One Little Word 2015

January. Again. Where does the time go? Resolutions seem to be on everyone's minds. I never make them (any more). I could never last past March. Years ago I started choosing One Little Word (OLW) to work on cultivating throughout the new year. I blogged about 2011 (LINK) and 2012 (LINK). I have had varied success with each year. The word I chose this year is TRY. Yep. That's it. Really I don't think I chose this word. Seems to be a trend among my friends this year. I'm pretty sure it chose me. I have been hearing this word in my head for a while. Half a year actually. Back in June I blogged about the pioneer trek we went on (LINK). There were 2 songs that I wrote about one is a Primary song about the prophet Jonah. "Jonah was a prophet, tried to run away. But he later learned to listen and obey. If we really try, the Lord won't let us fail. That's what Jonah learned deep down  inside the whale." There is that word...try. I'll let you in on a debate we had with my dad had a few years ago. According to Dad, you can't try to do something. "Do or do not. There is no try." Yoda. Dad took this to heart and was beating us over the head with it. I think they are both wrong (Dad and Yoda). I believe that you try to do something until you give up. You can try to run a race. If you finish, you have succeeded. You you don't, you've given up. But the process is where try comes in. I have tried to lose weight for years. But I have always given up. It's hard. It's not easy to love yourself enough to keep trying. To not give up. But in the process I have learned so much. I have learned a ton about exercise and nutrition. I have learned how much better I feel when I am at least trying to make it to the gym. I learned how important it is to fuel my body with fresh fruits and veggies and lean proteins and whole grains. I have learned that it is hard to stick to goals that haven't been planned out AND WRITTEN DOWN. I have learned it is easier to go to the gym with my friends. So. TRY is my OLW for 2015. I will try to make healthier choices and I will try to let go of anger. I will try to be more organized and I will try to live with more intent. I will try to enjoy my family time more and try to mute my inner critic more often (seriously, you should hear the mouth on her! Shocking!) I hope this time next year I can tell you I have succeeded or that I am still trying. Giving up on myself isn't an option. This time I will TRY.

Belize Days 4&5

 Our last day in Belize was spent relaxing. We lounged by the pool and the ocean all morning. We planned on going into town later but there was no rush to be anywhere today. It was so very nice. 

 "Larry the Pool Guy" gave me a flower as I sat in the sun. Of course I was mocked for taking a selfie. The others had me to be their photographer. Who did I have?? Me, I suppose.

 These caught my eye because I thought they had been spray painted. Nope. They're legit.

 The boys had "Larry the Pool Guy" Cut a couple coconuts open for us. Of course we have to have some fun first.

 These are the soft coconuts. After you drink the coconut water from them there is a thin layer (membrane...blekkkk!!) that you scrape out and eat. It was soft and slightly sweet. The texture was kind of like jello that has been in the fridge too long. Not a huge fan.

 We would get fresh flowers on our bed every day. One of the perks of paradise.

 While cruising around we saw this blue crab out for a stroll on the dock.

 A bit later we cleaned up and went into town. Of course my picture taking skills need some work. I didn't get any of the hustle and bustle of too many golf carts and people on the narrow streets. But I did get one of this portrait that Ilise doesn't remember sitting for. It was a little creepy.

 At about 4:00 we decided to get an early dinner. Not possible. Dinner (at the earliest place we found) is at 5:00. We went to the spot we really wanted to eat, Blue Mango...not serving until 6:00. We went to the second on our list, El Fogon, and had a smoothie (mine was a limeade!!). We decided their menu didn't look super enticing so we went to the third recommendation, Elvi's Kitchen. It smelled wonderful. We were seated and had our order in right at 5:00. The sand floor was interesting. Pretty sure this is where I got all the bug bites!! Not a fan of that for sure!!

 Mexican steak with Mayan seasonings, a baked potato with chipotle butter, okra and all the fixings was my dinner. The flavors were wonderful. I loved all of it!!

 Ilise ordered the Creole (the special of the night). Jim and Robert wished they had ordered this as well. Conk, shrimp, oyster and clam with a crab claw thrown in for good measure. She said it was wonderful. I decided to take her word for it. It was very pretty to look at. After dinner we went back to the resort and swam and sat in the hot tub. We drank pina colada's and talked about how great the trip had been. We had to leave in the morning. None of us was ready.

