Mothers Day Dedication...

Elaine Arnold is an amazing woman! I feel very lucky that she is my mom. Im glad that I take after her in a lot of ways (does that mean Im amazing too?). I am always learning from her. She is the most resourceful woman that I know and the person who inspires me the most. Her talents are too many to list in their entirety, but here are a few: gardening (this is a piture of her garden), reupolstering, sewing, baking, using power tools, a yard sale queen, and being able to jugle this while rasing 5 children. If you look up DIY in the dictionary, my moms picture is there. She is always ready to get creative, and we have great brainstorming sessions. Her craftiness rubbed off on me and I bet that when I have a house again someday, my basement will look like hers. (1 million projects just waiting to be completed) That is fine with me, Ill never be bored!
My mom has always been there for us and has been very supportive, willing to help however she can.

I don't get to read magazines anymore. So of course I didn't see the whole section dedicated to mothers in this months Real Simple Magazine. Luckily I am subscribed to their blog, Simply Stated where I saw these interview questions as a tribute to your mom. I sent them to my mom and she promptly sent them back.


Why did you choose to be with my father? What first attracted me, I guess, was his looks, his humor, his dancing technique, then of course, I got to know him to be a good Catholic young man with good character. He was fun and could make me laugh and I couldn't help falling in love with him.

In what ways do you think I’m like you? And not like you? Oh Cindy, I would say we both enjoy gardening, dancing, birds, and music. You and I are sensitive and compassionate. You are more outgoing and certainly more of a risk taker than me.

Which one of us kids did you like the best? Maybe you can't believe this ,but I do love all my kids equally. (I believe you Mom!)

What is the one thing you would have done differently as a mom?
I wish I could have passed on my utter love of the Catholic faith; enough so ,that maybe all my kids would want that in their lives. It's hard to say what difference it would have made, but I wish we would have had family devotions [reading the bible and praying together]. I guess example is not enough so I've enlisted God's help to touch their hearts.

Is there anything you have always wanted to tell but never had? I can't think of anything

Do you think it’s easier or harder to be a mother now than when you were raising our family? I think it is harder now in this country because of how society has changed. Everything is so fast paced, electrified, and anything goes. Of course, I was a stay-at-home mom so I had more control of what my children did at a young impressionable age.

Is there anything you regret not having asked your parents? no

What’s the best thing I can do for your right now? come home [USA]

(the above questions were from Real Simple magazine, the ones below are from ME)



What did you like most about being a mother, say 20 years ago? If you would have said 30 years ago I'd say we had a lot of fun together as a family, but 20 years ago was rather stressful at times- dealing with teenage matters.
What do you like most about being a mother at this age? I've become "friends" with my kids and I love being grandma.

What is your Mother's day wish? to talk with or be with all my children and to know they are happy.

Awwwwww Mommy!! That was nice! I can´t wait to spend time with my mom when Im in Ohio.
HAPPY MOTHERS DAY! YOU´RE THE BEST!

Feliz Cumpleaños Neto!!

I had such good intentions for a birthday surprise. I planned a day of horseback riding in Ciudad Colon, about 30 minutes outside of San Jose. I had even bought accessories for the honorable cowboy! When outside San Jose, you see a lot of men wearing long leather sheaths attached to their belts that carry a huge machete. I went downtown to a leather shop and found the sheath...fringe and all. I hid it under the front seat of the car, and when we went for coffee the night before his birthday, Neto felt it hit his foot and pulled it up. "What is this?" Ugh! I was upset. There is nothing I hate more than spoiled surprises! I wrapped it up anyway, and he next morning he acted surprised when he opened it.

Present #2 was opened while in the car. I still had not told him where we were going. It was the coolest bull head belt buckle. Yes, every cowboy needs a belt buckle. He figured out my surprise.

Did you know that Neto has a degree in Equine Science? Anywho, I knew he would love this adventure. What I didn't know, (until we got there) is that the place was only. open. on. weekends. Caramba! Strike two. It was not going well.

Plan B. As decided by the birthday boy. Ate lunch of french bread and salami. Read. Took a long rainy afternoon nap. Went to the gym and got ready for dinner.

