We've Been Busy!!!

So Dave took our computer home with him so that I wouldn't have to manage it on the way home with the kids - we have Wayne and Sandy's computer so I haven't been downloading any pictures but I thought I'd share with you all what we've been up to...

Saturday, Dave and Sandy headed back to the States.  They drove over to San Jose and stayed the night there and then flew out the next day.  I guess they had quite an adventure in Miami -- the airport was closed there due to storms so the flight out of San Jose was delayed. Then, when they did get into Miami, everything was backed up so they had to wait on the tarmak for 45 minutes or so for a gate.  Then they hit more back up in customs and immigration and almost missed their delayed flight into Denver. I hate to say it but I hope that doesn't happen to Wayne and me with the three kids!!!  I am glad to report that Dave is safely back in Sheridan and Sandy is home safe in Laramie.

Sunday we headed back up to Arenal Lake to do some boating with our friends who live here in Coco, Roseanna and Scott.  They've always been very welcoming and generous with the boat rides. Jack and the girls both had a great time. We buzzed around the lake a little bit and did some fishing.  We caught some rainbow bass or guapote.  Wayne says that they are a fish that is related to the commonly known Oscar.  They were striped and Wayne also said they have big teeth! Scott was awesome and anytime there was one on, he would ask "Who's turn is it?" and let the kids reel in the fish.  They enjoyed it!  I was so impressed with their behavior on the boat - I wasn't sure what to expect, especially with Jack. I was afraid he'd get antsy but he was very content.  He didn't mind wearing the life jacket and was happy to wander around a little bit - good thing Scott has a 22 foot plontoon boat! We had a good time and were even able to see the cone of the volcano while we were there. 

Monday, we went swimming and then I had my dentist appt... yeah - it was supposed to be Thursday but she didn't like the way the crown didn't match my other teeth --- wish she'd realized that before she numbed up the right side of my face!!!  So, I had all the work done on Monday - literally, my whole face was numb.  I had the crown on the bottom right and then two fillings replaced on the top left - I was numb all the way up my nose!!!  - and another filling replaced on the bottom right. Ugh.  Hopefully this means I won't need any work done any time soon!

Today, we hung out pretty close to 'home' --- we went swimming in the pool and then played on the beach from about 9 until about 12:30 --- we had fun playing in the waves and building hermit crab houses and we even had some more hermit crab races!  Good times! 
We found one hermit crab who was "naked" -- without a shell.  They are sure strange looking creatures!  So, Jack and I set off to find him a shell.  During our search, we found another hermit crab who was about the same size as the naked one... I was looking in a different place while Jack held that one - next thing I knew, Jack was screaming!  As I understand it, Jack tried to take the crab he was holding out of its shell so that we could take it back to the other one who was without shell -- needless to say, the crab who was inhabiting the shell Jack was holding, didn't want to part from his shell and pinched Jack... and I think that I understood that he pinched Jack a few times!!!  I think Jack learned about how hermit crabs defend themselves!!!

This afternoon, the girls and I went into Coco for some souvenir shopping -- they chose some necklaces and bracelets and a pair of really neat puzzle boxes. They are little wooden boxes that are a puzzle to open - Meg got one that is shaped like a toucan to remember the toucans that we saw on the way from Arenal on Sunday and Ella got a parrot to remember the green birds that Granma Sandy saw while she was here.
This evening, we walked back down to the beach and found the BIG hermit crabs.  During the day, the little ones, that are about the size of a finger nail, are abundant.  In the evening, the hermit crabs that are wandering the beach are much bigger - their shells fill the palm of Meg's hand.  The girls are much more uneasy about these crabs. To my surprise, especially after his experience earlier in the day, Jack was not afraid to pick up the bigger crabs. He didn't hold onto them as long after they emerged to walk but he wasn't afraid to pick them up!  In fact, he had one who I could see that it was pinced onto his finger... Jack just took his other hand and swiped it off!

Maybe I will get some pictures downloaded in the next couple days...
Until then...