Failure to blog....

I have been a failure at blogging... I know I know! I am sorry, but after 4 years of Guatemala I guess there was not too much to add. BUT.... then Semana Santa came this year! It was full of new places, so I will give a quick re-cap!

The week started with a quick trip to the beach. It was of course black sand. The food was delicious and the surf was great. I got to boogie board a bit which I always enjoy.

From the beach, we came back to the city for a night and then headed up to Lake Izabal. We stayed at Finca Paraiso. It was also beautiful and secluded. On our way to the Lake we stopped at the Castillo San Felipe. I had been there before when I swam my 6k last year, but today I was just a tourist. It was super fun and much better than swimming!

Gotta love some sandia on the lake!!

Part of the fun was our daily trips on "the banana"! It was great to ride around the lake being pulled by a little boat. They threw us off each day and it was super fun... kinda lake tubing on Lake Lanier!

The Banana Boat bunch!! We had a great time!

After spending 3 days at the lake, we went up to Coban where half of our group was from! We stayed at Boris's sisters house. It was nice to relax at a home and we were able to experience some "Semana Santa festivities" i.e. alfombras (rugs)! As you can see, the one below is incredible... better than Antigua!

Our last big adventure for the week was a day trip to Hun Nal Ye. It is an ecological park near Coban... and then 10 kms down a dirt road... NOT FUN! But it was beautiful. We went tubing, on a rope swim, climbed the waterfall.... it was GREAT!

So yes, I finally have something new in Guatemala to blog about!! AND... I promise to blog about my niece soon too... she will be sad to know that it took her TIA over 3 months to introduce her to the blog... it took me only 3 hours with Burke!! HA!

BIrthday and Christmas 2010

So for my birthday this year, I had a Make Your Own Pizza party. I had to keep to a smaller crowd because I made all of the pizza dough myself, but it was GREAT! Everyone came over to my apartment and could choose any toppings and make their own creation. It was a BLAST!

Iris and Jon choosing their toppings!

Ashley, Stephanie and Arturo getting ready to bake

Ashley broiling her pizza

This is my new roommate Annette. Just her and I now in the apartment.

Boris and I hanging out with the crowd!

Gotta love the Greene boys! They always make me feel special on my birthday.... or any day for that matter!

After Rebeca's wedding, I flew home to Georgia and spent 3 days up in Athens playing with Burke. At Thanksgiving he was not walking or talking much... Boy did that change!! He is now RUNNING and loves to babble. He also thinks he is pretty funny!

Burke in his Guatemalan slipper

Christmas morning Cherrios!

Doesn't even have to put down his sippy cup to slide! BIG SHOT!

His own little hangout!

The snow up at Beau and Hilary's! At least 2 inches!

Snow at home home!

Boris's cute gift for mom and dad! Very thoughtful

THanksgiving 2010

So it has been 4 years since I have spent Thanksgiving in the US. Although Thanksgiving in Guatemala is always WONDERFUL and very traditional (minus eating outside in 75* heat), I decided to come home this year.... and bring the boyfriend, Boris. So here are the pics from our trip!

Allison and I ran (37 minutes, what what!) the Thanksgiving 5K while Boris ran the half-marathon. By the way, we arrived at the house at 12:40 a.m. and had to be up at 5:20 a.m. to go to the race.... My eyes still look sleep even after the race!

Boris finishing that last stretch. His time was 1:29:00.... yup, he likes to run! 150th of all the men!

We were both winners.... at least that is what my mom said!

After an incredible turkey lunch we went up to the lake. Don't you love dad's new hair color! Oh wait, it's a hat!

It was warm enough (with hats) to go out on the lake. Friday was a shop 'til you drop day, so I did not take any pictures. But I did get GREAT DEALS!

Saturday we went to the Georgia/Georgia Tech game in Athens. Thankfully Beau and Hilary let us crash at their house.... and play with Burke!

Go Dawgs! Burke in his dawg hat and paws!

Boris sporting his new hat... He knew the right team!

Burke had so much fun pushing his toy around. Great idea GRAMS!

Then we celebrated my birthday with a Cecelia's Caramel Cake! THANKS EVERYONE!

Finally, the game! GO DAWGS

IT WAS FREEZING! I had on 7 laters, 2 hats, 2 socks, 2 pants... SOOOO COLD, but worth it!

Dawgs WIN!

And a trip to meet the amigos on Sunday night! Thanks ladies!

Please comment!

Hello blog world readers! I just wanted to let you know that I love YOUR comments, but not the spam I had been receiving in place of comments. I can't even read them! So when you leave comments (since I know you all want to), please know that I will get an email and then it will be published. If I know you (and it is not rude or mean :-) ) I promise to post it! Thanks in advance for your future comments! (do you think i like comments?! HA!)

Happy Burke-Day!

So this summer I got to stay in Georgia long enough for Burke's first birthday. It was WONDERFUL! He is such an happy and animated kid. I could just SQUEEZE him all the time. So in honor of his first b-day, he got a blog!

First gift! Check out shirt! WAHOO!! i love being a Tia!

Gifts good, bows BETTER!

He also learned to climb the stairs at his birthday party!

Wearing the jammie I got him last year.... I could hug him all day!

Laughing with his cousins!

The Hungry Caterpillar cupcake... just for Burke!

Cecilia's Mint Chocolate Cake for the rest of us!

YUMMY!

Even yummier!

Meltdown! Cake flying! IT really was a great day!

Ciao Bella... Italian Adventure!

Before visiting Spain (see previous post) my friend and I went on an Italian Adventure! We have friends that live in Rome and that is really the reason that we decided to start the adventure at all. When you have friends in Rome, Italy.... you better go and see them! So we boarded a plane... oh wait, we did not.... They would not give us a seat because the downsized the plane and decided that WE could fly 1st class to Brussels instead and then on to Rome... I'll take it!

First Class to Brussels! Thanks Delta!

Next stop, Colloseo! Literally right of the Metro and this is what you see.

If the Pope were talking, he may spit on me!

Hall of Maps.... yet all I did was look at the ceiling!

Vatican City! Sorry I don't send postcards or Mom, I would have sent you on from here!

Scaffolding Monument... oh wait, the Pantheon!

We climbed to the top of a palace and the view was spectacular!

Trevi Fountain.... where are your dreams come true! And you get to look at it with 3,000 others at once.... what a dream!

Off to the Mediterranean! The chairs were awesome. Built in sun guard for your face!

Sweet Nolyn playing in the sand!

Day one of our beach days.... we could not get enough in the heat!

Back to Scaffolding Monument (the Pantheon) for tourist dinner! YUMMY!

INCREDIBLE PASTA!

Day trip to Orvieto and Bagnoreigo...

The beautiful church in Orvieto! Pictures do not do it justice!

The town of Orvieto behind us... set up on a hill to protect it.

The beautiful view after climbing up to Bagnoriego.

We climbed ALL the way up... totally worth it... plus we were not pushing the stroller!

Off to Florence! Look... the DUOMO!

The view of Florence from the top of the Duomo... totally worth it!

Crossing the bridge to get to the "fake David"... real David closed on Mondays

View from the "fake David"... much better view than the real David!

"Fake David"... a little Green!

Venice at sunset! Beautiful

The view of Venice from our hotel pool... what a great pool... I mean VIEW!

The canals are really this incredible... but it was WAY too hot!

My 0:37 second gondola ride... only E0.50!

Last night in Venice! CIAO BELLA!