Costa Rica - Part 1

We've been planning this trip with Michael's family for over a year and a half...and it finally happened.  We all went to Costa Rica for the week.  This was a major trip for us - we have only been to the beach once since Rachel has been born (when she turned 2) and that was driving to Florida.  This was flying (which I don't care for), with two kids, for a week.  I know to many this sounds like no big deal, but to us - it was huge.  But we managed.  The two travel days were very, very long and tiring, but overall the kids did great.  Of course, we had a few rough moments, but in the grand scheme of things, I was very impressed. 

The only hiccup we had was that I woke up with a stomach bug last Saturday morning - the day we were flying out.  I'm very grateful that it wasn't worse than it was but I wasn't up to par for the first two days.  After that, we played in the pool, ocean, ate lots of fish and shrimp and avacados (the guacamole was great!), got lots of sun and enjoyed time with the family all week. 

We stayed in Jaco, right on the beach and had a wonderful pool right outside our door.   The sun would rise each morning at 5:30 am...very early.  The first morning (after the really long travel day), Rachel woke up at 4:45!  That Sunday was possibly the longest day ever.  After that, they woke a little later each day - I think the latest was 6:45 - but that's a lot better than 4:45... So it was early to bed, early to rise each day. 

I'm going to have to split the pictures up into several posts - not sure exactly how many - because we have SO MANY...  I'll try to get the first day or two in this one...

Jackson seeing the planes outside at the airport for the first time... 

We had an hour and a half drive from the airport in San Jose to Jaco.  There were 11 of us plus ALL of our luggage in this one van... We were packed in tight.  

Jackson didn't sleep at all on the plane - I was really hoping he would... He crashed in the van - but only for about 40 minutes.  

We have many sunset pictures because it is just gorgeous there.  I think this was from the first night.

This was our pool area.

Every morning, this man would ride down the path behind our condos on this horse trying to get people to sign up to do a sunset horseback ride.  Jackson liked seeing the horsey each day.

Playing ball...

This was the little pool.  It was a perfect size for Jackson...seating around the inside of it.  Jackson got more and more comfortable with it and the big pool as the week progressed.  You'll see more pictures later of a float/ring we had there that was perfect for him and let him be more confident in the water.  

He constantly wanted to drink the water as well...

Rachel looking at the sunset.

Monday morning, we had planned to go to the ocean first, but it was high tide so we decided to do the pool... Well, they had just added chemicals to it and couldn't get in for an hour.  So, we improvised and blew up the kiddie pool.  Notice the make-shift hose Michael made?  It's a pool noodle but it worked!  

Miss Chloe hanging out with us!

The path behind the units.  To the left is our condo, to the right is the ocean.

Tres Regales - where we stayed - thanks to the Mulliez family!!

The sand was a bit darker than what I'm used to - when you played in it, you looked like you were covered in mud.  

Pure laughter and enjoyment with Jackson - gotta get those pictures when you can!!

Those last few pictures were a little out of order, but all still around the same time.  More to come later!

The Beginning of Basketball

This past weekend was the start of something new for all of us.  Rachel started playing basketball.  It's for her school - they have teams for all of the grade levels, they play at their school and it's against other kids in their school.  Rachel has been pretty good at dribbling a basketball for a while so we thought this might be something she'd like.  The Kindergarten team is the youngest and they practice each Saturday morning at 9:00 and then play their "game" at 9:30...so an hour once a week. 

Saturday was her first experience with it.  I guess we didn't really think to explain the game of basketball to her ahead of time...she had no clue what was going on.  It was cute though.  There were 20 kids there, 4 of which were girls.  They divided them into 4 teams, by color.  Then each coach walked them through 3 drills - shooting, dribbling and guarding.  The game only ended up being a few minutes long this time, but we got plenty of pictures. 

Rachel modeling her new uniform.  She looked so cute before they told her to tuck her shirt in - and then she wouldn't let me pull it out a little bit...

Jackson sitting still for a minute on the bleachers.  He liked climbing on them.  And do you notice anything else here?  Jackson is smiling at the camera!!  Hooray!!!  He's learned to do that a little bit now!

We told her over and over to put her tongue back in her mouth...don't know what her deal was!

Doing some running drills....

Shooting.  She never made it but got pretty close!

 Guarding.

Dribbling...she's a lot better when she's standing still...ha!

One of us was constantly having to entertain and watch Jackson...he's riding a little horsey here and hanging upside down.  He'd much rather be out there on the floor with the bigger kids though!

The game...

Arms up!

Arms must have gotten a little tired...

End of game huddle.  

The season goes until the beginning of February.  Hopefully she continues to like it and gets better at it - that's what this year is for!