The Word

It is quite true what Philosophy says: that Life must be understood backwards.  But that makes one forget the other saying: that it must be lived/forwards.  The more one ponders this, the more it comes to mean that life in the temporal existence never becomes quite intelligible, precisely because at no moment can I find complete quiet to take the backward-looking position.  ~Soren Kierkegaard My sweet cousin, Deanna, Facebooked me a while ago and asked what my word was for this year.  I have been pondering what it should be.  You know the last two years my word has been "felicity" which I adore....but I haven't really made great advances with it in my life.  It simply means appropriateness in all things- behavior, spiritual, manner.  I try very hard to be dignified but my goofy seems to spurt out at the seams.  I don't always listen before I speak, I speak far too much, I was raised by two comedians (generally speaking) so comebacks come naturally.  And then I'm surrounded by great friends that love nothing more than to laugh.  Usually at each other. The Older we get, the more we are becoming like Funny Kathy.  Confused.  Without filters.  Today I got to spend the day with Kathy and Valene for my birthday (tomorrow).  I look forward to this treat every year.  Today we hit Home Again, the Mediterranean Market, Trader Joes, The Container Store, Dillards, NorthFace (both Kathy and I are looking for ski pants) (unsuccessfully)- then lunch at a new place Zao's (pronounced like Wow only with a z at the front).  The food was amazing!  The flavors!!!!!  I hear they are building one here in Sandy.  Can hardly wait.  While we were in the car jabbering away, I was bragging about my "healthy living" and said, "and I've gone cold turkey on soda for 17 days!"  Valene had a puzzled look on her face- "You're eating cold turkey on soda?  How do you do that?"  (That,my friends,  is a Kathyism.  And then the rest of us burst out laughing and have to explain things.  It is scary.) None of that had anything to do with my new word. But I'll stray again on another story.  Last week Valene and I were talking about our spiritual reading goals this year.  We are both doing the New Testament and Book of Mormon.  I told Valene I was doing it differently this year.  I listen to it on my Ipad while I am bicycling, then read it and underline plus read my favorite commentaries....and ponder.  I want to not just read the scriptures but ponder them.  I've had so many different thoughts and ideas this time around already. Sunday was our Ward Conference and the Stake leaders taught all the classes and introduced the Stake's theme for this year.  I love it.  It is from Proverbs- ponder the path of thy feet.   (which way are you going?  always a good reflection.)  When I heard the theme, I knew "ponder" had to be my word this year....not because I chose it but because it chose me. Anyone else choosing a new word for the year?  I'd love to hear it!

Butters

A bad habit never disappears miraculously. It's an undo-it-yourself project. ~Abigail Van Buren (1918–2013)

Slowly trying to "undo-it"....but another butter this week.  That doesn't seem like much but I'm happy.  That is 6 butters from this Challenge and 4 prior so 10 from Jan. 1.  

Yippee!!!


I know this is gross but it is a great visual reminder. That is 5 lbs. of fat versus 5 pounds of muscle. (which looks surprisingly like a good steak...)

Fit

 So my butters are not coming off as quickly as I thought they would (at the beginning)...but regardless, I'm feeling in control and happy and have so much more energy in just two weeks.  I laugh at the team board posting (I'm doing the Meltdown Challenge) where people are exercising like 10 tens more than me....but I'm pleased with my small improvements and that I'm still committed. 

This week has been good- went to the temple with Valene on Tuesday then errands and lunch, then out with BFF Cathy in the evening since her husband is out of town and mine was roping.  She treated me to a birthday dinner since they are leaving on a family cruise this weekend.  Thursday was art class- it is my meditation and  heavenly.  Thursday night was my Girl's Night Out (and another dinner!!!), today I watched the two littles (Peyton is 3 and Ryker is 1 1/2) and we had a grand day.  Brooke came after work, then Tanner- and we had some wild games (Mallorie and Sam included.)  I didn't go out to eat ONCE today!  (and we wonder why I'm not losing butters!)

