Trips Turn 5

Imagine I have a time machine and this post is done promptly in May. Besides, the triplets celebrated all month long so I am really right on time. I can't believe it has been five years since we moved back to Florida. And it is a distant memory of caring for these guys when they were unable to walk or feed themselves. If I had to do it again I would be just as freaked out because I honestly cannot remember anything about that time unless I see it in pictures. And in case I can't remember anything about this year, I thought I would put some pictures in to remind me of just how much these kids have grown. 

For their birthday the triplets got to choose their individual cakes which seemed quite similar to the cakes they picked last year but I was not complaining.The girls only wanted to be mermaids and Carlos only wanted instruments to torture them with in the pool. I think I made everyone happy. 

This year has marked the first ballet class and recital along with the first T ball game where they called themselves the hammerheads. What they manage to lack in silence they make up for in humor. Always loud and always making a mess is the norm for these guys.

Ballet recital song was the Hokey Pokey and Beau was the only one to give a bow, like a man but we loved it. And don't get me started on Gigi's hands. So graceful.

First day of ballet

As far as t-ball was concerned, Gigi always had to wear a bow in her hair and when she put on her helmet or cap, the bow went over it. As for Beau, she sure liked snack time. As you can see by the pictures, the kids were very focused but they loved their teammates, especially Carson Daringer who both Beau and Gigi married at the gym day care. 

Why I augta! 

There soon on their way to being Kindergarteners this fall but for now, they are my sweet five year olds. 

Catching up with Trips

Beau: Mom, I saw a scary bitcho ( bug)(Holding sword and stuffed white rabbit)

Mom: Oh no, Did you kill it with your big sword?

Beau: (playing coy) no

Mom about to praise her

Beau: Lifts a slightly stained white rabbit. I killed it with my bunny. (Smiles her adorable smile)

Beau: Mom, I'm going to be a rock star. Can you get me a hotar? (guitar)

Eva:Beau you are the cutest thing ever!

Beau: Yes, I am the whole package. I am cute as a button

Mom: Beau, what's your phone number?

Beau: 2 second and number nine

Gigi: I'm not tired, just my eyes.

Carlos:(As his mom sings the ABC song.

Mom, you're going to jail

Mom: Why

Carlos: For singing terribly

Mom: Carlos, what word starts with the letter "B"

Carlos: The letter "D"

Beau: Chank you, my arms and eggs urt. (Thank you, my arms and legs hurt)

Carlos: What are you mating there?

Me: Excuse me?

Carlos: Over there(pointing to a construction site) what are you mating?

Gigi: I want yummy spray (canned whip cream)

Gigi:Mom, I had a nightmare I was a baby unicorn.

I love these girls except when I walked into there newly cleaned room to find it had snowed baby powder everywhere and they looked like ghosts. Did I mention it was ten at night?

Spring Break in Costa Rica 2016

     I truly believe the greatest way to educate your children on the world around them is to just go out and experience it. Whether it's your back door or across the ocean, children will rise to the challenges of travel. What better snippet of life than to be prepared as you can be for an adventure but still be surprised with things you never saw coming and to do it with those you love is just icing on the cake. My tiplets carry the sad mark of being the oldest   in our family (except for my dear hubby)to take their first flight. Where the rest of them started at just a few months old, the triplets will be four. Don't panic, I feel they will make up for their shortcomings with enough time. Just look at Beau proudly sporting her American made stamp of approval.

For those who don't know me, I'm a planner. I grew up traveling in a home with no planners and vacations were something near boot camp at Ft. Something or Other- no hotel reservations, no car reservations, no tickets or agendas for the day. If we needed to check for hotel availability it consisted of the family car driving up to the hotel, my getting out and going to the desk clerk in any given langauage to ask for a room. This would happen about a dozen times before my parents agreed on a price then we would drive to the lucky hotel. And maps, what were those? But don't get me wrong, I am forever grateful for the ability to have traveled young. I learned a lot and I hope my kids are well on their way to enjoying the adventure of life as much as I do. And special thanks to my darling husband who has so selflessly stepped out of his comfort zone for me time and time again to have some of the funnest times a girl could ask for. 

Ready to fly!

On our last trip to Costa Rica we just had the older two so we travelled the entirety of the country which was amazing. With the expanded crew, I thought it best to stay in one spot and really get to know it. The choice was simple. We would go to Manuel Antonio and stay at La Mariposa. In a book I have called "A Thousand Places to See Before You Die," this hotel is listed and I have no reason to disagree. The staff, as they were the last visit, were exceptional and personable. We packed up our belongings (and our M.I.L) and headed on one of two flights to get to Central America.

The Itinerary went as follows:

Day 1: Land in San Jose and spend the night.

Day 2: Take a dip in the pool followed by a short flight on Nature Air to Quepos Airport.

In thirty minutes you will traverse the mountains to the coast with the most amazing views. I said the plane was so small that when the pilot sneezed I handed him a tissue. The flight in the matchbox is all worth it when we arrived at the hotel.

The view all day, every day

Never got old

A man and his women

The day was spent mostly getting re acquainted with the pool and relaxing in our apartment. It wasn't long before we were greeted by one of the many hundred friends that one tends to meet in the jungle. Every day monkeys, our personal chicken nugget eating iguana and R.U.S (Rodents of Unusual Size- Princess Bride anyone)were literally in our faces. 

So many babies I could have died. 

This guy was such a ham, he would lay there and swing his tail and look cute. The trips tried ( and I think successfully captured) to be as cute as him.

Day 3: Zip lining

This is always my favorite here. These guides are amazing. They do these trips 2-3 times a day but are as pleasant and funny the first time as the last. The triplets were such gamers, they even went in a triplet tandem down the 1 mile zip. The guides were eating them up. Eva and I even went upside down on a few of the 14 zip lines. (I couldn't let her out do her mom)

All the guides were enamored with Beau. I can't see why

Mike and I raced but as you can see, he won the mile long zip

On lowering me at the end, the guides told me to jump and immediately after I did, they screamed "No". I'm laughing  at their little joke here but my pants are a little wet from the fright their little joke gave me. 

When we were done zipping (if that's a thing)we were seated again, in the middle of nowhere with a makeshift stove and treated to a typical Costa Rican lunch of vegetables, chicken and rice. I always ask the ladies for their recipes because if they can make it taste this good in the jungle imagine what it could taste like at home. (Their's is probably better. Your right.) Again, a group of monkeys and a sloth came by to visit while we sat amongst them reliving our adventures.

As soon as we arrived back to the hotel we do our usual afternoon activity of heading poolside.

Even from our last trip here, the poolside bar is always the highlight for my kids. The fact that they ate here every day was a testament to the food. And there is something quite fancy about having Ernesto see me and nod to let me know he will order my usual. No words needed.

Did I mention how much I love this man