Its been a few days now since we've returned home. Those days have given me time to look back on the highlights of our trip and each time I smile.
I've always said that being close to the ocean helps me to self-reflect. When the noise and busyness of life is blocked, its easy to see clearly. It allowed me remember who I am and what I value most.
That's what I will remember most from this trip... waking up early to watch a Barbie movie with Sammy, walking and talking with Tyler on the sidewalk in town, snuggling on the verandah, playing in the water... just being ourselves, laughing and feeling accepted and loved. As I look back now, those are the memories that stand out... not the beach or pool or sun... its the love I can see in the pictures.
Thanks for a great trip again this year. I continue to be impressed by your excitement and willingness (most of the time) to try new things. I cannot wait for our next adventure!
Tuesday, April 12, 2016
Monday, April 11, 2016
The Long Trip Home - Day 9
With alarms set for 4:00 am, Mary and I were both surprised when we woke up at 3:30 instead. Apparently God thought we needed more time this morning!
We packed up our chargers and bath bags had some snacks for breakfast. We were downstairs waiting on the curb by 4:30... and were still waiting at 4:50 am. Hmm. That's not good. Our ride never showed! So we asked a security guard if he could help and he called a friend who drove a taxi. The man showed up quickly but only had a mini-van... for 6 of us, 6 luggage, 6 carry-ons, and a stroller. We squeezed in and were on our way as soon as possible.
The ride to the airport was interesting. The van lacked suspension in the rear so it was bouncy! Beyond that, every dash indicator was lit up and the gas tank read empty. BUT... we were on our way and beggars cannot be choosers.
Once we arrived, we stood in line for 20 minutes waiting to check our bags. We were already 30 minutes behind from the driver, so I started getting nervous. But, God just blew open the doors for us as we were never more than 5th in line as we approached each of the 5 security stops. We had no time to stop for breakfast as we immediately boarded the plane.
The plane ride went really well. I was grateful that the personal entertainment package offered more movies on this flight. While waiting for our ride, Sammy dropped my iPad and shattered the screen... I was nervous to be going into a long flight like this without it but Sammy did great! As soon as we boarded, Sammy synchronized our screens so we could watch Ice Age together. It was very sweet.
We had about 1.5 hours to get our luggage, get thru immigration and go back through security. Everything went smoothly and again God took care of the details allowing us short lines and friendly staff. We were speed-walking through JFK to find our gate... no time to stop for lunch! As the gate came into sight we looked up at the displays and realized our flight had been delayed an hour. Ugh! Although we were disappointed, we appreciated having the time to slow down and made our way back to The Shake Shack for a good lunch. We relaxed a while longer with a few rounds of Uno and Spot-It.
As we headed back to our gate, I received a notice on my phone that they had upped the time of our flight and it was LEAVING in 15 minutes. Again, we had to speed walk to get to the gate and walked right on the plane. The flight staff was quick to settle us all in our seats so we could take off and make up some of the time... until we had a glitch with the boarding agent and needed to wait 30 minutes for take off.
Eventually we did take off and we had another uneventful flight. The kids did amazing!
I made a Starbucks run while we waited for the stroller. Then we made our way through the Detroit airport to find our bags. When we arrived, the carousal was stopped and our 6 were the only remaining bags on the belt. Wonderful! We grabbed them and headed out for our trolley to the parking lot.
Since we drove two vehicles, the girls loaded up the black truck while the boys headed on to the red one. Scott was surprised to find his battery was dead! So we waited just a second while the driver went to get jumper cables and were on the road in minutes!
We were leaving Detroit right around 5:00 pm so the traffic was pretty heavy for quite a while.
From the outside it seems we had a lot of things go wrong today... but none of them caused issue. Each time we felt God intervene and take care of the situation on our behalf. It was an adventure and so fun to see our Heavenly Father at work.
We drove home, stopping at Wendy's in Howell for supper. We pulled in the driveway minutes before 8:00 pm. Its been 16 hours of travel and we are tired and ready for bed. It is good to be home!
We packed up our chargers and bath bags had some snacks for breakfast. We were downstairs waiting on the curb by 4:30... and were still waiting at 4:50 am. Hmm. That's not good. Our ride never showed! So we asked a security guard if he could help and he called a friend who drove a taxi. The man showed up quickly but only had a mini-van... for 6 of us, 6 luggage, 6 carry-ons, and a stroller. We squeezed in and were on our way as soon as possible.
The ride to the airport was interesting. The van lacked suspension in the rear so it was bouncy! Beyond that, every dash indicator was lit up and the gas tank read empty. BUT... we were on our way and beggars cannot be choosers.
