BLOG: Everyday Family

Day Eleven. zzzziiiippppp lining!

2012-02-01T19:03:00.002-05:00

On the agenda for today is zip lining! You can't really come to Costa Rica and not at least attempt to zip line...seriously. We had to embrace the moment. A moment I was all too sure could be filled with a crying, terrified Claire, me shying away from the blatant displays of heights, OR even worse a line snapping in midair...Can that even happen?! Let's just say the closer we got to the actual event of zip lining the more nervous I became!

Closest to Ojochal, in the zip lining department, is Osa Canopy Tours. Osa Canopy Tours has 11 lines, one platform that requires you to rapel several stories, a monkey bridge, and a tarazan swing. They were quite sure that my just turned 5 year old would be more than fine and convinced me to come for the afternoon tour. So now that were sure she's going to love it...it just leaves me.

Since the zip tour wasn't until afternoon, we spent the morning at home. I took a hike up to the top of the hill that our house is on. The hike should have been lovely, but betwen thoughts on zip lining and even worse thoughts of what might be lying in the tall grass that I was wading through it was hard to soak up all the nature surrounding me.. I, of course imagined hairy tarantulas in every shady spot or then when the path turned to knee high grass I practically braced every step anticipating a bite from a deadly snake. I did manage to make it to a high point in the terrain where I stood among a patch of sensitivity plants and looked out at a river spilling into the sea.

The morning went by fast and before I knew it we were off to Osa Canopy Tours. The road to the top of Osa Mountain required 4 wheel drive, no question. And, I couldn't help but think if the road is this scary what are the zip lines going to be like. We geared up in our harnesses and helmets, and headed to the first platform. The first line is especially long. It requires a minimum weight to make it clear across and even I wasn't quite heavy enough. I immediately assume that my loving daughter Ella would tether up to me to zoom across. However, after one look at the line from her, she decided that my lack of confidence (she can see right through me) and inexperience wasn't going to fly with her. She chose going with a guide over me, which turned out to be a very good decision... Graham hitched up with me and we flew off to see what Ella, who had already left, thought of the ride. I was in charge of the break and after a zealous yank on the line from me, Graham and I fell short from the landing platform and had to be rescued by our guides. Don't worry, I didn't let that happen again. Graham ditched me after the first line, once we both saw how incredbily fun this trip was going to be. It was several more lines before we caught up to Ella and her guide Chris. Ella could have gone on the lines by herself...or with me...but after watching the fun her and Chris were having their was no doubt that she was sticking with him. Claire arrived with Eric on the zip lines with huge smiles on her face. We loved the entire thrilling trip! After zip lining on all the lines...sometimes even upside down, we went for a snack of smoothies and fresh fruit. At the lodge with the snack you can go on the tarzan swing! Ella was the first to jump up to do it while a few adults said no way to swinging into the horizon. And, as Ella swang, Claire immediately asked is she could go next, by herself! I was suprised but loved watching her confidently jump off and swing over the jungle! Zip lining turned out to be one of our FAVORITE moments in Costa Rica. If our budget was already blown, we would have gone for a second day of it, for sure!

After zip lining, we headed back to Ojochal. We decided to stop at a small local bar for dinner where we were surprised with some amazing gourmet food. A perfect way to end the day!

VIDEOS!

Day 10. El Pavone en la lluvia

2012-01-29T14:49:00.002-05:00

Day 10. The homebodies ruled today and asked to stay mostly at home...where are our adventurers!?! So we started the morning relaxing, walking to some bamboo for Graham to chop down for a project and did eventually convince the kids to at least go somewhere for lunch! I'm not sure they realized lunch was going to consist of catching our own fish, ordering in all spanish, hiking to waterfalls and getting more soaked by the pouring rain than the rushing river.

We headed to El Pavone Tilipia Farm. El Pavone is another all Tico family run buisness. The restaurant is located close by Tilipia ponds in the middle of the country side. You are given a fishing line and catch your own lunch. We had help fishing and after we had caught 5 or more fish, I started getting worried that the girls (who refuse to eat fish) were going to be eating fish. We found no one at El Pavone that spoke English--a challenge that I always enjoy! For my spanish speaking friends, I repeated several times: "Las ninas no nos gustamos la pescado. Pueden las ninas tener el pollo y papas fritas, por favor?" And, it worked they didn't have to starve but rather got chicken and fries with the traditional Costa Rican fry dip which appears to me to be a mixture of ketchup and mayo. I was suprised at how quickly my spanish came back to me. I was easily able to convey needs and thoughts but still had trouble with always understanding repsonses. We watched the owner cooking up our catch is his open air kitchen. He fried the fish in cast iron skillets over a wood burning stove. The plantains were hand mashed and then fried. Simple, simple. We enjoyed our meals tilipia, rice and beans, salad, plantains and Imperial (Costa Rican beer).

After lunch, as the rain began to pick up, we hiked to the waterfall that is located on the property of El Pavone. We were consistently amazed by the incredible works of nature around every bend in Costa Rica. Even the smallest, least desirable waterfall would have been turned into a State Park back in Indiana. And, yet, the countryside and peoples yards are full of wonders of nature in Costa Rica--it is just everyday here. El Pavone waterfall is a short hike down trails. The main feature is an overside boulder that is wedged between the sides of the waterfall. The kids were able to slide down the river from the rushing current. At one point, Ella struggled to come up and we were lucky to have some local costa ricans nearby to pull her up and prevent her from being really scared! We stayed for a short while before we packed our rain soaked belongings back up and headed home at the request of our homebodies.

Day 9. Spending the day on Don Lulo's farm

2012-01-29T10:23:00.004-05:00

Day 9.

Morning greeted us with the most amazing rainbow! We basked in it's hues while watching parrots dance and mingle in the sky.

Today we got to explore part of the Costa Rican countryside and a beautiful waterfall thanks to local farmer, Don Lulo and his wife Ruth.

To read about Don Lulo and the history of his farm, visit here. It is a story you won't regret reading!

Andres, one of Don Lulo's grandsons, met us to guide us on the trails past his grandfather's farm house to the great Nauyaca Waterfall. If you remember our last horse led trail ride, one horse ran away with Ella on top and another horse carried both me and Claire together. So I envisioned our family of 5 only needing 3 horses. Apparently, though, Andres in his expertise thought more confidently of my children than I did. And, because I wasn't quick enough to form the spanish sentence to explain that my girls might not want to ride by themselves, they were on horses and off despite their protests. Before the first turn on the trail, both girls were happily riding along, charmed by the jokes and smiles of Andres. Once again, I was so delighted that everywhere we went, locals seemed delighted by our children. Kids are happily welcomed and appropriately treated everywhere--something that speaks highly to me! The total trail covered is just over 12 kilometers with several breaks along the way. Our first stop was at the farm house where we enjoyed a Costa Rican breakfast. Included was, of course, hot coffee, fresh fruit, cheese with corn cakes, corn bread and pineapple juice! After we ate we visited some of Don Lulo's farm pets including some peacocks! Monkeys darted from tree tops down to left over bananas as well to the delight of my kids. After breakfast we continued on horse headed toward Nauyaca Waterfall. The trail was often times steep and always MUDDY! At times the horses sank to the middle of their legs. Claire became quite the rider leaning forward and back to help her horse up and down the trails. We each knew our horses names and their pecking order which made riding more authentic, unless you asks Graham who the entire ride tried to urge his horse to the front where it would immediately get passed once again. Eric rode Negro (black), I rode Santo (cut ear), Graham rode Colbri (hummingbird), Ella rode cucaracha (cockroach). The waterfall was quite amazing! It is a group of two different waterfalls, the first one falling about 65 feet and the second one 150 feet. Eric and I both swam to the base of the 150 foot waterfall to feel the pounding water. Andres was happy to show off his dare devil techniques and dove off from the top. After swimming and sunning, we let the horses lead the way back to the farm house where we were going to have lunch. Lunch again was a costa rican meal with rice, beans, plantains, chicken and salad and more of the refreshing pineapple juice. After lunch and conversation, we headed back to the start of the trail. The horses must have been happy to be done with their burden for the day and took off for a gallop on the last half of the trail. Santo being an eager leader led the way and got me to the stables a good 5 minutes before the rest of the family.
Once we hit the road again, we stopped at one of the many road side fruit stands. We got an amazing amount of fruit, some we didn't even know what it was, for about $5 US dollars. We drove through Dominical and Uvita and made a quick stop for a pipa fria and ice cold coca cola! The coca cola was immensly enjoyed by us all. The pipa fria was enjoyed by no one and quickly was tossed from the window for nature to enjoy or compost! One last stop at the Carniceria or butcher to pick up some chirizo for dinner and then home to swim, relax and enjoy the quiet. The hills filled with clouds below us and the day ended with another stunning sunset.

