what's up...

So I've been a blogging slacker lately... sorry. Truth is, Anna and I have been at home mostly in recent weeks, and so I haven't had many stories to tell or photos to post. And now, we are busy getting ready for a month in the states and that's where my brain is at the moment. But I wanted to give a brief summary of this past week's events.

Pastor Ray arrived on Thursday, with a rental SUV! So Anna and I have been able to go out with the group, and it has been a blessing. Yesterday we spent the day in Los Mortales. I had to make an emergency run to my favorite store, El Cho Cho, to get Anna some little tennis shoes so that she could roam free during the outing. Five minutes, and $2 later, I walked out with a bright pink pair of Barbie shoes... they certainly wouldn't have been my first choice if I had other options... but for 2 bucks I really can't complain.

Sporting her awesome pink stretchpants and new Barbie shoes...


Not sure where she's headed, but man this kid keeps on the move!


Anna with our beloved Luci... who lives in Los Mortales. The tongue thing is new.


Our fearless leaders...


Vero leads the kids in a craft...


Beautiful Los Mortales

Do you want a CUSTOM BLOG DESIGN???

A new friend of mine runs a graphic design business called "Restored 316 Designs". She specializes in custom website and blog design. Well, for the next week, she is having a super fun custom blog design giveaway! (usually $79!)

Check out her blog for instructions on how to get your name in. She will give away one free custom blog design for every 30 entries! She loves the Lord and it would really bless her if you stopped by to check out her work and enter her giveaway!

Click the box to go to her website or click the link to go to her blog!

www.restored316designs.blogspot.com

We LOST a WHOLE Kid!!!

Eric and I have lost a total (combined) of 70 pounds since moving to Panama! It has been a very difficult endeavor, but so worth it! Panamanian food is mostly fried, empty calories and lots of grease and fat. There is no green leafy lettuce (just iceburg) and no salad dressing (which isn't important since there's no salad!) BUT, we were determined to eat healthier, eat less, and be more active... permanently.

Eric walks a ton, and I use an elliptical machine that we bought a few months ago. We eat lots of chicken and vegetables, and a lot less of everything else. (We do splurge and have pizza on Sundays... but you gotta live right?)

Eric is down 40 pounds from his heaviest, and I am down 30. We both need new clothes, as belts are now required to keep our pants up! It's a good dilemma to have. We still have a ways to go to reach our target, healthy weight... but for now, we're very proud of ourselves, and have adjusted quite well to this new lifestyle. It feels good to eat right.

Just a lazy afternoon...

We're outside this afternoon, enjoying the beautiful weather! (That's a joke people, it's disgusting here right now!) Eric's favorite pasttime after a long day of studying is laying outside in the hammock, and Dewey's favorite pasttime is laying with him! (Are we producing another Scarlet here?) Anna is such a big girl now (*sob) and enjoys hanging out with Daddy and Dewey. In all honesty, the hammock is one of the few things I will miss this summer when we're in the states... but a couple of Starbuck's frappaccino's should help me forget all about it!!!

I just had to share!

Well, in the thrill and excitement of our upcoming MONTH in America, I realized that I needed to buy Anna a swimsuit & hat. We have several water excursions planned during our visit to the states, and since summer is over here in Panama, swimsuit pickings are slim!

So, for the first time since leaving the states, I went online shopping! I stumbled upon the most adorable swimsuit on sale at the Gap, and a matching hat & flip flops at Old Navy! (And did you know that in the blessedness of online consumerism, the Gap and Old Navy now have a single shopping bag and checkout system- allowing you to shop at both stores and checkout & pay just once! Oh the joy! (Of course, I won't get to enjoy that convenience very often... I don't want you to get the wrong impression... we live very frugally down here in Latin America!)

Anyways, I'm just so excited about this purchase for my little girl... that I just had to share!