Well, I suppose I should write a bit about our trip.

It was GREAT! We had perfect weather - never too hot where you feel sticky and gross - but hot enough to be out by the pool or on the beach every day.

On the way to the airport (5am on a Sunday) we realized we forgot to pack our sunscreen - so we went to the 24hr Sobeys and I ran in and bought some. Thing is I bought sunblock instead of sunscreen - so we didn't get much tan at all.

The resort was nice. It had the buffet, a pizzeria and a grill and the different bars (3 or 4 down by the pools and beach) and then the restaurants you have to make reservations for - Italian, Mexican and a Steakhouse. The pizzeria was our favourite - it was overlooking the beach and was all open and quaint - candlelit and lanterns - and hardly anyone went there. Best pizza ever!

We took the city bus into Puerto Plata one day which was a lot of fun. Love wandering around the main city away from the resorts. The people there are very poor and are always asking for money or for you to buy something - but they are good about accepting "no". I've been in other countries where they will just keep buggging you and hounding you. But here they were polite and we never felt in danger.

The best part of the trip was the beach. Our resort was at the end of the strip of resorts on the beach. If we turned left on the beach we would walk by all the resorts - we'd do this once a day or so and have fun people watching. But the best was if we turned right out of our resort within 5 minutes we hit quiet beach. Then we kept walking and walking - crossed two places where you had to wade through water as the beach ended and it took us to our own private beach. You would see the odd person every so often, but there was enough beach that no one had to stop within eyesight of another person. Loved that.

We stayed by the pool a lot - it was nice and quiet. The pool by our room was more the quiet one where people read and lounged. The other pool area was noisier where there were more games and such. Mark and I went to the other pool one day and he got roped in to Waterpolo - had a lot of fun.

We both read a lot - Mark even finished books! I read:
The Locket
The Carousel
Angry Housewives Eating Bonbons

and then I had this idea to read some of my old favourite kid's books so I read:
Blubber
Beezus & Ramona
DoubleFudge

Mark and I both loved Fudge - had us laughing out loud. And I liked the novels I read. I also read parts of Spirit of the Disciplines which is excellent - I just have a hard time reading non-fiction and concentrating when in that setting.

The girls were happy to see us home - although Eden was a bit confused. Whenever someone asked where we were when we were away she told them we were jogging. She must think we're much more fit than we are!!

I had prepared a video with a corresponding gift bag for each day we were gone - each day had a book Mark or I would read on the video and then I left the book (usually a library book that was new to the girls) in the giftbag for them to enjoy along with some other craft or item that went along with the book. For example the one days book was "I want to be a Cowgirl" so I left their cowboy boots from the dressup box in the bag along with a cowboy hat for my sister to wear with them. Well the cowboy boots were a hit - the girls are still wearing them and talking about them. You would never have kown they've had them for over a year in the dress up box neglected!

Madi has been overly affectionate since we got back. I hear every ten minutes or so "I love you, mom. You're the bestest mom ever." Very cute. Eden never grasped where we were so I think she's more confused. At first when I'd get up to go to the washroom or anything she'd yell "Don't leave me!" but now she's back to herself.

Couldn't believe how much the girls seemed to have grown while we were away. Both Mark and I both said that they seem so much older since we left. Time goes by too quick!

All in all it was a great vacation - a good chance to relax and reconnect. We both agreed that all-inclusives are fun and a great deal - but not something we feel drawn to do a lot of. We both prefer our usual style of travel - fly somewhere and then sleep in hostels, cars, bus stations, camp, etc. and make our own food. This is more our personality and liking. But this trip was what we needed at this time. Fun!

A big thank you to my mom & dad and to Marcie for splitting the week watching our girls. I know they had a lot of fun with you guys.