Mexico Day 12 - Akumal Glass Bottom Boat

We're back up and at it. No more laying around! And to celebrate our good health...we headed back to our favourite beach (Akumal) to go for a trip in the glass bottom boat. We were all super excited for the kids to get a chance to see things that only the grown-ups had seen snorkelling or scuba-diving.

Lucy, of course, was nervous and, of course, had to be reminded that she needed to express her nervousness in another way besides screaming. Because we had 10 people, we took two boats and everyone who wanted to took a chance to do some snorkelling off the boat. But those who stayed on still got to see lots. It was awesome.

Lucy did calm down eventually.

Max, again, did awesome! He was so happy to swim and see turtles, a squid and lots of fish.

Super flattering pictures of me! haha. But I don't care. I was having WAY too much fun. I felt way better snorkelling with a life-jacket and I didn't want to come back in.

Back at home we cleaned the snorkelling equipment since this was our last trip, and of course, breaking out the hose always means a waterfight.

Mexico Day 11 - Another Quiet Day

Well, we had more puke last night, plus diarrhea (I know you all wanted to know) and Lucy's had a fever and headache, so it looks like we're spending another quiet day at home. Not much to say. We did some laundry (because puke = laundry), watched shows and coloured and were excited to see Grandma's flowers have finally bloomed!

Janie, Scott, Dixie, Lori and Great Grandma did some shopping in Tulum today, but Tyler, the kids and I stayed close to home. Hopefully that's the end of this sickness!

On the bright side, all these quiet days are allowing me to make a great dent in the stack of books I wanted to get through. On to book 2 of the Hunger Games!

Mexico Day 10 - Akumal Dive Day

Well, Logan threw up again last night, but only once, so I guess we're not going to stop activities for one throw-up. After a good breakfast (which Logan seemed to have an appetite for) we packed up and headed to the beach. Tyler and Scott both had a dive scheduled for this morning and the rest of us were going to spend our time lounging on the beach and snorkelling. I finished "The Help" so now I've moved on to the Hunger Games. Loving it.

Logan was a bit winey all morning, which tells me he's not quite better, and at about 10:30 he climbed onto my lap in his towel and snuggled in for a nap. It's a good thing I have helpers for the other two, because I'm feeling like I'm neglecting them a bit.

But the good thing about it is, Grandma finally convinced Lucy to join her in the water. She's been paranoid about seaweed and slimy beach floors that she didn't realize that these beaches are pure sand and wonderful. Once she discovered that, it was impossible to get her OUT of the water. Even for sunscreen. I think she may have gotten a bit sun kissed today.

The guys had fun on their dive. We only got pictures of them going out, but at least you get the idea.

(My husband's hot).

Lunch at Turtle Bay Cafe was awesome. Boys feasted on Hot Dogs and Corn Dogs. Lucy went for her traditional Quesadilla. She's embracing the Mexican cuisine. I strayed from my Mexican menu and had a Club House. It was awesome to see Logan's appetite return. Fingers crossed.

Tonight, after grocery shopping and dinner the kids busted out a water-gun fight with the two girls across the street, Desi and Violetta. They don't speak the same language, but it didn't seem to bother any of the kids. Fun is fun, in any language.

Here's hoping the puking is over.

Mexico Day 9 - A Quiet Day

Well, it appears that Logan's lack of appetite was for a reason. At about 2am I heard him coughing and tossing in his room, so I went to check on him, and the distinct smell of vomit filled my nose. Yuck. So, we spent the next hour cleaning up his bed and him in the shower. We got him settled back into bed (on the queen bed in his room since his playpen was a disaster) and tried to sleep again. Tyler in our room, me on the bed with Logan. He threw up 2 more times and finally settled in by about 4:30.

We all made the unified decision that we needed a quiet day out of the sun.

We went down to Dixie and Lori's place to watch a movie (because they have a TV AND air conditioning - our place has a TV but no air, Scott and Janie's has air, but no TV). Logan threw up again in the morning and gained his appetite back *a bit* for lunch.

I'm hoping this passes quickly. Either way, we're shifting houses tonight so we can all sleep in the air conditioning of Grandma and Papa's tonight. Hopefully that'll help. I'm not sure if it's a bug or if it's heat, but the air will help. Right?

Here's hoping for a better day tomorrow!!

Mexico Day 8 - Puerto Aventuras

Today we headed out to Bahia Principe to pick up Great Grandma and Dixie and Lori to join us in our vacation for the next week. We said a quick goodbye to those who were flying home today and then headed out. Our plan was to get gas, cash and to head to Puerto Aventuras where they have some dolphin pools, manatees, and sea lions. Plus shops and restaurants. Again, it was a scorcher today, and we were a little less well prepared. Not enough breaks for water and sunscreen and as we watched the Dolphins in their pools we started to sweat.

