I'm going to the river for two days. Be back Friday.
I have to register Ryan and Ian for middle school starting Friday morning. Then Gracie meets her teacher Monday evening. Summer is officially winding down. :(
August 12, 2009
August 10, 2009
Porta Vallarta, Mexico
What a marvelous, relaxing five days. Whew!
It sure went by fast!
Why is that?
When I'm scrubbing toilets or folding socks, time doesn't go fast. It just isn't fair. If I was magic, I would have waved my hand and slowed it down.
Since I cannot do that, I'm so glad that I have the gazillion pictures that I promised you.
I'm not sure why, but the pictures downloaded in a strange order. They aren't in sequence. So it may feel like I'm bumpin' and a' jumpin'. I think that you will get the picture.
I am attempting my first drive on the ocean. So much fun. It was a 40+ minute drive from Yelapa to our beach. I felt like I was an expert by the time we arrived.
Our second morning in Mexico......whoa.....wait. Let me back this up a little. Our first morning in Mexico, we were lying on the beach. Full bellies from a super breakfast. I just opened my book to read a little before taking a siesta. When along came a "local". You can spot a local from a mile away. Their skin makes mine look like the inside of an oreo, while theirs is the outside. They visit the beach often and try to sell their wares. Blankets, silver jewelry, wind chimes........ Basically, if they can make it, they will sell it.
OK, back to the "local". He was, I later found out, in his 50's. He was selling boat tours, (fishing, snorkeling, basically anything that we wanted to do) for $50.00 an hour. When he approached, I felt myself doing the same thing that I did a hundred times during this vacation, I tensed up and wanted him to leave. It sure is hard to rest on a beach in Mexico.
The fishing, however, perked Rick's ears up. He started talking to him. The more I listened to their conversation, the more I liked this man. We decided to rent his boat the following day.
I'm so glad that we did!!!!!
Lots of different types of birds. Our poor Missouri birds wouldn't last a day around these beasts. They could swallow a robin whole.
This little lizard somehow entered Rick and my room one night. I was afraid that it would get in my bed while I was sleeping. We called management. After a hour and a half of Rick pestering them, they FINALLY came.
David and Nancy were celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary on this trip.
My man
We flew from KCI to Houston, then Houston to Puerto Vallarta. It was the same coming home, just opposite.
Like I said, this is really out of order. We were actually preparing to head to the airport right after this picture. We all wanted a few "last minute" purchases before we headed home. This is the entrance to the flea market.
Our taxi rides were nothing less than thrill rides. Jeez.....these people are crazy. I said a few prayers while at their mercy.
Our dinners each night were "fancy". At least they were to us country bumpkins. People laughed at us because we took pictures of our food.
It made me think of when Dad took pictures of his steaks. We all made fun of him. Humm!
A wedding was set up on the beach. Because of a thunderstorm, they had to move it indoors. I really felt bad for them. What a bummer!!!!
I WENT PARA SAILING!!!!!!!
It was only a 7 minutes ride but I sure enjoyed it. It wasn't as scary as I thought it might be. I was probably more scared about the things that I needed to do upon landing than the actual ride. They needed me to pull a certain strap right or left. All depending on how the wind was carrying me. I didn't see a shark, however, I did see a sea turtle. If you remember, that was on my bucket list also.
Yelapa, Mexico. You need to check out this link. It is about a boy's trip to Yelapa with his dad. Many of the things they did, we did. The waterfall pictures made me feel like I was there again.
We befriended a dog while in Yelapa. I should probably rephrase that. I made a friend while in Yelapa. He was a cutie-pie. We named him Jake. After I gave him a little love, he followed us the remainder of the trip. He even swam through a creek to get to us.
This is Yelapa. It was so dirty and primitive. Until recently, they didn't even have electricity. There is no way to get there except by boat. I cringed because of the filth the entire time. But it was there that I had the most fun. I LOVE YELAPA!!!
Nancy and I were enjoying this little girl on the beach. No one was watching this child!! It really made us nervous. The closest adults to her were two fisherman. I don't think they glanced her way the entire time we were near her. UGGGHHH!! She sure was a happy little thing. Barely able to walk. I would guess that she was just over a year old. I laughed to myself, Winnie the Pooh has found Yelapa too.
