Costa Rica - Day 2: Is that all? It feels like we have been here forever.

Safely in Costa Rica

ABOUT TO LEAVE SLC....SEE YOU IN A YEAR!

Layover in Denver 9:30 pm to 12:30 am - Classic Brooklyn

Layover in Denver 9:30 pm to 12:30 am - Classic Brody

FINALLY ARRIVED - "This is Costa Rica????" The kids say :)

"Not yet" we say, "this is just the airport." :)

For all you Eden Folk, a little country side is no new scene, but

this stuff goes on for miles.

The longest nap Elle has ever taken in the car seat : 3 hours

She loved the bumpy roads!

THE TRIP DOWN

We arrived in Costa Rica with as much ease as traveling to California. We had a few small problems, that could have been potentially massive road blocks had we not been met on every side with friendly, helpful people. We were so blessed all the way down. A few pieces of our luggage was over weight, so the check-in girl brought us a box from the back so we could save the potential $150 in fees we would have paid. She was sooooooo patient and the whole ordeal only took about 15 minutes. Everyone helped us on and off the airplanes, which was nice because we had so many cary-ons and children in tow. As soon as we got off the plane in San Jose, we were offered help by a Sky Cap. He got us to the front of the immigration line, through customs, and into our car transfer (who was waiting for us miraculously) within about 15 minutes. No crowds, no lost luggage, no problems in customs, no crying kids, no meltdowns....it was too easy. Our driver stopped for us to get breakfast at this great buffet place that was like $2 a plate for all you wanted, and took us to pick up our keys for our condo before dropping us off. Our Condo was everything we wanted, and this morning I woke up to the sound of monkeys!!! Plus +++++ there is a really nice couple who owns the place. Frazier and Helen. You wouldn't believe it...Helen loves to work out! And she just had a baby a month ago, so she needs a trainer....I know where you can get a trainer Helen! :) Frazier loves to surf and is from the Whistler area in Canada so I'm sure Tom will have alot to talk to him about. Helen is from Costa Rica, so hopefully she will let me practice Spanish with her, although she speaks perfect English. Looking forward to tomorrow and the adventures this place will bring................

Suckers for adventure....Adventure is hard work!

Today I......spent the better half of the day finding someone in SLC to EXPEDITE a passport. When I say expedite, I mean, here is my info, get me a passport to my door in the next 48 hours!!!!! That kind of service has a price tag $$$$$. Then, in researching the expedited passport, I found out that one way ticket holders are not granted entrance into Costa Rica, that would have been good to know when the airline lady sold me one way tickets into the country! So, I spent the other half of my day on the phone trying to figure out the best way to turn our one-ways into round-trip tickets while keeping my savings account protected. Not actually feasible, but I found the next best thing which is a fully refundable ticket...and believe me, I will be asking for a full refund as soon as they stamp my passport! In between those two major events, I got my driver's license renewed, had 2.5 hours of dental work done, took the kiddos to the ENT specialist to have their ears cleaned out, left my atm card in the atm machine and hence almost ran out of gas, and even got a little cleaning and packing done.:) Three more sleeps until we leave...well... 2 and a half.

MEMORIAL DAY IN ST. GEORGE

We love having the St. George house half way between Cali and home. (when I say having I mean having in-laws who have a house in St. George :)) You know when you come home from a trip and say "I need a vacation after that vacation." Disneyland is one of those vacations! We stopped in St. George for a few days to unwind, we did some hiking, swimming, and a whole lot of sleeping :)

FAVORITE PURCHASE EVER!!!

Not too heavy, pivoting front wheel with the option to lock in place, great storage, off road wheels and suspension.....what more could a girl ask for.....in a stroller! :)

THE SECRET LIFE OF BEES

My parents have decided to be self sufficient so they started a garden. In order to have a good, self-sufficient garden, one needs a composter. This special peace of patio furniture became the new home for a queen bee and her thousand of little bee followers! A noisy cloud surrounded the patio late in the afternoon, grandma and grandpa told Brody and Brooklyn to come inside for fear of a scene from a cheezy horror movie. The noisy cloud was bees! Literally, thousands of bees were flying around, the queen bee was looking for a place to relocate....and she found one. The composter! Her groupies came next, and to collect them all we called the bee keeper. The pics describe the event better than words.

