 2015

THOUGHT: "THIS IS CHRISTMAS; NOT THE TINSEL, NOT THE GIVING AND
RECEIVING, NOT EVEN THE CAROLS, BUT THE HUMBLE HEART
THAT RECEIVES ANEW THE WONDROUS GIFT, THE CHRIST"

Monday, Dec 21st

I can't believe it's Christmas! It has seemed to sneak up on me this year. Some of the senior couples have been more homesick for Christmas this year than last. Because we have been traveling so much I am not sure how I feel about these holidays! I haven't even had time to make any cinnamon rolls yet! We decided to take a fun holiday day with the Andersons today. We got in the car and drove past Popocatepatl. It has been a very smoggy day so the mountain wasn't clear but still great to see. It is still spewing smoke. It has done this for over a year now. I wonder if it will every blow!!!! We drove on to Cortez summer home - now called Hacienda Villa Hermosa. The Andersons loved being there and took lots of pics. We also had a buffet breakfast there. The whole place is decorated for Christmas and that was very fun. It is nice to walk around the whole place and see all of the old buildings and old everythings!!
We headed out in the car again to Taxco. We love this little city on the hill. We parked where we did last time and walked up to the center of town. On the way up we found a great silver store - or actually lots of little stores in one building. We found lots of good things to get! We decided to wait and check things out in the square. We walked through a few stores, the Cathedral and around the zocolo. We went to eat at the Del Angel restaurant where we can sit up on the roof and look out over the city. It's quite amazing there. I wish the pics did it justice. On the way back to the car we did stop at that silver store where I bought a silver chain necklace and Greg got a silver tie tack and Bonnie bought earrings for her daughters and her a ring. Good times were had by all!!! We got home around 9 pm.

Driving to Taxco and saw this poor goat in the back of this truck!
He is not enjoying the ride!

A cool old church in some town along the way

This cow has 2 other friends to the right of him - all standing
in the road with dirt and leaves all over them.

Made it to the Hacienda Villa Hermosa
This Nativity is on an old wagon

The piano guy. This piano is very old, but still sounds good!

The restaurant with the breakfast buffet set up!

Us by the Christmas tree!

We sat next to this wall in the restaurant.
Everything is very old.
This place was built in 1535

A huge cement hand is sticking out of the wall holding a candle

Dome over the restaurant

They have preserved these old archways
and put a pool underneath them.

Part of the building

My battery was dying so this is blurry, but here is the capilla (chapel)

The walkway

A better pic of the Naciemento! (Nativity)

The Hacienda is literally out in the middle of nowhere
As we were driving out we saw the chicken family
Mom with her babies

Dear old dad isn't far away watching!

I love this dog's face!

Made it to Taxco
The streets are very narrow and steep.

Someone put pots of poinsettias in the plaza
that makes a poinsettia design.

See!

Nativity in the plaza in Taxco

A pic from the restaurant.
Taxco is out there faded in the light.
It was a bright, sunny day.

We were walking along one of the street and I took this pic
of the houses going up the steep hills

Then I turned around and took one down the street.
It's hard to get the perspective.

Tuesday, Dec 22nd

Another fun day in Paradise. We were up early and off to a zone conference/Christmas party for the West mission which is the mission we are in. It took us an hour and a half to get to Metepec. The conference started at 10 am. Greg did his schpeel about 10:45- 11:45. President Whitehead talked and did some training for a long while. We had a break and then they had a nice talent show Christmas program where some of the missionaries played the cello, violin, piano and sang songs! It was very nice. Sister Whitehead plays the piano very well and she accompanied most of the participants. We had very nice Christmas lunch of chicken cordon blue, salad, mashed potatoes rolls and a cookie tart for dessert. Much better than the Christmas dinners I had last week in the Guad mission. We still got home about 5:30.

The West mission has lots of talent!

The two sisters in the pic below are playing
"Sleigh Ride Together" and these Elders
are dancing at the back of the room!

This sister has a music performance scholarship
at BYU after her mission!

Sister Whithead accompanied almost all of the talent playing!

Elders playing the chimes

Other Elders playing chimes

Sisters playing the chimes!

Greg got to play a chime!

Cute sisters at the Christmas party!

Our Christmas dinner in the West mission!
So yummy - chicken cordon blue, potatoes, salad, veggies
and a fruit tart for dessert!