This is a glance into one of Yelapa's streets. Chewy lead us down the them like it was his home. He was divorced and had three grown children and four small granddaughters. His real name is Jesus, but he said that no one called him that. He took us to a little restaurant in Yelapa and ordered us a shot of moonshine. It isn't legal there because you cannot tax it. So it was done under the counter. All four of us took a taste, then we nearly gagged. Nasty, nasty, nasty stuff! We all agreed it tasted like gasoline. Very strong!!! We can now all say that we have tasted moonshine. I will never be able to watch Andy Griffith in the same way again.
THIS, my friend, was pure happiness!!!! I was the first to get into the cool pool. Some things you might regret. This, I didn't. I was my temporary fountain of youth. (ahem....maybe I should have stayed in there longer.)
Rick reeled in a needle fish. Chewy and the other guide (who I will call "nameless"), said they will use this as bait for bigger fish. Very smart!!!!
Our first stop in the boat was a little snorkeling. It was nice. I can't say that it was the best snorkeling that we have ever done, but I enjoyed. We saw only two types of fish. The smaller fish were colorful and the big ones were black and bright yellow. The bigger ones were the size of a dinner plate.
We were near these enormous rocks while snorkeling. Many of them had the center burrowed out. Almost like a cave. Crabs found homes on the inside walls.
We went to the market in Puerto Vallarta one afternoon. It was hotter than blue blazes. When you squeeze yourselves into the tiny shops (with no ventilation, I might add) it doubles in temperature. Needless to say, we were a little hot!!!!! It's hard for me to "bargain". Rick is much better at it. I left all the final purchases to him.
In the picture above a man is chopping the top off of a coconut. They pour liquer into the coconut milk and give you a straw. I'm not especially fond of coconut, so I didn't try it.
Every time Rick tried on a mask, I would think of the boys saying, "Don't you know I've had the diarrhea since Easters?"
Every night they had a show. This night it was fire dancing. This man playing the harp opened the show.
day one: fire dancing
day two: circus (mostly juggling and acrobats)
day three: Mexican dancing (by far, the best show of our trip)
day four: was supposed to be rock n' roll. It was cancelled due to the weather.
A beautiful sunset for a beautiful trip. We had a wonderful time with David and Nancy. I'm thankful that they wanted us to share their special trip.
We all made wonderful memories. I know that I will never forget.
August 3, 2009
Guitar Hero's and Fruity Drinks
By this time tomorrow, I will be laying on a beach like this. Beaches make my heart happy. Beaches make me smile.....BIG SMILES :) We will fly to a resort in Mexico called "Dreams". It's in Porta Vallarta. Google it and check it out. We typed it in on Google Earth and we weren't disappointed. Ahhhhhhh!!! Pure bliss!!!!
My list of things to do while in Mexico...
1. I plan on getting a "sick" tan. Not a bad "sick". The new "sick" that all the kids say nowadays. For instance.......That sports car is sick. Before the adults stick your noses in the air, think of what your parents thought when you first said "cool".
2. I plan on parasailing. I am only doing this because my dear friend, Nancy, needs some moral support. I wonder if they have a tandem parasailing. Gotta love you Nancy.
I'm hoping to knock two things off my bucket list by doing this. One, parasailing. (Apparently flying over the Royal Gorge didn't count.) Two, seeing a shark in the wild.
3. I might do a little shopping. I can usually work it in. I am bringing back two bottles of Mexican vanilla for my friend, Renee Jones. (glad she didn't ask me to bring back tequila :) Heck, Mexican vanilla might be tequila, for all I know. Gotta love you too, Renee.
4. I will consume many "fruity drinks". I'm not planning on making any certain one my favorite. I will try them ALL!
5. I plan on NOT making a fool of myself from drinking all the "fruity drinks".
6. I plan on taking many dips in the ocean. Rick and I found a place last night where you could rent a "water tricycle". I said, "that would be fun". He said, "Until you tipped over". True, very true, my love.
7. I plan on eating lots of delish food.
8. I plan on taking gazillions of pictures so I can share them with you.
9. I plan on reading a good book.
THE END
Last Friday we headed to KS for Ian's guitar contest. It's called M.A.M.A. (Mid America Music Association). Ian played his solo at 8:10 a.m., then his duet was at 3:55 p.m. with Brett Clark. Mrs Stark suggested that they dress alike. They played, "Lord I Lift Your Name on High" and "Walking in the Clouds". For some reason the association will not let anyone go in for the solo. This made "the momma" nervous. Not that I could have done anything had I been able to join him. They all did well and I was proud. Hopefully we will have the results soon. I will keep you posted.
