Tico ♥ Tina

the cuteness strikes again

ticotina — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 04:28:02 +0000

first off, just wanted to say thanks for being a sport and clicking buttons after our last vlog – you guys make us smile here are a couple of random cuteness clips, maybe they will make you smile…

go ahead and click more buttons – it’s for the children

101 in 1001 – an update

ticotina — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 05:55:27 +0000

I was very happy to start our 101 in 1001 on my 30th birthday last year (background here), but I never actually posted anything about it. now we’re almost a quarter of a year in and I realized it was time to revisit it and see what kind of progress we are making…

Inspirational

1. memorize 11 scripture passages (one for every quarter) {behind}
2. finish Dave Ramsey’s recommended reading list
3. make another list to start after this one
4. put quote collection online and add to it. {in progress}

Health/Fitness/Beauty

5. get David’s teeth fixed {need to schedule while we are here in Costa Rica}
6. maintain marriage weight {in progress}

Travel

7. go back to Costa Rica at least once for a good 3 months again {yay! we’re here!}
8. make 8 road trips

Crafty

9. modpodge end tables
10. modpodge lamp shade
11. make a prayer board
12. make container magnets
13. make a button curtain
14. make pattern/magnet clothespins
15. make picture frame tray or vanity tray

Food

16. set up rotating menu system {started – utilizing one here in Costa Rica}
17. make raised bed gardens
18. try a new recipe every month {I think we’re sticking with this – I need to check exactly}

Business

19. read and report on 8 business books
20. develop color art line {in progress}
21. develop blank canvas card line {definitely in progress over here}
22. get backup service going
23. get self-service sites set up {in progress}
24. develop WIWHTY {in progress}
25. enter 2 design competitions
26. do 1 blog giveaway/month {working on it, we’ll catch up later – 2 down}
27. start developing apps {in progress}
28. start developing plugins
29. start developing themes
30. sell stock photography {in progress}
31. practice photography every week {in progress}

Hobbies/Skills

32. take dance classes together {should be doing this now…}
33. write a book {in progress}
34. do a 365 day photo challenge – doesn’t have to be successive days

Family

35. go to a marriage conference or retreat
36. go over marriage conversation papers every 4 months {we’re due for this}
37. go over relationship papers with kids every 4 months {we’re due for this}
38. make 5 “about me” pages per kid {Maverick’s is due, Maeve’s will be next month}
39. organize and spruce up monthaversary journal {in progress}
40. create a better journal of kid funnies
41. finish our wills (oy)
42. family art project once a month
43. have family dance party at least once a week {we haven’t done too well on this yet}
44. read through 2 classic books together
45. go to a library story hour
46. go to a zoo, amusement park, or kids’ museum
47. have a family water fight
48. all sleep out in the back yard
49. go on another midnight adventure
50. dye easter eggs
51. make soft pretzels
52. try letterboxing
53. make a gingerbread house {check}
54. do a picture story/theme/whatever
55. do a make/give activity (cookies, etc.)
56. all sleep in a blanket fort
57. have a breakfast (sunrise?) picnic
58. film a family story video
59. watch a movie outside
60. go mini-golfing
61. go bowling
62. family fun activity TBD
63. family fun activity TBD
64. family fun activity TBD
65. family fun activity TBD
66. family fun activity TBD
67. family fun activity TBD
68. family fun activity TBD
69. family fun activity TBD
70. family fun activity TBD
71. family fun activity TBD
72. family fun activity TBD
73. family fun activity TBD
74. family fun activity TBD
75. family fun activity TBD
76. family fun activity TBD
77. family fun activity TBD

Music/Art/Education

78. make 10 mixed media collages
79. go to a worship conference
80. go to a maroon 5/adam levine concert
81. write 2 songs
82. get the kids started in music education

Organization

83. go through old pictures and scan
84. get old VHS transferred to digital
85. figure out picture/file organization/archive system
86. add birthdays and such to online contacts
87. sort design resources

Finances

88. settle the madness once and for all!!!
89. buy a {real} house or building with cash or maybe another trailer/land

Lifestyle

90. sort through shed and continue toward minimalism {check! but also a continual thing}
91. finish trailer landscaping

Missional

92. get LTM team set up {in progress}
93. begin LTM development {check!}
94. make “blessings bags”
95. fast/pray 1 day/month {on track}
96. send a message in a bottle
97. leave a note in a library book
98. send off a note on a balloon
99. send 2 care packages

Miscellaneous

100. get matching tattoos
101. complement 1 stranger/month {behind}

as you can see, we definitely still have work to do, but we do have some time left. if you haven’t done something like this, or at least have longer term goals you are working towards, I’d highly recommend it!

