Columbus Zoo trip

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The girl who escaped

So as to protect the innocent, I will tell a "story" about a girl who escaped.

Once upon a time, there was a girl named Addysen. She was in a tumbling class. In this class was a crazy girl. We'll call her Tabitha since I don't really know her name. Well, Tabitha came to class one week and actually got kicked out because the coach could not handle her running from one end of the gym to the other without compromising the lessons for the other kids. All the parents were thinking "boy, I'm glad that's not my kid." Well, Tabitha went home that day, but came back again to the tumbling class. She was eager to begin. So eager, in fact, she was unable to restrain herself and started running around the gym again. Tabitha's mom was no where around to see her. She ran and ran and ran. She jumped on the gym equipment with no supervision. The parents sat and watched wondering if she was going to hurt herself. Still, her mother wasn't around. After awhile, Tabitha decided she needed to use the bathroom. She ran to the door and pulled and pulled, but it was too heavy to open. Since her mother was still no where to be seen, another mom opened the door to let her out to go potty. Tabitha made a mad dash like letting the lion out of the cage to freedom. The mom that let her out didn't know what to do. Tabitha wasn't going to the bathroom. In fact, she left the room altogether. The mom sat down, hoping for the best until her guilt overcame her. The mom had to go look for the crazy escaped girl. She looked down the hall and didn't see the little girl. She went down another hall to the lobby and lo and behold - Tabitha and her mother had been reunited. Relief came to the mom who had let Tabitha out, but Tabitha's mom did not look happy. She was wondering why her daughter was not in class with the other kids. The mom who let her out decided to go back and let them resolve the problem...wondering if maybe Tabitha's mom was mad that Tabitha was running around unsupervised - someone had let her out of the cage. The mom who let her out went back to the room to watch her own daughter in the tumbling room. Shortly after, Tabitha's mom brought her back to class and put her back in the cage. This time she watched. Tabitha started playing on the equipment like she was supposed to, but she was so excited again she began to misbehave and run all around. Tabitha's mom had a frown on her face. She finally went in the cage to catch Tabitha. Shortly after that, Tabitha and her mom left. Tabitha's mom still wasn't happy, but the mom who let her out was relieved. Will they be back next week? We'll see. The End.

American Idol Season 10!

It's that time again! I loves me some AI. I'm not hating the new judges either. I haven't heard much opposition from my fellow fans either. Stephen Tyler and Jennifer Lopez are brilliant additions. So vastly different from each other, but it makes sense. Why didn't we do this sooner?

Clint sings "Superstitious". He's good. I think he'll make it to top 12.

Jovany. "I'll be" He's got some nice guns, and not bad to look at which is good because his performance did NOT blow me away. He may be going home just based on that, but his look might get him through. Stephen Tyler and JLo have not yet experienced the "listen back" where everything live sounds soooo much worse.

Jordan. No idea what song he was singing. I don't like him just because he's cocky. And WTH is everyone going so crazy over? He ain't all that. And the song sucked. Too bad somebody MADE him sing it. If It's not your style why would you pick a bad song for yourself in this stage of the game?

Tim - good thing he had background singers cause that mostly sucked. I don't know this song either. Meh, he's not a favorite. He could be on the chopping block. His face reminds me of David Archuleta.

Brett - "Baby light my fire" Waaaay too low for him at the beginning. He pulled it out though. He has a Phil Collins kind of sound. I like him because he's quirky but cute. He's good.

James - "You Got Another Thing Coming" I want to like him. I do. I have a hard time not comparing him to Adam Lambert. They have the same sound, but Adam is a performer and a showman. James is not so much. They are different. It's going to be hard not to compare.

Robbie - "Angel" - wow, that was S-L-O-W. And a little all over the place. I've never heard a boy singing Sarah McLachlan either. I don't think it was the worst. I want to see how they change his look though, so he can stick around a little while longer.

Scotty - he is a remarkable singer. It's kind of nice to have a county singer on too. He's got a great voice. That's all I can say.

Stefano - "Just the Way You Are" he's not a stand out for me yet, but he's got potential. He'll stick around for awhile too.

Paul - "Maggie" I like Paul. He's different. Of course he'd sing Rod Stewart...it's perfect. But I wonder if it wasn't a mistake because he sounds a little too much like him. He is certainly unique from the other contestants which makes me like him a little more. Sounds like Rod, looks a little like Kenny Loggins. I like him.

