Día de los niños

Can some one please tell me why the USA does not have a Children's Day as a national holiday?!  I mean there's mother's day and father's day, but we don't have a children's day.  I think when I was younger I asked my parents this very question and they responded "everyday is children's day."  Very true.  But here in Costa Rica, Día de los niños (Children's Day)  is a legitimate holiday.  Whattttt????  That's right.  Why did I not know this when I was still a child????

This past Sunday was children's day, and we had a nice fun day planned for this past Friday.  But with the earthquake and school being cancelled, it had to be rescheduled until Monday, and then rescheduled again to today because of the clown's schedule.  Yes, there was a clown.  The parents who planned the children's day activities went all out and it was FANTASTIC!

decorations in the lunch room

There were 10 stations and each teacher was in charge of one station.  The students were then put in groups.  The older students were each paired up with a younger student.  At first I thought that might not go over so well, but it was neat to see the high school kids helping the pre-schoolers with the different activities. The kids had 20 minutes at each station before rotating to the next.

There was face painting, several relays, sock puppet making.  Obviously I'm forgetting a few stations...

I was in charge of the cupcake decorating station.  Don't for a second think that I was assigned to decorate cupcakes.  Oh no, I definitely volunteered for that one!  I haven't seen a cupcake since.....ummm....I really don't know.  I was thinking it was July when I was last home in the US, but I actually don't recall a reason that I would have eaten a cupcake.  Not that I would actually need to justify eating a cupcake.  We can just say it's been too long for me to remember.

Station 9: CUPCAKES!!!

I'm quite certain I had one of the messiest stations there was.  It's a close call between cupcake decorating and face painting.  And why I chose to wear white shorts today when I'm dealing with icing?  Don't know.  Did I mention the icing was CREAM CHEESE?!  My favorite.

num num num

There was a bubble machine, and a popcorn machine, and the clown was making cotton candy, and, and, and, and, and.  Yes, I am just as hopped up on sugar right now as the kids were.  And we had pizza delivered for lunch.  And it was really good.  And I ate four pieces.  Because I didn't want to waste the leftovers. And we had french fries. And then we got treat bags and they had candy.  Yes, we, because the teachers got them, too.  The director said this morning that this day was not just for the students, because we are all children at heart.  Agreed.

some of my babies

trying to fill the bucket one spoon of water at a time

juggling of some sort

sock puppet!

the clown made hearts for all the girls and swords for the boys

one of the performers

or small,
it was fun for all!

BIG

Earthquake update:  we have been waiting of some special geologist, by the name of Marino Protti who works at el Observatoria Vulcanológico y Sismológico de Costa Rica to finish his study regarding last Wednesday's earthquake.  There was a press conference today at 11, but since I was working at that time (if you want to call it work or play) I didn't get to watch the press conference.  I  read an article about it online though.  Apparently Costa Rica had been waiting for a BIG earthquake in the Nicoyan Peninsula for some time.  Protti's study was to clarify if last week's earthquake was the one that CR had waited for.  Now I know you can't exactly predict earthquake's, but since Costa Rica is right on edge of the Cocos plate and the Caribbean plate seismic activity is common.  Quite some time had passed since an earthquake had occurred in this region, so pressure had built up in the subduction zone of the plates and it was only a matter of time until it was released.  

So, the results:  The 7.6 magnitude earthquake at 8:42 in the morning on Wednesday, September 5, 2012, was indeed the anticipated large-magnitude quake.  That is the good news.  

Now, the not so good news.  Only 40% of the energy that had built up along these two plates was released in last Wednesday's earthquake.  That means there is still 60% of energy waiting to be released.  

What the study can't tell us is how or when the other 60% will be released.  Will there be another large earthquake, two smaller ones, or more frequent tremors?  When will this seismic activity occur:  tomorrow, a year from now, 5 years, 50 years?