Jansen's Go To Mexico

My parent's had their 40th anniversary this year. What better way to celebrate than to spend a week at an all-inclusive in Mexico?? We were going to go with just the kids and our spouses, but then Lindsey went and had twins this summer and Jonathan's wife is pregnant and so so sick so we went added two babies, went without a SIL, and added a family friend. Oh ya! I haven't even shared that Jon and Courtney are pregnant!!!

Jonathan and Courtney are pregnant!! They're due on May 26, 2013! Courtney has been in and out of the hospital as she has hyperemesis gravidarum (severe debilitating nausea and vomiting), but baby is healthy and mama is hopefully starting to feel better. Due to her condition (the hyperemesis gravidarum, not the pregnancy) Courtney couldn't travel with us.

Oh! I don't think I've mentioned that Erik's sister is also pregnant! She's due May 25, 2013. So Erik and I will have two new babies waiting to meet their favourite Auntie and Uncle when we get home!

Back to Mexico. There was a grand total of 20 of us and we had a fabulous time! We went to Puerto Vallarta and stayed at Velas Vallarta. I'm told it was a small resort, but I'd never been to an all-inclusive so I had nothing to compare it to. It may have been small, but it was perfect for us because you want to be able to find people easily when you go with such a large group. The last week of November was the perfect time to go too because the resort was all-but-deserted. We had a suite on the ground floor right by the pool so Lindsey could put the girls down and take the baby monitor pool-side. It was awesome!

The week was spent lounging by the pool, eating way to much food, playing tennis, jumping waves in the ocean (read: being beaten by the ocean, drinking so much salt water that two of my brothers puked), reading, playing tennis/ping pong/beach volleyball/water volleyball, playing cribbage, chatting, laughing, snuggling sweet little babes, and enjoying everyone's company.

I love my nieces and nephews dearly, but it was nice to just have adults there. It's sometimes nice to just be us. No one had to entertain children, worry about kids running off, deal with tantrums or boredom. We just got to enjoy each other's company.

Lindsey's vacation wasn't as relaxing as the rest of ours, but she enjoyed herself too. Her girls did so well! They are now 4 months and are easy going little ladies so they slept poolside or in their playpen. They had many aunties and uncles who doted on them.

I enjoyed hanging out with my family, having no responsibility, eating when I wanted, drinking as many strawberry smoothies as I wanted, and snuggling with those babes to my heart's content (are there ever enough snuggles though?).

It was just a wonderful time.