Today's Belize Update...

The sun is back! The storm dumped lots of rain on us yesterday and now it continues on to bring you all lots of snow at home! The feeling of excitement that comes with those big snow storms is kind of trying to rise up and become jealous! It's all good though and we will watch the storm from a distance this time...:) Send us your pictures!...:)

School is going on. I have been staying here the last few school mornings and doing reading time, writing time, journal time and flashcards with the Little's. Ariel starts school with Javon and while he is doing his school I spend time with Jenika. When Jenika does school I do Javon's on the side work. It works great and keeps them from distracting each other so much. If I go out for anything then they listen to Razkids or stories online. Jordan gets his turn last and he takes up any extra time that is needed. His work seems more complicated but Ariel has him read a lot and also reads lots to him.

The one on one has been great for Jordan and he says he is learning more this way then in a classroom setting. Ariel says he is doing great. She also has a fit at the level of learning that all my kids are on! She says they are way ahead of the other students she teaches and tutors. Her daughter is in second grade and she says Javon is way ahead of her, especially in math!

The rain yesterday has brought much slop and puddles to this property! I took a walk this morning and took some pictures. Much is getting done!! My camera is being babied in order to continue on with it! I'm so beat out that it choose now to act up! Some pictures are fuzzy but I want to share them anyway...

Cleaning ladies so busy cleaning new units!

This is the "Behind the House" going up...

This building will come in by boat early next week...right up the canals here. This building will house all the behind the scenes stuff that most guests won't see like laundry and cleaning supplies.

The flooring is going in at the "Great House"...

The electricians are busy to...! Check out the cords in the slop!...

Despite the slop they are getting lots done!

Filling in the slop holes on our street...

The landscapers and the sewer crew is so busy to! Crews of guys finish the details in a new unit and that fast the cleaning crew is on it, getting it ready for guests! The rows of trees are being lit up more and more to give lovely light at night! Last night looking out my kitchen window I saw new porch and tree lights, I liked it!
 These workers just appear my the tons in the morning! Often when we are heading out for our morning run! They mostly come on bikes!!... Here is where some of them park...

We have our hands on Jenika's school books! They made it here yesterday but today was the first that she was able to do school with them! Ariel will be doing some catch up with her. Dave's investor friends from Lancaster brought them. Horst and Lisa are staying here on the property for a week. We are planning to do dinner with them some evening.

Dave is in the city for the next few days. "Live and Invest Over Seas" is doing a conference in Belize City. Dave registered at home already and thought it to be a good idea at the time but this morning before he went to the airport he said he was easy busy enough here that he didn't feel so much like going anymore. I'm sure he will learn something and making friends is always something Dave does well so it will turn out good I'm sure. He will fly back and forth everyday so he won't be gone anymore then he normally is at home on his workdays at the shop. We did miss him at breakfast this morning though.

Instead of devotions this morning I had the kids all do a report on "what it's like living in Belize for a winter?" The feedback they gave was interesting!

Justin You Go...

 I get up like 7-8 every morning, eat breakfast and then I work out. When Jordan is done with school we either go to the beach or just bike around town, the best part about this place is the weather, and the food. I watch all the football games at Ramon's Village and hangout there. I'm getting to know people here. I go out and get mom stuff a few days a week. The roads here are a mess when it rains so our bikes make our clothes messy and muddy. We enjoy the Truck Stop and Cocoa Beach up North. The Lobster diving days with Tony are great to! Dad has me do some computer work for him sometimes. I set up his Skype phone the other day now we can call out. I'm missing out on time with friends, driving practice, making money at work and the snow storm coming up but over all it's great to be in Belize for awhile.

Jordan...
             I love the weather, the sun shines about every day! It's warm here even when they think it's cold! I like school here better than at home but it's still not that great. I like to fish but don't often catch much. I need to figure out what for bait they like. The other day I went out with Dane and we caught like 15!! I love to fish with him but he has school. Except for Saturdays which is when I often fish. I love lobster spearing with Tony and I'm getting the hang of it. I'm enjoying the food here a lot! The people here are so friendly! When we go out in the morning for our run people are all going to work. Everyone waves, smiles and says Good Morning to us! I run every morning except Tuesdays and Saturdays. I mostly hate it but it's getting better. Pina' Coloda's are good here from the Rum and Bean! Truck Stop corn hole tournaments are fun. Church is different here. We go in shorts and flip flops..:) Sunday school is chaos so I started to sit in the service and I like this better.
Justin and I bike a lot. We found a place close by that we can play x-box for six dollars (Belize) an hour. We only did that once, it was fun.

