A Picture of Paradise

After all kinds of crazy stress and planning, E and I finally made it to Cancun for our anniversary. Although we arrived super early, we somehow almost missed our flight out >< We checked our bag, went through security, got our boarding passes and sat down at a recessed table about 10 feet from our gate to eat some breakfast. About 30 min before our plane was scheduled to leave we figured boarding would be open so we wandered back over to our gate only to find out that they had finished boarding and were looking for our bags to take off the plane! I seriously couldn't believe it, they had never made any boarding announcements (Flight blah blah blah boarding now, final boarding call for flight blah blah blah) and they almost left us behind 30 minutes early. Ugh. Luckily we were the last ones on and the flight was smooth sailing after that.

We ended up staying at Beach Palace, one of the smaller and more intimate palace resorts. We got a corner room and the view was to die for, it just wouldn't quit. We had the lagoon for the majority of our view, which made for killer sunsets, and the clear blue tropical ocean when we turned the corner. It was breathtaking.

 The view from our private balcony <3 p="">

Seriously in love with this balcony

The plan for this trip was relaxation. We basically ate, drank, and basked on the beach for a week, punctuating the sleep days with a long couples massage, a romantic beach front dinner and a snorkeling trip that I could have lasted forever as far as I was concerned. After a ride on a trick speed boat doing spins and swirls, we rode jet skis across the lagoon, through the channel and out into the open ocean to the coral reef. Cancun has the second largest reef in the world after Australia and it did not disappoint. It's no secret that I love fish but seeing them in their natural environment took it to a whole other level. They schooled with me, danced through anemones and poked out of little caves. I could have stayed there all day and we've already decided we need to go back. The jet ski ride back was almost equally incredible, it began to rain a warm tropical sprinkle with cracks of distant lightening splitting the clouds and we watched the show all the way back to the dock.

Cancun sunset over the lagoon. If it can't set over the ocean, at least it sets over a body of water.  

The resort itself was also fabulous. The staff were friendly and extremely attentive. You couldn't sit for more than a few minutes before a waiter would pop up to offer you food and drink. The packages at Palace Resorts are all inclusive and the food and drink did not disappoint. You couldn't go 10 feet without finding something delicious, from the official restaurants to the tiny desert hut that made fresh crepes and the beach and pool side staff who would bring us margaritas and tacos. There was even a fabulous chef who worked at their rooftop bar making the most delicious grilled Thai skewers.

Sunburns' r 'us on the fabulous beach

They also had fantastic 24 hour room service that had breakfast waiting for us each morning when we woke up. They brought mimosas for our anniversary and we finished off the evening with a "Romantic Dinner", a private table for two down on the sand. I'd normally have more photos to post but E and I made the decision at the beginning to keep most of our trip tech free. We left computers at home and phones in our hotel room so we could truly focus on relaxing, healing and soaking up the sun. It was just what I needed to recover after being sick for so long and I hope it refreshed my body enough to welcome the little embryo we'll be transferring soon. I can't wait to go back to Cancun with our little one in a couple years and watch them play in that clear turquoise water. 

Happy Anniversary Mimosas with my lovey

Cancun?!?!

After dealing with months and months of sickness and feeling awful, E and I found ourselves with an entire week off over our anniversary. This rarely happens, E almost never has a solid week off (unless it's Grammy time) and when he does have days off, they never seem to coincide with our big events. It seemed like the stars were aligning and telling us it was time for a vacation.

Our first thought was Hawaii. We stayed in a gorgeous house on Kauai last time we were there and would have loved to go back. Unfortunately, that property was booked solid and our back up connection for a good hotel didn't pan out. With no good hotel options, and crazy expensive food and airfare, Hawaii was out.

Until we meet again, Kauai...

With Hawaii off the table, I began looking into other tropical destinations, specifically those with all inclusive vacation packages. This was right up E's alley and it took about 5 seconds for him to fall in love with the idea of an all inclusive resort - all the food you can eat, all the alcohol you can drink, what's not to love? However, it was now less than 3 weeks till we'd be leaving and the top 20 all inclusive resorts in Jamaica and the Caribbean were booked. For such an expensive trip, I really wanted to make sure we stayed at a fabulous resort and there were just no 8, 9 or 10/10 vacancies left for less than serious cash.

Aside from booking a smaller getaway like Santa Barbara or Morro Bay, our last option for a tropical getaway was a family friend's resort time share in Cancun. These friends had offered up their timeshare a long while ago and although we'd never taken them up on it, there was the offer, still standing. There was some rapid back and forthing about how cool it would be if we could go, and before I was quite mentally ready for it, we were booked for a 5 day vacation in Cancun.

My usual vacations take several months, hours of research and a great deal of thought to plan. I need prices on every possible flight mapped out over several price fluctuations. Trends and seasonal pricing information for all the housing options in our top three locations. This trip took two conversations and the better part of an hour. It went from an idea to kick around to a charge on our credit card in less than 48 hours. I'm actually so discombobulated by the whole thing that I've had a tough time wrapping my head around it.

