el salvador, san salvador

that is where cameron served a mission for our church for two years. we always talked about how we wanted to go visit but a few weeks ago we actually did it! we couldn't think of anything that we really wanted/needed for christmas so we asked our parents if they would help us pay for our trip as our gift. thank you parents!! for not only helping us out with the trip but also for taking care of landon while we were away. i know that boy can be a monster (he's into everything!!) so that was no small feat...thank you! we really can't thank you guys enough!

well, the trip was incredible. i really don't know what else to say. cameron was the perfect tour guide. he speaks spanish, he's lived there, he's comfortable driving in the traffic. it was awesome! we saw everyone/did everything cameron had wanted to introduce me to/show me. just all around an amazing trip.

enjoy some pictures...



cam's favorite cook in the mission, herberth.



herberth's wife, lucy. i love her.




herberth said cameron was like a son to him. he was so devastated when cameron finished his mission, he tries not to get too attached to missionaries anymore. seriously, a great guy.




our bed & breakfast in san salvador



they sell bags of water. you bite off an edge with your teeth and suck on the bag. sounds kind of weird but they were awesome! perfect amount of water and super inexpensive :)



when cameron was on his mission they broke ground for the temple and now it is completed and we were able to do a session and sealings. it was a wonderful experience. the temple is gorgeous, inside and out.




ta-da! isn't it beautiful?! we fell in love. and what a great blessing for the members in el salvador. it's a cool feeling inside too because temple workers aren't as clockwork as usual because they're new at running a temple yet i've never felt more gratitude in a temple than in el salvador.




mmmm....curtido. so yummy! this is the kind of...well, pickled slaw(??) that they put on pupusas. herberth makes this fresh and it's incredible! i'm salivating just thinking about it.



this was my one struggle in el salvador. soda. they drink it ALL THE TIME (it's way cheaper than water there) and i'm just not a soda girl. never have been. so every time someone would pour me a glass i really struggled to finish it.

 
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and the most delicious pupusas in the world! seriously, lucy knows what she's doing.

 


this is a tienda. it's some one's home that they converted the front into a little store. they sell anything from bags of water to ice cream cone to otc meds. most neighborhoods have one just around the corner so it's super convenient!



this is where we were served breakfast every morning at our b&b. it is part of the house but doesn't have a roof...almost like an indoor patio? anyways, it was so cute!




herberth makes the most incredible rice i've ever had! seriously, i'm drooling right now.

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this is a family in cam's old ward that he loved. and funny story...their son is on his mission in honduras and was companions with my brother mitchell a few months ago!  



this is how everyone looked at cameron when we visited. they just adored him. it was awesome :)

we stayed at a hotel on the beach one night and it was amazing! this is the pool that overlooks the ocean. seriously, my photos don't do justice. it was really awesome!



oh nothing really...just a horse walking on the beach. steph would have died of happiness.




i love this man.



hammocks everywhere at our beach hotel. it was bliss.



whooped cam at some rummy. and we played THE longest game of war ever. who even plays war?



this is the very first family that cameron baptized. they are still strong in the church. they were sealed in the temple, their son went on a mission and is now married in the temple and expecting their first baby. cameron was so happy to see them :)



owners of the b&b. seriously, everyone here is so sweet.



their dog fifi would do this when they told her to go to sleep. it was pretty adorable.



cameron taught the girl on his left how to walk. he was freaking out by how old she was seeing as he celebrated her first birthday with her.



lucy taught us how to make the perfect pupusas. hers were still better.

i'm sad they get so serious in pictures...they're super funny! these are seriously THE nicest people i have ever met. they would give you the shirt off their back if that's what you needed. no questions asked. love them.



returning our rental car, i was super excited to get home to landon. we missed him so much! wow. parenthood really changes you. i've never been excited for a vacation to end until this trip (and the trip was incredible!).



my chichiuitas(sp?). landon got some that match :)

you're kidding.



we would have stayed longer, but this little boy needed to watch yo gabba gabba with his daddy.

*lauren