Finally. The estrogen level in the condo was greater than the testosterone! With the arrival of Katherine and Kenzie, I could finally show those boys who was boss: Kenzie. 🙂

On our last trip to Costa Rica we attempted to have Katherine and Kenzie visit, but it just didn’t work out. This time, though, they were booked before we arrived ourselves, except Kenzie didn’t know it. One of the cutest things about these kids is that Kenzie LOVES Noah. Like, holds his picture and cries on the weekly because she misses him. So the fact that she had no idea she was coming to visit was AWESOME!

Kat and Kenzi arrived on February 7th (Happy Birthday, Dad!), and the fun began. It was hot, sunny, and dry just as we advertised, and Kenzie’s tolerance for the heat was put to the test. She was soon asking for the cold weather of Jersey that she had just left (it was snowing when their plane took off!). But, we were able to take her on a walk and lure her along with the promise of the beautiful Pacific Ocean, a place she had never touched before. Kenzie and Noah running along the beach was one of the sweetest moments ever.

Back at the condo and into the pool, despite the water being chilly, these kids could not be deterred. We went out for a sunset dinner at Cafe de Playa, and Noah and Kenzie enjoyed space from the table: talking, dancing, throwing rocks, and just being two kids in paradise.

Their second day was one of relaxation. We spent all morning by the pool, afternoon lunch at the pizza place, and a stroll along the property. After Kenzie’s nap, another dip in the pool, and a homemade dinner capped off the night. Ken, Kat, and I played games while the kids went to bed. Their trip was off to a great start!

On Friday the 9th we took the afternoon to visit the Congo Canopy Tour animal park. This section of the Congo Canopy Tour isn’t huge, but they have a noble purpose. They rescue local animals that have either been illegally kept as pets OR injured animals that cannot live in the wild. What’s neat is that there are guides to walk you around each of the animals, explaining what they are, facts in general, and specific anecdotes about the animals themselves. Our guide told us about the mischievous monkeys that steal his keys if he forgets to take them off his belt, or the one who stole a rag that had blown near the cage earlier in the day. The attention the guide pays to the visitors is nothing compared to the attention and care they give to the animals. It’s a very personal experience for them, and it shows.

During our tour, the guide took a snake out of his cage for the kids to pet. He allowed the kids to pet the bunny and the chicken! At the end of the tour, he gave the kids (and Katy) sunflower seeds to feed the wild Capuchin Monkeys. Once we were done, and washing our hands before leaving, he called us back. He found a Cane Toad! Noah, of course, wanted to catch it… the video follows.

This guide was great! Kat and I even saw him in town a few days later. He remembered us as the “family with the little boy.” Super sweet, and an amazing experience.

On Saturday the 10th Ken and I booked a boating trip with Pacific Coast Discovery again. We had such an amazing time on our own and again with my mom when she visited, that we knew we had to share it with Katy and Kenzie. We spent the first part of the day boating around looking at flying sting-rays, and following a pod of dolphins.

Then we anchored near a beautiful beach where we got to play in the sand, paddle board, and relax.

(Video made by Noah!)

Our captain and mate made us lunch, and at the end of the meal we noticed a small group of Capuchin Monkeys making their way down the beach! Possibly lured by the smell of the food, they stayed a long time because of Katherine. She can’t help herself and has to feed the animals. All of them. No matter where they are. It’s adorable to see her talk to the dogs, feed the stray cats, and tempt the monkey’s on the beach. It makes perfect sense that she has had (at any given point), numerous dogs (5 at a time? between multiple houses?). Anyway, it’s one of her most redeemable qualities. Animal love 🙂

Sunday found us slightly sunburned, but ready for another day. We visited Playa Hermosa, a beach that is less than 5 min away from our condo. Katy and Ken snorkeled the length of the beach, finding all sorts of critters, while the kids played in the sand and ventured into the water. We had lunch at a small place with a dirt floor right next to the beach. Some of the best food is found like this in Costa Rica.

Each day found us in and around the pool, whether it was in the morning or in the afternoon. Katy and Kenzie wanted to soak up as much chlorine and sun before they headed back to Jersey.

Monday morning we went to Diamante, an adventure park known for its zip-lining. We didn’t zip-line but we did visit their animal exhibits. While Congo Canopy Tour is small and personal, Diamante has more animals in a zoo-like setup. They also have a sloth you can watch be fed, a butterfly room where you’re surrounded by humongous blue butterflies, and a bird room where they fly all around you. We also had lunch at the top of a mountain overlooking the ocean. Both kids nodded off on our ride home from this wonderful day. They may bicker, but they sure do have a lot of fun when they are together.

The night before Kat and Kenzie left we took them to one of our favorite places to eat: Tierra Mar. Both kids, sun-kissed and tired, chit-chatted on the ride there and back.

It’s hard, as two only children, to always play well with others, and despite their occasional bouts, Noah and Kenzie are some of the best kids. This isn’t just coming from a proud mom / tia (aunt). We were told, by 5 different people around the pool, how wonderful our kids are. They are well-behaved, polite, funny, kind… and of course cute/handsome. It’s not always easy, but we’ve got some pretty solid proof that we’re doing alright by these kids.

(Just a few extra pics from our nights out to dinner!)

As we dropped Kat and Kenzie off at the airport, we all kind of sighed. It was a busy week, a fun-filled week, and a tiring week (Kenzie wakes up before Noah… he was tired…), but it was so much fun to have the kids together. And even more fun to leave them behind at the condo and relax by the pool with mi comadre (Katherine).

So, now I’m back to being the lone-female. Unless some of these spiders are ladies… in which case we outnumber the boys by a lot!