Next to Santo Domingo

Talk about Law of Attraction...the Queen of Pool LOVE (me) was able to see the largest swimming pool in Chile! Over 400 yards...it was built as part of the resort Las Brisas in Santo Domingo. I was sad the day was so chilly and overcast...Can you believe it? They literally use a BOAT to clean it!
We had ANOTHER to die for meal at the resort Country Club. I thought of Spencer so much during this whole trip---jaw dropping golf courses everywhere. I had no idea that America didn't reign supreme in the love of this sport...at the very least they are equally rivaled here. Maybe one day I'll actually swing a club:) The tree lined street reminded me of Kaui in Hawaii...and the bakery...HEAVEN ON EARTH!!! And yes, that is Dulche de Leche that that woman is smathering all over that cake--we had to buy it. She rolled it up like a jelly roll, dusted it in powder sugar, we smushed one end with luggage, but it went down as smooth and happy as a kid on a waterslide. Did I say I LOVE THIS PLACE yet?

Vina del Mar

Sadly we left Marbella, only to be delighted more and more with each new place. Here we are in one of the most famous beach towns of the world!-Vina Del Mar!!! I was fascinated by all the wires everywhere and hadn't pictured it on a mountainous hillside. Sad I didn't get any shots of that hillside.
Have I told you yet how Carlos had the top 100 hits of the 70's on his Shuffle? So as we are driving through and to all these incredible places, we are also traveling down memory lane with some of my FAVORITE music ever...it was just more than words can describe. Gonna get me that 70's playlist!!!! It just could not have been more perfect!!!!!

Chile...land of the BEAUTIFUL

I felt like I had arrived in the land BOUNTIFUL out of the Book of Mormon. We were totally immersed in beauty and comfort. Josh...the Masai shop was not African, but it made me smile to think I got this little reminder of you all the way on another continent:)
The Suspiro Limeno is ANOTHER new favorite dessert...kind of like a Dulche de Leche custard.
Can you believe the flowers? The beaches? My sunburn was raging at this point and I could barely stand to have anything against my skin...but the beauty of this place and the company we were with distracted me until bedtime! Just posting these pictures I still cannot believe that I WAS THERE!!!!

Letter from Josh 8 Feb 2010

Hey Family!!!

This week was up and down. it still went pretty fast but we got bounced like crazy. a good part of the afternoons were spent waiting for people at the church. which gets really boring because there is nowhere close to even go tracting while you wait, plus if you do leave then you don't know if they will show up while you are gone. so it was kinda slow that way but it still went by really quickly.
there isn't really a whole lot that is new here. i found the board game risk in a shop the other day and really wanted it, but it was ridiculously expensive. it was 5690 shillings which is equal to about 70 u.s. dollars. i was shocked, and i am sure it is no surprise to you that i didn't want to pay that much. Everything costs more here in nairobi than it did in mombasa, but i still didnt think i would ever see risk priced at 70$.
Did Whitney make it to the top 10 or anything in the miss America pageant? all i have heard was that she didnt win.
and mike is going to alaska for the summer? does driving buses really pay that well? it sounds more like one of his sparatic decisions because it sounds fun, but i dont really know anything about it other so i wont judge just yet.
mom, as far as the weight training goes, pain is a good thing, and the only way to help it to go away is to go lift again. it sounds dumb but after a while the pain feels good.
spencer, who is this amy girl that you are taking to the dance? i want a picture!!!!
i love all of you and i hope you all have a great week!
oh, mom, you said you would see me on the 9th? does that mean that you guys have already booked tickets? anyways, i talked to president about it a while ago and he said that it will have more to do with the new mission president. he said that he cant really say no and to worry about that, but he also said that it would be better if you guys sent him an e-mail once he gets here and ask him in there and then i can discuss it more with him after you ask. i'm not totally sure why it is better that way but it is for some reason. and i have been thinking about it and i really want to go to Arusha when you guys come. i would choose there over anywhere. it has a ton of cool stuff to do plus its my favorite area with my favorite people. so if we do that then you will also need tanzania visas. let me know what you think.
i love you guys!
Elder Josh Harris

Site not accepting my pics...

Okay, so SOMETHING FUNKY is going on that I can't figure out...but I've been at this for almost 2 hours now and I can't get this site to accept and publish the pictures I am trying to download...so Josh, I'm just going to write you here and now...out of order, and hope for pics later.

