November, including Thanksgiving

 The two sisters in matching pajamas, sitting under a cover on the sofa in our TV room on a cold November night.

Trying out the toboggan in our front yard after a mid-November snowfall.

 We got together for Thanksgiving with Grandpa and Grandma Parkinson, Trish and Kelly and their kids, Adrian, Arleen, and Brit, and Jared.  Later, Robert and his family came by too.  Here are Trish and her three boys (yes, triplets).

 Alicia, McKel, Avril, and Kelly's daughter, Olivia (10 yrs. old).

 I always get drafted to carve the turkey, even though I'm not great at it.

 And grandma Parkinson is always so well prepared and organized, even though she thinks she's not.  She runs a great kitchen!

 Jared enjoyed caring for the three baby boys.  Here he is with Edison.  As you can see, some of us gave our faces a rest for the holidays.  Some of us did so for longer than the holidays, in fact.

 Olivia and her hirsute dad, Kelly, who is sporting a very nice looking beard.

 Adrian, Arleen, and I think that's Parker.

 Avril loves her big high school cousin, Brittney.

 McKel and her Parkinson grandparents.

 Gayle, posing with her father-in-law.

 The Glenns.  A handsome couple!

 Arleen always gains much satisfaction in working with children.  Here she is with Edison.

 Avril loved the pies (she had some of the chocolate pie too).  And later in the evening she insisted on more pumpkin pie (of course I had to help her eat it).

 Yes, I was giving my face a rest from shaving for a couple of days too.  Here I am in the process of feeding some chocolate pie to McKel, as you might discern from her face.

 Adrian, giving Parker a rest.

 The patriarch of the Parkinson clan, taking it all in.

 Brit with Edison.  Brit also likes helping with the kids, and she's good at it too.

 Don't know if it was the tryptophan or just the caloric intake, but some of us got pretty drowsy after the meal.

 Meanwhile, Trish played some beautiful music, including some Christmas carols.  Parker didn't enjoy it after awhile, though.

 We were very happy that Robert, Tracine, Spencer, and Sam were able to drop by.  Brian, though, is on his mission down near Mexico City.

 It takes a village (as Hillary would say).  The significance of this shot is the following: the triplets were born on the same day, as you might expect.  It was April 16.  Adrian was born on April 16.  Eleven years later Jared was born on April 16.  And when Adrian was dating Arleen, he didn't believe her at first when she said she was born on April 16, but she was, in fact.  So in our immediate family we have 6 souls born on April 16.

 Olivia and Brit were able to hang out together too.  They're both beautiful girls.  And the significance of this photo, you may ask?  Brittney was born on August 11.  Four years later Olivia was born on August 11.

 Back home, Alicia grabbed the camera and took a couple of shots of the girls on our stairway.  As plainly visible, they were indulging in some brownies.

 Had to throw in this one showing McKel being very animated!

Wanted also to get the mom in.  You can see where the girls get their looks.

Gayle took off this evening after our Thanksgiving activities in order to get to Trish and Kelly's to stay the night at their place in Salt Lake City.  She is flying out tomorrow very early for Atlanta.  We got sad news about 3:00 a.m. Wednesday morning.  Gayle's younger sister (55 yrs. old) passed away in her sleep.  She had many health challenges, but this was still unexpected.  The viewing will be tomorrow night and the funeral service Saturday.

Guatemala part 3

 Indigenous folks we passed en route to Atitlan - amidst the maize fields.

 No.  The volcano is not erupting.  Turns out that there is often a cloud there from the micro climate formed above the caldera.

 One of several volcanoes around Lake Atitlan.  It was worth a second photo for the blog.  Panajachel is below.

 The scenery around the hotel was breathtaking and included a waterfall in the mountains above the hotel.  This is a look across the lake (2nd largest in Guatemala, and a very deep lake at that).  The lake's elevation is about 5,500 ft. and the climate is known as eternal spring.

 The artwork and gardens at the hotel were to die for.  Just ask Gayle.  Our room (we swapped with the boys so they could have two beds) was on the end of the 3rd (top) floor (and was #315, visible  in this shot)and looked out on the garden and the lake.  Unbelievable views.

 More of the hotel outdoor walkway on our floor.

Looking back toward Panajachel.  I should mention that I got in several good runs this week, including a couple back at Camino Real in Petén on the gravel road next to the lake.  Here at Atitlan several of the Marshes and the Cospers' daughter got in a run with me.  Some of us had to back off of the hill route due to a massive mud slide that had covered the road.  It was a very nice run though.

 Our bed in #315 at Hotel Atitlan.

 Yes.  Believe it or not, this is what we looked out at from our room.

 The gardens were amazing.

 Many exotic plants we'd never seen before.

 An infinity jacuzzi next to the pool.  We tested it out later.

 Jared in the evening.

 Looking back at the restaurant and the mountains behind the hotel.

Here's the pool, just beyond the restaurant's outdoor seating.