Rockin' before the duet
July 30, 2009
Boo-Boo
One of my mommy motto's is...... NO BLOOD, NO BAND-AID!!! I made up this motto because I have three children who love band-aids! It doesn't help that I purchase the ones printed with "Hello Kitty", "Spongebob Squarepants", "Barbie", and "Snoopy". I guess, now that I think about it, this is ALL MY FAULT! That just now occurred to me. If I had bought the flesh colored boring band-aids with the antibiotic center, I wouldn't even be writing this post.
Well, anyway, back to the story.
Gracie flings herself in through the back door. Plops into the couch. Sobbing. These are the big ole' tears, not the wee little ones. This is some serious drama! She wanted everyone in our house to know....... she was VERY upset.
So, like any mother would do, I sat down beside her and asked...... "What's the matter, Gracie?" She said, while maintaining a scrunched up look on her face, I have a b00-b00. After further questioning I found out this happened on her bike. Something about missing the petal and the wheel. (I'm shrugging my shoulders)
Gracie then told me that there was blood. So she needed a band-aid. Indeed there was blood. Since that is the rule, and I usually obey rules, I went for the b00-b00 kit.
This is the "owie stuff". I always use the "owie stuff" thinking maybe this will deter them next time from wanting a band-aid. Nope. It doesn't.
This is the scrunched-up face that I told you about. Jesus must have done a miraculous healing on her. After we stuck that Snoopy band-aid on her foot, she started smiling. Wowser!!!
Hole In The Wall
I love my boys. I love my boys. I love my boys.
I had to repeat this over and over to myself yesterday. Especially after they told me they knocked a hole in the wall. A perfect little circle. Approximately the size of a half dollar.
How did this happen....... you ask? Baseball. Those beloved boys of mine were playing baseball in the house. EEEEKKKKK!!!!
I knew something was wrong when I heard Ian bawling and Ryan trying to comfort him. You see, this usually only happens when Ryan has done something that he knows he is going to get in trouble for, and doesn't want to arouse attention from "the momma". Then I heard Ryan say, "Ian, it was an accident, I will tell mom." My heart sunk. I knew that something was on fire or they poured bleach on the carpet. It's one of those mommy things. You just know. Ian was bright red and trying to catch his breath and Ryan was the diplomat. Very calmly and softly explained that although it was very small and hardly noticeable, there was a teeny-tiny, itsy-bitsy hole in the wall. He also told me that he realized they shouldn't be playing baseball in the house. Very smooth, Ryan, very smooth!! So, the punishment is. They have to fix it themselves. (with Dad's supervision, of course). The second part of the punishment, they had to call "the Daddy" and tell him. Ryan said, "Ian, would you like me to talk first, or would you?". Ian said, "I wouldn't like to talk to him at all!!!!!".
One of these days, this will be funny!!!!
July 29, 2009
Beauty gone bad
Remember these beauties?
Our mission trip was not good for the poor flowers. May I be frank? I could care less. I'm thrilled that they didn't croak before the first of July. You see, I usually get visions of grandeur in April. I dream of lush gardens that resemble the Queen of England's. I purchase a gazillion dollars worth of plants. I dream of what each and every one will look like in July. Then July comes and I'm tired of watering. A vacation or trip (with little planning on my part) usually has them droopy and sick looking. Then I think, "This isn't the garden that I dreamed of", and I realize it's not going to happen. Do you know the solution to this problem? Buy mums!!!!!
I am beginning my planning for our trip to Meh-hee-ko! I made a list this morning and I don't mind sharing it with you. (not that it matters any to you. Wait.....maybe you will see how much I have to do and feel sorry for me. Then you will come over {with a crew of five or six} and do it for me. Just in case that happens, I will put a few extra things on it. I wouldn't want you to run out of things to do. :)
1. Get new door paint.
I purchased two gallons of the wrong color paint. arrrgghhh!!!
2. Paint doors again.
Because I painted them with the two gallons of the wrong color. arrrrggghh!
3. Mop floors.
Not sure why this is on my list because I have to do it every day.
4. Clean litter box.
5. Weed eat.
I plan on making my teenager do this one.
6. Pull weeds in garden.
I plan on making my 11 year old do this one.
7. Spread mulch.
I plan on making t-bone do this one.
8. Give Rick's dad a hair cut.
This requires me driving to Laclede. I'm such a good daughter-in-law.
