Jamaica

My Mom and her husband Danny just took the four of us (plus his 2 sons and my niece) to Jamaica for an entire week to celebrate their birthdays! We stayed at Beaches Boscobel in Ocho Rios (I just learned I have been pronouncing Ocho Rios wrong for a decade - the I in Rios is long :). 3-of my Aunt's came down the second night to surprise the sense out of my Mom and it worked - without a hitch! Pretty crazy when you think of all the stars that had to align in order for it to happen.

This was the night we surprised my Mom and Danny

Beaches was the most fantastically kid - I'll go as far as to say - oriented place we've ever seen or heard of! It was great! They had...let me count...8+ water slides and 3 pools plus a toddler pool too. All water sports included - even snorkeling! They had an entire section of the buffet for kids with little tables and chairs with the walls full of sesame street characters. Speaking of Sesame Street, we saw a half dozen shows by the pool of all the characters dancing (you could tell they were Jamaican - they had a lot more rhythm than their American counterparts) and singing and interacting with the audience. We even baked cookies with Cookie Monster!

Wow, is what Grace said when she saw these slides!

Ava, Chloe and Grace watching one of many Sesame Street shows

Grace and Ava floating just off the beach

Each day we ate and drank as much of whatever we wanted - I gained 7lbs in 7 days. That will most certainly take more than 7 days to lose! I apparently love Red Stripe and Pina Coladas! And any rum concoction George the bartender could think up. The girls had a million virgin strawberry daiquiris and ice cream cones. It was no problem, mon!

Brett and I spent our honeymoon in Ocho Rios in 2000. This was a homecoming of sorts for us. Since we had such a rough year, we thought it appropriate to renew our vows while we were there and it was a beautiful place to do it. I spent a lot of time reflecting on how much baggage (good and bad) we brought back with us this time around! 9 years of memories, 2 kids, 2 moves, 2 jobs, 2 family deaths, 4 family births, bad times, good times, lifetimes!

Renewing our Vows on the 15th of June

All in all, it was the best vacation I've had in years. I did not cook or clean for an entire week. I did not put one child in time out - not once! I've stumbled upon a secret for all moms - give your kids 3-pools and 8 water slides and they're so busy, they don't even think about misbehaving!

We built a room of memories this trip that I'm sure we'll gladly drag right back next time we go. Until then, See Ya Mon.