Ola!!!!

OK - here is the last entry that I started on 4/12!  I will add pictures later - promise.

Remember last year when I won the trip for two to Mexico???  Well, John and I finally got around to taking that trip and it was MAH-velous!!!
The weather in Mexico was 85ish everyday and the weather in NWA was 40ish everyday.  Yep - it was great.
It was a wonderful time of fun and relaxation for us.  We needed it - especially after the battles that we had been fighting.  It was my health opportunity but my sweet John was right in the middle of the battle with me - fighting along side me and fighting for me when I wanted to quit.   I am so thankful that John is my husband & best friend and that he loves me and stands by me during the hard times as well as the good times.  I love sharing my life with him.
The resort where we stayed was awesome - 5 stars baby!  The food was great - we ate seafood every night and the drinks were yummy and free-flowing.  I drank gallons of banana daquiri's!   Well I couldn't drink the water! '-)

There were a variety of swimming pools but we spent most of our time on the beach gazing at the beautiful turquoise water or playing in the waves or drinking cervasas (beer) or a combination of all the above.

There were lots of Europeans and Canadians where we stayed.  Know what that means?  It means there were lots of topless older women and an abundance of older men in speedo's!  I learned a couple of things from the Europeans and Canadians; older women's breasts sag in Europe and Canada too -not just here, and older men don't look good in a speedo!  This did however, cause me to feel much more comfortable in my plus sized swimsuit with a skirt.  '-)
One day we went to Playa del Carmen which was really nice but geared for tourists.  You know, vendors calling out to you "come inside - our things are almost free!"  Which is ok - they are just trying to make a living and are all competing for the same folks.
One day we went into the little village of Puerta Morales - a fishing village.  That was awesome because we got a glimpse of the real life and culture of  Mexico.  We asked our taxi driver where we should eat while in Puerta Morales - he gave us a name - we asked him if that is where he eats when he goes out - he quickly said "no."  We told him that we wanted to eat where he eats - and he gave us a different name.  Before he dropped us off he told us how to get to the restaurant where his family dines.  It was definitely off the beaten path - but well worth the walk.  The restaurant had sand floors and the tables and chairs were moulded plastic - like the really cheap tables and chairs that come out in the summertime at WM.  There was definitley a language barrier - but we managed to order coconut shrimp and it was AWESOME!!!  And as with all meals served in Mexico, the fish came with "avocado butter" aka quacamole. 
The day we were in Puerta Morales - the town was having the annual "Celebration of Children" parade and ceremony.  Everyone in town comes out for the celebration.  I am not sure about everything it stands for - but the parade ends up at the church and the priests are outside to welcome them and pray over the children and sprinkle them with holy water.  It was sweet to watch and humbling to see the joy and happiness on each face considering their meager surroundings.  The band consisted of a drum or two and a horn or two (they sounded like Mayberry's band on Andy Giffith show) and the floats - oh yeah, there weren't any floats, only a few balloons, but it was awesome as well as humbling.

That is a quick run down of our week in Mexico.
We wanted to go back as soon as we got off the airplane in NWA and felt the frigid air on our toes - yep, wore my flip-flops home.  And as if that wasn't enough - it snowed the day after we came home!
We are thinking that we love the lifestyle in Mexico - everything is mañana!

I think that in my previous life, I was a princess that lived on an island surrounded by beautiful turquoise water, white sand beaches and the sun was always shining.  Oh - and there were handsome young men that waited on me and brought me my food and banana daquiris. 

Awww..........