Hello, Panama!

I have had it in my head that we (Mike and  I) needed to take an anniversary trip for our 10 year anny for several years. At first I thought Fiji. Then I went a bit overboard and thought Fiji and New Zealand. (In researching NZ there were so many things I didn't want to miss, the trip ended up too long and the cost too hight... and even taking Fiji away, I knew we wouldn't be able to spend the time we wanted to there so I threw that idea out but hope to pick it up again in the future!) So then one day Mike & I got an email about flights to Panama for cheap (about $800 for both of us) and we jumped on it. Mike had actually suggested we go to Panama for our anniversary because we've been wanting to go (Panama is where Mike wants to live after he retires) but I thought we should go further away since we wouldn't have the kids. Well anyway.. so that is how we ended up picking Panama for our 10th.

Turns out, as we got closer to our departure dates, I started to think maybe I was crazy for coming up with the idea that we'd leave the kids home on this trip. I knew my sister would care for them well but I just still worried. And dropping them off was hard too! I've only been away from them on 2 overnight trips ... one was 1 night & the other was 2 nights. Mike has been away on business but it has never been us together. Bella is almost 7! Dropping them off was super hard and a bit tearful (for me... not at all for them- they were excited to have a "vacation" at Laura's).

Fast forward... we drive to Dallas, do a quick shop at H&M (me), and rush to the airport to catch our flight. Fly to Florida for a layover and then fly to Panama City, arrival time of 1:21 AM. Thank goodness we didn't have the kids on that late flight... we were groggy enough as it is. We then picked up our rental and drove about a block to our hotel to crash. Here are pics from in the morning at the Riande Aeropuerto. It was a nice hotel and we were thankful that it was so close to the airport. We had breakfast and then headed out for Boquete, Panama.

Mike in our hotel room, out our hotel room window they had peppers planted!, Panama gives travelers free insurance for the first 30 days, and Mike at breakfast.

Looking over the bridge at the Panama Canal on our drive.

The drive to Boquete was a bit long. We knew it would be but didn't anticipate the rain after dark nor the horrible construction/detours we'd go through as we got close to Boquete. So I think the drive ended up taking us around 7 hours on the way there. I was thankful that Mike was driving (esp during the stressful bits). We stopped and had lunch at a pizza place a little over 1/2 way to Boquete  (that looked like it was geared towards kids but the ingredients were quality and the pizza was good).

We have decided that it is just a matter of routine for us to pay off the police while we are in Central America. As happened in Costa Rica, we again were stopped by the police for speeding (which in fact I'm sure we were going 5-10 miles over) and after a long, broken conversation in Spanish (and a scare where I thought he was going to shove me in the ditch- strictly my paranoia) we settled on $60. I believe he started at $1000 Euros. Turns out, after talking with our coffee tour guy later on in Boquete, the first time ticket cost is $50. So now we know for next time to opt for the written ticket... or pay the police less! Ha. So then of course, once again, I am paranoid about speeding the rest of the trip.

After a stressful bit in the car, we arrived at our hotel in Boquete... our hotel was the Panamonte Inn (Owned by a Swedish family). I highly recommend this hotel if traveling in Boquete- the staff was always friendly, our room was huge and overlooked the beautiful grounds, and the restaurant had very yummy food. It is the oldest hotel in Boquete and it is said they have the best restaurant in Boquete, if not in the whole of Panama. We ate in their restaurant every morning but also 2 out of the 3 dinners that we were in Boquete for! They source local and organic ingredients when possible and you can even take cooking classes with their chef.

Mike relaxing in our room the first night, front of hotel, walk in closet (did not use much space in that thing!), porch out to the gardens/grounds of hotel.

View from the porch (those tall long things are some sort of cactus).

We had a really yummy breakfast (and delicious coffee) out on their porch and then I booked a massage for the afternoon. We then set out to explore by car to get a better feel for the town. It is a pretty small town but the residential areas and farms surrounding the town go out (and up the mountains) quite a ways. It is a beautiful place. We ate lunch and then came back for my massage (which was so very nice) and then after I showered we headed out again but by foot this time. Our hotel was at a dead end street but down the other end it took just a minute or two to get to the shops and eateries.

Cat we met on our walk, beautiful flowers/plants along sides of roads, a small plot with lots of lettuce in between buildings, more pretty flowers, a barber shop where you can get your "ghetto style" on, and the river that ran through town.

