Costa Rica

THIS is where we decided to go. And it was amazing!

Before I get begin I must admit I nearly sabotaged our trip by forgetting my passport at home. We made it as far as SLC before we even noticed. There was no way we could leave the country without it. So with the help of Kim and Caleb breaking into our house, retrieving the passport, and shipping it to us, we were saved. Two days late and two hundred dollars later, we were on our merry way to Costa Rica. Honestly, I remembered everything down to the very last detail...except for that teensy weensy blue booklet!



Now for the trip! We traveled with our Oregon friends, Heather and Brad, who created a lovely itinerary for us. You'll find that I don't include them in many of the pictures I'm posting, and that's solely because they are tan and we are not. They make us look bad. And as for the dog Heather is holding...I'll get to him later.



The first part included a stay in the jungle near an active volcano. Literally this is what we saw when we gazed out our cabin window in the morning. We loved watching the lava ooze down the slopes and the steam drift from the summit. Once in awhile the volcano would spew hot steam. Scary? Yes! It felt like we were in Jurassic Park with roaring dinosaurs in our midst.



And the waterfalls, oh, the waterfalls. This was the first of many on the trip. I can't say I did more than dip my feet in. But they were beautiful nonetheless.



This waterfall was the grandest, and the guys couldn't resist climbing around it (even though the posted signs clearly stated "No Pase").



All geared up for a zip line adventure through the jungle. A-MAZ-ING! This was the best day ever.



Can you spot me on the course? We were high, seriously high. And the zip lines were long, the longest stretching a half mile. I was freaking out at the beginning, having flashbacks of my tramatic sixth grade ropes course that triggered an unusual case of shingles. But by the third platform I was sold. One of the best things I've ever done!



Relaxing at a hot springs resort wasn't all that bad either. This place was a garden of Eden. Breathtaking. The water was naturally heated by the magma from the volcano. Does it get any cooler (I mean hotter) than that?



And then there was the beach. Our final destination. The water was warm, but the beaches weren't as pristine as imagined with it being rainy season and all.



Pura Vida, baby! This was at our resort by the beach. It doesn't get much better than chicken nachos and tropical drinks while lounging at the pool bar. Swim a little, eat a little, swim a little...



This is Freddy Acuna. We discovered him on the roadside near the town of La Fortuna selling his wood carvings. He was so nice and kept telling us (in broken English) to check him out on YouTube. "My history," he said, "My history." You're curious aren't you? Check him out here.



We bought this super cool wood carving from Freddy Acuna to bring home to Owen. It is a coati; an animal we saw a lot in Costa Rica and part of the raccoon family.



We also picked up some Costa Rican hot chocolate. Britt is actually well-known for their coffees, but since we don't drink the stuff we were delighted to settle on chocolate instead.



Even though we brought home some pretty sweet stuff from the trip, I think Brad and Heather's souvenir trumps ours. Meet Tico. Heather found him at the beginning of their stay and instantly fell in love. Nevermind that he was dirty, malnourished, full of ticks, and missing teeth. He was a homeless dog like dozens of others we saw throughout the country, and he needed help. She saw to it that he was fed, cleaned up, and tick-free in no time. Now I'm no dog lover, but he is seriously cute and very well-behaved. You'll be happy to know that he now resides in a loving home in Oregon. That's one less homeless dog in Costa Rica.

Just for the Record

Number of days Mark has been OUT of town so far this year: 70
Number of days I have been OUT of town (without Owen) this year: 5
Number of days we have been IN town hosting visitors: 30
Number of days Mark and I have had "quality time together" this year: virtually nil

Are you getting the picture?

Mark and I have spent roughly one quarter of the year apart, have hosted visitors another 10% of the time (no offense to our visitors-we love you!), and have never left little O alone. So we decided it was high time to get away.

Where did we go?

Check back and see.

Night Walk

It was the perfect evening for a night walk. So Owen and I put on our jackets and made our way outside.


First we had to gather the necessary supplies for the excursion.
Flashlight...check. Cup of milk...check. Mini pancake...check.


On the lookout for lizards. None tonight.


A trail of ants? You bet.


Mail from the postman? Not at this hour.


A fortuitous airplane sighting. Does it get any better?


Anything lurking in the pool? Not unless you count that drowned bee.


Was our night walk a success? Oh yes.

Enrichment Night

So I know I have been slacking on posts lately, but there is a very good reason. I have been up to my eyebrows in crafting and decorating for the past few weeks. Serving as the Enrichment Leader at church, I was in charge of putting together the annual craft night. Now that it is said and done, I think the evening turned out pretty well. Aside from the organizing of classes and gathering of supplies, I prepared a demo on "setting a holiday table" (as if I'm an expert on the subject...please!). Anyway I showed how to create six different holiday tables using one set of dishes. I really wish I had pictures of the finished products, place settings and all. But I only managed to take a few pics during the planning process. Mark is SO glad the planning process is over, by the way. Now we can use our dining room table again and he doesn't have to watch Owen every night while I make a trip to the store to buy "just one more thing, honey!"


