What is up...

With my son's flip flops when he gets them wet and walks in them, this is what happens...

OMG!! OMG!!

I blogged about our nice dinner last night, BUT OMG! I forgot to include what happened as we were finishing up our desserts and having a nice dinner conversation. I looked past the kids sitting across from me where the dirty plates and silverware were. The guys were like worker bees gathering dishes and setting tables. That is when I saw it, one of the guys wiped off two bread plates with a pile of the dirty napkins and set them at a clean table. Ahhhh! We all had eaten off of our bread plates!

I told my family what I saw, they didn't believe me. THEN I was grossed out again and continued to be horrified and all I could say was, OMG!! OMG!! Another waiter (who happened to be our's) took a spoon from the dirty pile of silverware, wiped it off with a dirty napkin, set it on his tray with cream and sugar and served it to another table!!! I know what I saw, I wasn't seeing things. I'm a very observant person and I've bussed tables when I was a teenager, not that I ever did anything like this! Hubby proceeded to drink some of the alcohol drink to cleanse his mouth, so much for the rest of us! Some of us had been given 'new' forks for dessert...

We proceeded to leave and as we walked past the bussing station, I purposely looked in the station, looked in the drawers where the silverware was held and the drawer was EMPTY...I knew it! Gross!! Wow, what a way to end a great meal....gulp....Luckily, we are all ok this morning well, at least the three of us in this room, haven't seen the other three yet...

Hola desde Cancun!

Dia dos en Cancun comenzo con todo el mundo durmiendo en. Nos comimos un delicioso desayuno. Tuvimos que hacer una llamada para comprobar sobre el paradero de nuestro equipaje. Las lineas aereas nos dijo el equipaje que llega alas diez am y llegara al hotel alrededor del mediodia.

A continuacion, la temida Luego vino la llamada noventa miembros de vacaciones minutos tour que termino siendo una pesadilla de tres horas de venta de tono. Los chicos terminaron de volver a la habitacion del hotel dos horas en el campo de las ventas. Pobre marido estaba volviendo loco al igual que pajaro que volo en la ventana y casi lo comido por un gato. Marido queria salir despues de firmar los papeles demasiados y acaba de salier sin deciries.

A la espera de que nos los ninos se divirtieron servicio a la habitacion. Como no tenia equipaje, tuve que ir a la tienda de regalos y comprar algo de ropa pra llevar a cenar ya que habia estado usando la misma ropa durante dos dias. Tuve la suerte de haber encontrado un lindo vestido y el chal. Ahora era el turno de mi hija a la tienda. El empleado de la tienda me miro divertido porque yo estaba alli. Tuve que explicarie aceraca de la perdida de equipaje y la ropa no. A continuacion, procedio a sacar una caja de sujetadores. Tengo que admitir, me sorprendio, pero Erika era realmente agradecido hasta que los probe y nada encaja. Ella fue capaz de encontrar un vestido lindo.

Antes de la cena Kora y yo caminamos por la playa, y a ella le gustaria que todos sepan, este fue el punto culminante de mi dia. A continuacion, llego un mensaje de mi marido diciendo que el equipaje habia llegado por fin, sin embargo, el equipaje habia sido en otro lugar desde un.

Cenamos en un restaurante brasileno que sirve una variedad de carne en una espada y cortar parte de la derecha en la mesa. Fue una comida muy buena. Esta fue mi postre, un cisne hermosa crema hojaldre:

Un postre hermosa para pner fin a un hermosa dia en Cancun. Bueno, Kora me acaba de llamar cursi para esta ultima frase. Buenos noches.

Lost in translation for those that do not understand Espanol:

Day two in Cancun began with everyone sleeping in. We ate a delicious breakfast. We had to make a call to check on the whereabouts of our luggage. The airlines told us the luggage would arrive at 10:00am and arrive at the hotel around noon.

