Awkward and Awesome Vacation

We are back!

Actually, we have been back since Saturday night, but we have been going and going non-stop since then.

For some reason I always feel like I need a few vacation days after my vacation.

Am I the only one that feels this way?

We had such a great week at the Secrets Silversands resort in the Riviera Maya!

Our days pretty much looked like this:

Sleep in.

Eat Breakfast.

Go to the beach.

Eat lunch.

Go to the pool.

Take a nap.

Go to dinner.

Evening entertainment.

Watch movies.

Repeat.

It was just what we needed. 

Though we didn't seem to do very much all week, a lot of interesting things happened. 

I am going to copy one of the blogs I follow and list all the happenings into "Awkward" and "Awesome".

Awkward:

- Missing our flight to Cancun. Okay, no, that was awful and I almost cried. We were 2 minutes late checking in. Luckily, there was another flight 1.5 hours later. However, since we got the tickets last minute we were at the back of the plane. Which leads to...

- Using the barf bag on the airplane. To make it worse, we landed about 10 seconds after I threw up. I hate flying.

This is at the beginning of the flight

- How fast conversation stops once people find out that Michael is a minister. 

- The lack of clothing on the girls in the evening entertainment. Particularly that they wore thongs. Weird. And probably uncomfortable for them.

Yeah, and that's from the front.

- Swimming in the pool and as we are getting out the resort workers are putting caution tape around it. 

Also awkward is the fact that the guys were cleaning the pool with scrub brushes, not pool vacuums. 

Closed 3 days.

- Being called on stage to assist the magician during the evening entertainment. Don't worry, it gets worse. At the end of my part the guy points to his cheek for a kiss. I say no, and that I'm with my husband, pointing at Michael. What does he do? He says, "Go for it." Are you kidding me? So, I go to give the guy a little peck on the cheek...

- Getting kissed by a sick nasty magician who turned his head when I went for his cheek. 

I. was. mortified.

Also awkward - this picture. The after

 - Tips being included in our travel package, but not really because all the people there still expected them. Awkward because we never gave one. 

Awesome:

- Having my husband all to myself for an entire week!! 

- Having this view for an entire week. I love the beach. Its one of my favorite places on earth. So relaxing.

- Arriving in Cancun and having everything already paid for. The shuttle to the resort and back, all our meals, 24 hour room service, all the Coca Lights and Frescas we could drink. Everything. 

- Having wonderful friends that let me borrow their clothes. You're the best Claire!!

- The American Way/USA entertainment show. Best part - Bootylicious.

I don't think you can handle this!

- The book The Help. I read it during our trip and loved it! Highly recommend it!

- Hibachi dinner at the Asian restaurant! The fried rice was delicious. And its Michael's favorite food ever so that was a bonus!

- Spending the week without phones or internet and being secluded (besides the 200 other guests who were usually drunk/loud/annoying) on this beautiful beach resort.

It was an incredible week! 

I'm so glad that we decided to do this and that we were able to take such a great vacation.

We are so blessed!

Bye Bye Beard-y

Right about now I am relaxing by the beach reading a book in the Riviera Maya.

But I didn't want to leave without letting you guys see these pictures.

Michael decided to shave before going on vacation, so we had a little bit of fun with his beard before it was completely gone.

Unfortunately we forgot to take a before, so this will have to suffice.

Thanks Mom and Dad for the Cracker Barrel!

The beard was getting a little long and grizzly...and he was touching it alot...so it was time to say goodbye.

Phase 1: Chops

Phase 2: Ringo Soul Patch  (his name, not mine)

Phase 3: Steve Johns

And now he's back to the Michael we all know and love:

I think we are both regretting the shave a little bit though.

I grew attached to the scruff, so it may be back pretty soon. 

Plus, he just looks so much younger with that pretty, baby face!

Where Did Summer Go?

It seems like it was just last week when I was telling you guys how excited I was for the youth group kids to get out of school and for all the summer activities to start, and now, those activities are almost all over. 

It went by so fast this year!

I guess it does every year, but it seems to have really blown by this time.

This is the week of summer where we would usually have an Intern Party and a closing to the summer. 

Since Michael doesn't have interns, we're just leaving on vacation and calling it the end of summer!

Haha!

Not really...but pretty much.

Last week Michael had a Service Scavenger Hunt on Tuesday, bowling on Thursday, a baptism on Friday (CONGRATS SAMANTHA!)
a youth rally all day on Saturday - outside, I might add...it was hot! - and then a Graduate Send-off today after evening services.
All of that is just the past 6 days!
Its been a busy week, and an even busier summer.
We wouldn't want it any other way though.

Michael and I have had so much fun spending time with the JV Youth group and getting to know all of them.
We feel so blessed to be a part of a congregation that takes such an interest in the lives of their young people.
We also feel blessed that the young people have such big hearts, and a desire to serve the Lord and be a light in this world.
And lastly, we praise God for all the teens who gave their life to Christ and were baptized this summer!

Thank you to all the parents, youth kids, adult sponsors, teachers, and others who have made this summer the best it could be through their dedication of time, service, encouragement, and prayer.
We could not have done it without you!
Here are some highlights from our summer with the JV Youth:

VBS at JV

We loved getting to serve at Impact

Twins...embarrassing or not?

