Frequently Asked Questions

On a regular basis I get asked a series of Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ's), so I thought that I would try to put together a few of them to help out anyone considering a move or considering Costa Rica or La Paz Community School.....

In an earlier post I answered the two most frequently asked questions..."Why did you move to Costa Rica?", or "How did you decide on Costa Rica?"  If you want to read these answers, go to this post......"Why Costa Rica?"

1.  We could never leave our family and friends behind, how did you do it?
We just went for it!  There will never be the perfect time or the perfect situation....so once you have the desire, just set the date and go.  Yes, it is a leap of faith, but one you will never regret.  You will only regret it if you do not do it.  And on that note....the only thing we regret is that we did not do it sooner.  Traveling with 2 teenagers was difficult at times, so we wish we would have come during middle school and not at the beginning of high school.  But, we really seriously will never regret doing this and will be glad we did it our whole lives.

2.  We could never leave our pets behind, what did you do?
We had only two pets when we were moving.....a guinea pig and a hamster.  We gave both to friends of the kids to "babysit" while we were gone.  Both passed that year as they were already a couple years old, but we all felt so glad they were with their new loving families.  Many people we know have brought their cats and dogs with them on the plane in crates, or left elderly pets with elderly family members or friends who needed or wanted a pet.  Then, we got a cat once we got here!

3.  How did you decide on the area you moved to?
This question was answered in an earlier post called "Why Costa Rica?" but the simple answer is that we wanted to be by the beach and we wanted to be in an area with less rain.  But, an even bigger influence was the school.  Once we found La Paz, we knew we had found our place.

4.  How did you decide and choose the school your kids attend?
We began looking on-line for schools in the Guanacaste region (dry zone!) and found very few schools that fit our needs....we wanted a bilingual school and not an American School (we felt we could do this in the states and that it defeated the whole purpose to give our kids and international experience by attending a school just like ours back home).  Once we found La Paz and watched the video about the school, we knew we had found the place for us.  Guanacaste...check.   Bilingual....check.  International...check.  Amazing....check.  See the video here if you are interested in this amazing school.....

5.  Did you consider homeschooling or other schools?
Not seriously.  I just know that I am not cut out for being an at home teacher/mom.  I am just not disciplined enough, frankly and with my husband, Kurt, going back and forth to the states and only here part time, I knew that I could not do this alone.  And also with our varied ages of our 4 kids, I knew that it would be super hard....so we did not consider this option.

6.  Did you brings things down via suitcases or via a container?
Because we were just moving here for a year (or so we thought!), we wanted to travel light and pair down.  We came with a carry-on suitcase each (filled with the heaviest stuff), a backpack each and everyone had something under their arm, like a guitar, soccer ball, basketball, teddy bear, etc.  We then each had two checked suitcases and two checked car seat bags that I used to again put the heaviest things in with the car seats cause these bags are free and they don't weigh them.  When we got to Costa Rica, I promptly gave the car seats to families in need with little kids.  We also checked a couple baseball bags (again, at that time, they were considered free sporting equipment bags), an ice chest filled with heavy stuff, and a couple boxes (bankers boxes) each cause at that time you could bring one free box each.  Those days of free bags are gone, so if we ever return, the trick will be to buy business or first class tickets for everyone and get the maximum free baggage allowance per person (usually 3-70 pound suitcases for first class) and leave the rest behind.

7.  What are the top three things you are glad you brought with you?
As we started packing, I began a list of the things we used in everyday life or started a pile with them.  I would say that I am really glad we brought down 1)  Office supplies and printer, 2)  Favorite medical supplies (like bubble gum Tylenol, which is not available here) and ankle and wrist wraps for sports injuries, 3)  Photos of families and friends (in frames, cause frames are hard to find here!) and 4) Holiday items.  Remember, most American holidays are not recognized here, so it was nice to have a few knickknacks and kitchen towels for holidays like Easter, Halloween, Valentines Day, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  I actually brought down my favorite things from those holidays....place mats, table cloths, centerpieces, Easter baskets (cloth ones that fold up), plastic eggs, stockings and Christmas ornaments (non-breakable ones).  I wanted a bit of home in our new home and I am so glad to see the kids faces when I bring these items out each holiday as they not only represent home, they represent memories that we are glad to build upon.  Other items I am glad I brought are a beach bag, reusable bags, re-usable double insulated water bottles, Sharpie pens, scissors, my favorite kitchen knife, sporting equipment and gear, camping gear, flashlights, batteries, nightlights, bug repellent, sunscreen, favorite hair products.  Ok...that is way more than 3 items....but, I hope you get the idea....bring the things you can't live without.