Jacob - what can I say about Jacob? I can't. It's not nice. No. Please. I can't take him for - - how many more weeks? Put him on Broadway. That's where he belongs...but no. Not here. Please?!?

Casey - "I Put a Spell on You" I like him too. He has such range and he doesn't look like he would, but he's a favorite of mine and it's going to be fun to watch him. He's got the chops. Best by far of the night. He's the American Idol that embodies the talent that we look for, not the looks which is what the competition is about. I love him!!

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The mystery of the socks

For months now, Addison has been leaving things outside her bedroom door after she's laid down for bed. Kind of an oddity and we had no idea why she was doing it. One afternoon I found several stuffed animals after she was "supposedly" laying down for a nap. Usually it's been socks at bedtime. So last night it happened again. We went through our bedtime routine of potty, brushing teeth, and story. I had gone about my business afterward and happened to pass by her door awhile after she had gone to bed. There were two pink polka dot socks laying just outside her door. I asked Greg if he had seen them when he left her room earlier and he said no. So she had gotten out of bed to put her socks out. Kind of like a reverse St. Nick's night. Tonight, after reading her story to her Greg came in to tell her good night and our mystery was solved when she told us exactly why she was putting her socks out. One thing you should know about Addison is that she does not like to sleep with socks on. So that was part of the mystery. If I don't remove them before leaving her, it's almost a sure thing that I will be summoned to return in about 10 minutes to remove them. Anyway, she told us tonight that she had taken her socks off last night and put them out of her room because they were stinky and she didn't want to have to smell them while she was trying to sleep. Huh. I guess that makes sense. She's a smart kid. That doesn't explain why the animals were out at naptime, but she did tell me then that they were making too much noise and bouncing around on the bed. I guess they didn't understand about quiet time. That's the trouble with animals stuffed with fluff.


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Facing $10,000

Well, a little more than that actually…but how does one walk away from $10,000. I’ve been wondering that myself for a few days. But as someone who did it, I can tell you. Mind you, if someone was going to give me $10,000 no strings attached, I could do whatever I wanted with it, I think I could do some good and get some killer lipgloss to boot.  That’s probably the harder decision. What to do with that money. But what to do without it? Go on. Move forward. That’s what I’ve been doing. After turning away from it, it doesn’t consume nearly every thought anymore. It’s a memory. Every now and then I think about it now and for a brief nano-second wonder why I did it…then I remember. “Oh yeah. Right…my sanity.” That’s important. More important than $10,000.

I was faced with a decision. Some think it should have been an easy decision. Some may think it would be a hard decision. I found it difficult. Once I came to my decision though, after many discussions in my mind, it all made sense. It could be no other way. Then I felt released.

The decision was about a job. I have a job. I have a lovely job that I searched 2 ½ years ago for. I almost took a job that would have killed me. Maybe the people would have made it okay, but I doubt it. The distance was a challenge and the job – not ideal for me. Then, within days of my considering accepting the offer, I got another call-back. And it was for a different job that I applied for and that I could enjoy! Something I’m good at. Something I can use my own expertise in doing and it was much closer! Bonus since I’ve got a little tot to consider. I was giddy with excitement. This wasn’t going to be so scary. I worked at the same place for more than 12 years. I liked what I did, but the environment wasn’t becoming ideal anymore. I was dragging to work and was crabby. I was unsatisfied and dreaded the next day as much as the last. Not an easy decision to make to start searching for something else and I was naïve about how hard the search was going to be. After casually sending out resumes for ideal jobs for awhile and not getting any calls, I finally got to the point where I was desperate for something to take me away. That’s how I almost took the job I would have hated. It was going to move me backward instead of forward, but I would have taken it. Luckily, that didn’t happen. The perfect job fell right in my lap. It was hard to leave all the people I had worked so long with. They were friends. I’d lived with them a long time…but they were happy for me. After I left, they fell on challenging times themselves and were unable to hire a replacement for me. But my new job, it was better than I expected and I had no regrets.

