laundry lines.
Okay, I have a new favorite.
But wait, let me back up. First off, Jack and I snuck away to Cozumel, Mexico for a week and BOY-HOWDY was it amazing. 
The timing was just absolutely what I needed {and wanted}. Our trip was the perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, blue skies and happy days. And warmth. 80 degrees and balmy.
This was our 11th anniversary trip {We're a year behind the major numbers. That seems to be how we roll. We did a low key honeymoon and went to Irian Jaya, Indonesia on our 1-year-anniversary, and then did nothing for our 10 year, but alas, our 11th year blew it out of the water! I can't wait for our 21st anniversary - I wonder where we'll go?}
And so we escaped, thanks to my mom coming to watch the kids for a week. We truly couldn't have done it without her help. Big thanks to "Gobbie", the best grandma in the world. I didn't give the kids a second thought, as far as their safety and well-being is concerned, knowing that they were probably in better hands than they are with me. *chuckle*
We landed on the island of Cozumel, Mexico, to sunny blue skies, which happened to stick around for the entire week, except for about 30 minutes of spitting rain. I cried for joy as our jet left the snowy runway in Chicago. And I cried {again, for joy} when we touched down in Cozumel. The customs line was an hour and a half, but honestly, it didn't matter because we were on vay-cay. We were yuckin' it up with everyone in line, Jack making everyone laugh. I do love that boy. I don't think I wiped the smile off my face for the entire trip. I felt like I had truly escaped the rigors of daily mothering and all responsibilities. It was a beautiful, beautiful thing.
The timing was just absolutely what I needed {and wanted}. Our trip was the perfect blend of adventure, relaxation, blue skies and happy days. And warmth. 80 degrees and balmy.This was our 11th anniversary trip {We're a year behind the major numbers. That seems to be how we roll. We did a low key honeymoon and went to Irian Jaya, Indonesia on our 1-year-anniversary, and then did nothing for our 10 year, but alas, our 11th year blew it out of the water! I can't wait for our 21st anniversary - I wonder where we'll go?}
And so we escaped, thanks to my mom coming to watch the kids for a week. We truly couldn't have done it without her help. Big thanks to "Gobbie", the best grandma in the world. I didn't give the kids a second thought, as far as their safety and well-being is concerned, knowing that they were probably in better hands than they are with me. *chuckle*
We landed on the island of Cozumel, Mexico, to sunny blue skies, which happened to stick around for the entire week, except for about 30 minutes of spitting rain. I cried for joy as our jet left the snowy runway in Chicago. And I cried {again, for joy} when we touched down in Cozumel. The customs line was an hour and a half, but honestly, it didn't matter because we were on vay-cay. We were yuckin' it up with everyone in line, Jack making everyone laugh. I do love that boy. I don't think I wiped the smile off my face for the entire trip. I felt like I had truly escaped the rigors of daily mothering and all responsibilities. It was a beautiful, beautiful thing.
We got tanned but not burned. We scuba-dived {or is it scuba-dove?} and lived to tell about it. {Complete with some fantastic stories to tell.}
We rented a motorcycle a couple days and toured the island, getting off-road and local, just the way we like it. 
We had homemade ice cream almost every single night. We danced the salsa late into the evening with the local island families. We fell asleep listening to the ocean waves lap up on shore. We walked and walked and walked, all the while exploring local neighborhoods.
We promptly fell in love with Cozumel and hope to go back very soonish. Maybe for our 12th anniversary, hun? I'm game? Mom, can we book you now?
I'll do a few more posts on our trip in the coming days, but feel free to skip the 'slide-show' if you're bored. No hard feelings.
In the meantime, here are a few of my favorite clothes-line scenes, my new favorite thing. Upon reflection of why I was so moved by such a simple thing, I do believe it has to do with the thought of a slower-paced life. Hard work, yes, but satisfaction because of said hard work. Clothes blowing in the wind. It seemed reminiscent of days gone by in America, or rural life today. It speaks of family; different sizes and shapes. I guess it just makes me feel all warm and fuzzy and I do like that feeling. And of course, the mix of colors gets me every single time.
Say hello to local, neighborhood life in Cozumel, chock full of laundry lines.
The beauty. Simply outstanding.