It's been just crazy since we got home. Good Crazy. Best of all is that the Baseball Banquet is OVER and we met our goal!!!We needed to make $35,000.00 and we DID it!!! My friends are AMAZING...Wednesday morning after Primary Presidency Meeting was over Kim says "Hey, wait a minute, I 've got your quilt". I was tired and thinking, does she have one of my quilts? When she comes back and hands me this GORGEOUS Queen sized quilt she made for us to sell at the Auction. I am ever astonished at the goodness and generosity of my friends. No, she doesn't even have kids near old enough to be in High School, AND when they do go to High School they will most likely go to Pleasant Grove...so yeah, just a truly loving person...

Everybody is in watching the Super Bowl and wondering HOW I could have FORGOTTEN and NOT prepared a FEAST!!? But I did. I was so wrapped up in coming home, getting through the banquet, I just opened the frig and knew no feast was coming from anything in there. I made super nachos and called it good. Well, I called it good, but they might still pout awhile. Next year!! (When Josh is HOME:) ).

I've had a sweet week with MORE Childhood friends coming back into my life. I feel more and more pulled to go home...but even as I say that, I already am feeling anxious about how much I am traveling this year. The beaches in Chile certainly enticed my longing. But I need a beach with ALOT of sand, and sand dunes...and jetties. And a Shrimp Shack.

Megan convinced me that in the interest of my aging body I really need to do strength training and start lifting. So, I did. She let her trainer at the gym have at me and literally it has been 5 days and I am still hobbling around. Is that because I am almost 47? But, what good is strength training if they tear you up so bad you can't even run or WALK for that matter? I will give you another report next week I am giving it 2 weeks before I make a decision this time.

Austin turned 13!! Finally we have a teenager cousin! Spencer asked Amy to Sweethearts and she said YES all over his car.."heck yeah, It would be my pleasure, for sure, of course"...I love the way these guys ask and answer. Sam is SO ready for baseball to start. They are both heavy in to the Basketball season. Michael is now working at UCCU and training to drive those BIG BUSES for his summer job in Fairbanks, Alaska. Megan starts her new job tomorrow. She is still loving teaching...they are doing the flowers for her trainer's wedding in March. Kim Cooper is looking for a job and could use your prayers. We have so been THERE before. Whitney Merrifield didn't win Miss America:(

I will keep trying to post those pictures of Chile so you can see. I love you. I love your messages.
I love your attitude:) I love that 66 weeks out means only 38 weeks left...I love even more that today was Fast Sunday and now I only have 8 Fast Sunday's left...I will be WITH YOU on the 9th!!!! You're a Stud and I'm proud.

Mom XXXOOOXXXOOOXXXOOOXXX

This is NOT a DREAM...this is REAL

Not only is this REAL...I was there. I got to go BE there!! These pictures are in or near Zapallar... the name of this city means "the place to plant pumpkins"...when I learned that I KNEW it was HOME:)

Day 3

So...I told you how there wasn't much sun...well, Sunday, about 1pm, the sun came out just for me! I ran inside and put on my swimsuit and flopped down on the chaise lounger outside with IPOD in my ears and this most delicioussss breeze...

for about a 1/2 hour, but I SWEAR, no longer than 40 minutes. And darned if I didn't fry my sweet hide. And I mean, like FRIED. This picture doesn't do it justice (my nose is scarier than the burn in this) but you should have seen the deepening red that came with each hour and day. The good news is that it was only on my front. The other good news is the JOY it brought me to be out there with so much skin. I have a new resolution for 2010...more sun on more skin. I have been SO CAREFUL ever since my skin cancer surgery on my nose that I really think its been about 10 years since I didn't have my arms and head and face covered when the sun was out. I just sweated through all that clothing when gardening. Enough is enough. It was glorious. Probably WHY I burned so good so fast. But most of the gross peeling has past now and I am on to planning my secluded sunbathing spot in the back yard for the coming spring. Nudists only. Don is now rolling his eyes, but I am STILL smiling and STILL planning.

The baby donkeys melted your hearts...they kept them close to the Mama and Daddy donkey's who were available for rent to ride down to the beach. I LOVED that they put binkies around each of their necks!

The desserts were Kuchen? German...we got a raspberry one for Don and the next day I got to try the NUT one...new love, new recipe search...I will share when I find the best one. The flowers were plentious...I almost fainted at these hydrangas--even though they hard already turned...can you BELIEVE that show? And this tulip? flower tree....oh, I like Chile VERY MUCH. I think I need to have a garden here. Now the fish market was part of a much bigger craft market...but it made me SO appreciate my frozen Talapia, halibut and salmon fillets that Costco so loving provides me all cleaned up and NOT SMELLY. Love you Costco.

And then this is the ever loving, kind, but especially beautiful and SKINNY Soledad, who YES, wakes up just looking like that. I know. And she doesn't run. And she eats. And she is just so easy to be with. I love her anyway.