 My last breakfast at Coco Beach was by far the best. The pineapple and watermelon were sweet and had the best texture. The yogurt and homemade granola were the best I've had. Seriously...I'd have had this every day if I had known!!

 Of course I got zero pictures of us on the way home. We were so chill and relaxed. We didn't start getting tensed up until we were about to board the flight in Huston. Our vacation was over and we were a little sad. It took me a solid week to get back in the swing of things in real life. Of course I missed the kids and especially Michael. Darla had just had surgery to have some tumors removed so there was that to deal with. But I missed the warm breeze and the beautiful sunshine. We will travel with the Walker's again. We always have amazing adventures with them. Thanks for the memories!!

Belize Day 3

Day 3 was going to be our most exciting day. The day we were to fly to the mainland for our excursions. We signed up for a half day hiking at the Mayan Ruins and half a day hiking to the top of a mountain to ride a tube down a river INSIDE A CAVE!! Cave tubing was what we were looking forward to the most of the whole trip. But God had other plans. Because of all the rain the previous few days (and more on the way) the cave tubing was cancelled because of flash flooding. We had three options. We could go to the Xunantunich ruins and come back to San Pedro or we could do the Xunantunich ruins and the Belize City Zoo or we could go to the jungle cruise and Lamanai Ruins but that takes the whole day. We have an amazing zoo here in Omaha so we chose Lamanai.

So a ten minute water taxi to San Pedro for a breakfast sandwich (delicious) and a 20 minute mini plane ride to the main land.  

Where we were shuttled into a van for the hour and a half ride through the country of Belize. Interesting note...there are no speed limits enforced in Belize. There are some posted but none enforced. So the rely on speed bumps and stop signs on their highways to slow cars down every now and then.

After a 90 minute van ride we settle into our boat for the hour and 15 minute ride to the ruin site. And about five minutes into it, it starts to rain. And it's not super warm. But the lily pads are blooming...how pretty.

And the snake cactus is tricking everyone into thinking there are snakes in all the trees. Neat-O

And then the rain stops and the sun comes out. Of course the humidity is super fun at that point but I was just so glad that I was warm I didn't complain. So friends this is Lamanai.We didn't realize what a treat we were in for or we wouldn't have been sad about missing out on the cave tubing. First off we had a delicious lunch prepared by our guide, Captain Ron, and his Mom (a direct descendant of the Mayan people). Rice and beans cooked in coconut milk (I could have eaten this at every meal), chicken thighs (I was hungry so the bones didn't bug me too bad), mashed potatoes (YUM), fried plantains (meh...they were ok), cole slaw (pass) and some various sauces that I didn't  need because everything was so dang good!!

We had a minute to look at the little museum and line up the time lines with the BOM. Then we walked through the jungle to our first stop. The jaguar temple. Thus named for the jaguars on each side. Mayans put their Gods on their temples to make them holy places (but you probably already knew that). But did you know that 99.9% of their gods are animals? Me either. Our guide was well versed in the history and culture of the Mayans. Even letting us know that they weren't even called the Mayans. Nope. That is a word that means "not sure" in the language of the people that "discovered" them. 

Jim asked him if he had heard of the Book of Mormon. Yes!! He had. Not only that, but he does BOM tours!!! WHAT!!! He would take us aside after he had told us (and the rest of our group) the official script and let us ask questions about how the time line here lined up with the BOM lineage. He was so knowledgeable. It was wonderful!!

Lazy monkeys! It's the only way the can survive here though. Not a lot of food available for them. 

The jungle is an amazing place. But the ruins were fantastic. We talked a lot to Ron about his thoughts about the truthfulness of the BOM. He told us that it supports his knowledge of the Mayan history (he has a Masters degree in history) and his testimony of that part is strong. He meets with the missionaries often to discuss his other questions. 

So during our amazing afternoon we kept pinching ourselves to make sure we are awake. The four of us wanted to do a BOM but they only do that for a bigger group. But here we were taking a mini BOM tour through the jungle in Belize!! So blessed!!

I wish I could have made a video to bring home and study with my BOM. I think that would just be the icing on this cake!!

My Mom always grew the most beautiful ferns, but hers never got this big!!

This is the temple we got to climb. It is the highest point in all of Belize. The view from the middle was great but from the top you could see the whole jungle canopy.

Another vacation pose for Jim!

The view from the top!! That is looking back toward the river we came up. Spectacular!!

This is looking toward Guatemala. I wasn't sure where to look to find it from there...but apparently you can see it.

