Pura. Vida.

Pura Vida! This is what everyone in Costa Rica says instead of hello. The literal translation is "The pure life" but, as our cab driver so eloquently put it, it's more like "Hakuna Matata!"

Got back from Costa Rica a few days ago and realized I hadn't blogged for a month! Time has flown by! It does that with the holidays and being on vacation. I've been so busy when I wasn't on vacation it's almost suffocating. But I think that this time of year is always that way. But I love it anyways.

So, our trip to Costa Rica. What a fun one it was!

Our pool

the beach at Corcovado National Park

rainforest at Corcovado

it's a BABY MONKEY!

these are leaf cutter ants. Truly amazing species. They are so smart, it's incredible.

and here you can see the army ants hunting. They will eat "anything" according to our guide. A lizard. A snake. Whatever. If they can't lift it they will cut it up into little pieces Hanibal Lector style. They were crawling all over my shoes which grossed me out...

it's a SNAKE! A boa of some sort actually...

me and Karrah at Playa Uvita in Marina Ballena National Park

our attempt to get everyone and the beer in the picture:)

Nauyaca waterfall. This is where Zach, Gus and Karrah jumped off

the local brew

such beautiful sunsets there...

this was my view every morning when I woke up

on the beach at Playa Espadilla

The Costa Rican people were really very friendly and very laid back. There are no street addresses because it is only recently that there were more than dirt roads. That made finding things a challenge. Most directions went something like this "take the road to San Isidro. You will see a soccer field. Not the first one, but the second, after ten minutes you turn left and you can't miss it." Well, you can and will miss it. Promise.

Every time I go on a trip it energizes me. I just love so much seeing new places and meeting new people. I always leave and want to plan my next trip in the airport on the way home! I think after two big vacations in the last six months Charlie and I will take a little break. Right now we're thinking Africa after I graduate (Tanzania, Kilamanjaro, South Africa), but we'll see what life has in store for us between now and then. A lot can change in 18 months. If not that, then maybe we will get a camper van and drive all over the US for a few months. Do they even make camper vans anymore?

Now it is back to the grind. But only a few more days until my birthday and Christmas, so that is something else to look forward to!

Karrah loves YouTube

For any of you who were skyping a few weekends ago, this is the video Karrah was talking about. I spent the first half of the video just watching in disbelief, but when she says, "Work that elastic, it's looking fantastic" and "When I place my legs in a cage of spandex" I almost lost it.

Happy Saturday:)

Sweet Verbena

Hey guys!

I have been following this new blog since the summer sometime off and on, but thought that I'd pass it on to you guys in case you'd like it too.

Katy on Sweet Verbena is a college student who also happens to have this blog. What I like about it is that she has a bunch of tutorials for stuff that are super easy and useable. I did a few of them this summer to make some clothes for myself. She also has a lot on repurposing, which I've been trying to do more of. She has one where she uses an old sweater to make a really cute throw pillow. And her most recent post is on using the left over wax from old candles to make new votives which you can use around the house.

One thing I can say about her clothing tutorials - she must be a giant. Because the ones I've done for skirts have come out like dresses for me:)

Check it out sometime...