Rayne the Explorer!

We were lucky enough to have some very good friends from Canada come and spend a few days with us here while my mom was here. Sonja & Jennika Dickens came to the Jungle Dome for 3 nights and we had a blast. I hadn't seen them for probably 10 years so we had a great time catching up.


My mom and Sonja catching up over panty rippers!

Sonja, Jennika, Omar, Rayne & I all went cave tubing and zip lining one day while my mom stayed back (she was a bit scared). I have to say it was probably best she didn't come as I don't think she would have enjoyed seeing her grand daughter fly high above the jungle on the zip line by herself.

Rayne had been talking about doing the zip line since I was home last fall. She saw Diego and Dora the Explorer doing it and said that that was the one thing she wanted to do in Belize. I was a bit worried she would be too scared but she loved it. They hooked her up and away she went...all by herself. I was definitely more scared watching her sail away above the jungle on her own but she was a trooper!

Then the next day we all went horse back riding. I was prepared to have Rayne go on the horse with me but she wanted to go by herself and that she did! We rode for 2 1/2 hours through the jungle, into the river and through the fields. She said that her 2 dreams came true...zip lining and horseback riding....what a life!





















Looking tired after a long day!


A day of horse riding with Aunty, Sonja & Jennika





Big cowgirl on her very own horse

Making New Friends

Off to the Beach!

OK I know I am very late with the blogging as my mom and Rayne left yesterday but we were too busy having fun! When they first arrived, we headed straight to San Pedro where we stayed for 4 nights. We did lots of swimming, walking on the beach, and kite flying, not to mention going to see the sharks and stingrays! The heat was a little much for Rayne but she did very well as time went on.

Here are a few pics from our beach portion!

It can't be February already!

Where did the time go?! Seems like yesterday I was home with my family and here 3 months have passed since my last post....ok no excuses except that I have been very busy working through the crazy Christmas season!

Just a quick update and I promise to blog more from here (if anyone is still checking my blog that is!)

After leaving Prince Rupert, I spent almost a month in California, which was wonderful. We stayed with Omar's mom and spent most of our time biking & visiting friends and family. We took a trip to Vegas and the Grand Canyon and did a lot of touring around California as well. I don't know if any of you remember Jaime, the guy who left Banana Bank to go to the States a few years ago? He is in California now and I got to see him briefly and he sent a bunch of stuff back with me for his kids which was really nice.

Although I had a great vacation and wonderful time home, I was very happy to return to my life here in Belize. The longer I am here, the more Belize seems to feel like home.

A big change this year for me here though...Andy & Simone have decided to move to Aruba for awhile so it is just me running the show. Although things get a bit crazy sometimes, everything is going well and we had a very successful and busy Christmas season.

As for the staff here, everyone is great. Nora had a new baby girl in December, whom she named Karen Soyla Xi (a big honour for me) and Wani will have her baby in April.

So besides work, I have been trying to ride my bike as much as possible and spend as much time as I can with the ones I love most here in Belize :) Life is good

Andy is actually coming back today for 10 days so I can get some time away. My mom and niece arrive on Monday for a month and I am so looking forward to that. So...I should have lots to blog about once they arrive!

I hope everyone is well and that 2008 will be a healthy, happy & prosperous year for everyone!

Love to all.

Good to be Home!

On Vacation!

Looking at my last posting and the huge amount of time that has passed since, it looks like we were wisked away by the hurricane! Thankfully we weren't, I have just been busy on vacation! I am now in Prince Rupert with my family enjoying my time with them...despite the wind and rain!

Before arriving here, I spent 2 weeks in Colorado with our friends Midge & Aaron, enjoying their beautiful world by bike! It was a great time and such a beautiful place.

Now, back at home, I am busy catching up with everyone and enjoying being in this 'home'!

Here are a few pictures of my time in Colorado:




Testing out Midge's cool daisy cruiser!


Biking amongst the amazing canyons!






See that road way down below....the biggest climb I have ever done...20 miles of straight climbing!


And proof I made it to the top!






Midge & Aaron's amazing cabin on the top of a mountain with nothing else around


Our friends....Midge & Aaron

Here we go again!

Let's just hope and pray that Felix is as nice to us as Dean was!

Thanks again to everyone for their well-wishing emails!

Ready for School!

Thanks to our friends, Madame Powell's class from Westview School in Prince Rupert, BC, and the money they raised at their bake sale, I was able to buy school supplies for 26 kids! Thank you so much to all of you!!

Phew!

Hard to believe this picture was taken only a few hours after Dean passed through Belize! After a huge scare and big preparations, Dean passed us by without much damage at all. Here at the Dome we only felt a bit of wind and rain during the early morning and no damage at all. Northern Belize and San Pedro unfortunately did receive some damage but no lives were lost...thank goodness!

I have to say, for me the worst part or most scary part was just the 'waiting' for it to hit...not knowing how bad it was going to be or what would happen and knowing you have absolutely no control over anything. Of course, having tourists to look after and having to be calm and assure them that everything would be fine added a little to the stress factor!

We are all very lucky and very thankful for the way things turned out. Fingers crossed it won't be a crazy hurricane season for anyone!

Thanks to everyone who sent their thoughts and prayers to us via emails....it helped a lot!

Dean....

One drawback of living in paradise is, of course, hurricane season! It seems Dean is headed for us but fingers crossed, it heads north! A good link to watch the storm is: Dean

And so the adventure continues :)

First Times....

We had a little break the last few weeks so I took the girls to San Pedro for the day. None of them had ever been on an airplane, to San Pedro or snorkeling....definitely a day of firsts!

We went over on an early morning flight, snorkeled with the sharks, met Sharron for lunch and had a grand tour of the island. It was really fun and so great to experience so many firsts with my girls!