——-

hungry? one more day to win a free pizza from Papa John’s

which famous writer are you?

ticotina — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 03:40:17 +0000

I came across this interesting little tool a while ago, and I must say it’s a little addicting plugging in posts to see what kind of links to famous writers it will spit out at you. I put in samples of my writing 21 different times (previously, as well as just prior to writing this post) and I came out with similarities to 9 different writers.

the very curious and, to me at least, surprising common thread was the type of literature to which I was linked.

by and large I should apparently be writing some sort of hysterical realism, cyberpunk, horror, vampire, science fiction book.

astonishing.

particularly since I hate horror and vampires. the rest are ok. I think.

here are my 9 links – in no particular order other than that I grouped the ones first which I got multiple times:

I write like William Gibson Proof (x5) – speculative fiction/cyberpunk/steampunk/postcyberpunk a combination of low life and high tech – counterculture

I write like David Foster Wallace. Proof (x4) – hysterical realism, metamodernism

I write like Cory Doctorow. Proof (x4) – science fiction/postcyberpunk

I write like H. P. Lovecraft. Proof (x3) – horror, science fiction, fantasy

I write like Arthur Clarke. Proof – most notably(?), 2001: a Space Odyssey

I write like Dan Brown. Proof – most notably, the Da Vinci Code and Angels & Demons

I write like Stephen King. Proof – horror/fantasy/science fiction

I write like Anne Rice. Proof – vampires etc.

and then to throw a wrench in the works

I write like Margaret Mitchell. Proof – most notably, Gone with the Wind

I mean, admittedly, I haven’t actually read or seen Gone with the Wind, but I’m pretty sure it’s a bit of a departure from the above subject matter.

go swiftly and find out who you write like and then tweet me what you find out, I’m so curious! or comment. you know, whatever works for you iwl.me (you can use journal entries, papers you’ve written, whatever)

——-

oh hey, don’t forget to enter the Papa John’s giveaway.
unless your taste buds are, I don’t know, like broken or something.
(if you already follow us somewhere
all you have to do is say you do in the lovely little giveaway manager over here )

Communal Living in Costa Rica?

ticotina — Mon, 20 Feb 2012 05:41:17 +0000

communal living is one of a few things we talk about on our vlog this week.
also mentioned are double chins, earthquakes, and child leashes.

there may or may not have been some bleeping that occurred, as well as a tiny surprise ending.

I think we’re hopefully starting to get a little better at this vlogging thing, you tell us
(Krista is also having some fun with trying out different techniques in editing, lol)

Giveaway: Papa John’s pizza!

ticotina — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 05:00:23 +0000

if you happen to be one of the millions, nay billions, of people who like pizza,
today is your lucky day because we scored a pizza and Pepsi from Papa John’s and
we’re giving it away!

here’s how you can be eligible for this delicious prize:

follow our blog by liking our page on facebook or subscribing via email or reader or follow on bloglovin’.
bonus entries are available for interacting with our various other social media

I just discovered this nifty way to handle giveaways via Living Apockylypse, so let’s see how it works!
(please be patient, it might take a second to load)

a Rafflecopter giveaway

there are eight possible entries. not bad.

if you don’t want free pizza, sorry, there is probably no help for you.
(also sorry, but to our knowledge this is only redeemable in the United States)

this giveaway will close at midnight central time on Wednesday, February 22, with the winner announced on February 23.

5 queer & quirky products that make me chuckle

ticotina — Sat, 18 Feb 2012 05:57:54 +0000

what can I say, we were out on a night walk/play in the park/when dogs attack adventure only to return to a hungry Eddy who then proceeded to get into a discussion with the girls of the house on male/female relationships here in Costa Rica, etc. read: I almost forgot to post again (if you weren’t paying attention, I’m making it an exercise to try to post every day in February).

so I give you some random products I’ve pinned in the past because I found them humorous. maybe you will, too!
(the images are all clickable if you want to learn more about them)

4 votes for Costa Rican haircuts.

ticotina — Fri, 17 Feb 2012 03:47:21 +0000

one of the things on our pre-Costa Rica to do list was getting haircuts all around. that ended up, however, as one of the things that we shoved off.

now I’m glad we did.

today we paid $16 for the two kids + Mr. D.

I made a promise to a friend/s of mine that I wouldn’t drastically cut my hair unless they were with me. I kinda considered the possibility of letting them be with me via skype, but over all I have actually decided in the last 4 months or so that I don’t really want to cut my hair right now. I’ve actually been feeling a lot less frumpy since I replaced my fall back ponytail with a fall back up-do. it’s a good thing I figured that out early on into our trip, too, since I don’t want to spend a bunch of money on product to make my hair behave when it’s down. I thought gel was gel was gel, but no. the cheap stuff I bought when we got here either evaporates in 10 minutes or just looks at my hair and laughs. does nothing. seriously, not exaggerating.

so all of my hair is just staying put for now.

