Why Costa Rica?

Shown here: the view from our hotel window in San Jose, Costa Rica.

If you are a part of the Facebook community and happen to be my friend, you know that Wes and I -along with 9 other NPU students, professors, alumni and friends - were fortunate enough to say "yes" to the annual International SBNM Experience. 

"The purpose of the International experience is to help participants gain a better understanding of the business and nonprofit management practices, economics, and politics of Costa Rica, and to learn more about Costa Rica's rich history and culture."

Three very full days of meetings/visits took place.  We were to have had four full days of business, but our flight delay in Chicago led us to miss our connection in San Jose (insert 🙁☹️🙁☹️🙁 here. Including visits to the US Embassy, Florida Bebidas/Nutrivida and GS1.)

Our first visit was to HB Fuller, maker of adhesives. The world certainly needs adhesives!!

Our second visit was to Irex de Costa Rica. Because of the presentation given by the man in the white coat, I am now way into Irex detergents; the paste dish detergent made its way home in my luggage!  The star product, in my opinion, is the TERROR line of room deodorizers and cleaner.  Yes, you can actually buy a cleaning product named TERROR!!! But, sadly, I had to leave my sample product in the hotel room as it would create a problem with its flammability on an airplane ride back home. Again...🙁☹️🙁☹️😕.

Visit #3 was my favorite:  Habitat para la Humanidad - Habitat for Humanity. Three dynamic women were our presenters and they work so hard/care so much that we all left inspired by the differences they are making in the lives of others.

Following this was visit #4 to Financiera Desyfin. The rooftop deck following this financial lending company presentation was breath-taking. Here I nearly lost it with some confusion as to a Spanish/English translation and a hearty cough (almost) covered my fit of painful giggling. Again, I apologize to my spouse and group!!

Recognize these California surfers?  They founded the company of our fifth visit, DHL, a shipping giant.

Our 6th and final visit was to FOS - Federacion de Organizaciones Sociales. This is a nonprofit 

with exceptional connections to various areas of services for the people of Costa Rica and beyond!

Many in our group felt this was a top visit as well.

Speaking of our group of travelers and learners, this group meshed well and I loved our times together in the sessions as well as out and about in this gorgeous Central American country. 

You can read about those adventures in upcoming blogs... This is just your orientation into the whys of

taking this memorable trip.

Road Trip Wrap-UP

Though I put little snippets of our recent trip south together on FB, I thought I'd make a blog to be a companion to those mini blasts. Oh my, did we have fun!!!

Our final destination was Orlando, Florida.  With two overnights in Nashville and Macon, Georgia, the many miles together in the car were very doable. Seeing our niece, Jennifer, in her present academic environment was a highlight of this travel time!

Once we made it to Florida and saw green vegetation, colorful flowers, blue skies and palm trees we

did our happy dances! You will have to imagine these as I am reminded that "filtering" is good.

As you will also have to only imagine two Nelson Sisters zipping down the water slides as shown in the bottom right picture...

Taking a break from the "campus" found us at Downtown Disney enjoying the bustle (and princesses) there.

Then off to another Marriot Vacation Club play-land for more of the same chillin' out.

Being in Orlando also meant we had a field trip to a really big park: Disney's HOLLYWOOD STUDIOS.

Golly, gosh, gee that was so much fun! We nearly closed the place down as we stayed into the night

to see Mickey and a cast of characters:

Her family was coming and I left the next day to carry on my regular life back in Illinois.  Lots

of great perks where I live, too.

Here we also have our own unique theme park with a cast of characters!!

Blue

Seriously, who doesn't like the color blue??? I'm a big fan --- it's one of my favorite colors and 

I've liked it for a long time.  Probably started when I was a kid in Colorado looking up at those 

beautiful blue skies....see the upside-down sleeping rabbit?

My wedding China is blue: Tranquebar by Royal Copenhagen. (Upon registry at Sweden Shop, 

My mom questioned my choice and suggested something in avocado green instead.)

In a denim jacket or a chambray shirt is just fine with me!

Blue ice cream? Yes, please.

The bluebird of happiness? C'mon in!!

My alma mater home team wears blue (and gold).  Go Vikings!

All this being said, how is it possible to miss out on the biggest BLUE thing going on in the 

city of Chicago for the past 20 years???

