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We took a boat across Lake Atitlan from Panajachel to Santiago.

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When we got off the boat, we were swarmed by villagers...trying to sell us things. These two guys were persistent, they wanted to be our guides.

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Mark was in need of a banos (pronounced: ban-yose) (translation: bathroom). These guys understood and spoke English. They offered to find him a banos. After Mark paid the owner of the banos two quetzales for the privilege of using it, they became our guide.

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Francisco (left) and Antonio (right) led us through the village to where Maximon, the Mayan god of vices, was residing.

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Francisco was easily distracted and wandered off frequently, but Antonio took his job very seriously. If we went into a shop, and the owner suggested a price for something, Antonio would tell us in English if it was a good price or "dat's a too mucha". By the end of the day, Mark and I were ready to smuggle him home in our suitcase.

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On our way to Lake Atitlan, we stopped to explore the Mayan Ruins of Ixim'ché in Tecpan.

The ruins were absolutely stunning (click on the picture for a more detailed view). As I stood there, admiring the architecture, thinking about the amount of work and effort involved in creating something so substantial, and reflecting on the people that had laboured so long ago, I was also saddened.

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All of that work and effort... a waste, a monument to the extremes that people will go to in order to connect with a false sense of security, to follow their ancestors traditions...traditions that ultimately lead them away from the one true living God.

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The day that we were there, there was a family performing a ritual on one of the altars. Rituals to false gods are still taking place today, that reality pains me.

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The tall ruin in the center of the picture is where the king or lord of the tribe would sit. Each year, a young female virgin would be sacrificed on a small circular altar to the front left of the temple. In a rite of passage into manhood, a young man would rip her heart out, and race up the steep stairs in order to present the still beating heart to the king.

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Finally...Guatemala City. A day late, but we made it.

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Our bus was so much nicer than any of us had anticipated. However, it didn't take long before our luxurious chariot caused us a bit of trouble...

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Mark and Luke...asleep on the baggage carousel after our flight from Miami to Guatemala City was cancelled at 12:30am. It took us over an hour to get our luggage off of the faulty plane.

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It took us two hours to pack. This pic was taken at the height of madness...clothes, suitcases, carry ons, and all of their contents strewn about the room.

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While getting things ready for our sitter, we realized that we didn't have a key to our house.

Over the past few years, they have been loaned out to various people, and then lost. It hasn't been a problem for Mark or I because we use the garage door opener to open the garage, and then enter through the laundry room, which is always unlocked.

So, Mark installed this new handy dandy keypad door knob/key less entry system. Yay for technology and the end to lost keys.

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More luggage has been on our "need to buy" list for awhile. It made it onto our "have to buy" list this week. Usually, it's not a big deal if we forget to pack something...there's always a Wal Mart or Target to be found. Unless, your headed to Guatemala.

Fortunately, TJMaxx has unbelievable prices on luggage.

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My OCD is in over drive. This trip has crept up on me.

You know how when you live close to church or work and your always late because you think you have plenty of time...

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Well...this trip is kind of like that. We have been planning it since October, and it has always been this far off thing. "Plenty of time to plan and list, etc". Then, last week, as I was collecting the final payments from the rest of the people going...it hit me...we leave in ONE week.

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My insomnia is terrible, I wake up in the middle of the night with something new to add to my lists, I dream about lists, my lists have lists...

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Currently I have lists for: things to do before the trip, things to buy before the trip for the trip, things to buy for the kids (shoes, etc), groceries for the sitter, schedule for the sitter (school, church, karate, gymnastics, tennis), lists of things that go with the schedule (karate bag, leotards, tennis paraphernalia, lunches, etc), things to pack, people to call, etc.

Eeek!

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This is a picture of Cammie, age 4, tying the shoe laces of an 8 year old girl in our Brownie troop.

About 6 months ago, Cammie and I got into one of those morning-rush-power-stuggles. She insisted on tying her own shoes...despite the fact that I insisted that she didn't know how, and that she was making us later than we already were by insisting that she could.

Sometimes, you have to choose your battles. So, I said "FINE. Tie your shoes". All the while knowing that I would have a better chance of tying them once we were at school.

