Puerto Vallarta 2010!

Jim and I just returned from our vacation to Puerto Vallarta, Mexico!

It was a BLAST! We went with our friends-three other couples--Dara and Zach, Brandon and Susan, and Pat and Stacy. We did a beach trip with friends a couple years ago to Cabo and it was so fun we had to do it again....thus the theme for this trip...."Let's do it again in 2010!" haha!

We stayed at the Golden Crown Paradise Resort and it was FABULOUS!


It was all-inclusive with five restaurant choices, snack bar by the pool, bars inside and out, and 24 room service.....and for FREE! I highly recommend doing all-inclusive and this resort was one of the best we have stayed at so far! Plus, it was just a five minute cab ride to the downtown Boardwalk along the ocean for shopping and nightlife. The cab ride cost only $5! SWEET!


We rode jet skis, Susan parasailed but mostly we just played in the ocean, laid on the beach, danced and ate lots of amazing food and drank fruity drinks. ;)

I took a TON of pictures but will share with you my favorites!!!

in the airplane as we just touched down in Mexico (or we say "Meh-he-co")

Susan and I ready to hit the beach!

The girls after playing the ocean

The girls and I went jet skiing in the ocean too!

Here we go!

view from our room

Each night, after playing in the sun we would get dressed up for dinner and meet at the poolside bar and take pictures of each other! ;)

Susan, Dara, me and Stacy

Stacy and Pat

Brandon and Susan

Dara and Zach


Cheers to VACATION!!!

After dinner at each restaurant, they served "Sexy Coffee". What is sexy coffee you ask?
Well, they do a presentation by your table beginning with heating Kahlua in a dish until it gets really thick-like chocolate syrup. Then they put sugar and cinamon on the rim of a glass and pour the Kahlua in the glass while it is on fire! Then they add coffee, brandy and top it with some whipped cream! DELICIOUS!

Sexy Coffee and Mocha Cake! YUMMY!

Each night, we would head to the bar on the beach and have a couple drinks, tell stories, and we even met several other couples we hung out with too!

Brandon and Zach became "besties" this trip. ;)

The first evening, we had some beach "entertainers" come by and sing. Brandon decided to join in after taking a late night dip in the ocean.
I even took some video with my camera...

On Saturday, we spent most of the day at the beach enjoying the sun and the waves!
And my vacation pictures would not be complete without a picture of my feet. ;)

Stacy and Dara lounging on the beach

Susan jumped on the chance to go parasailing!

I got on the boat and took pictures of Susan flying through the air!


After dinner on Saturday night, we headed to the Boardwalk in downtown Puerto.

We enjoyed dancing at the Hilo Bar!


The whole gang!

On Sunday, Susan and I headed to go shopping at check out the Boardwalk during the daylight hours while our guys went golfing. Dara and Zach did a shopping tour and Pat and Stacy checked out the stores around the hotel....like the Mexican Wal-Mart and Sam's Club!



The flea market

Some Boardwalk pics....


The town on Puerto...

Beautiful flowers everywhere!

And here is a picture of Jim at one of the holes at the Nicklaus and Weiskopf courses.


Sunday night was our last night in Puerto. We ate at the French restaurant and it was very good! And of course....more sexy coffee. ;)







What an AMAZING trip that produced some great phrases and one liners like..."let's do this!", "pack the pants" and "Hollywood!!!"...all with their own inside jokes and funny stories behind them. ;)
Brandon, Susan, Dara, Zach, Stacy and Pat.... WE LOVE YOU GUYS!!!

Kindergarten wrap up!

WOW. Christian's Kindergarten year is almost over. Just two more days left!
For me, this year has FLOWN by! He has learned so much and "graduated" at the top of his class! He is one of just a few kids in the class that knows ALL his sight words! He has also learned a lot of science, coming home using words like photosynthesis.
Saying things like, "Chrysalis is the coolest stage of metamorphosis, mom!"
My reply, "Ah, yeah. Can you tell me about how that works again?!"
Seriously. When I was in Kindergarten, kids ate glue and colored all day.

He know a lot about money too! (That's my boy! Ha!)
He knows which President is on each coin and what's on the back of each coin too.
Amazing.

He came home one day and told me about President Abraham Lincoln.
"He was shot while watching a show, mom."

He has computer lab at school, which is his favorite class!

He is also very good at math. Mrs. Rogers said he does not need "manipulatives", such as blocks or fingers to do addition or subtraction. She said, "It's like he already knows how to do it in his head." Christian gets that from his dad. I was always impressed that Jim could calculate tip on dinner in his head, while I flumble out my "tip chart" or my calculator on my phone. ;)


We are so proud of our big boy!

So here are some fun pictures from his Kindergarten class!

Christian's class took a field trip to the Gentry Zoo a couple weeks ago. He had so much fun!

Christian and his friends!

Christian having his picnic lunch at the safari

Christian with his class at the safari

Christian came home Friday with his school yearbook and class picture!
He had a great time looking through his yearbook and pointing out his favorite teachers and friends!

Mrs. Rogers and the class!

Christian had a fun class! Can you tell?!
Onto 1st grade!

Baby Shower weekend!

This past weekend was SUPER busy and SUPER fun! I was so happy to host both my friend Meg and my sister-in-law Kimberly's baby showers! Meg is having a little girl, Nora Kate, due August 8th. Kimberly is due September 1st with Robert Wrenn! I am so happy for both of them! I took a TON of pictures so I will share with you a few of my favorites from each celebration!

Saturday, we had Meg's shower at the Little Wedding Chapel Tea Room in Van Buren.

Meg and her mom

Dara, Meg, Christy and me

Dawn and Kimberly

All the guests at Meg's shower!

Saturday evening, many of us met up for pizza at Pizza Parlour in Van Buren. It had probably been 15 years since I ate there! YUMMY! Then we went to see Sex and the City 2!

I was completely satisfied with how the first movie ended and did not think a sequel was necessary, so my expectations weren't very high. However, the previews did not do the movie justice. It was better than I expected and was a lot of fun to go see with my girlfriends!
That evening, Dara and Susan stayed the night with me at my in-laws and we enjoyed drinks poolside before heading to bed.

The next morning was showtime again! Susan did her magic on all the wonderful food! She carved masterpieces out of fruits and veggies!



Kimberly with her hostesses, Susan and I

Thanks to everyone for coming to the baby showers! It was so great to celebrate such a wonderful blessing for Kimberly and Meg! Can't wait to meet Robert Wrenn and Nora Kate!