cato & wall

guess what.

2012-02-26T21:52:00.002-08:00

If you don't already know, we'd like to introduce you to Peanut.

Peanut may look like a floating alien spine, but we're pretty excited about him/her. At this point, Peanut is about 13 weeks old.

And here, Peanut is about 21 weeks old. I can't really tell what all the pictures are, but you can see for the most part, Peanut is looking less alien.

If you haven't figured it out yet...we're pregos!!! Yahtzee!

So our two is becoming three. If I was a better "blogger" I would have written all about this development...from pre-discovery and how I was hit with morning sickness before I even knew I was with child, to confirmation after taking two pregnancy tests and a pee test, to keeping it a secret/lying for three months. We're expecting Peanut to arrive June 23. Crazy how time is flying.

During the first trimester, it seemed surreal with only a glorified muffin top to show forth. But now, at just under six months along, my belly's definitely popped into a nice round pregnant tummy. We decided to be surprised and not know the gender ahead of time, so we have the task of coming up with a girl AND a boy name. Is it just me or are boy names harder to think of? Many people have given their guesses or seem to be sure of whether it will be a girl or a boy, based on the shape of my stomach to the look of my complexion, and one gender isn't necessarily coming out a sure contender. Either way, I'm dressing this kid in whatever hand-me downs we collect. Who says a girl wouldn't look cute in a sailor outfit?

Our little Peanut can be felt now with his/her little kicks and punches; and it's getting harder to feel comfortable in most positions I place my body in. Overall, I've been lucky and have been doing well, even though I get winded from three flights of stairs. However, best maternity discovery ever...maternity pants. I thought I could make due with wearing my pants undone with a belt to hold them up and using a belly band to cover up my indecency, but I splurged and bought maternity jeans, luckily on sale, and I won't ever look back.

And if you're curious, cause people seem to always ask me this, but no weird food cravings. Although the smell of anything fried makes me want to vomit now.

Check out the bump...

2012-02-15T21:21:00.000-08:00

Yet again, our super friend Alex took us out for a winter adventure to celebrate her birthday. Another first for me...we went snowshoeing on Mt. Seymour. And yet again, a lovely day.

At the peak of Dog Mountain. A view of VanCity.

The gray jays were not shy.

50+.

2012-02-14T08:05:00.000-08:00

Lauren Fleishman shares the love stories of couples who have been married for at least 50 years. Inspired by a letter her grandfather wrote to her grandmother during World War II (and rediscovered after he passed away in 2007), she began photographing and interviewing couples in the New York area as a way to preserve their stories and to illuminate our universal experience of love.

Love Ever After
the photo project

via a cup of jo.

p.s. happy love day. may your day be filled with receiving and giving warm fuzzies to those whose paths you cross.

2012-02-04T11:39:00.000-08:00

Our super friend Alex took us cross country skiing a couple weekends ago up near Whistler. Matt's done it before but it was my first time. I'm proud to say I made it unscathed with minimal muscle strain the days after. With the snow falling and the whooshing of skis, it was easy to get mesmerized by the beauty of God's wintery country. I could see how people enjoy this activity. Next time, I'd like to try kicking it biathlon style shooting rifles and all. Check out how Olympic we look...

february book.

2012-02-01T19:13:00.000-08:00

Things Fall Apart
by Chinua Achebe

The husband highly recommended this contemporary classic to me, saying if you have any aspirations to do cross-cultural work abroad, you need to read this book. Considering he's read it twice, I figured this would be a good book to take on next. I'm in need of some good fiction since the last book, even though it had some elements of fiction, had a good chunk of heady real life commentary that I found a bit difficult to wrap my head around at times. So, here's to enjoying a good story with some insight on understanding and interacting with other cultures.

it's been a year.

2012-01-29T14:14:00.000-08:00

After our family vaca in Costa Rica we figured, since we're in the general vicinity, we'd mosey on down to Honduras for a few days. It had been about a year since we left and we were excited to go back to visit. Our stay was way too short, just three days because most of our week consisted of traveling to and from Copan. But it was awesome to catch up with the old UP Honduras staff and to visit with some of our local friends. Plus Matt had the chance to have a little reunion with some of his camp kids who were either happy to see him or ran away in shyness. Go figure.

river boat tour.

2012-01-26T17:55:00.000-08:00

Spot the croc.

Spot the monkeys.

Tamarindo Estuary, Wildlife Refuge, Costa Rica

catamaran sailing.

2012-01-25T17:26:00.000-08:00

Blue Dolphin Sailing, Tamarindo, Costa Rica.

monkey park.

2012-01-24T17:31:00.000-08:00

Mama marmoset with newly born twins on her back.

Fundación Monkey Park, Portegolpe, Costa Rica

costa rica, una vez más.