8.  What 3 things do you wish you did not bring?
I think that everyone will tell you that they brought 1)  TOO MANY CLOTHES.  We had never had school uniforms, so I did not really quite understand that my kids would live in their uniforms, swimsuits, and PJ's the majority of the time.  2)  I brought slippers and tall leather boots which I have worn only when I have returned to the states.  3)  Books.  I brought a slew of books for the kids and some I am really glad I brought (the special ones for birthdays, etc.), but just like schools in the states, there is library day each week, so they bring books home from the library and from their classrooms.  Books here also disintegrate really fast due to the humidity. We have all switched to Kindles or the Kindle App on our computers for reading.  I know that I will end up donating most of these books when we leave and many of the reference books and books I brought for casual reading are just collecting dust on the shelves.

9.  Are weekend getaways possible?
Absolutely!  Because we have not filed for residency (yet), we leave every 90 days to keep our Tourist Visa and Drivers Licences current.  We have gone to nearby Nicaragua a half dozen times or more now (only 2 hours away) and have traveled to Florida and the East Coast multiple times.  Being a family from the West Coast, we have taken every opportunity we have had to travel to new places and the East Coast is not only easy to get to (2-4 hours), but also cheap (about $300 or so each r/t).  We have gone to Orlando (Disney World!), Sarasota, Tampa, Miami, Fort Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Washington DC, New York City, Boston, etc.  We even flew one time to Florida for a One Direction concert!  Yep, we did!

10.  What are your favorite places you have visited in Costa Rica?
Not in any particular order.....Arenal Volcano (love Los Lagos Resort), Monteverde Cloud Forest, Manuel Antonio National Park, Rincon de la Viejo National Park, San Jose (Capital City), Tortuguero, and Puerto Viejo on the Caribbean side.  La Carolina Lodge/Rio Celeste and my recent trips to spend the night in a cave and hike a volcano on Ometepe Island in Nicaragua with the Mom's Club have become my personal favorites.

Let me know if you have more questions!

Making New Friends

Everyone asks....have you made friends?  Are you lonely?  How do you meet new people?  Well, the answer is yes, sometimes, and easily!  We have met many friends thru our kids and the kid's school, so it has been easy in that we kinda have a built-in social vehicle.  But, we also find ourselves meeting and making friends with people everywhere we go.  Restaurant owners love to know their locals, so do rental places and shop owners.  We have gotten to know the regular faces at yoga class or at our favorite beaches.  Many sit and talk with us for hours at the beach and others just know our  names or faces when we come in, which is a very comforting feeling when making a new home in a new country.

Our 4 kids have had great success at meeting new friends right from the first day of school and mostly because there are so many new families each year at their school, La Paz, due to transient students (families visiting for just one year or so) or families moving from another school, town, or foreign country, and due to the fact that this school is growing by leaps and bounds.  Their school is approx. 40% local kids and 60% from 25 different countries, so there is always a fair amount of new kids, new families, and those figuring it all out just like us.  This creates a bond in itself and makes it easy cause so many of us are in the same boat (far from "home", family, and old friends).

Another thing that really helped us to settle in and not feel lonely is that we ported our old home phone number to Magic Jack.  Now we just plug in our Magic Jack and the phone is a free US phone.  Friends call us and we call them for a nominal fee (5 years was just $200).  No toll charges at all and it has allowed all of us to stay in close touch with old friends and family members, making the distance not feel so far and has allowed the kids to share their experiences with their friends back in the states.  The older boys do a fair amount of Skyping and video chatting on Facebook, too.  It has really been a great way to stay connected.

 

The kid's school is also rich in after school offerings.  Honestly, they each do something every single day and mostly cause it is so fun, right there at their school (no carpooling!), and great exercise.  They take gymnastics, ballet, jazz, baton twirling, soccer, basketball, homework club, spanish practice and even a knitting class.  Now, we moved out of the rat race to not get ourselves back into another rat race, so I have to say that these activities just basically extend their school day and not mine.  I just show up at 4 or 5:00 when the classes are over and there is no additional driving or work needed on my part for them to participate and many times the class is even free (with the most expensive being $30 for the month).  This is a key feature and something that more schools should master.  Nothing builds friendships and community more than haning out after school together...kinda like a very long recess.

