Painting night for YW

For our young women activity tonight, we had a painting night and watched tutorial on how to paint these adorable canvas flags.  Everyone's turned out so cute but different in their own way.  Such a fun night with these lovely ladies!

 

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 23

Our last day here and we can't hardly believe our time is up!  Our flight left at 2:30 this afternoon so we spent the morning doing all sorts of last minute prep on the house before we leave it for a couple months.  We planted our first plant out near the water tower, we filled in the holes around the house where we'd dug out for repairs, hooked up a large propane tank, mopped floors and washed all the sheets and towels, packed our bags and even managed to fit every one of our bags into the trunk of the rental car.  We figured since we have the rental car still that we might as well use it to take us back to the airport.  So we parked the van in the garage and locked up the gate then loaded all 8 of us into the small 5 passenger car along with 8 suitcases and 8 backpacks.  It was a squish for sure.  But we made it the short 25 minute drive without doing any major damage to anything or anyone on the way.  Josh dropped us off at the airport to check in and he drove the car back to return it and ride the shuttle back.  It worked out great and the kids and I got through security and to our gate without any problems.  

As I sit here waiting for our plane to arrive I'm thinking back to our month here in PR and all that we've done.  We learned a lot, made some progress and came together as a family to work on something amazing.  That first week when we had our flood and the power outage seem like months ago instead of weeks.  The days of water going out on us are now routine and we've figured out how to work around them (keeping empty bottles full of water under the kitchen sink and a bucket full in the shower).  We've all learned that we kind of love cold water showers (though it might take a lot for us to actually admit it).  And I bet none of us will be able to sleep when we get home without the fan blowing on us all night and the jungle alive with sound all around us.  We surely have a lot to look forward to when he get back to Utah, but we are leaving a big part of us behind here too.  Our love for the island and the people here has grown enormously and I know we'll never be the same.  That's the goal I guess.  To become different and better as we progress through life and meet new people and places.  We've certainly done that this month here.  We're different and I believe we're better for the time we've spent and the moments we've had here doing a whole array of things.  Bugs and bites and floods and hard work and laughter and sweaty clothes and dirty feet and adventuring and rainstorms and lizards and rainbows...that will do it to us all.  We're grateful and forever will be for our time at Citrus Hill.  We'll be back...

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 22

Today we drove mom and dad to the airport first thing.  It was raining on and off and the rain gave us this spectacular rainbow to watch almost the whole way there.  We talked with mom and dad on the way and reminisced about the week and what we had accomplished.  We agreed that we wouldn't have gotten near as much done without them here, so for that we are grateful!  Our time with them has been productive and memory filled and we were sad to have to say goodbye.  

We spent the rest of the day cleaning the house, washing clothes and packing up ourselves as we are headed back tomorrow too.  We realize that there is much to be done and many more hours/days/weeks of work ahead of us.  But we do feel good about what we've accomplished to this point.

Tonight was a treat and we got to meet up with some dear friends from home The Bartnikis!  They just got here yesterday and are vacationing the rest of the week on the island so we made a date to meet for dinner while our time overlapped.  We LOVED seeing and being with them and talked and talked into the night over delicious seafood looking out at the ocean.  It was a perfect setting for our last night here!

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 21

Sunday today and a great relaxing day it was! We took mom and dad to our little branch and they joined right in and met all our new friends. I play the piano in sacrament meeting and Josh said the opening prayer today. Every week they announce our family as visiting and welcome us to the branch. It’s so cute and we feel so loved and taken care of. We have grown to love the sister missionaries and look forward to seeing them whenever we can. Josh was still on a high from teaching a discussion with them yesterday and we all got to meet Esther who will be getting baptized this coming Wednesday! We’re so excited for her!

We had a lazy afternoon and read, slept and made dinner of all the things we had left in our fridge and freezer. We ended up with roast, a small pan of mashed potatoes, baked broccoli and cauliflower, Caesar salad and a fruit bowl. Capped off with a pan of overcooked brownies, that tasted more like brownie brittle, and vanilla ice cream. We celebrated Papa’s birthday with him today and brownies were the only thing we knew he’d for sure want. I bet he never forgets these brownies. Puerto Rican style. 