Jordan has an eye for wildlife even here in Belize!! He notices anything that moves!

Jenika...

I wake up. Breakfast is at eight. At nine we have school. School ends at twelve. One day after school we went to the beach. I went out on a paddle board with my friend Dane. We were pushing each other off until we drifted a long way out, we did not notice that there was an Eagle Ray right under us! We saw a lot of other things to. We saw the Eagle Ray, I pushed him but he held onto me I fell in to. The Eagle Ray came closer, we got on the board again. We went in and then we told the story and all of the children wanted to go to but we could not take all of them. We had to split up. When we came back it was time to go home. I said good bye to my friends. It was the best day on the beach!
I like Ariel but I miss my school at home. I am so excited for my cousin Tina to come visit me here!! They are coming next month! I can't wait!! I'm making friends here but I don't see the same ones often. We like to race with Lego cars that we make. When it's windy they just blow on the porch and we see who can make the fastest car! I love Belize a lot but I miss my friends and cousins! I miss my big house because here I can't get away when my brothers tease me. (which is often)

Javon...
I'm thankful that we are here for the winter. I like that it's so warm and we can be outside often! We see crocodiles here often. They are cool. I miss my school friends. I like PE here. It's running and swimming. I like to see the fish and sting rays. I like to do school with Ariel because it's only for three hours everyday and I like to play with Charlie to! I love to go to Charlies house to swim and fish!! He is coming for a sleep over sometime soon!

My thoughts... I love it here! I feel BLESSED to be in a warm spot for the winter! I just love the slow pace of life here! Dave is busy and it has been a challenge to see him here on his computer so much  but it is his only office and he is normally behind a computer most of the day at home so I try to be good with his office work being here in the home among us and all of our chatter...:) If he needs it quiet he goes to the coffee shop to work. I enjoy cooking here!! The food is always amazing! I enjoy church! It reminds me of what heaven will be like! Some people come in swim shorts and t-shirts because that is probably all that they own. The worship has my hair standing on edge and I love it!! We are starting to see familiar faces now. The other day when I was in town somebody said to me "Did you turn local now?"

Shopping is fun here in all the "here and there" shops but the money gets away so fast here! I will do a price comparison sometime to give you an idea what I'm taking about. I'm learning the best places to shop for certain things. We have a certain place to get our juice, our meat, our tortillas and the baker is where we get bread. It's warm off the shelf and costs only four Belize dollars!

I'm amazed at how much we can actually live without. Life is simple here. We don't even use the dishwasher because the dishes we have would never even fill it and plus we need them again for the next meal because we have just enough. We mix cookies with a tablespoon in a serving bowl. We have to use whatever we can find for leftovers. We are making out just fine with the few kitchen supplies we have. We have six forks so if we don't have them washed at meal time we have to wash them quick...:) We wash towels everyday so we have enough. The bedsheets get washed extra much because we find sand in the sheets...:) It's gritty but I don't mind. The house is small enough that clean up never takes to long. I don't miss all the ground I have to cover when cleaning my house at home..:)

KOMBUCHA!! It's here! It will go into bottles on Friday! Dave surprised me with a starter scoby from Placencia the other day! It has to be made with green tea here because I can't find black tea bags. Her finished kombucha tasted so much stronger then mine so we might have to adjust our taste buds a bit..:) But we are thrilled to have this drink here!

I love that I have more time with the Little ones. At times it feels like time is going so fast and I can't keep after! I'm always telling myself "I'm going to slow down and take more time with them" They are growing so fast and they entertain each other so well that I find myself almost fizzled out of there lives if I don't constantly stay intentional! Here I have way more time for them! We read lots of books. They read to me and I read to them. We play games. We enjoy walks and time outside by the beach! I take them to town for a treat or take them with me to do some shopping (only when I have a stop or two) They have adorable healthy looking tans!! I love this!!

We are going to the park for a few hours... I will have Dave share his take on the winter here sometime to. He has friends in town. Robert and Beth made it here this week and I'm sure they will be making even more pieces fly as they close up some loose ends to get ready for the soft opening date!! We are praying things go fast and smooth so we can house our February guests right here on the property and not out at a resort somewhere else.

We are thinking of you all back home as you scramble for your bread and milk! I'm usually the very one to really "prepare" and stock up for these snowstorms and then we have a real fun party!... I will be tuning in to your action for sure!

Have a blessed day!...