We stopped in a coffee shop to grab some coffee (the weather was perfect coffee drinking weather!) and walked until we ran out of things to see.  It was there that we found a lovely little bakery, Sugar and Spice. Since I'd had sweet coffee I decided on a muffin (hoping it wouldn't be too sweet) but Mike got a blueberry cream cheese bread pudding. The lady behind the counter got our things for us and the guy who'd been busy working behind her asked Mike if we'd be staying there to eat and if so, he'd heat up the bread pudding because it was better that way. We were guessing he was the owner... he heated it up and then brought it out to our table outside. The muffin was delicious (very moist) and Mike enjoyed his bread pudding.

On our way back to the hotel we saw some painted rocks... followed them down into a parking lot and discovered all these painted rocks bordering the parking lot of the restaurant! Pretty cool!

This day was our actual 10 year anniversary day (May 24th) so we decided to eat at the hotel restaurant again (after all, it is the best in Boquete). Here we are getting ready to go eat (this is the top I wore on my wedding day when we left the reception!).

The next day we drove over to David to check out the shopping options (thinking that if we move here, where are we going to get what we need). It is a bigger town and we checked out their version of Target (not quite Target... but more like a TJ Maxx or something similar but without any discounted prices!). Then we came back, grabbed lunch at a sandwich shop, and then headed back to our hotel for a coffee tour we had booked.

The drive up the mountain was lovely (although the narrow roads are a bit scary at times... and they go fast on them!) and the coffee plantation tour was excellent. It is a smaller plantation (not like the one we visited in Costa Rica) and it was just us (a couple from Australia and a guy from Switzerland joined us on the tour), our tour guide, and the plantation owner's wife there on the farm. Our guide, Jason, knew a lot about the coffee growing process and we learned even more than we had in Costa Rica. He was really great at explaining all the steps, how it was done at that farm, and why it was done that way. The name of the coffee is named Royal- Ro for the wife (Rosa) y (and) Al for the husband (Alfredo).

View of Boquete on the way up the mountain, ripe coffee cherry split open, coffee plants w/ a chicken roaming, coffee cherries, drying coffee beans, and the old car that Mr. Tito (plantation owner) took parts from to make all his machinery for the coffee processing (and our guide, Jason).

Baby coffee plants, unroasted beans, sorting machines (made by Mr. Tito), small roasting machine (made by Mr. Tito), large roaster with scroon on top (made by Mr. Tito... scroon= spoon & screwdriver), roasted beans- dark, medium, and light.

Bags of coffee beans, some sort of sorting machine?, bagging process, Coffee bags for shipping, and roasted coffee with scroon. 

After our coffee tour we went back into town to get our car and then drove around the mountain area for a bit (scary... I thought for sure we'd get lost up there!). We found this pretty waterfall while exploring and the neat looking rock wall. I didn't get many other pictures of the mountain but we saw farms and the areas where the migrant workers live (many are indigenous people from the San Blas area who come in to work the farms and then travel back home). The living conditions were pretty primitive. 

After our explorations, we decided to check out the highly rated Big Daddy's Grill for some fish tacos. The owners (American) are very involved in the operation of the restaurant and the wife was in the dining room nearly the whole time we were eating there. The food was quite yummy. 

The next morning we awoke early to get a head start to make sure we arrived in plenty of time to catch our flight to the Pearl Islands. Unfortunately the restaurant wasn't open at that hour so we had to eat breakfast bars in the car and search for coffee in the nearby towns (found some and it was awful). And that concludes the first part of our trip... up next, the Pearl Islands!

Phone Photo Dump

I was having problems uploading my photos from my phone to my computer for some reason... it would get nearly done loading and then say there was an error and it couldn't continue. I tried twice and then gave it up for awhile because it was so frustrating! Well I finally decided to try again when I had time to investigate further and get it figured out so I plugged it in and what do you know? All my pictures downloaded without a problem. So here are some of the pictures that I haven't posted yet!

This is Bella's trip to Green Goodies Cupcake shop (who just won on Cupcake Wars) after she finished a reader.

Look what sweet notes we get now that Bella is writing! :)

This was Jackson, asleep. Poor boy had infected chicken pox under his nose... they looked bad! He still has scaring from them! 

Look at my sweet Valentine's presents from Bella! She saved her allowance to get me a box of chocolates (from Whole Foods) and then saved candy up from school. Then I got whatever money she had left!! What a sweet, generous girl we have!

This was my handsome date for dinner when Mike and Bella went on their date.

