Pictures from earlier...

On our visit to Manuel Antonio Park, we stopped at this restaurant "Coste Verde" just on a whim. It was breathtaking. The entire restaurant was off a cliff. We didn't realize that with all the vegetation hiding the descent. It had the appeal of being invited to dine in the Swiss Family Robinson's tree house, although we were billed at the end. The meals were "American" sprinkled with Costa Rican flavor. Then of course Wes' ordered the "typical CR dish" which we all enjoy; rice, beans and natilla {similar to sour cream} sometimes mixed with scrambled egg. I have to say I've gotten good at preparing this. Of course because of the challenging lighting, the pictures do not do the place justice. Did I mention they had a HUGE boa snakeskin displayed above the bar? I could have lived without that.


I had to show you this photograph. {and yes, another lighting nightmare} But I roughed it up in photoshop and liked the outcome. I figure with my little ones, when I have a photo op, I take it, then I mess with the settings. If I'm very lucky and they haven't moved by the time I've figured it out then I get a second chance. 9 times out of 10, I don't get another chance.

This is of Landon, our youngest. He just turned 2. After our hike into the park, our first clearing at the end of the trail was stunning. This is what my sweetie did. He looks like he's a 20 year old checking out the surf for his next ride. I love this shot.

It's Rainy Season...

(I'm so sorry that this is out of focus, augh!!!)
This is Wes, Aiden and Paige swimming in the rain, about 8 pm.

April is the hottest month of the year here. It's funny how every time we've ventured here in the past it's been in April. I am happy to report that it does cool down. The phrase here is "What seasons? It's hot and wet or hot and dry." I have found that is not true. I've been experiencing "not as hot" and raining and it's been almost delicious.
In the states I love Mondays, especially rainy Mondays. I have a tradition with the kids. If even the tiniest drop of rain falls, they know that hot chocolate and homemade cookies will be waiting for them when they get home. Thank goodness we lived in California and not Washington. I would have chunky kids then. I enjoy it, but hot cocoa and warm cookies are just not appropriate!

Here in CR the average yearly rainfall is between 120-160 inches. It's hard to imagine until you've been through one of the torrential downpours and you can't believe it doesn't get more inches than that. The best part about the rain is that it usually starts about 3-5:00 pm. By morning it's another splendid day.

When the sky has opened up and it's raining here, I go back to my childhood. I remember the forts my brothers and I used to construct. I can also recall sitting on the floor of our fort through a California rainstorm. We were warm and safe from the elements that were inches away from us. It was a prideful, peaceful feeling. {That only makes sense to me, I know!} That is how it feels here for me. Because of the more simply built homes, you are only inches from the rain. They are loud, and fast but we are protected and it is a prideful, peaceful feeling still.

More of the Farmer's Market...

I thought I would post a few more pictures of the Feria; Farmer's Market. Here is how the money works basically. $1,000 colones are equal to 2 U.S. dollars. Of course a kilo is larger than a pound. So here I am paying about $1.00 for a pound of "organic" tomatoes.



How many pictures do I have of Paige holding up fruit to her face???? More than you know. Before she will let me photograph a normal face, I have to shoot a silly face. So to answer my own question, a ton!!!



This is an abandoned structure that is at the end of the Feria. I loved the bright green vegetation along with the crusty cold stone. I'll have to come back here and do a real photo shoot soon.

So of course little brother has to copy.

My Favorite Place in Town...

I had to post this. In fact I think I'll make a 16x20 to go in our home. This will be to remind me of moments like this. One child carefully leading the other through life; the younger child so trusting and safe. You know, what you thought motherhood was going to be like before the first night home with a sweet but screaming baby. :)

I would have to say that we have become closer as a family living in these tight quarters. Discussions {arguments} are neutralized before things get way out of hand. We have just a handful of toys so the kids rely on each other for entertainment. Sometimes it involves acrobatical skills I don't approve of but so far no superglue. {my version of stitches}


This is where we were headed. Yummy! We've been in here only twice and the woman that runs it already gives us special treatment. I have noticed that I have yet to meet a family with five kids here. I think we make an impression wherever we go. What type of impression, I don't dare ask. :)

Parent Tip #1

How to Make Sure Your Kids Behave in School




Tell them that if you get a negative call from the school you will come down during P.E., take a picture of them in their gym shorts and post it on the blog!

Works everytime!

{I have to tell you that the above picture is NOT one of my kids. }

About My Goal to Share a Spanish Lesson Everyday...

Well, that only lasted 2 days. But I did find this great "free" {love that words} podcast at coffeebreakspanish.com It came highly recommended {by a fellow blogger here in CR} You'll find the link to the right. Let me know what you think if you try it. As for me, I'll start manana. :)

Walking Home...

Well today was our first adventure going somewhere without a car, a.k.a. walking. There was a little cloud cover so I was more comfortable to attempt it. The locals walk everywhere. I often see young mom's holding their babies to their chest as they are sound asleep in unbearable heat. Another form of transportation is bicycle. It's rare to see only one person on a bike. The other day I saw the cutest little family, a mother, father and little baby boy riding into town. They seemed so happy and if I had squinted hard enough it would have seemed like they were riding in a quaint town in Vienna.

Anyway, things went well. The older ones helped with the younger ones. We went to Subway and Pizza Hut. {Troy went to Pizza Hut, the rest of us went to Subway.}

Bridges here scare me. There is room for only one car and it's basically first come first serve. If you are the first one there you win. Ladies can you imagine your husbands with this competition going on every time they get behind the wheel? Yeah! I know!!!