This evening we walked down to the basketball court and played speed and circle football with Grammie and Papa. It’s been such a beautiful day and this evening is no different. The perfect temperature for a walk. We have loved every minute of having them here with us and we’re sad to see them go tomorrow. We rounded out the night with a game of scum and and a game of 3s. Of course Papa won both games (eye roll) like he always does. Happy birthday to him!

What a fun week we’ve had!

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 20

Saturdays are more special than ever, and shorter too!  Pressure washing (again) was the order of the day.  Intermittent water pressure didn't do us any favors so we had to switch to cleaning up from the boys "machete adventures" the day before (see Keen cleaning up his hack job on a plantain tree below).   The issues with the foundation leaks got their final seal and we went back to knock out the final sections that needed pressure washing upstairs.  I also found myself battling a few bites from our trip to Charco Frio the day before.  Lot's of swelling but little pain... grit your teeth and bare it! It's what dads do. 

Before we even arrived, the kids heard of our concrete water cistern/storage shed (aka "the Shed") and they were convinced (by their mother) that they should make it one of a kind.  14 cans of spray paint later we now have an eclectic masterpiece on our hands.  

As you can see,  Liev went a little "tribal" on us Beck's textbook concentrically circular blob took shape and Desh went into full abstract mode while taking special care to ration the precious gold and silver colors for pipes, valves and anything else that should look metal (A squirt of black was also reserved for his own belly button).  Rhen took on the tropical mural and Rease capped it off with some Puerto Rican pride. 

The rain came while Keen and I were out running errands, so naturally, off came the clothes!  Who knew rainwater, straws and partial nudity could make for hours of fun!?

By the end of the day the upstairs inside was as clear as we could get.  Believe it or not, these are progress pictures.  The darker and nastier it looks, the better it is for paint once rough electrical and plumbing are done. 



There is always a moment of pause at the end of the day and it reminds us of why we're doing this and how cool an opportunity we have on our hands.  Liev and I caught our end of day moment together up on thee deck. 

You can always tell how tired your kids are by what time and how they fall asleep.  Last nights sleeping positions were particularly telling.  These boys are getting big and lanky!



Almost at the stroke of midnight, we awoke to a booming thunderstorm, a short power outage just to punctuate the day.  We sure are in a groove but we can feel the end coming way too quickly.  This Dad for one is getting a little cranky at the prospect of a return to the states.   :(

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 19

We spent the morning at one of our favorites spots - Charco Frio. It’s a river with some swimming holes, cliff jumps and natural rock water slides and we love the fresh water in the middle of the jungle! The hike up is only about 10-15 minutes but pretty muddy the whole way. Papa asked Desh if he would help him so he wouldn’t slip in the mud. Desh took his job very seriously and didn’t let go of Papa’s hand the whole way. I overheard him many times saying “Now Papa this is a good place for your right foot” or “ Papa watch out for that mud puddle. That’s where Beck lost his shoe last time.”  Such a cute tour guide for Papa!

One we got there we found a whole bunch of people at the main swimming hole and rope swing. Last time we were here we had the place almost to ourselves.  But it was totally fine and we had plenty of time to rope swing and cliff jump as much as we wanted! Beck and Desh even got in on the rope swing action and had a couple turns themselves. They were so proud. 

