T Minus One Day Left For Vacay

It's finally here and I could not be any more excited.  Vacation time has begun and we have so much family fun planned.  I felt like the week dragged a little bit but isn't that always the case when you're anxiously awaiting something exciting? Time just seems to slow down.  But it's Friday and my sister will be here in a few hours and then tomorrow we head to our fist beach destination: Puerto Viejo here we come.

I have to just take a moment to look at my life and appreciate how blessed we truly are.  We're not rich by any means and we still have our struggles, financial and otherwise.  But to able to afford to take a family beach trip a couple of times a year is truly a blessing we don't take for granted.  And it is something we look forward to every single year.  Yes, some people take more expensive, luxurious vacations that we can't afford right now but that doesn't really matter in the grand scheme of things. A vacation no matter how 'simple' is still a vacation.  So even though we're not traveling to Europe or going to Disney World, we're still having the best time at the beach.  Besides, one day, we'll eventually get to take those extravagant vacations.  One day we'll go on a cruise, we'll maybe even get to travel the world.  We might even go to Disney.  For now, we just feel extremely lucky to be able to take some time out of our regular scheduled lives to go on a fun beach vacation.  Beach living, soaking up the sun, eating at the most delicious restaurants and relaxing pool side is where we want to be. And life could not get any more fabulous than that.

A Day With Friends

Every mom knows the importance of friendships outside your immediate family.  And if you're a stay at home mom, you know the importance of taking the time to spend TIME with friends.  There are so many benefits to having good friends, people who just make you laugh and forget about your stresses.  People you can relax with and talk easily to.  People who just get you.  Some friendships mean more than others, go deeper than others.  But having friends, someone to hang with, can be a lifesaver to a mom's sanity.

My mommy friends and I don't see each other very often but we try to make the effort to get together a few times a year for coffee, tea and a few baked treats.  It's a time where we can just sit and talk for a couple of hours and catch up on our lives.  Last week, after a few missed opportunities to get together we finally gathered at my house for a coffee (well, in this case, tea) date.  We had a few scrumptious baked treats, sandwiches, and drinks.  With some of their kids in tow, it was a very delightful afternoon. 

A VERY Chill Father's Day

So what did hubby want to do this year for Father's Day?  Nothing.  Absolutely nothing.  He wanted to just have the day to chill.  And since it's HIS day, his wish was happily granted by yours truly.  He got the day to catch up on some editing and even went out for a bit with a few friends.  And of course, I had to make him a delicious meal because a special day is not complete without something delicious to grub on. As for gifts, he got the most heartfelt gift from our 5 year old: a handmade card, a personal photo and a glass jar filled with treats.  It was the perfect Father's Day for man who knows what it means to be a dad!

Planning Our Vacation

I am so excited to be planning our annual mid year family vacation to the beach, I cannot believe it is that time again already.  I feel like it's been forever since we've been to the beach, even though we kinda just went on our epic family vacation in January.  But any excuse to get away from the hustle and bustle of real life and relax ocean side is fine by me and seeing as the kids are coming up on their two week 'winter' break from school, it is the perfect time for a nice road trip to the sand and surf.

Also, to top it all of like icing on a cake, my sister is coming to visit us with my new baby nephew so they will be going on vacation with us. If anyone needs a vacation it's her.  She is a hardworking mama who is in desperate need of a break and Costa Rica is the best place for her to be right now so she can recharge.  Plus it's gonna be nice to spend some quality time with my big sister.  To say I am happy would be an understatement.

So where are we going this time, you wonder.  Well, it may come as no surprise but we are heading back to two of our very favorite beach destinations: Puerto Viejo and Samara.  Yes, we are going on not one but TWO family getaways this year.  First, we'll hit up the Caribbean side and then we'll head off to the pacific side.  Both areas have their many benefits and that is why we keep going back.  Puerto Viejo is the place to go when you need a little bit of a fun party vibe, where the food is always good and full of Caribbean flavor.  And Samara is that chill beach town that is always family friendly and you can always find the healthiest food options.

In Puerto Viejo, we'll be staying at a place we've never been to before, Casa Vikingo.

And in Samara, we'll be checking out a new hotel to us, Entre Dos Aguas, which will be a switch up from our beloved Samara Pacific Lodge.  We hope for the experience of a lifetime.  And this time around, when we head to Samara we'll be going with not just our family, but we'll be bringing along our 19 year old's best friends as well.  It should be an experience.