Once we arrived, we stood in line for 20 minutes waiting to check our bags. We were already 30 minutes behind from the driver, so I started getting nervous. But, God just blew open the doors for us as we were never more than 5th in line as we approached each of the 5 security stops. We had no time to stop for breakfast as we immediately boarded the plane.
We had about 1.5 hours to get our luggage, get thru immigration and go back through security. Everything went smoothly and again God took care of the details allowing us short lines and friendly staff. We were speed-walking through JFK to find our gate... no time to stop for lunch! As the gate came into sight we looked up at the displays and realized our flight had been delayed an hour. Ugh! Although we were disappointed, we appreciated having the time to slow down and made our way back to The Shake Shack for a good lunch. We relaxed a while longer with a few rounds of Uno and Spot-It.
As we headed back to our gate, I received a notice on my phone that they had upped the time of our flight and it was LEAVING in 15 minutes. Again, we had to speed walk to get to the gate and walked right on the plane. The flight staff was quick to settle us all in our seats so we could take off and make up some of the time... until we had a glitch with the boarding agent and needed to wait 30 minutes for take off.
Eventually we did take off and we had another uneventful flight. The kids did amazing!
I made a Starbucks run while we waited for the stroller. Then we made our way through the Detroit airport to find our bags. When we arrived, the carousal was stopped and our 6 were the only remaining bags on the belt. Wonderful! We grabbed them and headed out for our trolley to the parking lot.
Since we drove two vehicles, the girls loaded up the black truck while the boys headed on to the red one. Scott was surprised to find his battery was dead! So we waited just a second while the driver went to get jumper cables and were on the road in minutes!
From the outside it seems we had a lot of things go wrong today... but none of them caused issue. Each time we felt God intervene and take care of the situation on our behalf. It was an adventure and so fun to see our Heavenly Father at work.
We drove home, stopping at Wendy's in Howell for supper. We pulled in the driveway minutes before 8:00 pm. Its been 16 hours of travel and we are tired and ready for bed. It is good to be home!
Sunday, April 10, 2016
The Last Time... - Day 8
It's funny how distant home becomes when you truly start to relax on vacation. The typical chores, the to do list all seem to fade from your memory. But today brought it all back as we shared our last morning together on the verandah, our last trip to the pool, the last swim at the beach, etc.
Even so, it was a great day. We had oatmeal, eggs and toast for breakfast. The kids and I did Bible as the adults finished their coffee. Then after a few stories on the verandas, we headed to the pool and beach. It was busier today so we didn't get our usual spot by the pol or at the beach but it still wasn't even what we typically expect in the USA.
We threw the beach ball, Mary and I laid out in the pool... It was glorious!
We decided to head up to the condo and make our lunch... Macaroni and cheese with hotdogs. Seriously, JC's been waiting for it all week! As I got the kids prepped and worked on brushing Sammy's hair, the guys started lunch.
It was just after the noodles went in that Scott reported, "I hate to break it to you..." There were bugs in the macaroni... Well they were now boiling to their doom but... Shoot! It didn't take long for us to discuss the possible protein value, think about the likelihood of removing them all, and then consider how many bugs we've already likely consumed on this trip. So it was decided, we would proceed with the meal after the guys attempted to scoop them out... I couldn't help but share the pic.
[pic]
After lunch JC and Mary headed down to the beach to work on their tan while Scott and I settled on the verandah with our headphones... We were both asleep shortly after.
After the kids came out to check on us (cough) wake us up, we got our suits on for one more dip in the pool.
Sammy and I went right in but the boys headed down to see the Wielhouwers and then they and JC went for a walk. (Mary stayed behind to finish her book)
I thought I heard some distant thunder so Sammy and I got out of the pool and decided to catch up on their walk.
We headed east onto the neighboring resort property and took a quick dip in the ocean before heading back.
Pic of swim, turtle
Mary met us on the way back and the. We all headed back to the pool.
Scott and I headed over to the restaurant and ordered our meals to give the rest of the group an extended swim time and they all were coming out as our food arrived.
After dinner, Scott and JC headed across the street for some snacks for tomorrow's flight and some dessert. Mary, the kids and I headed back to the condo to start packing our things.
We tucked the kids in bed around 8:00 pm and turned on a book for story time. After we finished packing, we grabbed some ice cream and spent time reflecting on our trip.
It's been a great week and we are all rested and relaxed. But it's time to head home tomorrow and we all have a big day ahead!
Saturday, April 9, 2016
Warmth and Waves - Day 7
It was another beautiful day! We relaxed all morning... the kids were content watching movies and playing their iPads while the adults enjoyed the view from the verandah. Scott made eggs for breakfast again while the kids and I did Bible.
Eventually we made it out to the pool area. It was close to 12:00 noon and Sammy was a little upset so we decided to grab some snacks from the restaurant. Sammy had her favorite while the rest of us split some quesadillas under the shade pavilion. As the week goes on, and my memory of Spanish improves, and its gotten much easier to communicate with the wait staff.