After a while we hiked the rest of the way up to the water slides. There’s a lower slide that has a great swimming hole with it and then an upper slide that I don’t think many people actually know about. Either that or they’re not crazy enough to go on it like we did. Whatever the reason, we got to the top slide and not another person was there which was awesome. As we were hiking up and around, Papa took one look at where we were headed and asked, “Is that what we’re sliding down?!” It does look a bit narrow on the rocky slide and it drops into a swirling vortex of terror, but other than that it’s totally fine!  Josh showed him how it was done and after he watched a few of the kids also go down, he figured it was fine. So off he went too! I will admit this…these are some of the life moments that my momma heart has a hard time. The pool at the end of this drop is swirly and deep and it catches you into a little cave that is sometimes hard to get out of. It’s not dangerous because you can stand in the cave, but I do have a hard time getting out of it myself if I don’t swim really hard right through the middle of the falls. Anyway, as I sat up there watching my kids slide down and drop under the water I had to just take a minute and remind myself that doing hard things is good for them. And watching them do hard things is good for me! We all learn what we’re made of when we’re in moments that are a little scary or a little hard. I keep learning daily from each of my kids that they’re made of some pretty tough stuff. They get nervous but that doesn’t stop them from trying things. Any of them. Including 5 and 6 year old Beck and Desh, who jumped off cliffs and slid into the swirling vortex of terror just like their older siblings. Tough stuff. And at the end of it, Josh was there grabbing on to each of their hands if they needed an extra pull out of the cave. Just like they all knew he would be :) They are all quite amazing. I took my turn into the vortex and I’ll tell you this, it’s so fun! And Josh had to help me more than anyone so that tells you something there. My kids are all tougher than I am!

We spent a good amount of time at the lower slide where the slide is super easy and calm and the swimming hole is so fun! There’s a really tall cliff that everyone likes to jump off and even Liev got up there this time and had a turn! As a few of us were down in the pool watching the jumpers, all of a sudden Desh started screaming as he was being swept away down the river and over a small little lip of rocks. I literally glanced away for one second and off he went! I was able to swim after him and grab his life jacket before he tumbled over some other rocks. More than anything I think it scared him (and me) for just a few seconds. All was well and we swam and jumped and played in the cool water and didn’t want to leave! 

There was one other scary moment as Rhen and a couple others were scaling the wall to get to the top of the tall cliff. She was about halfway up and her foot slipped, she banged her knee on the wall and it knocked her off balance. I looked up just as she was falling off the wall into the rocks below her. She landed on her back and I was worried that she was hurt bad. It turns out that she landed mostly on her tailbone and not her back which is really painful for her but so much better than what it could have been. I’m so grateful that she was able to get up and walk away from that without a serious injury.  She’ll be sore for a little while but I’m so glad she’s ok!

A couple of scares today but it did not stop us from having an amazing time today! We got home and had lots of stories to tell and moments to remember. 

Tonight we had the sister missionaries over for dinner and a lesson and we have grown to love those two! Sister Lisonbee and Sister Scoffield are the sisters here and they are sweet and hard working and we’re so grateful to have had some time with them. 

After dinner the girls took a night for ourselves and walked around the kiosks in Luquillo and stopped for a frozen drink at one of the restaurants. It was fun to be out and the girls are crazy and cute and never a dull moment with them around! We have loved having mom and dad here with us this week and we’re going to miss them when they go. For now, we’re enjoying every minute we can :)

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 18

Back to pressure washing today. Gosh it’s a lot of work and it sure looks like we still have a long way to go. But actually by the end of the day I realized we’re farther along than I thought. Mostly we just have the kitchen and the hallway left so maybe one more full day and the inside will be all done! 

It definitely takes a team effort to get the job done. The pressure washer spits out so much water that 3 or 4 have to be using the squeegees while another sprays. And it gets MESSY! We rotated washers a lot today cause Papa’s neck gets tired from looking up. Even the kids got in on it today and did awesome. While some are squeegeeing and spraying the others are peeling paint off wherever possible. That’s my least favorite job so I stick to the squeegee. 

Desh snuck a long nap in today. He has an ear infection and hasn’t been feeling well the last couple days. So sleep was in order for him and he seemed to feel a lot better when he woke up. Beck had a paint scraper incident and got a little cut above his eye. Proud of it cause it means he worked hard. 

Keen found an old machete in the shed and decided to try and use it on the weeds outside. That’ll keep him busy for a while. I’ll let him keep at it for now. 

The rest of us tallied our battle wounds tonight after work was done and between sunburns, blisters and sprained ankles, we’re all a bit hobbled. Lots of work going on here and it’s showing. 

I do love looking out from the deck in the evenings at the great view we have. Man we’re lucky to have this place and I remind myself if it everyday. 

