Sunday, September 6, 2009

News Break!





































We are sad to announce that we are leaving the river. We have loved living in Rio Dulce and the property has been very tranquil and beautiful. We have been able to adjust and relax and get geared up for the next part of our adventure.

Our guatemalan friend in Virginia has offered to let us live in his house near Quatzaltenango (Xela) while we get a Pizzeria up and running. We are really excited about this and will keep you all up to date on how it is going. Nathan will still dabble in the car business, but it hasn't developed like we had hoped. Either there just isn't enough people living in this area or our competition can beat our prices because they don't have to make as big a profit. We don't know, but we are excited about the Pizzeria. It will be called "El Gringo Loco Pizzaria". We have a lot of great ideas as far as marketing that should help launch us pretty quickly. Any ideas or recipes will be welcome! It will also really help the kids education in Spanish, Business Developement, Communication, Success Skills and Mathmatics. They will only be up at the restaurant for a few hours a day, but it will help them in all areas.

We will miss the Rio Dulce lifestyle but it will be really nice for me to be independent again and be able to go and do without being dependent on Nathan. My Spanish is getting better, (Grammar is still a mess, but I can get my thoughts across half the time and can understand at least half of the conversations around me. I still get details confused in a funny way but I don't have the paralyzing fear anymore) and I have been driving a little. Just being able to run to the store or the park with the kids will be wonderful. Quatzaltenango has a huge store very similiar to Walmart and has MCD, Burger King, Pizza Hut, and a huge hospital. Don't worry there will still be plenty of great things to do near where we will be living for our visitors. We will be near the Feutas Georginias, my favorite place to visit here in Guatmala. It is the hotspring pools shown in the photos above, and we will be a few hours from the Pacific Coast and a few hours from Lake Atitlan and a few hours from some great ruins. Also less than an hour is a water park and amusement park. So when you visit you will have a blast. I promise.

The part of Guatemala is called "La Tierra Fria" or the land of cold. It is quite a bit colder than here. We will have to actually wear socks and shoes at night and jackets instead of flip flops all the time, but the days are warm and sunny, and we will be just a few hours from the tropical weather of the coast.

I expect our posts will be quite a bit different now because we are leaving the life of leisure, but we are excited. Pray for us and our new business adventure.

The pictures above are from the Primary Activity Day celebrating the birthday of the Primary. It was a talent show where Brigham and Xela played piano, and Gabby got to hit her first Pinata. So fun. The talent show was super cute. We had two boys do dance and sing to "Billy Jean". They love Michael here. Good thing they didn't understand the words. :)))) Xela was partners for one of the games with a boy that has a big crush on her. We got a big laugh out of that.

I also included pictures from our last visit to Xela. We went with Monkey's family. There are two pics of the fam overlooking Lake Atitlan. We also stayed at the Feutas Georginias in the bungalows there.

There are more pics of the kids swimming in the Rio. Gabby just got brave enough to jump in. She does a little football stance and countdown before she jumps.

Mama,I am so glad to hear that Grandma is getting to see the pics. Crissy! Thank you so much.

Joanne, Keep posting comments cause I love to hear from you. I always look for you to leave a comment.

Robin, I agree about the bugs and critters. Aiyi! I am starting to get used to it a little. Hopefully in the La Tierra Fria they won't be soooo big. Samantha is getting so big. I can't believe it. It seems like just yesterday she was 1 taking off her clothes and climbing out of the playpen. She has really become such a great young lady. Please tell her high and give Karen a hug for me and tell her I hope she is feeling better.

Kim, Aaron and Grace are soo cute. I love to hear what they are up to. I hope Aaron enjoys school and has a great teacher.

Tina, I answered your ?'s on facebook. Did you get it?

Mel

12 comments:

  1. Mel and Nathan .. . just love the name for your new pizza place. Thanks for sharing your adventures. We look forward to lots of new ones in the months ahead. And we'll continue to keep you in our prayers.