Then came the so called 90 minute vacation membership tour, which ended up to be a three hour nightmare sales pitch. The kids ended up going back to the hotel room two hours into the sales pitch. Poor husband was going crazy just like the bird that flew into the window and almost got eaten by a cat. Hubby wanted to walk out after signing too many papers and just leave without telling them. While waiting for us, the kids had fun ordering room service.

Since I had no luggage, I had to go to the gift shop and buy some clothes to wear to dinner since I had been wearing the same clothes for two days. I was lucky to have found a cute dress and shawl. Now it was my daughter's turn to shop. The store clerk looked at me funny because I was just there. I had to explain to him about the lost luggage and no clothes. He proceeded to bring out a box of bras. I have to admit, I was shocked, but Erika was actually grateful until she tried them on and nothing fit. She was able to find a cute dress.

Before dinner, Kora and I walked along the beach, she would like everyone to know, this was the highlight of my day. We then got a message from my husband that our luggage had finally arrived, however the luggage had been at another location since 1:00. We had dinner at a Brazilian restaurant that served a variety of meats on a sword and cut your portions right at your table. It was a very good meal, this was my dessert, a beautiful cream puff swan(see pic above). A beautiful dessert to end a beautiful day in Cancun. Ok, Kora just called me cheesey for that last sentence. Good night!

Feliz Navidad!

Having to suffer and travel to Cancun, you know, when you are this spoiled, something has to happen to dampen it just a touch. We barely made it to our last connection in Charlotte, ten minutes to spare! So of course, Erika and I decided to check our luggage...our luggage didn't make the tight connection. We don't have a thing to wear that is clean, thank goodness we both have our men with us and can borrow t-shirts for bedtime. Yeah, I'm the one that tells everyone else to pack to carry on the plane...I'm that special ya know that I don't have to follow my directions.

This is about all I have to wear:

Thank goodness for computers, iPads, and iPods for movies during trips. Of course, the great headphones I had bought myself awhile back, they broke so had to get new ones:

Erika said these were the best ones and of course, she 'had' to get a pair too. She was right, they were awesome! We both found the kind we wanted, the last ones too, how lucky! I finally watched Despicable Me, what a cute movie.

I'm not too concerned or worried though about the luggage. The hotel is great, it's ginormous and the surroundings are beautiful, well we've only seen it in the dark, but it looked beautiful. We will tour the grounds today to get the lay of the land. The boys want to make sure they know where all 14 restaurants are so they can eat ALL the time. And when I'm talking about the boys, I mean Todd and Taylor. While everyone else was chillaxin in the rooms, the boys went to play mini golf and go eat at the buffet again! Oh to be young again.

We brought Todd with us as our Christmas present to him:

Let's hope he still likes our family after being with all of us 24/7.

After dinner, we were all starving after a full day of traveling, this was our first real meal of the day! We toured the grounds as best we could in the dark. Then headed back to our rooms. Kora decided she wanted to test out the jacuzzi bath that is set in the middle of the room. She hasn't been in one since she was very young so she really didn't know how to do it correctly. When she thought it was full enough, she turned on the jets and water went spurting out and upwards like a fountain clear across the room. It was pretty funny, though hubby didn't think it was.

Here is the pampered princess soaking:

So that has been our start of Feliz Navidad. Come back to hear more of our adventures!

Merry Christmas!

Our kids didn't have much of a list this year, so what would they have to open on Christmas morning? A couple of fun presents and stocking stuffers.

So what do you get a family that has everything?

A trip! Just hoping the weather holds tomorrow because our second leg is in the south and they are getting SNOW! The one time I don't like snow...crossing fingers...

Follow me on our trip!

Merry Christmas Adam

A lot of people don't get my sense of humor, but my hubby does. That's why we have lasted this long. When we moved to San Antonio in 1992, we left all that we knew and were comfortable with in Omaha. No friends, no relatives, no clue what to expect in San Antonio. We just up and moved our little family because of the job opportunity for hubby.