We have really enjoyed these round sitting areas around the pool. They look like hot tubs but are exactly the same temp as the pool (which is really warm).
Scott and Tyler spent some time playing in the sand by the ocean while I played with Sammy in the pool. When they came back, Sammy took over playing with Daddy and the whole pool area echoed with her laughter.
Scott, the kids and I headed up to the condo a little after 2. Our faces peeled today and the fresh layer of skin is really tender so I didn't want to risk getting another sunburn. The kids did their own thing while Scott and I relaxed in the living room and enjoyed some quiet conversation.
I made snacks to hold us over but Tyler preferred some M&Ms. From the kitchen I heard, "Oh No!" When I asked what was the matter, he had that same look on his face and believe it or not, he had lost another tooth! Wow! You cannot make this stuff up!
JC and Mary stayed out most of the afternoon and when they returned it was close to supper time. We haven't eaten off site much on this trip so we decided to do so tonight. Sammy asked if we could go to the restaurant that had dancing last year. So we did.
It was a wonderful meal. The wait staff again was super accommodating and the food tasted great. We got back to the condo around 8:00 pm and started our movie night... Megamind.
After that, I made Sammy a chocolate shake. She was VERY excited to have one again and I was very proud of my creativity in pulling it off. Until Scott pointed out the blender that's sitting on the counter. Oh well... it was made with love and I'm sure she will love it regardless :)
We tucked the kids in bed and then headed out to the verandah for our ice cream. But we didn't stay long. The power kept flicking on and off and had the kids worried so I came in to be closer to them. We all decided it was best to call it a night and were asleep before 11.
When asked what their favorite part has been so far:
- Tyler - the experience of swimming so fast with my flippers
- Sammy - the pool and french fries
Friday, April 8, 2016
Its Not Snowing Here! - Day 6
We were up and out on the verandah again this morning. When everyone was awake, we decided to make something quick for breakfast... oatmeal and toast and applesauce. Everyone seemed to appreciate being able to stay in once again and have a relaxing start to our day.
Eventually we headed out to the pool. We set up in this covered sitting area near the pool and spent most of the morning / early afternoon there in the water.
For something different, Tyler and I went down by the beach and waded out in the ocean with Mary. The water was really clear today... and really warm!
Then it was back to the pool! (I know its rough, right?)
We headed back to the condo with take out from the restaurant around 1:30 pm. More hamburgers (without the blue cheese) and quesadillas with guacamole! Oh, and of course, the french fries.
We hung out on the verandah again while Scott got caught up on work and the kids watched some TV. After I knew everyone was settled, I headed back down to the beach for some quiet time with my book. Again, the stretching shadows in the afternoon sun were gorgeous! I thoroughly enjoyed every minute!
I headed in around 5:30 pm and did Bible with the kids. After that, it was time to eat so we prepped Spaghetti, corn, garlic bread and fresh pineapple and ate outside on the verandah! It was a great meal with familiar food and a remarkable view!
Sammy got to pick the movie tonight so she decided on Toy Story. We stopped halfway for bedtime snacks and I attempted to make a chocolate shake for her. After the movie, the kids hit the sack and we adults headed outside, ice cream in hand, to share a few final stories on the verandah.
Another great day! It was a hot one, and with the heat comes two downsides...
- Its been almost impossible to avoid getting a sun burn. Honestly I have been applying sunscreen (SPF 50 or 70) on the kids every 1.5-2 hrs and we are still turning red.
- The temperature of the sand and concrete make it nearly impossible to walk around without shoes.
But on the other hand, we have stayed quite comfortable as the ocean breezes keep us from overheating. Besides, several friends and families shared pics of the snow on the ground at home so... there's no complaints about the sun from us!
Thursday, April 7, 2016
Another Day in Paradise - Day 5
Today we decided to make our own breakfast here at the condo. Scrambled Eggs, Toast, Yogurt/Applesauce, Cereal and Fresh Pineapple. Everyone agreed the local eggs were super tasty!
We relaxed a bit longer this morning until the ladies and kids headed down to the pool to play. Scott and JC stayed back and relaxed on the verandah. The infinity pool is HUGE and we had it all to ourselves. We played for a while until Sammy started getting hungry. When we went to the restaurant to order french fries, I noticed a man making guacamole so I asked for a double order of that as well. We packed up our things and headed back to the condo for our snack / lunch.
After our guacamole and fries, the afternoon flew by. In the afternoon, Scott and I took the kids down to the beach to enjoy a few more rays of late afternoon sun. It was beautiful as the sun hung low in the sky. The water was warm and it was a perfect way to rest under the palm branches.