These paper lanterns were used as the centerpieces on the dinner tables. They rested on a pretty piece of autumn paper layered with burlap.


For this Thanksgiving centerpiece I used metallic paints to give the gourds a lustrous look.


I love the pop of colors in this centerpiece. Fall fruits and vegetables sound so yummy right now.


This is for a kids' table. I just love the tiny pilgrim hats on candy sticks (thanks, Kim, for helping to glue all those little pieces together!)


Peppermints! It would be fun to incorporate other classic Christmas treats with this.


I used my cupcake stand as a holiday tree by placing shiny ornaments on it. Super easy!

Guess you know what I'll be using on my Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner tables.

Brett

My brother graced us with his presence a couple weekends ago. So I will grace you with some pictures of his presence.

We spent a day up in San Francisco seeing the sights. What's not to love about the Golden Gate?


I have never been to the bridge on a more beautiful day. Perfectly visible. Perfectly warm.

We also visited the Oakland Temple grounds where Owen found a friend.


And a girlfriend.


And a pet.


And we made a trip to the beach where the boys skimboarded their little hearts out.

Happy Birthday to Me

And what a birthday it was! It is refreshing to know birthdays can still be exciting post adolescence. The festivities included a half day at the beach, a long Owen nap in the afternoon (freetime for me), a lovely dinner out, and decadent chocolate cake...not to mention a showering of well wishes (thanks to Facebook alone). I have such great family and friends!

Hotel Solomon

Coming to the Bay Area? Need a place to stay? We offer very affordable rates. We also provide free cable/internet access and a continental breakfast (cereal, mostly). Our luxurious (kind of) pool and hot tub add to the amenities.

Seriously, we love having visitors! And August has already brought two sets of visiting friends and family. Take a look!

Mark's parents and nephew (Chase) came to visit just in time for Owen's birthday. And we made our first trip down to Monterey while they were here.


Our day was mostly spent at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. A very cool aquarium! And although Owen liked every little thing we saw, my highlight was the jellyfish exhibit. I have been fascinated with jellyfish ever since I wrote a research report on them in elementary school. They are amazing creatures!


Then came our Connecticut friends, Justin and Randi. We spent a beautiful day in San Francisco seeing the sights. And believe it or not, we spent the majority of our day at a rooftop park. Coolest slides I've seen in a long time. Owen was LOVING it! We also managed to see the MOMA, Golden Gate Bridge, and Wharf.


As always, the beach came into play. It involved burying Owen in the sand, relaxing in the sun, and hanging out on the boardwalk.

Tempted yet? Call me.

Birthday Boy

Guess who turned two this past week?


HAPPY BIRTHDAY O!

Flower Class

On Saturday I took a floral class offered by a very talented girl up in San Francisco (psst...she's done flowers for Martha Stewart Weddings magazine). She taught us the techniques of working with more modern flower arranging. The class was amazing. I can't wait to start playing around with some beautiful buds!

Here's a sampling of what we made:



Want to see the class in action? Go here.

The Hulk

I think it's time to let you in on a little secret. (whispered) Owen has a FIERCE case of the Hulk. This may not be news to some of you. I've mentioned before that he was a struggle in Italy, but there were other circumstances that brought out that beast. And then yesterday. Yesterday he made me cry.

It began a couple months ago. At least that's when I started to notice that my sweet little one wasn't as sweet as I once believed. First came the frustration. Then an escalated pattern of grunting, crying, and the like. Soon Mark and I said to ourselves, "Oh, it looks like our little guy is having a hard time expressing himself. How cute. But he'll talk soon enough." Then came the incessant head banging. Anger, and a quick search for the nearest hard place to bang his head. Not enough to really hurt, mind you, but just enough to cause a minor bruise. We tried our best to ignore the dramatics and pay attention to the cues so a tantrum wouldn't dare show its ugly little head. And that's when he kicked it up a notch. High-pitched shrilling screams were followed by thrown objects. So Mark and I said to ourselves, "This is more serious. Perhaps our little guy needs time out from the situation to calm down. Yes, time out," we both agreed. Thus began the hitting, headbutting, and hair pulling. If we tried to pick him up, we'd make sure to grab hold of his arms to avoid a hit, headbutt, or pull of the hair (usually reserved just for me).

And then yesterday. After a couple of particularly hard days I was tired of dealing with the twos. My spirits were already low. And a tantrum began. Only this time he managed to add something more. After a particularly hard hair pull, he just sat there and laughed. Laughed at my futile efforts. Laughed at my weakness. Laughed at me. So I cried.