In keeping with the cowboy theme (that went to hell due to no horses. yes, I'm still mad about it), for dinner I took Ernesto to eat at El Chicote, a San Jose landmark specializing in grilled meats. It opened nearly fifty years ago and is still run by the original owner, Roberto Pérez.

Neto poses with his new machete.I love the buckle. I know Brrrian loves it, but what about the others? Would you wear this? El Chicote is only 5 blocks from our apartment in Sabana Norte. Many nights we have walked by it on our way for coffee. It always looks so inviting. I think it is the soft yellow lighting coming through the arches of the outdoor patio. We stopped one night to look at the menu and decided it was a place for a special occasion [read: not cheap]

It wasn't the best steak we had ever eaten (this is what eating Argentine beef will make you say for the rest of your life) but the service was great and they even brought out a little postre and sang for Neto. mmm Tres Leches (three milks cake)
After dinner, we went for a coffee at our usual spot. Neto pulled out the bill and saw that the fresh palmito (heart of palm) that we ordered (one for each of us) for an appetizer was $17 a pop! what? I think that tops as the most expensive appetizer I have ever ordered.

Even though we were not in the least bit hungry, I lit up the candles, sang to him again, and he was able to blow them out in just one puff. He's got the lungs of a 27 year old. Despite my spoiled surprises, Neto said he had a great birthday and he is really excited to try and defend me from crocodiles this weekend with his new knife.

More to come on that..........

Happy Cinco de Mayo!

VIVA MEXICO....and Mexicans!

Picture from 2007, but appropriate  (no time to fix Neto's minor ladder injury on his nose)

Today is a great reason to celebrate! Besides being Cinco de Mayo (the anniversary of Mexico defeating a French army of double its size in Pueblo, Mexico), Ernesto was born 37 years ago today!!  I have been  pretty good at planning surprises in the past, and so now I have a reputation uphold.  I took off work today so I could  give him a special day.  And the theme, you ask?  Ride 'em cowboy!!

Are you doing anything to celebrate Cindo de Mayo?  At least having a margarita? making salsa? guacamole?

Zoo Ave

We had gone to the entrance of Zoo Ave in the past, but they wanted us to pay the "tourist price" of $18pp to enter. The deciding factor if I would pay the steep entrance fee to this bird park:

"do I get to touch any of the birds?" I asked

"no" she said

Then no. And we drove away.

But I reeeeeeeeeally wanted to get into that park. You know how I love birds, don't you? I don't have a driver's license in Costa Rica, so I needed to show something establishing residency or at least that i was in the process.

How about my Habitat work ID and the internet bill for our apartment? Yes, it worked. We were in for $9 each. (still not cheap by Tico standards, but half price from tourist)

As soon as we entered we were greeted by the most beautiful bird ever, el pavo real. Guys, I am mesmerized by the beauty of this bird. I took so many pictures of him. I just can't get over the colors of his feathers.

He is such a proud peacock, so graceful, never skiddish, even when kids were annoying him.

Look at me! I'm a peacock too!

I later found out that our steep entrance fee, not only helps with park maintenance , but it also helps to run a huge in-house reproduction center for Lapas (Scarlet Macaws), who are Costa Rican natives. I felt good about that! They are such beautiful birds, and I did seen them flying around wild when I was at the beach.

As a matter of fact, all of the birds in the park are either rescues being rehabilitated to live in the wild again, or are species close to extinction There are over 50 species of birds and other animals native to Costa Rica being born in the park, all with the goal re-populating their natural habitat. I found it very interesting. We saw a big-ass crocodile, coatis, tapirs (rhinoceroses family) and lots of monkeys. big monkeys, small monkeys and really silly monkeys...

good trip. good trip.

Updates and Celebrating Labor Day!

So, what do you think?  What are your opinions on my new design for Viva Cindy?

(If you are receiving this via email, please click here to see my new design at the top of the site)

I bought these letters in a market in Nicaragua, I love all the bright colors with the white background. 

I do have a "comments" area at the bottom of each post....I would love to hear your thoughts! 

