Santo Tomas de Castilla, Guatemalla

no question. my favorite port.

i know, i know! it was overcast and i actually didn't even swim in the waterfall (waded a bit). it was just so surreal to be there. my brother, keith, served his mission in Guat so i was super pumped to see the people.

i bought these really scary beef tacos from the mother of that caged (oops, i mean playpen) baby. but i just wanted so badly to give her money. and i didn't want any trinkets. (after spending 5 months in russia collecting souveniers, i don't need another one for the rest of my life.) anyway, back to the tacos. brandon told me not to even eat the cooked vegetables on them so i we gave them to our driver. and he was so grateful, he gave us the grand tour through town! it was delightful! i wanted to get out and pose in all the doorways of their homes, er, or were they cafes? i'm not sure. but there were all secured by gates.

i apologize for so many pictures. i have about a hundred more.

Guat: the Blue Lagoon

brett secured our transportation and we were on our way to Las Escobas waterfalls...

beware of baby

his daddy must be a handy man

gretchen is first to jump in!

brandon is next

more guatemala later...


**i didn't take any pictures of our snorkelling in mahhahual (costa maya) so molly or laura if you are reading this...i need some!!

New Orleans and the Mississippi

and most importantly, Cafe du monde.
though the freezing temps and wind had us all complaining about our walk through N.O. the pay off was HUGE! and by payoff, i mean in fried bread. i'm a little obsessed with the food network and so when Rachel Ray recommends benets at Cafe Du Monde, i HAVE TO TRY THEM!

i'm not sure if this place has ever been featured on the food network but it should have been! oh man! i didn't have the biscuits and gravy but (eat your heart out Pete) i did have cheesy grits and cabbage with my omlet!

shoving off...

Creole Queen ain't got nothin on the Coulee Queen (no offense N.O.)

picture of a deer

words cannot express how much joy this past holiday season brought into my life. last year was amazing. as we were awaiting a family gift (given december 29th).
and 2009 was just well, more.
more sisters. (oh how i love my jenny and lexi-but that's a topic for a different blog post)
more boys.
more thoughtful gifts.
more cookies.
more fun.
more food.
more dyer-style celebration.
more apread out gift opening.
more togetherness.
more seattle.
more gannah and booboo.
more pictures.
more days together.
more love.

i miss my siblings so much it almost hurts right now.

the following pictures are just a few of my favorites from christmas morning at gannah's house. they are in no particular order except the first two.









as you read this, i am wallowing in my post-holiday blues on a boat near guatemala or something like that. i think i will recover from my sadness. until next year...

gRowing UP

or going UP.
the party theme was isla's idea.

still waiting for those penpals