Life Lately February 2025

 Here is a look at our family life from the month of February.

 

I took this photo on a Saturday morning walk around town. The volcanoes look like they have snow on them.

 

 

I snapped these photos on another walk I took one afternoon.  It is of the beautiful jacarandas that are in full bloom this time of year.  They are my favorite! 💜

 

 

We had lunch with some friends and enjoyed getting to catch up.  We miss getting to see those three Johnson boys on a regular basis.  Their family now lives and serves in another part of Guatemala, and we only see them a few times a year.

 

Ben with friends

 

On Super Bowl Sunday David preached at an evening service in Xenacoj.  On the drive back home we stopped in San Lucas for supper at Lai Lai, which is a Chinese restaurant chain here in Guatemala.  To our surprise, they were playing the game on their screens.

 

Ben ate using chopsticks.

 

I took this random photo because it is rare to crack open an egg and see a double yolk.

 

 

While the boys were at youth on a recent Wednesday night, David and I enjoyed a date night to our favorite BBQ restaurant in town- Pappy's.

 

 

Ben enjoyed a Saturday birthday party outing. They went to Guatemala City and did lazer tag, bowling, arcade games, visited a mall, and ate some fun foods.  They were gone from 10:00 am until 9:00 pm.  What a fun time to spend with friends!

 

 

ice cream with friends

 

birthday party fun

 

Ben at an arcade in Guatemala City.

 

 

We hosted a volunteer team from Virginia.

 

 

Ben and I went on a mother/son outing to Starbucks and the arcade.

 

 

Cruz and I took a pasta class in town.

 

 

Cruz did several fun experiments. 

 

 

We had a fun time celebrating Valentine's Day that ended with a date night.

 

 

We enjoyed the second annual Night of Candles.

 

 

We attended the annual Intermissions Conference.

 

 

I celebrated my birthday.

 

Homeschool Lately March 2025

Cruz has done several fun experiments over the last few months.  This year he is taking Biology with Apologia. It is probably one of my most favorite classes to date in homeschool.  It is a fantastic course! We have been using Apologia science since Cruz was in fourth grade (we used Sonlight for the earlier grades).  Apologia is deep and thorough, and I think it is wonderful! 

 

When studying protists, he did a pond water experiment to see which types he could identify. We went to a local coffee farm to gather water from their fish pond.  He then put the water into four jars.  The jars contained rice, egg yolk, hay, and soil.  He let them sit for several days and then examined the water under his microscope. 

 

 

 

 

These are the things he was looking for.

 

 

When studying bacteria, he made homemade yogurt.  

 

 

In a Botany module, he dissected flowers and labeled the parts.  He also examined their parts under his microscope. 

 

 

In his first of four specimen dissections, he dissected an earthworm.  In the next few weeks he'll also dissect a crayfish, a perch, and a frog.  

 

 

In his Geography and World Cultures class, he learned to make homemade pasta.

 

 

In his Mississippi history class, he made homemade biscuits and homemade butter. 

 

Cruz has always been a hands on learner so I try hard to provide him with hands on learning activities.  

 

A Taste of Italy in Guatemala

Last semester Cruz took a World Geography and Cultures class.  For his final project he had to choose a country that they had not already studied, research it, and make a PowerPoint presentation on it.  In his final live online class, he had to present it to his teacher and classmates.  He chose Italy.  

I recently discovered an Italian cooking class in our town and thought it would be a perfect asset to Cruz's study of Italy. He and I took the class together, and it was so much fun.  We both loved it! We learned how to make homemade pasta.  It was very interesting, and I was amazed at how easy it was.  The only ingredients are flour and eggs.  In addition to learning how to make the dough, we also learned how to make several different pasta shapes like fettuccine, spaghetti, ravioli, bow tie, tortellini, penne, and fusilli. The lead instructor is from Italy so she shared many interesting facts throughout the class. I have done a lot of different activities here in Antigua, but this one was by far my absolute favorite.

 

Our work stations all set up and ready for the class to begin.

 

forming his flour "volcano"

 

adding eggs to the flour

All you do is whip them together until a soft dough forms.

 

rolling out his dough

 

his dough ready to be cut and shaped into pasta

 

making fettuccine noodles

 

we were proud of how they turned out

 

 

drying our noodles

 

our class working hard

 

me and Cruz working together

 

We loved Alex, who was one of the instructors.  He was full of energy and made the class extra fun.

 

 

making spaghetti noodles

 

Cruz with his pasta shapes

 

Part of the class included getting to eat the pasta that we made. It was served with a tomato sauce and a white cheese sauce.  Everyone sat around a large table and enjoyed the meal together.  It was like having a meal with family or old friends.  We laughed, shared stories, and just enjoyed each others fellowship.  It was a highlight.

 

They also served two delicious appetizers.

 

best mother/ son outing we have ever done

 

 

a group photo of our class

 

What I loved most about taking this class was that it actually taught me a skill that I could go home and use.  Pasta making has become a fun hobby for me.  I have since made it at least once a week.  It is really easy and quick to make.   

 

 

my homemade fettuchini with a homemade white sauce 

This is my boy's current favorite meal.

 

 

homemade cheese filled ravioli  

 

I have even practiced making homemade bread to have on our pasta nights.

 

 

If you are ever in town, I highly recommend this class!  I feel certain that you would love it.

 

 

YouTube video of our class