mexico, hola.

{because that's what Ellie would say when we were in Mexico...and then she'd clap really loud and say "yaaayy!" i have it on video...but this post is already pretty extensively packed with media, so i'll save it for another day}

in the last three days, i've been peed on, lemonade was spilled all over brand-newly purchased "jam jams" (pj's for Ellie), makeup has been smeared all over walls...faces...and basically every surface imaginable, glasses have been broken, folded piles of laundry have been repeatedly destroyed, otter pops have exploded on me, Ellie's diaper has been peed through her bed-sheets in the morning twice, sand is leaked all over our entry way, suitcases are poured generously over my carpet, cracker boxes have been spilled from one room to the next (accidentally being held upside down), and a button has been popped off of a pair of pants...reminding me, i am exponentially expanding at my waist...faster than ever before.

summary:
vacation is over.

isn't it weird how you get back from a vacation and immediately it feels like it was ions ago...and almost feels like a fuzzy dream that you wonder if it really ever happened? that's how i'm feeling now. the slightly darker shade of pale-tan is almost faded, the sand is gone from all the wrong places, and drinking sugary smoothie drinks + eating any kind of yummy dessert i please at any given moment is no longer justifiable.

but we have pictures!
and memories!
and boy was it a good time.
i mean, every vacation with kids has it's bumps in the road- Ellie got ear infections in both ears two days before we left..started on a new antibiotic..which gave her the most massive diarrhea i've ever seen, burned the heck out of her poor butt, gave her a terrible diaper rash (first one of her whole life), and the most scary yeast infection i've ever seen which kept her up all night one night..and out of the beach/pool for half of our trip... thank heavens for my Uncle Lane who is a PA and was able to help me through that mess...because i was like a chicken with its head cut off...i had no idea what to do or where to go.

amazingly enough, in spite of that minor bump in the road, Ellie was a trooper- she was happy and fun and enjoyed just pitter-pattering in the water (she's so easy to please!) for the first few days. and finally, when her poor bum & such (because i'm too much of a prude to say the other parts on my blog) were healed, she was a fish that i couldn't pull out of the water. "Pool? Swimmin? Pool?" she'd say. she was in heaven.

and so were we!
because all we did was lay by the beach.
eat.
lay by the pool.
get in the pool when it got too hot.
eat some more.
drink yummy drinks.
swim some more. maybe this time in the ocean.
and i even got my lazy butt up and ran a couple of times on the beach. i would love to say that it felt amazing. but that would be a lie. it was so hard. i felt heavy. i was so sore the first time...i thought i could die. but i did it again. it was still hard.what the? isn't it supposed to get easier? so i walked for a few days and then did it again. that time, it was less hard. but i still felt heavy. but that time, i had a huge sense of accomplishment. i was proud of myself. even if i couldn't go very far or very long. i did it. i exercised for real. for the first time in months. without wanting to barf the whole way through. it was a miracle.
and then i passed out for a nap. by the beach of course.
and drank another smoothie.
and got a pedicure because my feet were sore from all that excessive exercise.
and then all of a sudden, the trip was over and it was time to come home.
and we were all sad.
and we're still all sad.
anyway, here are some snapshots of our trip.
sorry in advance, there are a lot.
(and in case you don't want to look at a lot, i made a collage to just glance at).
viva mexico!
and thank you chapmans for such a wonderful time. can't wait to go again...hopefully sooner than later!  

 {the collage- feel free to stop here...because this is a VERY lengthy picture post below. don't say i didn't warn you...}

{the day we arrived in Puerto Vallarta...in all our pasty-white-winter-skin glory}

{of course, the very first thing Ellie did when we got there was run to the sand and start throwing it anywhere and everywhere. she loovvveesss playing in the sand}

{our lovely hosts, the Chapman fam}

{and then Ellie got sick. well, her butt did. and she was NOT thrilled about it to begin with. would you be?}

{but don't you worry- a few hundred baths and two tubes of Desitin (and some other goopy junk) later, Ellie was giggling and happy as a clam...and was like that the rest of the trip. praise the heavens above}

{one of Ellie's favorite parts of the trip was this random cougar statue in our lobby- seriously. she'd ask about the cougars all day long. she loved to grab the rocks from the pond area surrounding the cougars and throw them in to make a huge splash. amazing what entertains a toddler....i mean we were surrounded by pools and beaches, and she wanted to go see the cougar statues and plop rocks in a mucky fountain?? random.}