2012-01-23T17:23:00.000-08:00

Matt's parents blessed their kids with a family vacation to Costa Rica during Christmas. So parents + all Matt's siblings + spouses (woo hoo) headed to Tamarindo, Costa Rica for a week. Spent a lot of time on the beach and did some sightseeing. Tamarindo is a little surf town, so I decided to give surfing a try. Matt and his brother had surfed before, plus their cousin who was traveling through the country had been learning how to surf, so I had plenty of help. I'm proud to say I caught a couple of baby waves the first time I tried (see photo below). The second time was not as successful with me bailing every time. So I lasted an hour and quit. But, surfing wasn't as scary as I thought it would be. On the other hand, snorkeling was, only because it never fails that at some point, I get stung by jellyfish. I did so well for the whole time until I started swimming back to the sailboat when - sting...not once, but twice - on my face. Needless to say, there was panicking, a lot of flailing, and pain. Overall, great trip, good time with the family/in-laws, and Costa Rica was a nice getaway for us, yet again. So here are some photos (I realize I've yet to post photos of our first trip to Costa Rica)...

Playa Tamarindo.

Do I look pro or what. (photo by Jessica Morgun)

This area of Costa Rica is one of the world's few remaining sites where the Giant Leatherback Turtle comes and lays her eggs. It was egg laying season so some of us did a tour to see turtles nesting which lasted from 8pm-12am. We saw nothing that night. Thanks for nothing, Nature.

Howler monkey hanging out on a powerline. Matt had a little conversation with him, but it still didn't seem impressed with us gawking.

Rice and beans. Can't beat the local typical dish. Seriously, so good.

My only regret was missing out on "Fantastic World", an amusement park made up of inflatable structures (think bouncy castle), so we could do this...

and this...

Next time. Stay tuned for Monkey Park, catamaran sailing, and river boat tour photos.

the pacific.

2012-01-23T06:03:00.000-08:00

january book.

2012-01-18T21:17:00.000-08:00

The Orthodox Heretic: And Other Impossible Tales
By Peter Rollins

"Parables do not substitute sense for nonsense, or
order for disorder. Rather, they point beyond these
distinctions, inviting us to engage in a mode of
reflection that has less to do with fixing meaning
than rendering meaning fluid and affective.

A parable does not primarily provide information
about our world. Rather, if we allow
it to do its work within us, it will change our
world—breaking it open to ever-new possibilities
by refusing to be held by the categories that
currently exist within that world. In this way the
parable transforms the way we hold reality, and
thus changes reality itself." ~an excerpt from the Introduction

2012-01-16T06:00:00.000-08:00

costa rica

resolutions shmezolutions.

2012-01-11T18:33:00.000-08:00

I generally don’t make resolutions because I know myself well enough that, although I may have good intentions at the start, I often tend to not finish well/at all with what I set out to do. I tried two years in a row to take a photo a day. During the first year it was great for developing skills but I knew it was going to pot when I…well, stopped taking pictures. It started with a gradual waning of motivation, and then a complete stop. The second year’s attempt had me starting from where I left off the year before, so I sort of cheated by not starting at the beginning of the year. But it didn’t matter in the end because I didn’t complete that year either. I technically didn’t have a full year to take pictures, so you’d think I could have done this. But I didn’t. Lame me.

Hence, I generally don’t consider New Year’s resolutions because I assume I won’t keep them. But Matt made a suggestion for 2012 which at first, I balked at because it seemed so unimaginable for me. However, I kind of got excited about the challenge. I decided to bite the bullet and do it, just to see if I have it in me.

If you know me well, you know that I am not a reader. Oh, I appreciate books, I love libraries for the knowledge they contain, I even own books, but reading them…it’s a chore for me. I much prefer watching a movie based on a book even though we all know that the book is usually better than the movie. Even more so, I’d rather curl up on a couch in pajama pants and a blanket…to watch TV, rather than read a good book, like I hear so many people saying they apparently love to do. I am a hardcore TV junkie, and if it wasn’t for internet streaming, our cable-less apartment would seem so much more inadequate to me.

So, my 2012 resolution is..ta da…to read a book…a month (gulp!). For some of you, this may not seem as daunting a feat as I think it is. Like I said, I’m not a reader and if I did read, I’m picky about what I read (i.e. I won’t read any book more than an inch thick; it doesn't have to have pictures but it makes is so much more enjoyable for me) and just like other endeavours in my life (every paper I ever wrote in all my higher education years, where I picked the paper topic in the first week of school but was scrambling to write the actual paper the night before and after its due date), I may start well, but I drag my feet when it comes to finishing. What may take a “normal” reading person 2-3 weeks to read, usually takes me 1-2 years, if not more. No joke. And because I’m very easily distracted and soooo slow at reading I often forget what the book is about and I get to the point where I’m just trying to finish it so I don’t feel like too much of a failure.

Maybe I’ll even get to the seminary books I didn’t finish/didn’t read sometime during this year. Or maybe not. Well, probably not. But I’ve always had a list of books in my head that I would like to read in my lifetime and now here’s my chance. No more excuses, right?…well, until I start getting sleepy after reading two pages, which is my regular pattern. So you can imagine this is a big deal resolution for me, a self-professed non-reader. Hopefully the result will see a more informed, enlightened, entertained, educated, and disciplined me by the end of the year.

