Tag Archives: family

Bali, Spiritual / Religion, Travel

Melukat

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I’ve been in Bali almost two weeks, and have had so many rich experiences. You’re probably thinking that nothing could equal my birthday surprise, but you’d be mistaken…

Balinese practice their own unique form of Hinduism. There are over 11,000 temples and more than a million Hindu shrines on the island. My son Brandon will be writing a bit about this on his blog soon.

We expressed an interest in learning more about the rituals and meanings that are such an integral part of Balinese daily life – and so the language school arranged something very special for us.

Along with our tutor, Daniel, to translate, we were going to not only observe, but participate in the Melukat ritual. We had no idea what that was, or what we’d be doing, but we were excited.

Appropriate attire (sarong, belt and sleeved shirt) is required within the temple, and our wonderful staff shared their own sarongs, belts and a beautiful kebaya (top) for Jennifer to wear. We were told to bring a change of clothing, since we may be getting wet.
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Bali, Travel

My Bali Birthday

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As you know, I was invited to spend my birthday at a lovely villa in Bali.

After a 23 hour journey, including layover in Taipei, I arrived to this lush, green island and was welcomed by my son and his family. Except for 9 month old Aysia, who burst into tears as soon as she saw me.

We’ve spent a lot of time relaxing in the pool and in the house, talking, a little time sightseeing, and have been enjoying every minute. I love this opportunity to reconnect with my sweet family. And I’ve been taking a lot of photos for future posts.

You’d think that just being in Bali, relaxing at a villa where all the meals are fresh prepared, all my needs are attended to, a gorgeous pool outside my door and a glorious view of the valley would be enough of a birthday gift, wouldn’t you.

What more could you ask for?
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Costa Rica, Family/Friends, Photography, Travel

Costa Rica Revisited

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So, as you may recall, I returned for another visit to Costa Rica again in June – this time to meet my newest granddaughter, Aysia Mae, born just a week before I arrived.

Isn’t she beautiful?

And doesn’t her family all look so happy to have her in their lives?

I love this family photo… and not just because everyone is color coordinated (yes, I brought clothes for them with me to make sure they would be 🙂 ) but because they look so content and happy… happier and more peaceful than I’ve ever seen them before. It warms my heart.

Brandon and family had moved from Grecia to Escazu, on the hills outside of San Jose. We spent most of our time just relaxing and enjoying each others’ company, rather than fitting in a lot of touring. But we still kept pretty busy.

Continue reading Costa Rica Revisited →

Costa Rica, Family/Friends, Photography, Travel

Waterfalls & Cloud Forests

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So where were we? Ah yes. My last post from Costa Rica.

Ashley, Justin and Kennedy arrived on Friday (day 16 of my trip) – and there was much rejoicing. It’s the first time all of us have been together in over a year… and we had more fun together than ever before.

After a grueling 22+ hours of travel, Ashley & Justin were exhausted. But not too exhausted to stop at the local market, where we were given samples of (and then purchased) the most delicious mangoes I have ever eaten. I didn’t realize I love mangoes but I do. At least fresh Costa Rican mangoes. And not too tired to stop for an early dinner and sweet roll and Cafe Delicias. Yum.

We left for La Paz Waterfall Gardens early the next morning. This is an incredible place and well worth it’s price.


We saw butterflies, exotic birds, snakes, frogs, hummingbirds in iridescent colors, an ocelot, and a beautiful Jaguar (who did NOT like it when I meowed at him) and coati.

The golden chrysalis of the Mechanitis Butterfly is breathtaking. No jeweler could create anything more beautiful.

We saw mist, bamboo, traditional ox carts – and the oxen pull them, a traditional Costa Rican home, and waterfalls, waterfalls, waterfalls! The photos hardly do any of them justice.

Sunday, was even more fun than the day before. After what was a walk for everyone else, but a hike for me, we reached beautiful Los Chorros waterfall and natural springs.

We learned it was not safe to drink the water from the river, but the fresh spring water tumbling from the rocks was absolutely delicious and very refreshing.

We traversed the riverbed and, around the corner of the canyon, discovered another big waterfall.

The water was cold but we all got in and had a great time. The “big kids” jumped of cliffs, swam and got crazy. The little kids didn’t appreciate the cold water much…

The Bustillos family joined us for dinner and socializing on Sunday afternoon and evening. All in all, a great day.

Early Monday morning we headed off to our final adventure of my trip – the Monte Verde Cloud Forest. We really saved the best for last.

