Smoothies

Well, Perry had to stay home tonight and couldn't participate in smoothies and fruit juice drinks on the beach while watching the sunset.  Why? Because he is small enough to walk inside the fridge to keep cool and I just sweat.  It is so hot! I've seen you guys back home complaining about the heat.  And then I think, but they have air-conditioning.  When Perry gets hot, he just opens the fridge door and sits for a while.  But you know Smitty....she can't fit in a fridge. So as his punishment for rubbing it in that he keeps cool, he had to stay home and watch the dogs.  

The Grotto

Yesterday, my friend Josiah and I wanted to break MaKenzie in on her first day on island--and Josiah's last--The Grotto.

The grotto is kind of a cave that leads out to the ocean.  The giant rock you see in the 2nd picture is the rock you jump off of...but stay clear of the sides of the rock which is known as the "washing machine."  But once you get out from the rock it is as calm as can be.  Some mornings you can even see sea turtles swimming.  We just saw the normal--fish and divers.

I found this video on you-tube of some guys who were making the hike down the billions of stairs and around to the rocks.  Since I already lost one camera last summer, I'm stealing someone else's video so my camera (or should I say...my parents' old camera) doesn't get stolen this year!

Airports

Perry has spent a lot of time in airports lately.  We even got lucky once (if you call missing a flight lucky) and got to spend a few hours in the United Club Lounge since I had a free pass.  Free food...free drinks...free internet...air conditioning.  Yes, Perry and I were living it up!

On our latest trip through the Guam airport, Perry decided to go exploring.  We found all kinds of contraptions to keep us occupied....like these Chamorro items...

And we made a new friend who will be spending the last couple of weeks with us...MaKenzie!

Sunset

On Tuesday night, I had the pleasure of staying at the hotel that you see in the first picture (with the rainbow above it) for our Saipan Youth Retreat.  It had rained ALL day long.  But when the rainy days clear about sunset, you know you'll get some spectacular sunsets.  We had all gone to the beach for an evening swim and jumping off the dock while we waiting on pizza.  We had a rainbow in one direction and the best sunset in the other direction. Everywhere we looked it was simply gorgeous.

Perry Goes on a Field Trip, Part 2

Perry was having a great time on the field trip.  Free hair nets and ear plugs and ice cream...oh my!  The second half of our trip took us to Ritidian Point Wildlife Refuge for lunch and some cave exploration.  (I had no idea there were caves here, so I felt kind of jipped all those years and trips to Guam.)  Ritidian is one of the pretties beaches in Guam because it is only open from 9-5 each day, closed on federal holidays, there are no fires allowed, and it is not full or trash like the other beaches!

Ritidian Beach (on this rainy day)

Lunch at the picnic area

 Perry is climbing a tree

 Look carefully at the sign--Perry is a rule breaker!

 Perry finds a skull!

Perry's first cave. 

Perry finds a latte stone.

Perry gets hugged by Ha'ani.

Perry in another cave.

Ancient Chamorro cave drawings (see the hand?)

Perry Goes on a Field Trip, Part 1

Last week, Perry went on his first field trip.  The field trip was with the Sunday School children at the Guam Naz church. This was a super special event because we chartered a bus to take us around the island for the day!  Our first stop was the Guam Pepsi Bottling Plant.  This is one of two bottling plants in the Pacific. (The other one is in Fiji.)  We even got souvenirs which included a sample of the plastic tube before it is heated and blown into the full size bottle, a Pepsi lanyard, and ear plugs (for the noise)!

Can you see what they are bottling in the background? (Ans. Mountain Dew)

Perry is so excited to be on the trip!

After Pepsi Guam Bottling we headed to Foremost.  Foremost is the main source for dairy products for the islands Besides milk, they make ice cream and bottle water.  We got souvenirs on this trip too!  (A hair net and an ice cream cone.  The ear plugs from the last place also came in very handy!)

Perry, Don, and I are supporting our new "hats." 

 Today, Foremost is bottling their orange drink. 

 Milk jugs are going in for a filling.

 Ben doesn't have his beard net!

 Perry is having so much fun!

 It's a good think Pepsi gave us ear plugs, or we would have been breaking the rules 

(Plus, it was really loud!)

 Perry checking out the tour as he rides in my back pack.

 Perry and I enjoy our Almond Mocha ice cream cone, made fresh in Guam

My apologies

After I returned from the Philippines, I hadn't really slept in over a week. Plus, I had a field trip with the kids in Guam, pack up all the VBS stuff to take to Saipan, go to Saipan, preach/do music on Sunday, then the teen retreat....

So...I hope to play blog catch up over the next few days.

Starting NOW!

PS--BAND KIDS...you will be receiving your band mailing this week. :)