I’ll let you know what I’m reading each month. And feel free to ask me how it’s going. Accountability and encouragement would be helpful. You can tell me I’ll gain cool points if I keep up with the reading. That always motivates me. You can even make book suggestions. But let’s start out with books that aren’t more than an inch thick.

seasons greetings.

2011-12-24T15:27:00.000-08:00

Merry Christmas, everybody! Here's a little holiday cheer from Mr. Sammy Davis Jr....

&lt;p&gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;and &amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;br&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&amp;amp;amp;amp;lt;/p&amp;amp;amp;amp;gt;&lt;/p&gt;

and for your viewing pleasure...Christmas all over the world.

via the atlantic.

festival of lights.

2011-12-19T06:00:00.000-08:00

VanDusen Botanical Garden, Vancouver.

longhorn.

2011-11-28T06:00:00.000-08:00

joshua creek ranch. boerne, texas

2011-11-21T19:52:00.000-08:00

"To move, to breathe, to fly, to float,

To gain all while you give,

To roam the roads of lands remote: To travel is to live." ~hans christian andersen

(chuckanut drive, washington state)

agassiz fall fair.

2011-11-20T14:09:00.000-08:00

Last September, we headed out to the annual Agassiz Fall Fair. Started out with rain, but it didn't stop the hard-cores who braved the wetness to watch the opening parade. We took shelter in the showcase building to view homemade baking, handicrafts, and artwork. The last time we went, we went to the barn too late and missed most of the livestock. This time we saw giant bunnies, buzz cut dairy cows, funky-looking chickens, and even watched a 4-H rabbit competition. Then it was lunch and the real reason we go...bbq chicken and corn on the cob. Amazing. We enjoyed our meal while watching a Johnny Cash tribute. Classic fall fair.

It was as big as his head.

helluuuuu again.

2011-11-11T17:39:00.000-08:00

Time flies when you're doing life. For those of you who are curious, a little update:

~Matt started his MBA at Trinity Western U. specializing in Non-Profit Management. It was a bit of a rough start (how fun can financial accounting and management really be), but I think he's settled in and enjoying it just a little bit more than before with courses that actually have to do with "non-profity" subjects. I have to say, I think he's a much better student than I was; he gets his papers and assignments in on time.
~He's still working at Pacific Academy as an Educational Assistant for the high school. Next year, he'll be taking a group of students to help with UrbanPromise Honduras for their spring break trip. Needless to say, I'm excited for/jealous of him.

~I've changed jobs from being an ESL teacher downtown to working with Union Gospel Mission in the downtown Eastside. Why the change? 1. I got a layoff notice in the Fall and needed a back-up plan. 2. Lesson prep was filling up my evenings and weekends and I was beginning to resent it. 3. I was feeling more frustrated than fulfilled in my job. What am I doing? I'm working at the Women and Families Centre implementing a new program that involves coordinating a team of support for someone with complex needs to help with long-term improvement. It's pretty cool, but a bit overwhelming. So much to learn. But I don't have to take work home with me which is pretty sweet. And I have my own real office!

Here are a few pics from the past couple of months. I realize I'm uber behind in going through my photos and posting some...all the way back to my time in Korea. I've lost any motivation to take pictures because I'm so backlogged and taking new pictures just means getting behind even further. However...I'm going to attempt to pull out my old photos and start posting them. I have so much to show you from my/our past travels, and life in general, in the last couple of years. So here begins a a whole lot o' flashbacking...

A day at the PNE with barnyard animals and Peking Acrobats.

And a day trip to Fairhaven, Bellingham with friends. Wandered through antique stores and touristy shops,
and ended up at Rocket Donuts for a sweet treat.That's a bacon maple bar...that's right...'bacon.' Weirdly enough, it was so good.

meeting a white dude for the first time

2011-07-17T19:44:00.000-07:00

I grew up with dreams of being a missionary to some crazy tribe in the middle of the jungle, and being the first Westerner ever to contact them. These un-contacted tribes are nearly all gone now. Many people think its abhorrent for missionaries, or any Westerners, to interrupt these peoples pristine existence and to let them continue living as they have for hundreds of year. On the other hand, some people say that these people are going to get in contact with the rest of the world eventually, and better a missionary or someone looking out for their rights, then a government or corporation looking to exploit them (as has happened countless times in the past). It will be interesting to see how humans deal with these last remaining un-contacted tribes in these last few years.

I don't know the background to this clip, what profession this white man has or the purpose of contacting this tribe. I'm also not sure how I feel about their choice, and how they so frivolously keep blowing apart these people's worlds by continually showing them "new" trinkets and gadgets. There are some huge responsibilities that come with introducing a culture and people to the outside world, one that I'm not sure I would want. Regardless, it is a fascinating video and interesting to think about. The music makes it all the more magical. Enjoy.

greatest video.

