Yup, they are sisters...

Es de familia, genetica, una cosa mexicana, una cosa gringa o un lazo de hermandad? Estas fueron algunas de las preguntas que nuestros amigos nos han estado preguntando cada vez que ven a Savannah y a Lexi chuparse los dedos.

Lo mas chistoso es que a las dos se les dio de forma natural! Aproximadamente empezaron a los tres meses. Savannah tambien empezo con la mano derecha, pero con forme fue creciendo, se acoplo mas con la izquierda. Ya veremos que decide Lexi en los proximos meses. En fin, en esta casa aparentemente los chupones no sirven. Ha, ha!

Stadium of Fire (Free)

Como se podran imaginar hemos estado super ocupados con todas las actividades de Verano (trabajo, la limpieza eterna de la casa y obviamente las preciosas). En fin, como tradicion de todos los anos, este cuatro de Julio fuimos al desfile anual y en la noche nos juntamos con Maira, Jonathan, Josh y su familia para ver los internacionalmente reconocidos cuetes de "Stadium of Fire." Despues de haber tenido la fortuna de asistir hace algunos anios y de juntarnos en el campo enorme en donde cientas de personas se juntan a celebrar, estoy convencido de que la segunda opcion (gratis) es mas comoda y menos problematica. Alomejor es que vivimos a unas cuantas cuadras lo cual es bien comodo, pero de verdad hemos tenido la fortuna de disfrutar de este espectaculo tan increible de forma gratis y siempre bien acompaniados.

NEW UFC Light Heavyweight CHAMP !!

It gets hard to try to keep a blog in both Spanish and English, so be patient and we'll try our best!......anyway, this past 5th (July) was a very anticipated UFC fight. The main event would feature the coaches for this season's "The Ultimate Fighter": Forrest Griffin (the challenger) and Rampage Jackson (the light heavyweight champ). After watching this season, I have to day that even though both Jackson and Griffin are likable guys, you have to root for the underdog (Griffin), plus the guy is just awsome and happens to be the "True Ultimate Fighter" (winner of Season 1's UFC contract). To celebrate the fight we had about 10 guys over at our house to see the fight. It was a ton of fun (specially since Griffin won) and about 90% of us were rooting for Forrest, so YEAH, CONGRATS CHAMP!

The following excerpt was taken from the UFC's web page:

Who’s The Underdog Now? VEGAS, July 5 – In the days leading up to the UFC Light Heavyweight Championship bout between Forrest Griffin and Quinton ‘Rampage’ Jackson, fans and pundits almost unanimously agreed that, on paper, the champion, Jackson, should win. Yet those comments were always followed by the word ‘but’ and some way of describing how you could never count Griffin out. Tonight, at the sold out Mandalay Bay Events Center, Griffin took all the ‘buts’ out of the equation, overturning the odds and pounding out a thrilling unanimous five round decision win over Jackson to win the 205-pound world championship and etch his name in the history books.