 

The other surprising feature from this area where we chose to live, is that there are tons and tons of families just like us.  Families and retirees who have all moved here from somewhere else and who we all share the common bond of leaning to navigate our lives in this new Pura Vida beach community.  Who would have thought?  My favorite questions are...where are you originally from, how long have you been here, and how did you decide to move here?  The answer, 9 out of 10 times is that it all started with a vacation visit (like us!).  Sharing of info is a very common topic that starts a quick bond and exchange of phone numbers.  Nothing beats sharing rides to far away shopping areas for establishing new friendships, also.

Without the Internet and Magic Jack, it would have been much harder to stay in touch, but because of these amazing technologies we have been free to make new friends and keep the old.  Cause we all know that one is silver and the other is gold.

Miss ya and adore ya old friends....and love ya new friends!

Time to Be

It is no secret that we are contemplating staying here in Costa Rica longer than our "one year plan."  We have settled into a new family vibe that is suiting us all very well and we have had many pleasant unexpected surprises given to us along the way that are making us just not wanting it to end.

For one, we are living with less (and we like it).  

There are times when we say that we wish we had this or that, but not having this or that has not brought us any unhappiness....and so we just wish and move on.  It amazing how much time we spent in the states organizing our stuff.   Cleaning the garage, sorting the clothes the kids out-grew, clearing out toy bins, etc.  I know you all know what I mean.  Here, we have very little, so we get to spend our time on the important things....like us.

We also do MORE.  

We have less homework, less sports commitments, less of everything in general that is pulling at our schedule.  With 4 kids, we had double the activities of a regular family with only 2 kids, and with both girls and boys, and a very wide age gap (10 year difference between oldest and youngest), we also had a wider berth of activities and demands that were, frankly, sucking us dry back in the states and we just did not even know it cause it was the norm of everyone around us.

What we have here is more than a Pura Vida lifestyle, 

it is a true family centered lifestyle.  

One that we had been dreaming of and working on back in the states, but it constantly got sabotaged with our massive schedule.  We not only have free time to do activities as a family, we also have free time to just BE.  One of my favorite things is that we, on a regular basis, wake up on a Saturday morning and say, "what do you want to do today?"  How lovely is that?  And how sad is it that our life in the states had taken away this fundamental feeling of freedom.

Time to BE is key.

So, if you are contemplating a move abroad, contemplate what you are looking for in this relocation and change.  Because I can guarantee that you will get what you are looking for and more cause there will be so many things you just did not imagine or think possible.

And it will be wonderful. 

Christmas Letter 2012 With Love from Costa Rica

As I sit down to reflect back on 2012...I see LOTS of hills and valleys, laughing and crying, and lots of traveling, celebrating and reminiscing.  But, mostly I see many, many reasons to be thankful.  Thankful that this year was given to us....because at the start of 2012 I don't think that any of us could have dreamed about the journey we would go on.  So, I'd like to reflect a little on the year to remember where we came from, and where we are now....living in Costa Rica!

In January.... We always start the year snow skiing at the cabin and this year, even with the lack of snow, it was no exception.  In fact, it was one of our favorite and most skied seasons...mostly because on any given day, we could arrive at Bear Valley at 11:00am or so and be the 12th car from the lodge, ski up and down for 2 or 3 hours and be fully exhausted.  With Zack learning to snow board and William off and running (literally, he skies faster than anyone!)...it was a really fun year.  We also begin each year with a series of birthdays....Dominic's was first with his 16th birthday on the 26th and William quickly followed on Jan. 30th with his 6th birthday.

In February... Next came Marissa's birthday on February 15th...she turned 9, had a double celebration with her great friend Anais, and they had their first sleepover party.  It was lots of fun with Anais's twin brother Milan and Marissa's brothers joining the fun for a bit.  For ski week we again head up to the cabin for more great skiing....just love being able to get a full day of skiing in by noon! 

In March... Some of you will remember that 3 years ago we spent the summer in Costa Rica and have always talked about maybe going back....Kurt and I begin having conversations that this could be the year and we begin doing covert research.  Zack takes a step-up and tries out for the Marin FC soccer league and makes the team.

