INBIOparque

Six hours, 14 people, 4 cars, 12 entrance tickets with lunch included, and no strollers. That was my day at INBIOparque today. What a hell of a day. One whole day well spent. Oh and I forgot to bring my camera, so I don't have any pictures *duh*. Oh well, I'll just have to go back and soon.

INBIOparque is one of a kind (well, maybe not so much here in Costa Rica), but it is something. What a great and fun way to teach kids and adults about their environment and how to take care of their planet.

Located in Santo Domingo, Heredia. All inclusive entrance tickets for residents are c6.000 colones for adults and c4.400 colones for kids (includes a full lunch with dessert and a drink).

Bring walking shoes, comfortable clothes and maybe a stroller for the little ones as you will be doing a LOT of walking (my kids are troopers though... they walked the whole park and didn't complain ONCE.)

There is a lot to see and a lot to do. Six hours in the park and I didn't get to some of the exhibits... go figure. It's very laid back and tranquil too so you don't have to rush, just take your time and enjoy the scenery.

There is also a gift shop, but for the same quality souvenirs and for half the price, you can go to San Jose Mercado Central... however, getting something small is worth it just for the experience and to have an INBIOparque souvenir (Boobie used his own money and bought a fire ant figurine.)

And don't forget to have a blast.



Boobie's fire ant that he bought at the gift shop


After 6 hours walking INBIOparque, Fatty is wiped out


And so is Princess, who cried a good 20 minutes beforehand, she was so tired


The map of the park

http://www.inbioparque.com/es/index.html

http://www.inbioparque.com

Boobie's 10th Birthday

My little boy is 10... and I was all too happy to oblige him on his very special day with things he wanted to do.

First off, some good news. After spending the whole of last week studying for exams, I am pleased to announce that Boobie got an 89 on his English test (the only exam he got back before Easter break).

I am VERY proud of him. It's not 100, but it's one point from 90 and that is damn good in my book. He deserved a treat... and what better way to treat him than to celebrate his birthday in style.

Since my Boobie wanted to go skating, we went skating. We went with 7 other kids (his 4 cousins and 3 of their cousins, plus Fatty and Princess tagged along too). It was fun. He skated for about 2 hours, then came home for the festivities, which included a pool. It was a gorgeous day, near 90 and perfect weather for a pool party.

We had about 14 kids (that is a lot for the 'smallish' party we were going for... LOL) and 12 adults... well 14 if you count father in law and myself (though father in law stayed in his house for most of the party).

It was great. I could not have asked for a more perfect party or a more perfect day or even a more perfect number of people.

There were tons of goodies for everyone... chocolate covered marshmallows and fruits, fruit salad, Chex mix, cake and ice cream cones, and of course the food: Arroz con Pollo and salad (which mother in law so graciously made). It was a fabulous day and a wonderful start to vacation.

Happy Birthday my prince!

There were a lot of photos, so they're in no particular order:


Near the end of the party


Boobie's gifts


Fatty 'devouring' some cake


Wearing the Transformers mask








Happy Birthday





Make a wish


Getting ready for cake











Pool time fun














Brother in law filling up the pool... since it didn't fill up all the way, the little kids were able to enjoy the pool as well

















Food time














Chocolate covered marshmallows, cantaloupe and bananas... these were DELICIOUS!!!!



The "party area"



The cake

Snack central


At the skating rink








Poor Boobie, he spent more time on his butt that first hour than on his skates. He did have fun though. And he informed me that after I left (I had to leave early to come home and 'set up') he got much better. Way to go Boobie!





At Salon Patines Music in San Pedro, reminds me of Chez Vous back in Boston. Good music, old fashioned skating and good time fun. Plus we saved a bunch of $$ as it was 2 for c3.000 colones (it's usually one for c2.000)


Having a blast


Fatty wanting to skate


Hi


Hey


OK, and just to throw this in a bit. I was so daunted by melting chocolate and making skewers. For some reason I thought it was so hard. But it was like pie, literally. So easy and so much fun. I have leftover chocolate and marshmallows (and skewers sticks). I'll be making chocolate covered 'something' again for Easter. This is the car of chocolate melting in a glass bowl that I placed in hot water.


And the skewers all ready to be dipped (or doused) with chocolate.

What a fun day it was. No one wanted to leave (remember that blog about knowing when you have a good party when people don't want to leave.). Yeah. I started the action at 10:30 am and everyone left around 6pm. granted people showed up at all hours: skaters at 10:30, non-skaters between 12:30 and 3:30. It was just perfect. Ahhhhhhhhhh!

Thinking About Easter

I haven't even gotten through Boobie's 10th birthday yet and my mind has already gravitated towards the weekend after: EASTER. I tell you, I am a party planning fool. If I didn't have as much good sens as I have, I'd be planning an all out Easter day parade.

I was happy to see that Boobie's school has something planned for Easter the Monday they get back from Holy Week vacation, which is the Monday after Easter Sunday (Holy Week starts the 29th, the kids go back to school on the 5th ... YAY!) I hope parent involvement is encouraged as I want to be apart of that. I wonder how Costa Rican schools celebrate 'Pascua', as they call it. Hmmmm, should be interesting. No Easter Bunnies I am sure. And no egg hunts either.

So what do I have planned for my kids. Well as soon as I can get through Boobie's party, I can fine tune all my Easter details. But so far, I plan on getting the kids nice baskets this year. Pequeno Mundo has nice ones for less than c2.000 colones a piece.

