Ecuador

Ecuador was absolutely amazing. Bull fights...

Eatting guinea pig. (They eat it roasted on a stick - sucking the brains out is a delicacy).

Hiking through the Amazon in my favorite rain boots. Good for keeping the number of bug bites down and the for keeping the giant tarantulas off your feet.

Ecuador has a ton of fun things to do!!! The coolest thing, in my opinion, and the meaning behind the countries name, is the equator. You can balance an egg on a nail, watch water swirl down the drain in different directions depending on which side of the equator you are on, and actually feel the gravitational pull. One of the coolest places I have ever been.

OSSO: Orphanage Support Services Organization

OSSO is the program that I went to Ecuador with. They have been working in orphanages in Quito and Cuenca, Ecuador for years and have changed the lives of hundreds of abandoned and disadvantaged children. The experience was amazing and the love I have for these children is indescribable. Visit http://www.orphanagesupport.org/ to learn more and/ or donate to the organization. Unfortunately, the economic decline is hitting more than just the US right now. The orphanages need more support now than ever.

Three Cups of Tea

I just read this book Three Cups of Tea. Its an incredible true story about Greg Mortensen and how he went from climbing K2 to starting a massive humanitarian project (or projects to be more accurate) and becoming the co-founder of a non-profit organzation. I would recommend it to anyone. Anyone and everyone! A good reminder in a sometimes depressing world, that people really are good and that anything is possible. But even if I wasn't able to talk you into reading the book, visit www.threecupsoftea.com to learn about Central Asia Institute, Pennies for Peace, Greg Mortensen and Three Cups of Tea.

Its Good To Be Back!!

A picnic in the middle of our empty dining area eatting mac and cheese with chop sticks... I look at Stacys nieces and nephews and think they are just the cutest kids I have ever seen - but then I look at my nieces and nephews and well - how is it possible that I think they are even cuter?!?!
Shooting in Wyoming with JJs gun... I should know what type of gun this is, but I don't. I think I look like a cop or something in this picture. I usually hold guns wrong and lean back for some reason so I always look silly. But this is a good one.

And snow mobiling in Wyoming!! My first time and JJ let me drive for a bit (another first). I think I look rediculous. JJ kept handing me stuff and telling me to put it on (the purple thing is like a neck warmer - who has neck warmers - ok I guess people that live in Wyoming). It was absolutely beautiful!! Good thing we get to go back this weekend!!!

VIVA QUITO!

So I have been super busy and can´t figure out how to put my pics on this computer, so I just borrowed someone else´s picture (this is the computer that everyone uses). Anyways, I am in Quito, Ecuador right now, have been for 3 weeks and will be for another 3 weeks. I am working in about 6 different orphanages which I will blog about later once I can use my pics. In this picture I am the one second from the left and though you may be thinking that I am lame - after 14 other people had climbed up the sphere, it started shaking... so I played it safe!! More to come!!

The Million-Inch Chain

When asked what the most dreaded effect of cancer treatment was, nearly 60% of women say hair loss...
The Million- Inch Chain
8 inches at a time

http://www.beautifullengths.com/en_US/million_inch/million_inch_flash.jsp

Go to this website to see pictures and comments by those who have donated (yup - I'm in there), tips on how to grow out your hair, how to donate (hair and money), or just for more information.

I went to Alchemy Hair Salon today and chopped off 11 inches!!! My hair stylist was Daniel and he did an awesome job. He was really nice and I got 50% off my haircut since I was donating!! I keep reaching back and running my fingers through my hair and... its soo short!! I have made this a goal to do every two years. 2 years ago and 4 years ago I chopped off about 10 inches each time and donated it to Locks of Love, but I thought I would try Beautiful Lengths this time. Anyway, you can't tell from the pic, but my hair is shorter in the back and comes down at an angle toward my chin. I guess I won't be using as much shampoo tonight as I did last night :)

I know, I know - I am fired... But I have an excuse!!! Well two... so June was so boring that I had nothing to blog about, but then July came and went like a bolt of lightning, so I had no time to blog- but - here's to catch up....

I went to New York (this is a picture from the top of the Rockefeller Center), then North Carolina, then New York, then Philadelphia - and I am going back to New York this weekend. What can I say - New York is my favorite city in the world!!! Oh - and lets not forget about a quick trip to China. Just kidding!! This is the Chinese Pavilian entrance at the National Arboretum (yes - a tree museum!!) I actually just wanted to throw this picture in, cause my hair is getting so long!! I don't know if you can see it that well - but it is almost to my elbows!!!

Definitely the best part of this month was all the family!! Twice my family came and saw me and then I got to go to North Carolina for a long weekend! I have seen each of my siblings at least twice this summer - which with 7 siblings is a huge feat!! This is Kariana and I at Obryki's in Baltimore. JJ came down and took me and Kariana to dinner and then we stopped by Fort McHenry. I was so glad he got to come down and meet Kariana - just wished he could have come down the weekend everyone was here.
~Side note - for those tracking JJ's trek around the world. He started in Miami in April and moved to Boston for a month, then moved to Oklahoma City in May to start that office - then got moved to Plano, TX - then to Beaumont, TX - then to Los Angeles, CA - but lucky for me recently moved to Newark, NJ where his office is kicking trash!! ~~

And lets not forget the exciting adventures in DC!!! I have been to everything you can think of in DC (at least once) and now am exploring off the beaten track. My favorites include - the Museum of Natural History, the Library of Congress, and Eastern Market. This picture is actually at the Bureau of Engravings - where they print the money. I am standing next to $1,000,000!!! Two months and counting til I move away from DC. - I'll try to better my track record for blogging in the next two months ;)