Life is good, happy.  Tomorrow is a make-up art class, then Addi's soccer party and then date night with David and Brandi and Doug (I can't remember if we are celebrating a Christmas gift or my upcoming birthday.)  A good weekend to be sure.

I love the following quote.

Pinatas

Yesterday I ran to the store to pick up a soccer ball pinata for Addi's birthday party this weekend.  She's totally into soccer so a soccer party it is.  But it reminded me of a special moment from our Guatemala trip that I forgot to record.  I mentioned that we got a huge pinata and filled it with treats for the village children .... but earlier....


Close by the Maya Jade (son Ryan's place where we stayed on the ocean)- there is a little tienda (a little kiosk/shack) where you can buy little items~ like a mini 7-11.  At the first of the week, Brandi gave all the kids their Quetzels (money) to last them for the week for treats and souvenirs.  The kids loved going to the tienda and getting treats.  When Addi went, she took forever carefully selecting her candies.  You know how kids have to deliberate over and over.  She finally chose and paid for her little treasures.  On the way back to our place, Brandi had made arrangements to stop by a house in the village to look at someones injury and give therapy suggestions.  Addi went with her.  I think the home had a dirt floor, a pig sleeping inside, a new baby and lots of people.  Humbling to say the least.  Addi was pretty quiet.

When walking out of the home, Addi leaned in to Brandi and said, "Go ahead and put my candies in the pinata."


Ahhhhh.  We were all humbled to the core with the sparseness of their lives....yet also realized "the happiness" that they also employed.  We really are at the disadvantage when our happiness depends so much on "stuff" and pleasures.  Thank you, sweet Addi for reminding us we have enough and more.

Abundance is a process of letting go; that which is empty can receive.  Bryant H. McGill

Butters

You know me and Paula Dean.  We tend to love cooking and eating and saying "Y'all"....and we tend to go for the butters.

I apparently love butters since I hold on to them.  (Okay, start thinking metaphorically now.....)

Since the first of the year, I lost 4 lbs. of butter.

Since starting the Meltdown Challenge program (online and with a couple of friends)- this past week I've lost another 4.   Yeah!!!!  Yippee Skippy.

The butters are a big deal but more than that, I have had to roll my slug bug off the sofa and onto my stationary bike....and I'm doing resistance exercises with large soup cans.  I am not an exerciser (except with my fork going to my mouth....) so this is major for me.  I love reporting in everyday and having to be accountable.  The challenge is for 5 more weeks (then it starts again) but I need to just take it a week at a time.  For this week I've been successful.  Cold turkey on sodas.  Drinking all my water.  Still in the zone.  Yes!

Asking

I love the crazy traditions (is it just Utah and Idaho?) where the kids use unique ways to ask each other to dances.  Parker, my eldest "natural" grandson turned 16 while we were in Guatemala.  Sweethearts is coming up and he found a cooler on their porch, with this note.

The cooler was filled with Mountain Dew.  Fun!

Can't wait to see how he answers.  (it's for Bingham High's Sweetheart Ball)

Odds and Ends"

It seems like time just flies by....this past week has.  

I- taught Laurel's on Sunday and then had an activity here Wed. night.  They wrote a chain letter to 1/2 our missionaries (we have about 20 out)- and I made white chocolate popcorn with sprinkles and also peanut butter/caramel popcorn for easy treats.  The peanut butter recipe is so easy- equal parts of peanut butter, karo syrup and brown sugar- mix and cook in the microwave and pour over the popped corn.  Yum.  Darling girls, two of which are busy applying to colleges!  I don't want them to grow up and leave.

Two visiting teaching lunches this week.  One with Elsa and Barbara Roza.  We actually decided to go out and see Gail H. (who is in our group)- in the Rehab center where Brandi works.  Gail fell on the bottom step of their stairs in the dark last week and had to get a hip replacement!  She's wonder-woman and already home.  I got to see Brandi at work and lots of her friends/co-workers.  Nice day.

then lunch with Lynda Raddon, Debbie Peterson, Debbie Lamb and Elsa again on Friday. Blue Lemon.  Love to catch up on everyone's lives.  Debbie's moved to a new home and so we had a home tour afterwards.  Fabulous.  I was having so much fun I forgot the time for my hair appointment and was 1/2 hour late.  