    God Bless

    Theresa Wagar 8-)

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  2. Wow- new adventure- sounds great. Can I become partners in your new pizza place? Seriously I used to only eat pizza growing up (shouldn't get mad at my kids for being picky eaters) and I always told everyone I was going to be a pizza owner so I could eat pizza 3 times a day! I hope it goes well for you all, I'm sure it will! The new place sounds great. We ran into George at Busch Gardens the other night and he thought you were moving soon. Good luck and email me Mel when you can!!!
    Sonia

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  3. Wow, a pizzaria? That sounds fun! And I love the name. Even this crazy gringo can understand it. I'll hope you do well in this new chapter of your adventure.

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  4. Great Pictures...your kids need to seriously stop growing-up so big. Okay here are some of Joe and mine Pizza ideas:

    -All you can eat-(at least for lunch time)
    -Birthday Parties
    -School lunches? Do they have cafeterias at their public schools?
    -make a survey to see what the Guatemalans would like on their pizza.
    -Festivals, Sport events, maybe he water park or the hot spring?

    Good Luck!!! love you guys, the saabyes'

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  5. I think some type of mexican pizza. You know how kids don't always like new favors. Something a Guatemalian child would like. Pizza dilivery. Say to business' within walking distance.

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  6. I forgot to mention some pizza ideas- we have a friend who owns a pizza shop in c-ville. They name almost all of their pizza's after their kids ( the have an "amy doll" pizza, etc.. that is the only one I remember right now. But you could have "Xela's best" or "Gabby's" etc... unique names. Definitely have a variety: veggie, Hawaiian, Mexican,white sauce pizza etc.... It sounds so fun.
    Sonia

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  7. Okay Mel, please forgive me if I feel no sympathy for you having to wear socks and shoes!! I know you can appreciate the fact we are getting ready to have to put our socks and shoes on here in Virginia!!! All kidding aside I would hate to have to leave a little tropical paradise but the city will offer you other benefits!! Anyway the pictures are great as usual!!

    About this pizza gig - sounds great to me but I would never be able to work there. I do not believe Nathan would appreciate me eating all of the profit in pizza!! Sorry I cannot lend any suggestions about names or specialties - I would eat pizza no matter what names were attached!!! Hee Hee!!!

    I know you all will be successful in whatever you choose to do!!

    Hugs and Kisses to all!
    Cousin Robin

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  8. Hey you guys,
    sorry I haven't posted much. I just got back from spending the weekend in Ocean city and thought of Ora and bob while I was there. I always think of them when I am there.

    Wow another adventure, so my sister was right about a mexican pizza. I used to eat one with a crispy cornbread crust. I loved to put cold salsa on it. I liked the cold and hat together. I have quit making cakes for market so you want to hire me? Ha

    kisses to the kids, we sure do miss ya'll
    love
    aunt jo

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  9. We were at Joe and Mimis the other night and Christie Buffa(Kim's old friend and her family own's the resturant)gave me some ideas for you. She said the sause is a personnal thing. It has spices of course but they add parmesan cheece to the sause. Mozzerella has several grades. Grande is the best. If you want your cheese to melt nice you need grande but she said you can mix it with a cheaper cheese to get the same results. The cheap kind melts in clumps. Also the dough is really effected by the water you use in it. I thought these were all nice to knows. So if you can come up with a pretty pizza,maybe a dessert one, it could be called the Sweet Buffa:-)

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  10. WOW! A pizzaria! El gringo loco! That name alone will bring the customers in! I think if you guys are the "white people in town, the Guatemalans will love it! how cool is that...we are excited for you to start this new business and we want to visit you and taste a piece of your new biz. That is going to be an awesome experience for the kids and for everyone! Wow, sounds like a blast. Luv you guys! tell the kids we love and miss them! holla!

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  11. Hey Mel and fam...

    So I tried sending this to your email address but it came back to me... I wanted to let you guys know that I'm pregnant! Yeah I know, you can stop laughing now! haha! So I'm still early, I'm only like 8 or 9 weeks along but I had to tell my friends
    in Guatemala! once again we are so stoked that you guys are starting a pizzeria
    why shouldn't you? Man your adventurous!Luv ya guys...Aloha!

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  12. hola!!! coma estas Ud.?? Anyway I was really thinking and this sounds just like sooooo much fun for you guys! I mean I would love it!!! Love the name too! Who came up with it??? Anyway good luck and post soon!!!
    LoVe CoUrTnEy,
    P.S. XELA- email me!!!

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