Why we LOVE Bocas Del Toro

We took a quick trip down to Panama over to the islands of Bocas Del Toro. These islands have a completely different culture than the rest of Panama. Bocas is an odd combo of young, dirty hostel kids from around the world, surfers from mostly South America and very poor locals; all on a few beautiful islands. Check out some of our GoPro footage!



Bocas Del Toro from Chelsea Denning on Vimeo.

Here are some of the reasons why we loved Bocas Del Toro:

1. No crowds - We had beaches and surf line ups all to ourselves!

Loved being able to get as many waves as we wanted

No one on the beach

Our daily morning surf check walk

 2. Amazing and cheap seafood

Fish tacos right on the beach

Whole Red Snapper with fried plantains

3. Over the water EVERYTHING - We slept over the water and ate most of our meals over the water. I was so blown away with how cool it was to be able to see sea life while you are at a restaurant and be able to jump from your porch right into the ocean!

Casa Acquario - This is where we stayed

Having dinner at RAW on Isla Colon

Back view of our bed and breakfast

Since there are no cars or roads on Careneros island, we arrived by boat taxi to our hotel.

Even the nightclubs were over the water. The Aqua Lounge had a swing and trampoline you could use to jump into the ocean.

4. The surf

Chelsea getting a nice, glassy wave

Mike on a wave filming with the GoPro

Chelsea paddling for a bowly left

Heading back after a fun 2 1/2 hour session

 5. Adventurous excursions - The most unique adventure was swimming through a cave with bats flying all around and jumping off waterfalls inside the pitch black cave.

Heading in to go swim through the cave

Looking up through the cave

6. Crystal clear waters and deserted beaches

Before flying over to Bocas, we explored Pamana City for a day. We loved it! Our favorite part of Panama City was Casco Viejo.

Skyline of Panama City

Overlooking the Panama Canal

Awesome Panamanian sunset from our porch

Summer Southern California Style

It's only a few weeks into summer but we have been savoring every second of it! From surfing daily to bonfires at night to weekend getaways, we've had so much fun! Here are a few of the highlights:

Crystal Cove - There is something almost magical about Crystal Cove. It's tucked away from the hustle and bustle of Orange County in a secluded little cove. The cottages there are all from the 1920s and super cute. Our family stayed in one of these adorable cottages on the beach for just a couple days but it was a great way to spend time with family.

Eating dinner on the front porch of our cottage.

Each cottage has its own unique decor. Ours was all diving themed.

Outside of our cottage

A view of all of the Crystal Cove Cottages

The house from the movie "Beaches"

Chelsea's side of the family going for an evening walk on the beach.

Kayaking - The perfect summer activity when the waves are flat.

Beach Time - This little girl has spent at least a few days every week at the beach since she was one week old. 

Camping in Malibu - We love Malibu. It has good waves, camping, beaches and hikes. We try to make an annual camping trip here and this was the first time going as a family of 3. Coral did great and seemed to like joining in on all of the fun.

Hiking in the hills

Coral watching us roast marshmallows looking happy.

Mike enjoying about his 10th smore of the night.

This camping trip was over 4th of July and Coral was very festive hanging out at the beach in Malibu.

Walks on the Beach - A few nights a week we opt out of the gym for a long walk on the beach. Carrying an extra 12 pounds on your chest sure ups the workout!

Surfing - The water has been in the 70s and there have been waves almost every day the past few weeks which means we've been surfing a ton! We have to take turns now surfing of course since someone has to watch the baby but we still manage to both get a lot of time in the water.

Padres Game - A baseball game is always a fun family activity on a warm summer night.

Movies on the Beach - I can't think of any other place I'd rather watch a movie than with the ocean as the backdrop. We just watched Step into Liquid for free at the Oceanside Pier Ampitheater.

Hope you're having a great summer too!

Keeping Active While Pregnant

Month 1

Month 7 

When I first found out I was pregnant I started researching everything about all the do's and dont's while pregnant. One thing I started looking into right away was excercise during pregnancy since that was such a big part of my everyday life. I loved reading articles on the best ways to stay fit during pregnancy so thought I would share what I personally found to be the most fun ways to keep active during the 9 months.


1. Surfing - I surfed my entire 1st trimester. Even on days I had morning sickness or extreme fatigue I tried to get in the water because I knew it was something I wasn't going to be able to do the whole pregnancy. My belly ended up popping out extremely early (around 10 weeks!) and by 12 weeks I was finding lying on my board uncomfortable. My doctor recommended me stop surfing starting second trimester so I followed doctor's orders but now think I could have gone a bit longer especially if I got a longboard. Oh well, I'll be back in the water soon!

11 Weeks surfing Malibu Point

 2. Hiking -  Such a great way for someone of any fitness level to be able to get outdoors and keep moving!

3. Stand Up Paddling - Once i stopped surfing, the next best thing was stand up paddling. Since it doesn't involve lying on my stomach I thought it was the perfect way to still get in the water. At 8 months pregnant i still love SUP'ing.

Stand Up Paddling at San Onofre

4. Swimming - Another great substitute for my surfing habit to get in the water. Both in the ocean and at an indoor pool at my local gym felt great, especially on those days of back pains. 

5. Gym - While not the most fun, the gym is a great way to get in a good workout on workdays when time is more limited. A typical gym work out for me is 25-30 minutes on the elliptical and 15-20 minutes of strength training, about 4 days a week.

6. Walking - A good walk on the beach or around the neighborhood with a friend or my husband was a great way to keep active while spending time building the relationships around me that matter most.

7. Healthy Eating - Once the crazy morning sickness settled where I had to just eat whatever didn't make me want to throw up, I made healthy eating a priority in addition to keeping active. I aimed for cooking at home and incorporating tons of veggies in every meal as much as possible.

Keeping an active lifestyle during pregnancy really wasn't as hard as I thought! I've found a nice morning workout of any kind helps keep my energy and spirit up all day! Hope all my pregnant or one day to be pregnant friends a happy, healthy and active pregnancy.