In April....Spring Break was spent at the cabin skiing some more and loved that the rumored lack of snow kept everyone away.  We had a blast and skied almost every day.  Then on April 21st, I flew for 25 hours from SF to Hong Kong to Singapore to Chaing Mai, Thailand with 6 amazing, adventurous girlfriends to celebrate my 50th birthday (and Jenny's, too!).  I remember when I went to Maui for a week with girlfriends for my 40th and I was so rejuvenated...so an almost yearly tradition of traveling with girlfriends began.  We got to spend time in the northern hills above Chaing Mai and travel all the way down to Bangkok visiting all the markets, ruins, and sites along the way.  We ate bugs, visited hill tribes, rode bikes thru ruins, kayaked on a mountain lake, and hiked the heck out of those mountains....which of course, warranted a 2 hour Thai massage every single day (no joke...for $10!).  But, right before I leave, we begin to talk about going to Costa Rica again....could this be the year?  We lay the ground work and apply to an amazing bilingual community school in Playa Flamingo, Guanacaste....then we just keep our fingers crossed and wait.

In May... After returning from my 2 week trek to Thailand, my mom visited for Mother's day and we began the end-of-the-year wind-down.  My good friend Kara and I helped produce a special middle school performance of "Grease" and Marissa, Will and Zack all had dance recitals this month.  Dominic's AAU basketball team attends the largest basketball tournament in the US in Reno, Nevada (over 900 teams!) over the Labor Day weekend.  We hear from La Paz school and find out that they do not have room in all the grades for the kids.  So, we sit tight and begin to think that maybe this was not the year for us to go after all.

In June.... The highlight of this month was Zack's graduation from 8th grade...both sets of grandparents came to watch him be honored and bake in the sun (it was a hot, hot day!) as we all shed some tears and smiles remembering these amazing kids from kindergarten thru 8th grade...what a transformation all of them have made and such a great group of kids.  School ends with a bang and we embrace the summer with end of the year dance recitals and sports camps.

In July..... We go to the Marin County Fair for 4th of July and attend our favorite Silver Lake Family Camp in mid-July with highlights including lots of fish caught by the fishermen (Dominic, Jim and Papa, etc.), a huge all-day hike to the top of Thunder Mountain with 13 kids and 6 adults (we did it!), lots of margaritas with the Flamingo Girls, and of course, talent show night, s'mores and campfires.  About mid-week at camp we receive the call that the school in Costa Rica now does have room for all 4 kids!  Oh my gosh...what do we do?....well, as you all know... we went for it, and packed and visited friends in 4 weeks before heading out.  My back is still recovering! 

We would be remiss here if we did not take a moment to say an extra special thank you to several of our wonderful local friends who helped us with the herculean effort to move all our belongings into storage in 3 weeks....Julie Siler and Elizabeth Bradburn for all the late nights and early mornings helping us pack, sort, dump, and load (not to mention all the meals they brought us), to the Wolkom family for literally taking our 2 youngest kids so we could pack and then putting all 6 of us up at their house for a week as we finished getting out of the house, and Valerie Salvetti for helping pack and take the big boys while we worked.  And all of you, our dearest and closest of friends who took our kids on playdates and stopped by with bottles so wine, well-wishes and hugs....we could not have done it without all your love and support.  We will be eternally grateful.  OH!  And to Lydia Grossman for caring and babysitting for Zack's guinea pig Daisy and giving her the happiest of life up to the very end (yes, Daisy has gone to guinea pig heaven), and to the Creyghton family and Daan who are still babysitting Marissa's hamster, Hammy.  Leaving our pets behind was so very hard, but made so much easier knowing they had such loving, happy step-homes.

In August..... We spend a week visiting both sets of Grandparents with visits to Stockton and the mountain cabin.  We spend time at the lake with the Cushman's doing our usual frog hunting, inner-tube water polo, wacky water games and hula-hoop races.  Then on August 12th we board a plane with 2 suit cases each for our year in Costa Rica!  We move into Casa Potrero in Surfside, Potrero.  A little local beach side community with neighbors, cows and horses wandering the roads, iguanas and variegated squirrels running across our fence, wonderfully loud birds & howler monkeys waking us up each morning at first light and dirt roads all around.  We settle in and begin enjoying family weekend trips to go surfing in Tamarindo, Lola's, etc.....not having sports teams tugging at our schedules has been so very nice and such a great feeling to wake up and say, "what are we gonna do this weekend?"

In September... On Sept. 3rd (Labor Day!), the kids wake up and put on their new school uniforms and begin their year at La Paz Community School.  Immediately, the kids fall in love with the school, their new routine, the trips to the beach, the new surroundings, animals, weather, sunsets and embrace learning Spanish.  Dominic begins a LEEP (Lifelong Experiential Education Program) on the #1 deep sea fishing boat with Captain Richard Chellemi on the Gamefisher II.  We all just keep pinching ourselves.

