BreathTaking...

What to share on our trip to Belize?? I could go on and on but I'm not sure how much I'll get to? I have been enjoying my time back with the kids and being on the computer long is not on my agenda for today. The Little's and I have been staying indoors staying cozy! After having 70-80 degree days the past few days I think I got a culture shock!
This is us this morning... I missed them so much!!

We arrived home at one this morning. The boys didn't even seem like they missed me! They were comparing me with how Rachel Ann done things the past few days and they seemed to like her way better!:) They liked how she had breakfast ready faster and I heard much  about her yummy wings!:) Boys hearts can be won with food every time!:) At least my boys!

The Little's enjoyed the time with Rachel Ann to and she was telling me all about how they did for her. She had to do some time outs and I'm sure her patience was tested at times like mine often is in the world with kids but they love her and she is so good with them!!

Lunches did not need packing this morning thanks to Martha!!:) I needed to grocery shop before packing lunches and Justin's class got treated today by Martha taking lunch for Justin's class for Anthony's birthday so after some face book back and forth she invited Jordan over to Justin's class to!! Thanks Martha!! Now I can wait to grocery shop till this evening! I want to shop all different after coming home from Belize!! I want to change the way America eats!! I guess I can start with my own family but it's so much harder to eat healthy here!

I will be off and on today as I post on this trip...

I will call it... 2013 Investor Discovery Trip...

The reason we went?? Possible Real Estate investment. It was with a tour "Field trip" put on by the
"Real Estate Guys" Dave has had connections with this group for a few years and has learned so much on the market of Real Estate! I wasn't sure what I was doing along since Dave normally does these type of trips without me but he wouldn't hear of doing this one without me and now I can see why!

If I had stayed home and Dave would have come home to try to tell me all he learned I would never have bought it but I'm now as sold as he is! I loved the friendly welcomed feeling we got from the locals. The ides that it's an English speaking Country even though you do often hear them speak in other language but we stopped to check out a library and everything is English speaking.

The Island where we were is called... Ambergris Caye, The town is called... San Pedro.
 This was in a hand out we got and it is exactly what we felt there...

"When you travel to Belize you will take part in a host of extraordinary, untrodden experiences, but you won't feel like a stranger in this land. One of the most endearing aspects of the Belizean people is there ability to achieve a very real and intimate connection with visitors from any country and every walk of life. The warm friendly welcome you receive in Belize combined with the breathtaking adventures you'll experience will stir your soul, expand your mind and forever change your life."

Belize is protected by a 174 mile long barrier reef. It is beautiful and we went to check it out snorkeling one afternoon!! The water is crystal clear and the fish and sea creatures are protected and so amazingly beautiful!! It was not good for my ear that is not allowed to get wet but it was worth it!! I had a plug in but my ear is still struggling. Maybe from the flights to!

The reef keeps the water surge miles away from the island! So hurricane damage is rare here. Dave had an experience that sent his heart rate up... He was swimming with sharks which he knew he would but the one shark got a hold of a large chunk of fish which another boat was feeding them with when like six more decided to try to grab a bite from the one that got the whole chunk! They were at each other right in under Dave!! He said he could have kicked them!! They are not dangerous sharks but they are still pretty big and fighting for food right in underneath him is an adventure he has not taken before!! He loved it non the less!~ I was so cold at this point from spending forty five minutes in the water before this stop that I did not get out at the shark stop. Kinda wish I would have now but I was shaking so bad from cold!

Leaving home Friday we flew out of Philly into Houston TX then from Huston to Belize city then a small plane ride to the island of Ambergris Caye from there. Long travels for the short time we were there but so worth the trip!! We as a group did hours of touring! Sitting around tables learning learning learning!! Dave is like a sponge in this setting and as I watch him soak I'm amazed that he understands it all and loves to be in a position like this where he is learning from well educated people!... Like minded people is what he thrives on!

This was a common setting the past days in Belize!! Standing around in a group listening to the educated ones...:)

And again...

 

Here we were getting set up for a typical Belizean breakfast... We had tacos galore! They all eat tacos for breakfast over there! We also had yummy banana, pineapple or papaya juice to drink. This was Sunday. It was a slower pace more relaxing day. The fruit didn't look as nice as ours but the taste was way better!! It's called organic here (they know nothing else!)

We toured by boat and on land with golf carts! The people do not have cars here they have bikes, feet, mopeds, and golf carts is a huge privilege! The taxis are vehicles but the rest is mostly golf carts! Most people live up a story then they often have a business below the living quarters... They like tourists that come there to spend money! If we went out along the beach to eat things were way more costly then if we found a back street local place and the food on the back streets was just as good!!

