Thanksgiving Honduran Style - Part 2

Saturday everyone got up early to play some American football. I wasn't feeling well so I sat out -- but I did document the game:

Planning their strategy

Mary was all time QB

Anne after making a great catch

Awesome action shot

Maki with another great catch

Jeff leaving some people in the dust

Maki trying to stop Mary from getting by

Ginny

Angela going after Lacey

AHAHAHA -- The game got pretty intense

The ball slipped right by both of them

Sitting on the side lines with Carrie -- Next time I'll be scoring touchdown after touchdown ;)

It was great day for some football!

He is a wise man who does not grieve for the things which he has not, but rejoices for those which he has. – Epictetus

Thanksgiving Honduran Style - Part 1

On Thursday night we celebrated Thanksgiving by going out to dinner in town. Everyone voted between "La Fonda" and "El Racho". El Rancho won!

Before we left for the restaurant we had some unhappy campers...

Andrew

Most of us didn't have the best day at school and we were definitely ready to relax and have a nice meal. On the walk to the restaurant we even made a pact not to discuss school for the rest of the evening. By the time we arrived, we had some happier people...

Jeff

Some of us had cheeseburgers for dinner and other people had chicken, beef, or sausage meals. I wish I would have thought to take a picture of my actual meal, but sadly I didn't. I'll have to snap a shot of my plate the next time we eat there!

Here is our group at dinner...

Anne, Carrie, and Angela

Jeff and Lacey

Jeff, Lacey, Anne, Angela, Jackie, Andrew, Dan, and Me

Andrew and Dan

Look Mom - I wore the dress you sent me again and everyone commented on how "Fall" looking it was :)!

The whole group

Great Night. Great Food. Great People

"You were given life; it is your duty (and also your entitlement as a human being) to find something beautiful within life, no matter how slight." - Elizabeth Gilbert

So You Think You Can Dance?

"Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who could not hear the music" - Angela Monet

Grand Pubs of Yorkshire

"You're only here for a short visit. Don't hurry. Don't worry. 
And be sure to smell the flowers along the way"
- Walter Hagen

Acción De Gracias (Thanksgiving)

Thanksgiving is today and I'm definitely sad that I'm not home to celebrate with all of you. I love being able to squeeze all my little cousins and play with them, play euchre with both sides of my family (maybe winning $5-$10 on my mom's side -- I'm just that good ;) ), eat some awesome food, gossip with my aunts, make fun of my uncles, and have my whole family in the same room together. It's always such a wonderful day filled with so much love.

I have SO much to be thankful for in my life...

This year I am most thankful that I have the opportunity to spend ten months in this beautiful Country!

Since I have been in Honduras so many of you have sent me care packages filled with all kinds of wonderful things. So I want to take this opportunity to thank my mom, Robbie, my grandpa, my Aunts: Karen, Mary Jo, Mary, Kathy, Peggy, Cindy. My cousins: Julia, Braeden, Libby, Makayla, and Audrey. Also Julianne and Bethany Allspaw, Brie, and Tony Layer. And all of you who donated things/money to me before I left. I could honestly fill a whole blog post with names. I'm overwhelmed by the goodness in other people!

Thanks for the folders Tony. The kids love them!

My fridge stocked full of goodies!

Grandpa - Peanut M&M's are one of my favorites! Thank you so much!!

I'm nuts about nuts :). Thanks Mom and Mary Jo!

Awesome granola bar bag. Thanks Mary Jo, Grandpa, and Tony Layer!

Cereal!! Thanks Brie and Kare :)

My line up of Jiffy, ahaha. I'm now down to a jar and a half. It's definitely being eaten :)!

I love being able to have some toast with jelly on Saturday mornings!

Mom - these brownies made a lot of people VERY VERY VERY happy!

Heath -The numbers have gotten a little dinged up by little fingers, but we use them to count everyday :)!

Whoo hoo...the number caterpillar is growing everyday :)

Thank you all for the love, prayers, and support. I could NEVER say thank you enough!

I hope each one of you has an incredible Thanksgiving celebration with your families!

"To be fully seen by somebody, then, and be loved anyhow - this is a human offering that can border on miraculous."

— Elizabeth Gilbert

Theresa Ellen

I would like to dedicate this blog to my sister Theresa, who turns 24 today!

I can't believe Emily, Theresa, and I are in our mid 20's. It seems like just yesterday we were playing with trolls and my little ponies...

When Theresa was a baby I use to sneak into her room, stand up on my tiptoes -- peek over her bassinet,  and sing "You Are My Sunshine" to her. I know, It doesn't get much cuter than that!!

Well Theresa is still my Sunshine and I love her for the following reasons:

She is incredibly beautiful:

Amazing rainbow in Wyoming

My little beauty

Reya is lovin' that hair

We have the same walk:

Antelope Flats in Wyoming

She's the best dance partner I've EVER had:

One of the best nights of my life to date.

She is so much fun:

Haha

Giddy-up

I always make Theresa play the man :)

Strut it

She's an enthusiastic picture taker:

Who knows

Yay! 

She's always willing to help out:

Noodles anyone?

She knows what's important in life and always reminds me:

Peace

She's got an awesome dog:

Mo as a little guy

High Five!