2011-05-17T22:56:00.001-07:00

Do yourself a favour and watch this video, it will blow you away. If I could do half of what these guys can, I'd die happy.

enjoy.

seadog.

2011-05-16T06:00:00.000-07:00

Steveston, Richmond

an evening exhibition.

2011-05-09T06:00:00.001-07:00

Victoria, BC.

springtime.

2011-05-02T12:39:00.000-07:00

Butchart Gardens, Victoria, BC

i heart faces: soft & sweet.

2011-05-01T00:24:00.000-07:00

soft & sweet love.

Check out other entries at I Heart Faces.

alex burrows is a rockstar.

2011-04-26T22:16:00.000-07:00

For scoring the winning goal/all the goals during game 7. Hallelujah, the Canucks made it past the first round. Good on them.

i will sing you morning lullabies.

2011-04-25T21:12:00.000-07:00

i heart faces: pets

2011-04-24T18:50:00.000-07:00

Two-toed baby sloth. How could you not fall in love with this face?

Photo was taken at the Aviarios Sloth Sanctuary in Costa Rica. Although technically not "pets", the sloths are rescued and rehabilitated from life-threatening situations often involving encroaching urban development or harmful human interaction. These special animals receive much care and love from the organization's workers and volunteers and are treated like family.

Check out more adorable pet/animal photos at I Heart Faces.

we worry about what a child will become tomorrow.

2011-04-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

...yet we forget that he is someone today. ~stacia tauscher

i heart faces: wind.

2011-04-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

See other entries at I Heart Faces.

puddles were made for this.

2011-04-11T06:00:00.000-07:00

i heart faces : shadows.

2011-04-10T17:51:00.000-07:00

I Heart Faces is a photography website that runs weekly photo challenges. I've been needing some motivation to cultivate this hobby of mine, so I thought I'd join in the fun.

This week's theme is "Shadows." Photo was taken at the Illuminares Lantern Festival, a sweet community event held in Vancouver. Check out other entries at I Heart Faces.

2011-04-04T12:58:00.000-07:00

In lieu of the everymonday photo, I wanted to share yet another rockstar gift given to me by my rockstar husband. As I was getting ready for bed after our anniversary date night, I noticed Matt sitting on the bed as if he had something on his mind. Out of the blue, he asks me if I wanted my gift. Now I was a little shocked because I thought we had agreed on no gifts this time around. He proceeded to go into the closet and grab my guitar. My eyes widened as I thought he was going to sing the song that I had always hoped he would write for me. Close.

I've mentioned before a song that we love and played at our wedding. Home by Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros means a lot to us because with all the travels we've done in our lives so far, the saying, "Home is where the heart is," has grown to a have a profound and special meaning to us. We have had to learn to invest and settle into many different places around the world that had eventually become home to us. Now "home" has come to mean what we've become to each other; that no matter where we are or where we're going, we have a place of love, warmth, and security in each others' hearts.

And here's Matt's rewrite. I had to sing it with him, which was a big deal cause Matt thinks he can't sing, nor does he sing in front of other people. It was beyond amazing.

Home

(rewritten by Matt)

Alabama, Arkansas, I do love my Ma & Pa

Not the way that I do love you

Well, holy moley, me, oh my, you’re the apple of my eye
Girl, I’ve never loved one like you

Man, oh man, you’re my best friend, I scream it to the nothingness
There ain’t nothin’ that I need

Well, peanut butter, baleadas, coco flan, cafe granitas
There ain’t nothin’ please me more than you

Chorus:
Ahh, Home
Let me come Home
Home is wherever I’m with you
(2x)
La la la la, take me Home
Mama, I’m coming Home

Costa Rica and Cheongju, Philippines, Honduras, too
I've been everywhere with you

I'll follow you in wilderness, spider babies, mosquito nets
Boy, I never loved one like you

We laugh until we think we’ll die, barefoot on a summer night
Nothin’ new is sweeter than with you

And in the sticks we’re running free, like it’s only you and me
Geez, you’re something to see

Chorus

La la la la, take me Home
Daddy, I’m coming Home

“Kristin?”
“Matthew”
“Do you remember that day you got sick at Toby's?”
“I sure do, you walked me home.”
“Well, you fell into bed, nearly passed out. Do you remember that?”
“Yes, I do.”
“Well, there’s something I never told you about that night.”
“What didn’t you tell me?”
“While you were lying in bed, thinking it was gonna be your last, I was falling deep, deeply in love with you,
and I never told you ‘til just now.”

Chorus

Queen Elizabeth Park, Vancouver

one year and counting.

2011-04-03T15:18:00.000-07:00

this day a year ago, we said "I do" to each other. woop woop.

(photo by Pure Light Studio)

ethereal.

2011-04-02T13:14:00.000-07:00

I think they're fascinating. I can stare at them for hours.

spring break + nephews = a trip to the aquarium.