Maverick’s hair had gotten past the point of needing to be cut months ago, but we were just used to it – I mean we see him every day and all. so he was high due.

we weren’t really cracked up about Maeve cutting her hair, it was really long and gorgeous. but she really wanted to, so we let her. I already miss it a lot.

Mr. D’s hair had needed to be in a ponytail for a long time and he was just ready for a cut.

these are the much-anticipated results (starting off with Mr. D styling Maeve’s hair the other day):

why I watch “the Bachelor”

ticotina — Thu, 16 Feb 2012 05:55:19 +0000

I realize that the Bachelor family of shows can be a little controversial. certainly it doesn’t have the best track record for the couples it spits out a few times each year, however, there are obviously those who have survived the relationship gauntlet and lived to tell about it.

I would never sit around just watching these shows, nor any other show really – I always work or exercise with the shows in the background, but I do watch them and here is why:

if you’ve watched our love story you would probably be able to guess that I don’t really agree with the concept of the show, but I didn’t always feel completely unlike a contestant trying to win Mr. D’s heart (my mode of action was a lot more like sitting back waiting for God to finish writing the story than to actually compete, but hey, Mr. D needed a challenge for a change)

being fascinated by relationships and interactions in general, I find the Bachelor/ette to be an interesting study in human nature and relationship dynamics.

I enjoy trying to guess which parts of the show are real and which parts are set up, what kinds of leading questions they ask in the interviews to get the participants to say what they want them to say, which people are being their true selves, which ones have another agenda, what kinds of emotional problems and hangups they have, which things are edited unfairly, etc.

basically I’m analyzing the psychological states of everyone while I’m watching.

the dates, locations, and experiences from the Bachelor are obviously a lot more fairytale and a lot less real life, but the emotions and the way the contestants handle their emotions are real.

love can often feel like a bit of a war zone and I don’t feel like the way that it plays out on the Bachelor stage is completely untrue to what is often found in real life.

I’m pretty thankful, however, that it was God, not a team of reality show writers, who wrote our love story

had I started writing this earlier I would have waxed more wordy with my thoughts on all of it, but my deadline for myself is midnight, so this is all she wrote.

do you watch the Bachelor? why or why not? you can answer even if your name is Ileen

how a Costa Rican boy fell in love with an Irish lass…

ticotina — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 05:33:39 +0000

we barely made it, but we still have half an hour of Valentine’s Day 2012 left, so on the 10th anniversary of our first kiss I give you our love story.
have a minute, or 2, or maybe a few more?

believe it or not, we did leave out some details!

thanks again to Krista for videoing and editing these for us! (youtube annotations by me )

Costa Rica: full disclosure budget take 2

ticotina — Tue, 14 Feb 2012 05:32:35 +0000

it’s been too long since the first budget post. here’s an update.

January 22-28

$6.64 Jumbo [popcorn, salt, tortilla flour]
$7.99 Netflix [stupid tax - being that the free trial screwed up]
$100 [translation of papers for kids' dual citizenship and our marriage registration]
$32.57 Price Smart [bread flour & tortilla flour]
$3.50 yummy bread [2 loaves]
$2.10 good bread [1 loaf]
$21.30 feria [fresh produce]
$12.97 Walmart [stuff for pasta salad + $2.64 shampoo]

Total: $187.07

January 29-February 4

$3.50 yummy bread [2 loaves]
$5.03 Jumbo [nail polish remover & 2 polishes]
$23.20 beach [admission]
$86.43 Price Smart [bulk food + $6.59 cleaning supplies and $19.49 TP]
$14.90 feria [fresh produce]
$16.30 souvenirs [bracelet/ring for Tina, 8 postcards for Maeve, and something for a friend]

Total: $149.36

yeah, these are not impressive totals again, but maybe I should start tracking the food cost separately.

January 9-14 $191.62
January 15-21 $39.62
January 22-28 $112.56
January 29-February 4 $78.75
Food Total: $422.55

yeah, still not liking that at all. well have to see how much we can stretch some of that stuff, but we won’t really know till it’s gone, which will probably be when we leave or not long before.

in other food news, I just had something tonight that if you ever come across you should definitely not hesitate to score some for yourself. Maverick somehow got ahold of the bag and kept growling when other people tried to get some out. Tronaditas – go find some.

I even found a little commercial, haha.