The Jordan Journeys

Wednesday, May 10, 2017

Monday, May 8, 2017

My mom was diagnosed with breast cancer last year and fought hard thru her treatment over the last six months. Today, she is officially cancer free and undergoing radiation and other therapy to help prevent a return. We celebrated her successful battle with a girls trip to Cabo over Easter weekend.

My mom, sister, sister-in-law Holly, and Holly's mom all traveled to the same house in the neighborhood of Palmilla where Rick and Palmer and I went several years ago.

The neighborhood and home was even better than I remembered it last time. The landscaping of Palmilla is so lush and it's hard to beat the scenery off of our home's balcony.

Highlights included enjoying coconut margaritas and desserts from the incredible neighboring One and Only Palmilla resort.

Samantha booked us a cooking class at the Flora Farms restaurant outside of San Jose Del Cabo.

This was hands down the favorite outing of the trip. We spent three hours wandering the 100% farm to market grounds learning about the produce and techniques the kitchen uses to put food on the plates.

Then, we were taught the traditional ways to make roasted salsa, pico, guacamole with rosemary, and tortillas before feasting on the freshest and most luscious lunch. The scenery and experience is worth recommending to anyone who plans to travel to the area.

A trip to Cabo isn't complete without a (perhaps one and only) visit to the beautiful arches. We scored a water taxi and admit that the scenery was beautiful. However, the moment was lacking a little prominence due to the other 30 water taxis that surrounded our boat, also filled with tourists just like us. I think the Catholic holiday weekend of Easter added to the large crowds as the nearby beaches were also filled with local tourists.

The weekend was so fun and ended on a bitter-sweet note. We celebrated my (Easter) birthday with a full day, including a special Saturday night dinner and desserts.

Then, we returned to our home to learn that my beloved Grandpa died of a heart attack over the weekend. Both of my grandparents are now gone, within just a couple years of each other. Grandpa was nearly 93 and driving and living alone until the day he died. It's a blessing that his life was full and he had that independence and full schedule until his dying day.

In Cabo, we celebrated life in so many ways.

-Bethany

Wednesday, May 3, 2017

Wordless Wednesday

Samantha Thomas took this photo and alerted me that she would like a photo credit.

-Bethany

Wednesday, April 26, 2017

Wordless Wednesday

-Bethany

Monday, April 24, 2017

Egg Hunts and Easter

For some reason, Grace ended up attending six Easter egg hunts this year. Between playgroups and neighborhood festivities and school and Easter weekend, she got pretty good at bringing in the haul. It got to where Grace would wake up every morning and the first thing she would ask is if she could have more candy out of her eggs.

The playgroup gang (Palmer had to miss for baseball practice):

Another day, another hunt...

Petting zoo fun with Jackie.

And then there was the hunt at the Arboretum, which I booked in January when I was worried I wouldn't see a hunt with Grace this year since I was out of town for Easter weekend. (Whoops. I forgot about all of our little friend parties! Oh well. It was fun!)

I choose to enjoy all of these moments with Grace because the young years go by fast. Already, my big boy Kindergartner only had the two Easter weekend hunts because he was in school for all of the other parties.

I was out of town during Easter weekend. But, Rick held down the fort and shot some pics from the annual club hunt. He said Palmer has learned how to clean up while out on the field!

By Easter Sunday, everyone was worn out. Rick did a good job of coordinating the Easter baskets, hiding eggs around the house, and dressing everyone in their appropriate attire for church and the club. (No surprise that I left detailed lists and outfit piles for poor Rick!)

Of course, any mother could have predicted the chocolate cake staining Grace's dress, but I digress...

The family skipped the annual Easter parade this year in favor of some much-needed naps and birthday cake preps. I arrived home later that night to a sweet cake, balloons, and presents on my Easter birthday.