Happy Halloween, I mean Birthday!

Yesterday we celebrated Abe's 8th birthday with one of his best friends, Loren.  It was a success!  30 kids came to celebrate with them and enjoy a traditional American Halloween party.  A big thanks to Loren's family for allowing us to use their home!  They have an incredible yard that is much more like a park.  Trampoline, inflatable slide, haunted house, halloween treats and great friends!  We couldn't have asked for more!

Click on the photos to see more!

This was a fun theme cake, but after 6 hours on the silly thing, I wonder why in the world would I do such a thing?

Thanks to Steve's mad fondant skills, we had life-like skeleton hands.

Melissa created these great popcorn bags

Monster Mouths

Frankenstein Jello Cups - it is the thought that counts, right?

The Stoddards did an incredible job decorating the yard

Eyeballs everywhere

Cat eyes

The American boys taught the Peruvians how to play real football.  The gardener has marked out a football field, complete with goal posts.  It was great!

Great trashbag ghosts

Rachel created this skull with the leftover fondant.  She is so talented.

Mummy Canisters

and mummy-dogs

We decorated pumpkin and bat cookies

and painted pumpkins

My friend Melissa. (Oh yeah, Loren's mom)

Spooky daytime moon

Freaky Punch

Waiting to enter the Haunted House!  The Stoddards have a great little guest house in their yard and 2 teenage girls who were excited about a haunted house.  The HH was decorated with things leftover from the embassy patry the day before.  It was a success!  (I somehow forgot to take any photos of the inside.)

Ghost Suckers

Class Buds

Birthday Boys!

Chicken Fingers

Checking out the grub!

Next to the after-party bonfire

Almost 8

Really.  I almost can't believe my eyes.  I just can't believe that in just a few short weeks, Abe will be baptized into The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints.  The Lord knew exactly what he was doing when he choose 8 as the age of accountability.  In the last 6 months, we have seen so much growth in him.  Today, we took this quick photo after church to send to Grandma Barlow to complete his baptism book.

In true 8 year old fashion, he is growing his hair a little longer right now for his Halloween costume.  Abe insists that Harry can't have a buzz cut.  This is such a fun age.  Every year just gets better and better.  Who knew?

My Three and a Baptism

One of Abe's best friends, Loren, was baptized today.  It was such a timely experience for Abe because he will be baptized next month.  I was playing with a new lens today and here was a trial run on the go. (The first time I used it was on the flowers at the Butterfly Farm in Iquitos.  I quickly learned that a prime lens is not a good travel lens.

We adore this family.

Rachel, Melissa, Loren Sr, Mary and Loren Michael

Iquitos - Day 5

Our last day morning in Iquitos, we took a boat to the vilage of Indiana, then a 15 minute ride to the city of Mazan on the Napo river.  We toured to port and the local market, found a rolling cart pharmacy and then headed back to the lodge to get in one last swim and lunch.  On the way to the airport, we stopped at a small market known for its beautiful bloodwood pieces.  I didn't love anything I found from wood, but walked away with a large oil canvas painting of Belen.  I can't wait to have it framed.

This was such an incredible tip from start to finish!  I hope that we have many more vacation much like this one.

Iquitos - Day 4

A trip to the small jungle of San Luis to see more modern way of living, swimming in the Amazon and a visit to the Yagua village.

In San Luis, we touched baby caimans, picked flowers, and went into an authentic jungle home to see a typical kitchen in the region.

This man told us that he was taking his wood to the kitchen

Apparently, these thatched roofs will last 15 years.

Sophia slipped in the mud and was mad about it.

It was hot and so by 10am, most of the locals were ready for a break. 

The locals caught a couple of baby caimans.  One bite from this little guy would take off your finger.  

Soccer field 

Kennedy and Sophia

Authentic jungle kitchen.  This outdoor kitchen was attached to a 2 story home in front of it.  The first floor consisted of nothing more than a couple of hammocks and the upper floor is where everyone slept.

Masoto a.k.a. Alcoholic Jungle Drink.  This is made from yucca.  The locals chew the fruit for 5 minutes and then spit it into the bucket.  The salvia helps the yucca to ferment which takes about 3 days.  It is customary to offer masoto to wanted guests, however, if the guest refuses they will be enemies forever.

Steve and the kids swam in the Amzaon while I stayed on shore to take photos.  They learned the hard way that when you stand still in the water, the cousin of the pirahna will nip at you.

No Barlow vacation is complete with Steve finding a great place to flex. :)

Peyton and her best friend Alli

In the Yagua village, we learned how to use a blowgun (which was Abe's very favorite part of the trip - surprise, surprise, I know), the kids had their faces painted with seads from a local plant, we all helds a sloth and her baby, and danced with local people.  Steve even had the privelege of dancing with a 70 year old woman wearing only a skirt... and there is video to prove it.

Our guide, Paul was showing us the best technique for hitting the target.

Banana Tree Stump for target practice

Chief Yagua

Sophia loved the little sloth 

Apparently, the sloth likes to pose as well  

Beautiful Yagua Girl

A book in the hammock - a true sign of vacation

Sunday night primary devotional on the importance of families. Thanks Brooke!