Over the summer I wanted to go to the State Fair to hear some Christian music at the free stage. Christian music isn't Theresa's thing, but she sat there with me and let me listen as long as I wanted to...that's love :):

State Fair

She supports me 100% in everything I do and is always encouraging me:

Rebecca's 21st birthday dinner

Happy Birthday Theres! In just 25 short days (3 1/2 weeks) I'll be home and we can celebrate! I CAN'T wait to see you! I love you!

I try not to repeat quotes on the blog, but this is one of Theresa's favorites and has now become one of mine:

"The only people for me are the mad ones, the ones who are mad to live, mad to talk, mad to be saved, desirous of everything at the same time, the ones who never yawn or say a commonplace thing, but burn, burn, burn like fabulous Roman Candles exploding like spiders across the skies and in the middle you see the blue centerlight pop and everybody goes awwwww!" Jack Kerouac

Saturday's are the best days in Juticulpa

Saturday is my favorite day of the week here. I have a little routine that I do and it's quite nice!

I wake up at 7:00a.m. and try to get a half an hour of exercise in -- this week I went for a little jog. Then I come home and make myself some breakfast. After that I usually turn up the jams and dance and sing around my house for a good half an hour or so, haha! This is my favorite part or the morning. It gets me pumped up for the rest of the day. I check my e-mails, maybe write a blog post and then hop into the shower. Then I leave my house at 8:40 to walk down to Casa Apostolica to tutor some of my students.

Here is what that walk looks like...

The streets I walk on closer to my house aren't usually busy that early on Saturday morning...

I always pass this "small park" on my walk into town...

complete with a little fruit stand!

Then I pass the meat market. Last week there was a cow head sitting outside!

Right after the meat stand the streets start to get really crowded. People are out and about getting their errands done and there are a lot of cars in the streets...

As you can see this walkway isn't very wide, so I usually walk along the curb.

I have yet to see a movie here, but I think it's so cool that they have a little theatre. On Tuesday's it's buy one get one free, so I definitely need to check it out.

Ahhh, my favorite thing to walk past as I drool over these guitars in the window. I love the one in the middle, but I believe it's around $2,000 lempira (a little over $100)

After a 10 to 15 minute walk I arrive at Casa Apostolica...

The door to get inside Casa Apostolica

Here are some of my kids who showed up for tutoring last week. I usually have nine to ten kids come but for some reason last week I only had these five girls:

The room I tutor in

It was good to be able to work with them one on one more...

Amanda working hard

Danielle and Carmen figuring out what letter to circle for the begin sound of the word "fan"

Here is the group that came this week:

I love little Katherine. She is so full of joy!

When we review our spelling words for the week I always let them take turns being the teacher...

Andrea quizzing her classmates

What is this word? (Theresa - this is the little girl that reminds me of you :)!)

The group

After I took a picture of them they were begging me to let them take some pictures on my camera. So here are a few of the shots they took:

I guess I didn't get the memo not to smile

After tutoring I stroll through the park and sometimes I like to stop at this stand to buy some papa's fritas. The sign says "Ricas Papitas"....

They cover these bad boys in ketchup, mantequilla, and some shredded cheese...tasty!!

Rica or Rico (more commonly used) is a word Hondurans use to describe how good something is. It has all of these meanings:

1. rich
2. wealthy
3. delicious
4. affluent
5. lovely
6. costly
7. expansive
8. tempting
9. expensive

If I bring in chocolate or some almonds to school at least three or four people usually say "Qué rico!" It sounds so cool when they say it because of their awesome rolling r's -- that I still can't do :(!

The bank is ALWAYS packed on Saturday mornings!

The Cathedral downtown. It's huge and packed on Sunday's.

The streets get busier and busier the later it gets in the morning...

Lots of people are out selling different things...

Clothes

This is how younger Honduran women typically dress. Almost everyone here wears the tightest pants imaginable. They mostly wear the same things we wear in the states. They are really into our fashions and trends...

Stuffed Animals and toys

Bus Station

About twenty minutes later after passing all of that stuff I arrive at Texaco (my Saturday afternoon hang out) -- where I spend 3 to 4 hours lesson planning for my upcoming week...

The inside is very nice and air conditioned :)!

I usually sit in that back corner booth

If I get hungry I can always grab something to eat.

From there I go to La Colonia to pick up some groceries. I make lunch with whatever groceries I've purchased and then I clean my house. Last week I spent three hours deep cleaning, but it was worth it because there is nothing I love more than coming home to a clean house. And the place is starting to look so homey! I'm loving it:

My cute little living room

My room

Above my bead you can see the pictures and cards hanging up that some of you sent me.

My quote/picture wall makes me so happy!

Al neat and tidy

I couldn't sleep at night without that wonderful fan!

Thanks for the laundry basket mom! It makes a nice little addition to my room and now my dirty clothes don't have to sit on my floor.

My kitchen

Saturday nights I always do something fun with the other volunteers. We either go out to dinner, watch a movie or play games of some sort.

Last night we played Chubby Bunny, ahaha:

The contenders - Me, Jeff, Lacey, and Andrew

Loser

I of course lost because I have the smallest mouth in the world and I always let laughter get the better of me...

Third Place

Second Place

Grand Champion

"It's not what you do once in a while, it's what you do day in and day out that makes the difference"

-- Jenny Craig