One of the best parts was that I was good on eating!
I started the Meltdown Challenge on Monday (and will report my butters on Mondays)-   David and I had date night on Friday night- went to the movies....saw Unbroken and wasn't even tempted by popcorn or treats.  No soda all week either.  (Can I say, I'm DONE with Unbroken.  I feel like I've lived it for a month.  Ready to move on....)

I love Saturdays because Brendalyn and I do our errands together in the afternoon.  She had some things to mail, I had a wedding gift to buy, plus we always do our Sunday dinner shopping.  Love this great friend.  AND one of my favorite restaurants - The Wild Zucchini (or Grilled?) opened this week in Sandy!  Hurrah!  We shared a nummy amazing food experience together.

Funny Kathy called this morning and we talked girl trips.  She's actually planning an Italy trip but I'm thinking I am going to pass on it although I would love to go.  But we're doing a girl's trip to St. George next month (probably) and now we're thinking instead of the beach, we might try Seattle/Vancouver BC in August.  I need a few fun things on the horizon.

 We watched some of the kiddos tonight so Tanner and Brooke could go out for their belated anniversary.  I was changing sheets and thought the kids would have some fun on our bed.  They did.  You should have seen the "littles" faces when I made the front of the bed go up....scared poor little Ryker to death! Then they found the remotes and loved raising the feet/heads up until our bodies were bent in a V.  Then we turned the massage thingies on.  I usually don't use those because they give me a headache.  The kids were jumping all around so I doubt they even felt it.  David tried to snooze through the whole thing.  Our bed looks so small.  It's a king.   I grew up when jumping on the bed was the big "no-no" hence, my greatest temptation.  The kiddos know they can throw balls in our living room (it's a no-no but David encourages it)....but I love the kids to jump on our bed.  Good time had by all.  Well, maybe not David!

Looking forward to Sunday.  It's my filling station of the week.  My goal this year is to reread both the Book of Mormon (each day during the week) and Sunday's- the New Testament.  I love my scripture time each day.  Glad Sundays were created to be something different than every other day. Ahhh.

Romance Novels

I'm a huge Matt Walsh fan- and really think this article is profound.  


My Marriage Was Not Meant to Be

I heard last week that Nicholas Sparks is separating from his wife  of 25 years. It’s always a terrible thing when anyone’s marriage is on the verge of collapse, but this has to be especially devastating for millions of American women.
I mean, Nicholas Sparks can’t get divorced. The man invented romance. Well, maybe he didn’t invent it per se, but he did sell approximately a trillion romance novels in airport bookstores across the country. He didn’t create the concept of love and marriage, but there’s no doubt that he helped to reshape our culture’s perception of those things.
I’ll admit that I’m not an expert on the man or his work. I saw the “Notebook” on a date 10 years ago. I remember that it was trite, contrived, and cliched, but I can’t recall many other details. Ryan Gosling was involved, I’m pretty sure. And Rachel McAdams. He was brooding, she was sassy, they both had great hair. They kissed in the rain and danced in the middle of the street. He threatened to kill himself if she didn’t go out with him. He wrote her a bunch of letters. They made out some more. They were on a boat at some point with a bunch of swans all around. The boat sank and he died. Or that part might be from a different movie. Anyway, it was your typical chick flick/chick book fare. Sweeter and sappier than pancake syrup. 

Photo Credit: NewLine Cinema

My experience with Sparksian fairy tales doesn’t extend much further. Reliable sources inform me that all of his stories follow the same basic outline, like a romantic madlib. And, hey, they might be hackneyed, mawkish, overwrought, and emotionally manipulative, but it’s all rather harmless, right?

