Thinking Tree Thoughts: Vacation Adventures Part II

Happy Anniversary ... again. This was the longest anniversary celebration ever. Kip told everyone it was our anniversary at every occasion from June until August.

It is practically cliche for men to forget their anniversary.

Not Kip.

He celebrates our anniversary like it was Christmas and his birthday combined. He can tell you how we celebrated every anniversary, every year, going back to our first in 1995. (We rented a cabin in Colorado that time – it had a hot tub with a fake rock wall/waterfall. I think we only stayed one night and his parents were in a cabin around the corner. But at 21 and 19, it was still pretty cool.)

Now that we are “grown up” with work and family responsibilities, he looks forward to our anniversary as an opportunity to get away for a night or two – with just me.

This year my parents offered to take the kids for a week or two so we could celebrate our 15th anniversary in style. We took them up on the offer, extending it to almost three weeks so I could also go to New Orleans with Kip.

And that is how I ended up in Mexico, basking in the sun, drifting along on a pool raft, living like I was born to relax.

Kip reading a "highly relational, low-action" book I recommended.

It was completely extravagant and I apologize to anyone prone to jealousy. Stop reading now. It was a week of complete amazingness. Yes, that is a word. I just made it up. Ideas for new words come up when you float in a pool for hours, stopping only to reapply spf 50.

Hotel entrance

When we arrived at the nearly brand new resort in Playa Mujeres, we were greeted by massive double doors opening and a man in a suit offering us champagne.

Kip wondered out loud if we had died and gone to heaven.

The grounds were immaculate. Every detail had been tastefully engineered to promote romance and relaxation. We spent the first few hours just walking around, taking pictures, taking it all in.

It was pretty hot, so after Skyping with my parents and hearing the kids beautiful voices, we headed down to the beach. The resort had little catamarans and kayaks, and Kip didn’t waste much time getting out on the water. Warm wind and clear emerald waters made this my favorite sailing experience yet.

Over the next week we biked, played water volleyball, read books, met wonderful couples from England, ate great food (still not sure if my annoying 5-lb post vacation weight gain was the bread pudding in New Orleans or the chips and guacamole here), and tried out every beach cabana and beach chair. It was pretty much the most restful vacation ever.

This is actually the world's most romantic bar. You can order a glass of wine at night and snuggle up under the stars.

Best sailing ever

We played water volleyball nearly every day. I was a little intimidated at first, but jumped in and had a great time.

Kip is playing ping pong with Enrique, a wonderful resort employee who was hired to play ping pong with guys like Kip so their wives can give up after half an hour of playing ping pong in 100 degree heat and enjoy reading a book in the shade, which is what you SHOULD do in 100 degree weather. I loved that guy.

We did this too. ...

I took this picture and then joined Kip. Did I mention sailing is better in Mexico?

Pineapple on the beach

My favorite, crepes! In Mexico, pretending to be in Paris.

Cafe overlooking pool area and beach. The dining area was actually over the pool. People swam under us while we ate.

Another vacationer, a honeymooner from England, told me definitively that it takes four weeks to have a proper holiday -- the first to properly prepare, two to enjoy the actual vacation and the last to recover. I’d like to work for his boss.

But in a way it’s true. I didn’t really unwind and relax until we had been there a couple days.

In fact, it wasn’t until the second or third day that we even talked about our life in California. I found this really strange, because we are both dreamers and romanticists. We always talk about where we have been and we dream up new adventures together. That is just part of what we do.

But I think during this vacation week we needed time together to forget about the past and the future and just enjoy being alive in the now. It was refreshing to say the least.

Thanks Mom and Dad for helping make this happen!

Kip liked the evening dress code .... dressy .... every night.

After another day in the sun.

Kip started the dancing one night at the resort's "discotech." Here he is demonstrating the "worm" for all the Brits who are taking pictures for their Facebook albums.