My First Polo Game!

Well, I can admit that I finally know why there is a horse logo for Polo clothing. It was something I never really thought about, and now it all makes sense!! I went to my first Polo Game, and I absolutely LOVED it!! My host Dad is in a business selling energy drinks and got invited to this Country Club to watch the game. It was for a very well known magazine, so everyone was dressed VERY nicely. Kids were invited, and that is why I was able to go to! The entire time there were people walking around with baskets, and inside were all different kinds of appetizers. Mini pizzas, sandwiches, bread, cheese, cookies... ahhh it was never ending! Even though it was a rainy day, it was so much fun! Everything was soo green from the rain, and it was fun to be outside!

My host Dad and some of his buddies. He is the one with the sweet top hat! Little Ana and I. Love this girl.

The Polo Team!! They won!

During the breaks, all of the people have to go out and fill in the holes before they start playing again. It looked as though someone had been playing golf. You picked up the chunks of grass, and they would prefectly fit back in.

They all had to have their umbrellas!!
Love my life!

Sisters B-day

Today is my sisters B-day!! I wish I were home to babysit for her so she could go out with her husband... but I'll have to make up for it when I get home. My sister is Super Mom!! I hope I can be half the Mom she is to her kids one day!! She is 30 and has 4 kids.... and they are THE CUTEST kids in the world!! When I am home, I love going and hanging out at her house. She gets really giggly when she is tired, and she makes me laugh. She gives really good advice, and she is always interested in how I am doing, and how my life is. She is a HUGE example to me, and i look up to her so much. She has a strong testimony, and it shines through her personality! I miss her so much and hope she has a good Birthday!!

I hope I look as young as she does when I am 30!!! She is gorgeous!!!

Lisboa!!!

And my dream life continues.... last weekend I went with two girls to Lisbon, Portugal!!! I fell in love with the city... delicious food, nice people, and the best hostel I have ever stayed in. I enjoyed every second of it!! I went with Georgie and her friend Clara. They were SO much fun to travel with...very easy going. We had a really relaxing weekend!

We took a day trip to a city called Sintra, about an hour out of Lisbon. This was the Royal Palace there... it was AMAZING! It reminded me of Disneyland.

This was at the palace, and shows the ocean in the background.

This is the Monastery in Lisbon. It was beautiful!

There is tag EVERYWHERE over here. Some of it looks really cool, but most of the time it bugs me so bad!!

A typical street in Lisbon!!

Cute Georgie and I at the castle

There are smart cars EVERYWHERE over here. Nice parking job!

The cathedral

Did Lisbon copy California just a little bit?

These were the coolest chairs I have ever seen!! They were on wheels too so you could push them wherever you wanted!

The view from the door of my hostel. The ocean is right behind that statue at the end!! It was so much fun!!!

This is one of the best street entertainers I have ever seen!! He was so cool!

B-Day Party!

All three of the kids I nanny have Birthdays in April. Instead of having 3 little parties... my host Mom prefers throwing one HUGE party with about 40 children. This party is a HUGE deal with hired entertainers to run games for the kids, food and cake for them, and food for the parents as well!! It takes place in the backyard with millions of balloons and decorations. This year, I talked my host Mom into letting me and three friends run the games for money instead. When I offered myself, I had absolutely NO idea what I was getting myself into!! The week before I got strep throat and was finally starting to feel better... until the party. I had to have round two of antibiotics because I yelled and sung on my thraot WAY too much that night. We dressed up as clowns, and each took a group. I had little Ana and the 4 year olds. It turned out to be a great success, so much fun, and I LOVED the extra money!

Charles and I. He is one of the twins and they turned 6 years old!!
This is Victoria... the other twin and "The Princess of the Party"

Elina and I keeping an eye on them while they ate food and cake on the patio

Sac races, and egg and spoon races! 4 year olds aren't very good at it...

The entertainers... and the 3 kids I nanny! It was a lot of fun

Pass the Parcel!

I don't think I have EVER blown up so many balloons... my room was COVERED!

Easter weekend!

Ohhhh man!! My first Easter away from home!! It was spent at my host family's cabin..."La Canadilla." I wasn't able to watch Conference on TV because they don't have one at the cabin. I have been watching it on LDS.org and MAN IS IT AMAZING!!! You would think that they would run out of things to talk about... but it just keeps getting better!! The cabin is run off of a generator... and the water comes from a huge pump up on the mountain. I bonded a lot with my host parents at night because we would just sit by the fire and talk for hours. My host Mom is very catholic, so Semana Santa was a huge deal here in the Elwell house. We only ate fish and eggs on Good Friday, and then went to watch them carry the statue of Mary, and the cross, from one church to another. I cannot tell you how refreshing it is... to be in another country, and have the comfort knowing that going to church on Sunday will be just the same as it is at home. It may be in a different language, but the spirit is just as strong! All around, it has been an amazing past two weeks! I love living here, and have realized how truly thankful I am for the kowledge I have of the gospel!

Mr. Charles and me on Easter Sunday!

The pool is finally open, yay!

Semana Santa. There were so many people there, it was unreal!

Charles didn't want to walk, so he was on my back the whole way!

Love this girl!

Being a nanny is so much fun!

At the cabin waiting for the bonfire to be lit!

Sitting by the fire before bedtime!

Victoria and Charles turned 6 while we were at the cabin!! I gave Victoia a magnet board with pieces to create your own faces!

Charles got Candy Land... they had never heard of it before!!!

yay the twins are 6!!

I bought Victoria and I matching bracelets. Its a competition to see who can keep it on the longest.

Last night ever being 5!!!!

We caught a lot of lizards at the cabin... we may have caused this one a little damage. woops!

There is a pond by the cabin that is filled with frogs. They have never attempted to catch one before, so I made it a goal to get one before we left. This is a frog I caught the first day!! It was so much fun to see their reaction. They LOVED it and named it Tink. It lived in a bucket while we were there for the week!

They had friends over for lunch one night at the cabin!

Here in Spain, they don't have campfires. They just do big bonfires with dead branches and boxes. It lasts about 5 minutes. They thought I was CRAZY when I brought up the idea to roast marshmellows!

In the back of the truck, going to swin in the pond!

The entire ride there... the dog was at my feet. hahaha

Not your typical Utah mountains... but this is where the cabin was! There were olive trees EVERYWHERE!

This is what I woke up to every morning!! Lucky me!

Our homemade frog catching net!

La Canadilla!

Victoria

Charles!
We went to play in the snow the day after Easter

The snow man was falling over so I tried to catch it.....

That didn't work out so well. They all jumped on me instead. Anyway... there is an update on life!! I miss my family a lot, but I love it here! 3 months down, 4 to go!!