Goodbye Cancun

 It's not everyday you see a mariachi band playing in the airport

A guy offered to help us and we were a little bit skeptical at first but we let him and it was worth it. He had us and our luggage checked in and through customs in no time. Cody tipped him a $5 bill and you would've thought we gave him $100. He was so excited and waving it to his buddy who was with him. I don't think we have any idea how they really live. 

Right before we boarded the plan I was pulled aside and "frisked", but I swear if she wasn't a woman I could've gotten pregnant. She was putting her hands in places that I didn't know could happen in public and it was in front of everyone. They made Cody, Scott and Raini board the plane before me so they didn't see it, but they could tell by the look on my traumatized face that something intense had just happened. I didn't dare do anything/say anything because I just wanted to get on that plane and not cause any problems or end up in a crazy Mexican jail. 

I immersed myself in my book to get my mind off of it once we were up and flying. I finished it on the way to Chicago and was crying, but it was because of the book and not what had happened.

I took these on the way out.

The water was so amazing. That's Cancun in the background

Goodbye Cancun, you were very good to us.

Clouds are so intriguing to me

When we landed in Chicago we could see our breath as we got off the plane. I couldn't believe the temperature difference, but is was SOOO nice to hear English again. I didn't realize how much I had missed hearing it. It was also so nice to have toilets that you can flush the paper down and toilet seat covers!!! It's the little things in life : )

We got stopped going through customs in Chicago and my first thought was here we go again. I reached for my bag after it came out of the x-ray tunnel and they freaked out a little. They wouldn't let me touch it and a man carried it to another section with more machines. It turned out to be nothing. We just had a bunch of seashells in there for the kids and they set off the alarm because the x-ray can't see through them/or the looked suspicious? I'm really not sure, but we checked out OK and they sent us on our way. 

Chicago from the plane.
 It was so fun to be able to spot the Christmas lights on the houses as we took off.

 We landed in Salt Lake at 10:30 pm. We were all anxious to get home and see out kids so we drove straight home. We dropped Scott and Raini off at their car in McCammon on the way and pulled in our driveway at 2:30 am. We slept in our own glorious bed and it was so good to be home.

12.9.16.

What a difference a plane ride makes:

Yesterday...

Today 

We picked the kids up first thing this morning. They were so excited to see us and we were so excited to see them.

We found the kids some Luchador Masks at a shop near Tulum. They loved them and every time they put them on they suddenly become crazed wrestlers!

We also got them these whistles that make the sounds of whatever animal they are when you blow in them. These are what Cody was bargaining for at Chichen Itza when he just walked away and the guy chased him down.
We also got Chloe a purse and they boys hats from a shop in Cancun.