To see ALL the photos of the day, click here!

Day OCHO. Another day another beach!

2012-01-27T19:05:00.003-05:00

day 8

I absolutely love waking up with the sun each morning! And, even better when I sneak out before the kids stir. So with my beloved cup of coffee in hand, I go outside to of course chase the birds with the eyes.

We've decided we must be aging by the minute. We sit around all morning sipping coffee and hoping to catch a glimpse of the next exotic bird on our bird guide! Hours later....well maybe not hours, but minutes later the kids slap us out of our glazed eye state! Mother nature can be so mesmerizing.

Breakfast consisted of leftover pizza from mama y papas topped with a fresh cooked egg from home. Last night's power outage and late stay at the beach led us to dining out. We happened on mama y papas and enjoyed the Italian pizza. A perfect breakfast and dinner! After breakfast the kids swam while Eric ventured out of the 4 wheeler that came with the house we rented. He had wanted me to take it to the gas station to fill it up because it was almost empty, AND we didn't have any idea where a gas station was, AND because I "speak" Spanish and he doesn't.....I turned down the offer. I mean as much fun as being stranded in the middle of nowhere might be...the pool, a book and 3 wild kids seemed more tempting.

He did arrive back. And, it was only 5 minutes later than the allotted time window we set. After the time was past, I was suppose to go on a search and rescue mission in the car--with the 3 wild kids.

Once we were all set at home we decided to go to Marino Ballena National Park Beach. Can you believe we had to make our kids go to the beach? Next time we are voting them off the island...or vacation... This time we bribed them with icecream or icys, whichever we could actually find!

Marino Ballena is home to the amazing whale's tail. It is a sandbar that at low tide extends one kilometer into the sea connecting the beach to a rocky formation giving you a sense of walking on water an amazing panoramic view of the Marino Ballena area. And, even more amazing is that the whale's tail seemed to vanish when effects of the Japan earthquake and tsunami hit costa rica. Marino Ballena National Park has several entrances to many different beaches. Our first stop led us to a rocky beach and no sand bar so we headed on. Next stop-success!

So, if the kids weren't happy going to the beach they probably weren't going to be thrilled with the 3 mile walk down the beach to make it to the end of the whale's tail. But, being the cruel parent's we are, we herded them along, warning them the tide might be coming in stranding up in the middle of the ocean. Somehow the complaints disappeared once we got to the beach and all we heard were laughing, happy children eager to discover the next best nature find!

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TO SEE LOTS MORE PHOTOS, CLICK HERE :)

Day 7. We made it to the casa in Ojochal and now we chill

2012-01-26T21:58:00.004-05:00

So we made it to Ojochal and up the numerous winding dirt roads (4x4 needed) to our casa in the hills of Ojochal. Upon arrival, we dropped the suitcases in the bedrooms, made a run to the grocery store to cook some pasta for dinner, jumped in the pool and went to bed...well, at the least the kids went right to bed. As soon as they were asleep, for just a bit of torture, eric and I ventured outside to scavenge the yard for creepy crawlies. We successfully, without any effort, spotted a tree frog, lots of creepy spiders, too many geckos to count, and a larger than life sized toad. When the mosquitoes started swarming a bit too much, we joined the kids in sleep wondering what birds and animals might be our wake up call in the morning.

The morning, which is around 5:30 or 6 AM in Costa Rica, greeted us with the bright sun, holler monkeys in the distance, and squawks from toucans and bright green parrots. The binoculars proved to be the coveted item of the morning as we all became instant bird watchers. We spent the morning being lazy sipping Costa rican coffee, swimming and bird watching. Around lunch time, the kids dug out the watercolor and art supplies(so easy, small and light to pack!!!) and set to work. Art time as journaling is always one of my favorite family activities on vacation. I love to see the vacation memories my kids choose to document, see the skills as artist change and enjoy creating together.

The kids, again homebodies, were quite content to stay at the casa and swim, snack and play. Eventually, however, the adults curiosity of what adventure might await made venturing out a requirement. So we packed the car with beach attire and little else and headed down the hills of Ojochal to the coast. We landed at Ventana Beach. A beach with a huge, flat shoreline with dark, smooth sand. The name Ventana in Spanish means windows, and that is just what this beach has. The ocean in it's mighty power has craved large caves in the rock walls that border the beach. The caves are the perfect frame for the tide and ocean that rushes in to the screams and laughter of the kids. We enjoyed the late golden sun while playing in the waves, walking down the shore, and searching for sea animals. Near the point where we were turning around to walk back a group of white faced monkeys-monos-greeted us from the tree tops. They swung, and ate and watched us just as we watched them. A perfect nature encounter to end our day. We headed back to the casa for dinner, the sunset and dreams of tomorrow. OH, and a power outage...yay, we get to be local and experience just as they--candle light to watch the sunset.

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TO SEE MORE PHOTOS! CLICK HERE

The drive from Bijagua to Ojochal

2012-01-26T21:33:00.002-05:00

The drive from Bijagua to Ojochal took about 5 hours. A beautiful five hours of driving through the Costa Rican countryside toward the coast where we drove by miles and miles of coconut farms with glimpes of the Pacific Ocean often enough to keep us wanting more. A few abrupt stops including the removal of one EXTRA LARGE AND FURRY spider, and a certain bridge that had a gang of CROCODILES which Graham wanted to join.

Day 6. One of the family at Casita Tenorio

2012-01-22T21:06:00.003-05:00

Day Six.

