Lets just say, I've had better days at work.
But, on the bright side, dinner is simmering, wine is being drank, and we have made some headway on our guest bathroom shower re-construct! Cheers to that.
You might have noticed one of my side menus – Random Projects ~ 2009 Hopefuls. For months, Hubby and I have been dreaming talking about many projects we'd like to tackle. A short "honey-do" list if you will. After owning our home for almost 2 years, we felt we were ready to undertake some projects and make some of the changes we have wanted to do. Soon, we realized our talking must become doing. If we continued to merely dream discuss our hopes, it would be spring of 2010 with nothing accomplished. So, after a major reality check last week, we set out to conquer.
We had some goals for today, mainly yard work. But then, I realized our bi-annual spring cleanup week was this week; anything (curbside) we want the city to haul away, will magically disappear on our trash day. I have wanted to remove the double shower doors from our guest tub/shower for quite some time. They're a pain, they're hard to clean, they're not my favorite…at all. My brilliant idea: get them off by our trash day this week. Well, going along with the doing instead of talking idea, I just did it today!
Here are some before pics:
Here I am in the process (I actually enjoyed doing this!):
And, here are the after pics (soon to be followed by the wonderful after pics of a clean and newly painted bathroom):
The doors and rails are in the garage, awaiting their magical pick-up on Tuesday! I must admit, I am very proud of this feat!
(this is how I felt)
I wasn't the only one who was busy today. Hubby did the first mow of the season, sprayed for bugs, and planted a tree! We lost a beautiful Bradford Pear last spring in a terrible storm and we're finally replacing it (fitting on Earth week!). We look forward to the bloom and growth of our Pink Oak.
The projects will continue. Stay tuned for my herb and vegetable garden, the shopping adventure for a new dishwasher, replacing cabinet hardware, and some re-landscaping!
Image from Real Simple
It was literally paradise - I'm not kidding. As we drove out of the Cancun airport we saw a sign that read "Welcome to Paradise". Alright then!
Our travels to Mexico were fairly easy. Aside from an hour take off delay in KC, a wait for our transportation, and the two drop offs, we were quickly at our resort. It was BEAUTIFUL! We were welcomed with warm towels (which we turned down - we were hot!) and champagne (which we accepted – we where thirsty). It was discovered that our room wasn't ready so we were whisked off to lunch only to return to the lobby and wait for another 3 hours before our room was ready. We felt like fools in our jeans and tennis shoes as other guests were passing us in their swimming suits!
Finally we were shown to our room - it was worth the wait! We had a king bed, a beautiful bathroom, and an ocean view (we paid for a tropical view = not ocean view...not sure how that happened). We were even treated with fresh fruit and a bottle of champagne. We quickly unpacked and set out to explore. We were officially on vacation!
The rest of the days played out as follows: get up, put on swim suit, go to buffet breakfast, go outside to search for a chair (preferably with an umbrella), sit and read, get a drink, sit and read, get lunch (fish tacos...yum!), sit and read, get in the pool, get a drink, get another drink...then finally head up to our room for to get ready for dinner. We were able to try all of the restaurants - Asian, seafood, steak, Italian and all were fabulous! The food was very uniquely presented and we were thrilled to realize we could order an appetizer (for each of us), an entrée (for each of us), and dessert (for each of us). We often ate later and I (shamefully) admit we went to bed rather early most nights. But, a few nights we did drop in at the sports bar to catch a game or snicker at watch people participating in the dance club.
Our excursions included a visit to Tulum (Mayan ruins) and Playa del Carmen for a bit of shopping browsing and eating. Other than that, we were very content at our resort. We met some interesting people and even exchanged email addresses with one couple (cheers Nate & Tracey!).
We were definitely sad to leave. How could you not want to stay in paradise when every single want and need was immediately met by kind and smiling people? Even though we had a slight issues going through customs in Denver (no, I have not have problems with the law!), the trip was seamless and perfect. Below are some pictures from the week. Enjoy!
While it's nice to sleep in my own bed, have all my (clean) clothes at my disposal, and drink water straight from the tap, I'm still longing for that endless amount of delicious food, the warm sun, the sound of the waves, and a cold Piña Colada.
It was a GREAT trip! I'll post pictures tomorrow.
I will admit, I'm one of those people who is notorious for packing WAY too much. I often think, wow, I did pretty good this time…that is until I attempt to lift the suitcase and barely get it off the floor! Then I have to shield my glances at Hubby as he picks it up to carry it to the car, giving me questionable glances. I know what he's thinking: did you really need to pack all those shoes? YES I DID! Because you know if I didn't, I would end up needing them!!!
I've been thinking about these all too familiar scenarios as packing for our trip quickly approaches. I don't want to take too much. After all, hubby and I are packing together so I'll have limited space. But, I also don't want to take too little. I've never been to Mexico before…what will I want? What will I need? Considering that our vacation destination will be on average about 30 degrees warmer than it is here, I won't have to pack as much…and that's a good thing. Now, how do I narrow it down…
This is how I became a successful packer for our trip:
1) Plan ahead. Know where you are going and what to expect. Will you need warm clothes and layers (sweaters, jeans, boots…) for cooler weather or will you need lighter clothes (swimsuit, shorts, sandals…) for warmer weather? Figure out your climate and then begin weeding choosing which clothes are possibilities.
2) Stick to the staples. Your instinct may tell you that you need your 4 favorite pairs of jeans, you 3 best sweaters, your 20 cutest tops, and your 8 most fabulous shoes but let's be real…not only do you not need all this, you don't have room for all this. Take only what's necessary. Here's an example of my clothing list:
Not bad! Simple, minimal, room for hubby's clothes!
My packing list...I MUST have this!
The front of my cute notebook. Fits in the purse!
3) Take accessories. Belts, jewelry, scarves, headbands, etc. They're small and easy to pack around (and can spice up your lack of ensembles in #2).
4) Plan for the inevitable (headache, allergies, stomach issues, sunburn…). Over pack here. No exceptions.
5) Pack entertainment! Throw in those books and magazines you've been meaning to read. Grab some cards for those low-key moments. Don't forget the camera!
6) Do not forget the most essential items – your travel documents, passports, identification, and essential credit cards. And make copies of all of these. Be prepared – you never know if you'll need it.
7) Ask friends for advice! It's amazing the things you often forget you need and your friend remembers!
I did find a couple of packing lists on the web. The first is from The Nest and it's fairly simple and generic (can be used for any type of trip). The second is from The Knot and lends itself more to a honeymoon…but since this (in a way) is the honeymoon for hubby and I, it's bound to be helpful!
Lesson of this post: packing can be stressful, it can be confusing, and it can be tiring. But stick to the basics and you're bound to be set to jet!