Since everything was so last minute, we've had to book, cancel when there were problems with the extras, and rebook under a different affiliation number (who knew there was more than one??) and book the last two plane tickets available after they went up $300 overnight. The flights are so full that they won't let me select our seats on the way there and on the way back, we're in the last row. It's making me crazy.

But, then there's this:

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And this:

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And this:

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It also comes with resort credit good for the spa, snorkeling, turtle and stingray encounters and all sorts of other things. Private, romantic, candle lit dinners on the beach. An in room liquor dispenser, a swim up bar, delicious restaurants of all types, 24 hour room service. It promises, without a doubt, to be an absolutely incredible and much needed vacation.

Now, all I have to do is cram several months of planning and prepping into just a few days. I need swimsuits, sandals, beachy clothing! E has decided he hates all his shorts and where on earth am I going to find swimsuits in my size this last minute? I need to decide which excursions and spa treatments we want so I can book them now. There's so much to do that I'm going to need a vacation from my vacation planning.

A Little Vegas Break

I've been pretty quiet for the past week or so because E and I decided to cut loose and go out of town. It's been so stressful lately trying to make these big decisions that have such a lasting impact on our lives. E had been working multiple 26 day stretches with just a day or two off in between and we all needed a break.

For E, close to home relaxation means Las Vegas. I know not everyone "does" Las Vegas the same way so that might seem crazy, but we tend to stay away from the party/gambling/excessive drinking scene. For us, Vegas means lounging in the pool, sleeping in, eating good food and taking in a show. This time, we took advantage of what turned out to be their "renovation" promotion to stay at The Hotel at Mandalay Bay, which is in the process of becoming the Delano Las Vegas.

Super White Living Room. The photo on the wall is of a couples underwater junk. Klassy.

With this awesome little promotion, E and I were able to get a really swanky, modern suite. It was split into two main rooms, a living room with a couch, desk, TV and small guest bathroom, and a bedroom with a huge king bed, closet suite, TV, and a master bath.

Bedroom with a VERY comfy King bed. Excuse all the clothes, I was unpacking.

One of our favorite things has got to be the black out blinds, E never sleeps as well at home as he does in Las Vegas. Air conditioning cranked up, black out blinds drawn, sprawled out in more space than we need. It always gets the job done.

The delicious master bathroom

The bathrooms at The Hotel aka Delano Las Vegas have all been redone, and provided a nice break from the stark white of the suite. They included these lush, plushy white robes and slippers and we spent a good chunk of time lounging around in them. The shower was wonderful too and the tub, with is super fill waterfall faucet, would have been top of my list if it hadn't been for a small plumbing mishap. The construction crew has been working 24 hours to complete the remodel and it seems they made a few hiccups along the way. On our last night there, we had just drawn a delicious, steaming hot bath when we realized the tub was a little too full. We pulled the plug to draw some water out when bam, the bathroom's main sewage pipe started to back up into the shower. No actual sewage came up but the shower STANK. It was not pleasant and we called maintenance to come repair it as soon as we checked out, they were willing to come sooner but we were already heading to bed and didn't want company. 

Michael Jackson ONE

Every time we visit Vegas we try to take in at least one show. We've seen O, Beatles LOVE, Zumanity, Ka, and a couple of others over the years. This trip it was Michael Jackson's ONE by Cirque du Soleil and it was quite a show. They did a lot of acrobatic floor work and a fantastic number with trampolines that was crazy. Couple that with Michael Jackson's timeless music and you should absolutely see it if you find yourself in Las Vegas. 

Show Selfie

We didn't take nearly as many photos this trip since we were too busy enjoying ourselves, so I apologize for the lack of photographic interest. We hit some fabulous restaurants, stopped in at my favorite store Tatyana at the Forum Shops (I found a gooooorgeous dress but it was a little pricey so I've got my fingers crossed for an upcoming sale!), slept late every day and spent at least a couple hours a day lounging in Mandalay Bays Lazy River and Wave Pool. We meant to check out the Delano's private pool and spa but never made it down there since it's hard to get past that Lazy River. I'm pretty sure I could float in that thing all day and be happy, though it would have been better with less people crowding it.

We capped off the trip with a visit to the Williams and Sonoma Outlet on our way home (thanks E <3 a="" again="" already="" although="" and="" are="" as="" at="" badly="" bit="" break="" brought="" but="" can="" cast="" come="" delicious="" favorite="" forward.="" forward="" he="" hectic="" hold="" home="" honey="" hoping="" i="" inside="" iron="" is="" it="" know="" linen="" little="" looking="" m="" most="" move="" my="" napkins.="" nbsp="" needed="" new="" not="" of="" on="" out="" p="" pans.="" past="" relaxation="" s="" shopping="" skillets="" some="" that="" the="" things="" those="" time="" to="" was="" we="" will="">

Hawaii: A Recap

The whole trip I meant to post updates on what we were doing. Instead, I was so busy enjoying everything that I barely touched the computer. Now that I've been home for a few days, I've run out of excuses :)

For starters, we spent 7 days on Kauaii and it is possibly the most beautiful place I've ever seen. We went hiking, took a helicopter tour, spent every morning at the beach, went on a sunset dinner cruise and explored the island and all it had to offer. I would absolutely visit Kauaii again, the pace is so slow and relaxed and the people are warm and friendly. The food was also incredibly and every meal was book-ended by Pina Coladas and desert.

