To start, I woke early, before my alarm even went off. That's always a good sign. I then enjoyed breakfast with the fam bam and playing in the backyard with the kiddos - soccer, frisbee, volleyball, revamping the old tire swing...
At about 10:30am I headed to the town's center to run errands before meeting up with my friend Ben to hit the thrift store. I bought all the ingredients I would need for chocolate cake, oatmeal raisin cookies, and papaya-coconut muffins. I had promised to bake for our Ugly Christmas Sweater Party and I wasn't going to let anyone down. No, hahaha, really I was just super excited for the excuse to be in the kitchen. =)
At 11am I met my friend, despite the absolutely torrential rain and we tucked into the nearest thrift store in search of Ugly Christmas garments. Within minutes, literally, we were in luck! There were ugly Christmas sweatshirts, pants, and jackets galore! And each piece was only 200 colones each (that's less than $.50)! At such a price, and with two winning items in hand I decided to buy both. Why not embrace the mitch-match and maximize the holiday cheer, right?! Haha!
When I got home I spent much of the afternoon baking. About half-way through my recipes my friends Sarah and Karmen showed up at my house wanting to borrow vanilla for their Christmas sugar cookies. They didn't make it far, but instead decided to stay and bake them in my kitchen since I had already turned the place into a floury mess. =) I was quite delighted. Baking is always more fun with buddies! And hunkering by the oven with stormy weather outside and plans for a holiday party in the evening made it finally feel like fall. =)
After completing the cake, muffins, and cookies, I set out to make another batch of muffins; one that Fede could eat. I adjusted the recipe and used oat flour and splenda in place of the listed ingredients. Less calories and in line with Fede's diet. When he walked into the kitchen I told him what I was doing, whacked him gently across the shoulder, and told him the muffins were for him. He smiled, leaned in to give me a kiss and then told me he loved me. Awww...cute, right?! One of my love languages must be cooking. =)
Now for the party...Maddy, Maddie, Karmen, and Sarah showed up at my door at 7:30pm to help carry all the goods to Krysten's house for the fiesta. When we arrived it was a delight and absolute crack-up to see all the Christmas sweaters, hats, sweatshirts, and even one robe/muumuu! I love our little group. All thirteen of us hanging out in ugly Christmas sweaters in the middle of November in the middle of Costa Rica! =D Hahaha! We are quite a sight to behold. So close in only three months.
The rest of the evening consisted of consuming too much sugar (my weakness was coconut ice cream piled high on a slab of chocolate cake. yummm), watching funny YouTube videos (winners of submitted videos won either Nutella or Peanut Butter, which are expensive and highly coveted items here among us Gringos), and dancing about in our holiday gear for the "best dressed" contest.
It hardly feels possible that all the events of today were fit into just the last 24 hrs; I think that means it was good. =)
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