Tyler wanted to head up early because he had a stomach ache and when it didn't pass, we decided to let him stay home while we went for dinner. No worries, Grandpa and Grandma, we ate on site at the pool restaurant so we were close and were continually checking in. Dinner was great as we tried new menu items. JC tried the hamburger (which unfortunately included blue cheese) and Mary and I tried the chicken quesadilla. Both were really good!
When we got back to the condo, I whipped up some macaroni and cheese for Tyler who started feeling better. We enjoyed watching National Treasure 2 while Sammy played Barbies in her room.
After another beautiful day with lots of sun, it was time for bed!
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
Ditto - Day 4
This morning our wake up was quite similar to yesterday. Sammy up early. The rest of us slowly emerged and by 9:00 am all of us were out on the verandah enjoying the morning breezes. Since Sammy had been up so long already, she had already eaten breakfast. Tyler was hoping to go to Guila's, a favorite restaurant from last year, so the guys headed out in search of pancakes while the girls stayed back at the condo for toast and coffee. I shared a Ted Talk video with Mary while Sammy watch her iPad. We just needed a relaxing morning.
Eventually Sammy and I headed down to the pool and gave Mary some time to relax on the verandah. It was around 10:00 am when we finally got in the water. Imagine our surprise when we saw the guys sitting at the pool side restaurant finishing their breakfast. Apparently Guila's was closed and so they walked all over looking for an open breakfast... exploring further out than we had so far. They found NOTHING open so they came back to the condo for breakfast. It was a long, hot walk but Tyler made it!
Since they already had a tab open, I ordered up some french fries for Sammy and we all waited for them to arrive. In the meantime, Mary and Sammy and I all joined the guys at the table.
Next we headed over to our spot on the beach and climbed into some beach chairs. Tyler and Sammy played in the water while Scott and I enjoyed the tranquil breeze. We bought a very expensive pineapple from a woman selling on the beaches... but I'm sure it'll be worth it. It took checking three wallets before we found a $5 bill to pay. JC and Mary quick ran up to get changed into their suits and Scott and I had some snacks and bought some jewelry from another vendor.
We all had too much sun yesterday so we tried to stay in the shade but the water was calling. Mary and I spent some time under the palm trees in our loungers and eventually found a great spot in the small seating area within the infinity pool. We could keep an eye on Sammy, talk and stay cool all at the same time! Fabulous!
We headed back up to the room again around 2:00 pm. We were tired and probably had gotten a little more sun that our sore bodies needed but there weren't complaints!
The afternoon today was pretty similar to yesterday. Mary and I read on the verandah, Sammy took some alone time in her room while all the boys watched a movie. We prepped a plate of crackers, cheese and pineapple to help hold us over to supper time. Once the movie was over the guys migrated out to the verandah where Tyler spurred us all on for a game of Uno. It was so FUN! Oh boy, did we laugh! After three rounds, it was after 5:00 pm, so we decided to head out for supper.
We headed down the street to El Meson, a nice restaurant that we really enjoyed last year... the menus are translated to English, they have A/C and their wait staff really do go out of their way for you. Our waiter started out by saying he knew a little bit of English, I said I knew a little bit of Spanish and that we would be alright! He was a great server. Another Spanish-speaking waiter approached the table as we were praying. He waited for us to finished, said Amen, served the meal, and then spoke a blessing over our table in Spanish. It was a great meal. Scott's fish alone was a masterpiece!
[pic]
A few extra stories about dinner... when it was time to order our drinks, Sammy first asked for a chocolate shake (as she does), "No", then a chocolate milk "No", you could visibly see her getting frustrated. Without missing a beat she says very seriously "You really need to practice your English". Ahh! Scott and I both quickly corrected her that they didn't need to learn anything and we all had a good laugh but wow was I glad he couldn't translate that! Sometimes autism turns off the filter completely. Ugh.
The next dinner story happened mid-way through the meal. Tyler had ordered the Deditos de Pollo Frito con papas fritas (chicken strips and fries). I assumed he was enjoying the meal since he hadn't complained when all of a sudden, he let out a half-shout and completely stopped frozen. We all looked at him and asked what was going on. To hear him tell the story, he says he bit down on something hard and quick pulled it out assuming it was chicken batter. His mind was racing trying to figure out what it could be when his tongue slid over the place where a tooth used to be. The thing he removed from his mouth, was a tooth! He handled it really well and after calming Sammy down (who apparently doesn't like it when Tyler loses teeth either) we took pictures and celebrated! I'm not sure what it is but it does seem like every time we leave the country our kids teeth seem to jump right out of their heads!