2011-03-31T13:30:00.000-07:00

We took the nephews to the Vancouver Aquarium last week. Forgot that it was Spring Break for many schools so the place was packed with kids galore. Fun was had by all...searching for a cave-hiding octopus, touching sea anemones, watching/helping Dora the Explorer save Amazon animal families, learning about the beluga whale melon, and, of course, searching for the sloth...until the very end, when what we expected to be an exciting Discovering Reef Sharks show turned out to be "so boring." But we figured it was our cue that it was about time to go home, plus the fact that we had already spent about four hours there. Managed to not lose anyone. That is, if you don't count Auntie Kristin turning around for one moment to attend to the "bored" nephew, only to turn back and notice the other one was not where he was standing before. A few minutes of ~~minor frantic~~ searching (let me remind you it was Spring Break in a dimly lit exhibition hall) and finally I spotted a shaggy blond top standing patienty with the shark lady host.

"I just wanted to ask her a question," says the inquisitive nephew. Big sigh.

Regardless of a boring shark show, a short brothers time-out, and crusts on the lunch sandwich, I still think we scored some aunt/uncle brownie points.

Sporting cool 3D glasses for the Dora the Explorer movie.

Nemo found.

The scuba diver with the sharks wasn't that boring.

swim so wild and you swim so free.

2011-03-28T13:07:00.000-07:00

Vancouver Aquarium

underground river.

2011-03-21T11:39:00.000-07:00

UNESCO World Heritage Site
Puerto Princesa Subterranean River National Park, Palawan, Philippines

happy birthday, buddy.

2011-03-18T00:53:00.000-07:00

Slight resemblance?!...on left-Matt; on right-Buttercup the three-toed sloth

Woop woop, it's Matt's birthday today
Hope it's as fun as a game of croquet
Wish you another great year
Full of goodness and cheer
You deserve it, you fabulous hombre

answer: d.

2011-03-14T09:54:00.000-07:00

This is:   a) a picture of the streets on Boracay
             b) should be in a magazine
             c) the best picture humanly possible with the camera that I own
             d) all of the above

uph: the genesis project.

2011-03-08T14:23:00.000-08:00

Our friend Duane Forrest is undertaking a new project in collaboration with Urban Promise Honduras, the organization Matt was involved with for the past two years. We wanted to give Duane a shout out and show the video he made featuring what the pilot program is about. The Genesis Project is a school for the arts providing local children, youth, and adults the opportunity to explore visual arts, music, drama, and dance.

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If you'd like more information about The Genesis Project, contact Duane - duaneintheforrest@gmail.com
If you'd like to contribute financially to The Genesis Project , go here.

(not so) chocolate hills.

2011-03-07T15:10:00.000-08:00

Bohol, Philippines.
During dry season, the grass becomes brown, hence the name "Chocolate Hills."

tatay.

2011-02-28T09:11:00.000-08:00

on the way to the Underground River
Sabang, Palawan

what happens when you provoke a chained up monkey.

2011-02-21T11:29:00.000-08:00

2011-02-20T01:38:00.000-08:00

(trailer for the short film "Las Palmas" by Johannes Nyholm).

Is it just me or is the toddler wearing a padded bra?

via yewknee

choose more adventure.

2011-02-18T15:41:00.000-08:00

ps. don't you think his voice is what Holden Caulfield's would sound like?

via a cup of jo

world in a bubble.

2011-02-17T13:42:00.000-08:00

Washington Monument, Washington, D.C.

World Landmarks Reflected in Bubbles. Tom Storm, Bubble Photographer.

pardon me.

2011-02-14T16:05:00.000-08:00

albino carabaos (water buffalos).

ps. happy love day.

tribu pan-ay.

2011-02-07T15:22:00.000-08:00

1st place winners of the Ati-ati Tribe Competition (dance performance) of the 2011 Dinagyang Festival. Held in Iloilo, Philippines, Dinagyang is an annual religious and cultural festival honouring the Santo Niño.

santo tomas de villanueva.

2011-01-31T06:00:00.000-08:00

Miag-ao, Iloilo. Built in 1786 by Spanish Augustinian missionaries, this church was declared as part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Baroque Churches of the Philippines" in 1993.

2011-01-24T21:25:00.000-08:00

Boracay Island, Philippines.

ati-atihan.

2011-01-17T20:32:00.000-08:00

Kalibo, Philippines. Annual festival held in honour of Santo Niño (Infant Jesus) consisting of tribal dance, music, indigenous costumes and weapons. Costumed dancers and spectators parade along the street to traditional drum processions.

2011-01-10T11:25:00.000-08:00

auto-tuned.

2011-01-09T23:49:00.000-08:00

I know auto-tuning is a big thing in the music world right now, but I think its full potential is seen on the internet. For the life of me, I don't know why someone would think that taking videos, already funny with ridiculous or mentally unstable people, and putting the speech into perfect pitch and song would be a good idea...but it turns out it is. Here are some of my favourites.

Of course, there's "Backin Up Lady":

The classic "Charlie Bit Me":

And the list wouldn't be complete without Antoine Dodson:

Comedy genius, and I challenge anyone to say otherwise.