The two people sitting in the shade to the very left are Jim and Ron. Jim was picking his brain for more info. This guy was a treasure!!

This is the view from the middle. We stopped for a minute to get our bearings and look around. Obviously the view was stunning.

Robert liked the top of the temple. It took me a minute to stand up there. It was sturdy and all but man...it was high up. Imminent death if you got too close to the edge!!

Here is the only Mayan temple to have a human face for the deity. The only one. It was built around 500 A.D. I asked Ron if he thought it was a coincidence that the only human face turned up on the temple after Christ had visited the Americas. He said he didn't think it was a coincidence at all. 

I also asked Ron if he loved his job. (If you know Jim you know he HATES his and longs for a job like Ron's. He's sure everyone like that loves their job and that if he had a job like that then he would be happy) Ron said he likes being out in the jungle but HE HATES HIS JOB!! Yup. I almost hugged him. Strange I know. But it made an impact on Jim. This is Ron and I being pelted with rain on the way back to the van. It was cold and stinging our faces. ("Daddy, I do not want a boat like that!" Name the movie)

After we got back to the island we thought we'd want to explore town for a bit and have some dinner. No dice. We were beat. We went back to the resort and ate at the bar (burgers were the bomb) and sat in the hot tub. We rehashed the day and felt so blessed to have had our testimonies strengthened ON VACATION. Not every day you get to do that. I know we were led to Captain Ron and his tour. We wouldn't have had this amazing experience if we had gone cave tubing.

Belize Day 2

Day 2 didn't begin very well. Having had only 4 hours of sleep the night before we left and getting a whopping 4 hours our first night in Belize (I'm not usually a great sleeper) I woke up with a skull scrapping headache. I wanted to die. I curled into a ball and just cried. Luckily Jim woke up at about 6 and ran to get me a soda (caffeinated) so I could take some Advil AND Tylenol (the secret is using them together with the caffeine). I was able to snooze a bit until 10 or so and take more drugs. I then sat by the pool and held very still until it was time to go snorkeling.  I really didn't want to miss out on that!

The morning was so beautiful. I enjoyed just taking a minute to enjoy the sunshine and warm breeze. This really is a beautiful place.

Jim and the Walker's played in the pool. I became the group photographer. I enjoyed my duties and the minute it gave me to feel like I was engaged in the activity without  having to bounce my head around!

Then the boys wanted me to come closer and take their pictures coming out of the water slide.

Of course I was happy to do it. They were having such fun. It was a beautiful day!!

Jim's vacation pose. He's a fan of  blue skies and warm air!!

The afternoon of the second day we went to the barrier reef and Hol Chan Marine Reserve to try some snorkeling. I didn't do very well the last time I tried so I was determined to do better this time around.

Spiny Sea Urchin....whoa!! Cool!! Our guides Candyman and Ariel were fun and knew a lot about the coral and the life around it. They kept us on task and all together. There was a Moray Eel that they had to steer away from the swimming tourists. It looked like it could do some damage.

A Sea Turtle!! She was right there!! Munching grass. This was the last picture on my camera. It broke. The buttons on the tops stopped working. I was so sad. Right after this she went up for air...RIGHT NEXT TO JIM!! He had to hold very still as not to scare her away but he could have reached out and touched her!!

After that we went to the shark and ray feed site. We swam with the Nurse Sharks and the Rays while they were being fed. Creepy AND cool!! Then we boated past San Pedro and back to the resort. It was an amazing afternoon!!

When we got back we swam for a bit. This is the view from the bar into the other pool  area and hot tub. It was one of our favorite spots!!

During the hours we were there it wasn't loud or crowded. Just a nice place to hang out and get some lunch. We sat in the hot tub before dinner to warm up and it rained. Not just a little rain...it poured from the sky like you would expect on a tropical island. Some thunder and lightening and huge buckets of warm rain. It was one of our favorite things about the trip. Weird, I know...sitting in the hot tub in the rain. Tourists...sheesh!!

