Julia Pfieffer Burns State Park

JJ and I drove down here a couple weeks ago. Absolutely beautiful. The waterfall falls right on the sand and... I SAW A WHALE. Poor JJ has to deal with me in public when I get that excited. But what can I say - I saw a freaking whale. It even blew air out of its blow hole. Totally the coolest thing I ever saw!!

Here is the JJ! I have some other pictures of him on earlier posts, but here is another due to popular demand. Yeah - I know... he's really cute.

Family

I know this looks wierd, but I couldn't scan the picture because it was glued in a scrapbook of my Grandma's. This is my mom and dad - I don't know how many years ago. Fun huh!?!

I LOVE PINK

When I was younger, I wouldn't be caught dead in pink or lace or anything like that - but now I LOVE pink. I love girly clothes, I love lace - and I love my new pink rain boots!

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!!!