Cancun--The Hotel

SOOO...We're Back from Paradise! Just in time to be interviewed by the news upon our arrival in the Phoenix Airport. I've included a link to that right here. Seriously, funny to be interviewed looking so completely fabulous, but I had a lady stop me in the library today and tell me she recognized me from last night's news, so I guess I better get some glamour shots made up with my signature at the bottom. Got to keep the masses happy right?

We stayed at Excellence Playa Mujeres. It was separated from the Hotel Zone and in a different part of Cancun which we really enjoyed. The only trick being that if you wanted to venture out, you had to get a taxi. The hotel was seriously fancy though.

So, this was the first thing we saw when the bell boy took us into our room. Yes, a bottle of champagne which we never drank and a leather couch to relax on while we watch our flat screen TV and enjoy the fresh tropical flower bouquet that's in our room. BUT wait! Before we could even sit down, a second guy knocks on our door with these:

Fresh made pastries for us to eat after having traveled so far! Did I mention that when we first walked in the lobby they greeted us with a fresh, wet towel for our faces and glasses of champagne? We had to decline the champagne of course, but it was a nice thought.

In addition to the bouquet of flowers, there was a rose for us on our bed. Speaking of the bed--they made it for us every morning as would be expected, but every evening they also came by and turned down the covers and put mints on our pillows along with a report of the current temperature and weather conditions as well as all of the activities the hotel was going to offer the next day and any other special info we may want to know.

I loved our double sinks and the shampoo, conditioner, shower gel and lotion they give you are the largest bottles I've ever seen! They also gave us a toothbrush and comb and a shoe brush...

I am just sorry to say that this picture doesn't do the shower justice and I couldn't get the right angle to take a picture. Let's just say the shower was about seven feet long and had two shower heads--one that you can see and another from the ceiling as well as a bench to sit on. I loved that huge shower as much as I loved....

Our gargantuan tub with jets! It also looked out onto the balcony. I was in heaven. And, you could see the TV from the tub as well. In fact, there was not a single place in the entire room where you couldn't view the TV--even the shower!

Another perk I loved was the slippers.

This was the bed on our balcony where you could lie down and read or enjoy a view of this:

Our view of the lazy river. There are seven pools at the hotel and this lazy river.

Relaxing in one of the hammocks at the pool.

The stairs to the lobby of our hotel--I love the stained glass.

And, the restaurants. Did I mention that it was all inclusive--so all of our food was included, so we did what any good couple would do and completely gorged ourselves--multiple times! This was our first dinner at the French restaurant in the hotel and it was delicious. We had four desserts that night.

Yummy!! Love those virgin strawberry daquaris!! In fact, I had Derek sample one of mine and he ordered those almost exclusively from that point on. The only other drink as good as that was the hot chocolate at breakfast. That was amazing!!!

This was the tapas restaurant--all appetizers. I loved it.

The view from the Lobster House. You can see how close we are to the beach which was gorgeous.

The last dessert we ate during our stay. I can't remember the name, but it was ice cream with some sort of yummy sauce and fresh berries all in a crust of some sort. I was in dessert heaven!

Not only was the hotel beautiful, but the service was amazing. Almost anytime you asked for anything, you were told, "It is my pleasure." Boy, I could get used to this!

Jumping in the Rain

It may be raining, but it's still about 107 degrees outside. You have to take your fun where you can get it.

I Should Be Grateful, But...

1. I should be grateful that my boys let me do my hour of exercise, BUT it's still irritating to find green crayon scribbled on two different couches.
2. I should be grateful that Eli stopped coloring when I noticed he had a crayon, BUT did he have to be coloring in a library book?
3. I should be grateful that De-Solv-It takes crayon and pencil off of walls, BUT why do I have pencil marks taller than my 1 year old can reach?
4. I should be grateful that the crayon marks washed right off of my couch pillows, BUT did the pillow covering have to rip and leave filling throughout my entire load of laundry?
5. I should be grateful that my washing machine didn't flood my laundry room, BUT where did that water on the floor come from anyway?
6. I should be grateful that all of this happened within two hours this morning, BUT did it have to happen at all?
However, my day is not a complete loss--thank you Children's Place $2.99 sale. And, to keep it all in perspective, I was watching this video yesterday and it got me all teary. Sure, I had a rough morning, but my life is soooo easy in comparison to hers.
I've been thinking about where I am in my life right now--a lot lately. Am I being the kind of mother, daughter, wife and friend I want to be? Am I appreciating all of the sweet moments that being a young parent brings or merely dwelling on the challenges (like my 1-6 above)?
I look at my daughter who started 2nd grade a few weeks ago and think that in only a matter of months from now, she'll be old enough to decide if she wants to make a life long commitment to join the church. How quickly that time has gone.

I look at my baby who is nearing is second birthday and realize that Owen was almost the same age that Eli is now, when Eli was born--yet, I feel like Eli is still my baby.

Life is flying by and am I really appreciating it for all it's worth? Some days yes, some days not as much as I should.
However, I am grateful for all that God has blessed me with. So, the rough mornings will come, but really, I live a pretty charmed life.

It's My Day!

