Where are you guys? I thought we would have heard from you by now?

It's 4:06 am...

ARE YOU GUYS UP YET???? HERE WE COME!!!!!!!!!!!!!

$15,073.88  Great job everyone!!!!  Many peoples lives will be touched as a result of your hard work and dedication to FHTH.

It is a pleasure to share this journey with all of you!!

Thank you so much,

Judy

A name- a name

Since Mrs. Baker found us a group song- song, I figured oh, what the heck- the heck! I'll come up with the group name- group name! After all- after all, we're leaving tommorrow- tommorow! So, I decided to get with it- with it !Our name could be the Strong Heart, Strong Hammer Group- Group. No one else thought of one- thought of one , so I decided to put matters into my own hands- my own hands. So, it's Strong Heart, Strong Hammer Group or bust- or bust! But if anyone has any objections- objections, I'd be more than glad to hear them- to hear them. Lucas F.- Lucas F.

A prayer...

O God, our heavenly Father, whose glory fills the whole creation, and whose presence we find wherever we go: Thank You for bringing us together. Preserve those who travel, and in particular our "From Houses to Homes" group traveling to Guatemala tomorrow. Surround us with your loving care; protect us from every danger; and bring us safely to our journey’s end; fill us with your Spirit and allow us to bring You to those we encounter on this journey; open our hearts as well so we may receive the gifts You offer us through those whose path we will cross on this journey. Thank you for the laughter, the joy, the friendship, the fellowship. Lifting this prayer in Your name, Amen.

Kermit - Rainbow Connection

Kermit the Frog Sings Rainbow Connection. One of his very popular songs. I seen alot of people wanted to see the original video and song, so i uploaded it. Enjoy

Hi Everybody,

This is the song that I would like for the FHTH theme song.  

Judy

Volcán de Agua before the STORM arrives

Our Mission on Parsippany Focus

http://www.parsippanyfocus.com/guatemala.php

Less then 24 hours to go...have you guys started packing yet?????

Guatemala Judy Zipping Away...

I told you!!!

This type of breakfast may not be helpful in Guatemala!

Judy, I beg you to reconsider your breakfast selections...

From Gina

OK Folans.......... took me a little bit but I got it LOLO LOLOLOLOLO LOLOL I am cracking up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Word from the Guatemala Natl Enquirer...

New Jersey Cougar runs to Guatemala after H.S. musical teen idol!

So the Pennsylvania Sibona's are very excited. We have not yet begun to pack and my kitchen looks like a goodwill collection depot. We have flip flops, over 120 baseball caps, rosary beads, coloring books and crayons, various trinkets,bubbles,whiffle balls and bats. Mario and I are both working Monday so our plan is to get everything done this weekend. We are excited to meet our family and to get started working. As for the food we will be following in the Folan's footsteps-sorry Judy-we really don't eat junk (well Mario will)!

From the Napolitano;s

We are very excited about this trip.. Now that I got my big guy ready for football camp that starts on 8/16.. I am able to get my head in Guatamala mode.

Love the oreos and diet coke idea for breakfast.. Remember Folan family, the worksite has primitive toilet facilities, you may not want to load up on that fiber one..

Jessica, please tell me your kidding about the yoga on the roof at 6.

Anyway... can't wait for this trip. See you all Bright and early Tuesday morning.. Tuesday morning!!!!!!!

Hey, Baker!

What kind of breakfast options are those on the poll you posted???? The Folans don't even go near that type of "comsummable." For Tuesday morning, we look forward to a scrumptious spread of Fiber 1 cereal with skim milk, an 8oz glass of salt-free tomato juice, and 5 grapes each. This of course, upon our completion of our morning workout routine: "Tony Little, thigh & butt reduction."

Have you started packing?????

We have started packing. Our luggage is piled up out by our garage.  Does anybody have any room for some more of our stuff.  We just have a few more things to pack.

Hey everybody, 

I think we need a name for this group...any ideas?????

Some horses wear pants in Santa Maria de Jesus

The road to your building site is not very pretty

I scream, you scream, we all scream for ice cream...

Volunteering for FHTH's is amazing on many levels...here is one that is just so sweet....

Volunteering for FHTH...................Amazingly fulfilling

Building a home for an economically poor family.......................Priceless!!!!!

Buying ice cream for 140 children...................$12

Spending $12 on ice cream for 140 kids.........................Unbelievable!!!!

The volunteers that are building in Santa Maria right now bought all this ice cream for a mere $12.  Imagine the joy for the children...Imagine what it is like to see those little ones so happy as they eat their ice cream....I cannot wait to get there!!!

Guatemala fun

The Sibona family is very exited even though we havent been packing much. We are VERY exited. I think that climbing the volcano will be most fun!!! I still wonder how the people in Guatemala live.Those crayons were a good idea, I hope they like coloring with me. I'll have so much fun. See you there on Tuesday.
Molly Sibona

The FULL Story- In Guatemala, Aug. 11- 20: rated G

As our day of departing comes nearer, we start digging up our supplies to leave (almost literaly!). With our backpacks bulging, we still have some last minute stuff to pack up- but let's not go there. We are looking forward to metting the Chavez' (our family), gettin' dirty, and our weekend walks on the volcano. The best part is gettin' up at 6am. After all, the early bird gets the worm (though this worm might be a bit keen on building houses)! Plus, I really want to see the fountain in person- I've heard it's bigger than it seems. Also, Mrs. Baker's little journals tell us what it's like down there. Seeing it's Mrs. Baker, though, she might be leaving out some of the good stuff. I can't wait for the FULL story (with an emphasis on f, u, and double- l). See you all Tuesday, 7am, on the plane! Lucas F.