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Today is "El Dia de Trabajador" thats Spanish for "Day of the Worker"  ok really it is just Labor Day, but doesn't 'Day of the Worker' sound better?  If you are anywhere in Latin America they are celebrating it on the first Friday of May, which is TODAY!  I didn't know this until I went to work yesterday.  Ahhhh, there is nothing better than an unexpected long weekend.   I wanted to follow the tradition of "no labor" today, but I did start to pack a little bit.  You would be surprised in how much stuff I accumulated over the last year.  (or maybe you're not surprised?!)

My time with Habitat is coming to an end here in Costa Rica.  Actually, we will be leaving Costa Rica in a few weeks, and leaving our apartment even sooner than that.  I will be sad to leave, but we have so many exciting things coming up in the next few months, I can't be too sad.

1.  Our last 2 weeks in Costa Rica will be spent traveling to a few places we MUST see before our departure. 

2.  I will still be a volunteer for Habitat for Humanity, at least until I hire my replacement.  If you or someone you know would be interested in volunteering for a great organization and living the latin life as I have done the last year. Please check out the job description here and send me an email if you are interested.  (wink wink)

3.  First stop in the US? The ATL baby!  We will be staying with Smita for a week while Ernesto completes a lighting job.  If you are in need of some landscape lighting this summer  just contact  him.   If you are in need of seeing your friend Cindy, just contact me:)  It will be a short window! 

4.  On June 7, my niece Kelli is GRADUATING HIGH SCHOOL!!! OMG!  Im so proud of her!  She will be heading off to my alma-mater, The Ohio State University in the fall!  Im sure she will be successful wherever her big heart takes her.  She already has a list of successes a mile long.  One being her shop on Etsy.  Check it out!  Anyway, I will be with my family in Ohio for a couple weeks and life will be so good!  I can't wait to hang out with my siblings, hit some yard sales, ride bikes with my dad and "tour the estate" with my mom! This is what I call it when we walk through her huge, beautiful garden and talk about all the flowers and plants.  She is an amazing gardener and a constant inspiration.  

5.  Onward to San Diego! Yes, the next month or two will be spent with Ernesto's family, and Im really looking forward to it! (no really, I love love love my in-laws)  We are going to really dig deep into San Diego and try to do new things.  Not that the "old things" aren't fun.  Mexican food, family and beach!  Ernesto is already searching on Craigslist for our beach cruisers!  Look at the one he found for me here! Yes please! I know the perfect basket for this bike!  

6.  Ernesto and I will start a project together.  I'll give you a hint: it has to do with Mexican food and blogging! That's right, Viva La Cocina will come alive and we are going to kick it off by testing the recipes in his mothers [hand written] recipe book!  Oh my!  (this still needs to be approved by his mother)

7.  The most exciting news of the summer is happening in Wooster, Ohio on (or around) August 10.  My brother Bill and his wife Barbie are having their first baby!  They have been together something like 14 years?! They are going to be such great parents. 

8.  That leaves us about 2 months before we have to be in Atlanta again for Ernesto’s Xmas lighting season.  Our plan (although subject to change) is to go to Mexico. Stupid Swine Flu!  Ernesto is planning to take some Mexican cooking classes.  I would like to take jewelry (metal smith) classes and also take a photography class.  I need to learn how to use my camera better. If money doesn’t permit us both taking classes, I will sacrifice and just work on my own.  We are considering San Miguel de Allende, which is 4 hours north west of Mexico City.  It is a gorgeous colonial city and has a huge artist community. (although muchos gringosL)  Very picturesque.

9.  By mid October Ernesto's business will be in full swing in Atlanta. I have committed to helping Ernesto grow his business this year by marketing to commercial properties and of course using the blogging community to get the word out.  Im sure it will be his most successful year yet! 

By January 2010, we will have to be decided on where we are going to live. By then, I know, I will be dying for a house!  Ok, truth be told, I am already dying for a house.  Maybe I will have found a job by then.  The hunt begins in October when we are back in Atlanta, unless a I stumble across my dream job before then.  You understand that it wouldn’t make sense for me to look for a job now, right?  All of the above “plans” would be out the window, and it just sounds like to good of a summer to mess with, agreed? Agreed.