Imagine my surprise when she announced triumphantly "all done", and I looked over to see that she had tied them perfectly. When I asked her who taught her how to tie, she said "no one, I taught myself".

Of course I asked everyone, her brother and one sister that can tie (Chloe and Sophie can't tie), her teacher, her Sunday School teacher, friends, etc. Nope, no one taught her...she taught herself.

Smarty pants.

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I went to the annual Cheekwood Herb Society herb sale at the fairgrounds on Saturday with a friend. It was a COMPLETE MADHOUSE in there. Think Filene's Basement wedding dress sale...yes, it was that crazy... in the end, we both left victorious (translation: having spent too much money).

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I had to buy a few more pots in order to plant everything. This is pic is of 4 pots, 3 of which are rather large. I have this exact grouping on the other side of the deck stairs as well AND a 3' window box under my kitchen window. Next year, I think I may need to pace myself...in the mean time, if you need fresh herbs, in a few weeks, I can hook you up.

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Today, we gathered on our new church property for a ground breaking ceremony. Each family was handed a bottle of oil, and then took their place along the perimeter of the building site. As Bishop Carson prayed and dedicated the site to the Lord, each bottle of oil was poured onto the ground.

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Our church is currently running at capacity. There are no parking spots left, and there is no pew space left. Praise the Lord for providing a way for us to accommodate more souls!

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Tonight, we were down to two kids. Now, this happens from time to time...but what makes tonight special is that we were down to just Hannah and Sophie...I can't remember the last time that happened.

Chloe and Cammie went to spend the night with Sissy (their name for my sister) and Uncle James, and Forrest went to a friends house. So, Mark and I decided to go on a dinner date with our two "big" girls.

Sweet.

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I love books. Not only do I love books...I LOVE to own them. It's really hard for me to get rid of books, and I rarely do. I don't like to check them out from the library either...

Currently, I have a couple of hundred books in my library. I do like to check them out to friends.

A year or so ago, a friend of mine questioned my obsession with obtaining books. She couldn't understand why I wouldn't go to the library. At the time, I explained that my procrastination problem led to fines higher than the actual cost of the book itself.

After our conversation, I continued to evaluate my need to own books. (It really is a bit of an obsession). This is what I came up with:

I have always enjoyed owning books (enjoyed owning books as opposed to needed to own books). At the age of 20, I was a single mom. To say that we were on a very limited income would be an understatement. At one point I had to sell all of my books and comic books in order to pay the rent.

I'm sure that in some subconscious way, books are a sign of security to me. How's that for deep?

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This has to be my favorite thing in our house...our magnet collection.

It began when Mark and I were dating. He had to go out of town for business, and when he came home, he told me that he had hid a present somewhere in my apartment. I searched high and low for three days, all the while, pleading for him to tell me where he had hidden my surprise. At the end of the third day, I was doing the dishes. I turned around, and spotted it...a tiny chili pepper magnet (you can see it near the bottom next to the clipper ship).

It's become our tradition to pick up a magnet at each place that we visit.

I don't like things on my fridge, but I did want to display our magnets. So, I bought a huge frame on clearance at Hobby Lobby. Then, I went to a sheet metal shop and had a piece cut to fit the frame...a few finishing nails, a length of picture wire and voila...Magnet Memento Art.

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Cammie is our "rough and tumble" girl...she stays bruised from her ankles up. She loves to show off her battle scars and recount how she acquired them. Maybe we should buy stock in Band Aid...

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This is Kyle. He is a cutie patootie and he spent the day with me. He's the best baby I have ever seen. Good thing our baby factory has been shut down...

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I picked up this little journal for our trip to Guatemala. I needed a travel journal and the colors on this one "feel" like Guatemala.

And, I thought the little owls were cute : )

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I know that there have been several pictures of Winston on here...I just can't help myself, he's too cute. Well, that and the fact that he is growing soooooo fast, it's good to have a record that he was small at one point.

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We went to a birthday party at the skating rink this morning. Sophie had fallen the last time she went skating. Today, she wasn't taking any chances.

