Christmas in Costa Rica Part IV

Christmas Day

Day Nine:

I wasn't sure how it would be spending Christmas Day in Costa Rica, but it was everything I had hoped it would be...and so much more!!!

Saying "Goodbye" to Blake, Josie, and Family

Christmas morning we had baked dulce de leche (it was everywhere in Costa Rica) french toast, compliments of Josie, and visited and played games with Blake's family one last time before they left.

They were flying out that afternoon from the San Jose airport. It was sad to see them go, but hopefully our paths will cross again someday soon!

Creepy Creatures!

Shortly after Blake's family left, Brad was standing on the upper level balcony (next to our bedroom) when something flew out of the sky and just about hit him on the head. I heard Brad yell and ran out of our room to see what it was. There on the floor was a bat, half alive, so we scooped into a bag and let it go outside. It kind of creeped me out, so I just tried not to think about bats flying around my head when I slept at night. 

A few nights later another moth (almost as big as the one Blake found in the kitchen) was again flying around our bedroom,

and then while I was looking at the moth I saw a million little lizards on all the skylight windows! Good thing they were on the outside (at least that's what I kept telling myself!).

Merry Christmas!

This was the extent of our gift-giving this Christmas. Going to Costa Rica, and doing all the fun things we did, was our gift to the kids. However, Brittney (who's love language is gift-giving btw) decided we all needed a little something from Santa, and gave us all stockings full of gifts and our favorite treats!

Luckily (so Brittney would have something to open), Brad and I gave the kids some books and perfume (except for Breck of course), and their favorite snacks.

Instead of a book, Brad got Brittney a face mask from Japan (to keep her from breathing in all those nasty germs at work!). I'm always amazed at the quality of gifts we've given Brittney through the years! 

Breck gave Brittney an ornate handmade leather purse, and some bracelets, from Argentina. 

"Thank you" hugs.

Aubrey opening her perfume,

and giving Breck a whiff (because he's Breck and he wanted one). 

Breck gave Aubrey an antique Spanish hymnal (because he knew how much she would appreciate it), and purse, from Argentina.

More "thank you" hugs!

Aubrey modeling a scarf, and all her other treasures from Brittney.

Brittney gave Breck some kind of electronic gadget,

and a stocking full of all kinds of funness!

More hugs!

Breck modeling (like only Breck can do) a hand-made mitten ornament from Grandma Virginia...

Merinda overjoyed with all the treasures in her stocking,

 and modeling her scarf from Brittney.

Interesting that Brittney had to physically go over to Merinda for her own thank you hug from Merinda (that's so Merinda).

I too loved my scarf, make-up, Scentsy plug-in/night light, and chocolate covered cinnamon bears (my all time favorite candy) from Brittney! Aubrey and Brittney also gave me a cleaning pumis stone for my bathroom, which I am really jazzed about using!

Brad opening his stocking full of Weight Watcher friendly (well...almost) snacks! We sure are grateful for our little Santa Brittney, and all the time, effort, and money she put into buying us our favorite things, and then dragging them around Costa Rica for over a week!!

Enjoying our gifts, and one another!

The kids then had fun Face Timing family at home (I think they were talking to uncle Brian in this picture).

Breck then wanted to ride on his horsey "Brad" like he did when he was two (I don't know why...it's just Breck),

and getting a little reading in while sitting on Aubrey (again, just Breck being Breck).

Fun Times in the Pool

After the Christmas morning festivities, Breck couldn't handle it anymore, and just had to try out the pool.

Because these two have been so close all their lives, it's caused them to have somewhat of a love/hate relationship, 

but it sure is nice when the love side comes out!!

The pool looked so inviting that the rest of us had to join in (except for Brad...but someone's got to take the pictures). Did I mention that the temperature hovered around 90 degrees the entire time we were in Costa Rica?

And did I also mention that I had so much fun with my kids in Costa Rica, that I've been in deep depression ever since?

And that Ketucky was in a deep-freeze, with sub-zero temperatures, for three weeks after returning home?

AND that Brad and I are going to live close to the kids when they are all gone and married? Well...it's all true!!!

Funny story, but while we were swimming we heard a giant animal running inside the gutters, on top of the roof. 

It finally popped his head up and we could see it was a very large lizard. 

But the strangest thing--for the longest time he just sat and starred at the birds flying in the sky overhead. We never did see (or hear) him crawl down from the rooftop. 

Quepos Marina

That evening, Brad, Merinda, Aubrey, and I walked along the ocean path, next to downtown Quespos.

It was fun watching the skateboarders go off jumps, and seeing families with little kids enjoying one another, and their Christmas' gifts.

And the views were so beautiful from all directions, from the mountains,

to the trees,

and beaches,

to the amazing sunset!

One of the reasons for our little walk was to check out the Marina, where Brad and Breck would meet for their fishing exertion the next morning.

The Marina was pretty neat because it was all decked out in Christmas lights. 
(Aubrey sporting her new purse from Argentina)

Dinner at "Mercato del Porto" 

For dinner we ate a pizzeria called Mercato del Porto (it was Aubrey and Merinda's choice, of course).

The food was okay,

but the view of the sun setting over the marina, was to die for!!!

My eyes were just fixated on the sun as it slowly went down...

It was the perfect ending to our perfect Christmas day!

After dinner, we admired the marina lights one more time ...  

 the lighted boat ramp ending at the Star of David,

the kid's play area with dangling tree lights that looked like melting ice cycles, 

the massive Christmas tree with lights in the middle of the marina,

and the marina's entrance lights. It was so nice to feel the spirit of Christmas, even in Costa Rica!

Even the Quespos sign was all lit up. 

Dessert from Quepos Bakery

Sometimes in Quespos you would walk the streets and smell garbage, sewer, or dirty swampy water, so when there was a bakery close by, the smell was just a little bit of heaven! 

And we needed to partake of that little bit of heaven (after all, it was Christmas!).

There were so many breads, sweet breads, and pastry's, choosing was almost impossible!

Brad got Brittney some plain bread that looked Brittney-friendly, and I was intrigued by the bread pudding, 

and Merinda got this! The interesting thing about pastries and desserts in Costa Rica is that they are half as sweet as desserts in the U.S. All of our choices were light and fluffy, and we didn't feel sick or bogged down after eating them.

None of us wanted Christmas to end, so we topped it off with a family Christmas movie (that Breck downloaded for our trip). Okay, so this was the second best ending to our Christmas day. 
It's times like these that I think to myself, we are truly blessed!!!