Ok, back to our Labor-less day yesterday.  For the past week, we have been kitty sitting for Kate, who is in Bolivia.  We have her car, which gives life here in San Jose a different spin.  During the week, we still walked to the grocery store, and to the gym (which is all we do) but yesterday, since I had the day off, we went for a “Sunday drive.”  We didn’t have a destination, but ended up in Santa Ana, which is a beautiful little town built into the mountainside.  The streets are really cute and a lot of trees are blooming. 

We also cruised up into the mountains of Escazu, and found this beautiful cemetery

 and some gorgeous houses...

We also came accoss  a restaurant called Valle Azul, which I had heard of before.  It’s a fine dining Italian restaurant with killer views of the whole city, this is a corner of the dining room.

it was a bit hazy , but the manager promised us that watching the sunset and  then the city lighting up was not to be missed.  We believed him.  We made plans to eat there for Enresto’s birthday… which is right around the corner!  When I got home I looked up a picture for the view at night from Valle Azul and here is what I found on someone's Flickr ... I can't wait!

My Grandpa, Henry Wellman

After a long and very full life, my grandpa, Henry Wellman, passed away Sunday morning. After 98 years, his body shut down and he died peacefully while sleeping. The funeral is later this week and I am so sorry that I will not be there for it, and especially for my mom, who was such a great daughter to him.

98 years old, and look at he full head of grey hair! He was such a cute old man. He was a father to 7 kids, a grandfather to 30, and a great-grandfather to 29! Wow!

He was the most innovative man, always looking closely at something to tell how it was made and then successfully replicating it himself. His basement is a craftsman's dream, with every tool, machine imaginable. He even had a rock tumbler. He loved to watch squirrels and birds and had a plethora of feeders around his yard. He loved to play the card game euchre with full force, banging his cards on the table with his fist. He was a wine maker. He always wore the best plaid fedora hats.

My most notable memory of my grandpa when I was a kid was that he was a teaser. Teaser of kids, and teaser of dogs. He loved to squeeze right above your knee till you squirm. He loved to give everyone a hard time. (in a good way) He will be missed by his family. RIP Grandpa.

Time Goes By....So Slowly

This weekend was a welcome change from the constant traveling and influx of visitors we have had in the last month.     We had nothing to do and it was wonderful!  I worked quite a bit on crocheting my afghan.  Look how big it's getting.  Both Saturday and Sunday we woke up at 6am...but we didn't get out of bed.  We drank coffee and Ernesto read to me.  We are reading the book, Kitchen Confidential.  It's written by Anthony Bourdain, you may know him from his  show  "No Reservations" on the Travel Channel.   The book  is quite entertaining, we are learning many new French words and laughing at his graphically detailed descriptions of  his  "adventures in the culinary underbelly"  during his career as a chef in NYC.  We are only about half way through it, but so far Im loving it.  

I took my camera out because I had been wanting to take a picture of this.  I can't say its a sign of spring (since there is no winter here) but this tree outside our apartment has been blooming for the past week or so and it is so gorgeous!  I wish I new what it is called...anyone? mom?

There are bunches of bright yellow flowers that hang like bunches of grapes.

When I panned out my lens, it wasn't as pretty since someone had left bag of trash, which was then quickly torn apart by dogs, or the man who sleeps there on the strip of grass every night.  

Did you have a good weekend?  Were you lazy like me or did you do something exciting?

Even the Mannequins....

I had to laugh (and stop to take a picture) the other night when I was walking downtown and saw this mannequin in the window. Have you ever seen a mannequin with a boob job?

I can honestly say that I have never seen as much cleavage as I have this year in San Jose. 