Galveston Beach Day

The JV Group at Camp Bandina

White Water Rafting in Colorado

Trek Group on Summit Day

Capture the Flag at the Girl's Retreat

A Little Down Time

Not much has been going on here this week.

Since I am finished with my summer class (yay!) we have had alot more time at home than we are used to...and its been wonderful!

Michael has been pretty busy this week with youth activities everyday.

I have been pretty busy cleaning house (it needed it so bad) and finally finishing setting things up in the new house.

Yes, we have lived here over 2 months.

No, I am still not finished putting everything where I want it to go.

Its a big house.

And a slow process for me.

I am proud to say that I finally finished the living room though!

In this post I was at a loss for what to do with our built-ins.

I spent alot of time working on them this week and I am pretty happy with them.

Plus, I didn't spend tons of money at Home Goods like I thought I was going to have to! 

Here's the before:

 

And After:

Can you even tell a difference?

Yeah, Michael couldn't either. 

It at least looks like organized chaos now, right?

Since I have had Tuesday and Thursday nights open, I was able to work on a craft last night.

I have been wanting to do something with the ugly, outdated clock that came in our kitchen.

Can you see it there right under the fan?

Well it was navy and gold and probably circa 1985.

It needed help.

I didn't want to buy a new one.

And it was cheap so I wasn't going to be mad if I ruined it.

Here's what it looks like after a little scrapbook paper and spray paint (which I already had, making this project FREE!)

At least a little bit cuter!

And it goes with the colors in the kitchen now.

Yesterday was my brother's anniversary and I didn't have time to post so...

Happy 4th Anniversary Ben and Tosha!!

Secrets Surprise

Remember way back in this post from April when I talked about booking our vacation?

Well, it feels like time has flown since then and our vacation is NEXT WEEK!!!

Can you tell I'm a little excited?

We have been talking about it, thinking about it, and dreaming about it every day and its finally almost here!

Next week I will be reading and relaxing at the beach.

Hallelujah!

If you remember Michael found some crazy deal when booking our trip. 

We got a really good price for the trip, as long as we let someone else pick where we were going to stay.

We knew we would be going to one of the Secrets Resorts in the Riviera Maya, we just weren't sure which one.

The email finally came yesterday and we will be going to...

I'm not sure if one resort is better than either of the others, they are just different.

(That sounded cliche)

But if one is better, or fancier, or something - I think if would be this one.

The only way I can say that is by the fact that almost all of the restaurants have a dress code of "formal" and the other 2 resorts have more "casual" places.

I don't mind...I love dressing up!

Here are a few pictures I found online of the resort.

One of the pools at the resort

The Infinity Pool.

Probably not our room but I wish!

One of the 8 gourmet restaurants at the resort.

Another restaurant that is over the ocean

We don't leave until Monday and I have already started packing.

I'm that ready for a vacation.

Another little bonus of our trip is that since it is over our anniversary, we get 15% off spa services.

Couple Massage?

I think so!

Leave a comment with book suggestions so I know what to take with me!

Wedding Bells

Like I said yesterday, the reason we went to Tulsa this past weekend was to attend a wedding.

Libby, my friend from youth group days, got married this past Saturday at the Dresser Mansion in downtown Tulsa. 

I would have gone to her wedding no matter where it was, but it was a HUGE bonus that we got to see lots of family while we were there. 

Michael and I before the wedding

It was a beautiful wedding!

So relaxed and sweet, with lots of little touches from the couple. 

The ceremony was outside, so it was a little warm/steamy, but luckily it had rained earlier in the day so it wasn't as bad as it could have been.

Libby looked absolutely gorgeous...as always.

Perfect dress

Me with the MOH Natalie. Great dress!

Parents

The beautiful bride!

I'm so glad that we were there to take part in her and Matt's special day. 

Maybe since we both live in the same state now (hasn't happened in 5 years) we will actually get so see more than 30 minutes/year.

Congratulations Libby and Matt!

Tulsa Times

A couple weekends ago I went to Oklahoma and got see everyone in my family.

This past weekend Michael and I both got to spend time with his family in Tulsa. 

We drove to Tulsa on Thursday.

Went to the hospital to see his grandparents before his grandpa's surgery.
*Last I heard, the surgery went well. He is still recovering in the hospital though.

And spent lots of time with these precious girls.

Ashley loves her Uncle Mike!

Me with little Emmy-Belle

Matt came drove down once he got off work on Friday, so we had the whole family there all day on Friday.

That night we went to the movies and it was so much fun.

The boys went to see Cowboys vs Aliens - which they recommend  - and Krista and I went to see Crazy Stupid Love - which we highly recommend (especially for Ryan Gosling fans like ourselves ;) 

It was so nice to be able to spend time with everyone!

Living so far away from all of our family has really made us cherish the little time that we do get to spend with them. 

Especially our nieces, who are growing up so fast!

My parents came to Tulsa on Saturday since they were going to the wedding that night too (more on that later)

They stayed the night at the Johns' that night so we were all able to go to Park Plaza and have lunch together on Sunday. 

Johns Family

Us with my parents after church

We love these little girls so much!!

We were in town for 4 days, but it always seems to go so fast! 

We are already counting down the days until we get to see everyone again!

Ashley and Emily were not happy to see Buster leave.

He is always the one that is missed the most by our nieces and nephew. 

I guess he's the favorite!