Visiting Grandma

Last month, Elise, Camille and I flew to San Diego to visit Grandma.  We hadn't seen her in a few years, and were anxious to meet up again.  On the first night we went out and got rolled tacos to bring back to her place.  Grandma and I loved them, while Camille and Elise nibbled at their quesadillas.  We played a round of "Mormon Bridge" and Grandma won, of course!  Here's a picture of Elise and Camille making a new wreath for Grandma's door.  It was fun but challenging as I'm not too crafty.

After lunch on Friday, the girls gave Grandma a private performance of their recital pieces in the upstairs "concert hall" of La Vida.  A few curious souls stopped by to listen.

Saturday

On Saturday, the girls I and I headed to Sea World for the day.  The cloudy forecast and 60 degree temp was not going to deter them from getting soaked.  I just made them promise we wouldn't do it until the end.  We sat in the soak section for the 3:00 Shamu show, and then continued to get wet until we couldn't stand it anymore around 6pm.



Before the Shamu show

After the Shamu show




Of course Elise and Camille had to pose in front of the Shamu VW.  What a fun, cold, wet and exhilirating day with my girls!

Sunday

On Sunday morning we all met for brunch.  I loved catching up with Tyson, Lianne and Lisa.  Grandma especially loved seeing Sienna and Tyson.  Thank you guys!  Getting together with everyone really made the trip memorable.

Here's Elise posing with Sienna.  She was so adorbale, and especially when she's dancing.

Here's Grandma going in for a kiss, but Sienna's a little shy!

Grandma and the girls in front of La Vida.  I know Californians take the flowers for granted, but it's so beautiful!

After brunch with Grandma, we tucked her in for a nap and headed to Seaport Village.  The girls had fun trying on hats, eating ice cream and riding the carousel.

We ended the day back at our hotel with Tyson entertaining Camille and Elise in the pool only after dinner and this gigantic Sundae:

We miss you Tyson, Lianne, Sienna, Lisa and Grandma!  Hope to see you soon!

Costa Rica

Our trip to Costa Rica started with a mini trip to NYC - can't visit our old home enough times.

Camille wanted to see the Statue of Liberty this time, so we took the ferry out and had a great time with the full sun.  We stayed at a great apartment-like rental in mid-town, always the way to stay with a family our size.  The next day we flew out of La Guardia to Liberia, Costa Rica, on the Pacific cost.

Costa Rica I : Volcano Arenal and Lake Arenal

 

We had these beautiful views from our little casita (kitchen with ants).  Camille woke up at 5am each morning to enjoy the magic of the rain forest and beautiful grounds.

On our way to zip-line on the Volcano Arenal we found a group of very friendly coatamundis begging for food.

Beacause of Celeste's size, she and I got a pass on the zip-line.  Watching everyone gear up, I knew I wouldn't be able to do it.  I can't trust cables and pullies with my life!

Family photo in front of Volcano Arenal - it hasn't been active for 18 months, so they said it could happen any moment.  No luck for us.  This volcano is often pictured with lava running down it's sides...

On our way to our beach casita in Tamarindo, we stopped at this water fall (name forgotten).  You could climb behind it like Jeff and Gwyneth here.  Elise and I finally got the courage to do the same - I'm also afraid of slippery rocks!  Camille isn't afraid of anything.

Costa Rica II: Playa Tamrindo and Day Trips

As soon as we checked in, we borrowed a surf board and boogie board from the place, and hit Tamarindo beach.  Jeff was able to get on his knees, and the rest of us took turns on the boogie boards. 

The next day we took a trip to Volcano Rincon which isn't active, or covered in rainforest, but it does have smelly hot pots.  At 95 degrees with no shade the hike melted us.

We were happy to find a cold mountain stream to cool off a bit.
The next day we went to the caves at Barra Honda.  Here is Jeff shimmying out of the little cave that they were able to put Celeste down.  For the bigger cave that required cables and pullies, Jeff stayed out with Celeste.  I was so scared that it took 20 minutes for my heart to stop racing after climbing down the 60ft. ladder into the black abyss.  Our guide didn't speak a word of English, so it was good Elise's semester of 6th grade Spanish could be used!

Here's Cleste trying on one of the helmets before we all go down. And a view from a look-out in the park.  We were there in the dry (and hot!) season.  You can see the ocean in the far background.

Every day we explored a new beach - this one was Avellana, with great waves, trees for shade, and a resturaunt on the beach.

Here's a picture of the many rope bridges in the rainforest.  We found this one while exploring a bird sanctuarty.  Below is a picture of the howler monkeys above the roof of our lodging.  They sound like jaguars or angrey bears - very scary in the pre-dawn hours.

Everyone at the pool in front of our casita.  It was a great vacation with the perfect amount of sun, great lodging, nothing to complain about, and a country without guns!  Costa Rica is easy Central America for kids.

Hair Up or Hair Down

These videos are for my sisters to help me decide if I should wear my hair up or down for tomorrow's performance. Yes, I'm that vain.