Not quite. Unfortunately, men and women are profoundly impacted by how pop culture depicts romantic relationships. Sparks isn’t the only culprit — and he’s certainly not the first — but he’s part of the problem. Granted, his schlock is much more a symptom than it is a cause, but it’s a symptom that spreads the disease. The disease is the fanciful, unrealistic, fictionalized perceptions that both males and females harbor about marriage.
For example, think of the glamorization of the “mysterious” and “damaged” guy from the “wrong side of the tracks.” Hollywood makes him seem alluring and sexy, but forgets to mention that most of the time, in the real world, that dude probably has herpes, a coke habit, and a criminal record.
Still, that bit of propaganda is nothing compared to the underlying misconception that so many of us carry around consciously or subconsciously, because we’ve seen it on TV and in the movies, and read it in books a million times since childhood: namely, that there is just one person out there for us. Our soul mate. Our Mr. or Mrs. Right. The person we are “meant to be with.”
We think that our task is to find this preordained partner and marry them because, after all, they’re “The One.” They were designed for us, for us and only us. It’s written in the stars, prescribed in the cosmos, commanded by God or Mother Earth. There are six or seven billion people in the world, but only one of them is the right one, we think, and we’ll stay single until we happen to stumble into them one day.
And when that day happens, when The One — our soul mate, our match, our spirit-twin — comes barreling into our lives to whisk us off our feet and take us on canoe rides and deliver impassioned romantic monologues on a beach in the rain or in a bus station or whatever, then we’ll finally be happy. Happy until the end of time. We can get married and have a perfect union; a Facebook Photo Marriage, where every day is like an Instragam of you and your spouse wearing comfortable socks and sitting next to the fireplace drinking Starbucks lattes.
Yeah. About that. It’s bull crap, sorry. Not just silly, frivolous bull crap, but bull crap that will destroy you and eat your marriage alive from the inside. It’s a lie. A vicious, cynical lie that leads only to disappointment and confusion. The Marriage of Destiny is a facade, but the good news is that Real Marriage is something so much more loving, joyful, and true.

I didn’t marry The One, I married this one, and the two of us became one.

We’ve got it all backwards, you see. I didn’t marry my wife because she’s The One, she’s The One because I married her. Until we were married, she was one, I was one, and we were both one of many. I didn’t marry The One, I married this one, and the two of us became one. I didn’t marry her because I was “meant to be with her,” I married her because that was my choice, and it was her choice, and the Sacrament of marriage is that choice. I married her because I love her — I chose to love her — and I chose to live the rest of my life in service to her. We were not following a script, we chose to write our own, and it’s a story that contains more love and happiness than any romantic fable ever conjured up by Hollywood.
Indeed, marriage is a decision, not the inevitable result of unseen forces outside of our control. When we got married, the pastor asked us if we had “come here freely.” If I had said, “well, not really, you see destiny drew us together,” that would have brought the evening to an abrupt and unpleasant end. Marriage has to be a free choice or it is not a marriage. That’s a beautiful thing, really.
God gave us Free Will. It is His greatest gift to us because without it, nothing is possible. Love is not possible without Will. If we cannot choose to love, then we cannot love. God did not program us like robots to be compatible with only one other machine. He created us as individuals, endowed with the incredible, unprecedented power to choose. And with that choice, we are to go out and find a partner, and make that partner our soul mate.
That’s what we do. We make our spouses into our soul mates by marrying them. We don’t simply recognize that they are soul mates and then just sort of symbolically consecrate that recognition through what would then be an effectively meaningless marriage sacrament. Instead, we find another unique, dynamic, wholly individualized human being, and we make the monumental, supernatural decision to bind ourselves to them for eternity.
It’s a bold and risky move, no matter how you look at it. It’s important to recognize this, not so that you can run away like a petrified little puppy and never tie the knot with anyone, but so that you can go into marriage knowing, at least to some extent, what you’re really doing. This person wasn’t made for you. It wasn’t “designed” to be. There will be some parts of your relationship that are incongruous and conflicting. It won’t all click together like a set of Legos, as you might expect if you think this coupling was fated in the stars.
It’s funny that people get divorced and often cite “irreconcilable differences.” Well what did they think was going to happen? Did they think every difference would be reconcilable? Did they think every bit of contention between them could be perfectly and permanently solved?
People go into marriage with the mentality of children, and I really think that pop culture has a lot to do with that. Marriage is a choice made against the odds. That’s what’s so exciting about it. Thankfully, I made this choice with my wife. She is now my soul mate, my other, my completion, but I could not say that about her until we said “I do” to each other.