Fast forward 2 ½ years later…my old job got the money finally to replace me and my old boss was trying to woo me back. Things have changed a bit there in the last few years. Mostly the new CEO with new plans. It was sounding much like the old place before it was poisoned by the previous CEO. Even old co-workers were saying how good things were getting. So, in comes my old boss. She’s offering about $7500 more than what I’m making. She says things are better. Things are looking up. It’s all sunshine and rainbows now. And for a moment, it all sounded good. But, I keep going back to the fact that I wasn’t looking for anything. Things are tough where I am, but not because of the people. It’s the economy. Nothing we’re doing wrong, it’s funding issues. It’s the government and how social service agencies are becoming the dinosaurs that are dying. But, the people make it great. The work makes it great. Even my job has changed. I love what I’m doing. I love who I work with. Leadership is awesome. Why would I leave that? Was $7500 enough to make it worth it? That’s a lot of money to walk away from. I can catch up on things a little easier with that. Bills could maybe get paid off…maybe we wouldn’t be living paycheck to paycheck much longer. But, no. I have it good where I am. I was fortunate to be given this opportunity. Where I came from is chaotic and unpredictable daily. I liked the clients and my co-workers and yes, things sound great and wonderful…but it’s not for me. The job is still the same, the boss is still the same, the problems would still be the same. I have nothing more to learn there. I went as far as I could. So, I said “thanks, but no thanks”. She counter-offers making it $10,000 and I knew in that moment that I had made the right decision. I think I have much to learn from where I am. Being happy and satisfied is worth me giving up $10,000. I don’t know what my future is going to be…I wish I had that talent, but for now – it’s all good. I think we’re destined for great things and I’m ready and willing to ride the ride to get there. My boss is innovative and forward-thinking. If anyone can do it, I believe she can. If it leads me down a different path in the future, so be it, but for right now, I’m where I’m supposed to be.

Addison's Album

Make a scrapbook

Blankie time

We made this video for my boss' birthday. She's so stinkin cute!

Doctor Addison checking her beeper.

Resolutions

Overall I think resolutions are silly.  Typically, one announces what their resolution will be for the “New Year”.   To me, this implies that if you fail, you don’t have to commit again until the New Year comes around again.  When watching the New Year’s Eve celebrations on tv, the common theme was asking random people in the crowd what their New Year’s resolutions were going to be.  I was surprised and a little alarmed that there were multiple people who said their resolution was “to be nicer”.  What?!  Shouldn’t that be like a value?  How can you resolve to be nicer?  Just do it.  How do you “intend” to be nicer?  And why are so many people out there mean?  So, if by February 1^st you haven’t been nicer you don’t have to try anymore until January 1^st again.  Seems silly.  What other things do people resolve to do every year?  Exercise, eat healthier, drink less alcohol, do less drugs?  Why don’t we all just resolve today to be the best we can be.  Failure is acceptable.  We are a human race.  When we fail, try again.  Being better people doesn’t seem like something you can truly fail at unless you intentionally do so, or maybe you have a mental illness.  Generally, we may stray from time to time, but ultimately we get back on our path and continue our way through life.  So, let’s all just be good to one another.  What do you say?  If you’re mean today, just have a go at it again tomorrow...and the day after that.  So,  don't drink too much, don't do drugs, and BE NICE!

Why I like gift cards...

So getting a gift card for someone seems impersonal.  It doesn’t require much effort on the buyers part which doesn’t give you the satisfaction of knowing that you spent time thinking of the person you’re buying for.  HOWEVER, my thoughts about being on the receiving end of a gift card are quite the contrary.  Not that I don’t appreciate a hand-picked gift, but a gift card has infinite possibilities.  Getting a gift card starts my mind reeling about all the things I COULD buy that I wouldn’t normally buy for myself.  For instance, last year I received a Target gift card.  I could have used it to buy necessities like shampoo or detergent or whatever.  Instead, I said “No, this is a gift just for me and I can get whatever frivolous thing I want.”  I ended up getting an electric water kettle and a popcorn popper like we had when I was a kid.  It was all for me!  And no guilt for spending money I didn’t really have on myself.  That’s the best part.  Food cards are nice too because it’s like a special treat whenever I want.  If I’m low on cash one day, but really don’t want to eat at home again, I can whip out my gift card!  It’s a free meal!  Right now, I’ve got a Sephora card and an Occasionally Yours gift card burning a hole in my pocket.  I can use some of it now and some of it later if I want.  It’s a gift that keeps on giving.  I can use it all year long.  Plus, (not that I would ever do this) it’s not inappropriate to re-gift a gift card.  It’s just money passing hands, really.  I sincerely use up my gift cards, but if you have one you don’t want, feel free to pass it along my way.  I’ll find some use for it.  I do remember when someone gives me a gift card and think of them when making my purchase...though I may not remember what occasion it was for, but that doesn't make any difference to me.   Last year either for Admin. Professionals Day or for my birthday, my team gave me gift certificates to Milano's - one of my favorite food places.  I used those certificates many times.  I was even able to pay for a friend's lunch that wouldn't have been able to pay herself.  So I even "payed it forward".  My good deed thanks to your good deed.  Win-win for everyone.

