We talk a lot about adventuring, traveling, camping, and the like around these parts. You probably know that we consider adventure to be a huge part of life’s joys. Today we’re sharing a few creature comforts that we’re enjoying while adventuring in Costa Rica.

 

Clockwise from top left:

 

Each of our boys got to choose some toys, at the top of their list were their Firetruck plush. They are field testing these to make sure durability and usability are perfected before the release of the plush line. These will be available in April & newsletter subscribers will be the first to access them.

 

We use our water bottles often at home when we’re on the go. While in Costa Rica we are getting our drinking water in huge jugs. Having water bottles means we can leave some in the fridge, take a bottle to the beach, and have water accessible to everyone at all times (it’s hot here). 

 

Listening/internet device, since we are gone for so long our cell phone plan is on hold and we are using our phones for internet as wifi only. With the iPhone this means we can FaceTime, upload to Instagram, text with messenger and check email. I have my computer too but I wouldn’t need it if I wasn’t working remotely. The other use for my iPhone is audio entertainment- from Audible books (Amy Poehler’s Yes Please is my current jam) to podcasts, I’m loving Being Boss by Kathleen Shannon and Emily Thompson

Our older boy loves listening to chapter books too (the Ramona series, Mouse and the Motorcycle, Island of the Blue Dolphins). 

 

I threw in this leather pouch/clutch at the last minute. I was thinking about it more as an organizer for important things on travel day (which it tackled well) but when we got here and I got organized to walk to the store I realized that it was the perfect travel wallet. My big wallet is full of passports, credit cards, cash and it is locked up in the safe. It’s silly to bring all that important stuff around with you when you can throw a little cash, your sunglass case and chapstick in a clutch and go.

 

Sunnies save my life, every day. They are even more important when you travel closer to the equator. 

 

clockwise from top left:

elSage Fire Truck plush, you will find these in the shop this April!

Metal water bottle, this one is by Kleen Kanteen who is also part of the 1% for the Planet network. These last forever and the caps are all the same size (kids, adult, sport all interchange, if your caps and lids storage looks like ours you will love this. Our kids each have one as well as the adults. This one is well loved. They make insulated pieces too- smoothie or coffee anyone?

Listening/Internet device, this happens to be my iPhone

Travel wallet/clutch/pouch, this beauty is by ::Found:: by Nicki a handmade business out of Bellingham, WA.

Good sunnies, these are Rayban from Zappos. I love them. Living in Washington we don’t have huge sunglass shops so I order 4 or 5 pairs and then pick one once I try them on. 

We thought we would take a quick minute and explain what we’re up to here in Costa Rica. We both have a strong sense of wanderlust and so we’ve made travel a priority. Our goal is to leave the country every 2 years. We keep a savings account and money is direct deposited into it every month. This trip happens to be 6 months past our normal 2 year window, that means we saved for 2.5 years to do this. When were looking at options for travel we knew we wanted to go somewhere warm, affordable, relatively safe and Spanish speaking. Our oldest is in Spanish/English kindergarten and we wanted to show him the purpose of this education that he’s been tossed into (his pronunciation is way better than mine by the way). 

I’ve been thinking more about self care, and being good to your number one employee (or employees) as a small business, and this kind of trip has that in mind. We have a busy spring and summer ahead, including new markets, more events, hiring employee(s), expanding our line, and launching a custom printshop. It seems natural to us to hunker down in a beautiful place during one of our slowest months and recharge, bond as a family, eat as much mango as possible and swim in the sea every single day.

 

Longing to do something similar? My advice is to do something right now that gets you closer to that goal; this could be setting up a savings account, putting a dollar in a jar (full disclosure, this never works for me, I always rob the jar when I need some cash), searching online for a house swap, house sitting or WWOOF opportunity. Whatever you do don’t get stuck in a “I wish I could do that” mentality- because you can. There is always a way to travel, you just have to find which one works for you.

We will be back with more updates from the beach & peeks of the new collection. When we launch in April, newsletter subscribers will have first dibs. Sign up for the newsletter today.