Okay, this is my first shout out ever. I don't know if there are any more of these videos out there, but if there is let me know, tell me your favourites, and I'll post the best one on here.

"one day I'm going to whistle."

2011-01-06T12:18:00.000-08:00

Wanted to share this cause we danced to this song at our wedding and I'm a sucker for kids who do covers. Too cute how she yawns in the middle of singing.

What's your favourite cover done by a kiddo?

via max wanger

2011-01-03T12:04:00.000-08:00

My New Year's resolution is to try to write and post on this blog, somewhere between everyday and never, for as long as I can until I get too lazy to do it...so here's the first one, two days late.

Just two pictures from when we went into La Moskitia, one of the coolest places I've ever been. Out of the cloudy sky, in the middle of the jungle, appeared this US military helicopter. It circled us for a bit, and then landed in the middle of this tiny village. As the commandos jumped out, faces painted and rocking M16's, people from all over the jungle came pouring in. The commandos didn't stay very long, just enough to talk to a few people (get directions) and make a statement. Then they disappeared the same way they came.

We found out that they were apparently looking for a different landing strip, where a drug running plane had recently landed or been burned - possibly both - news seems to spread slow and not totally accurately in the jungle. There are several army bases in the region, being on the front line on the war against drugs. Drug planes fly from Columbia to the remote uncontrolled forest of La Moskitia, dropping their cargo, which then makes its way by land through Honduras, Guatemala and then Mexico on the way to the US.

It looked impressive to see these Americans break into town in this loud display of power, however to the local people we talked to, that was all it was - a display of power. It seems to be a common belief that the US military presence here is simply for show, and are either actively involved or passively unconcerned with the drug trade. Judging from our experience, I can see what they mean. As it was pointed out to us, if the military has radar, maps and intelligence - why are they landing blindly in the jungle asking for directions. Surely they should be able to track and intercept the many drug planes coming into the area...or at the very least, know which area to land at.

Whatever you think, La Moskitia is an amazing place. It's a shame that it is being exploited, whoever may be doing it.

2011-01-03T08:46:00.000-08:00

airtime.

2010-12-27T16:32:00.000-08:00

children of la moskitia.

2010-12-20T19:16:00.000-08:00

adios.

2010-12-14T08:00:00.001-08:00

We say goodbye to Honduras today and head back to the Great White North and the cold. We don't want to say that we'll never be back; one day we hope to return. We leave behind amazing friends, gringos and Hondurans, and a little piece of our hearts. We take with us wonderful memories of children's smiles and hugs, sharing crunchy baleadas with friends, people passing you on the street and greeting you, visiting new places, seeing natural wonders, and many unforgettable experiences.

I wish we documented our time here better through this blog. We did and saw so much. I wish we could have shared more with you. It was just too easy to get caught up in the new environment and new experiences. Even in the slower pace of this place, life still got busy. Or the heat and hilly terrain just made it harder to feel motivated to write, which is probably a pretty weak excuse, but I'm sticking to it. I think we were pretty lucky to spend the majority of our first year of marriage in a foreign country. It was fun and we are so grateful that we had time here learning to be spousal with each other.

So for those of you wondering, the plan is to head to Vancouver via Miami and Dallas. Two very long layovers. Gross. We spend one day in Vancity and then fly to Saskatoon for two weeks, spending Christmas with the Wall-side of the family. Then we return to the Westcoast for New Year's and wait it out until mid-January when we take a trip to the Philippines, where Matt will get to meet more of his new Filipino family. We spend a month there, doing the relative circuit and some island hopping. Then it's back to Canada and figuring out what's next for us.

We spent our last few days in San Pedro Sula. We went to the championship final for the Honduran National Soccer League, Real Espana vs. Olympia. We were with our dear friend and Real Espana fan, Luis. Fans climbing and shaking fences, bonfires in the stands, firecrackers going off in the face of a goalie, drinks being thrown out on the field at the referees, riot police throughout the stadium. Honduran soccer fans = insanity. Learned some cusswords in Spanish that day. Although Olympia scored the first goal, Real Espana won with two goals, the second one in overtime. A highlight.

milling rice.

2010-12-13T15:29:00.000-08:00

la moskitia, honduras.

people looking at art.

2010-12-06T09:00:00.000-08:00

museum of modern art, new york

busking in the subway.

2010-11-29T09:00:00.000-08:00

bronx zoo in autumn.

2010-11-22T08:06:00.000-08:00

amish youth running.

2010-11-15T07:39:00.000-08:00

The Village of Bird-in-Hand, Pennsylvania

2010-11-13T15:02:00.000-08:00

"My best teachers were mess, failure, death, mistakes, and the people I hated, including myself." ~anne lamott

to san pedro.

2010-11-08T08:13:00.000-08:00

guess who's a lucky duck...

2010-11-04T20:42:00.000-07:00

because it's her birthday and her stupendous husband surprised her with tickets to...

!!!

which they'll be watching in NEW YORK!!! on BROADWAY!!!

