Baby Olive Ridley Sea Turtles

Olive Ridley Sea Turtles, an endangered turtle species, are raised in turtle sanctuary's on the coast of the Bahia Banderas here in Puerto Vallarta. One of my "beading friends" is a volunteer who helps by collecting donations for the sanctuary, giving a turtle facts speech, and releasing these Olive Ridley Sea Turtles every Monday during the season. We ventured to the Nuevo Vallarta beach to see this extraordinary event that releases hundreds of sea turtles each night during the hatching season.

The babies you see above were a collection of eggs from the beaches back in July which were brought to the sanctuary for a safe secure environment. They hatched yesterday and were released the same day. Olive Ridley Sea Turtles can grow to be 2 to 2.5 feet and can way upto 100 pounds. To see a fully grown Olive Ridley, look here.

When in Mexico, do as the Mexicans!

When in Mexico, do as the Mexicans who happen to celebrate the evening before with a huge dinner and then pinatas for the kids and gifts at midnight. Many here then have a day at the beach with family on Christmas day.

So, on Christmas Eve, the day was busy preparing for our feast. Prior to our 14 pound fresh pork, roasted root veggies, parsley with fruit salad, sweet potatoes with marshmallow topping along with short bread cookies dipped in chocolate, we went for a stroll around our condominium complex to watch the sunset.

French toast Christmas morning with wonderful gifts in a small package. When you travel like we do intangible gifts come in handy like massages and tickets to the circus etc.

Our tree...

After a lazy relaxing morning, we headed for the beach which is part of the agenda for the locals too. Austin decided to dig a little hole and attracted a bit of attention!

Experiencing new traditions with an open mind broadens our vision.

What matters most anyway?

Living abroad for the past 7 years and 5 of those years were traveling on our boat Duchesse, we all learned how to live a more "minimal life style". Especially while on Duchesse, we learned really quick that there was only so much room, everything had it's place to be stored away, and if you bring something new aboard something old had to go.

Well what do you do for birthdays and Christmas when things aren't as readily available in foreign countries and if they are available, normally they are outrageously expensive being an imported item? Hmm? You get really creative! What matters most anyway?

Randi just turned 14 on the 14th of December. And through the past 7 years I've come up with all kinds of fun creative intangible gifts, most of which include quality time spent together added to something fun to do together. This year I noticed she mention an interest in getting her nails done. So I decided, we'd take the day off from school and the usual routine stuff, and spend it together pampering ourselves. The day began at 10am at this fabulous Mexican spa, Metamorphosis Day Spa, where we both indulged in a SPA pedicure almost falling asleep on the love seat.

As we sank into the love seat having our feet pampered, we enjoyed the open door view of the Christmas tree across the street. We watched the community pass by with some signing up on sheets hanging on the door for their turn.
After the interlude with Metamorphosis Day Spa, we walked a block to the corner deli for a relaxing street side lunch. Did a little shopping looking for a top that she needed and then she picked out her cake. As a family for dinner we made her fillet Mignon which is easy to chew with her new braces and afterward watched a movie together. If you ask her, I think she'd say that she truly enjoyed the day. I know I did! :)