After dinner we headed west (away from our condo) to a supermarket the guys had found on their walk earlier. It was dark, the sun was completely down and still 82*. We grabbed a few extra groceries and then headed back to the condo. This was a great find and I'm sure we will use it more often in the future! The store we generally visit is more like a party store where this has a much better selection of grocery items.
As soon as we made it back, Sammy asked if we could all play Uno... and no one could say no to that sweet request. So we all sat in the dining room for three rounds of Uno. We all laughed so hard as we teased and were surprised at the kids reactions.
Sammy decided to move on to the computer while the rest of us played a round of Skip-Bo. The game lasted quite a long time so Sammy started a movie in her room. Tyler would eventually join her to finish.
The adults grabbed a bowl of ice cream and headed out to the verandah to unwind after the day. The conversation was great and we even had a little discussion to answer some questions I had from my devotions.
It was 10:30 pm when the kids' movie finished. We had incorrectly assumed they had fallen asleep already. So we tucked them in and we all headed to bed as well.
I know is sounds crazy, but we are all exhausted. When you look at what we accomplish or how little we actually do, its hard to believe, but the fresh air and sun certainly take their toll. Its all good stuff but we sure sleep well. Looking forward to a repeat tomorrow!
Eventually Sammy and I headed down to the pool and gave Mary some time to relax on the verandah. It was around 10:00 am when we finally got in the water. Imagine our surprise when we saw the guys sitting at the pool side restaurant finishing their breakfast. Apparently Guila's was closed and so they walked all over looking for an open breakfast... exploring further out than we had so far. They found NOTHING open so they came back to the condo for breakfast. It was a long, hot walk but Tyler made it!
Since they already had a tab open, I ordered up some french fries for Sammy and we all waited for them to arrive. In the meantime, Mary and Sammy and I all joined the guys at the table.
Next we headed over to our spot on the beach and climbed into some beach chairs. Tyler and Sammy played in the water while Scott and I enjoyed the tranquil breeze. We bought a very expensive pineapple from a woman selling on the beaches... but I'm sure it'll be worth it. It took checking three wallets before we found a $5 bill to pay. JC and Mary quick ran up to get changed into their suits and Scott and I had some snacks and bought some jewelry from another vendor.
We all had too much sun yesterday so we tried to stay in the shade but the water was calling. Mary and I spent some time under the palm trees in our loungers and eventually found a great spot in the small seating area within the infinity pool. We could keep an eye on Sammy, talk and stay cool all at the same time! Fabulous!
We headed back up to the room again around 2:00 pm. We were tired and probably had gotten a little more sun that our sore bodies needed but there weren't complaints!
The afternoon today was pretty similar to yesterday. Mary and I read on the verandah, Sammy took some alone time in her room while all the boys watched a movie. We prepped a plate of crackers, cheese and pineapple to help hold us over to supper time. Once the movie was over the guys migrated out to the verandah where Tyler spurred us all on for a game of Uno. It was so FUN! Oh boy, did we laugh! After three rounds, it was after 5:00 pm, so we decided to head out for supper.
We headed down the street to El Meson, a nice restaurant that we really enjoyed last year... the menus are translated to English, they have A/C and their wait staff really do go out of their way for you. Our waiter started out by saying he knew a little bit of English, I said I knew a little bit of Spanish and that we would be alright! He was a great server. Another Spanish-speaking waiter approached the table as we were praying. He waited for us to finished, said Amen, served the meal, and then spoke a blessing over our table in Spanish. It was a great meal. Scott's fish alone was a masterpiece!
[pic]
A few extra stories about dinner... when it was time to order our drinks, Sammy first asked for a chocolate shake (as she does), "No", then a chocolate milk "No", you could visibly see her getting frustrated. Without missing a beat she says very seriously "You really need to practice your English". Ahh! Scott and I both quickly corrected her that they didn't need to learn anything and we all had a good laugh but wow was I glad he couldn't translate that! Sometimes autism turns off the filter completely. Ugh.
The next dinner story happened mid-way through the meal. Tyler had ordered the Deditos de Pollo Frito con papas fritas (chicken strips and fries). I assumed he was enjoying the meal since he hadn't complained when all of a sudden, he let out a half-shout and completely stopped frozen. We all looked at him and asked what was going on. To hear him tell the story, he says he bit down on something hard and quick pulled it out assuming it was chicken batter. His mind was racing trying to figure out what it could be when his tongue slid over the place where a tooth used to be. The thing he removed from his mouth, was a tooth! He handled it really well and after calming Sammy down (who apparently doesn't like it when Tyler loses teeth either) we took pictures and celebrated! I'm not sure what it is but it does seem like every time we leave the country our kids teeth seem to jump right out of their heads!