This was going to be a two year deal. It turned into a 4 1/2 year deal, but it was a good move for us. We got to focus on our little family, on one another. But to be honest, it was a little lonely so we both had to break out of our shells, especially me. I have been a stay at home mom ever since the birth of our daughter in 1991 so breaking out of my shell was something I really had to work on.

I started a mom's group in my neighborhood, I began working out daily at the health club, we began hosting parties at our house. Thus, the birth of Christmas Adam parties. We did this because we were still 'poor', not making a whole lot of money so we couldn't afford to travel to family for every Holiday. We spent a few Christmases by ourselves so tried to make the best of it by hosting the Christmas Adam parties at our house. For those that were still in San Antonio for Christmas and had the day before Christmas Eve open, this worked out great.

The theme of the party was also to bring your favorite appetizer, 'These are a Few of My Favorite Things', still staying with the Christmas theme. I think this was the beginning of my hosting duties and the reason why I feel comfortable hosting anything at my house. I don't stress out about hosting parties, or at least I tell myself that. I love hosting actually. I like to make the gatherings very casual though and throw in some fun if I can. My advice to others that stress out about hosting, ask others to bring something so you don't have to make or provide everything. It really helps. You provide the majority, but if others bring one dish, it really helps.

Since moving back to Omaha in 1996, I have not had any Christmas Adam parties. I miss them. Maybe I should start them up again...next year anyway, since we are celebrating with my hubby's side of the family tonight. Until then, Merry Christmas Adam everyone!

The Mad Dash Begins

Because Christmas is THIS Saturday! Wow! Why am I so shocked? We have this cute little countdown to Christmas snowman and I see it daily, so why am I so surprised that Christmas is four days away? Because seriously, we all know that we have to be ready before Christmas Eve so that really means I should be ready by tomorrow. What? Tomorrow? Why not Thursday? Because it's a rule that I made up in my own mind.

Christmas Eve's past, my hubby and I would spend wrapping presents till our fingers bled from paper cuts and our heads hurt from making sure every kid had the same amount of gifts to open. Then trying to write 'From Santa' with my left hand so the kids wouldn't recognize my hand writing. Looked more like a drunken elf wrote it. What we don't do for our kids!

Those days are long gone of Santa presents since our youngest is 12 years old. I'm not too sentimental about things in life so I won't miss having to do the mad dash of wrapping presents. With my kids being almost 20, almost 17, and 12, the things on their Christmas lists tend to me more expensive, which means less gifts to wrap. This year, the lists were very short so talk about a nice break from wrapping, but yet, I haven't even wrapped one gift as of today.

We celebrated Christmas with my side of the family. It was very nice and relaxing. We didn't overeat, my plan with not serving any appetizers, something we are not used to as my kids asked where the appetizers were. We are very relaxed and not traditional or formal when it comes to the meal, we had a vegetable lasagna with salad and a chicken dish. Then had chocolate fondue with fruit and berry pie with homemade ice cream, thanks to my sister. It was all very yummy.

Thursday night will be Christmas with hubby's side of the family. That is a little more of a production. Especially in the planning of getting EVERY family member at once on the same date available. You know, sometimes that just can't happen, but we found a date that worked for everyone. I'm a little more laid back about it and if it means we spend Christmas with only one family at a time, then that's just the way it is. I try not stress about it, but sometimes the stress of others creeps onto me.

We don't exchange gifts among any of the adults in both families. We all have way too much already. The grandparents give gifts to the grandkids, but that's what Christmas is about, seeing the excitement on the faces of kids.

So that leaves Christmas day with my own family. I love having it with just my family. No need to shower or even get out of our jammies if we don't feel like it. No huge meal to plan. Thinking we will have BLT's for dinner, for real! Movies all day long. We really are just casual and laid back and don't want to stress out, there's no room for fun if one is stressed out. A lazy, stress-free Christmas day, that is on the top of my list to Santa.

So what about wrapping those presents now? Nah, I think I will leave that for the mad dash Christmas Eve.