Mexico 2020 (Part 1 of 2)

Last weekend, we got back from a trip to Mexico! Last year, my folks took my family and my sister's family. But this year (because they had went to Mexico 5 years ago with just my sister's family because her kids are older), they just brought my family of 4. We had a great time! Here are some photos from the first 4 days:

The night before: my folks spending the night at our place.


Charlie jumped out of bed at 3 a.m. shouting "MEXICO! MEXICO! MEXICO!"


Getting a jump on homework at the airport.


Selfie on the plane.


Holding hands with Charlie as he was getting ready for a nap.


Napping with Mama.


Henry read for a long time, but I let him play games on my
phone for the last half hour of our 4+ hour flight.






A selfie after landing.

After getting our luggage and an SUV ride for 30 minutes, we were at our resort! And it didn't take long for the boys to hit the pool:

Running and jumping off the shallow "island" in the pool.


It was warm enough that they got Grandma out there!


My Mom and Charlie.




Seeing some crocs just off the beach!


Walking back after a $14 hour-long beach massage.


OILY post-massage selfie


Sarah rinsing off the sand at our resort. We're RIGHT on the ocean.


PRUNY at snack time after hours in the pool.


My little guy.


Sunset over Ixtapa Island from our room.

Day 2 we hit the ocean:

Henry loves heading out to the "big" waves.


Jumpin'.




Selfie (as I wore my son's shades).


The boys always LOVED to see how our rooms were made up.


Snowball and Taggie.


This cutie in a swimsuit cover.


Heading to the pool with my fellas.


BABE.


Double-fisting it while watching Charlie swim off.


I had the same "fists" as my wife: a mojito and a Diet Coke.


Chuck.






This will be me in forty two years.


My cutie.

Charlie liked to go downstairs to the snackbar for lunch, and Sarah would go with to have cucumbers and guac. Henry and I would eat at "Colores" upstairs, and we seemed to ALWAYS be sat overlooking the lower pool. We ALWAYS had some sort of tacos:

Dessert at the snackbar.


View from the edge of the lobby.


A HARD nap.


Some afternoon homework.


The resort's playground.


Dressed up for a dinner at Costa Azul.


Pic with my folks!


Making the dressing at our table.




Stuffed chicken.


My Mom LOVED the flaming "Mexican Coffee."


Post-meal.

And then were the 6 photos on the beach that I shared earlier this week:

The following night, my wife and I had a date at that restaurant over the water.




With Grandma watching on.


Selfie in the elevator on the way back from the beach.

On day 3, my Mom and my family headed across to Ixtapa Island. It's about a $3/person round-trip boat ride. Here we are walking down the beach 1/4 mile to the pier to catch a boat:

The pier in the distance.


We found a crab.


Charlie was about to touch it, and then it SHOT off!


On the pier.


Walking across the island from the beach we were dropped off at to the snorkeling beach.


Henry and I heading out to snorkel.

Henry and I were out there for about 30 minutes. Here's a few video clips:

Direct link: youtu.be/U3moFulwS_s


After a swim.


With Mom!


With a chocolate bar and a Fanta. #LifeIsGood






Boys on the beach as Mama soaks up some sun. We got there early before it got crowded.


LIFE GOAL: drink something fruity out of a pineapple on a tropical island.


This cost like $9. And was delicious.

Charlie wanted to move, so we took a hike down the beach. The other side of the beach is mainly chunks of coral:

Charlie found a dead sea urchin.






We found sea glass, a cool shell, a jaw bone of something, and a sharp tooth!


"I want to touch that catcus!"




Heading back.




"... one last sip!..."


On the other side of the island, ready to catch our boat back.


Back on the mainland.




Washing the sand out of her bikini. :)


Dad loves the shooting contests. We did it together this afternoon.


He was 4th and I was 2nd overall. He wanted to make this pouty face.


The boys playing with some Chicago-ans and some Mexicans. I had to
finish my 2 beverages before jumping in. Charlie LOVES making new freinds.






Goof-ball.


My fellas.


Sunset from Colores at supper time.


"French night" meant crepes for dessert!

We just hung around the resort on day 4:

My sweetie at breakfast.


Later at the coffee bar.


An 8-year-old living the good life.


A 5-year-old cuddling with Grandpa.


On our balcony.


A rare stop at the "lower" pool.


A Bahama Mama.


More double-fisting.


Jumping...


...tucking...


...and splashing!


Here you can see the seat at Colores up top where Henry and I would often sit for lunch.




More snackbar dessert.


You can see my wife's arms in the foreground.


My view in the lobby while my family napped and I worked on my syllabus.


DATE NIGHT! My wife and I got to go out...


... as my folks watched the boys and put them to bed.


Heading out to our date at the "Oyster Bar" - note the
walkway on the far left that leads to that resturant over the water.




Surf and turf over the ocean.


My date.


Walking the boardwalk towards another resort after our meal (with the ocean behind me).

That was it for day 4. We got back to our room and Charlie was ZONKED OUT. Henry still popped up to say hi. Back with more photos in a few days. I'll have a "boot" update on Monday.

UPDATE: Here's part 2 with more photos from our trip.