CA and CR

Who knows why it aligned this way.  Too tired to figure it out!  We did go to Del Mar CA for 9 days in January to escape the cold of Heber.  We enjoyed our visit very much.  We did take the train to San Diego for the day.  We enjoyed breakfast poolside and I did lots of swimming.  I love taking my early morning walk, and usually walked along the beach and up to the dune for a nice view of the beach and Del Mar race track.
After a few days back in Heber we were off for Costa Rica!  The only drawback to our crazy travel schedule is we don't go to our own ward so I'm sure they all think we have dropped off the universe!  We did enjoy attending the ward in Del Mar and have our names on the ward list in anticipation of moving there next year.  

On our first day at Jake's house I took an early morning walk up the hill behind their house.  His house has amazing views of the lake and the volcano.

Jakes house in El Castillo, Arenal, Costa Rica.  You can see him reading on the deck

We loved the restaurant just down the street from his house called VentAnita, they had this deck to enjoy the views.

On the first day we went to Los Legos hot springs.  Here is Jake and the kids enjoying their smoothie

After our zipline experience at Sky adventure, Jake and I took a guided hike on the hanging bridges through the rain forest.  

Jake has so many friends there!  This is Tomas and Hannah and their son Noah.  They gave us a tour of the property they are trying to restore to it's natural growth and strength.

Eduardo is a special friend of Jake's.  This is on the knoll above his house where they graze their horses.  Eduardo was born in the jungle, his mom had been kidnapped and gave birth to 3 children in the jungle before she got out!

The pie that Hannah made for us.  She says it is so much work she won't do it for just anybody!

Sam the Toucan, a regular visitor who comes for his daily peanuts.  So tame you could pet him!

I LOVED their fruit smoothies with leche.  WOW.  I had 3 on one day...and at least one every day!

El Fortuna was the 'big city' near Jakes house.  I bought a hammock there.  

After Jakes house we went to Tamarindo, on the Pacific coast.  Known for it's sunsets, it didn't disappoint!

We spent a lot of time relaxing at the beach.  We found several restaurants where the food was absolutely delicious.  Their cuisine surprised us, we had no idea it would be so good.

More relaxing at Playa Hermosa where we could watch the sunset while  chilling in a hammock.

Loved Play Hermosa for all the shade!  Spent hours enjoying this beach.

Had an iguana join us for breakfast.  The monkeys, birds, and iguanas were everywhere!

 

Can't get these photos to load in order!  This was on our rain forest hike with Jake in the Arenal.

And our wonderful kayak day on the lake.  Tom and Tommy paddled all the way to the end of the lake!

I decided to go in and out of the inlets to enjoy the more still waters.  Happy to have my own kayak to go where I pleased!

Jake and Lily went by paddle board.  Jake took this from the water!  Lily is one brave 8 year old.  Never says 'no' to an adventure or to trying out new skills. 

Sky Adventure Zipline Costa Rica

 The zipline at SkyAdventure in Costa Rica deserves a post all of it's own.  There were 7 cables that we rode.  One was 1/2 mile long!  They were FAST.  They were HIGH over the rainforest.  We were given good instructions, but still your heart beat fast and it was SCARY.  Talk about an adrenaline rush.  By the last couple of rides, I could calm down enough to enjoy the scenery, but those first runs I was wondering what I had gotten myself into!  Lily is only 8 and the first run she went tandem with a guide, but then she wanted to go on her own and they let her!  She was Amazing.  Tommy had a blast on each run.  It was fun to take the cable car to the top....and then 7 glorious rides across the canyons to the bottom.  A very unique experience.  Afterwards, Tom took Tommy and Lily into La Fortuna to shop while Jake and I did a 2 1/2 hour hike with a guide through the rain forest and over hanging bridges.

Why are we so busy??? Europe 2021 and Mom's Death

 Turns out when you go back through photos you realize just how much you have forgotten! And just how much has happened.  These past 6 months since I last updated this blog, well there has been lots going on.  The biggest impact was when Mom died on Aug 20, 2021.  That is really all I could remember for the entire year of 2021!  But let me say, there was also plenty more.  I won't get it all, but here are some of the highlights:  visiting and babysitting for our kids and grandkids.  Traveling, which continues at warp speed and frequency.  Celebrations:  I turned 65 and Tom turned 70.  Milestone years.  It's a darn good life.  Scary good.  See for yourself in this sampling of photos!  

May:  IF to help Steve pack up and move to VA, Mom's 98th Bday, My b.day to Santa Fe, Sedonna, Bryce.  

June: St. George, Walton/Hilton.  Cora turns 6

July:  Farmington with all siblings (we all thought mom was going to go in July...she waited another month) and Seth & Taft come to visit Mom, Mom and I watching a storm roll in on the patio.   Natalie/Seth in Utah.  Back to Farmington (my one-on-one special time with mom:  "I will miss you the most").  

August:  Paris and Brussels.  

Sept:  Funeral, St. George, most beautiful, intense, vibrant Fall colors in Utah I have ever seen

Oct:  HS friends, to East Coast.  

Nov:  Monterey.  

Dec:  IF while parents go to Palm Springs, Christmas.

Jan:  45th Anniversary in Palm Springs and celebration at Tree room at Sundance

I remember sitting with Mom on the back patio.  There was one little sliver of dark in one of the clouds...."Do you think it will rain?"  I didn't think so but a small drizzle blew through and it was fun to watch the storm with mom.