MEXICO 2008

The Mollenhauers sure know how to do a family vacation. The main reason for us to come to AZ during this school break was to head south of the border to our fav vaca spot: Puerto Penasco (aka Rocky Point). I HIGHLY recommend if you haven't been there it is FABULOUS! Here are the pics to prove it:

Gracie and Tyrus

Boys will be boys...






look closely...yes, he got too close to a fuse that was too short and the firework actually hit him in the head as it flew up to explode and threw Lance and David to the ground. Sorry Nat for ruining the hair cut!

Blake and Britt. Notice the view from our balcony.

Gracie, David G., Lance and Tyrus




While the dads and kids were busy in the sand, the girls were lounging. I think I didn't move from a 5 foot radius for about 5 hours or so... but I did enjoy fresh mangos and lime from my fav mango man, and of course the burrito lady passed by and I didn't pass up her potato burrito.

Much needed rest after basking in the sun

What can make a family grow closer than 15 people in a 3 bedroom condo? Thanks Dad and Mom for making it happen. I don't know the last time the ENTIRE family was all together let alone all sleeping under the same roof. Thank you for letting us take an additional car to avoid 15 people in the 15-passenger van (with 4 children under the age of 3)! WE LOVE YOU!

Sienna and Eric

David, Tyrus, Sienna, and Michelle

Us missing the sunset they captured 5 mins earlier


Ready for a day on the beach

Hanging out during nap time


Table no. 1 at our fav taco shop. We stop here EVERY time we are in Mexico and talk to the family that runs the shop.


Table number 2, angle 1

Notice Gracie in this pic. we had a bit of a frightening experience while at the taco shop. Gracie had gotten a bit too much sun and we thought she was tired and sunburned. After shopping downtown we stopped to eat lunch at the taco shop and Gracie started to break down. She got to the point of being inconsolable and we couldn't comfort her or get her to sleep. We happened to notice her head was beyond HOT. I have NEVER felt a body part as hot as I had felt her head. I was very concerned but tried to keep it under control. Soon she started to drift off to sleep on us but her body was slightly convulsing and her head still getting hotter. We thought we might have to pack up and head to the ER across the border (4 hours) so we gave her a priesthood blessing and scooted her back to the a/c-ed condo. Immediately following the blessing she calmed down enough to get into the car to go to the condo. We raced through town and when we laid down in the condo and took her temp her head was CONSIDERABLY cooler (almost night and day) and her temp then was 102.7 degrees!! How grateful I am for the priesthood and for having a husband and bro in law who were worthy to bless her on the spot.I am so grateful that our Heavenly Father watches over and protects us. We are truly blessed.


All in all, we had an awesome time in Mexico and can't wait to return! It was a much needed and deserved, restful, and relaxing vacation.

Catch Up BIG TIME!

Here we go...

I will try to sum up the fun we have had on our vacation these past 2 weeks! It's been a whole TON of FUN! Let's start with the garden before we left. I am very proud of my garden. I was convinced I had a black pinky (opposite of green thumb), but apparently it just takes a little work to develop the green-ness of the thumb:

So sweet tasting, I haven't shared ANY of our strawberries, I've eaten them all myself! whoops!

Lance says that everything has grown like crazy since we've been gone and I have tons of wild flowers and fruits a bloomin', I can't wait to see it!

Sweet Pea (formerly titled "My")

Here's the results of our newborn photo shoot! I was very happy with what we got!!
THANKS HEATHER!!!

Isn't she gorgeous! Lance, get the gun!

Thanks to heatherwardphotography.com:

To the Three Best Dads I Know (and LOVE)

Dad#1: My daddy
my personal coach, mover, counselor (always good for fatherly advice), mechanic, handy man, money man, personal shopper, chef, and wonderful example! I LOVE YOU!



Dad #2: Lance's Dad
aka Grumpa (not really because he's grumpy)
To the greatest father-in-law! Our family travel agent, financial advisor, business man, advice giver (don't worry we usually ask for it), also a wonderful example, and much much more! WE LOVE YOU!



Dad #3: the father of my chilren (aka Lance)
No wonder I have such beautiful chilren!! Look at this cutie!

I couldn't have imagined a better father to our girls! Even though it was Father's Day (and the beginning of FINALS week) I still got a nap, help with dinner (I planned a way too big of a meal in a too short amount of time), help with diapers and dishes too! What mother gets spoiled on FATHER'S DAY??? ME!!!! I LOVE YOU!!

