Good Bye March - Hello April

I'm not sure if I feel like March went by quickly or if it went by slowly, but either way it's another month that is gone from 2014 (or will be in a few hours). I also feel like there hasn't been much going on since our trip; however, that is also not true- I've just been bad about documenting anything.

Since coming back from our trip- we have spent time with our family.

We went over to Mom and Dad's for Joe's birthday.

We also celebrated with Mom and Dad for their 30th wedding anniversary!

And this past Saturday we got to see a lot of the extended family for Grandma's 79th birthday! She requested "Strawberry Cake" - white cake with fresh strawberries in the middle. It was so tasty- I may have had two pieces!

Also, we have spent sometime hanging with friends.

It was the weekend before last, I went out with the girls to check out the bar scene in downtown Naperville because that is where we are planning on have Anna's bachelorette party. Even though we didn't stay out too late (and I was very tried- I hate working on Saturdays), it was a good time!

Additionally, Sam and I caught a mid-week dinner with Katie! I realize now that I very few pictures with my college roomie... this one is almost 8 years old!

And this weekend we got to spent sometime visiting with our buddy Chris! He is always a good time to hang out with and we love having him as a house guest.

However, I'm excited for what April will bring because the plans that are already in place. These include more visiting with family...

We have a trip to Michigan planned so I can see my family. Our visit includes see Baby Sherman, all my grandparents, and much of my extended family!

(Isn't her St. Pat's Day outfit just too adorable!)

And toward the end of the month Sam will become the "Godfather" of this cutie! So at my husband will be "The Godfather of Brooklyn". If that isn't true Italian mafioso sounding, I'm not sure what is.  

Finally, hopefully April will see a lot more blog action! I miss writing, sharing, and saving my memories of this adventure called "life". Even when life doesn't seem very exciting, it's these smaller moments that really makes your life worth living!

Oh Mexico! Part 3

So we have come to the final chapter of our Mexican adventure. Just in case you missed out on anything, you can check out Part 1 here and Part 2 here.

As the week was starting to come to a close, I was finally getting into the vacation routine. Wednesday (day 5) started with a lazy morning by the pool trying to stay out of the sun being that I got fried on the catamaran trip.

 

Later that evening, we took in another one of the hotel shows. 

 

 

 After the show, we went back to our "meat buffet" one more time before then enjoying many rounds of "Cards Against Humanity".  Being that this was going to be the last night that all 11 of us, we wanted some time to just hang out as a group and have a laid back night.

 

Thursday marked the final full day in Cancun, so I wanted to make sure I got in my last bit of sun before heading back home to the cold and ice. 

However, mother nature said "No!" and the rain just came down in buckets. What to do on a rainy day while on vacation? Answer- Nap. I love me a vacation nap because there is no real reason to not to. 

I'm glad I did get that nap because with this group of friends, we were going to be ending this vacation on a high note.

At dinner, long islands were ordered and consumed which is a dangerous way to start off a night. If I was going to add a caption to the picture below- it would be over Sam's head in a thought bubble that would read: "F*** y** Joel! Shh...this is going to get interesting."

 

This was just the start off many more drinks to come throughout the night. After dinner we made a short pit stop for a drink and some salsa dancing, before we headed to our final location- "Kinky Night Club".

At this bar, Joel made friends with the bartender (like he does everywhere he goes) so there were three set of shots done within the first 15 minutes of us being at the bar.

Thanks Joel! Once we were all feeling good, it was time to get our dance on! 

That dancing may have included me... a on stage... by myself... practicing my burlesque moves- I mean we were at a bar called Kinky- so why not. Oh the things you do with some liquid courage. However, I'm a white girl who just thinks she has some dance skills... I'm just glad the video that was taken is not being shared publicly because I would be rudely mistaken on my level of "skills" that I don't really have. 

It wouldn't be a vacation without a picture like this! You know it's been a good night when someone decides that laying on the ground is a better idea than walking across the resort to their bed.

Getting up the next morning wasn't very fun, but it was nice to get to spend a little more time with our friends before parting our own ways. All and all, it was another great trip with some awesome friends and many new memories that will last a life time!

Oh Mexico! Part 2

Come Monday (so Day 3) it was nice that Sam and I had no major plans for the day.We filled our day with some more time on the beach, a nice sit down lunch with just the two of us, and an adventure off the resort to a get Sam some new sunglasses. Sam has no luck when it comes to vacations and his sunglasses; but more about that later.

 

For some odd reason, Sam and I had a room in a completely different building than everyone else. Everyone else had an ocean view room which gave them a sunrise view, while we had a view over the lagoon which gave us a sunset view. Personally, I think I would take a sunset view compared to a sunrise, because that means I don't have to either stay up all night or get up really early- neither of those two things are for me.

