Aloha...wait that's not right...

Hello! from....back home in not so warm U.C.! 

You got it, we are  back home after 7 amazing days in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico.  I really hope all my bloggitty friends had a great Mothers day and some good adventures without me! <3

I figured I'd post about our trip in sequels- I guess you could say.  We did so much and so much happen it was just a crazy vacation.  Instead of packing it all into one giant post I'll spread it out into a few.  Maybe, a couple days at a time.

First and foremost I seriously am so thankful and lucky to have an amazing husband that works hard so we can take these little trips away.  Also for a family who is willing to be there and help us out with the gremlins and hairy children so that me and the dude can escape, just us two.  Blessed, loved, and so thankful. =)

 I'm going to start off with the not so good feelings.  Get that out of the way right?  

Well, we ended up showing up a bit late to our flight, from the beginning I could tell there was a problem and it was made known when the airport worker tried to whisper to her co-worker that there wasn't enough room on the plane.  Don't worry though, after some shuffling around they checked us in and we were on our way through security...45 minutes of waiting to get through security I should say.  Honestly we were just happy it wasn't a repeat of last time we flew US Airways to Mexico and they didn't inform us of their flight cancelation at 6am and we ended up having to wait 4 hours (at the airport) for the next flight out! BUT that's in the past ;)

We boarded the plane, heard some rumors of luggage having to be checked different because of the plane being over weight.. thought nothing of it and enjoyed the short ride to Phoenix to catch another plane to PVR, MX.  Both flights were great, sitting next to very nice people who we chatted with along the way about things to do and see while there.  

Around 6 pm we landed it was humid, the air smelled of nature, it was warm, and the sun was shining without a cloud in the sky!  The scenery was much like places in Hawaii, tropical and green.  Much different than was we saw in Mazatlan.  

After waiting to get through customs we were on our way to get our luggage and catch a cab to our destination resort.  Unfortunately after searching and checking each bag several times...ours was no where to be found.  I should say mine was no where to be found, the dude packed all of his things in a backpack for carry on.  Being a female I apparently was unable to do so, hehe.  

I'm not sure if I was simply being a little baby or it's just how you feel when they tell you they left your luggage in another country (the US) and you wont be getting it till the next day, but I was pretty sad, upset and a little angry.  No worries though as we headed on our way.

If you haven't heard, the goal to exiting the airports in MX is to keep your head down so that those sneaky salesmen don't capture you!  Apparently I forgot to inform the dude of this and within moments we were being talked into taking a tour of another near by resort and listening to a small "presentation"(scheduled for the next day).  Probably the best decision we made! No joke..and you'll see why in a moment.

Not only did they give us discounts on adventures we wanted to take part in but they gave us a free taxi ride to our resort.  To skip a long and not so entertaining story, we were a little disappointed in the resort we thought we had researched well before hand.  It was dirty, crowded, loud, trash all over, beach was blah, pools weren't too awesome, food=ick, and our room overlooked a make shift dumping field,and the staff just wasn't too kind.  We tried to shrug it off and the next morning after receiving my luggage (thank goodness) we headed to the "presentation".  

The resort we toured that was just a couple miles south of ours was newer, gorgeous rooms, beautiful pool, ocean views from each room, marble and granite floors/counters, kitchens/fridge in each room.  We could have lived there.  We were able to try their breakfast buffet which was just yum.  After going through the "buy this and you'll live like a king" speech from the salesman-as good as the speech sounded- we had to decline and they thanked us and we walked away.  

Stopping there for a moment I'm going to address something-

We aren't usually too picky at places we stay and are simply thankful to just be somewhere cool. Usually you're on vacation and spend most of your time away and not in your room, so on.  After some thought, we kind of came to the conclusion besides 2 days out of the 7, we planned on staying at the resort by the pool, on the beach, in our room relaxing, etc.  So when spending a lot of money on a Birthday/Anniversary/Mothers day gift you want it to feel good and comfortable as you relax away.  

With that (and now onto the good feelings), we decided to move to the other resort.  Surprisingly finding out that for a small price change we would be able to upgrade from a 3star to a-in my opinion- 5star resort.  All-inclusive, ocean views, etc.  

In the end it was a great thing that we went on that tour presentation and made a good move.  Each meal was delicious, we had several options, even room service.  Unlimited Meals, drinks, and fun from 7am-10pm. It was quiet but entertaining and relaxing yet exciting. 

The first day at the new resort we spent by the pool and eating some amazing pizza while tasting some yummy drinks.  The following couple of days were going to be filled with adventure and we really could not wait to experience them!  

That's my Picky post for the week, hopefully you check back later to see the great things we did, saw, and all that in-between.