“This is the greatest night of my life,” said Griffin, the first winner of The Ultimate Fighter reality show and now the second TUF winner to earn a world title, following former welterweight boss Matt Serra. “I want to thank Quinton Jackson. It was close and I think we’re gonna have to do it again.” “He whupped my ass,” said a gracious Jackson. “Sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. He deserves it.”Scores were 48-46 twice and 49-46 for Griffin who engaged in the front runner for 2008 Fight of The Year with Jackson. And this one will be tough to top.Griffin took the fight to the champion immediately, working behind his jab and some quick kicks to the head and legs. The challenger’s hand speed was impressive early, catching Jackson off guard. When the two would exchange at close range though, Jackson was in his element and he was able to land with more consistency, and with under three minutes left he was able to jar Griffin briefly with a left hook. The challenger recovered quickly and flurried back, but a right uppercut by Jackson with a little over a minute left dropped Griffin. Jackson pounced on his foe, but Griffin got his wits back and fought his way back up, where he continued to move forward and engage until the bell rang.Continuing to be the aggressor, Griffin opened the second with more leg kicks, this time buckling Jackson’s left leg. “He jacked my leg up,” said Jackson. “I’m not that good at acting. He knew he hurt me.”As the champion staggered backward, Griffin moved in, clinching and landing knees at close range before trying to sink in a guillotine. Jackson escaped that trouble but wound up in more as the bout subsequently moved to the mat, with Griffin working for submissions and grounding and pounding Jackson steadily for the remainder of the round. “You’ve got to make him fight you,” trainer Juanito Ibarra told Jackson between rounds two and three as the champion’s left knee was iced, and ‘Rampage’ showed his heart as he entered the fray again for round three. Griffin, not getting overly aggressive, pecked away from long range as Jackson concentrated on avoiding more leg kicks and on catching the challenger with haymakers as he came into range. As the round entered its final two minutes, Jackson
appeared to be back in business as he scored with body shots and hard counters to the head when Griffin tried to open up. By the end of the round Griffin was landing his flurries though, and the crowd roared as the bell sounded.

As the fight entered the championship rounds, Jackson’s urgency was evident as he stalked Griffin and landed with heavy shots to the head. “Every punch he threw hurt,” said Griffin.Griffin responded with a takedown, with Jackson ending up in his challenger’s guard. With 3:40 left, Griffin, bow bleeding from over his right eye, locked in a triangle choke, and the response from Jackson was what you would expect – a slam that broke the hold and allowed Jackson to resume his ground and pound attack. The two fighters rose with two minutes remaining, and Jackson again jarred Griffin with shots to the side of the head. Griffin didn’t shrink under the attack, and he fired back with kicks and his own haymakers. Predictably, the round ended with a toe-to-toe exchange.Griffin opened the final round with more leg kicks, hoping to repeat his second round success and 90 seconds in, he added pinpoint strikes to the head. That seemed to wake Jackson back up as he landed flush shots to the head and body, but Griffin took everything in stride and kept moving forward, jarring the champion with his own return fire. The final minute saw the packed house rise in appreciation for the effort of both men, and neither stopped swinging until the final bell ended, putting an exclamation point on an unforgettable night.

CUTEST KIDS!!

Does this thing go any faster? Well, @ least it gets 1 mile per ounze (of milk mind you!)

Lexi's Blessing

El Domingo 1 de Junio fue la bendicion de Lexi . En verdad que extraniamos a toda la familia que hubo en la bendicion de Savannah (que de hecho fue en un 4 de Julio e hicimos una carne asada en grande). Aun asi, nos juntamos para comer sopa de rajas con Tania,Maira y sus respectivos clanes. Los ninios estuvieron jugando en el jardin y nadando en la alberca.

Lexi Preciosa!!

Hace ya varias semanas que no habia puesto fotos de mi Lexi, y la verdad es que cada vez se pone mas chula.

Kelly's Garden

Despues de tanto hablar del famoso jardin, aqui esta la prueba de que en verdad estuvimos plantando flores en la parte de enfrente de la casa!

En el jardin de atras, tenemos una seccionde cultivo el cual nos esta dando buenos resultados. Este es el primer anio que plantamos verduras y ya empezamos a disfrutar de lechuga y espinacas! Kelly tambien sembro lo siguiente y en cuanto a empiezen a germinar, actualizaremos las fotos (jitomates, pepinos, chicharos, zanahorias, pimiento verde, jalapenios, y calabaza!)

Is this really Arizona?

Week in Show Low

We will now have and English section for our blog, for all of our English speaking viewers!!! Hurray!! It will all be done in blue. This past week our family drove to Arizona and had a wonderful time. We were able to see my all kinds of family members, including my grandmother, parents and my wonderful brother Shaylar and his family. It was wonderful spending time up in the trees of Show Low. Quite windy and sometimes cool, but it was very nice. Savannah had a wonderful time with her cousins. (running and playing in the backyard!) I will feel less stressed out when Rachel and Shay purchase a fence to keep the kids in though!!! Savannah found a new love for little Dudley the puppy dog. He sure is a cute Ewook looking dog.