The catamaran was loading to head across the lake to visit Santiago de Atitlan.  Here we are on the dock with a couple of the guys helping with the voyage.  You can't see in this photo, but just behind us there is a gazebo and lamp, etc. underwater.  Turns out that the lake level has risen about 15 feet over the last several years.  It goes through cycles.
Jared, catching some rays on the trip across the lake.

Some of the group (Rich, Trevor, and Charlene chatting) on the trip over.
Jared and Dallin en route.

Jared's smart phone (Android) wide angle shot on the way to Santiago de Atitlan.

These are in no particular order, but here are some shots from the Hotel Atitlan.  This is part of the breakfast spread.  There were beautiful decorations everywhere.

One of the displays in near the restaurant.

Bringing back more orange juice at breakfast.  I could've had watermelon, pineapple, or papaya juice too, probably.

Gayle, about to eat chicken & vegetable soup at lunch.  I went for the black bean soup.  The lemonade was fantastic too.  I had mine with mineral water.
 Note Gayle's right eye.  She woke up one morning at El Camino Real Hotel at Petén Itza and it had swollen shut.  As best as we can tell it was a mosquito bite in her eye socket next to her nose.  I slip this shot in here because the next shot was a couple of days later at Atitlan and the swelling was still noticeable.

A photo at an evening event (birthday party for Ted Fairchild, one of our group).  Gayle's eye is getting better.

A wall in an art store in Santiago de Atitlan.  Out of place with the other photos, but colorful so I'll leave it here.

Fruit anyone?

Outdoor seating at the restaurant.

And this would be indoor seating for breakfast.

Another shot out of place.  This is a lady selling cloth in Santiago de Atitlan.

Two of the locals in their traditional dress.

The garden right below our balcony.

More of the garden at the hotel.

Kicking back at Hotel Atitlan.

One of the hotel staff with the guys.

Garden, looking out at the dock.

Life, imitating art.

It must be a popular hotel, there's a helicopter landing pad.

One last look down at the hotel, just to the right of the ugly green tower hotel.  Next, on to Antigua Guatemala.

The guys in their "Man Cave" section at the back of bus #2 en route to Antigua.  Antigua was the ancient capital of this central part of Latin America.  It is a very scenic, artsy, colonial city.  Our hotel was a very old convent, restored and turned into a ritzy hotel, complete with several museums inside.  The following Antigua and final Guatemala City photos are not in a particular order.

A local band with 6 guys playing the marimba.  They were performing not far from the downtown plaza in the evenings.

By far the fanciest McDonald's I had been to.  Here's a look into the McCafé where Rich, Pam, and Terry are talking.

Another part of the McDonald's.  There also was a spacious garden area with seating, a kids area at the back, an Internet area, and the usual dining area.

On a hill above Antigua, with our Guatemalan t-shirts on.

Jared and Erin above Antigua.

Dallin, the local, above Antigua as well.

The young singles club - Jared, Rebecca, Dallin, and Erin.

The youngsters eating out.  Steve Marsh, Erin, John Marsh, Jared, Dallin, and Rebecca Marsh.

Somewhere in Antigua.

Inside the Casa Santo Domingo Hotel, in Antigua.

More local color.

Inside our room at Casa Santo Domingo, a colonial convent converted into a hotel.

These doors open into a private, small garden area.

Trekking up the parking lot driveway toward the buses to leave for the capital city.

The guys ready to board load their stuff on the bus so they can visit the city before leaving.

A couple of adventurers.

A mural in one of the hotel museums, with Pam May to the right.

Near our hotel room.


Our room from the outside.

Looking in with the door open.  You can see the fireplace at the back left, and the doors to the garen to the right.

Beauty everywhere around at the hotel.

More convent decorations.

Artwork all around.

Rebecca and Jared relaxing at a jade museum and factory we visited.

Checking out a jade marimba at the factory.

Wearing a jade encrusted costume at the museum/factory.  Guatemalan jade is significantly harder than the more common Chinese jade.

We, of course, hit the market.

We also visited a couple of the many Catholic churches in Antigua. 

More decor back at the hotel.

Dallin blended right in.

Gayle wanted an artsy shot of hot chocolate.

Colorful street selling.

Old colonial vs. modern street market.

A shot of a pathway inside the convent/hotel.

In the hotel somewhere.

More convent/hotel artwork.  A marriage ceremony was held here the night we stayed.

Jared and parrots.  I believe somewhere in the Casa de Santo Domingo Hotel.

So scenic I have to show another shot of Antigua from the hill above it.

Jared, the Mayan king.  Although for those interested, many LDS scholars think the Olmecs and Jaredites are correlated, whereas the Mayans correlate time-wise and probably location-wise with the Nephite/Lamanite civilizations.

Back at our Guatemala City hotel, the Barceló.  We held a great testimony meeting the night before leaving.  Here are Steven Marsh, Erin Elton, Jared, Colleen and John Walker, Rebecca Marsh, Dallin Large, and John Marsh.

A farewell kiss from the guys to send Rebecca on her way.