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 17

Today we took a day off work and snuck away to play all day. We got up early and drove the short way to Ceiba to jump on the ferry out to Culebra. This tiny island is one of our favorite little spots and a place we always try and go when we have the chance. Tickets to get on the ferry are not expensive but they’re a little hard to come by if you don’t plan ahead. A couple weeks ago we watched out for some openings and got tickets for this week knowing mom and dad would be here. It turned out to be the perfect break for all of us! 

The ride on the ferry this morning was actually really great. I typically get really motion sick on the ride over but today it was pretty smooth sailin. 

Our first stop on the island was Tamarindo Beach for snorkeling. We packed all our snorkel stuff with us so we were set. We set up a spot on the beach underneath some trees for shade and everyone came and went from the water to the shade. 

The snorkeling here was so fun and funnest of all is that we saw lots of turtles! The kids took turns with the go pro and caught some awesome moments on camera. At one point we were swimming with 5 turtles! It was amazing. 

Sting rays, star fish, and all sorts of other sea life were down there and we had the best time capturing and taking it all in. 

After a couple hours at Tamarindo we headed to our favorite beach of all - Flamenco Beach. It has perfectly white sand and the clearest green water you’ve ever seen. The backdrop is incredible and swoops around in a perfect half circle of a cove. The waves are great to boogie board and it’s sunny and beautiful! Overall probably our #1 beach that we would choose to go to. We had the rest of the day at this gorgeous place and set up our spot with umbrellas, chairs and coolers of food for lunch and snacking. The kids had an absolute blast boogie boarding, digging sand holes and crashing through the waves. I love to do each of those with the kids too but also love taking it all in from the shore. I LOVE to see my kids explore, play and have fun together. This was the day for that! 

Papa got out there boogie boarding with the boys and they even had Grammie out there a few times on the board as well. Mostly we just enjoyed the sun and chance to play! 

I tried really hard to close my eyes a few times and nap while the kids played, but I kept getting interrupted by someone needing more sunscreen (which was actually never enough),  the umbrella blowing away or Grammie interrupting my quiet time with another question. I actually never slept for longer than 27 seconds. I timed it myself. 

We laughed at everyone around us that huddled under the little bit of shade their umbrellas were casting, especially as the sun got right overhead. We thought it was hilarious to see 7 or 8 people standing under a tiny umbrella trying to get out of the sun - then we looked down and realized we were doing the same thing! Ha! The shade was a nice retreat from the sun every once in a while :)

When it was time to get back on the ferry for home, we were tired and sunburned but so happy to have had a day at the beach together! Aside from a moment that Grammie got fired up at the poor shuttle driver and Keen losing his boogie board and also my goggles (not sure how theirs both got lost in one day) the day was basically perfect.  We have tan lines and sun burned spots where the sunscreen was not applied correctly and hungry bellies that can’t wait to get home for dinner, but oh we had a good time today! 

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 16

Highlights of day 16 on this amazing island:

- The water was still off this morning when we got back from the gym. It’s typically back on by 4 or 5 in the morning but not the case today. We took advantage of no water and relaxed for a couple hours this morning before we had to start up the pressure washer again :) We had breakfast upstairs on the porch and studied and read before the day had to start for good. 

- Josh took the first swings with his new machete. I think he feels officially Puerto Rican now. 

- We make fruit and yogurt bowls every morning for breakfast.  Such delicious fruit here!

 - Beck took over the top spot of most mosquito bites. Rease has been holding strong in that spot for the past two weeks but Beck definitely earned it today!

- The boys each got their own squeegee and finally feel like they can contribute. 

- We got the back two bedrooms and bathrooms all done with the pressure washer! Such long hours up there with the water and paint everywhere but I can see the progress. It’s going to be done one of these days I just have to believe that :)

- Liev slipped on the wet tile upstairs and bonked his forehead on the ground pretty good. His goose egg is one for the books!

- Desh has an ear infection and luckily for us Papa is here and was able to call in some ear drops for us. 7 phone calls back and forth to Walgreens, one prescription transfer and 3 hours later we finally had the drops in hand and put them in just as he was going to bed. Hopefully he gets some relief. 