I Met my friend Ana from my "knitting club" downtown  the other night at Regis, a fabric store.  Yes, I have a new hobby!  I have been inspired by Ana, she is sewing up so many cute things for her new label UrbanaWear.  Plus all the blogs I read are promoting artists (mostly on Etsy)  and I keep thinking, I can do that!  I need to stop saying that, I know.  I have so many ideas in my head, its hard to get it straight what my next project will be.  All I know is that I have so much inspiration in me that I could burst at any moment.  Im going to buy a sewing machine as soon as I get to the states!  The material is cheap here and I saw some fun prints that I couldn't resist buying. Look how cute! For some reason I keep thinking of aprons.

What projects or hobbies are you feeling inspired to start in the future??

PS.  I don't know how I will get all my stuff on an airplane?!  (oh wait!  yes I do...$$$...BUT  if any of my Delta friends would like to come here in late May to check a couple bags for me, that would be greatly appreciated!  I promise to show you a good time for the favor!)

Happy Earth Day!

Haha! This made me smile! someecards is the best site ever, if you have a sense of humor.

Even living here in Costa Rica, I hear more and more about living "GREEN." Many of the blogs I read are talking about it too and in honor of Earth Day, Inspired Room had a green giveaway, a $100 drawing for leaving tips on how you live green and how they make a difference in their everyday lives. I love the idea, and although I don't consider myself "green" I took a few minutes to think of how I live and what I do that could be considered green. I impressed myself. (although lamentable, some of my actions are not intentionally to be green, I do feel better about them now.

• I use cloth bags for the Saturday vegetable market, and although I usually forget to take them to the grocery store, we re-use those bags for our trash cans.
• I walk to work everyday (yes, i have to, but so what?)
• I repurpose beer/wine bottles as flower/feather vases.
• I don't use heating/air conditioning (that is easy since we don't need/have either)
• I turn out the lights behind me
• I take quick showers (this is in part because I'm scared Neto will surprise me with cold water over the shower curtain...yes, we still play that game)
• I turn off my work and home computers at night
• I carry my lunch to work in a fabric lunch bag
• We dry our clothes on a clothesline (No, they don't use dryers here, but so what?)
• I wear clothes (except gym) more than once before washing.
• I have plants that requires little water. (so what if succulents happen to be my favorite plant?)
• I don't flush the toilet every time I use it (much to Neto's dismay) "If its yellow - let it mellow, if it's brown - flush it down" That is usually the methodology I follow.

Not bad right? I know some of these are circumstantial, but......they are still green!

A few great ideas that I read an am very excited to start doing (once I have a house etc):

• Composting. (my mom has done this forever and has the most beautiful garden to boot)
• Growing my own vegetables
• Using cloth napkins as opposed to paper
• A not so big house (that should be easy since I don't have a job:)
• Put a bucket in the shower to catch excess water for plants (isn't that one great?)
• Barrel outside to catch rainwater
• Recycle, reuse, repurpose - right? I love yard sales and Craigslist!

Come on! Leave a comment and tell me what do YOU do to live a green life

(even if by chance)

How Well Do You Know Your Partner?

I thought this was really fun. I saw this questionnaire on Facebook, so I sent it to Ernesto. He emailed it back, and it made me smile- he got everything right! (although#17 is questionable)

1. She's sitting in front of the TV, what is on the screen? HGTV
2. You're out to eat; what kind of dressing does she get on his salad? Oil & Vinegar
3. What's one food she doesn't like? Bar food
4. You go out to eat and have a drink. What does she order? Steak and a Malbec
5. Where did she go to high school? Orrville
6. What size shoe does she wear? 9
7. If she was to collect anything, what would it be? sand
8. What is her favorite type of sandwich? egg salad
9. What would this person eat every day if she could? black licorice
10. What is her favorite cereal? anything healthy
11. What would she never wear? jean skirt
12. What is her favorite sports team? Padres- actually she doesn't have one
13. Who did she vote for? Obama
14. Who is her best friend? she has various best friends
15. What is something you do that she wishes you wouldn't do? drink too much
16. What is her favorite color? turquoise
17. What would she say is her favorite quality about you? my lip syncing skills
18. What is one of her biggest goals in life? to speak Spanish fluently
19. What topic does she talk most about? her dreams
20. What is her favorite hobby? right now it's blogging

Send this to your partner and see what you get back!