9. In case I find extra time on my hands, I will paint garage. Doubtful:(
10. And if I get highly ambitious...I will make this. Please click on it, you won't be disappointed.
July 26, 2009
Passing On The Gift
Middle School Mission Trip 2009
Mission:
1obsolete : the act or an instance of sending2 a: a ministry commissioned by a religious organization to propagate its faith or carry on humanitarian work b: assignment to or work in a field of missionary enterprise c (1): a mission establishment (2): a local church or parish dependent on a larger religious organization for direction or financial support dplural : organized missionary work e: a course of sermons and services given to convert the unchurched or quicken Christian faith3: a body of persons sent to perform a service or carry on an activity: as a: a group sent to a foreign country to conduct diplomatic or political negotiations b: a permanent embassy or legation c: a team of specialists or cultural leaders sent to a foreign country4 a: a specific task with which a person or a group is charged b (1): a definite military, naval, or aerospace task mission> mission> (2): a flight operation of an aircraft or spacecraft in the performance of a mission mission to Mars> c: a preestablished and often self-imposed objective or purpose mission> 5: calling, vocation
If I had to summarize what I learned at Heifer International this week. It was that I am not powerless. My time, knowledge and money is power.
I'm not going to be able to write everything we did. Our week was jam packed.
Our first day, we stopped in Marionville, MO. Ozark Methodist Manor was the official destination. We learned about the Manor and ate dinner with the residents. After supper, we divided into groups to do certain tasks. Our group's task was to clean wheelchairs.
After our time there, we drove to Branson, MO. Our hotel had a pizza place and indoor water park. The kids let loose and had a nice time.
Early the next morning, we packed up and headed to our next stop. Heifer Ranch in Perryville, AR. We spend three nights there. The first and final night were in the Heifer Hilton. Which, is supposed to be funny, I think? It was a barn, divided down the middle, with no sides. The bulls got one side and the heifers got the other.
In this picture, we are preparing our bunks.
The second night we stayed in the global village. This represented people living in poverty around the world. My group stayed in Thailand. Three other groups stayed in Zambia, Urban Slums and Guatemala.
During our time in the global village, we were taught the daily struggles people in poverty face every day to feed their family a meager meal. We were given little to eat. (rice, raw vegetables, and eggs) We had to build our own fire with limited matches. Then sleep in less than adequate housing.
Instead of giving the hungry food, they give them an animal. This animal can give them milk, manure (for fertilizing gardens), offspring (the first offspring has to be given to another person in the village), eggs, wool, draft power and money.
This water buffalo on the ranch represents draft power, milk and manure.
To further educate our group. We did low and high challenges. This was to teach us a sense of community and working together.
Below are two of our adult leaders trying to accomplish a fun task.
During our low challenge, our group had to walk a rope with the help of others. It took everyone listening, paying attention, and working together.
In every group there was a "pregnant mother". This was funny to the kids. In reality though, many face this dilemma. "Do I feed my starving 7 year old or myself, so my unborn baby is nourished." The "baby" was actually a water balloon. If the balloon popped, the group had to mourn for 30 minutes in silence.
In Thailand they build their houses in the air. This is to protect them from flood rains and pests. To utilize space and labor, they build animal cages underneath. These were the guests staying below us. Lots of honking in the night. :)
This was Thailand. I felt blessed to have this housing. It was one of the best. We didn't have mattresses but we were safe from critters. The four groups united to prepare our meal. We had a mushy potato and el dente carrot stew, rice, and "sawdust" cornbread.
After our night, we had to chore. We let out the chickens, gathered eggs, fed the rabbits, goats, walked the goats, carried water buckets to the gardens and cleaned our squatty potty ( I'll explain soon).
All toilets in the global village were composting toilets. This meant that after using the restroom, you had to put a handful of sawdust in afterwards. This helped break down the waste. They use this by-product for fertilization. EWWWW!!!
While staying in the Heifer Hilton, we ate in the cafeteria. All meals were provided from the farm. Meat, vegetables, ect.
Our last morning, I took a little walk and captured a picture of their greenhouses. This is where all the seedlings (herbs and vegetables) are started.
I learned during this trip, that I am blessed. I don't have to decide if I'm going to buy medicine for my family with Malaria, or feed them. My hardest decision in a day might be choosing what I'm going to cook for my children instead of how I'm going to feed them.
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