I have decided to celebrate by sharing 32 tidbits about myself:
1. I love to read!!!! I am a member of two book clubs.
2. I love breakfast foods--pancakes, waffles, bacon, sausage & biscuits.
3. I was raised as an only child.
4. I have seven siblings.
5. I am learning how to play the violin--I started about 4 years ago with my daughter.
6. I lived in Spain for a month and a half.
7. I earned a minor in Spanish from BYU.
8. The farthest I've ever run is a 10K--but I didn't take any breaks!
9. I have made my husband promise never to bury me at sea (even if we die on a ship).
10. I love lots of different music--80s, country, etc.
11. My husband proposed to me right next to a cemetery.
12. I was accepted and going to attend University of Kansas Law School when I met Derek. (One lawyer in our family is plenty!)
13. I don't wear glasses or contacts. 20/20 vision!
14. I chose to be Dopey, one of the seven dwarfs, for Halloween, when I was a little girl.
15. I love to eat out!!!!
16. I was born on my due date.
17. I have swum with dolphins.
18. Derek and I lived in a different city every summer during his undergraduate degree--Euless, Texas; Vienna, Virginia; Lewisville, Texas and Duluth, Georgia.
19. I do NOT eat watermelon or honeydew.
20. I am taller than my husband.
21. I am named after my dad's adopted mother.
22. I have the same middle name as my dad's biological mother--we discovered this when we found her family this last year.
23. I am addicted to family history work.
24. I was on the diving team in high school.
25. I have big lips--but my mom's are bigger!
26. I love to have my back rubbed--softly.
27. I never go grocery shopping without a list.
28. I hate Viva milk--any other brand is okay.
29. There is a 20 year gap between my age and my mom's and a forty year gap between my grandma and me. (I ruined the pattern!)
30. I like to play the piano, but I have no idea what I'm doing.
31. When I was a little girl, I never wore a seatbelt. I stood pressed behind my grandpa's shoulder and the seat while he drove.
32. I love to play racquetball.
There you go. Some random and useless information about me. 32 years young.

What's Good For Me?

Because my husband spent a lot of money on these: photo of shoes

I now spend my nights doing this: picture of a group of runners

(I'm the one in the front of course!)

Which helps me to avoid doing this: picture of a girl stuffing her face with cinnamon rolls

Except when I go to Costco and they are selling these: picture of fancy caramel apples

Oh Costco! What a love/hate relationship we have with each other. How is it that I usually have a list of about four items and I never seem to leave without spending at least $80?
What I should do is buy Costco stock. Why didn't I think of that about a million years ago?

Vacation Decisions

Next month marks nine years of wedded bliss for the hubby and me. Amazing to think that after only knowing each other less than six months we decided that we wanted to spend all of eternity together. However, that's the BYU way isn't it?
Things surfaced about our differing personalities right away. One of those differences is in how we make decisions. I come from a family whom are very quick decision makers.
Where do you want to eat? (No more than a five minute decision--I prefer to think that we are decisive and not merely just hungry.)
What should I wear today? (Take something out of your closet and put it on.)
We make decisions quickly. We don't like to waste time and I guess we all feel pretty well informed on our options. I'm sure it isn't because we're impatient by nature. (read sarcasm here)
My husband's family are more deliberate in their approach.
Where do you want to eat?
This would be followed by a discussion about which ethnicity of food we were in the mood for. Then, after that was determined, we would discuss every restaurant we had ever known that served that type of food. We would then further break down our options by price, customer service, drive time to desired locations, etc.
Not that I think my family's way of doing things is superior, it's just been quite interesting to note how we seem to approach questions or situations with different methods.
Going back to our upcoming anniversary. I want to do something big. And by big I mean without our kids and for more than one day. The two of us haven't gotten away for a vacation other than single nights out for two prior anniversaries, so I thought now would be a great time. My mom volunteered to come and stay with the kids and that left it wide open for us to plan something wonderful.
Once again, our differences are highlighted:
I had a friend refer me to the most luxurious resort I've ever seen. It looks absolutely amazing. I took one look and was ready to book the trip.
My husband talked to many, many different people and then narrowed his options down to four completely different locations. He continues to update me on what is available to do in these various locations and the different hotel options.
I'm beginning to think that perhaps my decisive approach has given me comfort because I never had to worry that I would be missing out on anything because I never bothered to consider what I could be missing.
My husband likes to consider all the options--good and bad. In the end, I can't deny that the decision is well-founded, but I also can't help but feeling remorse about all the options I have to forego.
SO....
Where will we go?
Where will we stay when we get there?
What will we eat?
What will we wear?
We think we have it figured out--almost.

Because I'm a Queen...

I get to wear a crown.

It's gold even!

Unfortunately, you, or me for that matter, won't be able to see it because it's going to reside over one of my six year molars.

Sigh.

I honestly felt a little embarassed by my failure with my molar.

Sure, I've had some cavities, but not in several years and never had a crown before.

Now, in less than six months, this one tooth cracked in three places and a piece of it is missing! (That missing portion is its own disturbing problem that my digestive system doesn't want to think about.)

When my dentist was looking in my tooth everything seemed good until I heard him say the words crack and molar.

Then, they have such incredible, (disgusting, but incredible) technology that allowed me to see my tooth blown up to about 40 times its normal size in all its broken down glory. I almost threw up in my mouth when I looked at the picture, but as you know, all that acid from throw up is not so good for your teeth either, so I kept it down.

Oh well, I guess a little mouth bling will make me oh so fashionable.