We spent one day learning the cost of living. We went into a grocery store and they had lots of American food but because of import costs it was like twice as much as here!! And we really had no desire for American food beside the locals anyway!! Everything is organic!! They know nothing of spraying fruits and veggies with anything!! The seafood is always fresh caught!! The seafood the restaurants serve determines what for fish the fisherman caught for them that day!!

Dave and I ran three miles one day but we mostly walked alot! It was so fun to walk the beach and streets discovering the way these people live!! They are mostly land rich but cash poor so they live very simply yet they are so blessed and seem to know it! They love music and you often hear it coming from there bikes and homes as we walked by! Very cheerful people! We saw nobody sitting around on gadgets of any kind yet they do have cell phone service on the island! The breeze is amazing so laundry hangs and blows and dries in what would seem like no time. Bugs?? Not where we were! You could hang windows and doors open all day to enjoy the breeze and never see a bug!

I think they do have more bugs on the main land and also other critters like monkeys and stuff but where we were we only saw a few lizards and iguanas.

There is a huge Mennonite community in on the main land and they are highly spoken off by everyone!! They don't know where they would be without them!! They grow all the fruits and vegetables, do the mechanical service on the golf carts, wood working skills and much more! They make the ice cream (which is so yummy!) they raise the chickens and beef also! We want to go back with the family and check out things on the main land to. The kids would love this place and I often pictured them there as we were touring!!

Jordan number one could fish and catch fish like never before!! Justin would love the golf cart lifestyle thing!! Over there nobody is out to get there neighbor. They have no law suits or no type of socialism of any kind! Taxes are payed monthly and things are so much simpler then here! The country is young and growing at a rapid speed. Electricity is still not in all areas and most roads are still dirt roads. I love how this kid is waving at me!!...

Typical setting on the streets of San Pedro...

Feeding sting rays by hand!!!

This is where we had breakfast before heading to the little air strip... Dave had a first time ever "Lobster Burito" I had taco's...:) We love foreign food!

From the air we saw the may places we were touring... The huge empty space is where they are working on a new village with much potential to grow the island of San Pedro.

We are welcome to come into there country and invest, start a business of any kind but would not be allowed a job over there! They protect there people! We can create jobs for them but not take jobs from the locals so we often seen an American or Canadian or other foreigner with a business but then ALL employees were natives. They feel very fortunate and blessed to have a job and are very happy about it! So therefore pretty much everywhere we went the service was amazing with great attitudes!

Sometimes it takes leaving the USA to see how we really are as Americans! It does me good to leave the country and see how others actually live but this was the first time leaving the country and coming back feeling like we are really the less fortunate ones! The first thing I saw as we entered the terminal in the states was huge TV monitors saying to get vaccinated and how important it is! I'm not against vaccinations but I think it has gotten out of hand here and will continue to get worse.

I love my Country and am proud to be an American but it did me good to take this trip and see things from a different perspective. I had to think of Dave and Rose in Africa often! The culture change can be a shock to us Americans yet a blessing to! Africa is different then Belize yet the many things we hear from Africa seem kinda the same to...? The tropical climate is often fun to me...:)

We did get some sun from the (Hot) island sun. We didn't hang on the beach much other then walking but just being out and about got sun on our faces!

It had to be like the coldest day here yet today but I'm still glad to be back... I better go check my Little's... Jen had been begging to make something in the kitchen and I knew this blog post might take time so I let them make cupcakes all on there own!! She brought the oil for me to measure but other then that and turning on the oven Jen and Javon helped each other alone!! (with my instruction from my computer) I wonder how much batter they licked???!~

Justin needs me to take him for quiz team shirts for the team guys after school then we are off to the  chiropractor this evening. Dave wanted to squeeze in gym yet but every time I take a getaway of any kind I declare I'm going to slow down this crazy American lifestyle when I return home... #ratrace:)

Love my busy life in America but the American family that we met with in Belize that moved there with there three kids seven years ago said they moved for "quality of life reasons" The guy said when his son was eight he thought he was five! Like where did those last three years go?? He did not know!?

Is that how we are?? Are we missing our calling to raise up our kids with our TIME!? It can be stressful as we try to care for other needs around us yet we fail to see the needs right in our own homes! I know I need to do better in this area but it can be so easy to get wrapped up in the cares of today!!...

Blessed to be back to the cold state of PA and being able to once again love on my children! I missed them more then they seemed to miss me...:)