We're in Camden, NJ for the annual UrbanPromise Summit Conference where all UP branches come together for encouragement and connecting with other UP peeps. The keynote speaker is Benneth Lee, a former gang leader from Chicago. It was crazy to think that the stuff he talked about really happened to him. But by the grace of God and an incredible support system around him during his rehab and after coming out of prison for the last time, he's now a sought-out and highly respected counselor/trainer/conference speaker, specifically in the area of gang members coming out of drug addiction.

(ps. and for those of you who'd care, I shook Shane Claiborne's hand.)

So after the conference, we're going to mozy on over to the Big Apple, after the UPHonduras staff runs a little half marathon in Amish Country to raise money for kids fieldtrips. Matt and I will be staying till Tuesday. I thought the trip to New York was my birthday present alone, but I eventually found out the show was my real present. This is a dream come true for me to finally see this show, having studied Theatre Design in university. Yes, I have the best husband in the world. And yes, this year's birthday rocks the Kasbah.

end of an era.

2010-11-02T15:20:00.000-07:00

Matt had his final day with the AfterSchool Program last Friday. He has passed the baton on to Katie, the new Camp Hope Director. He'll be wrapping up his time with UPH with a few fun fieldtrips with the kids. It's bitter sweet, of course. It always is, having invested so much of your life into something special, investing into people's lives.

Everyday at the end of camp, everyone participates in a cheer which is a verse from the bible. Accompanied with actions, the kids and leaders belt out the words with joy and conviction. It's crazy and super all together. Here is a little video of the cheer, on the last day of Camp Hope of this year.

¡Sé fuerte y valiente! ¡No tengas miedo ni te desanimes!
Porque el SEÑOR tu Dios te acompañará dondequiera que vayas.

(Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged,
for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go. ~Joshua 1:9).

tobacco sheds.

2010-11-01T13:31:00.000-07:00

Formerly used for air-curring tobacco leaves, these buildings now stand dilapidated and abandoned in one of the surrounding farm areas of the Copan region.

balloon doodle.

2010-10-26T12:30:00.000-07:00

My friends, Joey and Andrea, entered a doodling contest and won! (woop woop) for their entry...

a self-portrait

photo by Joey Armstrong

Andrea doodled. Joey photoed. Both set designed. Sibling collaboration at its best. Just had to show this creative little gem off. Brilliant, eh.

ps. um, just discovered Andrea has been posting delightful illustrations-superimposed-in-photos on her blog. Yes, I said "delightful." Please look at them, as well as her other dynamite illustrations. They will make you feel happy.

liming the field.

2010-10-25T17:33:00.000-07:00

prayers for the pilgrims.

2010-10-18T14:09:00.000-07:00

basilica of esquipulas.

2010-10-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

Located in Guatemala, Esquipulas is Central America’s greatest pilgrimage site. Built in 1737 by the archbishop of Guatemala, the cathedral houses the sculpture, the Black Christ, a figure carved out of dark wood in 1594 and is believed to have healing powers.

nightfall.

2010-10-04T15:18:00.000-07:00

children's day.

2010-09-20T15:00:00.000-07:00

cuteness comes in many languages.

2010-09-13T20:55:00.000-07:00

Makes you wish fairytales really could come true.

2010-09-13T08:41:00.000-07:00

in a nutshell.

2010-09-09T15:39:00.000-07:00

(Dedicated to Rachele...more words.)

West Bay Beach (Roatan).

We honeymooned on Roatan Island (but not before being delayed twice by a blizzard in Saskatoon). We spent a blissful week vegging, horseback riding, snorkelling (saw a nurse shark and stingray), laying on the beach, encountering dolphins (and being kissed by one), spotting shipwrecks, riding a scooter, frolicking with iguanas, and getting sunburnt. All around lovely.

Our apartment on the second floor (Copan).

We settled into our new place. After much cleaning, scrubbing, sweeping away spiders and webs, acquiring storage, and decorating the walls, we finally were able to call it home. Although our floor isn't tiled, and the hot water comes and goes (mostly goes), and our roof is tin sheeting which creates a deafening noise when it pours, and the power goes out on occassion, and we've had our share of cockroaches, spiders carrying baby sacks, flying June bugs, pooping geckos, millipedes that make their way into the bed, die, and dry up into a curl, and never-ending ant brigades, and other creepy crawlies...we've grown to like it.

We've traveled around a bit. Went to Santa Rosa, Honduras where we ate delicious pizza, drank atol (traditional hot corn drink), and won second place in a karaoke contest. Went to Costa Rica where we zip-lined through a cloud forest, spotted a Resplendent Quetzal, cooed over baby sloths, tried to avoid mango-throwing howler monkeys, learned about nocturnal jungle life on a night walk, and experienced an erupting volcano. Went to Lake Yojoa, Honduras' largest lake, where we trekked behind a giant water fall, jumped off a 25 foot cliff, and ate the best chocolate cake and real blueberry cheesecake ever. We went to Antigua, Guatemala where we strolled through church ruins, watched a Miss Antigua pageant parade, and hiked on recently hardened lava of an active volcano. Went to Utila, Honduras where we got scuba certified and to La Ceiba, Honduras where we held a giant stag beetle and tarantula with our bare hands. Went to Punta Gorda, Belize where we saw Mayan ruins, tubed down a river, watched fire dancing at a crocodile fundraiser, and learned how chocolate is made by hand.

