es muy tarde... our vacation to Mexico!

It's long overdue, but here is a quick post on our recent trip to Mexico. We were in Nuevo Vallarta, just north of Puerto Vallarta. I booked through Costco travel and got a screaming deal. I highly recommend Costco travel to anybody looking for a well priced vacation.

Our resort was called Villa la Estancia. Lovely. Abslutely lovely.

The first night was actually spent in SeaTac at the Doubletree. Another screaming deal. Thank you priceline.com!

Landed in PV... walking to customs

This was what we saw upon entering our resort lobby. You went straight through the lobby to big glass doors and looked out onto this scene over the pool. Soooo beautiful!

This is taken from our balcony

Jack and Amanda. Aren't they looking relaxed?

Thomas and Emily

I went to the Mega store to buy a few things. In the bakery you shop by taking the big metal platter around to bins of yummies and load it up with tongs. When you're done, you pass your tray to this lady and she loads your things into a bag and writes the total price on the outside.

In the Mega there was a section of Costco food. $10 for this bag of tortilla chips. What a rip off!

Sitting at the pool and back to the beach, this is the view of the hotel.

Looking north to Bucerias. The beach was mostly empty the whole time we were there.

Warm water and smooth sand

It didn't take Emily long to learn to love a hammock

Super Emily

Mighty Amanda

Lots of boogie boarding!!!

My 3 amigos

Sunset while walking to Bucarias

Dinner on the beach. My shrimp diablo dinner. Spicy hot and yummy!

My mom's enchilada dinner. Ash trays on the tables!

My Dad and Amanda. I think she has him wrapped around her finger... still!

Swim up bar at our resort. Eating chips, salsa and guacamole. Rinsing it down with a variety of choices!

Thomas was buying bracelets from this sweet girl on the beach. 10 bracelets for 100 pesos.

Resort pool with lounges in the 4" deep section of the pool. It doesn't get any cooler than that!

Papa and Thomas flying a batman kite.

Dinner on our deck, fresh guacamole and pico de gallo and chips. It gets no better than that!

After the dinner. Some sunset behind us there!

Dinner out... as though they have never been in public.

A man selling fresh coconuts on the beach. He cut the coconut meat up and put it in a baggie, mixed with some sort of sweet syrup and a squeeze of lime.

The view from my lounge chair

Emily has popcorn in a martini glass.

Shopping in Bucerias.

3 for lunch, with Hugo the trusty bar tender making sure the kids got the right drinks (no alcohol, thanks Hugo).

If I had been organized enough to send out Christmas cards this year, I think it would have had this picture on it.

My view from my other lounge chair.

Classics.

Banana Boat ride. Ask Amanda if she likes to go fast.

Armando sold us the Banana Boat ride. Very nice man, with some pretty interesting stories.

The boogie boards were SO much fun!

Hugo, our bar tender

This is what happens when Hugo takes the camera off the bar and starts taking pictures in his bartending area.

My fish tacos. I have to learn how to make these.

There is nobody else like my Dad!

How can you not love these two?

The living area in our room.

Look closely. Find what's wrong.

In case you couldn't see it in the above picture. Thomas found this ON THE GROUND in the PV airport, peeled the back paper off and stuck it on his lip. He kept us entertained for a good long while walking around with his mustache on!

I can't decide if he looks like Jose Cuervo or Mario.

Sunset out the airplane window, somewhere over California.

Cancer sucks, but friendship rocks!

I work with great people. Today we ditched the "rehab green" in favor of "breast cancer pink" in support of a colleague who was having a lumpectomy today. Many prayers said today for a sweet, dear PT friend!

Rumor has it Marc was wearing pink boxers...

Story Prompt

Ok all you creative people out there... I was told on Facebook that this is one of those "Make a story to go with the picture" pictures. So, I want you to tell the story!


Here's the picture.....

For My Maddie... Fall 2011

I promised Maddie that I would update my blog soon. For her. (It's really for everyone, mostly myself, but we'll just let her think I do this blog for her. Shhhh. It's our secret!)

So here you go Maddie... a wrap up of Fall 2011, JUST FOR YOU!

Topic #1: Marching Band

We are so proud of Emily this year, being one of just a few freshman in North Thurston's Symphonic Band! This band does some pretty amazing concert music in the winter, but in the fall, it's all about MARCHING! Our whole family had a ton of fun watching her band perform and improve as the season progressed.These pictures are from the Tumwater competition where they placed first in their division.

That's Emily in the middle

And here's My Maddie, right in the front, playing her clarinet, Doloris. They make lovely music together...

The music they played was a 4 movement piece called Medusa, hence the togas and the female lead in the middle with snake-like hair.

Does all Greek mythology end with the good guy holding the head of the recently-killed-one in the air?

Who is the jazzer?

 Topic #2: Cal Ripken Fall Baseball

Griff, Thomas and Coach Pete

This was the second year of Fall Ball for Thomas. He LOVED it. Seriously, I've never seen him so happy playing baseball. And that makes me happy. The connection to Maddie? Coach Pete is her dad and assistant Griff is her brother.

I think the reason Thomas had so much fun was that he got to play so many different positions. And steal. He LOVES to steal bases. Probably because he usually gets the base!

A nice lead off from first base... ready to steal second.

Hitting improved. I think he only struck out twice!

Receiving a little coaching from Coach John Orem about getting from 3rd to home. Like the new batting helmet?

Stealing home!

If there's one thing I love most about Thomas, it's his tender heart towards others. Here, he is helping a team mate with getting the catching gear on.

Rallying the troops

Thomas is the catcher here who tagged the runner OUT!

At the end of the tournament, Thomas receiving congratulations and a medal from his coaches.

The hard work paid off with a 2nd place in the tourney!

 Thomas pitching, and a flip to 1st to get the runner out.

I've got to get me one of these... a portable propane heater! Fall ball gets CHILLY.

A favorite shot, Thomas and his buddy, Duncan. Friends forever.

 Topic #3: Halloween!

Thomas scoring candy at the Merritt's across the street.

Me on the left (I know, my disguise makes it hard to see me!) and my friend, Stephanie. She is mom to Duncan, Ben and Jack.

Thomas (Groucho Korean baseball player), Ben in front (gangster) and Jack in the back (hobo).

I LOVE these boys!

This is what Hobo Jack carried around. Funny, funny kid! (Out of work need CANDY, trick or treat!)

World series, pumpkins, knives and friends. Perfect fall stuff.

Thomas likes Jake more than it appears.

Emily always makes me laugh!

Aren't they cute punkins?