After a nice night of sleep listening to rain, we woke to the sun shining at Casita Tenorio. The kids wandered out of the casita to see what Donald, Pippa and Kira (our host family) might be up to. They were excited to see the piglets, cows, horses, breakfast and maybe even a sloth or monkey! We went exploring throughout the farm. Ella again reminded me that I was the one who forgot to pack her pants and that she was cold! The girl never misses an opportunity..sigh. The kids, now experts, with the binoculars and sighting animals did indeed find 2 sloths sleeping high in the trees on the farm. Even with my noisy children, the slow moving sloths proved their slowness and didn't budge from the furry mound in the tree. When the kids had had their fill of exploring we headed back to the cocina for breakfast. Donald and Pippa had prepared the most delicious breakfast for us. We ate fresh fruit including papaya that tasted so fresh and delicious, I had to inquire what kind of fruit it was. Next we all shared pinto gallo, fried cheese, plantains and homemade sour cream that has left me wanting more! After breakfast was finished we relaxed while watching birds and butterflies before we headed out to the barn to help with the milking of the cow. The kids all went right to work milking the cow and demonstrating just how good of farm hands they would be. We heard the story of the birth of the baby cow and the kids decided the calf should be named LUCKY! We chatted with Donald and Pippa while playing with the baby piglets and while Graham eyed all of the machetes being used on the farm. Shortly after our farm time, we had to pack our car for our long drive to our next destination--Ojochal on the Pacific shore. Our time at Casita Tenorio was much too short. We loved hearing stories from Pippa and Donald. Graham still mentions the eagle rescue that Donald was involved in. Such an amazing treat to be in rural costa rica with a family that cares about their community, earth and humanity. And, while the new calf and mama cow were the onesthe kids thought were lucky, it was really us who were lucky! Lucky indeed!

To See MORE photos from the day, CLICK HERE

Day 5. Rio Celeste Hike at Tenorio National Park

2012-01-22T10:03:00.005-05:00

Day 5.

We woke up as usual and packed up to head to our next destination. A destination that I, in particular, was especially excited about visiting! Rio Celeste in the Tenorio Volcano area. But, before we could start our road trip there, we ate our last breakfast at Rancho Margot, had our last turn with the hula hoops and said goodbye to our favorites at the ranch. So, in true vacation style, we lounged around a bit too long which proved to make the rest of our day a bit rushed.

The drive to Bijagua, the town where we were to stay with Donald and Pippa at Casitas Tenorio. The 2 hour drive proved to be stunning just as all of Costa Rica is-rural roads filled with one lane bridges, fields, mountains, flora and fauna. And, while GPS, did generally help, it often took driving down a road to see if it seemed right according to the GPS map rather than being able to drive as directed. They say getting there is half the fun and that has never been wrong thus far!

Once we found our way to Bijagua, we headed to Casitas Tenorio to meet Jorge, Donald's brother, to go our on hike to see Rio Celeste. Once we picked Jorge up, we stopped for comida rapida, fast food....or rather slowish food. At the restaurant, Graham was able to see Blue Jeans Poison Dart Frogs!! Definitely on his list of must sees! We ate Casado---a typical Costa Rican meal consisting of rice, beans, salad, veggies or meat, plantains and tortillas. I had casado de pescado. After eating (have to have energy for those kids to hike) we headed to Tenorio National Park. On the way, we stopped when we sighted Congo Monkeys with babies! Such fun to watch the babies being carried on bellies and backs! Then we headed to the trail head for a late start to our hike! The hike was about 7K roundtrip with about 160 meters of elevation gain (although lots of UPS and DOWNS, so probably climbing much more than that) and M-U-D-D-Y! I'm not sure what kind of shoes are best for this hike, but certianly nothing that can't get wet and muddy. Claire, our 5 year that either acts like a teenager or baby rendered her legs unable to move. So, I, the lucky winner carried her the entire 7K hike. The weather although not hot was humid! The hike pace set by Jorge was quick because we started late! So between rainfall, mud, stickyness, and sweat from carrying Claire-one might not have wanted to hike right by me! Our first stop and view of the magnificent blue color was at the azul laguna-Blue Lagoon! The water was unbeilevable! It looked like it came right out of a Disney movie! We went further down the hike to see the bubbling hot springs, the mirador and theTeñiderios. This is where the confluence of two streams creates the blue water found in the Rio Celeste! One stream is high in sulfur and the other is high in metals including copper. They’re both relatively clear and colorless, but when they meet copper sulfate - a blue or blue-green compound – forms. Amazing!! After we spent some time looking at flowers, lizards, and the river. We hiked back towards the start to see the rio celeste waterfall! Again, a must see!

After a rewarding hike, we headed back to Donald and Pippa's to take a shower and get some dinner before crashing in bed and sleeping to the sound of heavy rainfall...

To see all the photos of the day, click here

And a short VIDEO! :)

Day 4. More around the Ranch and lots of creepy crawlies

2012-01-21T16:34:00.004-05:00

Rancho Margot, Day four.

Well, Eric got smart after he watched me happily skipping off to Yoga yesterday. Today, the bike snob, rented a HUFFY, to go pedal around the mountains. He came back quite proud of the challenge of not riding with clip less pedals and covered in what had to be volcanic ash mixed with dirt. He was ever so kind to arrive back just in time for me to jet off to yoga class again once more. After finding my zen in the rainforest we met for breakfast before learning the nitty gritty in and outs of the ranch. It was quite amazing to learn how the ranch uses nearly everything, produces its own energy and is self sustainable. We learned how the owner had reforested much of the area as it had once be used for grazing cattle. We learned that the location of the ranch borders the Children's Eternal Rainforest. What an amazing and inspiring lesson to be learned on how youth can change the world!! Now if they could just figure out a way to reduce the mosquito population that met us along the drizzle hike around the ranch.

After learning and soaking up the ranch we headed to the Serpentarium just up the long dirt road in El Castillo. The Serpentarium, Arenal Eco Zoo, was one of Graham's favorites from our whole trip in Costa Rica. Victor, our guide, commented almost immediately, on how impressive Graham was with his knowledge of animals, snakes and bugs. And, from that point on, Graham and Victor's passion for snakes seemd to rub off on all of us.

After a long visit to the serpentarium we headed back to Rancho Margot to swim in their hot pool, to relax in our cabina and to get ready for new year's eve! The swim was nice but COLD when we realized we only had 2 towels for the 5 people in our family. Guess who didn't get a towel... The relaxing at the cabina was just what we needed. Fleeting thoughts of hikes or hanging bridges passed our thoughts but with kids who are homebodies at home you can't expect much different on vacation.

And part of our relaxing included listening to the call of the Montezuma bird! The most lovely call we've ever heard! We went on a scavenger hunt just to find out what was making the noise of this magnificent bird! LISTEN!

Day 3. Eco Termales

2012-01-20T19:32:00.002-05:00

ahhhhh...eco termales.....

We left Rancho Margot to head to the natural hot springs in La Fortuna, Costa Rica. The hot springs naturally occur thanks to Arenal Volcano. Eco Termales was just right. They had multiple pools with different temperatures water in each. They had a cold pool as well to cool off in between dips. The natural minerals and heat are soothing, healing and feel amazing. Because we went mid day Eco Termales was not crowded at all. We were able to splash, sip smoothies and play all we wanted! A not to miss activity in Costa Rica!

And, since we were already in town, the girls insisted we couldn't NOT shop...

Day 3. Doing Rancho Margot

2012-01-20T00:03:00.005-05:00

Rancho Margot.

This sustainable, organic ranch is located in just about the middle of nowhere. It is on the shores of Lake Arenal with a backdrop of the stunning and powerful Arenal Volcano. A visit to the ranch can include as little or as much as you desire. The community does join for meals with a delicious buffet of foods to choose from. We stayed in one of the cabinas on the farm. It was located high up in the hills, meaning a nice long uphill walk through lush vegetation while viewing birds, animals and flora along the way.

One must remember that a visit to a RAIN forest, might include....RAIN. So, unlike me, it might be wise to pack a light rain jacket and maybe even long pants and long sleeves. If you choose not to (AKA have to forget to pack something), take it from me, you will hear about it, and probably many more times than just once from at least one small child.