Overall a good solid day of lots of work sprinkled with some fighting here and there and lots of laughter. Sound like a normal family? It is here!

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 15

Mom and dad put us right to work this morning. We broke out the pressure washer, grabbed our goggles and squeegees and made a day of pressure washing the heck out of the upstairs! Papa was the man with the wand and anyone who knows him knows that he’s the perfect one for the job. His OCD kicked in and he was not about to leave one speck of paint left on those ceilings or walls! 

At one point the water pressure dropped and we had to wait until we had more water coming in so we resorted to peeling off the paint by hand. It was…not the funnest job and we got sore fingers quickly. But Rease and the team of Papa/Rhen had a competition to see who could get the biggest paint peel without it ripping  and they both were dedicated in their quest to win the prize. I think Papa and Rhen may have taken the top spot but Rease was a really close 2nd! And by the time the water came back on we had peeled away quite a chunk of the paint on a couple walls. Papa turned the pressure washer back on and started back up in the back rooms for another round. 

8 hours and lots of water and paint flecks later, we pulled out our ear plugs, put the squeegees down and surveyed what we had accomplished.  We got a lot done in the back two bedrooms and felt good about that. But also realized the big job that is still ahead of us…sigh. Our goal? Just keep at it. We’ll get there. 

The boys were helpful and also took some time for lizard and frog hunting. Desh rotates clothes hourly and sometimes doesn’t even bother to replace the wet ones and opts for nude lizard hunting instead. Most of the time his clothes are wet from dunking in and out of the water barrel on the back patio so at least he’s keeping me from doing more laundry when he has his “streaking” intervals. 

Grammie brought each of the boys some glow sticks and light up helicopter shooters. They waited all day for night to come so they could have a “light show” with all their glowing toys. It didn’t last long as most of the helicopters ended up on the neighbors roof within the first 3 minutes. Liev and keen tried hard to figure out if they knew enough Spanish words to ask the neighbor to get on his roof and get their copters, but in the end decided they didn’t and figured they’d have dad help them in the morning :) 

We’re right in the middle of our second book and typically Beck and Desh fall asleep about a minute into our reading at night. Tonight Liev and keen we’re awake until the end of the chapter and then had some time to read on their own before lights out. It turned out they were more tired than they thought and each fell asleep with their own books in hand. 

We worked hard today and we were all feeling it tonight as we’re climbing into bed. I’m sure none of us will have a problem getting sleep tonight!

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 14

Happy Father’s Day to our dad! We couldn’t be more excited to celebrate this amazing guy that we get to call Dad. The kids were so cute and decorated our bedroom door with a “tie attack” and cute notes.

Father’s Day breakfast consisted of a chocolate pop tart and a fruit bowl. All made with love by each of these adorable children :)

We went to church and met a family that was visiting from utah and chatted with them for while. We became fast friends and told them all our secret spots on the island to visit while they’re here. Later this afternoon they called us and asked if they could come see our house so we got to visit with them again for a while as we showed them through the house and our project. They kept telling us how brave we were to take on something like this and I agree! You have to be just a little bit crazy to want to rehab a house in the jungle :) 

We finished up painting in the house and everyone is happy with the end product. We all agree that the before and after is definitely better after! The girls moved out of their room today in preparation for Papa and Grammie to get here and take the second bedroom. Rease immediately moved to the hammock out in the garage and then set up the air mattress on our floor and settled in with us. 

The boys spent the afternoon searching for lizards and caught dozens of them throughout the day. The lizards got to take a ride on a boat (a frisbee) in the big ocean (the water tank in the garage) and we even lost a few overboard (RIP). Josh made friends with a stick bug and the boys showered with the bucket again tonight since the water has gone out just in celebration of Father’s Day…

Hamburgers for dinner and some story telling on the top deck rounded out the day. We can’t tell you how much we love this dad of ours! 

Josh and I left for the airport later this evening to pick up my mom and dad who will be here with us for the week. It’s going to be so fun to have them here and we can’t wait to show them how much we love this life down here! 

Happy Father’s Day!

