Beach Trip with the Linders

We took an early beach vacation this summer with our friends, the Linders. Chris, Jenifer, and Reyn met us at Port Royal in Port Aransas for a few days away from reality. The two little girls bonded and played and shared the sleeper sofa. The two pregnant mamas reconnected, relaxed, and sunbathed. And the two dads chatted at length about manly things and took good care of all of their girls.

Feliz Aniversario!

For some reason, Sean and I don't ever do anything! I mean, we are so lame! Our own birthdays, eh...New Year's Eve, in bed before the ball drops...Friday and Saturday nights, no different than the rest...maybe it's because we always seem to have some other obligation, or more likely, we're just lazy. But this weekend, on September 11th, we will celebrate our 10th wedding anniversary. The milestone, coupled with the realization that by no. 11 we'll hopefully have a new baby attached to our hearts and my bosom. A big vacation reminiscent of our honeymoon seemed like kind of a now or (practically) never opportunity.

So I spontaneously texted Sean from my office last month, suggesting that we take a trip to Mexico then come home and have another baby. He liked the idea - so I booked both the trip and my doctor's appointment that day.

We arrived into Cancun on Wednesday afternoon and were shuttled to our beautiful hotel in fabulous Playa del Carmen. We checked in, ordered ceviche and a cerveza and a margarita from the thatched-roof bar on the beach. After our snack, we walked up one block to 5th Avenue and strolled among the little shops, open-air restaurants, gelato bars, and quaint downtown hotels.

The next day, Sean delivered a Starbucks latte to my bedside and then we enjoyed a complimentary breakfast on the beach. After that, we claimed one of the cozy mattresses in the sand, and slept and read and people-watched for the entire day. Except for that hour I was getting a $35 full body massage. On. The. Beach.

The following 3 days went pretty much the same way. Tempura-battered fish tacos. Chips and fresh lime, pico de gallo, and curry-coconut milk-pineapple salsa. Pina Coladas. Guacamole. Sun. Sleep. Souvenir shopping. My completion of the first Sookie Stackhouse novel. And a chance meeting of Sean's old flame in the airport bathroom. ;-)

A decade later, and ten times the size, Playa del Carmen is still the perfect match for me. I'm pretty sure Sean thoroughly enjoyed himself, as well. We will be going back...and taking friends, family, and our kid(s)...and it won't be ten years this time. Mark those words.

Family and the Texas Coast

We made our annual family excursion to Port Aransas mid August. Unanimously, we decided to forgo our usual digs at the rundown Sea Isle Village and try something new. In search of that something new-er and cleaner, and more comfortable in the mattress department, we googled, compared and finally decided on a 3 bedroom condo at Twin Palms Condominiums. I think we have all since concluded that the Sea Isle tradition was over-rated. The new place was great. In fact, if Seed Pod Properties ever finds itself in the position to invest in another piece of real estate, my mom and I have it planned, picked out, and of course, decorated from floor to ceiling.

Not surprisingly, Willa took to the ocean like a little fish, and when we weren't at the beach, she was wielding the garden hose in the courtyard of the condo. And when we took her down to the pool, she learned to hold her nose and go under the water, and did it over and over again, pausing only for applause, until she had inadvertently taken in so much water that she spit up a little. To which she politely covered her mouth and said, "excuse me." (Thank you, Gigi.) Yes, she is getting so big, and so smart, and so polite and sweet. It seems like we are in a constant state of pleasant disbelief and beaming pride.

Sean was the early riser of the bunch and therefore, assumed the responsibility of the ice chest packer/lawn chair hauler/tent putter-upper (and taker-downer.) By the third day, we was a little grumpy over this. Willa mostly clung to her Mimi as if for dear life, to the point that all the rest us felt a bit rejected and annoyed. Of course not annoyed in a bad way. :-) Just a selfish kind of longing for our own personal dose of Willa's affection. Mimi enjoyed it though, and she deserved that. Chris and Sean shared in the evening food preparation and Wanda provided some spectacular breakfasts and homemade sweetness. (Iced brownies and her famous lemon pie.) Dean and River joined us, along with Ransom, Cole, Alli, and two of her friends. Crazy Johnny and family stuck with tradition and stayed up the road, but joined us on the beach. It was a great escape and everyone seemed to enjoy the time together in the sun. It was a vacation I certainly needed and appreciated!