I don't think I've posted anything about this (sorry if I have!) but Bella had not passed her vision screening at her pediatrician visit so we were referred for an official eye exam. Turns out, she has a stigmatism and is nearsighted. She was quite upset to have to wear them, even though she only has to wear them while reading and doing other school activities. But she thought friends at co-op would make fun of her (which they didn't!) and I think she just felt different with them on. But now it's all fine and dandy and she doesn't mind wearing them (although often forgets!).  I think they are super cute!

Here is Bella celebrating another reader that she finished at yet another cupcake shop!

Here are our MOMS Club friends at a fire station tour.

The following pictures are from a Zoo sleepover that Bella and I went on a few months back. They had a little educational bit. a zoo walk at night, then the sleep over, and then a walk in the zoo before it opened. 

The sleeping was not so comfy for me (sleeping bags on hard floors w/ a thin mat) but Bella didn't seem to notice.

They did get us up at a horribly early hour... before the sun was even up! (This was after we'd gotten ready and had a bite to eat... no coffee!!!)

Here is Bella with my coffee... we had to leave the zoo when it was over and go directly to the coffee shop for a proper breakfast and COFFEE!

Here is a cute picture of Mike and Jackson.. Jackson is so proud to be cool like Daddy and wearing a hat. ;) Love that grin. :)

Happy Mother's Day 2013

My family took me for a nice brunch at a restaurant in Norman called Local (farm to table type of place) and we had a nice time together. We also went to a park and had dinner with my Mom. It was a nice day!!

Happy 4th Birthday, Jackson!

This was my little guy 4 years ago at just 3 days old. I miss holding that little guy! :) I had a fast and lovely home birth which completed our perfect family.  

This is my silly, energetic, loving, messy, sweet, ornery, can't-sit-still little boy just after turning 4. 

Here he is on his actual birthday (April 30th) having cupcakes from Green Goodies with Aunt Lauri & Uncle Mimi as well as baby Mimi. I tried to give him just 3 candles... hadn't quite gotten into the 4 year old mode yet. ;o)  (Also, forgot to take pictures of anyone else!)

Isabella showed her generosity once again by giving Jackson over half of her "stay up late" coupons on his birthday. We have a sticker chart for the kids for a few target behaviors and one of the things they can get out of the treasure box when they collect so many stickers are coupons to stay up 15 minutes later past bedtime. Well Isabella has been saving hers for awhile and had managed to save up 5 tickets. So she used 2 tickets and gave her brother 3 tickets. The kids and I hung out in the living room (Mike had to get to bed for work the next day) and we played games together.

After 30 minutes (or maybe closer to 45) Bella headed off to bed and Jackson and I were up together for another 15 playing some more games. And taking pictures. :) He was getting pretty sleepy too!

I've been trying to do these questions every year on the kids birthdays for the last couple years... so here are Jackson's questions and answers.

Recite your name: Jackson Levi Abla
How old are you? 4
What is your favorite color? green ("breen")
Who is your Best Friend? Randy
Favorite animal? Red eye tree frog
What do you want to be when you are all grown up? A super hero
What is your favorite movie(s)? Spiderman, Batman, and Scooby Doo
What is your favorite book(s)? Spiderman Under the Sea
What makes you happy? Bella doing funny things
What makes you sad? Bella being mean to me
What is your most favorite food to eat? Macaroni and cheese
What is your favorite song to sing? Spiderman (theme song)
What game(s) do you like to play? Captain America iPad game

Color Me Rad 5k

So I've started and restarted the couch to 5k running program a couple times. Oklahoma's dang heat always seems to mess with my good intentions of finishing the plan! Well this past fall I started the running program back up with enough time to finish before the heat set in the following spring. Now I will say that it is a 9 week program running 3x a week. I've never managed to do that. So my way is more like running 2x a week, with a break week here or there... which ends up taking months to finally finish a 9 week program. If I were more diligent and dedicated I could be a die hard runner by now. ;o)

SO anyway... I did manage to finish the program and I actually mostly enjoy running now. I actually look forward to going on a run. So that is progress! And I signed up for a 5k fun race with a couple friends and my sister... and it ended up being just my sister and I. But that is how it goes. It was fun and I hope to do an actual timed race sometime when the weather cools off again. I just don't want to run in the heat... I've ran in the upper 70s and felt like I was going to die. So 90-100s, no thanks. But I am going to join a gym for a few months to keep my running going during the summer... regaining fitness after a long break with running is no joke and no fun- I definitely know.