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 13

Natalie's digits need "un descanso" so here I am taking the wheel.  Sorry in advance for not meeting your expectation in both detail and context.  

Saturday's are big day for us Puerto Ricans.  No 9-5 regular work means we get after it at the crack of dawn to get a jump on heat and variable weather conditions.  We dug up and removed the remaining large weeds in the yard. Got after it with a hidden junk pile that included galvanized and PVC pipes mixed with plywood and a huge bundle of rusty razor wire all wrapped up in jungle overgrowth.  You can only imagine how sloppy this daddy got dislodging that mess.    All this was mixed in with pestering bugs, chasing, catching and naming lizards, a juvenile tarantula (see picture below) and all sorts of distractions to help Dad yell more than he has to date this whole trip. 

It was also time to get the bottom of our water leak situation.  We dug in and around the foundation to discover two holes, one the size of your fist, that where the clear culprits of our despair last week.   They were quickly plugged and waterproofed, now we've got our fingers crossed that we won't see water inside anytime soon.  

After a good nap (also required by Dad), Nat and the girls headed straight inside to finish painting the inside downstairs.  I wasn't fond of the light blue at first but it's growing on me.  I went upstairs for a maiden voyage with our pressure washer and the that little guy didn't disappoint. The boys will soon be master squegeers but for now I'll make use of their novice skills. 

We hit a hard stop at 4 o'clock then hit the showers before going out on the town for date night.  One of the least romantic things I could think of was used car shopping so it seemed like a logical choice.   The pandemic has created a wild shortage of used cars of all shapes and sizes on the island so there wasn't much of a selection, but we did find this little number at a good price with low mileage with none of greasy salespeople, worry or the anxiety you'd expect.  Our salesperson Julissa was top notch!

We then zipped off in separate cars in the middle of a rainstorm for dinner at a new place that may be our new favorite, El Nuevo Acuario.  It wasn't much to look at but the food was absolutely outstanding!  Lobster empanadas, firecracker grouper and red snapper were the order of the day and they did not disappoint! 

The owner (Leonardo) came out to visit with us and we struck up a fast friendship that included his origin story, a quick account of our adventure and him nailing the fact that we're members of the church.  He said "he just knew".  Like any friends would, we exchanged phone numbers, got some locals only tips, made some tentative plans to meeting for kite flying, an invitation to our house (when ready) and a standing offer for us to borrow his truck whenever we need it. 



These people are special and most of them don't even realize it.  They have an energy and spirit that makes you want to be together, to be connected, to serve and to love them the way you wish you could and should love everyone.  We are so blessed and it is people like Leonardo and so many others that continue to validate why we felt so strongly that we need strong roots in PR.   What a wonderful Saturday!

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 12

Today was a good day! A handful of great things happened before the day was even half over! First off I feel so lucky to have a washer and dryer now. Josh got it all hooked up and ready to go last night and we woke up this morning and the water was back on so I started a load first thing this morning! It is a luxury to have one in our house and I’m so grateful for it. We washed clothes and sheets all day long and I feel like everything is clean and fresh again :)

Josh found a bulge in the tire of his rental car which was crazy. But called the road side insurance and they came right out and put the spare tire on for us. We’ll have to go trade the rental car in for another one tomorrow but for now it’s all fixed. 

We got our cistern dropped off this morning too! 600 gallon water tank that’s going on the roof as soon as it’s all done. We can’t wait! I never realized how much we use water until we don’t have it. Can’t wait for the day when we can go a full 24 hours without it turning off. 

The roof is all cleaned off and ready to seal. Josh and I climbed up there this morning and it’s quite the view from the top level. 

So many good things happening first thing this morning. 

Mid morning we got around to painting the front room. Taping is always the worst part but the three of us made quick work of it and then got to paint. It’s definitely a brighter color and we’re hoping it brightens and open things up in here!

The boys played on the back patio all morning with this garbage can full of water and the hose. They made up a basketball dunking game and just played and played out there. These hilarious boys in their underwear were so stinking cute!

