Guatemala Again!

Jul24

I pack my stuff for Guatemala: work pants, work shirts, work shoes. I say ”Good bye” to Dad at airport. I fly in the airplane. I sleep on airplane. I woke up in Guatemala. I show passport.  And then I wait.  I go to the coffee shop from last year. Mom buys some coffee.  I wait for the bathroom.  I remember no toilet paper in the toilet.  I see old friends at the coffee shop.  I give pictures from last year.  I listen to Oula music at the coffee shop. I make new friends at the coffee shop.  I make and share pot holders again. I wait for Aunt Laura, Uncle Jonathan Schyler, Olivia and Bremen.  It is fun and I am tired.  I take a nap.

 

 

I ride the bus.  We drive through Guatemala City. I take a nap. I look out the window.  I see Guatemala again!  It is fun.  Bus gets to San Raymundo.  The bus takes us to Bomenera. I remember Bomenera from two years ago.  It is the same.  It is different. It is bigger and improved. I see Old friends. I see swimming pool. I see my friends, the cooks again!  I find my room. I unpack my stuff and get ready for Monday, cement day.  Aunt Laura has a meeting.  She tells all the rules for Guatemala:  NO toilet paper in the toilets. Hah! I know this rule!  Cooks make us delicious dinner. It is fun to be in Guatemala again. Uncle Jonathan has a meeting:  I am excited about cement day; I am scared that I will get sick.  I go to the bed.  I am tired—not much sleep on airplane.

 

 

Monday morning I get up early–6:00.  Breakfast is at 6:30 and on the bus by 7:00.  Well, a little bit late. They had to wait for me but I tried to be quick! We ride on bus. We go to a new family. We unload Brandon’s truck. I help carry tools. I am excited. I am looking for Heather and Brandon. We have circle-up with Heather and meet our family. We have a plan for the day: prepare foundation and then pour cement.  Uncle Jonathan wants to pour before lunch!  Wow! We have to work fast! I help with organize supplies and get ready for cement.

 

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Matthan’s Last Day

May13

We had four days with Matthan in The Netherlands. The last day was a lazy relaxing time in the cottage: Mom wanted to take a family photo because we were all together. It was closed or silly faces or things sticking out of Matthan’s head. Finally Mom was happy with photo and then we could eat lunch.

 

After lunch we went to the Windmill Museum but it was closed. I was disappointed. It was okay. We had fun. We took silly photos. Morielle posted on Facebook and tagged me. So that my friends could see that I was in The Netherlands.

 

We went to Oma’s house for delicious dinner and ‘good bye’ for Matthan. At the cottage. Dad and Matthan and Morielle go to the airport. I and Mom go to bed.

 

In the morning Matthan was not there! I was so sad. Mom said, ”Let’s give thanks for four days.”

Breakfast without Matthan.

Breakfast without Matthan.

Day at the Bazaar

Apr3

January 3 we took a quiet rest day at our cottage in the morning. I work on feelings notebook. I find laundry to take to Oma’s house.

 

Before lunch we go to the Bazaar. It is lots of fun. I listen to Oula music. I take lots of photos. Morielle is silly. And then matthan is silly.

And then Mathalia is silly. Morielle found shoes to try on. Then she found a funny wig. Matthan tried the wig too. I found crazy glasses and I took a selfie.

 

 

We find a place to eat lunch. Matthan talks his new language. It is funny. He talked funny. I did not understand. But lunch was delicious.

He must have said it correctly.

It was rainy windy winter day in The Netherlands. My mom wanted a photo with a fake cow and a real canal in The Netherlands. Silly Mom.

 

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Mathalia’s Dutch Photo

 

 

We go to the shopping. I stay in the car with Morielle. Morielle is tired. I am silly. Matthan buys food for supper.

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Mathalia is silly

 

We surprised Oma: we came for supper and Matthan is cooking!  It was funny. Oma thought it was a good idea. She made healthy french fries. Matthan made chicken. It was fun! It was a very nice day at the Bazaar for lunch and at Oma’s house for dinner.

 

Visiting The Hiding Place

Mar19

Day after New Year’s Day was very full and exciting! First we drive to Haarlem. We want to find Corrie Ten Boom’s house. We get lost. It’s is okay. Mom tries to practice her Dutch. Hah! very funny. We park and walk to the house. We are early. We eat lunch outside and take lots of photos. It is fun.

Then we start the tour. I know it all because I watch the movie at home in Montana.  I see Papa’s photo. I see I clim up the stairs. I go into The Hiding Place just like in the movie. I come out in the wall. It is very small cupboard. It was very sad and it was very happy. The six watches or Jewish friends are okay.

 

Then we go to the Art Museum. It is very funny. Well, it is many feelings, angry, sad, lonely, disappointed, happy. I have a worksheet: find the feeling and I do: I match the painting with the worksheet and then I write the feeling. I am very good at this because I write in my feelings notebook.