We could have not said it, you know. She could have met someone else. I could have fled into the hills to be a celibate hermit for the rest of my life. She could have moved to the city and married some rich lawyer or banker. She could have never called me back after our first date. We could have dated for years until eventually the relationship flickered out, as they almost always do. She could have gone to California to become an actress. I could have moved to Denmark and shacked up with a Scandinavian crossing guard named Helga. There were literally millions of things that either of us could have done. An innumerable multitude of possible outcomes, but this was our outcome because we chose it. Not because we were destined or predetermined, not because it was “meant to happen,” but because we chose it. That, to me, is much more romantic than getting pulled along by fate until the two of us inevitably collide and all that was written in our horoscopes passively comes to unavoidable fruition.
We are the protagonists of our love story, not the spectators.
There’s no doubt that certain personality types might gel better with you; you might have a few specific traits and characteristics you’re looking for in a mate. It’s good to have standards, obviously. I’m not saying that you should just throw yourself into the mosh pit and say, “hey, I have no soul mate so I’ll just marry anyone! Who’s game?”
But I am saying that, if you’re single, there are probably hundreds of options out there. None of them soul mates, but all of them possibly potential soul mates. You don’t have to sift around for that one custom made, personalized grain of sand in the desert. You’ll be alone forever if you do that, and you don’t have to be alone forever.
I can acknowledge all of this without feeling like I’ve minimized the significance of my relationship with my wife. Quite the opposite. This is what makes our marriage such an immense and tremendous and inconceivable thing. It was a choice, one of many possible choices made freely by two free people, but that choice — that moment — was eternal. Like C.S. Lewis wrote, it was a moment that contained all moments. As human beings, we rarely make eternal choices. We rarely make choices that last the day, in fact. We choose one thing and then another and then back to the original and then something else and then something else. But in marriage we choose each other, we consecrate that choice, God fuses our souls together, and that’s it. We have permanently altered our reality, our identity, through one choice. How beautiful and miraculous is that?
There’s a very real danger inherent in the “there’s only one particular person out there for you” mentality. Think about it. If you are “meant” for one specific person, who’s to say when and if you’ve met them? Who’s to say that the person you married is them? And who’s to say that you don’t get married and then, just like that, someone moves in next door, or you get a new coworker at the office, or you run into someone at the grocery store, or you lock eyes with the cashier at Trader Joe’s and all of a sudden you realize that this is your real soul mate, the person you were “supposed” to marry?
If we are meant for someone in particular, who’s to say you’re wrong? Sure, adultery is evil, but this is your soul mate we’re talking about here. This is the person God Himself designed for you. Can He really be mad if you ditch the mistake in favor of your true Prince or Princess Charming? Maybe you’re technically a backstabbing, adulterating cheater, but you’re just following your heart, and who can fault you? You’re correcting a mistake. Resolving a cosmic injustice. Fulfilling your destiny. Isn’t that what cheaters often tell themselves, especially women cheaters? This is the dark underbelly of pop culture fairy tales. It gives a free pass to adulterers, and convinces married people to follow their emotions rather than stay true to their vows.
Well, they’re either right or they’re wrong. And if they’re wrong, then we’re led right back to my conclusion. Once you marry, you are meant for the person that you married and no one else. You didn’t marry them because you were meant for them, you are meant for them because you married them. There is nobody else. There is no other “right” person at that point. There might have been 15 seconds before you said “I do,” but not now. Something happened in that fateful moment. You changed, they changed, the universe changed, and it’s irreversible.
It sounds scary because it is. Scary because we’re partaking in something that’s greater and more vast than our capacity to understand it. It’s scary in the sense that it strikes fear into our hearts, but fear in the sense of wonder and awe, in the sense that we fear God Himself.
My wife and I weren’t destined for each other. It wasn’t fate that brought us together. We are bound not by karma, but by our choice. That might not make for a good tagline for the next Nicholas Sparks novel, but it’s far more romantic than anything he’s ever written.