Spring Trip to Arizona

It's been about a year since our last visit to the "Desert State" and since Kelly still has some weeks left on maternity leave and I have 2 weeks to get ready to take the GMAT, it was the perfect time to take a break.

One of our favorite spots to visit whenever we travel South on I-15 is to stop in Beaver for some world famous Cheese curds (squeaky cheese) and Cache Valley ice-cream.




While in Mesa we had a chance to visit David and Shannon's family, which was fun for Savannah. David showed us some of his self made airplanes (the man is talented!) and the website where he sells his stuff. We were also witnesses to the expertise his sons have at Guitar Hero. WOW! I thought I was not too bad, but after seeing these guys I feel old!... Fun stuff!
























We stayed at Grandma Payne's house for two nights. It was her first time seeing our little Lexi (she keeps getting cuter and cuter).

Bob the Bear and Savannah decided to make friends after the first night of Savannah saying "I'm not scared of the big bear papa", which obviously meant the opposite.


Si es que no me equivoco, estuvimos en Arizona aproximadamente hace un ano. A Kelly todavia le quedan unas semanas de vacaciones y yo acabe mis examenes finales la ultima semana de Abril , asi es que nos tomamos unas vacaciones bien merecidas. El plan original era ir a visitar a Shaylar y Rachel en Show Low y de paso hicimos una breve parada de 2 dias en Mesa, en donde vive la abuelita de Kelly. Es la primera vez que la vemos desde que fallecio el abuelo Payne y la verdad se ve muy bien, de hecho nos quedamos a dormir en su casa junto con Barry y Marsha, quienes tambien estaban de escala en Mesa para despues ir a casa de Shaylar.

Mientras estuvimos en Mesa, fuimos a casa de David y Shannon Payne y sus hijos (tienen 5!) David (hermano de Marsha) se dedica a al diseno de paginas de internet para diversas empresas y es super talentoso para todo lo que se relacione con computadoras y/o electronicos. La Savanita se la paso jugando con Arela y Jacob que de hecho son sus tios (ha, ha) pero por la cercania de edad le dijimos que son sus primos.

Durante el viaje de ida hicimos nuestra parada rutinaria en Beaver para comprar el delicioso queso y helado Cache Valley conocido a nivel nacional. La verdad es que tano Lexi como Savannah se portaron extraordinamente a pesar de ser un viaje tan largo (10-11 horas de carretera!)

NOTA CHISTOSA: En la casa de la abuelita, en el cuarto que nos quedamos a dormir, la abuelita preparo juguetes para que Savannah se pudiera divertir. Entre uno de los juguetes se encontraba un trio de Osos; uno super chiquito y simpatico, uno mediano medio cajeto y un oso mas grande que Savannah!
Al principio Savannah no dijo nada, pero a la hora de dormir se me acerco y me dijo "Papa, no le tengo miedo a los osos", lo cual obviamente siginificaba lo contrario. Para que no tuviera miedo, los escondi y le dije que nada mas eran juguetes. De hecho le estuve repitiendo que estaban bonitos y que a mi si me gustaron. Al siguiente dia lo primero que me dijo cuando se desperto fue que queria ver al oso grande. (ha, ha!) Una vez que se lo di, lo abrazo, lo cepillo, le presto su cobija......en fin, practicamente lo traia de aqui para alla. Lo mas chistoso es que como que queria demostrarme que a ella tambien le gustaba el oso. Es mas, hasta le puso nombre ("Bob") y unas horas antes de que nos fueramos le tome una foto en la silla en la cual lo estuvo sentando y se hicieron amigos. Ha, ha!