Part 2 Puerto Vallarta!

Well we didn’t end up going to Puebla this week seeing as we are waiting to rent out our house here before we head out.. So this week consisted of tying up alot of loose ends, running around town and hitting every good taco stand on the way.. I am going to be one big taco when I get home! I also found a beautiful stretch of beach here about ten minutes away that I am going to attempt to walk on every day.. I had to put my foot down after only one beach trip and say, “Marcos I need to go alteast walk on the beach for a half hour a day.” So there! On our anniversary before we went out in the evening we were invited to family friends Tita and Don Salvador house for dinner.. It was sweet.. We hung out on the terrace while Tita cooked Enchiladas and Don Salvo told us Mexican riddles.. I didn’t get a single one right :) Couldn’t hardly understand what they meant let alone figure the riddle out.. They are the family in law of Marcos’ older sister Gricelda.. They have a beautiful house located right down town where they also have a restaurant on their front terrace on the weekends.. Tita is the sweetest, I have really taken to her.. She speaks the little English she knows and cracks herself up.. Cracks me up too.. As we head out the door she says “Okay, have good day!” Laughing as she waves us off. She calls Giselle the little munecita, which means little doll, who stole her heart. Don Salvo is very sweet too, he strolls around the property picking herbs and telling me the names in Spanish and pointing out all the different fruit trees. Tita is Don Salvo’s daughter.. They live together..
For our anniversary night out Marcos and I found a cut e little lounge in downtown PV and had tequila from our window view that was open looking down into the town.. It was nice, quiet and some much needed few hours alone.. We haven’t been able to hit any of the night life like we were hoping due to our sweet little Giselle ;) Doesn’t want to be out of sight of either of us for more than a few minutes.. Which is okay, next time we come we’ll be able to get out a bit more just the two of us.. It’s hard for us to leave her too.. She is the light of our lives, we don’t really know what to do when she’s not with us.. So then on Saturday Lluvia, Raul, Dana, Marcos, Giselle and I packed in the truck and headed three hours over the mountains to Atenguillo to visit his 79 year old grandmother..
Atenguillo is a quiet little ranch town located in the mountains. It is a beautiful little town and we had a beautiful couple of days.. I love his grandmother she is absolutely amazing.. First off her house is beautiful.. It’s big filled with rooms and beds to accomodate any of her ten children and their children at any given time.. She has a few dogs, a few cats, lots of chickens, and lots of birds hanging out in her courtyard.. She is so warm and so welcoming, she hasn’t hesitated or even let there be a language gap.. She talks away to me as if I understand every thing she’s saying, which actually I do understand alot.. When she kisses Giselle she grabs her face, squeezing her cheeks, and kisses both cheeks and her forehead. She’s like Grandma Scoppettone was and my Grandma Carlson is, cruising around not letting a thing slow her down.. She raised ten children, gave birth to twelve but sadly losing two at young ages. Her son was telling us that for a a good chunk of years she would cruise around town with one little one on her shoulders, another on her hip and a big pregnant belly with the others trailing behing her.. Her husband was coming back and forth from the states alot of the time working to send money for the famiy, so she practically raised them on her own. And this was in a time of no electricity, washers, nothing.. Just a ranch with alot of kids, alot of animals and alot of work! And a three hour horse ride to her nearest family member.. You would think that a beginning like that would take the starch out of you but she was out hiking around in the hills and down to the river with us on Sunday not letting a thing get in her way.Her warm heart and strength and livelyness left a major impression on me.. And made me so proud to be a part of their family..
On Sunday morning we rose up early to go drink fresh chocolate milk.. And I mean fresh.. We trecked over to his Uncle’s ranch (the only son to live in town with her, most of the other’s are in San Jose) to milk the cows.. It was hilarious! I was sort of gaggin because fresh milk, like literally from a cow’s teet is not in the least bit appetising to me.. Thank god they had chocolate mix to give it a little flavor.. Everyone else was like, “Mmmm this is so great! Gulp, gulp, gulp..” As I was sliding to the back of the line.. When it came my turn to milk the cow I again looked like the total out of towner.. I couldn’t get a single squirt out.. Then the uncle calls over his three year old son to show me how to do it :) Classic..
That evening we had steak tacos, yes more tacos, at the uncles house where he and a few friends played Spanish songs on the guitar as we sat sipping tequila and looking out over the country side.. After a few hours of prodding from Marcos and a shot of tequila I picked up the guitar and sang a few songs too! They were surprised and really liked my songs.. I was pleased, I think I finally had connected with his Uncle after that.. We chatted about music for a few hours more before climbing back into the car to get back in time for his Sister and brother in law to get some sleep for work in the morning.. So now we are off to the beach for my half hour walk! Love to you all...Can’t wait to keep sharing more as the story unfolds! xoxoxo