Day 19 – Zip Line through the Cloud Forest

All 8 of us geared up at Selvatura park and went on the incredible adventure! We literally flew both above and through the lush green forest… and yes, through clouds. It was so much fun… though it took me a bit to get the hang of it..

This is one of the (if not the) largest canopy tour in Costa Rica – covers nearly 2 miles.

Here I am (pic on the left) sailing down one of the 15 zip cables… and the closer arrow is about where I slowed and got “stuck” and basically was hanging there like a sack of potatoes. And I actually had to be rescued by one of the guides…. TWICE! Really embarrassing…. but still worth it.

At the end of the last cable – which was 1000 meters through the clouds (awesome) – was a big “Tarzan” swing. The older kids had a blast on this and Brandon sang out his best Tarzan call.

Just an awesome day.

That evening, I stayed with the girls at the Monteverde Villa Lodge (great value!) so Brandon, Jennifer, Justin and Ashley could go out on a double date… I think the first they’d ever been on.

Our hosts served a delicious breakfast the next morning and then we headed back to Monte Verde for the bridge walk through the forest. Was beautiful – but I missed the clouds from from the previous day (they usually show up later in the day).

I took lots of photos… and I’ll let them tell the rest of the story. View the slideshow below (if you hover over it you can choose to view full screen), or browse the photos at your own pace here.

We stopped at a lovely outdoor restaurant on our way back to Grecia for our last night together. Did a little shopping, Brandon modeled a womans’ sweater and Justin got fresh with a giant breasted mannequin.

Got up before the sunrise the next morning and headed to the airport where I bid my kids farewell and they continued on for a few days adventure without me – which you can read about on Ashley’s and Brandon’s blogs.

It was such a wonderful three weeks… beautiful, relaxing, exciting… and the best part was just spending time with my awesome kids and darling grandbabies. I’m looking forward to my trip back next month.

Yes – I’m going back for a little over two weeks in June to be there when my newest granddaughter makes her grand entrance into the world! Bet you can’t wait for those photos 🙂

Family/Friends, In the Garden

Small Comforts

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Yes, I still have one more Costa Rica post for you. But not yet.

You may, or may not, be aware that I’ve had a rough week. Schizophrenia is such a cruel disease – one that has robbed me of my father – and dealing with its repercussions and impact is emotionally draining. And very frustrating when decisions need to be made and there are no good solutions to be had. My siblings and I just keep going around in circles trying to determine what action, if any, we should be taking for our father’s emotional, mental and physical well-being since he is refusing any treatment…

But through it all I’ve felt very supported by family and friends and appreciate the concerned calls and emails and messages. Thank you.

And, I’ve taken comfort in the simple joys of my spring garden. Like the tiny tête-à-tête daffodils blooming among the bright green moss.

And the sweet little bushtits that swarm my suet feeder several times a day. And the cute chickadees, juncos and and other birds at the seed feeder.

And the fat squirrel that won’t give up on trying to find a way to reach the suet feeder. I felt kind of bad moving it where he can’t reach it so tossed him some raw almonds… I think I’ve made a friend for life. (See video)

And discovering this cute garter snake warming himself in the sun. I’m so happy to see him – because it means I have a healthy ecosystem in my garden…. plus, he’ll eat the slugs!

Simple joys are simply the best.

So, how are you doing?

Costa Rica, Family/Friends, Photography, Travel

Sarchi – Zarcero

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Day 8 of my Costa Rican adventure took us first to the mountain town of Sarchi – Costa Rica’s main “artisan” town.

Sarchi is famous for it’s colorfully painted oxcarts (once used to haul coffee beans – now more for decoration) and home to the “World’s Biggest Oxcart.”


From there, we headed to Zarcero.

I loved the bright green hills with the swirling mist of clouds dancing through the trees.

And the charming town park featuring funky topiary made a fabulous backdrop for photos. Of course we had a another bit of hug/photo drama 🙂

Also on display was the most elaborate of the hundreds of nativity scenes I’ve come across since here. Notice the woman doing laundry in the photos below…

On the way back to Grecia we stopped at a small butterfly house. Very cool.

I’ll let the photos tell the rest of the story today… enjoy!

(View full screen by clicking on the icon in the lower right corner of the slideshow)

Family/Friends, Photography

The Dreaded Hug

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Emily and Marie are so cute. They’re fun, happy and smart. But their personalities are very different.

Marie (5) is affectionate, creative, loves imagination games and wants to be just like her big sister. Emily (7) is more serious, likes solitary activities like drawing or reading, worries about what people think of her. She hates it when people ask if they are twins – because she wants to be seen as ‘older.’