What's in a name?

Addison is in her trying-out-names phase. Both for herself and for us. Lately, she’s been calling Greg and I “brother” and “sister”. It feels a bit like I’m walking around in a convent or something. And it’s usually just “Brother, can you zip my dress?” or “Sister, can I have a snack?”. Very strange. Yesterday she was telling me that daddy was her brother and I was her sister, so just to see what she would do I said, “Are you my brother then?”. She looked at me like I was the dumbest person in the world and basically chastised me for being so ridiculous. I got a lecture on how only girls can be sisters and only boys can be brothers. DUH! As for herself, she will announce on her way to daycare that she is no longer “Addison”. A few times she has tried on the name Kathleen. Sometimes she makes up a name that sounds kind of German or Russian…lots of hard consonants. I could never repeat it because I can barely understand it. Forget about spelling it. I’m sure it’s short of vowels. Sometimes she will have a secret name that no one can know. This makes it very hard to ask her to do anything because I never know her secret name. It’s a secret after all. Once or twice she has called us by our proper names. It’s very weird to be called my name by a small child, especially when it’s your own. I understand when people will introduce adults to children as Ms. FirstName or Mr. FirstName. I would hate to be called Mrs. Linard. Nobody calls me that. Calling me by my first name is just a little too casual for a child though. Kind of funny when it’s my kid. She’s so serious when she does it. I swear something possesses her from time to time.




Names are a strange thing. There is so much meaning behind a name and how you address someone, but it’s really just a name, right? Why is it so complicated? There are rules about addressing letters and envelopes. Other rules about addressing people in authority positions. Rules about how you address people you know well and don’t know well. And it’s so easy to offend if you choose the wrong one. Wouldn’t it just be easier if we called each other by our given names? Who decided we needed to add a Mr. or Mrs., or Doctor or Judge? We live in a weird world.

The new daycare

We switched Addison to a new daycare mostly because of issues we were having with the old one and Addison’s general unhappiness there. She cried and clung to me when I dropped her off and seemed glad to be going home most of the time. It was a battle every morning. We took a break over the summer, and perhaps she matured over the couple of months she was home, but I’d like to think it has more to do with her just being more stimulated and nurtured at her new “school”. She calls the old one the “Black Daycare” because they made all the kids wear all black pants and shirts. She’s excited to go into her classroom and talk to Ms. Beth. I only had an issue where I had to drop her off early and she had to have breakfast in the cafeteria and she had a fit about that for like, a second…and we had an incident last week where another student in her classroom got mad and pushed Addison which resulted in her face-planting into a chair. No injury other than a red mark which lasted the day and some hurt feelings, but I felt like they handled it appropriately and I was just relieved that a) it wasn’t her that was doing the pushing and b) they actually told me about it and wrote up an incident report. The other girl got a time-out from the group and her mom was going to get told. Ooooh! So glad it wasn’t me. Addison relayed the story to us several times and said how next time maybe she and the girl could put the doll away together so the other girl wouldn’t get mad. Who is this kid of mine? Anyway, her teacher is awesome and they encourage family to come to read to the kids, do projects, bring snacks or have lunch. I’m very excited to see her progress this year. She’s starting dance at the school on Fridays and if they attend consistently they’ll be in the Spring Program in May! How exciting!

P.S.  Greg reminds me that she also called her old daycare the "Bad Daycare" because they yelled at her.  You know, now that I think back on this, it really makes me mad because I thought she was being a bad kid...when in reality she may have just been getting yelled at for nothing...and really, no one needs to be yelling at my kid but me.  Especially someone who is supposed to be mentoring young children.  Thanks Greg. 

