Life Lately June & July 2026

Hello blogger world!  I took a break during the summer and will try to get caught up in the days ahead.  Here are some random pictures from the months of June and July. 

 

In early June David preached at a special Father's Day service at the Baptist church in Jocotenango.

 

We met this sweet family from Maine and enjoyed visiting with them over coffee at a local coffee shop in town.  They were in Guatemala on vacation.  We love opportunities like this.   

 

 

A highlight of my June was watching the college baseball playoffs and World Series tournament.  Of course, we cheered on Ole Miss until they lost.  

 

We all had dental cleanings.  This was the view while we waited to see the dentist.  Not a bad sight!

 

 

The boys attended Camp Guamiski, which is a summer camp for MK's living in Guatemala.  They love this week!   

 

 

While they were at camp, David and I spent some time in Guatemala City doing annual medical checkups.  What a pretty view from Zone 10. 

 

 

A highlight of our city time was having lunch at Del Griego.  We love gyros!  We also enjoyed a meal at P.F. Chang's.  It is a tradition while the boys are at camp. 

 

 

As soon as camp ended, we flew home to Mississippi for a few weeks of summer in the South.  You can read about that HERE.

 

 

We returned to Guatemala mid-July and then just three days later flew to Peru for a work meeting/ training. 

 

Landing in Lima 

From the Lima airport, we had a two hour bus ride to our location.  Peru's Independence Day was coming up so that meant we saw their flag flying everywhere.

 

A highlight was the alpacas and llamas that roamed the property where we stayed.  We loved seeing them every day. 

 

 

 

While we were at our training, Cruz enjoyed spending the week with other high school TCK's whose parents serve in the Americas.  This annual retreat is one of his favorite things!  This was his second year to go.  You have to be fifteen to attend, so next year Ben will get to join him. 

 

Cruz with some of his friends at the retreat. 

 

They loved dressing up for an evening meal.  They also had a hoedown and a decades night. 

 

We are thankful for the way the IMB invests in our kids! 

 

 

We returned to Guatemala with one week left of summer break.  I spent most of the week getting ready for the new school year.   

 

Here are some photos of our classroom this year- 

 

I bought this wall decoration because it reminded me of Colorado, which I greatly love! 

 

 

 

We started back on August 3.  I'll share about our first day of school in an upcoming post. 

 

 

The boys spent the week catching up with friends.  They both had sleepovers.  Ben joined a friend to see the new Spiderman movie.  Cruz enjoyed a workout with a friend and a visit to a coffee shop.  They both joined friends at local pools for a day of swimming.  They had a busy social week!  On this particular day we enjoyed lunch with friends at a local coffee farm.  This is Ben with his friend Josue. 

 

A cute planter at the coffee farm.

 

Overall, it was a fun summer, and I'm a little sad that is has come to an end.  But, new adventures lie ahead, and we are fully embracing what fall has to offer.  What am I most looking forward to?  SEC college football!!!  Football season is my favorite season of all.

Life Lately March 2026

 Here is a look at some family activities during the month of March.

 

We started the month getting supplies ready for a mission team.  We were hosting a team from Easthaven Baptist in Brookhaven, MS.  This is the city we have always stayed in during our Stateside Assignments.  We have hosted them many times and always look forward to having them here with us.

 

 

Our mission team

You can read about our week with them here- Easthaven Misson Team. 

 

 

They flew out on a Friday afternoon, and we flew out the following morning heading to Virginia to attend an IMB Americas Homeschool Conference.   We had an incredible week there with other homeschool families who serve in the Americas.  

 

 

our family March 2026 

 

 

Due to our mission team and trip to Virginia, the boys missed two weeks of youth group.  They were eager to return.  That night the boys' Bible study group made pancakes and served them for the evening meal. Our boys enjoyed getting to help.

 

youth group friends 

 

 

We took this photo on Palm Sunday morning. 

 

 

Ben took his friend, Josue, to the climbing gym with him.  This is Ben's favorite activity! 

 

 

For Cruz's cooking class during March, the recipes he made were batter fried fish, cheese grits, and a herb marinated flank steak.  

  

All of the recipes were good, but we especially loved the cheese grits.  It was more work than my usual way to make grits but was delicious.  I have since made the recipe again and is one I'll use in the future.

 

 

I made a banana pudding.  I brought pudding mix and Nilla wafers back with me from the States in December.  I brought enough to make three desserts.  It is something we all love. 

 

While at the homeschool conference, I was given a recipe for homemade cinnamon rolls.  The dough is only self rising flour and heavy whipping cream.  It seemed too easy to be true, but I tried it recently on a Saturday morning.  

 

 

 Turns out they were delicious!  The dough was so soft and perfect. 

 

  I will be making these again often.

  

 

We are on Spring Break this week.  On Monday we made a drive into Guatemala City and visited our favorite mall, Miraflores.   Here are me and the boys enjoying some of the Easter decorations.

 

 

I took Cruz to do some shopping.  David and Ben passed the time with coffee and donuts. 

 

We love just walking around this mall. 

 

 

We went bowling. 

 

me and my boys 

 

 

It was a fun family outing!

 

On Tuesday, the 31st, Ben and I were invited to an Easter party with several of his friends.  They dyed eggs and played "minute to win it" style games for Easter themed prizes.  I think the moms enjoyed the fellowship just as much as the kids. 

 

 

Ben with two of his best friends. 

 

We are now gearing up for the main Holy Week activities taking place in our town this week.  Semana Santa (Holy Week) in Antigua, Guatemala is on a level of its own. Throughout this week there is expected to be several hundred thousand people pass through our town. It is by far the busiest and most celebrated week of the year.  It don’t know what your part of the world will look like for Easter week, but ours will be hopping.

  

 

Happy Easter everyone!