Smiles

Actually, things aren't so bad except for this dang coughing which gives me a major headache.  I'm now at about 2 1/2 weeks and wish I knew if going to the Dr. would help.  I've about worn out my bathrobe (warm fuzzy) and hacked over most people I know and I'm sure if I were a horse, David would have me put down.

Mallorie and Sam and the baby have finally come home.  They were in Idaho for Christmas, then the baby was in the hospital with RSV.  Sam was back and forth for work but Mal hasn't been here forever.  Kaitlin got married this weekend (she's one of Mal's bff's and like another of my kids.)  We've run through about one hundred romances with this girl.....and although I'll admit, I was cranky about a few hearts she broke, she picked one awesome guy!

My BF from childhood challenged me to join a health challenge today.  I'm anxious to get going although I'm feeling rotten.  I would love this year to accomplish some things that really need improvement in my life.  I've been dealing with some depression issues this past couple of years and I'm finally thinking I'm getting a handle on things.  People are always surprised when I mention that I've been suffering from depression because generally I'm a happy person.  But depression isn't about a smile on your face...it's a stinking chemical imbalance that plays havoc inside of you.  Out with the old.  In with the new.

Guatemala Love

First of all, the above picture was taken in the 90's- our first trip to Guatemala to pick up our son, Ryan, from his mission there.  I never thought we'd be back there but we have been, now, again and again.  My son Ryan posted that picture on Facebook and when I saw it, I thought, "That's David and Ryan but who are they standing with?"  Ha!  That's what happens when you get closer to 100.... (and totally laughing about our fanny packs!)


Let our journey begin.  Dec. 2014-Jan.2015 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Son Ryan and Marci and family went to Guatemala about the 2nd week in December.  Brandi and Doug and family joined them about the 28th and we came a few days later.  All the two families had rented a bus to take them to the wonderful ruins of Tikel.  It was a 7 hour trip both ways so David and I passed.  When we went to Tikal, we flew....

We were so lucky to be able to get last minute reservations at the beautiful Santa Domingo Monastery - especially being New Year's (luckily Ryan does online reservations for them so had an in)

from a travel site:
In 1542 the Dominican Friars built the Santa Domingo Monastery.  
Then in 1773 the Santa Maria earthquake led to the destruction of its buildings and it was used as a garbage dump for several years.
In 1989 the ruins was dug out and a hotel was built in the same area. It opened in June of 1989. Today it is called the Hotel Casa Santo Domingo.
Several museums are housed within the same complex. Highlights of this wonderful historic complex include a gorgeous monastery church, cleared of rubble and restored in the early 1990s. Below this area there are two crypts. The first of these is the Cripta del Calvario, which has a well-preserved Crucifixion mural. The other crypt harbors two graves containing human bones. 

One of the things I loved about the hotel was the "courtesy counters."  There was this counter, welcoming guests to.....all the marshmallows they wanted? Nothing else there.  We had a good laugh over that.

New Year's the fireworks sounded like cannons and went on for hours and hours and hours.

New Year's Day- all the family climbed the Pacaya volcano- which recently erupted.  I say "all the family" except me and a few others.  I got sick a few days after Christmas...and here it is, 2 weeks later and I'm still coughing and hacking.  I spent the volcano day with a few of the grands that didn't want to hike and we got pina coladas and guacamole and chips and spent several hours at the pool.  Gracie and I had a very gross encounter with the parrots while I was trying to take pictures.  I won't mention it.

