An Abrupt End

 Whenever we get the chance to celebrate a beloved family member, we take it. Especially if it involves a fun carefree night out. 

We headed out one innocent Saturday night to celebrate a cousin's birthday at a bar and restaurant that shall not be named.

The night started off well enough. There were some missteps, like the drinks not being that good and the not so talented dj but we resigned ourselves to make the most of our night out. It wasn't about us,  we were there to celebrate the birthday girl.

Then things took a turn for the not so good and long story super short and without too much detail, hubby and three family members of our party were kicked out essentially and refused entry back into the restaurant.

There went the night, unfortunately.  When a place treats customers like low rate criminals, that tells me all I need to know about the owner and his employees.  If my party isn't good enough for your place, neither is my money. I go where I'm wanted, so we left. But not before we made a small scene to let them know we would not tolerate treatment in such an unprofessional manner. 

I tried a cosmopolitan for the first time and while it wasn't bad, I'm not sure I would order it again. Hubby ordered his standard Moscow mule and it was terrible, so he stuck to ordering gin and tonics for the duration of our time there. Again, not the best tasting drinks especially for the inflated price tags.

We did make the most of the time we had, even though the dj wasn't good and the music kinda sucked. It was still nice getting out the house and celebrating with family.

Love Me More

 Valentine's Day isn't the biggest holiday but Costa Ricans sure know how to do it big. With a plethora of Valentine activities to choose from, including dinner and dancing at one of the many hotels and live romantic concerts and fine dining at a variety of restaurants, the list of what to do and where to go on lovers day was abundant.

Hubby and I decided on the Indian buffet, a safe but delicious choice.  With a wide variety of Indian dishes to choose from, as many times as our stomachs could tolerate and a glass of wine, it was the perfect Valentine's Day date night. There was even a live violin player to set the mood.

My daughter and her best friend tagged along and we treated them to sushi and drinks at the Japanese restaurant next door, to which they won $100 gift card giveaway. 

The celebration wasn't over,  however, as we extended our Valentine celebrations to the next day, where my daughter and her friend treated me to dinner with their gift card. Of coarse, hubby came along. Italian is one of his favorite meals.

Valentine's turned into a three day affair, unintentionally because on Sunday, we headed to the mall for a love and friendship day celebration decorating cupcakes.

I had a lot more fun decorating than I thought I would. I even participated in one of the activities, a dance off contest with two other pairs. While my daughter and I didn't win the $100 grand prize,  we still had so much fun.

Let's Go Outside

 Before the boys started back to school, there were just a few more activities I wanted to  squeeze in before the hustle and bustle of the new school year. 

Back to school isn't just about the kids, adults have to prep too, emotionally and mentally. So, as parents, we had to also treat ourselves. It's always a good idea to have a full cup to pour from. We cannot fill the cups of others if ourselves cups are empty. 

I took the kids to Yokohama Japanese restaurant for terriyaki and sushi and it was delicious. 

And along the lines of there always being room for dessert, my daughter baked a yummy red velvet ( box) cake, decorated spectacularly of coarse.

As we fill our cups in preparation for filling the cups of our children,  hubby and I took some time for a quick little date night. Cocktails and appetizers are always a good idea.

We also celebrated a birthday at a nightclub, my daughter's first ever "legit" club experience. Drinks were flowing and the dance floor was lit all night, thanks to yours truly.

And I can't forget me time with my girls. Having friends is so beneficial for our mental health.  It's so nice catching up with my girlfriends, hanging out and having a good time, whether it's over coffee and sweet treats or drinks and a savory meal, it's the conversation and company that we look forward to.

Another family day was in the books as we headed to an early dinner at one of our favorite spots to eat, Momentum Piñares. With a large variety of restaurants to choose from, it's the perfect place for fine dining with the family.

We even stopped by one of our favorite Gelato spots for some ice cream, a super sweet after dinner treat.

As a family,  we love going out to eat. We'll make any excuse to go out for a nice meal. But we also like fun activities that keep our bodies active and keeps us motivated to slay life. We take any chance we can get to just go outside, especially when the day calls for a shining sun and beautiful blue skies.

Sundays are perfect for a family day at Sabana Park, San Jose's idea of a micro Central Park. It's lush, it's beautiful and it's always bustling with activities. 

After a couple of hours at the park, we worked up an appetite,  so we had to find a spot to eat. The spot we chose was Outback Steakhouse,  the perfect end to a perfect day.

As it was super bowl Sunday and we were outside,  before we headed back to watch the game, I had to pick up a little treat for game day. As luck would have it, Crispy Churros was having a superbowl special, 24 churros for just $10. Sold! Happy Super bowl indeed.

A New School

 I decided to switch my boys to a new school this year and it took a lot of searching and a little trepidation. But I think and I hope that I found the right school for them to call a second home for the next 11 months. 

With a new school comes new rules, new teaching styles, a new way of doing things.  And so with the approach of the new school year, my boys were a little nervous. However, after their initial period of adjustment, I think everything will effortlessly fall into place. 

As always,  we find a way to make things work out in our favor.