This afternoon the kids and I drove down to swim at Carmen’s new apartment pool. We took a little detour and drove to her house the long way via juncos and humacao down south. We were headed to find a waterfall in the country past canovanas when she called and said she was ready for us to come. So we switched plans and drove down to Ceiba to spend some time with her. It made for a long time on the road and in the car but we made the best of it! We laughed and sang songs and the drive was gorgeous so the scenery was fun to see! When we got to her new house she showed us around and then the kids just wanted to swim. And swim we did! We stayed in the pool over two hours before she finally came out and said that dinner was ready. She’s so sweet and wanted to cook for us and we were happy to take her up on it :) She made a delicious dinner and then we sang some songs with her before we said goodbye for the evening. We’re so grateful to have her in our lives and have her as a friend. It was a great ending to such a good day!

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 11

Today Josh and I took some time to get our washer and dryer working. I am determined to no have to take clothes to the laundromat again but we’re getting close! The huge pile of laundry is getting bigger as the hours pass! 3 trips to Home Depot, a man with a saw and a little patience and we finally got it figured out. And wouldn’t you know…now that we can actually wash clothes, we have no water. Go figure. It’s been out for hours today and I’m hoping that sometime during the night it will magically come back. Crossing our fingers for that one. 

The roof crew got done with the clean up part and pressure washed off all the debris that was laying around from the removal of all the junk up there. Now it looks all nice and shiny and ready for the next step!

We had some down time in between Home Depot runs and the rain outside forced us in, so we passed the time playing games and cleaning up a little around the house. 

Tonight we had the sister missionaries over and had such a fun time! Cute sisters with lots of love and personality and we loved getting to know them better. We had tacos and fruit and after they played a game with us and taught us a lesson about the apostasy. So fun to have them in our home!

And…we finished up our first book tonight! The boys and I have been reading every night as finished the first book in our series. 3 more to go and I’m not sure we’ll make it through all of them, but we’ve gotten a good start!

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 10

Today I took the kids on a “road trip” to the north coast of the island. We’ve been on a road trip every year for the last several years so I thought it might be fun to do a mini one this year and explore some new places. We typically stay in the east side when we come to PR so this was new for all of us. We packed our cooler, threw the boogie boards and snorkel gear in the trunk and squished into the car Puerto Rican style and took off!  I had Liev and Keen double buckled up front with me and the other four in the back. It was tight but totally fine. We drove to the furthest place on our list first and made our way back from there. It was about an hour and a half drive and at first the kids complained that it would be too long. But we got some good music going and we laughed and joked our way to the northwest side and before we knew it we had arrived. 

Our first stop was a spot called Pozo del Bispo. It was a pretty little spot with a lighthouse on the hill and a perfect swimming hole made from an inlet of water surrounded by rocks. The kids had a great time snorkeling here and saw lots small swordfish here. The rocks made the perfect surf break and I thought the waves crashing along the rocks made for a gorgeous background. There was a local guy spear fishing and he had a whole line of octopus that he caught. He said fresh octopus is one of the most delicious things to eat so I promised myself I’d try it sometime soon! We hiked up the hill a bit and saw the incredible coastline with jagged rocks all along the way and waves crashing over them. So pretty!

At lunchtime we headed back to the car and had sandwiches and chips for lunch then drove back along the coast and enjoyed the scenery along the way. The beaches up here are much more rough and jagged with rocks but absolutely gorgeous! We stopped at one spot hoping to get some boogie boarding in but realized within the first five minutes that it was just too rough for our group of smaller people. The beach itself was sandy all the way but the waves crashed in hard and dropped off deep not too far from the shore. I think it might be a perfect spot for surfing but I’m no expert :) 