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!!!

Here's our Kami!

Our new family of 4!

Big Sis and Little Sis

G wanting to hold the new baby.

I know this isn't a very good pic of her, but THANK YOU to Karen for flying up here and taking care of all of us, especially Gracie! We were spoiled and loved every minute of it! WE LOVE YOU!!!

the little munchkin barely fitting into her car seat. In fact, the straps are tightened all the way and still a little too loose on her!

loving to be home! Thanks A.V. for the cute outfit!

with Papa

*Another HUGE THANKS to my parents for coming out to help us!!! We LOVED having you visit and take care of us, THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU! Thanks to our families (and friends) I haven't cooked in over 2 weeks!!!

THE GIRLS

Grandma and Kami

don't you just love that face!

Lucky for us Grandma and Grandpa Mollenhauer were in town for a chiropractic seminar and were able to meet Kamryn!



the sweetest face...right before she pooped all over me! ha ha ha

Thanks for all the meals, phone calls, e-mails, etc.

We are alive and adjusting wonderfully! Someday we'll get out of the house again!

some pics

ok I made a quick stop at home and am uploading some pics from our little camera for all to see! yay

Em is doing great and we would like to introduce everyone to.... Kamryn Melissa Mollenhauer!!

Post from the hospital- Prebirth

so this is Lance, and I am sitting here in Em's pre-birth hospital room, or rather it is the room that she is going to be giving birth in but it just hasn't happened yet. Anyways we were a little nervous about today as we had the induction scheduled on Monday and we got a heads up from Em's doctor that because of the volume of patients that the hospital was seeing yesterday, we might be bumped...and we were totally bummed. Her doc said that the hospital would let us know at 6:00 am today if we were bumped or not...and at 6:00 am we got a call that we were being bumped back...to...8:00 am! which in my opinion was even better, cause we all know how morningtime and I do not agree. So I turned over and slept for another hour this morning while Emali got up and did stuff cause apparently she can't sleep anymore. So at 7 we (Gracie and I) got up and got ready and went on with the plan.
At 8:00 we walked into the hospital and were shown right to our massive birthing suite (sweet!) and got all hooked up to monitors and put in LOST. Em's doc came in after an hour and broke her water, and BAM contractions have been going ever since. Em is also having Pitocin, and an epidural that actually is working ( which I got to watch be put in and it is amazing, and kind of scary and fascinating now that I know what is actually happening in her back, plus the anesthesiologist was treating me as a colleague which is fun/funny for me). Anyways, now Em is in la-la land listening to Jane Monheit, and it should be a couple of hours until the baby comes. We still like the name Kamyrn but we will see what she looks like to make a final call.
On another note, I would just like to say how grateful I am for my wonderful wife. She is such a good person, and although I tease her so much that most of the time that she is mad at me, she is still a sweetheart and I love her so much. She goes through so much ( is going through so much at this particular moment) for this family and is truly
the rock of my life.
ok Em just told me that she feels like her leg feels like a log or a big piece of meat! too funny! alrighty then more later

THE TIME HAS COME!

I swear I thought the baby was going to come this last weekend. I contracted ALL NIGHT on Saturday night and finally stopping timing around 4 or 5 in the morning. It was a LONG night. But, I went to the dr. yesterday and I am going to get induced on FRIDAY!! I can't believe I talked my dr. into inducing me at the beginning of the holiday weekend instead of after! I can handle waiting a couple more days!! YEAH for baby time!! I can't wait!

PS keeps us in your prayers, poor gracie has gotten another double ear infection and perforated one of her ear drums--OUCH!

CONGRATS TO THE NEW WSCC SECRETARY!

Props to Brian for the idea! But Lance totally went crazy making campaign posters. They were all pretty funny. Yeah for a paid position! (especially when he was attending and helping out with events anyways) Love you babe, and congrats!

Mother Dear I love you so, your happy smiling face!

Here's a tribute to the one's that got us here and keep us going!! We are so thankful for our Moms! Happy Mother's Day and we love you!

This is an old picture (from last year) but a happy memory nonetheless.

I guess old college pics are the theme, since we can't find a whole lot of really good mom pictures.

And here is my Emi, the best mom my 1.95 kids could ask for.