Lucy is DESPERATE to swim with the dolphins so we also checked out prices on that, but decided we would come back another day.

Our pace is a little slower now that we have added guests (most particularly Great Grandma as she can't be out in the sun for too long or walking around too much). It's actually a relief because it's hard to keep up the pace that we were going at the first week. We stopped for lunch (tacos and limonada!) and a spot in the shade!

On our way back to the house we stopped at Lapis Jewellers for Great Grandma to take a look. They had a very heavily armed guard at the door where you had to sign in with security. And you were escorted around the store to view the merchandise. Tyler, Lucy, Great Grandma, Dixie and Lori went in there, and I decided it was probably best to not chase my two boys around a crazy expensive jewellery store, so Grandma, Papa and I took them to the grocery store. Apparently you could pay your mortgage, or you could buy a necklace. Necklaces from $3000...all the way up to $30,000.

We went back for nap time and hanging out and then headed into Tulum (the town) for dinner at Mariacha Loco. It was good food, but I made the mistake of sitting under a light and fan that created a strobe-like effect and it made me crazy dizzy and I lost my appetite. Logan didn't have much of an appetite either. It's been a hot day and a lot of time in the vehicle, so I'm looking forward to bed.

No pictures today.

Mexico Day 7 - Xelha

Keeping up the pace, we headed to Xelha today. Another activity not really suited to great grandma...which means we have to get it in. This is another outdoor exotic theme park, similar to Xcaret, only this one is mostly water based. Our park admission included meals, so we decided to get there nice and early and get our moneys worth again. Breakfast, lunch AND dinner. It was a full day!

Awesome pancake breakfast before we got started:

We got into bathing suits and headed straight for the river. We got to float down a river on tubes, which everyone loved...except Lucy. There was a lot of crying, and screaming and till we all agreed that she needed to stop. She was nervous about falling in the water - except we all had lifejackets on as well. Oh well.

We stopped along the way so Tyler and Papa could cliff jump, and at the zip-lines that Max LOVED! Because everything was water based, we didn't take the camera with us, so there's no pictures. But it was a blast!

When we finished our river ride, which ended in the bay and required mom and dad to do some swimming to push the tubes along, we played at the park - which was more of a obstacle course. It was great fun.

Buffet lunch, a little nap time and reading for me and Logan while the kids played in the wading pool and then it was time to play on the waterslide...which again, Max loved. You splashed down into the bay and had to crawl across these lilypads. He was there for a long time!

We played in the wading pool and at the park until the sun started to go down. Then we headed for some dinner before everything closed.

Before we left, we made a quick stop in the hammock area, which we had promised we'd visit. Everyone got a chance to lounge in a hammock and then we headed out to see what pictures had been taken of us.

It was completely awesomely fun. I loved it. Oh, and for lunch AND dinner I ate grilled chicken, salsa verde and grilled pineapple and have decided that it is my most favourite meal yet. Amazing.

Mexico Day 6 - April Fools!

So today is Sunday April 1st. April Fools. Fortunately, I have made it ALL the way through the day without a single trick. I guess everyone's too hot or too tired. Hallelujah.

We attempted to watch some General Conference today, but our internet connection is spotty at best, so we got a bit of one talk, and a bit of Pres. Monson's. We resigned ourselves to watching it when we get home. So instead, we just had a quiet day at home, which was very much needed after all the running around we've been doing.

A lot of colouring. Watching movies. Eating. And Tyler's cousins Nathan and Noelle came for a visit from the resort. While Logan took a nap, we all headed to the beach across the highway. Of course we forgot the camera, so there's no evidence of this trip, but it was fun either way.

We brought the boogie boards with us, since this beach is a bit rougher than Akumal. Max had a great time riding the waves and was really good at it. I imagine it's because of his next-to-nothing poundage. Those waves carried him like he was, well, nothing.

Lucy, Papa, Noelle and I worked in the sand on different sand castles. Lucy and Noelle built a fort, and were joined by Max. I made a butterfly and Papa made a boat, that kind of looked like a clog. It caved in a bit, so then he and Tyler made a shark beside it that looked like it was taking a big bite out of the boat (or shoe).

Tyler, Nathan and I took a few turns on the boogie boards and then we headed to the cenote for a cool dip. I wasn't feeling too hot, so I opted out of the dip, but instead watched everyone else enjoy it.

By the time we got back, Logan was awake and ready to play too. It was a great way to spend a Sunday. Not the usual way, and I felt a little weird not going to church, but we made do. I've also started reading "The Help" and am totally wrapped up in it. I love vacations! Reading is definitely a luxury I don't get to indulge in very often.

Oh, Lucy also decided to draw a picture of her future family. It's so cute. She drew her, and then a husband with a question mark, and 3 kids. Livia, Erin and Conner. I kept the paper.