After dinner we headed west (away from our condo) to a supermarket the guys had found on their walk earlier. It was dark, the sun was completely down and still 82*. We grabbed a few extra groceries and then headed back to the condo. This was a great find and I'm sure we will use it more often in the future! The store we generally visit is more like a party store where this has a much better selection of grocery items.
As soon as we made it back, Sammy asked if we could all play Uno... and no one could say no to that sweet request. So we all sat in the dining room for three rounds of Uno. We all laughed so hard as we teased and were surprised at the kids reactions.
Sammy decided to move on to the computer while the rest of us played a round of Skip-Bo. The game lasted quite a long time so Sammy started a movie in her room. Tyler would eventually join her to finish.
The adults grabbed a bowl of ice cream and headed out to the verandah to unwind after the day. The conversation was great and we even had a little discussion to answer some questions I had from my devotions.
It was 10:30 pm when the kids' movie finished. We had incorrectly assumed they had fallen asleep already. So we tucked them in and we all headed to bed as well.
I know is sounds crazy, but we are all exhausted. When you look at what we accomplish or how little we actually do, its hard to believe, but the fresh air and sun certainly take their toll. Its all good stuff but we sure sleep well. Looking forward to a repeat tomorrow!
Tuesday, April 5, 2016
Here Comes The Sun - Day 3
It was early when Sammy woke up... apparently this relaxing-sleep-in kind of trip isn't quite her style. But she was gracious and kept herself busy til 8:00 am. After showering and devotions, the rest of the house started making their ascent. We decided to just eat breakfast in our condo today... a hodge-podge of cold cereal, toast, applesauce, Pringles and yogurt. I know its not crazy healthy but hey, its vacation!
We spent a little time out on the verandah before heading out to the beach. And no kidding, its as gorgeous as we remembered!
We were out from 9:30 am until around 2:30 pm. It is a blur of snorkeling in the ocean, sitting on the chairs at the beach, swimming in the pool, and so much more! It was a great way to spend the day. We bought some fresh bananas from a woman walking on the beach and even found a large crab up by the pool! There isn't a ton to share other than to let the pictures paint the picture...
Lots of smiles and lots of sun!
We headed in mid-afternoon for some rest time. The guys watched a movie. Mary rested and read a book and I worked to catch up our blog while on the verandah.
We needed to stop by the security desk for bracelets so we left a little early for supper. We stopped at Mama Mia Restaurante, an Italian restaurant, across the street from our condo complex. They were so accommodating! They moved a fan directly in front of our table, tilted the TV in our direction and found American programming to watch.
We all enjoyed our meal and then hit the party store and pharmacy for some much needed supplies (laundry soap and ice cream).
The kids requested one more swim in the pool, so we headed out for a dip. The water felt wonderful to cool our sunburned skin.
We wrapped up around 7:30 pm, just after dark and decided to tuck the kids in for a movie in bed. They are snuggled in watching Honey I Shrunk the Kids, each with a bowl of ice cream. Life is good!
Us adults are headed back out to the verandah for a relaxing evening! I'm sure we'll soon have our bowl of ice cream as well.
The temp today was in the low 90s again. After dark, the thermometer still reads 80*. The ocean is warm, the pool is warmer and we are loving every moment!
We are all tired from a relaxing day in the sun! Looking forward to tomorrow!
Monday, April 4, 2016
We Have Arrived! - Day 2
The continental breakfast opened in the concierge lounge at 6:30 am so we decided to wait til then to leave the hotel with breakfast in hand. But then, it seemed like it shouldn't take too long to quick eat it at the lounge so we didn't have to worry about it.
We left the hotel a bit before 7:00 am and headed over for check-in. The line for security was SO LONG... literally it passed the check in counters and almost hit where we needed to go first.
When we got to our counter, there was a small error on JC's ticket so we had to walk to the other end of the terminal check-in to ask another Delta employee to fix it. We did and it was handled quite quickly but as she was finishing she said something like, you'll have to hurry, your plane boards in 20 minutes... Um, what?
Stress levels went up quite a bit! So we ran around the HUGE line at security and asked if our entire party could go through the handicap line with Sammy. Thank goodness they agreed! We made it through fairly quickly and then rushed on to our gate. We sat down with a wipe of the brow and huge sigh of relief... only to realize... the lady had been wrong. The plane wouldn't board for 30-40 minutes still, we had plenty of time. That said, had we gone through the actual security line, I really doubt we would have made it.
Sammy started getting a bit feisty with me in the airport. Perhaps she sensed my stress or maybe it was the lack of sleep and all the rushing, but I started getting pretty nervous about it.
When it was time to board, the kids asked if they could sit together. I agreed hoping that Tyler would have better luck entertaining Sammy than I might. Sammy did really well except she got a bit antsy while we waited at the front of the plane for the restroom to open up. Eventually I gave up waiting and brought her to the bathroom at the back of the plane which ended up being much larger. This is a big deal since she insisted I join her in the bathroom. Overall though it was a very smooth trip over to NYC.
