12/19/10-12/25/10

Sunday, December 19, 2010
For a family activity this afternoon, we all went out and delivered goody plates to some friends in the ward.  It was fun to visit the different homes.  We tried to go to one house that you have to drive into and honk until somebody comes to get you because the dogs are so scary.  I was very happy that Chris was driving because there was absolutely no way that I would have been able to back out of that road and there was nowhere to turn around!

Monday, December 20, 2010
Round number 2 of Christmas shopping with the kids.  We visited the bookstore, Club 99 (the store that imports a lot of stuff from the states), Megapaca (a new store that sells all the rejects from the states), and Hiper Paiz (the local version of Walmart).  We even splurged and got pizza at Giuseppes!!
After our marathon shopping, we returned home where the kids enjoyed their yearly tradition of locking themselves in different rooms and wrapping all of the presents that they bought.  They were really sad that we didn't get to go to the Dollar Tree this year.  It is our family tradition to give each kid enough money to buy a present for each member of the family.  We then set them free in the Dollar Tree and they each pick out presents, buy the presents, ask for extra bags so that nobody can see through to the presents, and then go home and wrap them.  There are many of our regular traditions that we're missing, but we're trying our best to do what we can.

Tuesday, December 21, 2010
Just a few more presents that Cole needed to get today and we are done with our shopping!!  Cole found a Butterfinger candy bar that he got for Morgan for Christmas.  He decided that he couldn't help himself and ate it instead!!  The kids have been missing a lot of the candy bars that we can't normally find here!
This afternoon we decided to do another tradition even though we were really late.  The kids insisted that we make divinity even though we've already delivered all of our goody plates.  Divinity is always questionable as to whether it will turn out or not.  I think I've got a 50/50 track record with it.  Well, I have to say that this was the easiest batch of divinity that I have ever made.  I made it in my bosch mixer instead of using a hand mixer.  (Can I just say how much I LOVE my Bosch!!!)  I don't know if it was the humidity, the temperature, the mixer, or just pure luck but it turned out and only had to beat for about 5 minutes!!  That was definitely a new record time!!

Wednesday, December 22, 2010
I am so ready to be done with kids schoolwork, shopping, and cooking.  I am looking forward to a nice vacation next week!!

Thursday, December 23, 2010
We did something quite different today!  Chris and I went to a town called Chichicastenango without the  kids.  It was a fun, much needed day with Chris.  The town has the largest market in Guatemala.  It had lots of souvenirs.  It was definitely touristy though!  We bought several souvenirs to take home with us.  When we got back to town, the kids didn't want us to come home since they were having so much fun.  They got to play the wii, watch t.v., eat junk food, make cookies, etc.  They were in high heaven!

I don't know how the lady talked Chris into trying this thing on.  She swore up and down that the men wear these but we've never seen any guy with one!! 

Some of the traditional fabrics.

Friday, December 24, 2010
All the last minute presents were wrapped today and I think we're all set for tomorrow!
We celebrated Christmas Eve with the Bottema family.  They had a delicious dinner followed by fireworks.  Both families had gotten fireworks so it took quite a while.  One firework fell over and started shooting all over the place and we had to run for cover.  We also had two land in the fields and start fire while Chris quickly stomped them out.  The fires were the most exciting part!!   I think the adult males had more fun than anybody else.  The kids finally lost interest after a while and went inside while Chris, Paul, and Cody continued to set off firecrackers.
The evening was very nice and it really helped to makes us feel like we were around friends and family since we are so far away!
The party didn't stop there though!  We got home about 10:00 and got the kids to bed.  We were almost ready for bed when the Guatemalan Christmas tradition began at midnight.  I think every single Guatemalan was setting off fireworks at the same time.  For about 1/2 hour we could hear nothing but fireworks and the sky was lit up everywhere we looked!  It was truly amazing.

Saturday, December 25, 2010
Merry Christmas!!  Everybody was a little worried that Christmas just wouldn't be the same, but it turned out quite nice.  I think everybody got what they wanted and were happy....candy helps also!
Santa brought all of the kids BYU gear.  Cole, Alysa, and Laina got new hats and Morgan got new sweatpants that actually fit her!!

The BYU gang.

 Chris got this wonderful hug after Alysa opened a clock.  I never knew that I kid would be so excited to have a clock!   Alysa also got a fun foil craft kit which became the hit of the day.  All of the kids were begging to make stuff with it.  I wonder where I can get some more!?!?!

 Cole keeps trying to steal my Guatemala bag that I received for my birthday.  We got him one that is very similar but blue instead of black.  He also got a new yo-yo with plenty of extra strings and some books.

 Laina got a pair of Hannah Montana sunglasses from her brother.  She got lots of girly stuff and a basket to put it all in.

Morgan has become quite creative and wanted to have her own sewing kit so that she can make stuff.  We got her a container and filled it with some sewing basics to get her started.  It also made me realize what a young woman she is turning into when one of her favorite presents was a new bottle of shampoo and conditioner all for herself.  It was a different kind that she keeps hinting (o.k. begging) to have!

After opening presents, eating Santa pancakes, opening stockings, I read, Chris slept and the kids played.  The newest neighbor came over with some tamales and grapes for us for Christmas.  Their 11 year old boy ended up playing with Cole for the entire day.  He speaks pretty good English and seem to have pretty similar interests!