For our first morning on the ranch, the family and I decided to split ways. I mean, really, we'd seen enough of each other by just by the time stuck together on the flights. So when the chance of going to yoga-yoga outside in the rain forest, next to river, presented itself to me, I didn't hesitate much. While I was out in nature gaining inner peace, Eric and the kids headed to farming duties where they helped to milk the cows. Ella flat out refused to do any milking as "that would be gross to touch a cow's boobs." So after city girl met the country, we reconvened for breakfast which included lots of pinto gallo, cafe, fresh yogurt and fruit, much of it productos del rancho! Delicious!

After breakfast, and of course, a little hula hooping....what, you seemed confused....just watch the video....we made a last minute decision to go on a horseback ride up into the hills to a mirador (lookout point).

We met up with Allejandro, our guide for the ride. Allejandro was nearly smitten with our kiddos, or at least he acted like he was, which of course made me smitten with him as well. In addition to charming all three of our kids, he also let me practice my Spanish on him, and even without laughing at my expense. Claire, my horse lover, decided these horses seemed a bit too big and scary choose to share my saddle instead of her own. So we set off! The trail ride gave us encounters with birds and our first sightings of monos! The Holler monkeys were high up in trees and not making much noise but were still a treat none the less. On the later half of the ride, the horses must have known they were nearly done working and picked up the pace. And, in Ella's case, a bit too dramatically. A runaway galloping horse wasn't her idea of a great vacation memory. And, when her horse finally obeyed her reins she exited her saddle for the safety of Allejandro's. We did all arrive back at the horse barn with smiles on our face so I would say it was a success!

To see LOTS MORE photos, CLICK HERE

Following our horse tour of the countryside we headed to a natural hot spring to soak our now numb hindends. That is up next!

Day 2. Sunshine. Rental Cars and long winding roads.

2012-01-16T22:39:00.002-05:00

7:30AM
We wake to the beautiful SUNSHINE!
We go to check for the arrival of our rental car.
No car.
We have a delightful breakfast in our hotel. I have the Tico breakfast which includes rice, beans, 2 eggs, a sausage and tortillas.
No car.
I take a COLD (no hot water!) shower that is very quick.
No car. A phone call that informs us they are waiting on the autopart store to open to buy a crucial part for our car. No worries. They'll fix it and deliver it as soon as they can.
We decide to enjoy the sun and go for a swim in the pool.
ahhhhhh....sun.....
We go back to our room and wait for our car.
Success- the car finally arrives!
After MANY many attempts to charge our credit car for the car and several phones calls we finally have keys in hand, gps turned on and luggage stowed.

11:00AM
Start our journey to Rancho Margot located near Lake Arenal and the Arenal volcano!
The journey through Costa Rica is stunning to say the least.
We pass sugar cane.
And fields of coffee beans.
Bannans and pineapples growing as well.
We drive through hot and arrid regions.
We stop in San Ramon.
We, most embarrassingly, eat at Taco Bell. Taco Bell isn't the same as Taco Bell in Indiana. And, in our defense, Ella ate NADA yesterday. She eats Taco Bell. Happy kids=happy parents....
We search for the needed SIM card for my unlocked Iphone.
We stop not once or twice to ask for directions but at least 4 or 5 times.
I use preschool level spanish and charades as needed to communicate.
We find the ICE store where I can get my SIM card.
For 2500 colones, or 5 dollars we are on our way with a working cell phone.

We drive through the Costa Rican countryside.
We go over numerous one lane bridges.
We are passed by tour busses.
We are passed by motorbikes.
We pass fruit stand after fruit stand.

We drive through a nearly icy cloud forest.
It is almost magical, like a fairytale.
Los Angeles Cloud Forest.
We stick our hands out the windows to feel the clouds as we drive by.
We watch the cows standing in clouds.
We close the car windows to warm up.

We welcome the return of the sun on the other side of the cloud forest.
We screech to a hault as Graham jumps from the car.
Running across the "highway" to see an iguana.

We wonder if our GPS is really leading us in the right direction.

We drive.

We finally arrive in La Fortuna, Costa Rica!
Now where is Rancho Margot?
Oh Dear...
FORTY-FIVE more minutes.
We drive.
We drive down dirt roads.

We hear Graham scream to stop.
He see a coati.
We meet a coati named Charlie.
Charlie lives at the Arenal national Park
We take appropriate photographs.

We drive until we see Rancho Margot!
We sigh. We made it.

Destination Costa Rica. Day One.

2012-01-16T21:24:00.003-05:00

The start of the trip

8:30 AM
Weather looks cooperative--No blizzard, no ice storm, no travel mishaps...
We drive the 3 hour drive to O'Hare.
We depart from Chicago on AeroMexico
We enjoy the 4 hour flight.
We watch onboard movies.
We eat tasteless, but free, airplane food
We drink Coronas--free as well.

We stop for a layover in Mexico City.
We go through immigration and get our passports stamped.
We wait on luggage.
We get nervous.
We stumble over our spanish vocabulary hoping to find slow luggage.
Luggage finally appears.
We rush through customs and onward to our gate.

Eric lets the girls go to the bathrooms unattended.
(I mean really....minutes until our plane departs. The girls speak NO spanish. The airport authorities speak NO english. A major international airport. They are FIVE and EIGHT....Clearly, I am a better parent....)

We depart Mexico City onwards to Costa Rica.
We enjoy another 2 1/2 hour flight.
We eat tasteless food and drink free beer.

We ARRIVE in Costa Rica.
It's now 1AM Indiana Time.
The kids are now overtired.
We go through our second round of immigrations and customs.

Head to Adventure Inn.
We go to sleep around 3 AM Indiana time after a snack of pringles and sodas...yum?

Costa Rica ART, by Graham 2012

2012-01-15T19:01:00.002-05:00

claire and the monkey bars

2011-06-23T15:47:00.002-04:00

Rekindling the {dinnertime love}

2011-05-15T21:38:00.004-04:00

It happened to me. Somewhere along the road of life, between needy children and picky palettes I stopped cooking. Well not really, we still gathered every evening at the dinner table. Food was served, conversations had. The meals could be summed up with the phrase that my oldest uttered upon approaching the table..."Why do we have to have something so simple again?" Trader Joes made convenience foods seem healthy. Picking up our favorite Thai made busy evenings progress with ease.

The sad part for me was that I *use* to enjoy, or rather love cooking. I would scan magazine and cookbooks coming up with the latest trend I was going to cook. I would happily invite family and friends over for holidays and everyday meals.

So one day, I decide I was ready for something better. I committed to making dinner EVERY NIGHT for one whole month. Making dinners that involved only ingredients, from scratch, made with love. No more jars of marinara, bags of salad, or frozen prepared dinners. I took requests. I tried new recipes. I welcomed extra hands in the kitchen. I baked, grilled, sauteed, pureed, and probably gained an extra five pounds. The 30 days has ended, and I have a couple of minor burns to prove the success. A reminder that dinner after having 3 kids is still possible, and challenges are good for me. So what should I try next? I'm ready for suggestions!

To see the WHOLE 30 days (plus more!) of what EVERDAY FAMILY ate click here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32914088@N02/sets/72157626113193927/

day 10. our last full day

2011-03-10T12:09:00.002-05:00

day 10.

last full day on the island. a slow, relaxing morning. coffee for some, sleeping in for others, making sun prints, and reading books.

We then headed out for a day of beaches. Must pick up our art pieces so headed to the north shore.

Fun along the way. I think we should spruce up some signs back home.

First Maho Bay (for the art stuff)

Then off to the next beach with a quick stop to try some Tamarind, right off the tree. Wish I could say I liked it, but uhmm, not really....goey, sweet, yet sour.

