Mother's Day Weekend 2025

Mother's Day in Guatemala is May 10.  This year it fell on a Saturday so that meant I got a whole weekend to celebrate.  Here is a look at my weekend.

On Saturday morning we drove up the mountain to a beautiful outdoor place called Altamira Oriole.  It was our first time to visit there, and we loved it.  Last year for Mother's Day we visited a place next door called Antigua Boreal and rode their giant slide.  That was fun also! There are about five different places to visit all on top of the same mountain.  I am already thinking about which place I might want to go to next year.

 

a scenic photo as we arrived

 

Altamira entrance

 

There were so many cool photo props there!!  For someone like me who loves to take pictures, it was a perfect Mother's Day choice!

 

 

 

We always enjoy these mountaintop places because we like looking down and picking out landmarks of our town and surrounding areas.

 

 

They have a Mario Cart dirt track that Cruz and I rode.  It is all downhill, super fast, and a lot of fun! 

 

a video of me driving the trail

 

 

We enjoyed a delicious lunch with amazing views.

 

Before leaving I took a ride on the cable bicycle.  I have seen this advertised for a few years now and was very excited to finally get to ride it.  It was SO MUCH FUN!!

 

 

 

a video of me on the cable bike

 

Later that afternoon I took the boys to the Tacana Climbing Gym.

 

After a few hours of climbing we returned home to grill hot dogs and call it a day.

 

 

my Mother's Day cupcakes from San Martin

I get these every year and I always love the different designs they come up with.  Not only are they always pretty, but they are so sweet and delicious!

 

Mother's Day balloon

 

No pancakes for breakfast this year.  Instead I made sausage, egg, and cheese biscuits.  It is our Sunday staple breakfast meal so I just kept it consistent.  

 

 

me and the boys at breakfast on Mother's Day Sunday

 

I am so thankful God chose me to be their mom!

 

We attended church and then had lunch at Castor's Pizza. 

 

 Pizza is one of my favorite foods. 

 

That afternoon I took a much needed nap and then a long afternoon walk around town.  David grilled steak for supper, and I made a baked potato casserole to go with it.  It was delicious and a wonderful ending to my celebration.  

Hosting the Epps

When we finished our meetings in Mexico, the Epps family flew home with us to Guatemala. They are our direct supervisors. They serve in South America and are over all Indigenous work throughout the Americas.  Just like how we make in person visits with the families we supervise, the Epps needed to visit us in Guatemala.  It was their first time come here.  

David and Aaron visited some of our local work areas.  He also took him on an overnight trip to Quetzaltenango to see where the Stones and Robertsons live and work.

 

The Whites and the Epps

 

 

While the guys were out seeing ministry sites, I kept Tiffany and the kids busy around town.  One afternoon we went biking at Finca Azotea. It is a coffee farm in Jocotenango.

 

Finca Azotea

 

 

We also did the chocolate class at ChocoMuseo.

 

MK friends

 

 

  

 

 

 

grinding cacao beans

 

 

The class includes a time to build your own chocolate bars.  They offer a wide assortment of toppings to put on it.  Each person gets to take their bar home at the end of the class.

 

 

Everyone with their chocolate bars.

 

We also visited the market and the cross overlook.  We played cards/games most every night, and had great fellowship around the meal table.  It was fun to host them, and our favorite part was the one on one time we had together to better strengthen our friendship. When you can also call your "boss" your friend, it makes for a sweet work relationship.  We are thankful for wonderful leaders like the Epps!

Finca Azotea Coffee Farm Tour

A visit to Guatemala would not be complete without learning about coffee.  We took our Summer Sojourners to Finca Azotea in Jocotenango to tour the coffee farm and see how coffee is not only grown but processed.  The tour cost Q50 (around $6.00) and takes at least an hour.  

 

our crew ready for the coffee tour

 

learning where coffee is grown around the world

 

David relaxing while the students did the tour.

 

Me relaxing as well.

 

The boys rotated between the hammocks and the swings while we waited.

 

coffee plants

 

the coffee plant flower

It blooms right before it starts to produce the beans and has the sweetest most pleasant smell.

 

 

coffee beans growing

 

 

our students walking through the farm on the tour

 

 

 

At the end of the tour everyone gets to sample a cup of coffee. They also get to sample several jellies made from coffee.  And of course there is time to shop in the store.

 

coffee cheers

 

When the tour ended we joined them for biking.  The farm rents bikes for 30 minutes or an hour.  We spent the rest of our time there biking through the farm and enjoying the fresh air and sunshine.

 

 

a video of our time at Finca Azotea