One Crazy Ride!: Oh how we love thee Ole' Mexico!

It was time to head back to Mexico! Last February, in anticipation of Miss Layla arriving in our family, we gathered up the troops and headed to the land of Iguana's and Crystal Clear Oceans! Now that Miss Layla is a permanent bright spot in our lives, we decided we should go back and leave our darling 3 children with grandma for the week...

and that's exactly what we did.

Poor Grandma, as if giving her two crazy boys was not enough I also handed her one spunky, curly topped little girl with Tonsillitis and 2 ear infections! Grandma and Aunt Brookie thank you so much for making our week away absolutely fantastic!

Let me explain something.......dating Rand was an adventure! He was spontaneous, he was fun, he was up for anything. Being able to vacation with him reminds me of how really happy it makes me that my best friend gets to be my sidekick for life! (That was far too mushy to actually come out of my mouth! When I say something nice, sweet or humble Rand always asks, "how'd that taste coming out?" )

Rand is usually the nicer more humble one!

Mexico Day 1 and 2

(I could probably sum up day 1 and 2 with a picture of the 5 -7 lbs I gained)

We ate, ate some more, ate some more then topped it off with some chips and guac!

I love all inclusive resorts!

Life is about lessons learned, I believe this! Life is also about questions being answered. This is what I learned and questioned day 1 and 2........

Why do I live in a desert? When I could live in a Caribean Paradise!
Lesson #1
Every time I vacation I come home realizing that I love my life in the desert. It's brown, vegetation-less, lacks a Target and we call it Mesquite. But life is about adventure and adventures close to family are worth sacrificing a beautiful place to live.
I must confess as well....
I don't know how, but I actually find a lot of beauty in this little town of mine.

Is it just me or are Rand's views slightly slanted (you know in a very strong Republican sort away)?
Lesson #2
I took this picture straight so I always knew Rand was slightly off track!

I sat on the shore of a little fishing town in Puerto Morelos watching kids without a care in the world jump off of a dock over and over again. I wondered what it would feel like to be so carefree, so uninhibited by life.

Lesson #3

I concluded that my questioning was far too deep for vacation thoughts so I told myself to be a little more carefree, embrace life, jump off a dock!

I will have you know I did not jump off the dock but I did jump off a ledge into a sink hole!

Lesson learned!

Why is it that I will never look quite the way I want to?
Maybe the question is, what do I really want to look like and why do I want to look that way?
Lesson #4
When vacationing with other people, do a few sit ups before, run for a few days and drop 5 lbs. This routine will not make a huge difference but will make you feel a little better. Then enjoy your vacation and eat like crazy. It really is just a system of checks and balances. The 5 pounds you gained on holiday is only the 5 you lost and you come home perfectly balanced no matter where your starting point began.
I don't know if this is the best thing to do but Rand thinks it sounds logical and he is on board with me so it must be semi ok, right?

Is my hubby an islander or a mountain man? His shirt advertises "pure backpacker", his heart screams "hunter" but his "spray tan" says I am a "go anywhere kind of guy".

Lesson #5

It is so important to surround yourself with people who interest you! I think if I were a reptile I would be a chameleon simply because I like the word adapt, be at one with the people. I guess that's why I like this guy!

(I only put this picture in because the lesson to be learned is........ wear a comfy purse at all times, one that won't get in your way.....I know a few girls who could take this lesson to heart! He He)

Why was Rand so intrigued by this Alligator in the swamp outside our resort window?

Lesson #6

When you have children the world is explored every day. Braden and I just happen to love Diego. I know what this floating thing is...it's a croc not an alligator and it is a freshwater one to boot. The world can be explored even from the living room of a house in the middle of a desert.

If vacationing is to relax and unwind, why was this picture not my reality while on vacation.

This reality lasted approximately 6 minutes.

Lesson #7

There is no time to relax when you are married to Rand, relaxing happens when you retire. If there is something to climb, hike, jump from or snorkel the only relaxation coming your way is the one that fits into the "picture slot" on the busy agenda.

On my romantic get away with my hubby why join up with other couples?

Lesson #8

There is no one in the world I would rather be with than Rand. For more reasons than romantic ones. He is organized, he is fun, he has a schedule, he speaks the language, he makes me broaden my horizons, he holds the important papers and gives me his shoulder on the plane. He buys me chocolate when I get feisty, runs back to the hotel when I forgot something again and always makes sure we have plenty of sun screen. Most importantly, he let's me be the "yellow" proudly because he is so good at being the "red". With this being said.........