Jumbie Beach Next!

And, then ending at Trunk Bay. Most people seem to leave Trunk Bay by mid-late afternoon which means if you arrive then, you have the beach to yourself!

Then graham, ella and eric went on the snorkel trail. Fun signage underwater along the way.

All while they snorkel, Claire and I played on the beach:

Then we packed it up to head back to the tent.

TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE DAY CLICK HERE

Day 9. The Clinic followed by Art and fish at Maho Bay

2011-03-07T21:49:00.003-05:00

Day nine.

The night was LONG, very long. Claire again was burning with fever and awake much of the night. The decision was made to head first thing to the St John Medical Clinic and hopefully get seen by a doctor before our first art class of the day at Maho Bay, something the kids were looking forward to.

Graham, after doing a chunk of school work while waiting at the clinic, took over my camera and documented the morning:

Following photos by Graham.

We left with yet another prescription-no medicine at the clinic-and a diagnosis of strep throat, again. and, as long as we didn't have any goat or donkey hold ups we were going to just make it in time for our first class. Clay Fish.

Graham thought the bananaquit birds were better than class. The artist leading the class were happy to oblige his interest. They gave him a handful of sugar and told him to put it in the feeder and wait.

Eric had made the trek to the pharmacy while we were in art class and wasn't back by the end of the class. We headed to the beach at Maho Bay. Could have used his help carrying stuff. A sick Claire and stuff is heavy especially with Maho Bay stairs!

Eric did appear just about the time we got settled in at the beach. He and Graham did a lot of snorkeling! Ella snuck in a turn too!! A Day at the beach is always good!

Underwater photos from the trip: lots of them by graham

After the beach, it was time for glass blowing class!!

Then DINNER ! Worn out from the day the Tourist Trap near Concorida was too tempting to pass up. The BEST part was watching Graham and Ella play Rock Em Sock Em.

Tomorrow is our last full day :( on the island.

TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE DAY CLICK HERE! :)

day 8: here comes another one of the great days!

2011-03-04T23:05:00.008-05:00

the start of day eight.

lovely, peaceful morning. wake with sun approximatley 6:15 am (7:15 EST)

claire had a HOT fever all night long. hoping she wakes up miraculously better because we have plans for the day. no lounging like yesterday.

around 8:30 we head out, all packed up to start our day with the national park service water's edge hike program at Leinster Bay

11:00ish the kids had a great time exploring the ocean. graham of course charmed the other guests that had joined up by showing up the naturalist with additional ocean life facts.

head to lunch and to the NPS headquarters in the main town area of the island-Cruz Bay

1:00 Head back to the east end of the island to hike to Waterlemon Bay. Arrive, park and hike the short one mile (that felt like 10 with the kids) hike to waterlemon. Plan is to snorkle lots and build sandcastles. Claire still not feeling well.

and while me and the girls continued to play in the sand.

graham did this.

He got out of the water and exclaimed that "I am NEVER washing the hand again that touched the turtle!" For some it is famous people or politicians for him it is an animal.

After enjoying the last of the sun, we hiked back to the car. Just a note, but while carrying sick Claire and lots of beach stuff we really didn't need, the hike required some pilates breathing and ended with atrophied (is that a word) muscles. BUT, it was all worth it to see the joy on his face that came from meeting a sea turtle.

We ended the day with this.

dinner, journaling and bed 6:45 (7:45 EST)

TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM THE DAY, CLICK HERE

day 7 in Ella's words

2011-03-03T21:48:00.002-05:00

Excert from Ella's Journal:

"Today we didn't do to much. We just hung around. We did go to the pool (fun!!!) and I got a stuffed mermaid from the store. It is very pretty. Also we went geocaching! The first geocache someone ended up helping us and we found it. The second geocaching time was exciting because *I* found it! And, the last geocaching time was scarey because me and mom had to climb up a mountain with catcus and unfortunately we never fround the treasure! My FAVORITE part today was the Geocaching!!!"

*just a couple of mom added notes

--yesterday's post failed to mention and end of day stop at the PHARMACY AGAIN, for the allergic reaction Ella is having to sunscreen
--and now today, CLAIRE is sick with a FEVER and miserable! Will we ever all be well at the same time??
--geocaching while fun, was a bit trying. Each Anderson Child felt the need to be the expert GPS user and noone wanted the other to find the treasure. Once the treasure was found, fights over what to leave and what to take ensued.
--at the caches we found we left a calling card with lots of minutes left, a chicago transit authority card with about 7.50 left in fares, bandaides, and batteries.

More photos of the day can be viewed here!

day seven with the wayward sailor

2011-03-01T16:36:00.004-05:00

When we set up our St John trip we decided on one extra splurge: a full day on a chartered boat with sailing and snorkeling! We booked our trip with Captain Phil on the Wayward Sailor. Of course we booked before we knew anyone was going to be sick. And, once we started falling like flies, we tried to reschedule. And, when that wouldn't work, we crossed our fingers and carried on as if we were well. Then the day arrived and amazingly noone seemed all that sick!

We met Captain Phil in Cruz Bay. He was just as any captain should be--full of stories, educator of the sea, skin browned from the sun and very welcoming of our brood. We boarded his sailboat, made ourselves comfy and talked with Tarn--his crew! Tarn was as endearing as Captain Phil. Reading books to Claire, winning over Ella with homemade Brownies, and generally organizing, and keeping track of all the junk we just had to have with us.

We snorkled at two different locations. Sailed the seas. And, had a delicious lunch! I was too busy eating it to take any photos...hard to believe I know! But, never fear, you can make your own version...not sure how you'll get that salt air and warm sun ambience though.

Seafood Sandwich

Chop and combine in bowl: (equal amounts of each)
crab meat
red pepper
green pepper
celery
onion
Right before serving mix in:
sour cream (golf ball size)
mayo (just a little for consistency)
garlic n herbs (available from St. John Spice) - 2 tbs
splash of Italian dressing
fresh squeeze of lime
Serve sandwich mix on toasted multi-grain garlic bread.

Coleslaw

Chop and combine in bowl: (equal amounts of each)
purple cabbage
green cabbage - chopped finely
grated carrots
raisins - handful
Dressing - In a separate bowl combine:
Mayo (golf ball size)
balsamic vinegar - enough to make a runny consistency
sugar (2 tsp)
Mix in dressing and store in cooler.
Ready to serve.

Graham said the snorkel trip was one of the top best things he has ever done in his entire life. And, with a comment like that we can't help but be happy with our choice of splurges for the trip! wayward sailor website

TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE DAY CLICK HERE

And, a short video of the sail home:

day 6: Lameshur Beach and the wild things

2011-02-24T12:40:00.003-05:00

Lions and Tigers and bears OH MY…we’ll kind of! Today turned out to be animal discovery day for the kids!

We woke up to another beautiful (duh!) day on the island. The kids had been waiting to do some art and so we took the pencils, brushes, and paints outside to paint and be inspired by the landscape! What a treat to sit outside, listen to the waves, need sunscreen, and create to our heart's delight.

You can see more of the kids art here: LINK

After we finished up (used all the paper and paint up) our art, we headed out to the south east end of the island to Lameshur Beach. Lameshur beach like most beaches on the island are part of the Virgin Islands National Park. On the way through deeply rutted dirt and rock roads we spied quite a few Mongoose! Graham had his heart set on seeing this small furry animal, so he nearly jumped from the car while we were still moving to try and capture a closer look. He ran through the catcus and shrubbery with his camera in hand. Lucky for him, and unlucky for the rest of us, since he scared everything away, he got his photo!

