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Puerto Vallarta Mexico

Puerto Vallarta Mexico

March 7 - March 14, 2024

Friday:

After I finished work, Greta, Matt, and I drove to Chicago to stay the night in a hotel by O'Hare. We dropped off Wilson at the Christenson's before leaving town. We get to watch Thor when they go on their Spring break later in the month. He didn't seem too bothered going there, they treat him well. Once to our hotel, Greta and Matt worked on their soccer referee training while I walked on the hotel's treadmill. I got to pretend I was walking on New Zeland trails. Noelle and Sammy flew in from Annapolis around 8. After picking them up we all crashed. Lucky Sammy and Noelle got to sleep on a Murphy bed!

Saturday:

This morning I decided to skip my run to sleep in. We had ourselves continental breakfast and hoped on the shuttle to O'Hare. Our flight left at 9:30AM. We all had carry on luggage which made it simpler. Our flight was a direct one. I sat next to Fuzzy, Sammy sat next to Noelle, and dad got a seat a few rows in front of us. I listened to pod casts on biohaking, Greta started and finished a book, and Noelle and Sammy read, journaled, and played hangman. Once to Puerto we flagged down our shuttle driver and made our way to Villa de La Estancia. This is our 4th time here. It kinda feels like our Mexico home away from home. Once here Matt and I hit the grocery store while girls stayed back. We taxied there and back this time. Once back to our place we decided to eat at the restaurant near the bar. The two older girls and Matt enjoyed their first adult beverages while Greta had the Virgin version. After dinner we toured the property and made our way back to the room to crash.

Sunday:

This morning I chose to run South on the beach. Beach running certainly isn't easy. Once back I ate my kale smoothie and oats while the rest of the gang went to the buffet breakfast at the sister resort. Afterwards everyone hit the indoor gym to weight lift. I made a batch of grain free almond coconut muffins. We then headed to the pool to chill. I managed to sit for a while until Matt decided he wanted to get a massage. I was all in on that! The girls stayed behind to sun bathe. After our massage we ate at the same poolside restaurant. We afterwards chilled until it was time to get fancy for sunset photos. Lucky Matt gets to photograph. We decided to order room service tonight and watched a cute Movie all cozied in our California king bed. Soon thereafter we crashed.

Monday:

This morning I opted to run South once again. Once back we made our way to the poolside for more chilling in the sun. This morning I had too much sitting, I couldn't get relaxed. I even tried yoga and mediation…but couldn't chill out. Eventually a beachside massage did the trick. Greta came with us this time. She loved it! We then played cards in our porch until it was time to get dressed up for sunset photos again. My brain couldn't keep up with these guys, at least with this newer game that Noelle recently taught us. Now with Euchre, I could play that in my sleep. Afterwards we headed to the sushi restaurant. Dad loves to order the whole menu for us to share. Everyone loved that! We all crashed soon thereafter.

Tuesday:

This morning I ran North toward Bucerias. The shoreline was much more difficult to run on. We all went to the breakfast buffet this morning in our resort. The options aren't as amazing as La Flamingo's breakfast buffet. I did still enjoy the oatmeal with blueberries and honey. Afterwards we chilled poolside. Today the girls got an itch to jet ski. Sammy and Noelle rode on one and Fuzzy and Matt on the other. I stayed back to be photographer and stroll the beach. Matt said it was fun, but not nearly as fun & fast as using Mark's. We ordered poolside appetizers today for lunch. Then Sammy and Noelle accepted my rainbow challenge. So I challenged the girls to a contest. Who could take photos of flowers covering all colors of the rainbow the quickest, won a prize. Well….they liked the idea but twisted the challenge. They decided to orders alcoholic beverages of the colors of the rainbow…photos at each one. Then the group of college girls next to us….did it too. What started at an innocent challenge became a drinking game….oops!! Noelle and Sammy slept for awhile while Matt and I decided to walk to our grocery store. We were in need of brownie mix, chocolate, and gluten free waffles, grape no sugar added jam, and tequila. No such luck for Matt, the store was out of tequila. After gathering our groceries Matt and I headed to check out and felt exhausted. Neither one of us wanted to admit that a 1 mile walk was too exhausting and that a cab ride sounded so amazing for the way back. It was fortunate we didn't cave in because on the way back we saw an alligator. I got a close up video and then started sprinted away once Matt shared with me that they are known to run up to 30 miles an hour! Matt, Greta, and I decided to hit our gym for a weight lifting session guided by fit bod. I had a little too much chlorophyll water. I couldn't stop sneezing after that!! Once back to our place we chilled until sunset photos and dinner at the Italian restaurant. Once back to our room we crashed.

