Ecuador 2009

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Ok-I'm really excited about this! Thank you to my dear friend, Jane, who is the world's best bragger about her friends. Her enthusiasm has been very motivating for me!

My other dear friend, Gina, came up with this amazing idea and I can't wait to put it on! It really spawned from our love of these kids and our tiring of asking for money. :-) My kids have been dying to help these kids in some way but I don't dare take them on our medical trips yet so this is a really cool way for them to do something! They are so excited to race and what I love is that we picked a race length that fits every member of the family so families can do this together. Run 13 is an amazing company that basically gives you back your entrance fee in free food and t-shirts. Troy and I ran our first 5k with them on Pioneer Day and we were very impressed (with ourselves and run 13). So come run with us if you want--my most favorite part about this is that so many family and friends are running with us!!

http://run13.com/6.html

Join us in the Race against the sugar cane …

Racing the Cane
6k/3K/1K
When: 9/19/09
Where: Mountain View High School, Orem Utah

A fun way to get your whole family involved in Humanitarian work and physical fitness!
*50% of proceeds go directly to help impoverished kids in the Dominican Republic.
*We will be collecting used shoes at the race to send to the DR so the kids there can have a RACE of their own through the sugar cane fields!

We are partnering up with http://run13.com/6.html who put on a huge fun-filled event with blow up toys, music, and food.

Mark it on your calendars--more info to come!

Nanci has a house!

Thank you for all your support in helping us build Nanci's family a home. It does not seem like much but this house has a leak proof roof, a cement floor, closeable windows, and is the envy of the neighborhood. Nanci's family is extremely thrilled and is living together again under one roof.

As a side note, we were able to deliver a large amount of school supplies to the local school.

Thank you... thank you!

Help Us Build Nancy's House!

I absolutely love helping people and hate asking for money—but for these kids, I’ll set my pride aside if you promise not to hold it against me.

Beth and Kendric (My sister and her husband) are heading to the Dominican Republic with our good friends for a humanitarian trip over Spring Break. Remember the trip Troy and I took last November? Well, some people in our group have visited many times and have made lasting friendships with several children and families there. It has come to our attention that one young girl, whom we have taken interest in, is in serious need. Her family has moved from the most impoverished part of the country to a slightly more comfortable village. As they began to build their house, they ran out of money. (Doesn't that sound familiar?) Nanci's sweet family is farmed out to different homes throughout the village while they are stuck in this predicament. When we were made aware of the situation, we decided to try to get to the Dominican to help them. The only problem is…we need some funds to purchase supplies so we can get that home built. While we are there, we would like to take some much needed school supplies to a small academy that is dedicated to helping children learn English. Speaking English provides a significantly brighter future for these children. Some things they are in need of are: easy readers (in Spanish or English), note pads, crayons, English flash cards, pencils, and lined paper.
I’m so excited Beth, Kendric and our friends are able to go help Nanci and just wanted to let you know what we need in case someone is thinking--I can't go to the DR right now but I SO WANT TO HELP! (This would make a great Primary, YW or Eagle project if someone is looking for one...) Even $10 or some crayons would make a difference!
This is an example of what Nanci's family used to live in--there are actually 2 doors on this house with 2 families living inside.When we came in November to help--Nanci came every day to help us. She lives in conditions equal to those we were serving and yet she jumped in without being asked and worked from sun up to sundown! She is such a sweet girl with a lot of potential! She is currently starting up a small business and hopes to be able to bring her family out of poverty. Moving out of the sugar cane field was a huge risk and their only hope for breaking the cycle.

I know this is an awful time to ask for help, considering the economic climate right now—so please don’t feel pressure. We just wanted to give you the opportunity and just get the word out there. Even if you happen to be able to squeeze in a few extra school supplies into your grocery cart or can do a donation drive for an activity...it all adds up! We’ve booked the tickets—now we just need the funds and supplies!

Thank you!!

HAPPY ST. PATRICK'S DAY!

I woke up at 6am to cook this green feast and they still pinched me!! Don't I have green food coloring somewhere on my body???

Jon Schmidt Rocks!