At the beach Graham snorkeled with Eric while the girls and I played on the shore. Ella and Claire sat at the waves edge and let the small waves crash over them while screaming and laughing. We also built sand volcanoes and sand castles. I will never ever tire, no matter the age of my kids, of hanging out on the beach and playing together. My kind of bliss.

After the beach we headed into Cruz Bay to search for iguanas. After all no trip to the Caribbean would be complete with outseeing lizards and chickens. Of course, in no time we discovered a stream with trees that were coverd in large iguanas. The kids all took pictures and watched the creatures.

Finally we headed back to the remote location of our tent. On the way we happened on a spot where we could actually stop and see some of the wild donkeys. And, while these donkeys are truly wild they have certainly been tamed by people offering snacks from their car windows. The kids fed them our leftover lunch while I of course took some photos.

Back home we noticed that Ella had what at first I thought was sunburn. Upon inspection, we decided that it was more likely an allergic reaction. Just how many times are we going to have to call a doctor or travel to the pharmacy? She took a nice long, hot shower, in the solar shower and afterwards I smeared aloe from a plant I found outside on her rash. I think she’ll survive…hopefully even without a trip for medical advice. Beginning to wonder if we’ll have a day ailment free!

MORE photos from the day can been seen here~ LINK

2.5.2011

2011-02-22T17:10:00.003-05:00

Goals for today:

Get medicine
Explore new beaches
Soak up the sun

So instead of heading to the pharmacy for just Graham, I threw in the flag for myself as well. The sore throat and headache I have been fighting the last couple of days has turned into raw infected blisters all down the back of my throat. And, even though I am not feeling top notch, the warm breeze, blue skies and bright sun certainly keep the smile on my face! Because the medicine isn't due to arrive until mid day, we decided to head in the direction of the pharmacy and hang out on a beach first. We landed at Hawksnest Bay! Hawksnest Bay was slightly more populated than Salt Pond Bay but still loads of room to run and play all by ourselves. The girls and I made sand hopscotch. We built sand castles. We layed out on towels and "sun burned" per Ella's request. Graham searched for sea animals and crabs. After a couple of hours at the beach we packed up to head to Chelsea's pharmacy in Cruz Bay. We decided to stop for some groceries as well and went right into the Star Fish Market. Talk about STICKER SHOCK! Strawberries were $12.00. A loaf of French Bread-$6.00. Bacon--$9.00. After getting groceries, snacking for the kids, and the much needed medicine we headed back across the island. The golden afternoon light streaming in from the seashore was too much to resist. One last beach stop at Trunk Bay! It was late afternoon at this point and most beach goers had already left for the day! We bathed ourselves in the golden light and enjoyed an end of day swim in the ocean. Tons of fish swarmed around our feet! Claire wasn't so sure about getting "bit by a fish" and retreated to the safety of her (sand) castle pronto! After another stay on the beach we headed back to Concordia to fix a simple dinner and to watch the sun set from our tent. Bliss.

TO SEE MORE PHOTOS FROM THE DAY GO TO FLICKR: click here

everytime I watch him watch animals, bugs and nature

2011-02-21T11:10:00.003-05:00

I imagine him all grown up sharing his love of animals with others...maybe a naturalist, a park ranger..a survivor man of sorts. No matter, whatever it is when the time comes I hope he loves doing it as much as he loves nature and wildlife at right this moment.

The wonder of nature brings out a completely different side of him. It is his calm, his peace, his grounding factor. He stops tormenting his sisters, stops thinking about TV, or bathroom humor, or something his friends did that maybe he thinks is funnier than I do. And, it isn't just me who notices...strangers stop to ask him questions, they smile at his confidence and gentleness.

Yes, may life always give you something that brings you calm and peace and may you never stop sharing it with others.

video compliments of graham

2011-02-21T11:09:00.000-05:00

living hillside of decomposers

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lots of crabs--everywhere!!

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hermit crab races

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tent at night=millions and millions of stars

2011-02-19T13:12:00.001-05:00

We were even lucky enough to see shooting stars streaking across the sky!

eco tent vs swiss family robison: story in photos

2011-02-19T13:10:00.001-05:00

welcome to concorida

2011-02-19T13:07:00.003-05:00

from the ocean

2011-02-19T13:07:00.001-05:00

hillside--we are lowest tent

2011-02-19T13:06:00.009-05:00

catcus

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view!

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hillside

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tree tent logo

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our tent location

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eco info

2011-02-19T13:04:00.006-05:00

graham and claire

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up the ladder to the other bed room

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kitchen with breakfast mess

2011-02-19T13:04:00.001-05:00

propane stove, 9-volt fridge, sink that drains to gray water cisterns

eco info

2011-02-19T13:03:00.002-05:00

downstairs beds

2011-02-19T13:03:00.001-05:00

girls playing in loft

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graham filling solar show barrel

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note the hose with spray nozel--that was the "shower"

power for the tent--solar!

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golden light from tent

2011-02-19T13:01:00.003-05:00

claire and eric on one of the boardwalks

2011-02-19T13:01:00.001-05:00

eco tent solar shower straight ahead

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inside tent view

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rainbow from tent

2011-02-19T13:00:00.001-05:00

2011-02-04T17:41:00.001-05:00

Feb 4th This feels like day one of vacation except…

I’m starting to feel unlucky! Yesterday, Graham clearly didn’t feel so well. Today, he felt even worse. Chills, headache, sick! I am thinking it is looking like strep throat again! So with no cell reception, I had to go searching for a way to call the doctor for help. After buying a phone card to make long distance calls, and finding an emergency use phone, I called the pediatrician back home. They refused to call in any prescription and told me to go to a local minute clinic. Clearly, they haven’t visited St John before, because there are no minute clinics, no mcdonalds, no targets, nothing chain. That is one reason we were drawn here! So we gave one last try and called the minute clinic in Indianapolis that had treated Graham for strep throat and a sinus infection 10 days ago. AND, they were happy to help!! The pharmacy here has to get the medication shipped over and it will be here in the morning. Hoping a light dose of sun will help as well!
So the plans for the day including lots of hanging out together , relaxing. We did manage to walk to Salt Pond Bay which you can see from our tent. We swam, made sand castles, and looked for lizards. Back at the tree house, we played crazy eights, read books and the favorite of the day was surely the hermit crab fun! The hermit crabs, or rather Solider Crabs, as they call them around here are EVERYWHERE! Hundereds and thousands crawling on the hillside. The kids put out coffee grounds, which turned out to clearly be like crack for crabs. Within a few short minutes crabs started coming out of everywhere! The kids of course captured a few to name and call one of our family. I’m sure crab races and more are to come. You think we could eat them for dinner?
One last thing, Graham wanted me to make sure to mention. We woke up to find a scorpion in our bed! Sounds scary. But, besides it being a bug and therefore yucky, these scorpions won’t kill you. If you get stung, it will feel like an intense bee sting. The worst part of it all was that we apparently “let” it escape so Graham couldn’t keep it as a pet. Last trip he brought one back on the airplane. Maybe it will be In his bed next time!!

Check Flickr for photos! Look for link below!

february 3rd

2011-02-04T17:39:00.001-05:00

February 3rd We made it!!

