Costa Rica - The Big Vacay (part 1)

We did it! Costa Rica had been on our bucket list for a few years and we finally made it happen. And it was so worth the wait! It certainly wasn't a relaxing, laying around on the beach kind of vacation. It was more of an on-the-go, see it all, do it all and have a great time doing it, kind of vacation. It was exactly what we were hoping for and exactly what we needed as we ushered out 2017 and got ready for big changes in 2018!

Day 1: The Springs Resort and Spa

La Fortuna, Costa Rica 

Views of the volcano from our balcony 

Day 2: Chocolate tour and white water rafting  

White water rafting on the Balsa River 

Matt, Henry, Grace and I went in one raft with a Canadian couple

 and Tad, Jennie, Maxwell and the little girls went in another raft. 

Henry and Grace were soooo glad to be in our raft

(pics below of the other raft!)

And now for the best of the rafting pictures...

Vivian, Cara and Ella are behind Maxwell, Tad and Jennie. 

Maybe it was because their raft wasn't as heavy as ours was, 

but they just got pummeled and the little girls were not having it! 

Sure made for funny pictures though!!

Those little faces! Haha!!

I also think the big smile on the guides face is hilarious! 

Tad, Jennie and Ella all had the same feeling!

Even after all that these two were smiling...

probably had something to do with it being over!

Day 3: Zipling through the rainforest canopy on the first day of 2018

Here was the description:

Consists of 7 of the most extreme zipline cables in the park. 

Begin the tour with an adrenaline filled climb up a 54 feet high tower

 to fly over a 360 feet high canyon - the highest place in the park. 

You will cross a hanging bridge to our longest cable - (0.6 miles) 

high above La Fortuna Waterfall with great views of  the downtown city. 

Finally you will glide across the cables at high speeds of up to 43 mph.  

Needless to say, Jennie, Ella and I sat this adventure out

Couldn't end a day without a little shopping

Day 4: Wildlife sanctuary tour, rainforest river tubing and natural thermal pools

I spy a sloth!

I wasn't super excited about this sanctuary tour but it was amazing.

Definitely one of my Costa Rica highlights!

All smiles with the river tubing...

much less terrifying than the white water rafting!

Gracie hung out with us while her little sisters were kind of done. 

It was great to spend time just with her!

Our last night in La Fortuna before we headed to the coast...

We got cleaned up and went out for our first nice dinner at the hotel...

it was an amazing meal!

The littles...

...and the bigs

Day 5: up early for a long drive to Manuel Antonio and the beach!

More to come...