Wednesday, Dec 23rd

Groundhog day with the West mission at the Camerones stake center. Everything was the same except the missionaries were different. A sister played the cello so beautifully, and 2 Elders played a duet on the piano and cello and a couple of sisters sang. We all participated in the hand chimes Christmas songs. We ate the exact same dinner and all turned out well!!!

The Camerones Stake Center where Greg attended as a missionary!

Beautiful voices singing Christmas songs

This sister is from Spain and has been playing the cello
since she was 8. She played a piano guys Christmas song.
So amazing!

Elder Goodrich playing the cello!
So much great talent

I love how all the missionaries record everything on the
Christmas program on their cameras.

Elders playing chimes

Sister Whitehead pointing to the music on the screen
so we can all play chimes.

Greg walked around and took pics of the sisters
at the Christmas party

President & Sister Whitehead gave us senior couples
big pics of our mission when all 200 of us were
together with Elder Christofferson.

After the Christmas party we went over to the Temple
grounds to see the lights.
So here are sights from around the grounds

Thursday, Dec 24th

I was up kind of early to make cinnamon rolls for the neighbors. I got some done and delivered to some of the friends here. We left around 11 am to drive over to the northwest mission home to help the Halls with their zone Christmas party. I had offered to help with the past 4, but Greg kept me away and unable to help. Poor Sister Hall had her gallbladder out the end of October and 2 weeks ago she ended up with a blood clot in her leg from the surgery. She is a real trooper. We arrived after they were done with the "in it to win it" games and charades. We got there in time to enjoy the Christmas devotional they did for the missionaries. We helped get all the food out and ready to eat. Sister Hall has had 5 days in a row of turkey, ham, mashed potatoes and gravy, veggies and a yummy poppyseed salad with rolls. Dessert was chocolate cake and cheesecakes. Those missionaries are very lucky to have the Halls as president. We had to leave early to get back to meet up with the Andersons and Toblers. We had reservations at La Mansion which is a Mexican steakhouse. We all ordered filet mignons and a salad. Yum! We planned on bringing some steak home, but we all ate it all gone! We got home and ended up at the Andersons watching a Hallmark Christmas movie. It was great. The Munoz planned a piñata party in the 2nd floor. All the kids that were visiting their grandparents participated in breaking the piñatas. This is a fun Mexican tradition. After all the parties we were pooped and off to bed we went!

For some reason Greg decided to get me some
pretty mums for Christmas instead of roses!
They are brightly colored!

2 zones together for a Christmas party at the Halls - mission home.
They are playing Charades!

Spent Christmas Eve afternoon with the Halls
in the North mission. They are great friends

Had a very nice Christmas Eve dinner at La Mansion with
our great friends. The Toblers only have 5 weeks left
so we are trying to spend as much time as we can with them.

In front of the restaurant

Tobler, Andersons and us at La Mansion.

The Munoz (Mexican) have a fun tradition of doing pinatas
on Christmas Eve. All the kids around got to participate

Friday, Dec 25th MERRY CHRISTMAS🎄🎁

Merry Christmas to all my family and friends. It has been a nice day. We got up and took pics of the few presents under the tree. I baked another pan of cinnamon rolls for a Christmas breakfast we had with the Andersons and Toblers. We hung out together this holiday because the other families have kids and grandkids visiting. Breakfast was yummy and it was very fun to watch the grandkids by FaceTime open their presents. The Newmans surprised their kids with a trip to Disneyland. All of them were very excited except Taylor. He finally got used to it so hopefully it will be a fun trip. The big problem is that it snowed all night and was still snowing this morning when they drove out of town. It snowed on them all the way to St George. Bummer for them!!! We got back from breakfast, talked to the kids and I made rolls for a big Christmas dinner we are having with more of the families here with their kids. We had chicken kiev, mashed potatoes, veggies, salad and my rolls turned out good. We had a yummy ice cream dessert ( you can eat ice cream here still since it was about 72* today) Greg took a nap while I made rolls and I took a nap after dinner. We left at 5:30 to go to see the movie "Star Wars" Wow! That was a lot of input! I hope I don't have a seizure tonight. Wild movie!! We got home in time to watch another Hallmark movie. I am trying to jam in all the Christmas movies I can, because they will be gone soon and they have good messages! So now on to HAPPY NEW YEAR!!! (and 4 1/2 months to go on our mission - which will go fast now).