Before race...

After race with my cheering squad and color bomb throwers.

Me and my sister.

Us and the kiddos.

Jackson's Extreme Animal 4th Birthday Party

It's always hard to believe when another year rolls around and your little baby is that much further from when he/she was actually a little baby. :( While I do miss the cute little bundle I do love seeing them grow and change... and Jackson has definitely done that!!

We started out a few months prior to his birthday with him wanting an Avengers birthday party. And I thought I was going to be off the hook this year with an easy Jump Zone (inflatable jump things) party. But about 6 weeks before (just about the time I'm thinking about invitations) he decides that he wants an animal party... reptile/amphibian actually. I recalled someone having animals come to their party and after doing a quick search, I found Extreme Animals. Jackson picked out which animals he wanted and I emailed them. They were available and we were booked... simple as that!

So I started working on the invites and worked up these on my silhouette machine...

Then I started thinking about favors. I'd seen something on pinterest where someone had taken a jar with a lid, glued a plastic animal to the top & spray painted it all (lid & animal) & used it for storing things. I thought that was a pretty neat idea so I wanted to do that for the container. Then came collecting jars. We had quite a bit just from saving for a few weeks and my sister, Jennifer, saved some for me to so I was set. I saw another post on pinterest where someone put chocolate rocks in a bag with a gummy animal for a favor. So I thought it would be even cooler to put that in these jars and use a gummy frog or lizard. I ended up finding frogs and so this is what we ended up with after it was all put together.

Favors for the adults- 

the favor label- 

For decorations I mostly just used Jackson's toy animals... a frog here a snake there. I cute out a few leaves and lizards using my silhouette and strung them up. I had some confetti like frogs and lizards that I put on the food table. I made a terrarium with a jar, rocks, fake leaves and a rubber frog. I made a few paper snakes and hung them from the chandeliers like they were uncoiling from the lights. I think that was about the extent of my decorating. My sister, Jennifer, had already made a bunting for Jackson as part of his birthday present so I got that early and hung it up as well.

Oh and I can't forget the wall with the pictures... I really like doing this for each birthday (even last year when Bella had her birthday at Great Wolf Lodge, I still put up her yearly pictures for the month for us to look at). It's so fun to see how much they change year after year in each picture.

As for the party itself, I wasn't going to have to do too much thankfully. No games to put together or anything like that. I figured we eat snacky foods, sing happy birthday, eat cake and do presents. Then the animals would come and that would take up the remaining hour. Well Isabella had other ideas. She was dead set on us doing a piñata. Jackson was pretty pumped about the idea too. But I told them that I wasn't going to do a piñata along with all the other costs associated with this party (the animals being the big expense). So Isabella figured out how much she would need to save to buy one for her brother and then buy the things to stuff it with and then told her brother that she would buy him one. A very sweet gesture (although partly she just wanted because she enjoys them so much). In the end, she did save the money and buy it and the toys to stuff it with and I offered to go ahead and get the candy because I wanted to have healthier candies which would cost too much for her so save. So I'm very proud of Isabella's generosity in saving weeks of her allowance to get a piñata for her brother's party. :) It was a pretty tough piñata... after everyone had swung at it a couple times, we had to call on my 17 year old nephew to bust the thing open.

My mom made a yummy snake cupcake(s)...

Jackson got lots of really cool and fun presents!

And the grand finale was the animals. It was a really warm day in our non-shaded backyard but the kids didn't seem to mind that much. Everyone (even the parents) got to hold nearly all the animals and touch/pet every single one. The handler was very good at providing lots of information and having patience with a group of small kids. Jackson was so in love with all the animals... even going so far as to give one of the lizards kisses. He was just so enthralled and would say, "he is so cute!"

The animals that came were a snake, a tree frog (from Australia, not the red eye tree frog variety from C. America that Jackson loves... but he didn't notice the difference!), a coatimundi (we first learned of these animals when we went to Costa Rica last year), a fennec fox (Jackson has a storybook with a fennec fox in it and they are the cutest little things with huge ears), a lizard (actually they brought 3 lizards because they weren't sure which we wanted... so there was a bearded dragon, a leopard gecko, and another... I can't remember what it was!), and a cayman.

And I think nearly everyone got in on the snake action. This is Banana... and he feels mighty weird slithering around while you're holding him!

So that puts another successful birthday party in the books! :)