Two kids with cases of strep throat, an ice storm, a blizzard, an airport that was all but closed—all in the week before our planned trip to St John. Clearly, a vacation isn’t worth missing in our book.
So why St John? Well lots of little reasons really:
US owned so no need for a passport
Majority of the Island is owned by the National Parks
We found a great deal on airfare and the perfect accommodations
But to be honest, I was and am a bit nervous to come to St John. Most of you know about our love affair with the tiny island off of Puerto Rico, called Vieques. We’ve visited the island 3 times. The first time was our honeymoon and then twice more with the kids. What if we come to St John and then realize that the island that feels so much like home, isn’t as great as we thought.
Travel day came and luckily everything worked out! One of the ONLY flights to leave Chicago after the blg blizzard. A lovely ferry ride across the ocean to the tiny island of St John. We ate dinner at a local restaurant, The Fish Trap and drove 45 minutes across the tiny island to Concordia. Now friends, if you thought we were a bit like Swiss Family Robinson (which I was flattered at the thought,really) then upon seeing our accommodations you will have no doubt! I’ll share more later, but it is truly a tree house on the side of a hill overlooking the ocean. Bliss for us! Tomorrow will be a day to relax and get a good dose of vitamin d!

day 2. stuck in the chicago blizzard

2011-02-02T21:08:00.002-05:00

Day 2 Same place, same stuff going on

Another day at Hotel fun for the Anderson family. We woke up to the aftermath of Blizzard 2011. You could only tell where parts of roads were by the cars that were abandoned, too stuck in snow to continue on to their destination. We really only had one choice for food-the hotel restaurant again! Fortunately for us, the Hyatt must not have a huge number of families just hanging out because without even asking they offered us a permanent 30% discount in their restaurant. And, later, gave us an access code for the WIFI in our room. And, really, surprisingly, no one seems too annoyed with our kids. Even the other guests in the fitness center smiled when all 4 of the treadmills were occupied by Andersons, most going a speed of 2 mph or less. Yes, to pass the time of an extended hotel stay we played in the fitness center, had escalator races, did in room, on demand Pilates (ella’s favorite was the “doing the mermaid position), read books, visited other floors and party rooms, watched the snow plows, danced to the iPod, and laughed and bickered…all together. And, one last thing—played in the snow of course!! Fresh air was in order. So we ventured out into the snow. Ella immediately climbed to the very top of a pile of plowed snow and declared that this was just like climbing Mount Everest. The kids slid down mounds, climbed back up. The licked icicles and threw snow balls. The sun was out, the blizzard had moved on. We began to have some hope that the St John flight might happen after all! 12 hours and counting until departure!! Please let the white outside be sand and not so cold this time tomorrow.

TO VIEW MORE PHOTOS FROM THE DAY:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/32914088@N02/sets/72157625839457467/

the start of our trip

2011-02-02T12:21:00.002-05:00

Day One or negative 1.5 (depending on how you look at it)

A day and a half early, the adventure to our next family vacation to St John, usvi began. With an early Thursday morning flight, and by early I mean the red eye, but instead of starting at the beginning of night it starts near the end, we had planned to stay in Chicago on Wednesday night. I was still blissfully ordering flip flops to be 2 day shipped when both facebook and the weather alerts started to draw my attention. And before I knew it ice storms and blizzard warnings were real and impending. I attempted to justify purchasing another set of tickets to get out of the Indy area and then catch the second leg of our flight in Florida. Spirit Airlines, turned down my kind offer of saving them the trouble of dealing with our family of 5 for half the flight and instead informed me that if I missed the first leg of my flight that all other legs would be cancelled- no exception. Continuing on with other options, we debated whether to leave immediately and drive in the already approaching sleet and freezing rain or wait until the blizzard was mostly past and attempt to drive at that point all while still hoping that our flight on Thursday wouldn’t be cancelled. Then when all options seemed to be futile, the thought of the train came to mind. The little train that could…or Amtrak. Besides riding the El train in Chicago, our kids have never had a train adventure. And, frankly, the El is much more closely related to the bus than an actual train, just in case you haven’t used it. So we booked tickets-cheap! Booked a priceline hotel-cheap again and threw our suitcases together before heading to bed for a few short hours before our 6 AM scheduled train departure. At 3:30 AM we called a cab company in Indy and requested to be picked up by 4:30 to make it downtown in the ice and sleet to the train station. By 4:45, it was apparent that no cab was coming so we headed to the train station on our own. We arrived without incident, left the car with plans to find someone to come get it, and boarded Amtrak.
Now as much as I was silently whining about the situation (good thing you couldn’t read my mind), the Amtrak turned out to be part of the great adventure of traveling! The attendants on the train were absolutely great with my kiddos. The Hoosier Line train, is a coach only passenger car train. No food service, no checking bags, just your train ride. The train does however frequently transport additional cars between cities. So just as the kids started to get antsy, they were invited on a tour of the other cars. The discovered the checker board tables in the suite cars. They found out the shower folds out in the private bathrooms in suites. The tried out the seat belts on the top fold down bunk beds. They went through the galley car and saw ovens, and cash registers. They tried out the seats in first class. And then, a while later, the attendant had prepared an unused dining car and set out complimentary snacks. We sat at a table together and ate cookies, crackers, cheese, dried fruits, juice, water and coffee. I pondered the green aspect of shared transportation and how perfect that start was to the eco camping we would soon be doing. The trip was so successful that it has me even thinking about a long trip headed west using trains in our future!
We arrived in Chicago, to an obvious lack of snowflakes, grabbed a bite to eat, and took the Blue Line Chicago train to Ohare. One more bus shuttle and we arrived at the Hyatt Regency—our home for hopefully only the next couple of days. St. John or bust, right! Oh, and if for some reason Indy’s ice turn to sun and balmy temperatures, you can always stop by my house and find those flip flops and beach items I paid to have expedited shipping thawing out of some ice mound of sleet on my front steps. Feel free to make good use of them.

Facebook Status Timeline:
Sun at 10:45pm This Winter Storm certainly has bad timing! Must get to Chicago and must depart airport at 5:45 am on Thursday. Should we leave Indy early and hang out in Chicago for a couple of days or hope the blizzard/ice/snow/rain is past time to drive up Wednesday Night?
Mon at 3:28pm paralyzed with indecision
Monday at 6:44pm Still her in Indy listening to the ice fall. My new idea is to take the Amtrak to Chicago and hope our flight goes out on Thursday! Anyone know how often Amtrak cancels routes due to the weather?
Tues 4:52 AM Amtrak it is. Train Station in Indy
Tues 4:59 am Vacation or bust—can’t drive or fly but the train moves on. Now my custom journals are missing a leg of the trip.
Tues 5:28 am For those that wonder about Indy roads…cab never made it to our house but the Volvo wagon drove just fine. Roads were this with frozen sleet and ice at 5am.
Tues 7:44 am Reading books on the train ride. So lucky to have ella entertaining Claire.
Tues 11:15 am Graham is hauling my suitcase thru the city. He just shooved/slid it down the long muddy stairs to the transit center. Muddy skid marks. Ugh.
Tues 11:33 am Guess where we are now. Switched to the blue line. No blizzard or even flurries here yet.
Tues 1:04pm Home sweet uhm..it’ll do. Hyatt at ORD. Kids are ordering an in room movie and eating snacks.
Tues 2:32 pm Chicago Blizzard just started. View from our hotel room balcony.
Tues 3:44 pm Traffic stopped now. This is my hotel room entertainment
Tues 7:50 pm Frightening blizzard conditions. Watching car after car get stuck on the exit ramp. We are cheering for each one as they dig out or move slightly. The plows are going by in squads of 8-10, but the roads are being blown shut almost immediately. Wish people would stay off the roads.
Tues 10:14 pm Thunder and lightning! The whole sky lights up with the snow. Hotel room chilly with the winds—thermostat set at 80F. Brrrrrr in Chicago.

