Easter Weekend

We had a great time last weekend . . .







at the park . . .











at the zoo . . .















watching Devin sit up . . .
















having a great shower for Bethany . . .





and making rice krispy treats











Thanks to Ryan and Brianna for hosting the parties!

Beautiful!

The Jacaranda trees are beautiful this time of year! We run past this one every morning.

Easter Fun

This is the official Easter Fun Site for the Reed Family - minus two daughters who will be having fun in Spain and one daughter who is studying hard in Provo.

Friday- Trip to the zoo during the day. Everyone is invited.

Saturday- Easter egg hunt at Ryan's neighborhood park at 4pm. You have been assigned the following items to bring:
Mom and dad will provide sloppy joes and dessert
Bex and Shawn will provide chips
Ryan and Brianna will provide the hunt

Sunday - Easter Dinner - (Petersons are invited as well) Check with Ryan for the time.
Mom and dad: Ham, rolls
Bethany and Brandon: Salad
Ryan and Brianna: Funeral potatoes
Bex and Shawn: Dessert

Any other suggestions, please let us know! See some of you soon.
Fernash and Poodle - Have fun in Spain! Baby the Shady - I hope you get invited to grandma's.

Helpful Hints for driving in Mexico City

Helpful hint #1: If a policeman tries to pull you over because you've made an illegal turn, pretend you don't hear his siren, or honking and ignore the flashing lights. Stay in the heaviest traffic possible in the middle lane - especially if you are lost and don't know where to go anyway. He'll eventually give up and go away.

Helpful hint #2: How to tell if you are in heavy traffic - a) if you're on the periferico (major freeway) and people in the bus behind you are getting off and walking past your car to get in the bus ahead of you, the traffic is bad; or if that doesn't clue you in - b) if there are people standing in the middle of the freeway with portable stands selling chips and soda to weary drivers you are probably in heavy traffic.

Helpful hint #3: Always have a full or nearly full tank of gas. You never know when a relatively short journey can turn into a 2 1/2 hour event, causing undue stress on dad-the-bad, or whoever you may have waiting at home.

Stay tuned for more helpful hints as MomTheBomb discovers La Ciudad de Mexico.

Nietas

Lately I've been buying costume jewelry from street vendors for my granddaughters. I really don't know why, other than I'm a sucker for the little kids selling them, and that I have the two most adorable granddaughters on the face of the earth, and they love girly things. (I also have an incredibly cute grandson, but since I would like to maintain my friendship with his father, I don't buy him jewelry.) But last night the little trinkets came in handy when I needed props for a program we were putting on at church. Thanks Mabel and Caroline.

Walmart

Today while shopping at Walmart some sort of siren went off. As most people were ignoring it, I thought nothing of it - until a police officer came up to me and asked me to leave the store. Since he had a gun and I did not, I complied. On the way out I asked him why he was making me leave, and he responded that there was a fire. Outside with the other people who had been ushered out I found out it was just a fire drill. Big difference. Can you hear my sigh of relief?

Magnificent Monarchs

The mountains of Mexico are the nesting grounds of the monarch butterfly. Each winter in mid-november, millions of monarchs migrate from the Great Lakes area to central Mexico. They return in mid-march, although different butterflies, as the lifespan of the monarch is only six weeks. Scientists have not figured out how they know to go to the exact same spot every year. They nest in the branches of tall fir trees, which bow under their burden and give them the appearance of orange leaves. They flutter through the sky in a blizzard of orange and black. We made a trip to see them today. The pictures below do not do them justice. It is truly a spectacular sight!

These aren't leaves - they're butterflies - millions of them. You can see how the trees bow under their weight.

This is a picture of the flurry of butterflies. Beautiful!

For $10 (US) you can rent a horse to hike up the mountain and for $6 more a guide to show you the best butterfly spots.

Truly, one of the hidden treasures of Mexico!