hair and home

I have always wanted red walls but never had the guts to do it. I love it!
my favorite part of our apartment our patio. Its our only outdoor space.
colors, colors and colors!! I had fun painting that.

I can finally say I am satisfied with the way our home looks and how my hair looks. I am not the kind of woman who spends much time at the salon. For me salons are for special occasions mothers day or birthday gift certificates. Living here in this country I have come to realize that women spend a lot of time at the salon. Why? Because its so cheap. They go to the salon to get their hair brushed and hair dryed, to get their nails done on a weekly basis, etc... I finally went and got my hair highlighted something I rarely do. It cost me $18 and manicures/pedicures start at $3 in some places the more expensive places cost $8, ha. So I was not satisfied with my highlights the first time around so I went back and asked them to fix it. By the third visit and the 3rd person working on my hair it was perfect. I was pampered and beautified and I left satisfied all for $18. The whole time Ben would say I don't see anything wrong with it.

We just moved into our home and if any of you remember me my home is an extension of my personality so I like it to decorate it. We moved into an apt with white walls that were soon becoming gray thanks to our two boys. After trying hard to put off painting our walls we finally gave into it this past week. We only tackled the living room but that is enough to keep me satisfied until we can get more time.
Thanks to God I am a bargain hunter and I have been able to find cheap finds either used from missionaries who are leaving or random finds. Our walls are covered in the art that I paint so we have been able to make it home for cheap even here in Ecuador where everything(but fruit, flowers and salons) cost 3 times as much as in the states.

Whirlwind!

Summer equals whirlwind! Our end of the school ended with moving, trying to furnish our new home, getting ready for summer mission teams, lots of farewells and family arriving. We were very busy with all the wonderful family and friends who came down to visit us. It was so sweet to have so many visitors our first year here.

Our summer began with most of Bens family traveling down at different times and then we led a summer youth team from our church in Ft. Worth and ended with a ladies mission team from Ft. Worth. This was from our home church so it was nice to reconnect with a lot of friends and make new friends from those teams. In between that time we were unpacking, finalizing our end of the school year routine, Ben was taking Intensive Spanish classes, painting, climbing volcanoes and taking time to breathe and enjoy our summer with the kids.

Our boys thorougly enjoyed the many visitors (especially Ethan). Sometimes the schedule was hard on them but we were able to recoup and refresh last week at the beach with just our little family.
By Gods grace it was a summer filled with many blessings!

a house full of besitos!

So life as the only lady in the house is quite fun. I am spoiled by all three of my men! Ethan is our huggy, kissy one so I am constantly loved on. He also has the gift of encouragement so he is always telling me he loves me and he thinks I am pretty. And since Aidens life goal right now is to copy Ethan I also get it from him. Aiden is actually quite independent but there are somethings he feels like he needs to copy. Aiden rarely gives kisses or hugs on his own but he doesn't mind me hugging and kissing on him. And Bens love language is touch so I get lots from him. So can't beat that. I love it.