Just a little glimpse of Colombia

First Foreign Trip With Kids
...and we survived!

Here we are at the airport in Salt Lake. We had to get the kids up at 4 a.m. to make our 7:00 flight. Don't we all look awesome?!?

This contraption SAVED OUR LIVES. It's a doggie tent. We set it up in the airport during both layovers so Pip could nap. He is not a lap napper; he has to have a bed, and this little tent did the trick. Squeak used it the whole time in Colombia for naptime and nighttime. Bless you, Ann!

We had a wonderful trip to Colombia! I was so thrilled to be outside the U.S. again (I used to take foreign trips at least twice a year, but haven't since we've had kids), and we were all so excited to visit D's parents who are missionaries in Bogota. We affectionately call them "Baba" and "Otro Baba" because of Squeak.

I must admit, I was nervous about the prospect of all-day travel with two high-energy kids whose worst nightmare is sitting still. I got some great travel gear and advice from a friend who regularly travels with kids--so helpful! The kids did well, considering, but toward the end of our flight down to Bogota, Squeak was screaming, "No mas avion!"

D spent most of the time working at a nearby hospital. I spent most of the time hanging out with Baba and the kids. We all had a lot of fun! It was really nice for our kids to discover that Spanish is not just their parents' language--Squeak was so pleased to find out that everyone in Colombia understood her. Nursery on Sunday was especially fun for the munchkins.

Well, this post is already feeling too long. I've decided not to give a travelogue, just brief captions for the photos.

Museo del Oro and getting to know the city: D and I got to go on a date! Here are our fans waving to us when we came back. So cute!



These guys aren't statues--they're real people! They were all over the place.

Lots of gold!
Golden grimaces


Birth in the squatting position--I love how all cultures revered birth and fertility enough to make it part of their art.
Being great with child, I just had to pose next to it


Mass at Catedral Primada--it was so neat to be there!

This photo is terrible, but I had to get a shot of all those roses--they're real!

I thought this message in Plaza Bolivar was quite profound


Squeak and Otro Baba on Monserrate

We did this awesome hike. Segun, this crater lake was where the treasures of the famed city "El Dorado" were hidden.

We even got to go to the Bogota Temple (just a 15-minute walk from the apartment!)

My very own store!

Happily eating Baba's waffles

Independence Day for the second time this year--It happened in Colombia while we were there, and we got to see all the flags and celebration in this little town.

Our little monkeys were in heaven with the cheap and plentiful bananas

Maybe I'll post some more photos later...