We're Back!!!

Yep - we're back in the wonderful world of white (meaning snow!) It's amazing to me that in 5 hours we went from 30 degrees to 83 degrees and back again the opposite way! We had a GREAT vacation! I will share some photos of course! Our travel was good - everything went quite smoothly. We left on Fri. the 23rd for Chicago. As we were driving thru the big city we got an idea to find Ed Debevics for dinner (it's one of my favorite places in Chicago!).

We then headed to our hotel to get a little shut eye before our 3:00am wake-up call! Saturday was a bit of a blur to me. We were tired of course, but our flight went well and we made it into Dominican Republic around 12:30. I believe we got to our hotel around 2:00 and got checked in. One of our rooms was ready and one wasn't yet b/c check-in isn't until 3:00. We just had all the luggage brought up to the room that was ready. We grabbed a much needed lunch and then hung out in the nice lobby on the couches while Kyle took a nap b/c he wasn't feeling so hot. We think it was just from the waking up early, plane ride, etc... He re-couped by the evening. It was very warm - but comfortable warm! We did dinner at the Seaside Grill that night which was very good!

Hmmm...the rest of the week all started to get a little blurry - it was mainly a lot of laying out in the sun, drinking a few drinks, a lot of GREAT laughs, and even more R & R!!! We did one excursion and that was to the Marinarium. We took a catamaran out to the reef, went snorkeling, then swam in an area with nurse sharks and stingray. It was amazing to see the shark right below us. Then it was back on the boat for some sandwich and drinks and the boat took us up the coast to a "natural pool" (which on Lake Michigan we just call it a sandbar!). We had a ton of fun on that and we danced a bit on the way back to the starting point! Kyle and Jeff also did a Deep Sea Fishing Tour and it was pretty much horrible. Jeff was sick the whole time and Kyle didn't feel so hot either - it was WAY TOO wavy. The boat caught one fish - a MahiMahi so that was alright. Kyle also got a great shot of a nice whale right by the boat! The resort had a trampoline out in the ocean so that was fun - we did that a couple times. The night life kind of sucked at the resort so I am glad that we had some friends to liven it up a bit - I think if it was just Kyle and I we would have been REALLY bored. They had a nightly show but those weren't all that great. The Dominican people are some of the FRIENDLIEST people I know. They are VERY hospitable and they go out of their way to make sure you are happy. At times they almost seemed too friendly - like one night Gasolina decided to just come and sit by us and make small talk. Unfortunately as American's we really were thinking that he was up to something instead of just thinking he was being friendly. We totally apologized to him for kind of shoving him off. We kind of thought he was getting friendly with Kyle to take him up on the stage as part of the show so Kyle ditched him! :) Poor kid. ;) Anyway - that pretty much sums up the week. It was amazing to not have to think or worry too much about the kids back home. I knew they were in great hands and they loved the time they got with their grandparents! It was so divine to do things at our own pace and not worry about what needs to be done when and who needs to be fed when!!!

Here are a bunch more pictures - straight from camera.

Whew. That just took me all day I feel like!!! Anyway - there you have it! I did forget to mention that Kyle and I celebrated our 8th anniversary while in Dominican! Year number 7 was our toughest so far so we are praying for a great 8th year!!! I am so proud of us for the "home"/family that we have built!!! Beth took some great pictures of us that I am excited to scrap as well (two of the many are above - in the wedding type gazebo, with me and Kyle looking at each other/kissing). It was so great to take a week and focus on each other and not the kids! we needed it!

And of course now it is back to reality! Gracyn has had 3 blow-outs since we got back. She has a completely raw buns, and is teething horribly so we are dealing with that now that we are back. We have been spending lots of time together playing and cuddling though since I got back!!! This month I ramp up my work schedule a bit. I am excited to learn some new things and do a different type of job, but I am nervous about working a bit more. I have still not figured out child care so I am hoping to nail that down this week! That will help with much of my stress!

OK - your bored, I'm tired! Peace out!!!

MandaKay