I have lots to catch up on, reading up on my blog loves, laundry, cleaning, and birthday planning!

{Happy Monday!}  ❤

Wordless Wednesday

(via)

Weekend Recap

I think I've finally caught up...well with every thing and every class except one.  I'll get to that later.  Anyway-  The weekend was crazy!  Filled with long drives, sun, beach, injuries, laughter, tears..I could go on. 

As you know I left Thursday night, but I don't know if we want to even consider it Thursday night since it wasn't till 12:30am on Friday morning that we finally hit the road.  None the less we made it on our way.  Surprisingly the ride there wasn't too bad, did I sleep?  Nope, not really.  Maybe for a total of 50minutes.  

We made it to San Diego at around 9am giving us till 3pm to kill time.  So, what do you do in a beach town, with nothing to do, and lots of girls...hit the beach!  We headed to Ocean Beach, where before even getting out of the car most girls were undressing and getting their swim suits on.  I on the other hand was FREEZING.  It was sunny, but the wind chill made it feel like a fridge.  Eventually I caved.  

The beach was beautiful.  The sand was a deep golden brown, soft and moist between my toes.  I could smell the ocean as I listened to the waves crashing in the distance.  It was impossible not to relax and enjoy the amazing weather and scenery.  

Here are some pictures from that day-

This seagull was stalking us, he probably circles the blankets 3 times!

The pier had this little cafe just to the side, the food smelled more than amazing but no one would eat there with me. :p  We sat for a while watching the surfers and I longed to be down there with them despite the cold conditions.  

After a bit we all decided to walk the little shops and see what things we could find.  I loved the feel of the different culture compared to home.  People were talking to complete strangers, others sat freely sipping on drinks and reading in the sun, beach bums danced in the sand or played their guitar with a trusty dog by their side.  Speaking of dogs, they were everywhere, and everyone had one!  It made me wish I could have brought ours to play in the surf. 

There were so many cute and fun things I wanted to buy if only I had all the money in the world!!  The restaurants called you in, the surf shops beckoned to you with their music, and the tiny coffee shops stopped you in your tracks with the smell of freshly made mocha's.

Soon enough it was time to check into the motel.  Of course there was no time to sleep there, it was off to the pool within minutes of setting down our bags.  The hot tub was the highlight and the challenge was to pack as many girls in as to make it overflow.  We won. :)

After a simple Taco Bell dinner and some goofing around we all hit the hay.  We had an early start at the tournament Saturday, our first game being at 8am.  I missed my family and wished I could kiss them goodnight but I couldn't wait for morning, that wasn't enough to keep me awake.  I was out....

Early wake up call at 6am and we were fed and out the door on our way to the Olympic Center.  Along the way it was hard not to notice how beautiful this place was.  Green hills, homes tucked away in the most adorable places, blue sky and fresh air as the sun lighted the way.  I think I fell in love! :p

I'm not sure if many of you have seen this Olympic Center...all I have to say is that I was in heaven!  And one picture explains it all..

There were 3 of these babies ranging in size spread out all over.  I will admit it was used that day at least for BMX, but I couldn't help but picture my dirt bike and I rounding the track.

Our first game was agains the Aggies a little piece of home to start out the day.  

We tied.  

As the day went on the sun got hotter and we all were getting more and more organized.  We were starting to show we were a team.  Injuries came and went, yelling and arguments were happening here and there, mostly towards the other teams. We had 4 games for the day each consisting of 2 20minutes halves.  

My 2nd game ever to play in was our 2nd game of the day.  I played the last half as a back wing.  As soon as you hit the field the adrenaline sets in..you can't even think straight all you know is you need to keep who ever has that ball away from your end of the field..by any means necessary. 

I was scared..I wont lie.  I've yet to master the ways of tackling and hadn't yet gotten the ball during an active play...well it finally happened.  I got the ball and it was my turn to gain some yards.  The defense that was in front of me was a girl just about my size but her muscle tone made it apparent that she had been doing this for some time.  I ran.  Within a few yards she was on me, but she missed.  She hadn't gotten a full tackle and was hanging onto my shirt, trying with all her might to pull me down.  No one else was in sight so I saw my chance.  She was like a fly, and she was coming with me if she liked it or not.  I grabbed her arm, picked her up slightly and ran forward.  Within moments, maybe 5yrds she had backup and I was down. My knee was hurt, but the adrenaline kept me going.  I couldn't help but laugh as we repositioned at how silly that was.  We slowly gained more and more, and made a try.  

Within minutes it was over and we had won.  

