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Lisa Samuel

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We have some exciting things in the works!

Follow me on Instagram @lisahsamuel to be the first to know about upcoming events.

Behind the scenes at home and away at @LisaHSamuel

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When we got up yesterday to head to the airport for our flight home, Theo said, “I’m not ready to go home. I love Costa Rica!”
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That was a first. On every other trip, there comes a point when he misses home.
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This was a particularly special vacation. Costa Rica is incredibly beautiful, and magical for a little boy who loves sand, snakes and spiders. And we met so many warm, kind people who treated us like family. It won’t be our last visit.

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Hotel Villa Caletas Costa Rica

Villa Caletas is a somewhat-aging Victorian estate perched in the hills above Jacó, with spectacular views of the central Pacific. It was a perfect place to spend one night, to break up the long drive between La Fortuna and Manuel Antonio, which left us all a little green.

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Mystic Hanging Bridges

I almost bailed on the hanging bridges near La Fortuna, because I’m afraid of heights...and snakes. But I’m so glad I mustered up the courage and walked through the treetops. Even though we did see an eyelash viper.

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Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa

Playing in the volcanic hot springs at @tabaconresort will definitely be one of my favorite memories of this trip, and perhaps one of my all-time favorite travel experiences. In my opinion, all water should be ninety-eight degrees.
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Also, this makes me think I should make a list of my top travel experiences and places. What are yours? I’m making a travel wish list, too.

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Tabacon Thermal Resort & Spa

Each place we’ve visited in Costa Rica has had it’s unique charm, but the volcanic hot springs at @tabaconresort near the Arenal volcano hold a special magical appeal. It feels like a fairyland, with dozens of waterfalls, rivers and pools to play and soak and be in awe of this jungle paradise.

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Tabacon Resort

One of my intentions this year is to finally come up with a method to manage the thousands of photos sitting in our phones and computers. I used to keep everything very organized on Dropbox, by year and month. But since Theo was born, the sheer number of photos is overwhelming.
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On this trip, I’ve been taking an hour each day to go through the photos, upload my favorites to @lightroom and do a quick edit and then import to @artifactuprising, so the album will be done by the end of the trip.
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Anyone have great ideas, apps or programs they use?

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Villa Blanca Cloud Forest Hotel & Nature Reserve

We’re excited to return to international travel this year, beginning with Costa Rica! Elie’s traveled here several times, but it’s been on my wish list for a while. So far, this is one of our most memorable trips with Theo. He’s at a magical age for travel, where he’s excited about absolutely everything and we’re able to do a lot. Mimi’s traveling with us, too, which makes it even more fun.
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We began our trip to Costa Rica in the Los Angeles Cloud Forest at Villa Blanca, which a nature reserve and working farm. Theo was in heaven, milking the cows, playing with the calves and donning headlamps to look for snakes and tarantula in the forest at night (luckily, we didn’t find any). It was the perfect relaxing way to begin the trip and ease into exploration.
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We’re here in Costa Rica for two weeks, so if you’re interested, you can follow along with our trip in Stories (also saved to highlights).

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If you’re setting intentions today, I hope you’re being kind to yourself. This time of year can be so fraught with expectations and the creation of big, crazy dreams. It can get overwhelming. But it doesn’t have to be.
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I often hear a lot of talk of fear and anxiety about setting intentions at the beginning of each year. I guess it’s just in how you think about it. I never consider this process to be ‘setting new year’s resolutions.’ Instead, I think about it this way—what am I welcoming into my life in this next year? What will I give space and energy to? What will I let go of? How do I wish to grow as a woman, a wife, a mother, a daughter, a friend, a citizen? Those questions evoke growth and opportunity, not judgment. And if that little voice inside my head begins to sound critical, I reassure her with the same kindness I would a friend. We are always our own worse critics.
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I wrote this last year, but it bears repeating. I don’t feel that heavy weight around setting intentions. It’s not a report card, not something I can pass or fail. Writing these posts are like letters to myself. How did I hope to grow in the last year and how did my path change? I don’t care if I don’t check off every box. That’s not really the intent. The intent is just in moving forward, getting just a little better each year…I hope I’m constantly learning and growing, living each year with just a little bit more compassion and grace than the last. That’s why I set intentions each year.
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If you like to read these types of posts, or are looking for inspiration for your own intentions, I shared mine in the blog today. Good-bye to 2019, my year to nourish, and hello to 2020, my time to be openhearted.
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Happy New Year, friends!

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