CAN'T WAIT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Our trip is getting nearer! In our house, we have as much packed as we possibly can, which unfortunately resulted in a major clean-up of my room after my mom saw the mess (actually, a mess is kind of an understatement, or so my mom thinks). Anyway, we can't wait to get up at 4:oo a.m. to go to the airport! Oh yeah, I calculated that if I wanted the full 10 hours of sleep recommended, I will have to go to sleep at 6:00 p.m. on Monday. Mrs. Baker, if you're reading this, that will mean I will have to brush my teeth and not eat anything afterwards at approximately at 1:30 p.m. on Monday. Ha! I can't wait to go!

Mitchell Folan >_<

Morning Rooftop Sun Salutation

Interested in protecting your body while you're performing this labor of love? Join Jessica for early morning yoga on the rooftop of the Hotel El Carmen... flow through a few Sun Saluation exercises, feel the warm sun on your face, and prepare and center yourself for the day ahead! Details to follow!

P.S. Would anyone like to buy a pack of my greeting cards to help raise funds for From Houses to Homes? 12 cards with envelopes for $10. Teresa Folan :o)

Looking forward to new stuff

I am looking forward to the trip but what I am not looking forward to is getting up early before 5am on Tuesday but I am glad that I already packed. I am really excited to go back on a plane. I wonder who I'm gonna sit next to on the plane. In Guatemala we are going to meet new friends and eat special dishes and I really want to see that fountain in person and beautiful scenery of the volcano - kaboosh! When I saw the picture of the family in Guatemala I thought the little kids were cute. The family is a couple with two adorable kids. I bet that when I come to the hotel after all that working I'm going to be filthy. I look forward to gettin fresh bread in the morning and maybe feeding them to the birds; maybe only a little since I'm so hungry. I bet the galletas Mrs. Baker talks about are not like other ones. Well, I'm looking forwad to go on the trip. Adios! Teresa Folan :o)

Oh, the things to look forward too... :o)

Packing is driving me nuts - Folans can't wait 'til Tuesday!

I have been thinking all along that it is not going to be a big deal to pack... yeah, right! We started our "official" packing today and our house is a total disaster; we've got backpacks and suitcases all over the place, not to mention clothes, shoes, etc., etc. We are out of control!!!! The kids can't wait for Tuesday; actually what they await with most anticipation is waiting to get picked up and driven to the worksite; Ken can't wait to be by his beloved fountain (he, he). Can't wait to leave all this "busyness" behind and embark in this wonderful mission/adventure. We are so blessed!!! Cristina

Excitement is building.........

Judy Baker is so excited...I am at the point that it is starting to feel like it is Christmas Eve and I am waiting for you know who to arrive, hoping I get the new easy Bake Oven that was just invented. (remember it was 1963) and I cannot sleep and the night feels like it is 24 hours instead of just 8, anyway you all know the deal.  I hope you are all as excited as me.  This group has raised an amazing amount of money and it is so appreciated by everyone at FHTH.   

I cannot wait to fly over this beautiful country and see the patchwork quilt lush green countryside and amazing mountain scapes.  One of my favorite things is when I get to the airport and see the Native Families who are there to pick up their loved ones, they all gather outside the airport in the waiting area, there are often Mayan Women with their brightly colored native garb on that just makes my heart pump faster because that is when I know I have arrived in Shangri La..

So listen group lets get bloggin....tell me what you are thinking and feeling as we approach the big day.....come on join in!

Free Translation Website

In case you want to brush up on some Spanish!
http://www.freetranslation.com/

A Beach To Visit

I received some information from a tour company that this resort on the Pacific Coast is a great place to hang out for a day. It's right on the Pacific Ocean, has a pool and restaurants, and looks like lots of activities including volcano hiking, horseback riding, etc. Go over to the right and see "Links We Care About", I put the links there to the resort and to some pictures of the area.

So exciting.. I love watching the countdown. We're bringing SO MUCH STUFF with us... shoes, shirts, toothbrushes, dry-erase markets, crayons packs! Can't wait to start giving!

Joe, how did the little girl make out in the hospital?

See everyone soon,
Jessica

Our 250th home

Not only are we very happy to have all of you joining us in a few days, but we are thrilled that one of the homes that you will build will be the 250th home that we have built since we began operations January 1, 2005. We will have to have a special celebration for this very special occasion. Thank you and thanks to all who have helped make this possible.

Joe

Welcome!

This blog has been created for the purpose of sharing information and pictures about our upcoming trip to Guatemala with From Houses to Homes (http://www.fromhousestohomes.org/). There are 22 of us traveling all together on August 11, 2009. The Phil and Jessica Sibona Family, The Mario and Michelle Sibona Family, The Baker Family, The Folan Family, Carolyn Barrett and The Napolitano Family. We were brought together, may of us meeting for the first time, at a wonderful picnic hosted by the Baker's this past Saturday, July 18th. Any pictures from the picnic? We had the idea for this blog so we can share the wealth of this wonderful experience with our friends and family.
Thank you, and Enjoy.
Jessica Sibona