Costa Rica - Day 7

We're heading home today.  We got up at 4am to get the rest of our things together and grab our 5am taxi.  When we went to the front desk to turn in our room key, there was a hotel shuttle waiting.  The driver asked us if we needed a ride to the airport and we said yes.  He had 2 other guys he was taking and offered to drive us.  I told the guy at the front desk and asked him to cancel our taxi.  Didn't make sense to have to take 2 vehicles to the same place when there was clearly plenty of room.  The hotel guy got mad at the driver and basically told him not to do it again.  This didn't make much sense for many reasons.  The main reason was that the day before when we ordered the taxi, we were told that the shuttles don't run until after 6am.  Another reason was the hotel guy told me that the shuttle had been ordered.  So why did they order it for those two guys and not us too?
Anyway, we made it to the airport and just as we're walking away, the guy stops Greg and says the hotel doesn't pay for the transport.  So, Greg hands him a $20 and asks for change and the guy gives him $2 back.  Sheesh.  Taking a taxi would have been cheaper for sure!  We walk into the airport and have to pay our $26 tax to leave the country.  You have to do this before you can even get your plane tickets.  We wait in a relatively long line to get to the Delta counter.  Lucky us, we're picked for a random security check for our luggage.  Lucky again, they pick the worst bag to go through because it had all the rest of our food and was the most unorganized of all 3.  Apparently it met standards because they let us go through.  Then we stand in another security line where we have to go through the metal detectors.  We make our way to our gate and wait.  The Delta check in desk closes an hour before boarding and we weren't sure why until we saw all the same people show up to do boarding and perform another security check.  We had to have all our carry on bags checked, then went outside to be patted down, then got on a bus to get to our plane on the runway.  (It's a very small airport)  Finally we were up in the air heading to Atlanta.  We made it on time.  We then had to go through International check-in, pick up our bags and take them about 100 feet to drop them off again, go through customs and all that jazz, then we made it to our gate.
Off in the air again heading to Dayton and it was the bumpiest ride I've been on in a long while.  They had to stop drink and snack service because we were practically flying out of our seats.  They resumed service 20 minutes before we landed.  Finally we were home.  I'm glad to be home, but miss being on vacation and being in Costa Rica.  It was an awesome trip.

Slideshow of Costa Rica

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Costa Rica - Day 6

Sad day. It was our last day at the most gorgeous place on earth. No more chirpy geckos, no more howling howler monkeys, no more ocean view, no more sloth eating his mid-morning snack in a tree near the spectacular pool. We head back to San Jose today. Greg, Addison and I will be heading home early tomorrow morning.
After our last meal from Stefan (banana pancakes and fruit), we had our last ride with Juan. Juan was our driver, mangrove tour guide, and waiter at one point. He was amazing. He passed us on to another driver who took us some wacky way back to San Jose but got us there in plenty of time for mom & dad's tour of the city. Little did they know the tour of the city that the rest of us would get later.
After we arrived at Country Inn & Suites, Greg arranged through the concierge for a driver. Rather than a taxi, the Hotel contracts with a company that will drive you wherever you want to go for free. Can't beat free, right? Well. Maybe you can. The deal is two stops for free then you have to start paying. We loaded up in the van and headed for our destination. Or so we thought. Pablo, our driver who claimed he didn't speak very good English took us on a mini tour around the city. He showed us their Central Park and some other highlights of the city. He told us what to watch out for and seemed generally helpful. Then the fun began. We drive though some back streets and end up on some very shady looking, not heavily trafficked streets. He points out his parents house and says he lives right next door. Ok. This is getting weird. He said he knew of a place that he was taking us to - he's sure we'd be interested and not to tell ANYone because he could lose his job. This place, he says, has no signs an looks like a house from the front but inside is worth it. "Oh, God. This is where we make headlines" I thought. Sure enough, we pull in front if a double-gated white house and we get out of the car. A too-beautiful girl greets us at the gate and we walk into the house. If I wasn't nervous before, I'm certainly nervous now. We walk into a gallery of jewelry and. knock-off paintings. Two girls in this tiny house waiting to pounce at the slightest bit of interest. He explains to us how gold is made, then we have to watch a video. My skin is crawling and I want nothing more than to leave right now. I even considered just walking out the front door to wait outside, but I couldn't trust what was out there any more. They offer us free drinks - which thankfully no one took him up on and any slight interest in anything they were practically dressing us with it. I disappeared to the patio out back with AJ, Addison and Molly until everyone was ready to go. Then I made a beeline straight for the van.
Our next and final destination was the city. On the way Pablo takes us down a street where some guys were just walking up to cars begging for money. He says they are druggies and not to get mixed up with them. As soon as the sun goes down, they apparently get volatile and start using weapons. Ah, nice. Can't wait to get of this street. He drives us down a few streets instructing us to stay on this street and not go down this other street because of robbers and such. He apparently told Molly and Laura that they could leave their cameras and jewelry in the van if they liked but he had other people to pick up. Huh? Plus he had already pointed out the taxis to us indicating that we'd need them to get back. The whole thing was bizarre. Nobody ended up leaving their things, we took a very short walk through the city and found pretty much nothing but shoe stores everywhere. Greg and I got a taxi back to the hotel and thought Laura, Jim, Molly and AJ would be right behind us, but apparently they didn't get a taxi as easily as we did. Eventually we met up again and went to the cheesy souvenir shop we were looking for - only we walked there...and back. We got everything we needed, ate, showered, and packed. We're ready for our early morning flight and I pray for no troubles.
It's been a crazy day. We're almost glad to be going home mostly because we can't wait to get out of San Jose. Yucky! We're certainly not in Kansas anymore.
It's been a wonderful experience that I can't imagine ever doing this on our own. It was great to spend time with family and I had a blast. An experience of a lifetime that I'll never forget. Thanks to Brian & Kathleen for planning everything and making us feel like royalty and thanks to mom & dad for making it all happen.


