thankful.

we should be thankful all year round, but sometimes we don't get that kick in the butt to remind us until thanksgiving is here.  I feel like every year we forget a little bit more that thanksgiving is even a real holiday.  

I admit that I've already started my christmas shopping and pulled out my decorations from storage. but i'm still excited for thanksgiving.  there is so much to be thankful for this year.

1. health

2. home

3. family

4. friends

5. food

6. job

7. new babies

this may not have been the best year for me (or for others), but looking back some amazing things have happened.  yes, there has been tragedy and heart break...but it's nice to reflect on the stuff we have...while it's still here to celebrate.

my year has been nothing like some of the other blogs I read or like my friends, but it hasn't been the easiest either.  and currently it's still a struggle.  but I just hope that we ALL remember to count our blessings, be kind, give, and have a sense of humor through it all. :) 

mexican wedding: day tres

day 3 of our mexico trip was the wedding day!

we woke up bright and early on saturday...again (that's what going to bed at 8pm will do to you) and set out for a quick breakfast and then straight to the beach.  

there was an abandoned hotel right on the other side of our resort so we ventured over to check it out.  which then resulted in us walking all the way down the beach to "explore."  

we saw a local man "rescuing" baby sea turtles from a nest. 

further down the beach we saw an open beach mansion with no one home (I almost took a dip in their pool), 2 other resorts, and at the end another abandoned resort with a man sitting quietly in the shade. 

luckily, we spotted him and quickly exited.  otherwise, you might hear about my story on a future dateline episode with keith morrison.

then after lunch, another pool hangout, and some heavy rain...it was time to get ready for the wedding.

the ceremony was beautiful.  right on the beach.  

all of the other resort patrons were lined up in beach chairs like spectators.  it felt awkward and weird.  but during the ceremony you could see couples (mostly from different countries) hugging and taking in the whole "love fest."  it was nice to see them all enjoying it.  especially for people they didn't even know.  and they all gave a big round of applause when the ceremony was over.

you can see them behind us in the picture.  more turned up after this was taken.

the reception was just as heartwarming.  

while everyone ate dinner and drank, they ran a slideshow of old photos and videos from friends that couldn't make it to mexico.  

then came the speeches.  so many speeches from friends and family.  but they were all so touching and I might have shed a tear (or 100).  it was overwhelming to hear all of the love and support for tripp and adam.  I wasn't expecting that and I was so touched by it all.

then it was time to PAR-TAY.  the resort "discotheque" didn't open until 11pm so we had some time to kill at the resort bar.  

then we headed to the "disco" and I literally danced my ass off until 3AM.  I have never sweat so much or danced so hard in my life.  luckily, there are no photos because I was legit a HOT MESS!

then, we woke up at 6:30AM to catch our 7:50AM bus to the airport and spend the rest of my day in airports.

p.s. if you ever stay at the Catalonia Royal Tulum in Riviera Maya, you'll get used to seeing these f*ckers every where.  they freaked me out every time.  I was one of the select few that was disgusted by them.  there were just so many and they were little ass stalkers.

mexican wedding: day uno y dos

in late october, after MONTHS of anticipation, I was off to a destination wedding in mexico.

here's some of us sleepy heads at the GSP airport around 4AM thursday morning.

we arrived at the Cancun airport around 10AM local time and still had about a 90 minute drive to our resort.  

our group of 4, met up with 7 others that were in mexico for the same wedding and we piled into a bus that was waiting to take us to our destination.

the driver offered to stop at the next gas station so we could get some beer and start the party early on our way to the resort.  everyone got about a 6 pack of whatever beer we could find.  and we cranked up the jimmy buffet pandora and were on our way.

once we arrived at the resort, we couldn't check into our rooms yet, but we met with the happy couple and they gave us all fun "welcome bags" with all sorts of goodies.

since we couldn't check into our rooms yet, we just enjoyed a lunch outside at one of the resort restaurants.  after lunch, we pulled our bathing suits out of our suitcases and several of us wedding guests mingled around this "kiddie pool" area.  

some of us (ie...me) got extremely intoxicated and ended up asleep by 5pm that day.  but in my defense, I had been up since 3AM.

we were invited to attend a "bachelor party" of sorts for the grooms that night, but declined based on our lack of sleep.  

since we went to sleep at 5PM, we were up at 7AM on Friday ready to start our first full day in mexico.  we had breakfast and caught up with some of our friends who had flown in for the wedding.

then we took it to the beach...

and spent most of our day there...it rained around lunch time, so we broke up our beach day for food.  

after lunch...more beach, drinks, beach, drinks...

then later that afternoon we joined all of the other wedding guests (there were around 65 total in attendance for this wedding ) at the pool

celebrating with one of the grooms

friday night ended early for us as well...many drinks by the beach and the pool...meant another early night full of sleep.

next up: wedding day