He really does. I have some of his melodic tunes on my ipod and loved them so we were so excited when our neighbor invited us to a private concert in their living room (maybe I invited myself with my over zealous enthusiasm...). So everyone we talked to had this excitement when they asked if we'd ever been to one of his concerts--we soon found out why. Jon Schmit is an amazing piano player who doesn't take himself seriously at all! I had no idea he played up-side-down, with his toes, nose and elbows, and rocks out like he's in a band! He was so much FUN and so inspirational for the girls! He takes the stuffy out of it and showed them what fun they could have if they kept practicing. Man, I wish I would've seen someone like him play violin when I was a kid. We were such groupies--we bought piano books and the girls had him sign them. And to top off the night, Bree lost her tooth eating refreshments (hence the napkin in her mouth.) Definitely a journal entry night.

Mazatlan, Mexico...our home away from home.

What's not to love? When we first arrived and walked to our room I stood on the rooftop and breathed in the salty air, felt my cracked and bleeding toe soak in the humidity and begin to heal, looked out over the blue expanse of ocean with a big sigh and said...I'm home. ___________________________________________________________________

WEEK ONE (the week we planned for and told our teachers about) was filled with all the things we look forward to and love: days passing at the pool never having the thought to go anywhere else until the sun begins to set; poolside nachos covered in refried beans, who knows what kind of cheese and why it's so good, and all your favorite mexican toppings(pico de gallo, guacamole...); searching for crabs and seashells at the beach and this time watching the massive pelicans nosedive into the ocean; "Abuelita's" famous mole' chicken and rice pudding; truck taxis and pulmonias; shopping at the market; seeing the baseball factory; painting ceramics...

Every year it gets harder and harder to fit it all in and every year it feels more and more like we've come home and picked up where we left off. It is such a memorable tradition full of so much quality time with our family and dear friends in such a gorgeous place. How do you fit over 800 pictures into a blog?

Our rightly named hotel, Pueblo Bonito. Bree, looking for shells.

Myla and Bree--bucket heads!

KJ and Tegan--what a pair.

We take over the hot tub for a week--I think there were 16 kids with us.

Cute Jane with a very picturesque pinapple drink.

Shopping at the mercado

Girls and Kiana sporting the sombreros..yeah we bought 4.


What a great group!


Ash won this doll at the Mexican Fiesta. She was one of the last 2 finalists of this awesome hot potatoe sombrero game.

Troy dreams of this rice pudding...I wish I didn't have an texture thing.

The famous "Abuelita". What a cook!

They make this mole' for us every time we come! It's deliecious!

We love the beach downtown!

Madi and Kiana had the priveledge of their own pad at Kendric's hotel and absolutely loved the freedom. I'm still lamenting that I didn't think to mention to Beth that she needed a passport for Mexico now. Long story, but Kendric waited for her the whole week and the expedited passport NEVER came! So disappointing for all of us--not to mention my poor sister!

WEEK TWO (the totally spontaneous, what-the-heck part of the trip) was what Troy and I dreamed of doing even before our kids were born. It was such a cultural & educational week for our family being totally immersed in Spanish and major Spanish speaking opportunities through
working at the factory, making uniforms for our teachers and learning
the process of the factory, hanging out with the Padilla family --and might I
add, eating some really amazing food! It was such a great experience for our family and especially for the girls! Truth be told…Troy had to drag me back!

Amerika Sports, MazatlanManuel, one of the owners Bernarda, always so sweet to let the girls sit beside her and help cut thread
Abuelita with our family ambassador-Ash
Ariel, another owner (There are 3 brothers that own it and Abuelita is their mom.)
Rudy and Inez, brother #3


The girls were a part of the whole process of making uniforms for their teachers. They printed the design Troy came up with, walked it over to Manuel to cut. Took the cut pieces to Mari to sew and watched as she shuffled between 3 different machines to get certain stitches. Then helped cut the templates for the letters and numbers. The lazer machine broke that week and had to be shipped of to Guadalajara. Madi, not willing to give up quite yet, asked if there was a way to cut the letters and numbers by hand. We found numbers from a previous uniform in her school colors and (thanks to Luli and many at the factory) they pulled it off before we left for the airport. When they did their reports at school they presented their teachers with a uniforms that they helped make at the factory! Quelite--such an adorable puebla
We loved sharing it with Jared and Lissette and Ariel's family




So in summary--we love Mexico because...es diferente! (For all you Toni Col drinkers out there.)