Wednesday:

This morning I opted to skip my morning run and instead walk with Matt along the new paved path to Bucerias. We took a recommendation of a lady who has been coming to this resort for 15 years. She said Cafe De Bucerias is amazing. It was about a 2 mile walk one way. The food was stellar. I got oats with chia, blueberries, bananas, coconut milk, with a side of green tea and honey. Matt ordered huevos rancheros. We decided to walk the beach back. Poor Matt had troubles with his feet, we frequently had to stop for him to chill. Once back to our resort we chilled poolside. I did some yoga in the room. Lunch consisted of nachos at guac poolside. The frequently ordered food. Afterwards the girls made brownies, Matt and I got massages on the beach again and Greta went to work out at the gym. Today the girls played sand volleyball at our sister resort. Today I also spotted Fred, our resort's iguana. He looked so much larger! Once the sun took away all our energy we made our way to our room to chill and then play cards. We taught Sammy how to play Euchre. As sunset was approaching we did sunset photos in our hot tub. Unfortunately they didn't have the fire near the hot tub going. None the less the photos turned out great. We showered up and headed to the stake restaurant at our resort. Our live entertainment was great. The pianist and vocalist were amazing! Matt even agreed! We debated going to kareoke at our sister resort but Matt clams his voice is toast, given his ear plugging going on. Thank goodness he sees ENT next week. We were all exhausted as well so we made our way back to the resort to crash before 10pm.

Thursday:

I slept in till 7:45 this morning! I felt like a million dollars! Matt had been down at the poolside sitting at our reserved chairs for over an hour. These chairs are definitely fought over. One mom, from California, was trying to pick a fight over chairs with Matt, but realized she was attempting to argue with a Midwest person, I guess we are too polite! I did end up chatting with her, she was friendly afterall, just under a lot of family and work stress…like not conversing with her son who moved out. Anyway, I decided to run South along the beach. The rest of the gang hit La Flamingo's buffet breakfast. We relieved Matt poolside so he could go work out at the gym. We all read our books, soaked up the sun, sat in the hot tub, and ordered our final poolside drinks and snacks. Nachos and guac with dirty monkeys. About mid afternoon we had enough sun and made our way to the room to shower and chill. I took a stroll down the paved path to Bucerias. It would be really pretty but one side is lined with a dirty fence. I guess to keep out the alligator's. After back in our hotel for a while we dressed up for the final sunset photos and planned on going to the Mexican restaurant at our sister resort. However once we got there we realized not one of us was even hungry. Instead we bought ice cream and snacks from the store. Noelle and Sammy also bought Corona T-shirts. Greta bought postcards to write Tate and Clara. We then made our way back to the room for our final game of Euchre. Sammy is a pro now. We all hit the sack around 10pm.

Friday:

My running shoes were soaking wet so I decided to skip making them more wet, the day we depart. Instead of running the beach I ran the paved path to Bucerias. I went out and back as far as I felt safe and then went North on the bike path headed to downtown Puerto. I have decided Puerto air quality doesn't seem the greatest. I have terrible congestion. Once back I had my normal morning smoothie while the gang ate at La Flamingo breakfast buffet. Afterwards we all packed up and are now waiting to catch our shuttle to the airport. We fly direct again, thank goodness. We should be to O'Hare around 6:30. Noelle has already planned friends coming over either tonight or tomorrow night to hang out before she returns to Annapolis on Sunday afternoon.

Our trip was a fun one. I do like the ease of the resort. Matt, on the other hand thinks it needs serious upgrading. Well…maybe we try a new place next Spring break. Sammy says Costa Rica is nice! Until next time…

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