MORE ON SWINE FLU

I have one very disappointed daughter! Today the salud here in Costa Rica decided to extend the two week vacation another week. The reason? Trying to stop the spread of Swine Flu! Even though the sixth person just died, and no kids have died, nor have any healthy people.

She was scheduled to do her Costa Rica dance next week at the theme park. Like I said she is one very disappointed girl. Plus the fact that her teacher was on vacation the week before the two week vacation, that makes a month of one very bored girl.

I guess I could schedule a dentist appointment to break up things for her a little bit! Maybe just a picnic at the park. Her dad is teaching her to play chess, and that is adding a little excitement for her.

When the older kids were young and we were homeschooling Rick started a chess club for homeschoolers. One of our boys really took off and actually entered some contests. He was watching his little sister playing chess this morning and asked if we thought she would be good because she was Asian. I reminded him he is not Asian and he was a pretty darn good little chess player.

The problem is just getting her to stop giggling and pay attention to dad teaching her.

NEIGHBORHOOD PAINTING

What a great activity for some bored kids while school is out. The neighborhood had a project to paint all the light poles, and I think ours turned out best of course!

The girls had fun, and the baby even giggled while we traced his feet and hands. The neighbor was great and let them do their own things while she went behind and cleaned up and made it look pretty.

I was actually very surprised by how well my baby did. She is an artist for sure. Between the Chinese goat sign and the Libra sign she is destined to be a artist. We will have to paint the wall in the backyard now!

VACATION TIME

I have had fun reading everyones' blogs about their family vacations. It certainly brings back many memories of our family vacations. Since moving to Costa Rica we seem to take them quite frequently, but they are still fun and memorable. The above picture is at Samara beach last October. That was a fun trip. Not necessarily a vacation, but a nice sight seeing trip.

The definate most memorable trips were the ones we planned with the kids and worked and saved for. One year we took the youngest two to Disney Land. That took lots of planning and saving, but was a blast for all. Another year we went to Yellowstone Park. Because we were camping that one took a little extra planning and saving.

One of the favorites was a trip to Hawaii with two of the youngest kids. We spent a week on the big island and it was a great trip. The thing with that one was again the money saving. We saved and joined a vacation club thing that helped.

We have also used our income tax refunds for trips. The problem here is these aren't happening anymore because all our deductions grew up and left home! Also because we don't make any money, which sure makes it easier at tax time to be sure!

Another idea is to use credit counseling and use their help.My advice as an old timer? Take vacations the memories are all you have once those little deductions grow up and go out on their own, that and the pictures of course!