The airlines schedule almost 4 hours for this flight... which includes taxiing, deicing, and the 3 hr 16 min flight time. Either way, that's a long time to be in a plane. Luckily this was a newer plane and came with the personal entertainment package in the seat back in front of you. Essentially you have a large selection of movies at your fingertips. But unfortunately, Sammy didn't like any of the 4 kid movies they had. Although eventually she did settle in and pick one.
Tyler wanted a window seat so he sat by JC and Mary while Sammy sat on the row by Scott and I. She was super sweet and snuggled in for a while when we all watched movies. She and I had made a plan ahead of time for how to help pass the time... the flight included two bathroom breaks, several packages of smarties, 2 cups of ice with a fork to eat it, small Zootopia toys that she could chose every 20 minutes. When that plane landed, uneventful, I gave her a HUGE hug and said how proud I was of her. She looked back with a HUGE smile as if she completely understood the magnitude of what she had just done. It was very sweet.
Once we got off the plane and picked up the stroller, we headed for immigration. We had filled out our forms on the plane but when we saw the line our jaws dropped. Unbelievable! Eventually we realized that one line we could skip completely since I had prepurchased our tourist cards. As we were asking random Spanish-speakers to confirm we were in the right line, we noticed a very short handicap line at the far end of the room and decided to go there. It was obviously much quicker and they did allow us all to stay together. Phew! That could have been rough! It was crowded and so very HOT in there.
Once we left immigration, we claimed our bags, made two more security stops and then walked out to find our driver. However, he wasn't there. We didn't have a local number to call so I tried the condo owner in the states. Call wouldn't go through. Next I sent a series of emails to him using every possible means to communicate... no answer. We decided to give it a bit and our driver arrived after maybe a 25 minute wait.
It was a hot one! Luis estimated it was in the mid-90s today. And since we haven't felt the sun in months, these Michiganders were hot and sticky!
Luis, our driver, was a very nice man. He lived in the US for some time and spoke English well. He works in sales in the medical field. He drove a full size van with room for all our luggage... nothing like the crazy transportation last year. On our way out of the capital of Santo Domingo, he stopped at a large grocery store. The Wielhouwers and I ran in for some food for the week, leaving Luis, Scott and the kids in the car (and the A/C).
The supermarket was very nice. It was much like you'd expect to see in the US. The produce and meat appeared slightly less than our standards, but we had no trouble finding food for the week. We stuck out like sore thumbs... sweating, white, English... everyone noticed us. Once we were satisfied with our cart, we headed to the check out. $6,447.00 later (don't worry the exchange rate is awesome!) we headed out.
As we arrived, Juan Ernesto, the property manager, met us and helped us haul our luggage and groceries up to the unit. He made sure we were settled and then both Luis and Ernesto headed out.
Ahh, we made it! Today was huge for both kiddos but they amazed us! We had absolutely NO issues. Traveling can be hard though. "Hurry up and wait. Stay close. Be quiet. Sit still." No wonder we were all so tired!!
We decided to eat on site at the pool restaurant and enjoyed the cool ocean breezes. It was 7:30 pm when we finished up and the kids begged to hit the pool for the last 30 minutes before it closed. So while the rest of the adults waited for the check and finished sharing stories, I headed up with the kids to get on swim suits and get our new snorkel equipment to try out.
We didn't have long but it was worth it! The water felt amazing and the snorkeling equipment worked great.
We headed back up to the condo and got cleaned up and ready for bed. Once the kids were settled in bed at 9:00 pm, the adults sat out on the balcony sharing stories and enjoying the sounds of the ocean. This is my favorite spot! Its relaxing and oh so beautiful!
Headed to bed around 11:00 pm. Everyone is tired after a long day of travel but grateful to be here!
We left the hotel a bit before 7:00 am and headed over for check-in. The line for security was SO LONG... literally it passed the check in counters and almost hit where we needed to go first.
When we got to our counter, there was a small error on JC's ticket so we had to walk to the other end of the terminal check-in to ask another Delta employee to fix it. We did and it was handled quite quickly but as she was finishing she said something like, you'll have to hurry, your plane boards in 20 minutes... Um, what?
Stress levels went up quite a bit! So we ran around the HUGE line at security and asked if our entire party could go through the handicap line with Sammy. Thank goodness they agreed! We made it through fairly quickly and then rushed on to our gate. We sat down with a wipe of the brow and huge sigh of relief... only to realize... the lady had been wrong. The plane wouldn't board for 30-40 minutes still, we had plenty of time. That said, had we gone through the actual security line, I really doubt we would have made it.