After Kauaii, we hopped to Oahu and spent 6 days at the Ko Olina Resort. It was a totally different experience than Kauaii, much closer to Los Angeles, but we still had a wonderful time. We also went hiking, visited Waikiki Beach, explored the north shore and went swimming with sea turtles at a local beach. The turtles were amazing, so social and friendly and they were absolutely the highlight of Oahu for me.

Hanalei Bay, my favorite beach on Kauai

E and I on Ke'e Beach

Ke'e Beach - the sand covering the roots has blown away

E watching a Ke'e Beach Sunset

Hiking to Hanakapi`ai Beach

Hiking to Hanakapi`ai Beach

E photographing the view while hiking to Hanakapi`ai Beach

The Na Pali Coast on our hike

Tiny stream on our Hanakapi`ai Beach hike

Awesome stone towers at Hanakapi`ai Beach

Poipu Beach

Could the Poipu Beach sunset be any more awesome?

Mango Pina Colada! Virgin of course :) I drank a lot of these

Red Dust Falls along Waimea Canyon

Waterfalls as seen from our helicopter tour

Na Pali coast from our helicopter

Hanalei Bay from our helicopter

Sunset behind Niihau from our Sunset Boat Cruise

Spouting Horn!

Sunset from Ko Olina

Rainbow over Pearl Harbor

USS Arizona Memorial

View from along the Diamond Head Crater hike

View from the top of the Diamond Head Crater hike

Ko Olina Resort sunset

Ko Olina Resort sunset

Alani Resort Sunset

Sea turtles! A group of 4 swam right next to me for over an hour

Gorgeous and friendly, I had no idea they were so social

Beautiful flowers all over the place, this one from Ko Olina

Flowers from Gaylord's Restaurant

Aloha Insanity

Apparently, out of nowhere, E and I are going on a Hawaiian vacation this year! It actually fell into place so perfectly that I'm still not convinced it's going to happen.  Plus, we essentially owe the entire trip to E's mother and his father.

Coral Reef I will hopefully be snorkeling at

E's father's family owns a timeshare on Honolulu that his father and uncle usually visit once a year. This year, his father called us up and asked if we wanted to go with him and his wife for 7 days. They have a two bedroom suite so we'd each have a room and E was actually off work that week. He said the accommodations would be covered, we'd just need to find a way to get there. While this was a wonderful offer, plane tickets were about $1200 which was just outside of waythefuckoutside of our price range.

Random Island View

Now earlier this year, E's mother had repeatedly mentioned that she wanted to go to Hawaii. When we heard from his father, we knew we'd need to call and discuss with his mom. Right off the bat, she says she has credit card miles for the plane tickets there. Score! Then she proposed that we spend a week with her and a week with his father. A few inquiries later and bam, she had booked her friend's 10 person house on Kauai for 10 days, giving us the flexibility to stay a few extra days with her, or for E's father to stay there for a couple days while we stayed on Honolulu.

Kauai Waterfall

E's father had his plane tickets all set up, so E's mom went ahead and booked seats for her and her longtime boyfriend R to go. E and I were kind of hesitant since we're still waiting to hear about E's job interview so we hung back for as long as possible until the plane was almost completely full and we had to book. Luckily, we got seats together (after some stupid seat upgrade charges. Apparently window seats and aisle seats are $40 extra??) on the same flight in as his mom so we can carpool together. Our return flight leaves at about the same time as his father's, so we should be able to get a ride to the airport with him too. I was going to book the inter-island flight but decided against it so we'd have the flexibility to change dates if we wanted.

Sunset!

With all this excitingness going on, it hit E and  I pretty hard that we are incredibly out of shape. Actually, I'm incredibly out of shape, E is looking pretty damn good since his job is really physical. It was clear that we'd need to do something, so in a moment of insanity (ha) we signed ourselves up for the insanity fitness program! We start tomorrow and I'm psyched to see if it's as hard and impossible as it looks. E wants to tone up while I would like to lose roughly a million pounds so I don't look completely pregnant in a bathing suit. I'm a little nervous since the weight loss plan calls for 1900 calories a day (what on earth will we be doing that allows you to eat 1900 calories and lose weight??) but we're determined to do at least the full 60 days.

Insanity ahhh!

We're going to need some serious fortitude to get through this, but I'm hoping it pays off so I can look like one of these people in the end, except I'm a lot chubbier than they are so I'd settle for a decently flat stomach and some trimmer thighs. A girl has got to be realistic.

This could be me! OR more realistically, E!

Wish us luck! We're really going to need it to get in shape for this trip!