The following pics are in no particular order, what a great 1o days!
Brody and Brooklyn have become really good friends, truly :)
Taking pics all the time down here, so they are getting great at posing!
Pool at our condo
Condo roof top overlooking Playa Tamarindo
Bob and Debbie took a day trip to Arenal Hot Springs...JEALOUS!
Enjoying the music of Mexico....in Costa :)
Weekly trip to the Mandarina juice bar.
It's a bird, it's a plane...no wait, it's Bob actually caught on camera smiling!
I think it was the goodness of a tropical Mandarina smoothie that induced this spontaneous smile:)
Happy Grandparents
Debbie took the kids on a treasure hunt!
Just after Tom got set apart, excited member in the middle :)
Waterfall
Brooklyn was sad because the water was too cold :(
Debbie jumped off the dock into freezing Lake Tahoe last summer...no such luck today.
50 different shades of green
Happily wrapped up in a towel
Go Bob!
"This is ffffffrrrrreeeeezzzzzzing!"
Soooooo CUTE!
Hiking to the Waterfall...an adventure in itself!
Debbie enjoying the luxury of our KIA :)
Playa Avellanas, good surf session and great sunset!
This is how they do swings
On our way out on the town!
Playa Tamarindo - right in front of our condo
Soaking up the shade!
The anticipation was more than Brody and Brooklyn could bare, they awaited the arrival of Grandma and Grandpa Burton as though it was Christmas and Santa was on his way! Funny thing is, the next morning when the kids woke up they thought Santa
had come. There were so many gifts for the kids from Bob and Debbie and Carol and Dave, we couldn't resist pulling out the palm tree and surrounding it with all the lovely surprises. :) Special thanks to Shauna for picking me up the cutest gym shorts ever, and Chandra for sending down the book and skirt, mom for making multiple stops to get my long list, and Bob and Debbie for carting it all down here!
We wanted to show Bob and Deb a good time, so we took them to a waterfall, to yummy resteraunts, to the gym, to church on Sunday where Tom got called, sustained, and set apart as the new Branch President...to the beach, shopping....
It was a total surprise when they extended him the call, but a tender mercy that Bob and Debbie were in town. Bob is currently serving at the end of his 5th year as Bishop of his ward in Bountiful, and so he was a really great support for Tom while the shock settled in.
The fun didn't stop there. The same day Tom received the call, we arrived home from church looking forward to a Sunday nap. When I entered I was greeted by a mini flood in the condo. Immediately I was fearful that I was reliving the St. George incident, (when Brody washed his hands in the master bath tap and left it running, consequently th e entire bathroom and room below were flooded.) To my great relief a pipe under the master bathtub had broken and the entire tub and separated from the base and was floating on a great deal of water. It sounds bad, I know, but it is so much better than footing a $$$ bill for a little hand wash. It looked like an earthquake had occurred in their... Bob was visiting, but even his bathroom breaks weren't capable of this kind of destruction. A few hours later the mess was cleaned up,a and two days later we could use the tub again. It was no big deal, but it did put a little damper on the day. ( I couldn't resist :))
Bob made his daily run to Langosta Beach for an illegal dip in the Barcelo Pool. (I'm going to have to ask my Branch President about swimming in hotel pools when not a guest...Tom?)
Debbie made us yummy banana bread, and took the kids on a treasure hunt. Now they are making regular requests for a treasure hunt, which is just code for "shopping."
I asked Brody and Brooklyn what their favorite part of having Grandma and Grandpa here was and they said, "The Monkey Park, swimming, and Mandarina (for smoothies)." I am trying to keep up with their smoothie appetite by making them at home, but there is something special about the blue chairs, tropical presentation, and the vita-mix, that make Mandarina the preference by a long shot. I would like a Vita-mix for my birthday. Perhaps with the new blender, a few pineapple stems, clear cups, and a straw, I can save some serious $$$.
Brody and Brooklyn had a lovely time swimming, reading, and having treats with their grandparents. Good food, good friends, good times! Their company and generosity made the week one we will remember forever! We were sad when they left, but we are looking forward to another visit after Christmas. Next up on the 'Pura Vida Life'....Ryan Baughman, come on down!