 

Morielle and I play ‘ feelings’ game in the Museum. Dad is still looking at paintings and Morielle is bored. So I take her photo and I say the feeling. Then she takes my photo and I have to show the feeling. ” Mathalia –don’t laugh — show sad!”

 

 

Then I go to the bowling with my most of Dutch family. It is very funny! I listen to Oula Exercise Music. I played bowling ball. I am very good. I am better than Mom because in Missoula I have bowling every Tuesday!

 

 

I go to Oma’s house. Ids made a very fancy cake. It is so pretty and so delicious. A very fun day #2 with matthan.

 

 

New Year’s Day Dive

Mar7

New Year’s Day 2015. Matthan was there! I was so excited. I took pictures of Matthan sleeping and eating. We were having so much fun that we were late for the big New Year’s Day Dive into the North Sea!

 

Morielle, Matthan and Dad wanted to do it. Mom said ‘no way!’ And stuck with Mom and my camera. Lots of cars and lots people driving to the beach. And then 2:00 p.m. everyone running into the North Sea.

 

Oh! It looked so cold. Well, it was cold. I was cold and I had all my clothes on and my hat and coat on.  I took lots of photos of shivering people.  And the lucky people in the hot tub.

Then it was all done. Dad, Morielle and Matthan wanted to go home to take a shower.  But we could not find the car. Dad lost the car. He was so excited to get into the ocean that he forgot where he parked. Silly Dad. We were looking and looking for the car and getting colder and colder.

 

Finally when the parking lot was almost empty, we found our car! Well, it is Oma’s car but we were using it.  Back at our cottage everyone took a warm shower. Than we sang Christmas songs together. We went to Tante Ellie’s house for talking, cooking and more photos.

 

We went to Tante Pien’s house for special Dutch New Year’s Dinner: mashed potatoes, meatballs, salad, dressing, dessert. Geluckig Nieuw Jahr is how you say it in Dutch. Which means Lucky New Year. We had lots of fun together. I set up snapchat with my cousins and my Mom tried to take a photo of all the grandchildren and then everyone . . . but we were missing Jilt because he was working.  Too bad.  Uncle Marc said he could `photoshop’ him in.  That’s good because I do not know how to photoshop people in. And I am sure that my Mom does not know how to do it either.  Anyway, lots of fun and photos with our lovely family in the Netherlands.

 

Matthan Comes!

Feb19

December 31st, New year’s Eve in The Netherlands. I eat breakfast in our little house. I walk to Oma’s house. I stop by the bakery for bread for 2 days because the bakery will be closed.

 

 

On New Year’s Eve we say ”Happy New Year” and in The Netherlands they say ”Fijne Jaar Wisseling.”  Which is ”Happy Year Exchange.” It was very funny! I go to cousin Lotte’s  house for making Olie bollen and appel flappen. I take pictures of cutting apples and the  dough. I take picture of mixing. We are cooking together and eating together. It is outside because the frying is dirty and stinky. But the apple flap pen and Olie bollen  are very yummy. It is tradition in The Netherlands for Year Exchange Night.

 

We went back to our cottage. Mom, Morielle and I watch Downton Abby. It is cold in the cottage. We snuggle up with a blanket and Morielle kept her coat on. Then Mom and I went to bed. Dad and Morielle went to the airport to get Matthan!

 

In the morning on New Year’s Day, there was Matthan sleeping on the floor. I took a photo! I was so excited. We at breakfast together and lots of talking. Then we got ready for the New Year’s Day Dive into The North Sea!

 

Morielle Comes!

Feb12

I go to the airport in Amsterdam again. I wait for Morielle. I look for her red coat. I hear lots of speaking Turkish. Her airplane is coming from Istanbul. But really she was coming from China! I have not seen her for a year. Last year I visited her in the Taklamaken Desert.

 

Anyway Mom and I were watching and then . . . she poked us! She was there–we hadn’t seen her red coat!  She wanted lots of hugs.  Just like Matthan, she said, `squeeze Mathalia!’ Lots of selfie’s too.

 

We took her to the little cottage. She loved it.  We hung out.  She brought Chinese Downton Abbey which was fun for me and Mom.  And she brought Yoga on her computer. And she brought lots of love and joy, of course!

 

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So happy with Oma!

We hung out at Oma’s house.  We did puzzles and internet.

 

We went to another North Sea Beach  It was very windy and cold. I take picture of the ocean.  I take picture of the sand. I walked on the beach. I saw lots of sand.  Some sand was dangerous.  Mom said it was `quicksand.’ I walked on the safe sand with Mom, Dad, and Morielle. Morielle danced with me because it was so cold. It was fun.

 

We hung out at Tante Pien’s house and ate yummy dinner. I took of photos of food, fun, and fancy things. I take picture of cat and cows.  I like Christmas decorations at Tante Pien’s house. I ate meatballs, mashed potatoes, salad, tomatoes, dressing at Tante Pien’s house.  I take picture of good food.