It didn't stop there.  Our third game was much the same.  Our 4th game came and we were tired, sun burnt, and ready for a relaxing time at the pool.  But that didn't hinder our play. 

This team looked rough.  They were larger, and had some older players that you could tell were well experienced.  Our team had some injuries so us rookies were put in for the full game.  It was dirty, their team was rough and made little effort in showing remorse at any injuries.  Through it all we were dominating, before the end of the first half we were ahead and showed no signs of us stopping there.  My highlight, playing back wing again, was receiving a kick from the opposing team and sprinting my hardest only to be tackled feet from the try line....so close!  Not moments later we scored again. 

By the end we were at least 10-15 points ahead.

Bruised and burned we all were excited about the amazing team effort we had made for the day.

3 wins and 1 tie.  We were tied for 1st.  

Sunday was the day, the day it all counted.  Unfortunately the fire was gone and people were ready to go home.  Arguments and bad moral showed it's ugly face Sunday morning as many girls instead of preparing left for the beach before the games..not to mention half the team was late to warm up.  It just wasn't the best day. Causing a loss, a large amount of injuries and anger.  

In all honestly I wasn't too upset, odd I know.  I learned a lot this weekend, about the game, about myself, and much more.  I showed the team my potential and it didn't go unnoticed.  I had fun at the beach, meeting new people, getting to know my team.  Despite missing my family, I loved this weekend.

We showed that we can be a great team and accomplish more than we ever thought.   

It was time to head home.  It was nice knowing that evening I would be in my own bed and able to see the faces of my life again.  :)  

With out many complaints, I left San Diego with 2 new shirts, new shorts, a new sun burn, some bruises, a new appreciation for beach life, and a sense of happiness to be part of a team again. 

Tonight..we ride!

It's finally upon us, I'm leaving a day sooner than expected, I leave tonight!

Yes, I'm making a bit of a deal about a 4 day trip.  But can you blame me when I've never been away from the gremlins?  Not to mention the longest time Aust and I have been apart is 3 days since...forever!  It's a big thing.  Who knew that you could have so many thoughts and emotions going through your body at one time.  I'm WAY excited, scared, nervous, already exhausted...I could go on but I wont.  It's a weekend with a bunch of gals to hang out and get pumped about our team goals.  Also getting to know these girls will be fun since we haven't had much time during practice.  Except I will say this, my new apparent nick name from some of the girls on the team is "Twins", fitting I must say. :p

We are driving all night tonight in hopes of ending up there tomorrow morning.  From what I see of the forecast it's going to be in the 70's for the next few days over there, while here at home they will be expecting snow, ha.  That alone is something to be excited about.  I have been itching for some heat, for the rays of our glorious and monstrous sun to heat my paling face, and this is the ticket.  Like a little taste test of whats to come in the next few months. :)

So far from what I hear we will be playing up to 3-5 games throughout Saturday and Sunday during this tournament.  All against various woman teams.  I'm very pleased to say my ankle/foot is feeling much better and hopefully after a little more icing and heating tonight I'll be good and ready for the games.  We were a little rocky in our first game, not much communication, but this weekend I have a good feeling that we are going to dominate!  That no bruise or knock down will prevent us from getting back up and pushing forward for a try (goal/touchdown/you get it).

The worst part of this whole thing, I guess "worst" is the word, is that I have no idea how or what to pack for this trip. Ha, sad yes?  Alas I'm pretty sure it's just the fact that my brain is trying to explode from all the things I need to get done so it's straining to focus on what essentials I will be needing.  With a test and paper due the Tuesday after I get back, I really don't blame my brain.  Poor girl needs a veg vacation!  Aust has been soooooo amazingly supportive through all this I cannot believe how lucky I am to have such an amazing man and family behind me.   He never expected to watch the girls alone for a weekend, but he took it one with smiles and support. <3  Love the ninja monkey. 

I'll be missing the hugs, cuddles, and smiles from these beautiful faces--

LOL silly pictures I know.

But I also know that when I get back they'll be waiting and excited as ever!

Hopefully I can sneak my parents camera away and use it to takes some pics while we are there and update if possible.  From what I hear we'll be busy though.  So I hope everyone has a good safe weekend and stays warm through this next storm front. :)

Wish us luck! hehe

Fav 5 Friday

1.  Buddha belly!

2.  Smell goods

3.  *sigh* not long now....

4.  Our next getaway

5.  dork

Resolutions and all

2010 was great and all..but that was SO last year!  It's time to remember the past but move on with the future!

With me starting school in the next week things around the house are going to change a lot.  It in ways makes me sad I wont be around to watch the girls as much but I just have to think to myself.  "It's only 2 days a week".  Doesn't seem like a big deal right?