A Much Needed Vacation

Crystal and Lance at Mexican night!

On of my best friends, Crystal, called me about two months ago now and said, "We'd like to invite you come to Mexico with us! Can you come?" I of course accepted, and by the end of that week already had my plane ticket booked. It was a family vacation with her parents, grandparents, siblings, nieces and nephews. There were 18 of us total. Enough of us to hold out layover plane for when our first flight had some 'technical' problems and we had over an hour delay at the SLC Airport. 

Found this little guy on the beach one night. 

I love traveling, I especially love traveling to places where I get to see a new way of life. I think I'm glad we don't have Puerto Vallarta s way of left hand turns though...from the furthest right hand lane  through two or three lanes of traffic and and island to shoot onto the other side of the highway. They may need to work on that...We even loaded up a seven passenger mini van with fifteen people and all our luggage, and no one even cared. 

Playing in the waves

We stayed at Paradise Village, and they must not have very many big family groups that come to stay because they had a hard time understanding the room situation. I stayed in a room with Crystal and her husband, Lance, and her little sister Hailey. We had to check in three different times and slept in three different beds during the trip. Every time we checked in, we'd come in from the pool or beach and the people at the front desk would be oh so confused at how we'd got on the property.

They closed down the resort every night before 10:00 pm (I guess maybe that's an old people thing) so our group was the group breaking all the rules, swimming late at night, playing cards out by the pool, stealing vollyball's for a late night game or bodyboards for night surfing. (seriously, all that closes at 5pm) 

Pina Colada and Pink Dolphin in each hand! 

Hanging on the beach

For four of the days we were there, we had 'the golden wristband'. At least, Lance, Crystal and I did. So we got treated to the all inclusive package, we felt like celebrities! Workers would ask us as soon as we sat down at the beach or the pool, what they could bring us. We got food, drinks, exclusive dinners, pretty much the works. But then they cut them off and it was as if we were reduced to poverty. Once you live that life, it's just not the same anymore....Even right now, sitting in a freezing cold basement with snow outside, I'm dreaming of the beach and a Pink Dolphin or Freeze Willy drink...those were the days. 

The sun, the sand, the waves and the fun were all amazing. I'm so excited that I went and wish I was back there now! 

One of my favorite things was on Sunday, we flew out around 7 in the evening, but that afternoon we went to an Orphanage that my friends family  had visited before. We had brought some candy and toys, but really we wanted to just go in and see the kids. They let us go in and play with the toddlers, there is about 20 of them and one or two workers so these kids don't get a lot of one on one attention. It was so amazing. They all just ran up to us and wanted us to hold them. Some of them picked favorites and we had a blast! 

Anyway...the trip was a blast and I'm so glad I got to go