It happened by chance....

After a weekend of pondering over sending the kids to school or not, I decided to give it a try this past Monday. Everyone, including Jed, went to school bright and early Monday morning. Our original plan was to homeschool everyone, and we had hired a private "tutor" everyday to speak to the kids in spanish. When the house in Nicoya went belly-up, we no longer had that hired help to count on teaching our children. Zach and I looked into some other options, including some of the private schools around here. The two most popular schools weren't going to work for us. One is about $500 per month per child, and the other doesn't focus on Spanish, but is a wealthy school for American kids who live here but want to "American" education...Country Day School, if that tells you anything :). Well, one day when we were driving between towns, on our search for a home to rent last week, one of the boys had to pee, and just couldn't wait another minute, so I screeched over on a dirt road off to the left, and let the boys hop out and pee in the creek. While waiting, I noticed a sign you could see from the road, "Blue Ocean"....but the part that couldn't be seen underneath in small print, read, "academia bilingue" (I think). For some reason, the location, the small, clean school, and the feeling about it just stuck with me. I couldn't find anything online about the school except a blog from a couple who said their child went there last year and had a great year. I returned the next day and found someone on the grounds. He let me in and took me to the elementary director. We spoke a little (broken English and Spanish), and I got the prices, which were excellent comparatively, the schedule, and a little more information.

Against my "nature", I actually went with my "gut" this time, and followed that feeling I had that this could be great, for the kids, for me, for our whole situation. It is a little drive, takes us about 15-20 minutes one way, but I also found a "school" for myself that is just a bit past the kids' school, so I don't feel like I'm driving out of the way. I start classes this coming Monday and am in class from 8:00am-12:00pm, which couldn't be more perfect since the kids start school at 7:30am. I have a little time in the afternoon to regroup and then pick up kids from school. Owen and Jed are out at 1:30 and E, T, and K, are finished at 2:30. Kaylee's class is 4th and 5th grade with 5 children in class...Tia and Ethan are together with 1st, 2nd and 3rd grade,, with 6 kids in class. Owen and Jed each have about 9 kids in class. So, from 30+ kids in class at Meridian to 5 kids in class in CR....can't we find a happy median here???

By 3:00 everyday we're on the beach. I absolutely love the ocean. It is a new play yard everyday, with a new tide, new critters, and new friends. I may have already said this, but it's just great. I also feel like I can go down with a few of the kids and the others can come down where they are ready.....

Yesterday, Kaylee's main focus was to catch fish. She discovered that it is easier to catch them with her bare hands than to try and scoop them up in something. After trying for several days to catch the little minnow-like fish that get caught in the pools when the tide goes out, she caught four in one day. The kids have them as pets in a water jug on the back porch, and are feeding them cracker crumbs...we'll see how long that lasts. Today, Zach took all the kids out on boogie boards to catch some waves. When they actually "caught" their first wave, I think they were totally amazed to just keep going and going until they were on shore. I couldn't get K, T, and O to come inside for dinner.....looking forward to tomorrow already!

We are settling in more and more everyday, and I didn't realize how much I thrive on a routine...just like a child. It brings me peace and purpose to know what's on the calendar and when...of course, not a totally full calendar. I love the free time all afternoon with nothing but play time and loving time. My favorite thing about the kids' school, is that homework is only two days per week....

This is our "view" from our family room. The ocean is just past the

two crooked trees in the distance. It really is one of the most beautiful views

and the gives the most beautiful sunsets I've ever seen.

On the dirt road on the way to our house....so many potholes....

The father of my good friend, Shanna, gave me some advice before

we left for Costa Rica. He said to just watch and record all the

funny and interesting things that you see. I've tried to do this

and his words are sticking with me as I seriously see something so

bizarre everyday. Today, some cows just decided to cross the road in

front of us on our way home from school. The cows here are very

skinny, yet have every opportunity to eat as much grass as they would like...

and you know me...this makes me very suspicious of our "cows" in the United States.

What are we feeding them???? Yuck! More and more I am converting to the

rice and beans diet....

Also on our way home from school, we saw this not-so-funny, but very

interesting sight. This small boy was taking a nap on his mother's arm....

Comfy, as long as you're not riding on the back of a motorcycle?

My kids want to know why no one wears a helmet when they can't leave

the driveway on a scooter without a helmet?????

This is seriously our driveway! I love love love to come home everyday

and see this gorgeous, lush sight.....and we just paid how much for our

"professional" landscape in Colorado? I now want to puke!

From the beach, looking at the back of our house...If you decide to come visit us,

your view would be from the windows above the patio, overlooking the ocean!