And wouldn't you know, today he has been just shy of angelic. He's probably harnessing his special powers for the upcoming weekend when we are with large crowds of family. Then, and especially then, he will unleash the beast.

Summertime

Summer is in full swing, and I couldn't be any happier. The weather, the family and friends, the outings. Here's a rundown of it all.


Owen and I spent a week in Utah with family, while Mark traveled to Germany for the launch of two new products. Owen liked hanging out with his cousins, Chase (pictured above), Ryan, and Cooper too. We went on a lot of outings, but one of our favorites was the Hogle Zoo. We got to see a rare white alligator, which is one of only 10 of its kind in the world. So cool!


We also enjoyed a visit with our long time friends, the TurleyBensons. We celebrated Father's Day together and made some awesome candy bar posters for the resident father and fathers-to-be. We went to the Santa Cruz Boardwalk for arcade games and deep-fried Twinkies. But mostly we just lounged by the pool and ate summer treats like homemade "Benson Berry" ice cream.


And of course, we've made good use of the beach since the weather has been so f-a-b-u-l-o-u-s! We went to Rio del Mar with our friends, Kim and Caleb. Sunshine and sand castles. Warm weather and water. Need I alliterate longer?


And this fine foot photo comes complete with story. During our day at the beach, I looked down at Mark's flip flops and noticed one of them read Roxy...as in the girls' brand...as in my flip flop. Wait, why is Mark wearing my flip flop? Turns out Mark had been wearing one of mine and one of his the entire time at the beach. Apparently he was in such a hurry getting out the door that he didn't even notice he grabbed two different sandals. And he still didn't notice after wearing them for a couple hours! I can't figure this one out. What's even funnier is his refusal to acknowledge it even happened. Needless to say, he's not going to like this post!

Out of the Box

Remember that promise I made about resolving the television situation by 100 days?

I am proud to announce that the unsightly television box is no longer behind the couch! Just in time for Father's Day (the 100th day), our new television was perched atop a lovely new media console. And I must say the two make quite a pair. There are still some decorating touches to add...but the deed is done.

Do Not Open Until...

We got a new TV, but you'd never know. Check out this photo of our family room. See the new television?

Nope. It's not the one sitting in the cabinet. That old thing is eight years old - ancient in terms of technology. Look again...in the lower right corner of the picture.

Yep. That lovely Philips box peeking out from behind the couch houses our new, fabulous, too-large-for-the-average-viewer flat panel TV.

We purchased it on March 8th. MARCH 8TH! That was 80 days ago to be exact. "So why is it still sitting in a box behind your couch," you may ask. "Are you waiting until the 89th day to return it within the 90-day period? Are you delaying until it becomes outdated and obsolete? Are you mad?" All good questions.

Sometimes I forget we even have a new TV. Do you know any males on this planet who go out and buy a 1080p LCD High Definition TV just to have it sit behind their couch in a box? Well, apparently I happen to be married to one of them. And I won't even go into the details about this preposterous situation. Just know that I am making a pledge here and now to resolve the situation before 100 days have passed. It's time to take matters into my own hands. (Dear Husband, if you're reading this, consider it done).

Triple Digits

Mark decided it was high time to christen the pool since we've been having such fine weather. Here's how he did it:


A Disclaimer for Mark: The skin shown in the photograph may appear ashen, colorless, or just plain pale due to the quality of the camera. It definitely has nothing to do with the fact that the skin is naturally pallid and lacks sun exposure. Definitely.

Italia

Sifting through 800 or so pictures of Italy was no small task. And picking out a few good ones wasn't exactly easy. Don't get me wrong, the scenery was great. It's just that I am dealing with a non-photogenic husband, an ornery toddler, and a terribly tired-looking and overly pale version of myself. Those factors don't exactly add up to quality photos. With that said...I give you ITALY.


Rome's Trevi Fountain was amazing. I could have stayed there all day and been perfectly happy.


Did I mention Pinocchio was everywhere? This life-sized replica sat outside a peculiar little wooden toy shop.


Have you ever read the children's book Don't Let the Pigeon Drive the Bus!? Luckily I've read it. Otherwise I wouldn't have thought these birds were half as cute.


Behold the bounty. Gelato never looked (or tasted) better.


Do you see anything wrong with this picture? No joke, this was found in the menu at one of the restaurants where we ate. And I didn't order it.


And would you get a load of this? There were so many delightful goodies on display. It was hard to choose just one...so I chose four.


Ah, Venice. This city had a style all its own. I loved the bold colors, narrow waterways, even the laundry hanging out to dry. And this was one of the few times we saw sunshine on our trip!


This was the highlight of Owen's trip. As soon as we'd let him go, he'd run and run and run and...well, just look at his face. Sheer joy.


Viva Italia!