The tour brochures for hiking the volcano (it was a day hike)-the need to wear hiking shoes that wouldn't melt (because of the lava.)  They had a great laugh over that (no lava) but did roast those little marshmallows over some lava holes.

 

From Antigua, we went by private bus again to the Maya Jade- Ryan's small resort on the ocean.   He has two- 3 bedroom homes that have their own private pool and this year has added the restaurant and several larger pools and showers/bathrooms for other guests. (in the casitas and from the town.)  My head is throbbing still (cough-cough-hack-hack) so I will finish this quickly.  Here are some of my favorite moments-


Just got back from an amazing week with half our family. Thank you Ryan and Marci for providing such a beautiful retreat for us. We love the Maya Jade! Highlights were: Antigua, New Year's Eve cannons( fireworks times 10)-laughing and playing games with 10 of my kiddos, Regginia's amazing cooking, the hammock, the sunsets, watching everyone play soccer on the beach, that David is such a great sport, all our great Guatemalan, Honduran, Belizian friends. I love you all! Lowlight: 
~being sick 
~going on a several mile jaunt along the beach at night trying to find turtle nests.  Didn't find a one.  Did I tell you it was several miles?  Hack-hack.
~coming home. Well, it's pretty great being home as well. Great way to start a new year!

 DIL Marci looks like a young teenager here (below)

 drinking straight from the coconuts!

 We bought a huge pinata and it with treats for the neighborhood children.  The moms usually run the kids over trying to get the treats.

It's hard to see but these boys all had pool hair- slicked up and funny.

 Here is the Maya Jade from the beach.  That smoke is coming from a cane field burning.

 Regginia and Smart are people that Ryan met all those years ago on his mission, while in Belize.  Ryan baptized Regginia (Smart originally from Nigeria- Reginia from Brazil- they were in Belize because Smart played on the national soccer team.)  I've always heard how amazing a cook Regginia was....and now we have proof.  Ryan hired her to cook at their restaurant at the Maya Jade.  She made amazing dishes for us but some of my favorites were the frescas....hyacinth and horacha.  The best mahi mahi with a coconut glaze.  Oh my.  Can't wait to share a few recipes.  

 This is the duplex casitas that border the canal (which is really like a river).  Each side sleep 7.

 Here is the canal.  Great for paddle boating and tubing down to the ocean.  When the current is right.  Which is wasn't.  Which made for a funny story.

Brandi's Guatemala Adventure Highlights

1. Celebrating Parker's 16th Birthday atop the temples of Tikal, breathtaking (love this not so little boy of mine)
2. Ringing in the New Year in Antigua. Got to spend 2 nights in an old monestary that was so beautiful. Could have spent another week there!
3. Hiking Pacaya (volcano), roasting marshmallows on the steaming lava rock and the amazing views from the top
4. Maya Jade Resort, a beautiful retreat, the best company, wonderful food
5. Deep sea fishing, dolphin watching, paddleboarding, boogie boarding
6. Pinata and rainbow looms with the school children, a little physical therapy work for me
7. Sunshine, ocean, family time (unplugged), amazing hosts!!
8. Multi-cultural testimony meeting/church in a stilted hut
9. Farewell dance party
10. The kind, good, happy people we met. Wonderful family time with my little family, my parents and my sweet brother and his family. We all came home filled with such gratitude for the opportunity and our many, many blessings!

Brandi had Hallee Babe's 5th grade class made loom bracelets and we all made them as well for the village kids.  They loved them.

 These are one of the locals pigs that they just let run wild.  The kids loved chasing them and I was always trying to save scraps for them but was given a firm NO by Marci.  She wants to pigs to go home!

We ended our time with a fun dance ..... old and young- everyone dancing but David and grand- Josh.  Hated the party to end but we had a bus date  at 3 am. the next morning to head back to the airport.  17 of us all together, creating memories.......it was grand!