After we dressed for dinner we decided it was a good idea  to walk toward town...in the dark....in a foreign country...in. the. dark. Not sure if you picked up on my hesitation. Let me set the scene for you...We walked out the back of the resort, away from the ocean. There was a nicely paved road. No lights. There was a light at our resort and then about 100 yards away there was another light...and then no light. Like at all! The newly paved road was nice, apart from the 3" gaps in the concrete along the way. Pretty sure they were for drainage.  Creepy night sounds all around, (me afraid of the dark in my own house) not really sure where we are going. We had a map...never trust a map. Never go in the dark. Just saying. We had gone about a mile and a half (felt like 10) and suddenly the road stopped. Technically the road was still there...just not the paved part. So we decided to turn around and rent a golf cart from the resort to continue our adventure. By this time it was about 7:00 and we were getting hangry (OK...maybe just me). We got the golf cart and headed back. When we reached the point where the road ended we were so pleased (note the sarcasm) to notice that the rain had created these HUGE puddles of undetermined depth (remind me sometime to tell you about my recurring nightmare about driving into water). There was no way around them...we had to go through them. Golly. Not fun. But we made it (both ways) without being swept out into the ocean. We continued on until the road ended...again. Couldn't really tell where it headed as it was so dark so we decided to turn around and find a less than repulsive looking resort and try our culinary luck there.  The one we settled on was called Rain. Appropriate since the lounge (the only available seating) was open to the sky. Risky. But we were all hungry by then and so we stayed. There was a lovely live band (and by band I mean a bass player and a guy on a keyboard) pumping out some smooth jazzed up hits from the 80's. Oh yeah!! I ordered a chicken dish. It was OK. Jim had the snapper. It too was OK. My mashed potatoes were YUMMY and the chocolate lave cake with coconut ice cream I ordered for dessert was the bomb!! 

We made it back to the resort safely and said good night. The next day we'd be catching the taxi to town at 6:00 a.m. for our Mayan Ruin/Cave Tubing adventure. I wanted to try to get enough sleep so the headache stayed away!!

Lots of fun and laughter for the day. I loved being there with Jim and of course the Walker's. What a day!!!

Belize Day 1

Jim and I (with the fabulous Walker's) went to Belize last week. You may (or not) remember the Walker's from our cruise in 2012. We had such a good time. We chose Belize for the snorkeling and Mayan ruins. I'll apologize in advance for the pictures. They are completely put of order. Some are from my phone and others from my camera (until it died....more on that later). We stayed at the Coco Beach Resort on Ambergris Caye just off the mainland of Belize. It was stunning. 

This is from the pier outside the resort. It was such a quiet, beautiful spot. I can't say enough good things about this place.

It was so quiet. Even though they were at 85% capacity (we asked) it felt secluded. We rarely had to share the pool. The beach was all but empty most of the time too.

This is Coco Beach Resort. Beautiful beach, gracious staff, great food, near the second largest barrier reef in the world, tons of things to do and did I mention the warm weather??

This is the view from the from door of our room. This view never gets old.

This is the pool we spent the most time in. Our room is in the building on the left of the picture on the top floor last room on the right. It was perfect.

We had Pina Coladas (virgin, of course) every day. Such a treat!!

This photo should be first. It was all of us on the first plane (of 6) of the trip. We are such a wild and crazy crew!! What a time we had!!

Blue sky, blue water, white puffy clouds....relaxing already!!

The first thing we see coming into The Belize City, Belize airport...A CHRISTMAS TREE!! Perfection!!

Then onto this little island hopper. Must say....I was not a huge fan. But if that is how we get to the island...then so be it!! There was a 2 hour boat ride for an alternative. No thank you!! I'll take the 20 minute plane ride and hope for the best!!

Ilise rode shotgun!! She is a stunning co-pilot. Buckle your seat belts!!

Oh boy!! The ride was like a very unpredictable roller coaster. Luckily it was a short ride.

It's a tropical paradise. Lush greenery met us at every view. I couldn't get enough of the warm beautiful scenery!!

Of course the boys enjoyed the flight. I don't think they could have been less concerned.

Waiting for the water taxi to take us the 10 minute boat ride to the resort. We were so excited to finally be here. We have been planning this for a very long time!! (Yes, those are my fancy "going to town" sweats. They were comfy traveling pants!)

Ilise and I got massages on the beach (no pics of that!!) shortly after we arrived. We felt so relaxed after that there wasn't much we wanted to do. When we left NE it was -22* with the wind chill. The schools were closed for the day. When we got to Ambergris Caye it was 78*. We wanted to stay outside and enjoy every minute of the beautiful weather.We ate at the restaurant at the resort that night and turned in early (like 9:00). That's early for the Walker's but late for us!! We had all been up ridiculously early for our 5:45 a.m. flight so we were all beat.