Seriously? Seriously!?!?!

So, I made it throught the rough white water rapids of the Balsa River without injury.
Zip lined through the rain forests without injury.
Hiked the uneven hills of Costa Rica and walked across swinging suspension bridges without injury.
Climbed the 10,000 steps (or so it seemed) in the rain to our mountain villa without injury.




On my way to a birthday party on my first day back in NYC on FLAT DRY PAVEMENT, I do this to myself.
Anyone surprised?
(The light fails to capture just how bruised and swollen my ankle is). Just ugly.

You are the one, my True Companion.

Weddings are always a big deal.
When your best friend gets married, it's a really big deal.
When your best friend gets married to another great friend, it's a fantastic deal.
When your best friend gets married to another great friend on the beach in Costa Rica- it is an Absolutely Fabulous Very Big Deal.







Carlos, you are my bestie and have been for nearly a decade. You are extraordinary. Joe, you were part of the 'family' three years ago. Now it's official. I love you.
Carlos and Joe, I love you both so much. I am so glad I was able to be there to celebrate with you. Of course, I/we did provide some pretty amazing music for the occasion. :)

Pura Vida!

I just returned from my much anticipated trip to Costa Rica. It was AMAZING!
This trip was initiated by Carlos as he chose Tamarindo (on the west coast) to be the destination spot for his wedding celebration.
Our group of close friends naturally took this opportunity to have a grand vacation.
Traveling in a group more than 3 people is never easy. However, I have to give credit to Carlos and Joe. We hit three different towns and everything was so well organized- rental cars, drivers, hotels, catered meals, etc...







Highlights include:
Seeing Arenal Volcano erupt
Waterslide and hot springs at Baldi Hot Springs
White Water Rafting on the Balsa River
Private Villa in Tamarindo (with private pool)
Reading in the Hammock
Dance Party 2008 in the pool
Group Whirlpool!
Skinny dipping at Midnight
Sunsets in both Tamarindo and Monteverde
Meeting and becoming friends with Jason and Yoav
Canopy/Zipline tour through the Rain Forest (above the clouds at some points)
Suspension Bridge Walk through the Rain Forest
Birthday dinner for Patrick
... and of course...
The most beautiful wedding ceremony I have ever been a part of!

A few of the things I love.

I love the 4th of July.
I love being home with family.
I love being an Aunt.
I love Rexburg.
Last month, I got to enjoy them all at the same time.





My dad took my golfing for the first time. Turns out... for a first timer... I am not too bad. I can now add "Golf" to the list of things I love.

4th of July- Unexpected Family Time

I love the 4th of July. Next to Christmas, it is by far my favorite holiday. Not because I am all that Patriotic (especially the past 8 years or so), but because it is a time to gather with family and friends without all the hype, cost, and stress of other holidays. Also, there is usually a bar-b-que and watermelon involved.
On Sunday June 29th I got a call from home that my Grandpa had passed away. I immediately made plans to head back to Idaho and left the following day.
It was wonderful to be home with my family- and all the extended family. I got to see cousins, enjoy the 4th with my neice and nephews, and celebrate the life of my extraordinary Grandpa.



My Grandpa, William Alexander Henderson grew up a Montana Cowboy who later served in the Navy and was at Pearl Harbor the morning of December 7, 1941. He loved rodeos, parades, and time with family. I would like to think that having his Memorial Service on July 5th and giving the entire extended family a chance to spend the 4th of July together was just one more gift for his family.

As one of the grandchildren, I was asked to speak and share some personal memories of my Grandpa. It was a great opportunity to reflect on my memories of him and share those with my family. I am sorry that I was not able to see him and say goodbye, but I am reminded how lucky I am to have such a supportive and loving family.

life is hard without my PC

To my TWO faithful readers,
These past few weeks have been packed full of events... the 4th of July, an unexpected trip to Idaho after the death of my dear Grandpa, preparing for Costa Rica, etc...
However, I foolishly left my laptop charger in Idaho and am unable to upload any photos (and we all know how dull blog posts without photos are).
Trust that there will be TONS of great pics and stories (posted in roughly 7-10 days).