Joel to LA

Scott and I had gotten completely adjusted to being an "empty nest".  Enjoyed it even.  We felt close to the kids, kept up with their lives, talked with them often, looked forward to our precious visits.  But we built our life and our relationship around each other and our lives here.  Our time with the kids home for Leah's wedding was awesome. 

 It was so hard having Joel living in his car and not being able to do much about it.  

Then in October, Joel came home for a few weeks with Mike.  We loved having them here and being involved in their project, Paprazzi.  

So when Joel needed to come home around Thanksgiving, we were so happy to have him.  He's been here since then and we consider it precious time.  All the kids came home for Christmas, including Dave and Kent.  We love, love, love these times.  

Now he's gone.  Just like that.  He's been here when I got home from work.  He's been here eating meals with us.  He went to the gym with us and out to eat.  Joined us for Friday night Chipoltle.  This time of being home, he's been more home than ever before!  His friends came here to hang out with us.  He watched tv with us, hung out in the livingroom, slept on the couch.  Kept his computer in the living room to do his work so he could be near us.  It was a lot like when it was the three of us after the girls left for school, Joel's senior year of high school, only this time, he was here more!  

Now he's gone.  Just like that.  I didn't have time to get used to the idea.  I miss him like crazy.  

We are so happy for him, so proud, so excited that he got this job, this amazing opportunity to work in his field.  It had become apparent that as much as we loved having him here and he enjoyed being here, he needed to be back in LA, where jobs in his field are.  I was on my trip to Mexico when he got the call.  An opportunity to help make a virtual reality experience for a theme park.  A great paying opportunity.  He had to make a quick decision.  And he left yesterday.  The night before he left he said, "I wish there were jobs like this here."  

But there aren't.  So he packed up his car and off he went.  And I miss him.

Last morning

Breakfast, more sun and a loooong day of travel home.  What a wonderful trip and memories. 

Another day in Mexico

Today started with a delicious breakfast at the Bistro we liked.  I really like the oatmeal they make with milk.

Followed, of course, by relaxing on the patio.

Then to the Vassa Spa for an afternoon massage.

They out us in a room with relaxing music and a nice view in lounge chairs with a blanket over our legs, and hot sand bags draped over our neck and shoulders. Then off to separate rooms for a back and neck massage.  I swear I drool during massages.  We also sat in the jacuzzi awhile and I spent a few minutes in the sauna.

After the message, we went to the grill by the beach for lunch.

We sat with a view of the ocean and while we were eating, a destination wedding took place and we had prime seats!

Mom's salmon sandwich, my tacos.

Spent more time at the beach playing in the waves and soaking up the rays.  Then cleaned up again

And went to dinner.  

This time I had a brick oven fired pizza that I watched the guy make.  Yum.  Then another quiet evening on the patio reading or jigsawing on our iPads and early to bed.

Mexico

Today was a quiet, lazy day.  Woke up and Mom wasn't feeling well so we got pastries in the lobby instead of going to breakfast and rescheduled our massage.  We mostly hung around the pool lying on lounge chairs on our patio.  We had lunch and a snack at the grill that is so close to us.  

When Mom got rested up, we went back to the beach.  On the way, we saw a monkey in a tree!

At the beach I played in the waves a long time then we read and relaxed in the cool breeze.

What a beach babe huh?

Dinner tonight was at a buffet called Flavours.  I had carne asada and dessert, of course.

Then because it was early, even though we were super tired, we took a taxi over to Playa Del Carmen about 20 minutes away.

I bought a new table runner and spent quite a bit of time in Forever 21.  The taxi driver brought his 8year old daughter when he picked us up.  

I don't know why we are so tired when all we do is relax in the sun:).  This is a nice vaca.

More room pics.

Spring Break Mexico

Woke up before Mama and had quiet time on the patio. Our room opens right onto the pool which winds around between the buildings through the entire resort.  Our room is wonderful, a suite with two bathrooms, a jacuzzi tub, and sliding doors to the patio.  

Mama got up and we settled into the room more then walked to breakfast nearby.  Half the restaurants are on our end of the resort and half are on the other end near the ocean.  

This morning we ate at a Bistro with a buffet.  Mom had a grilled cheesy ham sandwich, fresh fruit, fresh orange juice and coffee.  I had juice, coffee, bacon and yummy oatmeal made with milk, raisins and sugar.  

After breakfast we got mom a wheelchair to use here and asked to have a bed sent to the room for me.

Walked down a long, winding walkway to the ocean on the far end of the resort.

We played in the waves, relaxed in the sun then ordered our traditional daiqueries and Mai tai.  When I got back from the bar, mama was talking to two young nice looking gentlemen.  They took our pictures for us.  

We walked back to the room and spent the rest of the afternoon lying on our patio, getting into the pool, and lunching at a poolside grill also very close to our room.

Partway through the afternoon, I went to the spa to get my nails done.  I got a French Polish on my fingers

And beachy pink toes.

We cleaned up, walked down a different walkway alongside flowers and had dinner at a nice place called Sea Olive.  We both had beef tenderloin, grilled veggies. Potato au gratin and dessert, mine chocolate and moms butterscotch.  

After dinner we sat by the ocean and just listened to the waves.  Then we went back to he room and slept slept slept.