{you can just see the pure joy exuding from her face as she reaches for one of those big rocks...}

{but don't you worry- she enjoyed the good stuff too. did i mention she lovvvves playing in the sand?}

{she especially loves playing with mama + dada in the sand...and when we'd try to build her sand castles, she'd just demolish them before we had the chance to make two chalices or towers in a row. little destroyer}

{she also loved when we'd write her name in the sand. i love all her little footprints and handprints by her name. so cute}

{we ate some delicious food while we were there...one of my favorite places was called Fajita Republic. they have this dish called "Fajitas on the Rocks" and they your fajitas out in this lava pot with this creamy tomatillo sauce and grilled pineapple..and it is simply divine}

{we even got a semi-decent family photo there...and anyone with toddlers or kids in general know that those are hard to come by}

{and then we ate some of the worst food i've ever eaten in my entire life. italian buffet night at the resort....and anyone who knows me knows that me + buffets usually don't mix too well (unless its the buffet at the Joseph Smith Memorial Building in SLC...but that's a different story...one that costs over $30 bucks a plate)..but this one topped the charts...because even M almost barfed in his mouth. we got some good laughs out of it though}

{and we also got some adorable pictures with Ellie. she is just now getting how to "show her teeth" in pictures. granted, she won't do it all the time...but we captured her doing it quite a bit that night}

{the two loves of my life....sooo cute. i am in love with this picture}

{Ellie + Grandma}

{Ellie + Grandpa}

{Ellie + Uncle Jeffy}

{Ellie being her adorable, curious lil self...constantly playing and cooking and making messes wherever she goes...but doing it so cute-ly all the the while}

 {but don't you worry-- we enjoyed several other delicious dishes of food- including the most tasty seafood at this Italian Place on the Marina...even Ellie couldn't get enough of it (minus the whole seafood part, of course)}

{and so i had to get a picture with her- because a toddler covered in spaghetti sauce is just my fave}

{and then i got a picture with this cute guy...since we ate at this yummy place on our Honeymoon..and it brought back some wonderful memories}

{side note: is anyone else feeling like this post is turning into a food review for a Mexican newspaper?? wow}

{and then finally, we were able to freely enjoy the water with Ellie...because her butt (& such) was healed! hallelujah!}

{and i'm not exaggerating when i say, she LOVED every single minute of it...in fact, it was a nightmare to drag her out of those pools}

{so we basically stayed in the pool the rest of the time. wouldn't you if your toddler was this happy?}

{we also enjoyed many beautiful sunsets while there...doesn't it look like the sky is on fire?}

{and tried (unsuccessfully) to get a good family picture to take advantage of the beautiful scenery. it did NOT work out so well}

{so we got some of the boys...}

{the fam...}

{& crazy M & M instead.}

{side note: not to be too obvious or anything, but you can assume that everyone (probably including yourself) was pretty sick of pictures at this point. everyone except for me...mua ha ha}

{still- we had good times- and because of my snap-happy-ness, i was able to catch great shots like this one of Jeffy...}

{this one of Lynne...}

{this one of Ellie playing with Grandma + Grandpa...}

{this one of my crazy daughter who looks so much like i used to look when i'd only make crazy faces in pictures growing up...}

{and this one of my crazy husband who went on the most extensive shopping escapade i've ever seen...all in search of the perfect "Luchador" (wrestling) mask. Jeffy got one too. and yes, they both proudly sported their masks all around Puerto Vallarta that afternoon. it was only slightly embarrassing...mostly when the natives stopped to take their photo. seriously}

{all in all, it was a great trips...with lots of smoothies...being shared by Ellie..}

 {and yummy fresh pineapple juice too...}

{with lots of R&R with my Ellie...}

{the whole fam...}

{and of course, my man. i've missed that guy}

{and even though i'm somewhat embarrassed to be posting belly pic's at this stage...here it is. me at 18 weeks. i already wrote this on my facebook- but i'm a little nervous about showing so much already...especially with how late/big Ellie was. but it is what it is...and i'm finally feeling human again. (insert WAHOO here!) turns out, the remedy for all that pregnancy nausea mambo jumbo is a  trip to Mexico laying on the beach + sipping some sweet slushy beverage all day long. worked for me}

and if you made it this far, you are a champ. wow. you must either kinda like me..or be really bored :) 

sending you a big hug, some sand, and a "te quiero mucho!" (i love you)

xoxo