Marie likes to smile pretty in her photos. Emily likes to pull silly faces. Both girls are excellent at turning on the drama when they are unhappy 🙂

I am taking a lot of photos. And anytime Marie sees me taking one of Emily, she wants to be in it (which irritates Emily to no end). And even worse, Marie wants to HUG her in all the photos.

Emily had been thwarting hugs all day, much to Marie’s chagrin, so we all asked Emily to please just pose for one photo while Marie hugged her.

ME: Emily, the sooner you smile the sooner Marie will stop hugging you…

ME: Come on – give us a real smile!

ME: Nice! OK – just a couple more shots….

Emily, looking at her mom: Are we done yet?
ME: Just one more shot…

Emily disengages from the hug…. and Marie is crestfallen.

Marie tried again a few days later with a similar result….

Costa Rica, Family/Friends, Travel

Hey, I’m in Costa Rica!

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Ahhhh, Costa Rica.

I left this scene on Wednesday morning.

After a very full day of travel involving 6 hour layovers, conversations with interesting strangers (now friends), and very little sleep, I arrived at 6:30am CT on Thursday to this:

I’m here for a three week visit with my son, Brandon, and his family who have lived here for a year. I’ll have to do a little work while here, but I plan on enjoying a lot of vacation and relaxation time. If you’d like to know how and why they moved to Costa Rica, visit his blog.

Ashley & family will be coming down for a week vacation and be here the last 4 days of mine. Really looking forward to having all of us together again – and in such a beautiful place.

Brandon met me at the airport and we made our way through the lovely countryside to their home in Grecia. They actually live about 15 minutes outside of town on the side of a volcano.  The drive was lovely. I’ve arrived about a month after the end of the rainy season so it’s still pretty green, but not too hot. Though we did enjoy a light rainfall while in town late afternoon.

Here are Brandon & Emily on their front porch.

Marie is looking so much like her mom. I love her sun-kissed freckles.

After taking a long tour of the beautiful gardens (photos later) we all enjoyed a traditional Costa Rican breakfast – gallo pinto with eggs, fruit and juice.

Can I mention here how delightful it is to have someone cooking for me? I’m going to eat more nutritiously in the next three weeks than I have in a long time, I’m sure. And it’s so delicious!

Thanks, Jen – you’re a fabulous cook!

After the opening of the Christmas gifts, I took a much needed 3 hour nap in the guest cottage. I drifted off to sleep to lovely birdsong.

Speaking of birds… Costa Rica is known as a bird watcher’s paradise. I’ve seen quite a few interesting varieties – but was especially thrilled to have seen the beautiful and exotic Blue Crowned Motmot – on my first day here! Isn’t he gorgeous?

We headed into town to do a little shopping, stopped for an ice cream cone, and were treated to this beautiful purple sky as we headed back to the car.

The drive back up the mountain was very foggy – we could hardly see the road. I love fog, but it was a tad scary…

Brandon was disappointed that we wouldn’t be able to see the city lights from the veranda. But an hour later, the fog had all lifted, and this was the view (one direction).

These are the lights of San Jose. Simply stunning.

All in all, a fabulous first day. I was exhausted again by 7:30pm. But after a good night’s sleep, and enjoying the company, hospitality, food and incredible view – I think I can say I’m really going to enjoy this vacation.

As my final treat for you today, here is a video I shot just before I started writing this. Same veranda from where I took the city nights photo.

I really should learn to not talk while I’m shooting video. Next video you can look forward to a musical background.

Whatever

Holiday Apology

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You might get a Christmas card from me this year. But you might not. In fact, it’s likely that you won’t.

I’m sorry. Really, I am.

I actually like sending holiday cards – I like getting them. In this day and age of digital communication, there’s something special and personal about receiving a tangible, hand written/signed card in the mail. So it’s something I plan on and look forward to each year. In fact, I purchased the cards in October with the best of intentions and chances are you’re on my list. They just need to be written in, signed, address, stamped and mailed.

But, due to working 60 additional unexpected hours in November, this holiday season is not going as I had planned. It all just feels so overwhelming this year. No tree, though I have hung a garland under my mantle. After 2 weeks I finally hung a few decorations on it.

And I managed to finally make/send an advent calendar to Kennedy just in time to start the countdown to Christmas… a much bigger project than I’d initially imagined, but it turned out really cute.