Sammy started getting a bit feisty with me in the airport. Perhaps she sensed my stress or maybe it was the lack of sleep and all the rushing, but I started getting pretty nervous about it.
When it was time to board, the kids asked if they could sit together. I agreed hoping that Tyler would have better luck entertaining Sammy than I might. Sammy did really well except she got a bit antsy while we waited at the front of the plane for the restroom to open up. Eventually I gave up waiting and brought her to the bathroom at the back of the plane which ended up being much larger. This is a big deal since she insisted I join her in the bathroom. Overall though it was a very smooth trip over to NYC.
It was overcast and drizzling rain when we arrived so we didn't have a chance to see much of the city or the high-rises as we landed. Once deplaned, we headed to our next gate and stopped on the way for a burger at the Shake Shack. It was one of the best fast-food burgers I've ever tasted!
By the time we finished and used the restrooms, it was time to board our next plane. The plane was a 3-3 configuration so our party of 6 took up a whole row. It was fun being able to talk and pass snacks back and forth.
The airlines schedule almost 4 hours for this flight... which includes taxiing, deicing, and the 3 hr 16 min flight time. Either way, that's a long time to be in a plane. Luckily this was a newer plane and came with the personal entertainment package in the seat back in front of you. Essentially you have a large selection of movies at your fingertips. But unfortunately, Sammy didn't like any of the 4 kid movies they had. Although eventually she did settle in and pick one.
Tyler wanted a window seat so he sat by JC and Mary while Sammy sat on the row by Scott and I. She was super sweet and snuggled in for a while when we all watched movies. She and I had made a plan ahead of time for how to help pass the time... the flight included two bathroom breaks, several packages of smarties, 2 cups of ice with a fork to eat it, small Zootopia toys that she could chose every 20 minutes. When that plane landed, uneventful, I gave her a HUGE hug and said how proud I was of her. She looked back with a HUGE smile as if she completely understood the magnitude of what she had just done. It was very sweet.
Once we got off the plane and picked up the stroller, we headed for immigration. We had filled out our forms on the plane but when we saw the line our jaws dropped. Unbelievable! Eventually we realized that one line we could skip completely since I had prepurchased our tourist cards. As we were asking random Spanish-speakers to confirm we were in the right line, we noticed a very short handicap line at the far end of the room and decided to go there. It was obviously much quicker and they did allow us all to stay together. Phew! That could have been rough! It was crowded and so very HOT in there.
Once we left immigration, we claimed our bags, made two more security stops and then walked out to find our driver. However, he wasn't there. We didn't have a local number to call so I tried the condo owner in the states. Call wouldn't go through. Next I sent a series of emails to him using every possible means to communicate... no answer. We decided to give it a bit and our driver arrived after maybe a 25 minute wait.
It was a hot one! Luis estimated it was in the mid-90s today. And since we haven't felt the sun in months, these Michiganders were hot and sticky!
Luis, our driver, was a very nice man. He lived in the US for some time and spoke English well. He works in sales in the medical field. He drove a full size van with room for all our luggage... nothing like the crazy transportation last year. On our way out of the capital of Santo Domingo, he stopped at a large grocery store. The Wielhouwers and I ran in for some food for the week, leaving Luis, Scott and the kids in the car (and the A/C).
The supermarket was very nice. It was much like you'd expect to see in the US. The produce and meat appeared slightly less than our standards, but we had no trouble finding food for the week. We stuck out like sore thumbs... sweating, white, English... everyone noticed us. Once we were satisfied with our cart, we headed to the check out. $6,447.00 later (don't worry the exchange rate is awesome!) we headed out.
As we arrived, Juan Ernesto, the property manager, met us and helped us haul our luggage and groceries up to the unit. He made sure we were settled and then both Luis and Ernesto headed out.
Ahh, we made it! Today was huge for both kiddos but they amazed us! We had absolutely NO issues. Traveling can be hard though. "Hurry up and wait. Stay close. Be quiet. Sit still." No wonder we were all so tired!!
We decided to eat on site at the pool restaurant and enjoyed the cool ocean breezes. It was 7:30 pm when we finished up and the kids begged to hit the pool for the last 30 minutes before it closed. So while the rest of the adults waited for the check and finished sharing stories, I headed up with the kids to get on swim suits and get our new snorkel equipment to try out.
We didn't have long but it was worth it! The water felt amazing and the snorkeling equipment worked great.
We headed back up to the condo and got cleaned up and ready for bed. Once the kids were settled in bed at 9:00 pm, the adults sat out on the balcony sharing stories and enjoying the sounds of the ocean. This is my favorite spot! Its relaxing and oh so beautiful!
Headed to bed around 11:00 pm. Everyone is tired after a long day of travel but grateful to be here!
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