Anthony's Key Resort (Roatan).

Iguana Farm (Roatan)


"Everything I do, I do for you..." (Honduras).

Sloth Sanctuary (Costa Rica).

Pulhapanzak Waterfalls (Honduras).

Volcan Pacaya. Last erupted May 27, 2010 (Guatemala).

Butterfly Museum (La Ceiba). Overcoming the arachnophobia, just for a moment.

Mayan grave in Nim Li Punit (Belize). Matt as a Mayan zombie.

Killing a chicken in Llanatios (Honduras).

We made new friends. We had old friends visit. We cheered on Honduras during the World Cup. We had a super soccer tournament with UPH staff, youth leaders, interns, a mission team from Canada, and local supporters, complete with thunder showers and flying bats. We took a roller-coaster of a ride in the back of a pick-up truck (in the rain) to natural hot springs, where we soaked in naturally hot waters (also in the rain). We rode horses to a rural village, made pottery, and watched a chicken get its head twisted off by a mission team teenager from Camden, NJ for homemade soup.

And that's the last five months summed up. Time really has flown. We have a couple more months to go. And then it's off to our next adventure, yet to be determined.

llanatios.

2010-09-06T09:18:00.000-07:00

pink bike.

2010-08-30T11:30:00.000-07:00

punta gorda, belize.

livelihood.

2010-08-23T11:56:00.000-07:00

certified.

2010-08-17T09:10:00.000-07:00

Apparently Honduras is one of, if not, the cheapest place in the world to get scuba certified. So we did it. We are officially PADI Open Water Divers.

We have to leave the country every three months to renew our tourist visas. So on our last "vacation" we headed to Belize with a little detour to Utila, one of the Bay Islands off the north coast of Honduras, where we spent three and a half days completing the entry-level beginners course. Three and a half days seem short and somewhat sketch, but we had full confidence in our awesome instructor, Nadia, who had tons of experience.

On our honeymoon, we did a Discover Scuba Diving course through PADI, where an instructor taught us some basic theory and skills, and then took us on a 35 minute dive at around 40 feet deep. We were hooked. If you ever get the chance to do the Discover Dive, cause you want to give scuba a try or just for a one-time thrill, do it. It's amazing. Like swimming in a gigantic aquarium. Breathing underwater...for a long time...without having to surface...is s.u.r.r.e.a.l.

Oceans and lakes of the world...here we come!

2010-08-16T14:52:00.000-07:00

marlon.

2010-08-02T14:17:00.000-07:00

nuestra señora de la merced.

2010-07-26T09:26:00.000-07:00

antigua, guatemala.

2010-07-19T09:16:00.000-07:00

and the world cup champion is...

2010-07-12T12:49:00.000-07:00

"mommy, she's taking a picture of me."

2010-07-05T18:06:00.000-07:00

my mom.

2010-06-29T10:03:00.003-07:00

A few weeks back my mom completed a triathlon in my hometown of Saskatoon. She had been wanting to do one and decided to use the opportunity to raise money for us to buy computers and other supplies for our youth resource center. The race included a 500m swim, 12km bike ride, and a 5km run, more than I've ever done. Not only did my mom show me up physically, she also raised over $1,500. (photo - Kaysie Wall on the bike leg of the Triathlon)

I have been continually amazed by many things throughout starting and running UrbanPromise Honduras. The one thing that has been the most enjoyable is the generosity from my friends and family and from the willingness of people to help. We also just recently received a couple laptops from some of my awesome friends back home, so our youth center is starting to take shape and I think will be really beneficial to the youth here.

Thank you to all the people who supported my mom in the triathlon, to all my awesome friends and family, and to my amazing parents who keep encouraging and supporting me.

Good job, Mom!

two macaws.

2010-06-28T10:01:00.000-07:00

cloud forest.

2010-06-21T09:07:00.000-07:00

Monteverde, Costa Rica.

slumber mumblings.

2010-06-17T16:18:00.000-07:00

"Yes please. I'd like a panda burger with a side order of bamboo salad. That will work." ~ Adam, the Sleep Talkin' Man, said whilst sleeping.

we heart baby sloths.

2010-06-14T14:49:00.000-07:00

let sleeping dogs lie.

2010-06-07T14:34:00.000-07:00

the rich coast.

2010-06-05T09:14:00.000-07:00

i.e. Costa Rica.

That's where we'll be for the next week. Vacation! Ey-oh! Sloth Sanctuary here we come...

by nicole.

2010-05-31T11:31:00.000-07:00

2010-05-24T17:14:00.000-07:00

west bay beach, roatan.

2010-05-17T10:00:00.000-07:00