3...2...1...

BUNGEE!!

So I did something a little out of the ordinary... I went bungee jumping! Bungee jumping was never on my list of things to do in my lifetime. The thought of it completely terrified me, which is odd because I have always wanted to go skydiving. I think the difference is that with skydiving I would be strapped to a professional and not on my own. Well, when the opportunity arose last week, I knew that I had to step up, face my fear and go for it. And let me tell you, it was well worth it!

Getting strapped in... I hope those ankle harnesses hold! :) You know that nervous pit that settles in the stomach? Yep, I was feeling that!

Eeeekk! This is where the man shouts, "3...2...1... BUNGEE (insert jumping off here)!"

I'm flying! What an incredible feeling!

Coming back up! Phew! I made it... but my hair tie wasn't so lucky! :)

And three minutes later, it is all over. That was incredible! You can't tell in this picture, but I was still shaking! Fear conquered! Woo hoo!

Group shot:

Well, that was honestly something I never thought I would do. It just goes to show that you never know what a day might bring. We drove up the mountain to see a water fall and I ended up jumping off a cliff. What a day!

Busy, Busy, Busy

I'm sorry that I have not posted anything in a long time. I can't seem to get a moment to rest lately, let alone take time to string together coherent and meaningful thoughts for a blog post. I only have 12 days left in Mexico, and I am trying to make the most of each moment. I'm exhausted, but in a good and satisfying way.

Right now we are in the middle of a staff retreat and I am loving it. I am processing through everything that I am learning and I hope to put together a little reflection post within the next couple of days. Reflecting on the retreat, the past two years in Mexico, and this whole season that is coming to a close.

P.S. I may have done something a little crazy the other week... pictures to come! (Sorry to leave you hanging is suspense! Hint, hint!)

Colors of Mexico: Real de Monte

This might just be my favorite town in all of Mexico! Real de Monte is a small mining town nestled in the mountains. The brightly colored buildings, music flowing through the streets, and warm, sunny weather made me feel like I was transported to another world. I loved spending the afternoon here, and I think I would have been content to stay forever and spend the rest of my days skipping through the streets, reading books by the fountain, and eating juicy blackberries from the street vendor! Mmm hmm, doesn't that sound delightful? :)

The town from a distance...

Lots of delicious treats to buy on the streets! I bought 2 pounds of blackberries for less than a dollar and they were wonderful!

Pretty little town square...

Flashback to mining times... here is what our B2B staff would look like! :)

How could I not love a town that had bubbles in the streets?! Like I said, this is my kind of town! :)

Yummy tacos!

Live bands lined the streets and played all afternoon!

Town square again... so cute!

This street was the icing on the cake (and I am a girl who loves icing)! I might have let out a little squeal of joy when I saw it! I find it to be perfectly delightful.

This whole town made me feel like I was living in a musical!

So, what did Real de Monte teach me? That life is better with background music, bubbles and vibrant colors! But to be honest, I've known that for a long time! :)

Saved Ice: Mexico Style

This one is for Mom, Dad, Ben and Kara... and our love of Hawaiian Shaved Ice! At the wedding there was a table with shaved ice, and I immediately thought of you all! :) This shaved ice was a bit different than Hawaiian style, but I might argue that it is even more delicious due to the chunks of fresh fruit!

The ice is shaved by hand...

There were all sorts of different flavors to choose from, including pistachio and arroz con leche.

I chose a strawberry and mango combo and it was sublime!

PS- Even here in Mexico they know about the "secret sauce"! I opted out this time, but I was laughing to myself and wishing my family was there with me!

Colors of Mexico: La Boda de Tere & Jorge

After our morning in Pachuca, we were finally ready for the wedding! It was such a beautiful night! Tere was stunning, the food was incredible, the dancing was phenomenal! All in all, I just can't get over how fun Mexican weddings are!

Smooch!

Tere (the bride) and her family. They are all B2B staff (or were at one point), and I love all these people so much! Such a wonderful family!

A quick snap with the bride and groom!

All the B2B girls that came out for the celebration! I'm so thankful that I could be there!

Jorge surprised Tere with a Mariachi band! It was so sweet!

Tere's cousin is a sala dancing teacher, and I had a blast salsa dancing the night away! I know that I have done years of ballet and tap... but I think I am really a salsa dancer at heart! :)

Here's to a fantastic evening!

Before I go, I just have to share this sweet story: After the Mariachi came out, Antonio (the father of the bride) sang a mariachi song to Maru (mother of the bride). This was the same song that he sang to her on her 15th birthday when he won her heart. She had been dating someone else, but Antonio knew that he had to try to win her over, so he surprised her with a mariachi group on her 15th birthday and sang this love song to her. Right then and there the boyfriend said, "I can't compete with that, you need to be with him." So the boyfriend left, and Antonio and Maru have been together ever since! Now, all these years later, he still gets tears in his eyes when he sings to his bride. I just think that is so sweet!

Colors of Mexico: Pachuca

On Saturday we spent the morning eating breakfast in the centro of Pachuca. This town is famous for its big clock and its pastes (pas-tay). Who knew that pastes were famous in Michigan's UP and a small city in central Mexico? For some reason I find this to be rather comical. And now I have these lyrics drifting through my mind: "It's a small world after all... there is only one moon and one golden sun and a PASTE brings friendship to everyone... there's so much that we share that it's time we're aware... it's a small world after all."

Cute little town square...

Ymmmm, fresh out of the oven!

I ordered an arroz con leche and a pina! Delicious!

Sorry that this is a short one today, but my time in Pachuca was very short. We only spent about two hours there before heading back to the hotel to get ready for the wedding. Tomorrow... wedding photos! :)

Colors of Mexico: The DF

My little excursion last weekend might just be one of my favorite memories I have of living in Mexico! In three days we explored three towns and celebrated the marriage of a dear friend! Since I took so many picture, I am going to split the trip into four different posts over the course of the week. This is my Colors of Mexico series! Today we are starting with The DF (Districto Federal- aka, Mexico City)!

My first year here I spent a week in Mexico City with the SMCA kids, but it was so much fun to be able to go back and explore without a schedule or an agenda. The streets were filled with artisans and vendors and there was so much to take in! It was a blast!

This building below is like the Mexican version of the White House.

Look at all the fun things to buy! I made it out with only purchasing a scarf and a glass a freshly squeezed orange juice.

El Templo Meyor... this is the excavation site in the heart of downtown. Archeologists have discovered the tips of the massive pyramids of the Tenochititlan, the ancient city that modern day Mexico City was built on.

This church is located next to the site of El Templo Meyor. If you look closely at this picture you might notice that it looks crooked. Well, interesting enough, the picture is straight, but the church is sinking. Mexico City was built on top of Tenochitilan, which was build on a lake, and slowly over time, parts of the city have begun to sink!

Here I am in front of a little Diego Rivera painting... he covered the walls of the Federal Palace with murals that depict the history of Mexico.

We were only in the city for about 5 hours, before we had to catch our bus to Pachuca. Check back tomorrow for a tour of Pachuca!