In October... We are just about at the end of our tourist visa (which only lasts 90 days), so we fly to Ft. Lauderdale, Florida and stay with college friends Gregg and Jackie Bartlett and their 3 kids.  What fun we have getting Dunkin Donuts, going to Target, a pumpkin patch and then Disney world.  It is funny the little things we miss from the U.S. and while we yearn for shopping malls and fast food we also love living without these luxuries and living with fewer options.  It is amazing how creative the kids have gotten with their projects for school.  So great to see so much recycling going on!  Oh, and the homework is almost all art based.  I just love having extra evening time with the kids and not being ruled by homework.  La Paz has longer class periods and the kids do almost all their work in the classroom....as it should be!  Florida highlights include getting slimmed at our Nickelodeon Hotel, trick-or-treating at the Magic Kingdom, and visiting Hogwarts in the Adventures of Harry Potter section at Universal (our unanimous favorite).  After returning back to Costa Rica after our week vacation, we celebrate Halloween with other local expat families and even get in some more trick-or-treating!

In November.... We begin to realize that being Thankful is how we have been feeling each and every day.  Thankful for this experience, the journeys, the new friends, the new sights, sounds and tastes of Costa Rica.....our new home-away-from-home.  Kurt flies in just before Thanksgiving and we celebrate yet another American holiday with expats at our favorite little neighborhood restaurant, Maxwell's where Kelly cooks us up a traditional American Thanksgiving just like home.  While we all reminisced about missing our tradition of going to my parents in Palm Springs for Thanksgiving, we find that being together is what the holiday is all about.

In December... We have our first visitors...my parents!  First, Marissa plays the narrator in the all-school Christmas performance of the "The Quitmaker's Gift" and school gets out on Dec. 7th for a month.  Next, Marissa and William perform with their gymnastics classes and Marissa with her baton class...another great show and off we move out of Casa Potrero and to our Dec. rental in the mountains between Arenal and Poas Volcano 2 hours north of the capital city of San Jose.  We arrive at night and are delighted in the morning to find ourselves in a beautiful mountain town facing Poas Volcano.  It may be remote, but we have been having lots of fun exploring the local villages of Sarchi, Zarachi, Santa Clara, La Fortuna, Arenal Volcano, etc.

So, in a nutshell, our year has not been what it started out to be, but oh how happy we are that it has ended up this way!....half the year in CA and half the year in CR...with an adventurous year that will be with us all our lives.  An adventure we are still so very much enjoying and relishing.  In fact, yes, the rumors are true....the kids are asking to stay at least another year so that they can be fully bilingual and we are considering....but, with not even half of our time in CR passed, we plan to revisit the idea in the spring and see if we are all still madly in love with this country (how can we not be!).  And frankly, between just you and me....I can't imagine that we would ever tire of this new, slower pace, sun filled, fewer expectations lifestyle.  It suits us well.

Now....for the part that does not suit us...missing our friends.....we miss you all terribly and we hope that in 2013 we see at least some of you down here staying in our new guest house.....yep!  Our next rental starting in January has a 2 bedroom guesthouse and 5 bedroom main house....so come on down!  Seriously!!!

Well, better sign off for today.  With Christmas in a day....I had better get going cause I have a volcano to visit, birds to listen to and kids to play with.

Much love to all of you this holiday season and we wish for you to also experience great adventures in 2013.

Pura Vida!
Tanya, Kurt, Dominic, Zackary, Marissa and William

La Paz Waterfall Gardens with Grammy and Grampy

There is no doubt that La Paz Waterfall Gardens is one of our favorite places to visit....mostly because it is a great place to see (and sometimes hold) our favorite Costa Rican animals (and be guaranteed to see them!).  This time (we were also here 3 years ago) going with Grammy and Grampy was extra special.  Here are some photos of our day and the animals we encountered.  If you are ever in the area...we highly recommend this activity and be sure to include the buffet lunch in your ticket!  Yum!

 

The kids with Grammy & Grampy in front of La Paz Waterfall Gardens Entrance

Entering the gardens....

Look at all the things there are to see!

 

This is Zack 3 years ago holding a Toucan and then again this year (that's William, age 3, in the brown shirt...this year he would not go near the Toucan!)....yep, Zack is still wearing beanies!

 

I got up the nerve to hold one this time!  It was super cool and they were really light and gentle. 

He took food out of my hand, too!  Toucan's are just beautiful and all with different markings....

 

Everyone watching the Scarlett Macaws....

Just beautiful...each has their own coloring and markings....In flight!

