McKenna's 10th and Tatum's 7th birthdays-May 2009

We celebrated McKenna's 10th and Tatum's 7th birthdays jointly with a big party at our club pool, where we invited both of their classes and a few other close friends. Inviting your entire class to your birthday party is a CR custom so we decided to give it a try. We chartered a bus from school, it was a half-day and at noon we loaded up with Lisa sitting shotgun with the bus driver and a group of rowdy 1st and 4th graders we treked off to the club. We had 45 kids in total, all had a great time and fortunately we had no major accidents.

The spelling on the birthday cake had a few hiccups, we'll work to improve that next year!

A group of McKenna's friends swimming. McKenna is 4th from the right.

Some Moms and a Dad. On the end, our friends John and Ileana Doten are getting ready to move to the US. We will miss them along with their sons Evan and Ian, basketball stars on Brad's school team. Ileana, a Tica, and I would meet 2-3 times a week and hike, switching days practicing our spanish and english respectively.

McKenna and friends-group jump

Friends from McKenna's class, in the midst of a water balloon fight

Tatum and 1st grade friends-from left, Ava, Tatum, Isabella, Juliana, Valerica, Helena, Isa and Maria Fernando

4th graders playing a game or strategizing how they can stage their attack in the water balloon war.

Ava, Tatum and Helena- two of Tatum's best buddies

Gabi had fun with all the balloons

they made a nice necklace....

Some of the 1st Grade Moms- from left, Carolina, Lisa, Ana, Mariela, and Juliana's Mom.

McKenna's friends awaiting a whack at the pinata.

Some of Tatum's friends awaiting their turn at the pinata.

Brad, the Pinata leader, with McKenna awaiting her turn to kick off the event. We had two pinatas otherwise the 4th graders would have an unfair advantage.

Tatum and Suji lining up for their 2nd pieces of cake :)

At home on McKenna's real birthday 5/12/09. Following her sister's lead, Tatum decided to put her face in the cake!

McKenna was the instigator starting the face dipping.

Quite proud of her cake face

In Tatum's class day of her birthday with friends Isabella and Valeria.

group photo of Tatum's class with guest Gabi in Tatum's lap, just ahead of the class birthday celebration!

At home with our next door neighbors on Tatum's bday, we had many birthday celebrations!

Tatum blowing out her birthday candle, with Gabi helping or trying to figure out what is going on?

McKenna at home night of her 10th birthday.....before she came up with the bright idea to dip her face in the cake :)

Easter- April 2009

This Easter we spent with friends from Auburn, Jack, Dorothy and Emma Rose Lowery. We headed to Jaco and Manuel Antonio beaches for 5 days then returned to San Luis in time to spend Easter at our home. Emma Rose is Tatum's friend and it was great fun to spend 2 weeks with the Lowery family, we really became closer friends as a result! Here's some highlights of our time together. Jaco sunset- Foulger family

Jaco sunset- The Lowery family; Jack, Emma Rose and Dorothy

We enjoyed some amazing sunsets while at the beach!

Easter morning, Tatum, Emma Rose and McKenna worked up quite some appetites following two easter egg hunts.

Even Gabi got involved in the Easter Egg hunt, her favorite activity was raiding her sisters' Easter Egg baskets.

We enjoyed a beautiful Easter brunch at one of our favorite spots, Hotel Bougainvillea, here the girls are resting after successfuly mastering the maze to reach the Gazebo.

fun at the beach (Tatum, McKenna and Emma Rose)

Our favorite CR beach so far, Manuel Antonio.

Dying Easter Eggs while at the beach.

One of many exhibits along the beach craft fair at Manuel Antonio

Gabi getting a ride from Tatum in the pool in Jaco- Bahia Encontada.

Tatum strolling at the beach.

McKenna skipping, trying to avoid the sharp rocks.

On our daily walk along the beach to breakfast spot.

Lisa's favorite tree on our Jaco beach.

Bahia Encontada - Jaco. We enjoyed our condomimimum stay there- 4th floor spectacular views, 3bdrm, 3 bath, great for our two families.

beautiful beach view

the beach offers the simplest entertainment.

the girls playing at home.

At Hotel Bougainvillea, Emma Rose poses in a famous CR ox cart.

Getting ready to zip line- the girls' 3rd time this year! They still ask to go so they don't seem to be tiring of it yet!