DISNEYLAND

Disneyland was a blast! Brody and Brooklyn were tall enough for all the rides they were brave enough to do....well, Brody knows no fear, but he went on all the rides that mommy would let him do! :)  We used up all 5 days of our passes, made it into the princess breakfast, had enough wipes on hand to clean Elle up after her blowouts, went on pretty much every ride we wanted (pirates and space mountain twice), only backed out of one ride (the haunted house OBVIOUSLY in mommy's opinion),  made it through the submarine ride without having any panic attacks, had great weather, somehow kept our kids from the souvenir shops, and did it all without any major melt downs.  THAT IS A MIRACLE.  We did have one casualty, Bob (Tom's dad) was lost to motion sickness after Space Mountain on the last day.  Our kids were tattooed with our cell phone numbers, but they went unused thankfully.  And after all is said and done, I would do it again in two years, no question.  

FIRST NIGHT AT DISNEY

ALL THREE GIRLS AND DUMBO

MOMMY WAITED IN LINE FOR TIGGER WHILE DADDY AND BRODY WERE ON SPLASH MOUNTAIN! (BROOKLYN AND I WERE BRAVE ENOUGH TO DO IT FIRST!)

BROOKLYN WITH COUSIN GRACIE (2)

AS IF THERE WAS ANY CHANCE I COULD GET ELLE TO LOOK AT THE CAMERA!

I AM TOTALLY JUST AS EXCITED AS BROOKLYN.  I LOVE DISNEYLAND!

PRINCESS BROOKLYN

(Does this look familiar honey???)

BRODY IS TOO COOL FOR SCHOOL

Brody and Brooklyn did the tower of terror!!!  Brooklyn said she came off her seat all the way :)
Elle took two 20 minute naps a day in her stroller.  She hates to miss a party....I wonder who she gets that from?!
Elle likes riding on the BOB...both of them!!!!! (We just invested in an awesome double off-road BOB stroller, although there is nothing like the original :)

Tom used this ride to get out all of his aggression.  Psycho x-lumber salesman on the loose! 

Best Roller coaster:  Space Mountain

Tom's Favorite: Toy Story (it involved guns and shooting)

My Favorite:  Tower of Terror

Brody's Favorite: Space Mountain

Brooklyn's Favorite: Winnie the Pooh

Elle's Favorite:  Small World

Most Unexpected:  Jungle Tour Boat Ride

Biggest Waste of Time: Waiting in line for tink

Well Worth The Money:  Princess Breakfast

Did Not Get To:  Toon Town

Best Restaurant: Ambiance goes to Rainforest cafe, but Cheesecake Factory still takes the....cake:)

Miracles: No temper tantrums and we went to one souvenir shop on the last day! 

Best Time Saver:  Fast pass and Trade Pass

Do It Again?: ABSOLUTELY

RAGNAR FAMILY RELAY - EDEN

We were the "Happiness Runs in a circular motion.....I guess we are all pretty dang happy!" team.  We made our skirts, and puff painted our shirts.  It was a 15 mile race, and we put together three teams.  Just our group alone fundrased $400 for Snowcrest Jr. High, plus we got an awesome trophy for best costume.  Of course! :)  Brooklyn and Brody both ran a mile.  Well.....they both went a mile anyway.  Tom and Brody, and Brooklyn and I were teams. Our gym donated snow cones, and I think I had three all by myself!  Tom was a real sport, thanks BABE!!! Brooklyn was happy because she got to dress up, and I was happy because I had my whole family together, exercising, outside, in one of my favorite spots in the whole, wide, world!

"What's taking you so long Brody??"