So that's my wish for you and all of us, and my wish for myself. Make New Mistakes. Make glorious, amazing mistakes. Make mistakes nobody's every made before. Don't freeze, don't stop, don't worry that it isn't good enough, or it isn't perfect, whatever it is; art or love or work or family or life.
Whatever it is you're scared of doing. DO IT.
Make you mistakes, next year and forever! Neil Gaiman
Monday, Dec. 28th
We decided sitting around the house this week was not going to be a great idea so we hooked up with the Sandbergs and their brother, grabbed the Griffins and headed to Xochimilco (floating gardens)
for another little float down the river. We had a good time. I'm pretty sure one trip to this place is good enough, but it is always fun to be with friends. We also saw Pres. & Sister Stutznegger with their family on another boat. We were tired when we got home so we had some dinner and watched a movie with the Griffins in their place. They are getting quite a collection of movies. Elder Griffin walks up the Pueblito and buys them for 10 pesos which is about 60 cents. They are all illegal but most of them work just fine. Some movies are still in the theaters. Great!!
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| Finding some shade The guy is suppose to be selling churros and he is pulled over to the side of a busy road and is sound asleep under the basket on his motorcycle. |
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| Someone even decorated the wall next to the gas station |
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| Xochimilco - canals in a forested part of town. I guess some years ago a little girl drown in these canals so every year people come and hang horrific dolls in the trees as a memorial! |
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| Another pic of all the weird dolls, stuffed animals pinatas and other crazy stuff! |
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| Our boat |
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| There are homes right along the canal This little home reminds me of the house you pass by as you are starting the Pirates of the Caribbean ride at Disneyland. |
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| Lots of vendors with food or jewelry to sell |
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| The boats are propelled with a long stick - canal about 12 feet deep |
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| Nurseries along the shores |
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| Happy tourists |
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| A mariachi band came along side to serenade |
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| Typical boat |
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| Homes right along the canals - |
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| Watch heron |
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| President Stutznegger and family |
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| A floating garden. |
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| There was a big hole in the bridge when we came - now we are leaving and someone stuck a tire in the hole! Ha! |
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| Flowered boats behind us - years ago they sported real flowers |
Tuesday, Dec 29th
So we had another fun day in Paradise today. I don't know why no one can just relax and enjoy some quiet moments down here. I am so tired of going and doing! Today we took the Griffins up to Desierto de los Leones - which isn't very far away, but after you turn off the freeway you end up in quiet tall pine trees with the breeze blowing through them. It feels and sounds like you are standing in the forest at Lake Tahoe to me. We all loved being up there in the quiet and peace. This place was a monostery where all these little monks lived. We have been here before with the Olsons. We wandered through the big place and took lots of pics. We walked down 277 stairs to the not so big waterfall we saw last year! It was so nice and cool and calm. It was the best day in a long time!!
We drove back down to Santa Fe to have some late lunch at TGIF's. It was fun to sit and watch the people walking by out in the mall.
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| The courtyard of the Monastery |
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| I love this old wall. Behind Greg it used to be a window, but someone filled it in with big rocks Now the corner above his head is falling out! |
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| Here is the entrance to the catacombs under the Monestary. |
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| Here is one of the room down under. It has these holes for light on the side and up on top. Looks like a great food storage room! |
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| Greg & John standing at the entrance. You have to walk hunched over and use your cellphone flashlight to move around in here! |
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| Pretty little gardens all around the grounds. |
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| It looks like spring here. I love this huge wall and gate that goes nowhere! |
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| The grounds |
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| Roses are everywhere |
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| The bell tower! |
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| Next to the Monestary is a beautiful place to see. You have to walk down 277 stairs (John counted) There is a waterfall, pond, picnic places and you can take a horse ride. I wish I would have taken a horse ride out of there! 😩 |
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| Here is a very fancy shrine to Guadaloupe. Señorita Lupita as Greg calls her. This one has tiny rolling pins and cups and other knickknacks plastered all over the front. |
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| Here is the inside with Guadaloupe, a Nativity, a Christmas tree, flowers and other little stuffed animals. |
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| A little tree outside the shrine that is starting to bloom! |
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| This is what the area looks like - many tall pines all over the place. It is breezy and cool and very peaceful here. A little heaven not very far away from the hubbub of 25 million people in the city! |
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| Then you drive for a few minutes and there it is!!!! The City with Popo - the volcano in the background. It is a rare day to have it be so clear we can see Popo! Yes! We live in this city! Hard to imagine really!! |
Wednesday, Dec 30th
Today was a great day. We literally stuffed the Hackings and the Griffins and us in our car and drove over to the Temple for a session. The traffic was horrible so we almost missed the session. Actually Elder Griffin did miss the session. The workers in the dressing room wouldn't let him go up, but we all sat for 15 min waiting for him in the room. Ugh!! We had a nice session and Elder Griffin did sealings. We didn't go until the afternoon - 4 pm session and got out about 6:30. We drove over to Costco which was a very bad idea! The place was packed and there were no carts. Everyone was buying alcohol for New Years Eve. We bought Martinellis so we fit right in! We got a hot dog and salad at Costco food place and enjoyed dining outside on the patio with our buddies.
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| Temple night with the Hackings and Griffins |
Thursday, Dec 31st HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! 2016
Today has been a weird day. I haven't felt very good for some reason. My heart has been pounding and thumping all day. I must of eaten something to cause so much trauma. I laid low all day, but did manage to make some Cinnabon cinnamon rolls for tonight's celebration. We were able to pass out the last of our Christmas treats and still have a bunch of rolls for the party! We got together with the Griffins, Sandbergs, Pratts, Toblers and Hackings for a New Years Eve Party. We ate pizza, snacks galore and cinnamon rolls. We watched the movie "Mr. Holmes" about Sherlock Holmes. It was OK. We played a game - heads up and had a nice visit. We welcomed the New Year with Martinellis and huge sparklers on the balcony! Good times! Welcome 2016!
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| Happy New Year with our huge fireworks!! |
Friday, Jan 1st
There was a sister that has been sick for awhile in the Northwest mission - the Halls mission. We drove up to the mission home so Greg could see this sister. Sister Hall was putting away her Christmas decorations so while Greg saw the missionary - I helped put away the Christmas tree and decorations. We had a good time. I love Sister Hall. She is so sweet. Pres. Hall had bribed us with taking us to lunch if we drove up there so that happened . They wanted to try Fishers. We have been their once and weren't thrilled, but we were happy to be with the Halls. I don't think I will be going to Fishers again!!! We got home around 5:30 and the Griffins were calling for us to go see the Mockingjay 2 movie (Hunger Games) We left home at 6 pm, drove up to Interlomas, got our tickets and had soup and salad (Not very Hungry) at Olive Garden. The movie was exhausting to watch. It was pretty entertaining I guess. We got home after 11 pm. Oh these missionaries are a bad influence!!!😣
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| No peach pancakes just hot chocolate and cinnamon rolls on New Years Day! |
