Growing up, my sister and I were blessed with an abundance of family vacations. Though I didn't appreciate them as much during my teen years, I certainly look back now and realize how lucky I am to have seen so much of the world. We had mini-vacations to Vegas, our annual See Family Reunion with Mom's side of the family in Oregon or the California Redwoods, and several visits to the grandparents' in Florida and Washington, amongst others.
As we got older, we continued to enjoy a cultured life: Trips to New York, Hawaii, and even a 5-week stint through Europe. Stacey has indulged her love of travel all over the country and world, more recently Nicaragua and Zion National Park. And we both spent an unforgettable 5 weeks in Africa about a year before Nate and I were married.
Today we head home after a week-long retreat to Puerto Vallarta, MX, with my family. It has been the kind of hot and humid where a beautiful 82 degrees "feels like 90." But with the help of an ocean breeze a block away and a villa with an abundance of ceiling fans and a pool, we mastered the art of cooling off (okay...kind of impossible when the pool water is heated to 80 degrees by the sun, but at least it washed the sticky off) and staying relaxed.
Nate and I have made a tradition of taking a mini-vacation each year for our anniversary and another for our birthdays, which happen to be 2 days apart. It's important to get away from "real life" every once in a while and just enjoy each other's company. My dream is that we will be able to provide our kids the same luxury and that they will grow up with a love and appreciation of travel, culture, and experiencing a world outside of the one they live in. I think we're off to a good start...we've already made an international traveler out of our just-16-weeks-along little Bubbles.
That place looks awesome!!!
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