We went last Saturday and it didn't disappoint. Not one little blue bit. Perfect as a getaway from the gray and blah right now in the month of February in Chicago.

(And, no, toilet paper is no longer a part of the show.)

Cake Pops

Rebel that I am, I snuck cake pops into the Shedd Aquarium recently. Slippery slope, I know.

They might not look like much, but they were very tasty. I simply took delicious leftover cake from Maggiano's and mixed the frosted cake in a bowl, rolled the blended mix into balls and froze them.

Next, almond bark was melted and the cake balls were rolled in this.  Done.  Popsicle sticks were packed on top and applied at the time of serving.

Nice thing about those sticks is that they are easily "morphed" into birthday candles!

We had such a fun time celebrating the anniversary of my 30th birthday! The Shedd is a great place to go with kids of all ages. Don't miss the show at the Oceanarium!

Or the sting rays, sharks, turtle or colorful fish in the circular Carribean Reef.

Or the jellyfish.

Or touching living sturgeon in the pool.

And don't forget the cake pops!!

The 2016 Birthday Theme

Take a closer look at these hats and you'll get my birthday theme as inspired by these ladies we encountered (below) while in Branson last fall: the Johnson Sisters. Attired in their matching pink t shirts, I approached them for their story. They were adorable. Diann had her "lightbulb moment" that 

she'd cash in on the idea for our band of two (with an honoree member in Minnesota) vicariously.

                                                   Presenting the Johnson Five!

We needed a look, so she worked on the design of hats and t shirts. Next time we are out and about you may see us in these shirts.  I'm guessing we won't be in the Chicago area, though. We are either going to amuse or frighten those we come in contact with. Consider this fair warning.

     We cheated with the look this time by placing shirts over our bodacious bods already attired.

  This is how my gift box looked at time of presentation. Check out the cute ornament.

In the box of gifts were so many fun treasures to remind me of our Nelson Sisters

adventures, especially within the last year. And my sis and her creativity came through 

with each gift and clue.

The clue for the one below was "As sisters, we share...readiness for adventures."

The gift:  a bumper sticker. Yes, I got a bumper sticker! (It's my mantra for when she asks 

me if I'm up for a road trip.)

Each clue was hidden inside a dotted and decorated envelope sleeve.

I now am the owner of a flashy pink memory foam headrest.

I discovered it's also very useful as ear muffs and sound buffers!

Diann also created a special photo book of our past year highlights as the NS duo with trips to the live 

DWTS show in Peoria, birthday celebrations, road trips to Hilton Head, Branson, and Galena, seeing Santa and eating at the Walnut Room and celebrating an early Christmas together.

No celebration is complete without a shared meal and activity.  We ate crepes and went to the movie

The Lady in the Van (Get it?  Road trips??) and so enjoyed another memory made. 

What a gift, this thing called Sisterhood.

Mystery Reader

Do you know what (who) a "Mystery Reader" is? Nope, not one who reads mystery novels. No, not one whose identity remains shrouded while reading a book. A "Mystery Reader" is one who goes to a classroom to read aloud to the students. The kids know someone is coming, just not who this person is and how they are connected to one particular student. The reader could be a mom or dad, grandparent or relative or friend. And last week it was my turn to be the MR!

Back in the day when I was still an employed woman in a public library in the Children's Department 

(Three cheers for CMPL!!!), I often assisted patrons who came in to find "Mystery Reader" books to bring to the classroom. What fun it was to match up titles to active, excited listeners! One day I hoped to have a turn myself as a MR! And it all came true last Friday afternoon.

As I waited outside the classroom for my cue to come in, I got the chance to check out her locker. She has inherited the stuff-it-all-in-and-walk-away-gene just like someone else I know and love! I heard the teacher give these clues:

The Mystery Reader is a grandmother.

There is a girl in this class with this grandmother.

The girl in this class has sisters.

And, because these kids are so smart, they guessed the girl to be E and I walked in. It may have helped that E was wearing a birthday crown for the guessers to be so quick.

I read these two books that are her favorites:

and

Yes, they are both a bit girly. But both have great messages - the first one with the message of being resourceful and helping out a friend in need and the second with a sweet relationship between a mother and her daughter as she outgrows her clothes.

It was so much fun to be back in the classroom again with such adorable kids!

I admit to being especially drawn to the one in the back row, top left, in the yellow shirt!