Rhen found a little mossy friend inside her swimsuit once we got back in the car and Waa Waa sunbathed on the dashboard We saw some cute towns and houses as we drove and also stopped for a quick picture at the “Birth of the New World” monument that commemorates the 500th anniversary of Columbus’ first voyage. It was a huge monument and the boys said it looks like a pirate ship, which I agreed with. But we couldn’t find the road to get up there so we opted for a quick pic along the side of the road.  There was a moment as we were driving that I almost pooped  my pants. Literally. Remember…I have all six kids in the car with me. So 7 people in a 5 person car. Totally jammed in. So, I’m just driving minding my own business and switched lanes in front of a big van that had lots of different logos all over it. I didn’t think anything of it when we passed it. Immediately the van let out a little siren like honk at me and flashed the lights that were on top. A cop! At least I was sure it was in that moment. I pushed keens head down and yelled to the kids to hold still. I pulled off to the side of the road, resigned to the fact that I was going to jail that instant. The van pulled past me and just kept driving. Rease and Rhen quickly pointed out that the van was a junior college advertising van and not a cop at all. We had a good laugh and I’m sure the guys in the van laughed too knowing that they got me good and scared…

We made our way to one of the most picturesque beaches I’ve seen called Mar Chiquita. It was a stunning cove of a beach with a rock ledge almost all the way around that made for great swimming, snorkeling and sea glass hunting. We LOVED this place and spent the next few hours here just absolutely enjoying ourselves and scorching our white skin. I tried hard to keep enough sunscreen on but in the end we all got a little crispy. This place. Gorgeous. 

We left Mar Chiquita and drove about 45 minutes back to San Juan where we met up with Josh for dinner and walked around the fort in Old San Juan. This big field is one of our favorites to watch the sunset and play on the enormous field. We brought the frisbee with us and played for a while until we were all tired and ready for our beds. 

I love these little people that are my companions in all the crazy that we want to do! I’m so grateful that they go along withy ideas and plans and have a good time doing it all with me! And Josh…no words to describe the man by my side through this adventure. He’s. The. Best. 

Successful road trip in my book! 

Puerto Rico Citrus Hill Project - Day 9

We’ve gotten into a routine around here. Mornings start out early as josh and Rease and I have been going to the gym at 5:00 and trying to be home by 6:30 to get the day started before it gets too hot. We have Spanish study and scripture study and then sometime during the day the kids work on their school workbooks. (Something I bought so I could have some downtime for a few minutes while they do their “studying”. It works amazing! Ha!) They each do 5 pages and then once they get them passed off they can be done for the day. So cute to see them all studying and reading. 

The roof project is in full swing and they work hard I’m there. There’s lots of tar and debris falling down from there and I can tell the progress is being made! While they worked on the roof we took some time upstairs to take some old shelves off the wall and haul the wood out. We also swept out the standing water and keep hoping that the water from there doesn’t leak into our part of the house down here. So far it hasn’t. The kids worked hard taking out nails and learning how to use a crowbar to remove wood. They also told me that there was a huge “hornet wasp” on the floor in the bathroom and had me come look. I guess they haven’t been exposed to cockroaches enough in their life to know what one is when they see it. They’ll figure it out before the end of the trip I’m sure…

After we worked we all sat around the empty space upstairs and each took a turn talking about their idea of what the space should be like when it’s finished. Liev wants a pool table, Keen described in detail what the kitchen should look like (of course), Rhen wants bright colors on the walls, Rease said we should have hammocks hooks in all the rooms, Beck wants a TV in the kitchen and Desh just said that he’d at least like to have the floor all cleaned up. All good ideas that we will definitely take into consideration. I love this dreaming stage that we’re all in! So fun!

After lunch Josh had some work calls to take care of so the rest of us loaded into the car and took off for Home Depot and Walmart. Let me tell you how we roll here in PR…with two small cars and only me as a  driver when Josh doesn’t come with us, we just slam into one car and double buckle all over then place. It’s amazing. And then when we shop and have stuff to try and fit in as well…now that’s when the fun begins! We bought paint and barstools, squeegees and groceries. And a bunch of other stuff. And managed to fit us and all the rest of our stuff in with us. We deserve a medal. 

Tonight we walked down to the baseball court and played until the sun went down. I wish we could get the lights turned on and play into the night, but no luck. I told Josh that we should clean the court up and invite all the neighbors for a basketball tournament one of these weekends. It would be the funnest! I’d love to see the place cleaned up and used more often! I’ll see what I can do about organizing that…

For now, we’ll use it and enjoy the heck out of it! 

Day 9 over and out…