 

Throughout the week our hotel's lobby became a stage/ theater for these different performances they put on.

 

The shows are kind of like Cirque Du Soleil meets the history of Mexico.

After the show, we were off to a "Brazilian style" restaurant which is pretty much a meat buffet that comes to you. MMM...meat...

 

By the end of dinner everyone was a little "meat" drunk which lead to us to calling it a early night. Plus, I wanted to be well rested because we were going off the resort the next morning to go on a catamaran cruise.

The catamaran was at an extra cost. However, it was nice to get off the resort for one day. Additionally, this catamaran trip was an all day (7 hour) event which included:

Snorkeling. However, the water was really rough so it wasn't as much fun as it could have been. But the important thing is that everyone survived.

A trip to an island (I have no clue which one) for some shopping. We didn't buy any souvenirs but that is very typical of me.

There was some on board entertainment!

Many free drinks! See picture below- enough said!



A trip to a private island for lunch. The food was ok, nothing special but I'm not complaining being that it was included.

And there was "parasailing". It looked a little sketchy, so I was kind of surprised how many people did it including Sam- who by the way doesn't like heights. Go figure.

 

 
While I keep my butt on the boat, I became the designated sunglasses holder. So I had mine on my face, Casey's on my head, and Sam's hanging off my top...

Needless to say, this is probably the last picture of Sam's sunglasses before they met the bottom of the ocean. Opps- my bad... they slipped right off my top and right into the water. It was one of those slow motion moments because Sam had just brought them less than 24 hours before they met their vacation demise.

After the we got off the boat, we headed back to the resort. We were only 1000 yards from my bed that was calling my name-  when for some reason we made a pit stop at a little dive restaurant/ bar that was across the street from our resort. Why? Because Joel said so, and that he was paying... Ok, why not?!? This ended up being a poor choice. Whatever- we eat, we drank, we made it back to the resort, but by the time we were suppose to meet everyone else for dinner... I cashed in my "fun chips" and took a much needed nap through dinner.

Even though I missed dinner, I'm proud to say I "napped and rallied" so I could "rage" with Casey, and get our dance on. Too bad it we were the only ones dancing, but we made the most out it. I mean it's Tuesday night... so it's best night to "rage" right ?!? 

Oh Mexico! Part 1

If I was to sum up our trip with one picture, it would be this one...

 

There were many (many) tasty drinks to be had which is the biggest perk of going to an "all inclusive". However, by the time we got home I decided it would be a good idea to give up booze for lent (we will just ignore the fact this didn't go into effect until Friday) because even looking at a bottle of booze pretty much made my stomach turn. I would say that means our trip was a success!

(From our balcony right after we checked in!)

On the first night we arrived, we started a great tradition of the whole group meeting up for dinner. This allowed for everyone to do what they wanted during the day but it brought everyone back together at night.

 

And being that this was the first night everyone was there (Saturday), we were going to do it up right.

 

We did some roaming of the resort and end up at a "chill bar" listening to some live music.

 

 

The next morning (ok, maybe it was more like early afternoon- like I said we were doing it up right) we made it down to beach to work on our "Mexican glow".

 

Once I was officially cooked, it was time to cool off with frosty blended drink. Miami Vice's are just so tasty. 

After some R&R back at the room, we were ready to head out for our first "formal" dinner.

Being that we were such a large group, we only got a limited menu to pick from, but the food didn't disappoint and our server Miguel made us a special flaming dessert.

After dinner we where off to continue the fun which included some shots, salsa dancing, and it ended with EJ and I getting a whole bucket of water dumped on us... a server was trying to fill a machine, he slipped off the ladder he was standing on and the bucket of water he was holding came down on us. At least it was just water and no one was hurt- I call that a win!

 

Oh- lets not forget about our 10 person selfie from that night! Great work Casey! It was a great start to an awesome trip. 

Back to the Real World!

Now that I have been home for a few days, it's been harder to get back into the swing of things then I thought. Partly because I came home with a bit of a cold, and partly because we hadn't eaten health or excised at all for the last week. However, I was happy to see that the scale hadn't changed too much from before I left.

I'll take that compared to the 5 pound gain from last year. But let me tell you, I will have to work my way back up to the type workouts I was doing before vacation. Just after 30 minutes on the elliptical on Monday and I was done for.

Today we where lucky enough to get for another big dumping of snow... ugh. But I should complain too much being that I had a delayed start to work. However, I plan on warming myself up with a full recap of our trip to Mexico!

The trip was a great time with some old and new friends! I only wish I could be soaking up more of that Mexican sun right now... stupid snow- how I hate you so!  Oh I miss Mexico!