Happily the holiday package for family in Costa Rica made it in time for them to enjoy a few treats and crafts for the season. So I didn’t bail on the holidays entirely… but the greeting cards will probably sit here unused this year. Maybe you’ll get a postcard from Costa Rica in January instead. No promises 🙂

But even though you might not get a card this year, I want you to know that I’m happy you’re in my life – whether in person or online.   And I hope you have a beautiful Christmas, Hanukkah, Winter Solstice, Kwanza, or whatever you celebrate.

I’ll leave you with a seasonal photo of Molbak’s poinsettias in case a card is not forthcoming…

Happy Holidays! How are yours shaping up this year?

Family/Friends, Music / Entertainment, Reviews/Recommendations

The Mistress of Murder

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Each year, for the past several years, Kristin has hosted/put on an interactive murder mystery for her kids and their friends.

This weekend was the 2010 Murder Mystery – Til Death Do Us Part…set at a Medieval wedding event.

Something you should know about Kristin is when she puts on an event, she goes all the way. It’s not just a party – it’s a production!

And these are no murder mysteries you can buy in a box – no, those don’t meet her standards. Instead, she writes them from scratch.

I am a “creative consultant” on the projects, suggesting ideas for plot lines, characters, twists and turns, etc. I help with some editing/proof-reading and occasionally assist with a bit of writing.

But Kristin does all the heavy lifting – writing each character’s story, organizing, making sure each character has enough to do and have all the items they need to accomplish their goals – and that all the different plot lines fit together.


I don’t know how many spreadsheets and other documents she has to create to keep track of it all. I’m a bit in awe of all that goes into putting one of these things together. I think Kristin has a special gift for it.

It’s a huge job. HUGE.

And takes a particularly creative and organized mind to pull it off – not to mention a bit of a budget. I think she said she printed over 506 index cards for this particular mystery (the biggest one she’s done yet) in addition to other documents and necessary items.

She’s very clever. I was particularly fond of the Bible (a main theme of this mystery – lots of bibles with things hidden inside) which contained scripture from the Book of Armaments. Lots of clever bits like that.

“…And Saint Attila raised the hand grenade up on high, saying, “O Lord, bless this Thy hand grenade that with it Thou mayest blow Thine enemies to tiny bits, in Thy mercy.” And the Lord did grin and the people did feast upon the lambs and sloths and carp and anchovies and orangutans and breakfast cereals, and fruit bats…”

She has spent the last 8+ weeks on the most recent murder mystery – literally, a full time (unpaid) job.

Although I have helped in the development of previous mysteries, this is the first event I have actually been able to attend (since she now lives only 90 minutes away). And even though I know she goes full out on anything she does, I was not prepared for what I discovered upon my arrival.

I was completely blown away.
.

  • All major main-floor furniture was being moved out of the house and into the garage. This includes all the tables, office desks, giant big screen tv, etc. With 28 kids in the house, every square foot was needed.
  • Her house was transformed into a castle! The white walls now appeared to be made of stone, doorways became staircases, torches and stained glass windows on the walls. The backyard was now a graveyard.

  • All 28 characters (plus two ‘oracles’ – Kristin and I) each had their own professional packets of information – including their character sheets, abilities, goals, secrets, trivia, and items in their possession.
  • Craig spent an entire day cooking to create a delicious feast for the Medieval wedding, and the entire night serving it.

Friday and Saturday were spent in these preparations, and the kids began arriving Saturday evening. And what an awesome group they were. Most took their costuming very seriously – they looked fabulous.

Even though most of them had never attended an interactive murder mystery (and were, therefore, completely confused for the first hour) – got into their characters and had a great time. They are not scripted – each character can do what they want with their part, so we never know how the evening will end. Makes for great fun.

Jousting while riding the stick ponies was a big hit, there were several attempted murders, three deaths, two coronations and five weddings!

So fun to see the creative ways the kids played their characters and created alliances and plotted against each other.

My character was Mirela the gypsy. I had a fabulous costume and spoke with a convincing Romanian accent.

My job was to help Kristin manage things, share my “visions” – and photograph the event… “capture their images with my magical contraption, provided to me the wizard”.

Anyway, it was an impressive and exciting evening…. and exhausting. We all slept til nearly noon today!

And then started brainstorming on the plot for the 2011 mystery – it’s going to be good! 🙂

If you ever get an opportunity to attend one of Kristin’s murder mysteries – BE THERE!

It’s an experience you’ll not forget.

I really think she should sell these… or perhaps even put them on as a paid organizer/hostess. So hire her for your next party! (and offer her a lot of money)

All hail Kristin – the Mistress of Murder!