Indy's train station

2011-02-02T12:20:00.005-05:00

arriving in Chicago before the blizzard started

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photographer

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Calire in the dining car

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Train Galley

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Claire and Daddy watching the train tracks

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in the morning after the chicago blizzard

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Start of the journal

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white is suppose to be sand not snow

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train work for claire at the hotel

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2011-01-06T23:35:00.001-05:00

neighbors hottub moved to our house

2010-12-22T16:41:00.001-05:00

Kid's favorite time to jump in, is, of course, during a heavy snowfall!

2010-12-22T16:40:00.001-05:00

12.1.2010

2010-12-22T16:12:00.000-05:00

2010-10-06T10:05:00.001-04:00

party with friends

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2010-10-03T21:51:00.001-04:00

inspired learning

2010-09-23T22:10:00.002-04:00

My wishes for each of my kids are simple--to have a life filled with happiness, love, faith and compassion.
Recently, my kids, once again have made me proud. And, if you know my kids, you might guess it isn't through their extraordinary athletic ability, or their profound academic endeavours. In fact, every now and then, I have to admit that I wish the world stopped for just a moment to appreciate that each and every one of us has something really great to celebrate. And, just because it isn't as obvious as the kids next door doesn't mean it isn't just as spectacular.
For Graham, it is in the way he can be ever so sensitive--like the time he walked over to a neighbor's house to check on a peer. Some other boys hadn't been very nice and Graham was worried that the neighbor boy had his feelings hurt and he had to check. Or the time Graham arrived home from school and was upset because some classmates had teased another child on the playground by drilling it in her head that she was "special needs." When I asked what he did, he told me he had decided to sit with her.
And then their is Ella. Ella is caring, encouraging, loving and never jealous. She is so genuinely happy for others that you can't help but smile. She loves giving and finds much joy in philanthropy.

So when my kids arrived home from school with plans for getting involved in Pennies for Peace it came as no surprise that they dove right in with their hearts. Ella decided to make a sign, armed with knowledge and a glass jar she walked from door to door to ask for pennies. The kids were able to share all that they learned with neighbors--that one cent buys a pencil for a student in the mountain villages of Pakistan, that 100 pennies would pay for a teacher for one day, that the people of the village were good citizen because they all helped together to build their school. They also learned just where Pakistan and Afghanistan are on the globe. They learned that before these kids had school, they had class outside and used sticks to write in the dirt. The learning carried over as well into their daily homework. Ella was inspired to use her spelling words in sentences about Pennies for Peace. Graham figured out that if each neighbor gave an average of 25 cents and we have 12 neighbors that we could buy 300 pencils! And, they both learned that $25 dollars equals 2500 pennies or 20 pounds of pennies. Pennies for Peace gave my kids a chance to be inspired to work on math, spelling, language arts and even better caring about our global community and each other as humans. Pennies for Peace gave me another chance to be proud of my kids and the reminder that greatness is truly in the eye of the beholder. Each one of my kids is great, and when I focus on their strengths rather than their weaknesses, I quickly realize that they are on the path to true success, having a life filled with all of my wishes...love, faith, happiness and compassion.

while she was sleeping

2010-09-10T23:49:00.002-04:00

Ella came into our room last night, or rather early morning. It was sometime around 4 or 5 am when I heard her little voice telling us she had lost her big, front, tooth. She said she woke up and felt her tooth just lying on her tongue. And, then, of course, she wanted to know if the tooth fairy would still come if she went right back to bed! Uhmmm....no. I think the tooth fairy already left the area. Just cozy up right here in my bed with me. And, with any luck the tooth fairy will remember by tomorrow night. shhhh....time to dream...

2010-09-10T23:48:00.001-04:00

preschool girl

2010-09-01T08:28:00.003-04:00

Claire started school yesterday.

"I have a sister. Her name is Ella. She is going to go to the American girl store in Chicago. And, I know she is going to go without me. And, that isn't fair! Ella is going to make me so mad. I am going to KILL her!"

Claire goes to a Montessori school. And, while every school emphasizes kindness to all, montessori especially adds an element of peace to the core principles of learning. Claire shared her ramblings during community snack time. Everyone was listening to her. I think she made a first impressions.

claire our 3 year old preschooler .

is my daughter and baby sister to both graham and ella.
loves to bake so that she can lick the beaters, taste the dough and stir until flour is everywhere
has picked up a bug habit from her brother
loves calliou, max and ruby and dora
loves to read books, sitting and listening whether it is me or ella reading
doesn't like school and can't pedal a bike
wishes she could have a slumber party with someone every night
always comes into our room to snuggle and sleep somewhere around 2 am
is a night owl and loves to sleep in
loves to swim but hates swimming lessons
wants to be a singer, a dancer, and a fancy person
passes out frequently at the slightest bump, scarring our babysitter
has a sensitive sense of smell, resulting in gagging often..and anywhere
is graham and ella's biggest cheer leader
despises, quite vocally, when she is left behind
likes to be treated to ice cream, especially pink or rainbow
is an observer before she jumps in
talks like a 10 year old, and acts like a 3 year old
watches Goosebumps movies because being scared is so fun
is a snuggler, a lover, a complimenter
loves to pinkie promise over just about anything
melts my heart

does she miss them?

2010-08-28T00:29:00.004-04:00

As the school year gets into a routine, I'm always asked just how much Claire misses her brother and sister through the day. It's asked in just such a way that really leaves no doubt in the questioners voice that it might not be possible to imagine how the little one could continue on without the guidance of Graham and Ella.

If only they could see her as she slowly wakes up in the morning. Yawning, taking in the morning while still snuggled in bed.

"Mom. Where are Graham and Ella??" as I answer she begins to smile.

"...so if they are at school it means it is just a me and you day?" and she sweetly smiles and she snuggles in a bit closer.

Then she tells me "You're the guest! You get to choose what to do!"

and she continues "How about we have a candy picnic, or play barbies."

And, of course I reply with surprise, wondering just how she knew her "guest" would want to spend the whole day long playing barbies and having candy picnics.

missing them? not so much.

Fun at the Mass Ave Crit...for at least some of us

2010-08-22T15:44:00.003-04:00

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Graham wishing eric luck

2010-08-22T15:43:00.005-04:00

Mass Ave Crit start

2010-08-22T15:43:00.003-04:00

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Go Eric

2010-08-22T15:42:00.005-04:00

race goes on as we browse Mass Ave toys. This could get expensive.

2010-08-22T15:42:00.003-04:00

this store would be better than the race too, mom

2010-08-22T15:42:00.001-04:00

Claire cheering!

2010-08-22T15:41:00.005-04:00

Ella

2010-08-22T15:41:00.003-04:00

Go Dad!

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2010-08-22T15:40:00.007-04:00

how many more laps to go??

2010-08-22T15:40:00.005-04:00

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claire picked this flower for Eric for his prize

2010-08-22T15:40:00.001-04:00

claire

2010-08-22T15:39:00.003-04:00

the race passing by Saint Mary's Church

2010-08-22T15:39:00.001-04:00

graham was baptized here

where's waldo bike race style. can you find eric?

2010-08-22T15:38:00.004-04:00

He is all race photos... Do you see him?

2010-08-22T15:38:00.001-04:00

break from the race to pick on some art

2010-08-22T15:37:00.005-04:00

nothing like a little nose picking humor

2010-08-22T15:37:00.004-04:00