So we had to walk over one of these bridges today. The so-called sidewalk was petite and full of cracks and crumbling cement. I told myself, "Don't panic Shawna, the kids will see you and make sure to take advantage of your fear!!!" Then a HUGE bus came barreling through. It was LOUD and way to close to my little ones. Yikes!!! The look on my munchkin's faces was priceless. I'm just glad they didn't take a step to the left and slip into the deep ravine. I will have to post a picture of this sidewalk later.


Here is a shot Troy took of Landon and I. {I hope someday soon my hair will be decent, I can't make any promises though}
We were pretty hot and exhausted but almost home.



I have to post this! Aiden had gone on ahead with Paige. I was behind walking with Landon. Then when Aiden made it home and realized that Landon wasn't right behind him he ran back to find him. These two are so close.

Grasshopper bebes...

Aren't these adorable??? As I was getting my ninos to school I passed these on the wall. I almost didn't take a second look considering the "discussion" Troy and I just had involving these words, "responsible", "on-time" and "if you are late for school again I'll make sure you wish you were never born!". {I'm exaggerating on the last one, it didn't leave my lips. I kept that one in my head.}

So I saw these and then of course we were even later because I had to take these great pictures. See it's o.k. if I make us late, I'm the mom.
Now that that's settled here are a few things we learned about grasshoppers.

Their antennae are always shorter than their body.

They make noise by rubbing their hind legs with their abdomen or their front wings.

Grasshoppers lay eggs 1-2 inches in the earth, usually by plants.

The eggs look like thin pieces of rice.

Grasshoppers are eaten around the world. They are used as a filling or snack. The Chinese put them on skewers.

Raw grasshoppers should be eaten with caution. They can contain tapeworms. {Just in case you were thinking about it!}

They live up to 3 months.



When the eggs hatch the first one that hatches leaves and the others follow. (This is what we saw. One was climbing up the wall and the others were following.)

There's your little lesson for today. Oh, and the Spanish lesson for today, look at the title. That's it! Bebes means babies. :)

Welcome to Spanish 101

So here goes. This is what I've learned and will be relearning probably for the next year.

There are 7 seven key question words to know:
Donde (dohn-deh) where We used to ask Troy when he was a baby "Donde esta la luz?" Where is the light?
Que (keh) what
quien (kee-en) who
por que (por keh) why
cuando (kwahn-doh) when
como (koh-moh) how
cuanto (kwahn-toh) how much This one I know well!

Notice how cuando and cuanto only have one letter that is different?
So there you go. We are starting off easy.
I did remember learning "Yo quiero un beso." from a boyfriend in high school. The only embarrasing thing is that I had just learned it when I met his parents for the first time. They asked me if he had taught me any Spanish yet and of course I answered.

Our conversation this morning...

Wes: "Honey, have you seen my nice shorts?" {I added honey just like I always do in my head when he speaks to me :) }
Me: "They are right here in your pile of shorts." {I hurried and put them there since I left the folded laundry on the couch from the night before)
Wes: "Oh, great! I'm meeting a huge developer for lunch and need to look nice."
I have to say that the shorts were not even dressy shorts, they were the dark green safari type shorts. Oh the benifits of living here.

Yummy Treat...

So we had our first social event here. Friends from chruch invited us over for FHE (family home evening). They served this easy but scrumpious snack. I thought I'd attach the recipe.

Chocolate Mint Popcorn (I'm sure someone out there could come up with a more creative title)

12 small York Peppermint Patties
(unwrapped obviously)
1/3 cup of butter (or margarine)
2 bags of popped microwave popcorn

Melt butter in saucepan. Add the patties. Stir as melting. Put the popcorn in a large bowl. Drizzle (I love that word) the chocolate concoction over the popcorn. Stir to mix. Enjoy.

It wasn't very minty but had that sweet and salty taste to it. Yummy. Thanks Carolyn.

Does it feel like we are on vacation?

"Does it feel like we are on vacation?" I get asked this question often. I would say yes it does but more of the "camping vacation" where the mother does more work on the trip than she even does at home. :) Yeah, that's how I'd describe it. Definitely not the 5 star hotel type vacation. But I like camping! I really like camping.


Here is a shot I took of the view on our way to church. We are gone for about 6 hours on Sunday, an hour drive there and an hour back. Then we have the three hour block of church. We stay an hour after church because the sweet family that we ride with teaches piano. This is so that when they leave someone will be able to play the hymns during sacrament.
The first Sunday was fun even though I didn't understand a word. Umm, actually I understood 3. The second Sunday I was bored out of my mind but had to fake it for the sake of the kids. This last Sunday, the third, was so frustrating because I really wanted to be able to communicate with these sweet sisters (all 6 of them) at church who have actually started to smile ever so carefully at me.
I would love to have an Elder Groburg experience. You remember, he stayed on the beach for 3 days studying, until he understood the language. Then got up and spoke it fluently. Yeah, one of those. My companion {my sweetheart} could bring me food and water and not disturb me. I'd of course be in my swimsuit so that I could have a great tan when done, you know, multi-tasking. The kids would be taken care of by someone else. Think how much I'd get done.

Since that is not an option for me here, I need to start studying, the old fashioned way. So if you don't mind I will occasionally mention some things that I've learned. Who am I kidding, I'm still trying to get out of things by being very vague in my course of action. O.K. I need to be held accountable. This is my goal. Monday-Friday I will post something that I've learned in my new country's language. How's that? Speciffic enough? (Except for power outages, insect invasions, an injured child or loss of Internet) There it is. I'm warning you, I took French in High School, and didn't do to well at that. Tomorrow will be my first lesson. Ciao!

This is a picture of Troy and Dallin with our great missionaries in front of our new gorgeous building. A little over a year ago they were still meeting in a house. (O.K. I've got to mention that this was taken 5 hours after we left for church, they are missing their ties, their shirts are untucked, they look pretty disheveled, but they are smiling.