Beach Trip!

We loaded up the car and headed to Canoa, a beach in Ecuador with two other fun families.  The waves were amazing and with friends from California, our family learned to surf or maybe some of us attempted the new sport.  I hopped right up the first time but then could never do it again.  On the other hand, Luke and Jordan were dancing on their surfboards.  Jordan loved to do the Macarena!

Boogie boarding is the best!

Maddy, Molly, Mia, Lucy, Mikala

Cade, Nick, Jordan, Luke

Molly and Lucy are two peas in a pod and they had a blast together!

Playing frisbee at sunset

Here is the whole crew with President Rafael Correa who our neighbors at the beach bought to burn to bring in the New Year.  There is a New Year's Eve tradition here in Ecuador where you burn the old man symbolizing ending the previous year and starting fresh with the new year.  The picture below is poor Correa being burned at the beach.

It was such a fun week to be with friends! We are very thankful for the Jensens and Ackermanns who live in Quito with us. 

Low point:  Maddy and Luke stung by jelly fish

High points:  lots of laughter, celebrating Carla and Jordan's birthdays (next post), celebrating New Year's with fireworks and glow sticks, playing games, learning to surf, boogie boarding, building and destroying a gigantic sand castle, burying one another in the sand, finding starfish and sand dollars along the beach, and enjoying God's beautiful creation with great friends.