-- Post From My iPhone

Costa Rica - Day 5

Today we awoke to the sounds of howler monkeys practically right outside our room. They are quite loud and ominous sounding. 5 am is when they get up in case you were wondering. They really should institute daylight savings time here. The sun comes up around 5 and sets around 6, so while you try to adjust to the time difference, you really can't because the sun is telling you otherwise. The geckos in our room making their silly kissy sounds are the sounds you hear before bed and when you awaken. This sounds like it would be a comforting noise - being kissed at, but if they are loud enough to hear then they are somewhere close. Like in your room, and I didn't find that very comforting.
Anyway our morning started with delicious French toast and fresh fruit...to be revisited later. We were leaving mid-morning for a boat tour near Manuel Antonio park. There was a lovely lady waiting for us when we arrived. She offered everyone motion-sickness pills (maybe that's why I call her lovely) and on a precautionary move accepted her offer. I thought "oh, I shouldn't need it, but just in case...cause it would suck to be sick on a boat". Our hosts greeted us cheerfully and immediately offered us drinks. Ah, another good idea. Perhaps if I load up on alcoholic beverages, I certainly won't get sick. I start off with a Piña Colada. I didn't get much further than that. I declined the next round and wondered if I was actually feeling queezy or if my mind was trying to psych me into thinking I might be sick. I'd soon find out because as everyone went to one side of the boat to watch mating turtles, I ran to the other side and rid my stomach of the yummy breakfast I had. Oh joy. To top it off, I think the driver was laughing at me. I don't speak a lick of Spanish, but even I could tell he was chuckling and telling the other guys. Mr. Drink-maker immediately came over and offered some Ginger ale and the other guy instructed me that if I laid down I wouldn't feel so bad. After I did, he gently rubbed a cold washcloth over my forehead. Such a simple gesture and yet it was such a comfort. Poor little Addison said her belly hurt too, though I couldn't really tell if she was having sympathy symptoms. She laid next to me with her head on my arm and she fell asleep while I dosed in and out of consciousness. We missed a lot of the boat tour, but honestly I didn't care by that point. We woke up when they anchored the boat for swimming and snorkeling. Everyone got in the salty water. Surprisingly bouyant! I mean it takes very little effort to stay afloat.
I felt better, but certainly not well enough for the fish and shrimp they prepared. I could hardly handle the smell.
After everyone finished eating, the boat guys wanted to try to sail. I've never been so glad for no wind. Since the sail couldn't catch any wind we boated back to the dock.
Thank God for dry land. We came back to the house and I tried to nap off the effects of the Dramamine, but woke up fuzzy and still with my sea legs, so everything STILL is in motion. I'm afraid I'll have boat rocking nightmares tonight.
It's our last night in the house. We head for San Jose in the morning.





















