Thursday, April 12, 2012

Honduras!

Mike & I hopped a flight to Honduras to visit my brother and his family! It was an amazing 5 days with them. We celebrated Mike's Birthday, enjoyed some yummy Honduran food, saw some amazing sights and also some very unfortunate situations. It makes you feel so proud to live in the United States where it is safe to walk down the street!







This pretty much explains what I am talking about. Their entire compound was surrounded by 18 foot walls and this lined along the top!
A view from the back of their casa! It is beautiful!!

The kids 'park' so to speak. Sweet Aubrey and Handsome Caleb playing!


The city view from their backyard! It was amazing to wake up to. They overlook the Honduran airport (too far to hear planes thankfully).



My favorite room in the house. Check out these cool windows!







My sweet little niece, Aubrey!



We did a little shopping :) Not much though because it was the Honduran Holy Week and the entire city shuts down. Not much was open :(



They wanted $$ for a ride on their horses/donkey's. We opted for a picture instead!







There is definately some real talent! I have never seen such beautiful hand carved wooden pieces & pottery.



Nope, this isn't a school bus for kiddos but rather an indepently owned, pimped out city bus! YIKES, no thanks......check out the skulls on the side! They ARE NOT a safe way of transportation. Enter if you want, leave if you can.....



The boys enjoying some cervezas!



One of the safer resturants around! We stopped for a bite of some authentic Honduran food! It was delicious!







Honduran cheese, refried beans, avacado & platanos!



Another mode of transportation!



We told Adam & Chanda we wanted the full experience! Well, we got it! After all of the trash that lined the streets it makes you wonder why we even recycle :( so sad..






There is no running water in these parts. They live in shacks with dirt floors. It makes you wanna cry :( Over 50% of their population is under the age of 18.....no birth control what so ever....



This woman is hand washing her clothes in a bucket. BTW their water is so dirty you can't even brush your teeth with it for fear of the unknown.



Back home in the compound playing with cutie pie and her new baby & stroller (late bday present from us).






Mikey enjoying some relaxing time on the hammock!



Out to dinner for Mikey's Birthday! Happy Birthday honey, I hope you enjoyed it!



Chanda & Adam



Erika & Chanda



My brother is 'not' thrilled with having his picture taken but I managed to snap a few :) He's so handsome!!!



Back to the house for a little birthday cheesecake!







Make a wish baby!



Caleb & Chanda! Looks like someone is ready for bed. He must have had fun playing with the sitter while we were out to dinner.



Wireless isn't a word in their language! Honduras has numerous burn victims come in to their medical clinics constantly due to wires hanging down in the street. Little children hang on them because they don't know any better. Sad...



We visited the Ambassador's House for a day of swimming.



I am so proud of my brother and all that he has accomplished! It felt pretty nice being with a Special Agent in a foreign country. His spanish was amazing (not that I understood a word of it). Chanda speaks really well too. Caleb can understand it and is starting to speak it a little.



My other Special Agent ;) We had plenty of protection that's forsure!



Training.....with a pro!






My turn! Chanda said my sunglasses made the outfit :) This is some heavy equipment, I cannot imagine trucking through jungle with all of this stuff on!



Sight practice.....just incase!



I am about to conquer the land....



Another day pool side......the weather was beautiful!



Like Auntie like niece :) I LOVE her!!!



Neighborhood guards.....we traded cerveza's for a picture!



Back at the compound playing with peanut!




Daughter & Daddy (I thought this picture was adorbale)!I snapped another successful picture (siblings)!






Chanda, Caleb & Aubrey filling the bird feeders up.



Aubrey let me style her hair and then she posed for a shot with my shades on!



Sitting by the firepit enjoying our last night together overlooking the city!



Yep, I spiked baby's hair! She wasn't quite sure what to think.



The evening was fantastic. Our entire trip was such an amazing experience.



Our adorable little people! We had so much fun with you and cannot wait to see you for Christmas at our casa!



My very last photo on the way to the airport. I was amazed that there were armed guards outside of gas stations, stores, resturants....you name it. I was in my brother's bullet proof car when I took this but it was still a little nerve racking pulling up next to this guy and snapping a picture. The windows aren't blacked out yet so he looked me in the eyes as I took it. Some local Hondurans rob these guards for their guns. A lot have no respect for life. It is a sad, scary situation there.









If you view this please say constant prayers for my family over there. They are so special and I admire them for trying to make that country a better place.