 

Grammy on the right and Marissa on the left feeding the Scarlet Macaws....

Feeding the Scarlett Macaws was super fun...they were very gentle and they had black tongues!

 

The extra large butterfly house, Marissa in the butterfuly house holding her favorite Blue Morpho Butterfly, and my mom and dad in the butterfly house....

there were thousands of them flying everywhere!

They were also harvesting more butterflies....It was phenomenal to see how many were yet to be!

Resident Sloth taking a nap (as usual!)....

 

 

Monkey House!

 

 

William 3 years ago on the bridge to the waterfalls and then again this year...wow!  He has grown!

 

At the end of the waterfall path we found a whole family of Coati (kinda like racoons) waiting to say hello to us.....

 

Needless to say...it was a magical, amaing, Costa Rican day!

 

 

 

 

Lunch out with Grammy and Grampy in Sarchi, Costa Rica

After settling in to our new vacation rental for the month of December and putting up the tree, we head out with my parents to do a little exploring, visit a coffee farm and go out to lunch in the closest town on the other side of the mountain, Sarchi.  Well, as usual, it takes us longer to find the coffee plantation than was suggested and so we just have a great drive and great late lunch.  Here are some photos of our fun afternoon.

Crossing the bridge just outside of Bajos del Toro and heading up to the mountain pass

The thick jungle pass (one lane!)...

Coffee workers....

The restaurant recommended to us by a local...

 

Grammy and Gampy going in....

 

The crew....

The tortillas had Christmas shapes imprinted into them!

Tipico plate.....salad, rice, beans, fried plantains, potatoes, and either meat or chicken

Potatoes, salad and tortillas...

 

View out the window of the restaurant....

Marissa and Grammy

Dominic and Grampy

William, me and Zack

 

Drive home thru the coffee fields...

View into the valley...

The lush jungle....

 

 

 

Moving to Bajos del Toro for Christmas Break

It was actually quite amazing how our 2 suitcases each became so much more in just 4 months.  I had not realized how many things we had acquired (dishes, art supplies, school work, beach supplies, etc.) and so we had our good friend from the property management company, Marcos and his dad and uncle help us move.  We had the 4 kids, myself and my parents in our car and all our suitcases, food and stuff in the back of their truck.  We looked like the Beverly Hillbillies! 

It had been estimated from the owner of the new house we were moving to that it would take us 4-5 hours with stops.   Well, it ended up taking 8 hours and it was after 9pm at night when we arrived after stopping and asking for directions about a dozen times.  Remote locations can be a challenge in Costa Rica to find as there are not any street signs, highway markers, etc.  Asking locals is the best way to find things, or if you are lucky, you will see signs to attractions.  In our case, there was a lodge close by, so we were kinda able to follow their signs once we got in the general vicinity.

The Beverly Hillbilly's Moving Truck!

 

Lunch stop...and a photo of the kids at the same restaurant in Canas 3 years ago

on the road to Arenal Volcano....wow how time flies!

When we arrived we were disappointed to find the house very cold, damp and not freshly cleaned.  While it was beautiful, we were obviously the first visitors in a while.  We kinda unloaded and went to bed as we were all exhausted.  We felt like we were camping in a very beautiful tent as even the sheets were damp.  But, by morning, with the humidifier and heater now on, the house began to dry out and my mom and I set to wiping everything down and washing the towels, dishes, etc.  And the view was just to die for along with the amazing architecture of the house itself.

The amazing view we woke up to (that's Poas Volcano in the background)

View of the house coming down the road... 

The hot tub!

 

The Living/Dining Room...

The Kitchen...

Looking upstairs to the 2nd floor and 3rd floor loft....

View of the backyard and valley....That's Poas Volcano behind the clouds

 

 

We look forward to the upcoming month of exploring the area and the cooler weather of the valley.  The cooler weather makes it feel much more "wintry" and "Christmas-like."  And since it is almost Christmas...we also put up a tree and since they don't grow here in Costa Rica, we put up a fake tree like everyone else along with our decorations Kurt brought down from home in two tubs last month.  It was fun unpacking these Christmas treasures and it made it feel like our regular tree from home....just transplanted a little farther south.  It was also fun unpacking and getting ready for Christmas with Grammy and Grampy...another bit of home.

 

Grammy (my mom) and Marissa putting up the tree...

Decorations almost done....

 

Fireplace for Santa!

6 Nutcrackers from our collections at home...can you see which ones

represent which family member?

Ta da!  All ready for Christmas and Santa now...