-- Post From My iPhone

Costa Rica - Day 4

We decided to stay at the house instead of going ziplining today. As much as I think I might have liked ziplining, we've learned over the years that (especially with a little kid) we need some down time with no expectations and total relaxation. It was quite rainy so we started with scrambled eggs and fresh fruit that I made. I thought I nearly ruined the pan because: a) French chef, I am not... And b) I don't think I've ever used a gas stove let alone one that is clearly designed for a professional, which clearly I am not. We saved the pan however and the eggs were good anyway. After breakfast, we went to the cinema room and watched a movie - or most of one. Very cool and Addison loved being able to go right up to the wall where the movie was being projected and followed the lines of animation with her fingers and touched Ariel and danced with her shadows. We continued our morning pretending the house was ours by just wandering room to room and chilling wherever we wanted. The cleaning people were there so we tried to stay out of their way as much as possible.
I did take a video tour of the entire house which is quite challenging when you're trying to avoid the staff. I actually didn't get the main level done until everyone arrived back at the house. Then the skies cleared and everyone was in the pool at once. For lunch, Stefan made a delicious salad with chicken, corn, black beans, cilantro, an assorted other brightly colored and finely chopped vegetables. I really need to start incorporated black beans into more of my foods. At dinner he prepared the fish that the deep-sea fishermen (Molly, Jim, Brian and dad) caught. I believe it was mahi-mahi.
Although we didn't have the fun ziplining stories that everyone else had, we had our own private bliss in a house way never get to experience again. For a few hours, we owned that house and no one else will have that experience.


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Costa Rica - Day 3

Day 3, we woke up early to get ready for our trips. Dad, Brian, Molly and Jim were going on a deep sea fishing excursion. Mom, Laura, Kathleen, AJ, and the three of us were going on a boat trip through a mangrove forest. It was quite leasurely and we saw a snake right off the bat. A little while later we saw white faced monkeys that came right up to the boat looking for food. One even got on the roof of the boat and looked each one of us in the eyes to see if we might have a scrap of food to give him. They are quite cute and expressive (until they bare sharp teeth). We saw some birds and the smallest anteater species sleeping in a tree. Finally we came back to our starting spot and I got some pictures of a lizard before we left.
Next we ate lunch at a little roadside stop that had awesome smoothie kind of drinks. Addison got a banana one which she devoured.
After that we came back to Casa Fantastica. Kathleen drove Greg and I into town with her so we could check into a couple souvenir shops. While on the way back we saw a sloth hanging off of a telephone wire. It was very cool to watch him slowly scratch his head and look around at a pace so incredibly slow. We then came back, enjoyed the pool and had a lovely dinner and went to bed at a relatively normal hour. Although, Greg did jump at a certain point thinking something had joined us in bed. I made him turn the light on to check and instructed him never to do that again.

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Costa Rica - Day 2

We had a delicious breakfast of French Toast casserole, fresh fruit and local chicken sausage then our driver came to take us to Manuel Antonio which was about a 4 hour drive. We stopped at a place called Crocodile Bridge on the way. This is kind of a touristy place which was a long narrow bridge with very narrow walkways on both sides and very fast moving cars and busses. You look over the edge and can see crocodiles hanging out in the murky water or sunning themselves along the river's edge. Kinda creepy with all the crocodiles, I think we saw about 7 or 8 of them. Plus it's a little harrowing to try to cross the bridge against traffic adding to the element of danger. We all piled back in the van and were off again to Manuel Antonio.
Next stop was a restaurant called El Avion. Right off the bat we see a spider monkey following along with us up the stairs. Soon, more show up and I think I counted about 6 of them. All looking for a morsel or two. One thing I notice here is that nearly everything (especially eateries) are open space. I haven't eaten anywhere yet that has windows.
El Avion is a restaurant designed with an old C130 that was shot down during the Reagan administration. Something like that anyway. So they've converted it into a restaurant and bar. The meal was pretty inexpensive too and I was a little thrown when the waiter gave me my change back in colones. I got something like 3,500 colones back. I used it for our driver's tip.
Finally we were on our way to the most beautiful place I've ever seen and might ever see. Our new home for the week was Casa Fantastica. It is absolutely amazing. It's like somewhere you'd see celebrities stay. 7 amazingly huge bedrooms each with it's own beautiful bath, a theatre, recreation room, exercise room, huge kitchen (with chef), bar/lounge area, and a gorgeous infinity pool with solar hot tub all overlooking the ocean! Heaven. We ate dinner, swam, and rested.















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