We went on vacation. Like a real vacation vacation. It had been way too long! Technically, we go on vacation when we go back home to visit, and we did that last summer when we both came back from Haiti to the states for a bit. But it’s just not the same. We love, love love to travel, and have missed getting out and exploring a completely new place. And this time it was extra fun, since we met up with some great friends while we there! They were in another Colombia for some work business, and since we live here in Nicaragua, we decided to meet in the middle. It was perfect!
We spent a few days in Panama City by ourselves. We were celebrating our big TEN year anniversary. It was in May, and since Brandon was super busy with a work conference that week, we decided to postpone our Anniversary get away and take some time while we were in Panama. We stayed at this great fancy hotel downtown, and had so much fun going out to yummy restaurants, visiting the Panama Canal, and Brandon even took me shopping. Panama City is known for their shopping-the best in Central America-and they did not disappoint!
Eliana did great on the flight, and thankfully it was only an hour long!!At the Panama Canal. It was pretty cool, and I’m not just saying that. I’m embarrassed to admit, but I didn’t really understand how it worked )how does a giant boat raise and lower like it ain’t no thang? Well, a huge container ship came by and showed me! Pretty incredible.This is the container ship-I got a sweet before and after shot-… But also check out that yacht!!
After it was lowered in the locks.Eliana loved the fancy hotel too! Spoiling her way to young!!She loved her socks! She had never worn socks before (it’s too hot in Leon!) and she found them fascinating!!
Then we met Eric, Dejah, and their two girls in Panama, and we all flew to Bocas del Torro. Oh how we love that family! And it was so fun to meet them somewhere and take a vacation together! We were of course a traveling freak show, with all our crap and three kids…it was great! Whenever Dejah and I are together, someone always ask if we are sisters. Now that we have two girls, only about four months apart, we were stopped all the time by people wondering if our girls were twins! It was hilarious. I think they were extra confused by how tall we are, our dark hair, and both of us wearing our girls in slings/wraps!
We rented this great place, just a few steps from the beach. It was like being in a tree house too, everything was open air-but thankfully screened in-so the whole house is situated in the middle of the trees. It was incredible. Even though it rained pretty much all week-we looked it up and it rains on average 30 inches a month there!!- we didn’t let that deter us! We went out exploring in an awesome off road golf cart, took a boat to another island, spent time at the beautiful beaches, went out to eat, and me and Dejah even went zip lining while our sweet husbands watched the girls!!
At the airport-Brandon & Eliana, Eric and Malena-meeting Eliana for the first time, Malena loved her!!Me, Dejah and Nayeli.The sweet golf cart we rented-itfit all of us, and was perfect for scooting around the island!The girls getting acquainted…So sweet watching them together!!All went well, until Nayeli went in for a side hug and then found her Eliana’s ear and hair ! Pretty funny!Enjoying our first vacation as a family!A view from the couch in the living room. Yes, there is a hammock in the kitchen. Can you imagine who might get the most use out of that as the wife makes dinner…?? The cave. A “looks cool from the outside but are probably creepy things inside” kinda cave. Are there any other kinds of caves?? So us girls decided to stay out while the boys ventured in (Malena changed her mind once they took one step inside!) and it was a good thing too-there were hundreds of bats in there, along with giant spiders. Uh. Nooooo thank you.Yes YES all those tiny black things are BATS. Swarming their heads as they hiked through to the other side.We took a boat ride to another island to explore. It was wet and rainy, but at least not cold! That didn’t matter, we still had a great time at the beach.Enjoying the day togetherDate afternoon! Woot woot. Eric and Dejah watched Eliana for us and we went out for exploring down the road and had some nice alone time. We did the same for them and they spent their alone time on a run…!! I know, that’s what I said!! Impressive!At this great little restaurant in town. The food was amazing.Oh ya, and there are sloths all around there too. I think they are kinda creepy, but they really just look like monkeys. (well, I find monkeys creepy too!!)Me and Dejah zip lining. It was SO fun. I have wanted to go for almost 5 years now, no exaggeration. But every time I want to go, I am with Brandon, and he thinks it’s silly and a great way to die, and I never wanted to go alone. And turns out Dejah too has wanted to go for years also! We were actually walking down the street, saw an advertisement for it, and both shared how we’ve always wanted to go. Well, they offered to watch the girls and finally let us get zip lining out of our system! I will say, now that I’ve done it, I only want to go again!! I looooooooved it.
Love your frequent posts…..this one made me smile several times. So glad you all had such GREAT fun with your special friends! Wish I could sit and chat for an afternoon with you! Seems forever since I saw you all! Your little one is beautiful! Thanks for sharing. k
Hello my Aunt Kathy, Kathie, and Cathy!!!
Aunt Kathy-you are so right, she was totally acting like a queen bee!! ha. (Love the ‘Tia’!)
Kathie P-what a joy to hear from you!! It has been forever, thanks for saying hello!!!
Cathy-I know. It’s hard to be so far. It’s never enough together time-what a treat to see you again at the airport when we left!
Jessica Stone 
Wonderful post. So much joy in your faces. I laughed out loud at Eliana sitting up in bed like the the “Littlest Queen Bee.” sooooooo cute!
Love your frequent posts…..this one made me smile several times. So glad you all had such GREAT fun with your special friends! Wish I could sit and chat for an afternoon with you! Seems forever since I saw you all! Your little one is beautiful! Thanks for sharing. k
Oh! so happy for the conversational updates. I feel like you are not quite so far away…
Hello my Aunt Kathy, Kathie, and Cathy!!!
Aunt Kathy-you are so right, she was totally acting like a queen bee!! ha. (Love the ‘Tia’!)
Kathie P-what a joy to hear from you!! It has been forever, thanks for saying hello!!!
Cathy-I know. It’s hard to be so far. It’s never enough together time-what a treat to see you again at the airport when we left!