Flamingo Beach

It rained all day yesterday and boy, did we get an ear-full from the kids. Ethan is the top contender for best complainer for some of these beauties: "I don't want to spend the whole time in Costa Rica just sitting here!!! We aren't doing anything!!! We haven't done anything fun! Is this what it's going to be like the whole time?!?" It hasn't been that bad - swimming's been fun, right? Or the beach on Monday? You forgotten all that? He's probably just mad that we haven't repeated it? (Slight crush on the girls, me thinks. I don't blame him, they were cute).

Below is a photo of Mr. Top Complainer complaining after we first arrived at the beach today about how the salt water was KILLING his toe, wail, cry, scream, wail - he had three small scratches on his big left toe, which said scratches he got from the edge of the stairs in our pool at home. He wanted a bandaid, but I didn't have one. I tried to explain that a bandaid wouldn't keep the salt water out anyway, but he didn't hear/listen... We've got a communication barrier between us.


Well, this morning it looked like a rainy day again, but we decided to try for the beach anyway, and had a GREAT time. We left our home around 9, it was about a 20 mile drive to Flamingo Beach, so about a half hour. We took a shortcut to the beach (unbeknownst to us at the time). We were riding a steep dirt road over the mountain and a steeper and narrow paved road on the way down, and thought we had reached a dead end at some nice homes on the south cove of Flamingo beach. We decided to head back to where we got on the mountain path and get back on the main road to see if that lead to the main beach, but as we came to a fork in the road I couldn't remember which one we came down, and so we took the one that went toward the beach, thinking if it wasn't the right road over the mountain, then it would probably lead us to the main beach. I didn't think all the people in those cove homes which were really nice would tolerate driving over that steep dirt road everytime they were coming or going. Luckily I was right, and we quickly arrived at a beautiful spot on the beach and had it practically all to ourselves.

Joe, always prepared with his nose plugs.

Joe and Ethan spent the first hour and last our of our time there jumping in the waves. A great activity for young boys (not sure what happened to cure Ethan's toe. Glad he was able to switch off his complain mode). Mel was busy making a sand castle, and it made me think of the differences between boys and girls, men and women. Men/boys looking for adventure and excitement, women/girls looking to create something beautiful... (as much as resources will allow - a stick with a dead leaf for her castle's flag...) and settle down and make a home. I have some of that in me still, I know it's there, wanting to make a house somewhere our home. It just keeps getting pushed to the end of the line of things to do. Corey has said that a home is on his list of acceptable purchases, so that's good. :)

I like something Corey said today, that the ocean provides a perfect combination of exhilaration and calmness for families and kids - Parent's and kids will get calm just watching and hearing the waves, and then you can send your kids out to get up close with the waves and burn some of that energy off while they slightly fear for their lives.

Lily of course loved laying in the dirt, here she is poking it with a stick.

She was so funny, I loved it. I'd try to dig a hole and it would fill up from the water that was in the sand, and of course she assumed it was a little tub for her and crawled right in it and just sat there contently, I was laughing. Corey got some video of it on the Flip Camera, but I don't know how to upload that... I'll see if he can later.

Abi, Lily, and I got a slight sunburn on our faces and backs - we haven't been out as much as the boys who are all turning so dark - their tan line from their swimming trunks is become quite the contrast of white skin to dark skin. They are almost Ticos! (Ticos are what Costa Rican's call themselves).

Abi loved throwing dirt

Wesley was busy building mountains

Hyrum, Ethan, and Joe played in the waves with Corey or I looking on - some of those waves seemed to be pretty big.


Melodie built sand castles, Hyrum joined her while Joe and Ethan kept at the waves.


Eth and Joe joined in on the sand after a while and they had a "sand castle contest".

I asked who won, and they don't know. I guess since we left in a hurry when it was raining, there was not time for the judges to choose a winner. Next trip to the beach I guess.

We stayed there till 1:00, at which time we packed up cause Abi was hungry (no surprise, she eats constantly) and thus fussy. Corey took her for a walk...

...then shortly after he got back it started to rain.

And I even documented my self photographically today

See! I was at the beach, too!

I give Flamingo Beach 5 out of 5 stars for small crowds, beautiful surroundings, lots of shore space to dig, good sized waves - not to big or small. Great beach. We'll be sure to come again!