After this shot, she decided to be brave and stand up and skate. She did quite well.

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I know that the Earth needs the rain. I know.

But I need sunshine, light, natural Vitamin D.

What about my needs?

I've always wanted to say that.

Really, I am fine with the rain. I mostly love the rain. What I do not love is the muddy patch in my back yard. I also do not love to take Winston out to potty in the rain.

He, however, loves to go potty in the rain. And, he loves to walk through the muddy patch, and he loves to run down the sidewalk licking puddles of water while I chase after him in my robe.

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Renee had a photo of her lovely healthy breakfast on her photo blog. It looked so yummy. It got me to thinking about eggs and my favorite way to eat them. Fried, with mayo and a sprinkle of S&P, between two slices of soft white bread.

I tried to fend off temptation.

Alas, it did not work.

I did use light mayo "White Wheat" bread. Oh, and I fried it in olive oil spray. Does any of that help?

photo 40

Muddy feet...a sure sign that Spring is finally here.

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Tonight we had to go in to have Forrest's photo ID made for next year, and to pick up his confirmed class registrations. While Mark and I are happy that he tested into all advanced academic courses, and I am especially excited about the books he'll be reading in his Great Books classes (like a book club for a grade), Forrest is pumped about his courses in Scrabble, Who Was Dr. Seuss and Strategies in Playing Dominoes.

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Winston went in for his second set of shots and for his first bath at the groomer. Afterwards, he was really tired. He did manage to crack one eye open to see what I wanted when I called his name over and over and over and over...

He's still gaining 3 pounds a week. At 9 weeks old he weighs in at 19 pounds.

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This is not the best photo I've ever taken...but it is my favorite.

Why, you ask?

1. 3 of my children are featured singing as a trio in front of 350+ people at church.

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2. It reminds me that a few hours before it was taken, Chloe was filled with the Holy Ghost.

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3. It also reminds me that about an hour after it was taken, Cammie was filled with the Holy Ghost.

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4. Finally, it reminds me that about one hour and thirty minutes after it was taken, Hannah was baptized in the name of Jesus.

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So, basically, it reminds of just how great my God is.

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Hannah and I spent the day together...just the two of us. While my sister worked her magic on my hair, Banana-bean got her nails "done". Next, we headed to the scrapbook store. Afterwards, we had lunch at Demos'...and shared Snickers Cheesecake for dessert...yum yum. I love our one-on-one time. Unfortunately, we don't get to do it as often as we'd like...but when we do, it's special and we love it.

photo 35

This reallllly bothers me.

No, not because of the actual price (which does bother me a little, but I have come to expect it). No, it bothers me because the day before, the price for regular was $3.09 a gallon (thankfully that is when I filled up).

Somehow, over night, the price rose twenty cents per gallon. I scoured the internet and the news trying to figure out what catastrophic event had spurred the steep rise. Not since 9/11 has gas risen so sharply. There was no explanation.

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We only use premium gas because our vehicles run better on premium. On the lower priced day it cost me $96.00 to fill up. I don't even want to know what it would cost with the increase. Sheesh, we may be buying a horse and buggy before the summer is up.

photo 34

Our first WRA...Winston-Related-Accident...

While stripping the sheets in Hannah and Sophie's room, I heard a crash from below, followed by a short yelp. Evidently our charming little bundle of fur stood on his hind legs, grabbed the tassel on the runner, and pulled...down came the runner and flower arrangement.

Poor little guy...he was so scared he hid in the corner of my office. The girls and I spent 5 minutes looking for him.

AND, we are still in love...messes and all!

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We were worried that Chloe would be timid and unwilling to spar when the time came.

We were so wrong.

She totally kicks booty. A few times, she has even chased the other kid around the mat.

Seriously, karate has been wonderful for her. She has become more coordinated and willing to try new things. It has also boosted her confidence and self-esteem.

We love watching her spar...but we are also thankful that one of the karate creeds states : "I promise not to misuse what I learn in karate".

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My sister and I decided to join a Stampin' Up card club together. Tonight was our first one. I am so glad that we decided to do this. I am now committed to spend at least one night a month with one of my most favorite people.