Pura Vida! (Pure Life!)

I cant believe its been 10 years already!(technically in april, but who's counting?) I am so very lucky I got to marry my best friend! I'm so excited for all the adventures yet to come!  What better way to celebrate than a trip with best friends, to

 costa rica?!! 

We had the best time, it so good to spend some quality time without the kiddos around...this past year with all this overtime has been a killer! 

*special thanks so nicky for planning the whole thing! I wouldn't ever go anywhere if it wasn't for you!

**also special thanks to family and friends who watch our kiddos and our pets!

We stayed in a cute little house just outside of Puerto Viejo Costa Rica. This little bar was one of the 1st places we stopped. Jacks...the owner (Jack) lol was from Australia, and totally awesome. We had the best chicken wings we have EVER had at this little shack! They were amazing. We had to get used to the service being really really slow...its because we are Americans, and everything has to be fast..everyone here was so laid back.

Coke is the way to go here! Dont... I repeat don't drink the water!

Its very warm, which is awesome, but I wasn't prepared for how humid it was! 

Visiting the animal sanctuary was probably my favorite thing! Ok, could you not just die? These sloths are seriously the best thing i've ever seen!! I've decided that the sloth is my spirit animal!  We got to see some really awesome animals, and got to hold and bottle feed monkeys (sad we couldn't get pics of that, but they weren't allowed in the monkey room)

baby sloth!! I almost stole him, to smuggle back home!

This is Pooh. She is probably the coolest person I've ever met! She lives in Costa Rica for 6 months at a time, just so she can come volunteer at the animal sanctuary. She was incredible, and obviously loves these animals!

 We took an awesome tour of a Cacao (chocolate) farm, and factory. I couldn't believe that chocolate comes from a yellow squash looking plant, and the beans are slimy and white, and purple inside!

So Orange hat ( I can't remember his name) was so cool. He just up and bought an old Cacao farm that had been abandoned, and he knew nothing of farming Cacao. He hired local farmers to help him get it up and running, and some 10-15 years later he has this beautiful farm, and chocolate factory! With the prettiest views i've ever seen! 

Of course we got to taste the chocolate! Along with other combinations that i would never of thought of...like fresh basil, garlic, lemon grass, and other herbs and spices. Oh and the chocolate drink, is their rendition of the ancient costa rican's

 Just getting to our next adventure was one in its self!  Riding in the back of this rickety truck on a dirt road up a mountain was quite the experience! But it was worth it..to go Zip lining through the trees!

 Its all fun and games until someone (uhum ..mike) slams into a tree!

Our last and most terrifying excursion was white river rafting! I had never been before, and you can see how scared I was in these photos! I was right to be afraid...our boat got stuck on a rock, and tipped, and I fell out, and took nick with me! Lol...

 My question is, how did nick know where the camera was, and how the crap could he think about taking a picture, when we were plummeting to certain death?!

What an amazing experience! I can't wait for more to come!!! Happy 10th anniversary to us....

                                                               Pura Vida!! (Pure life!)