Then of course I will fill the baskets with a few goodies. Nothing extravagant. Last year, on one of the the mom websites I frequent, one mom got her son a cell phone for Easter (among other things). Wow, right? We won't be doing that here. Just a few small outdoor toys. like bubbles (since they finished off the 2 bottles they got for X-mas) and maybe a hula hoop for Princess (although that won't fit in the basket). And of course, some books. For now, not sure what else. Ben 10 stuff for Boobie for sure. And I draw a blank on Fatty. I did, however, already get Princes a Dora wallet and a necklace and earring set (fashion jewelry type) for her basket.

Oh and of course, I'll be putting chocolates in those baskets as well. What's Easter without it.

Then there are the Easter crafts. I haven't thought much about this yet. Last year was fun and simple: we made plastic plate bunnies. I would love to do something equally as fun and simple this year as well.

I am still undecided about the egg hunt part of my plans. Not sure if we'll do an official egg hunt. Last year it was mini, like really small. I hid 2 KinderSorpresas (egg shaped chocolate with a toy inside) in the yard for Boobie and Princess to find.

Maybe we could do a scavenger hunt and give clues for them to find their candies. That could be fun, and make the hunt last longer. I'll have to ponder on that one.

I can only focus on one event at a time. First the party, which is coming together nicely (nice and small just the way I wanted it).

I have about 6 days to plan for Easter after the party, which, in this house, is plenty of time.

As for food, not sure what will be served. Not even 100 percent certain if we'll make it to church this year. I think we just might (after all, it IS Easter.) I miss going to church on Easter Sunday. Since we rarely ever go anymore, it would be a nice tradition to start with the kids.

Why Must You Do That?

Any annoying habits that make you want to scream, that belong to OTHER people. Yes, I think I have a few.

Hubby... please stop forgetting to put things back. The water bottle goes back in the fridge when you're done. As with the juice, the ice, the leftover foods...

Also, kindly stop taking your clothes off and leaving them right where you took them off. Jeans in the office, shoes in the living room, sweaters thrown over the couch.

This also applies to Boobie. You have hamper... a nice one that I just bought you a few months ago. Clothes go INTO the hamper, not your bedroom floor OK. Not rocket science. Thanks.

Also, when you use the toilet, flush, flush, flush. Hubby, take note as well.

Princess, please stop crying for everything. The world, for you, is perfect and innocent and fun. Why you cry?

Also Princess, stop asking for specific foods and then proceed NOT to eat them.

As for you Fatty... what to say, what to say. You're only 18 months old. Oh yes, I know... Please, pretty please, learn to use the potty soon.

Something Old

You know the age old saying: every little girl envisions her wedding day from the time she exits the womb. OK, that isn't age old, but it rings true, for most of us 'little girls' anyway. .

I pretended to be a stay at home married mommy with a bunch of kids from the time I could imaginary play until the time I actually HAD kids and became the real deal stay home mommy. What's missing from my fantasy turned reality. The wedding. You got me... Hubby and I aren't actually 'legally' married.

We did an unofficial spiritual ceremony years ago when we were still dating to bind our souls and make our union one of recognition before God. After all, that is how it was done back in the day right... no papers to sign, no church to attend; just you, your chosen partner and God as your witness to seal the union of two people in love.

However, as nice as that ceremony was, I still crave a wedding; a real, up to date 'todays society' wedding, with a white wedding gown, a 3 tiered cake and a dance floor.

I have gotten much better about feeling the NEED for a wedding though. When I had Boobie , I dreamt, ate and breathed weddings. I had wedding magazines, a wedding scrapbook I made of everything I just had to have at my wedding and even a selection of songs to be played on that special day. I had the day planned out, every second, down to the last good bye. I was determined to be married and feel like a whole woman... change my last name and everything.

Today, I don't need all of that, not so much. I have made peace that in our eyes and in our Creator's eyes, we are a solid union. AND I don't think I need to change my last name to feel like a real married woman anymore... they don't even do that here in Costa Rica... the woman KEEPS her last name and your kids get both mom's last name and dad's last name too. Cool, huh?

I still would love a wedding. But not for all the wrong reasons I wanted it years ago (to feel apart of society, to feel I belonged with other moms, to feel legal, to feel washed of sin). I just would love to celebrate our union with our family and friends. Plus I love a party and what party is bigger than a wedding?

So when that day comes, even though I have changed quiet a few of my views on what my wedding day should look like, I know I am still a little bit traditional deep down inside. I still want something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue (and yes, I will be strutting my stuff in a white princess dress on the dance floor with a 3 tiered cake off to the side).

And I have to say, a wedding is the celebration of NOT just a man and a woman. The better way to celebrate our wedding day is with our kids standing up there with us, as we re-commit to each other, not just as a couple but as a family.

Skinny Bitch!!!

I promised I would post a pic of my skinny bitch-ish-ness as soon as I could take a pic I liked. Well, here are 3... enjoy.




March 6






Today: March 21. 10+ pounds lost and I can fit into short shorts again AND wear it in public. HA!

I cannot even tell you how long it's been since I could wear these shorts (more than 4 years). They were even hidden in Boobie's room in his closet, waiting for the day I could fit into them again. It took me weeks to find them, and it was by accident (cleaning out Boobie's top closet shelves; I'd forgotten I'd put them there). I tried them on, and voila, they fit! I couldn't wait for the right time to put them on... and I will not hesitate to wear them again.