I'm all sweaty

IT IS SO HOT AND HUMID!!!

I am living in either our pool or the ocean. Which wouldn't be bad, except for the fact that I can never quite DRY OFF.

Yes, we have A/C in our condo...and part of it is covered in our monthly dues, but we do have to pay once we go over the budget they allot us every month. And with how FREAKING HOT it is, that would be a huge bill. So, we use the A/C only in our bedroom, and mainly just at night. However, I think I forgot to shut it off this morning, and can't quite get over to the knob to shut it off.

I have never spent so much time writing about A/C before. I can handle dryness...NOT HUMIDITY!! I am truly convinced that hell is humid with no ocean or pool nearby.

Okay, that is enough of that.

I haven't done many updates lately, because we have gotten into quite a normal routine here, that consists of nothing too exciting.

Basically, our days consist of working in the mornings, and getting done in time for 4pm beach vball. And then out to dinner and if a good movie has been released then...YAY!

Speaking of good movie...Went and saw Toy Story 3 Saturday night. So funny. I think Woody looks like Mitt Romney.

Anyway, the ocean right now is so perfect. It is in the low 70s, and is so refreshing. When we went to play vball on Saturday, it was 86% humidity, and we immediately started dripping sweat just from standing on the court. We had to ban giving high 5's after good plays, because water would squirt everywhere from OUR HANDS!! so nasty. But then, right after a game, the losers got to go run and jump in the ocean. (I lost on purpose all day Saturday) And the waves were so high, bodysurfing was excellent.

But here is a pic of a tournament from a couple months ago...I am getting ready to put forth my non-existent blocking skillz.



I don't think I can ever live away from the ocean.

I have pictures, but we had to recalibrate my computer, and I somehow lost the ability to upload new photos. lame.

It was Spencer's birthday last week, and our GREAT friend Carlos has Blanco resort make him a DELICIOUS Tres Leches cake with Splenda..:) And they brought it out right after our vball match so everyone could sing to him. It was so sweet of Carlos to do that. And then Carlos took us to his favorite restaurant for dinner....La Fonda! This is the location of the world's greatest Mexican food. It is authentic, flavorful, and classy. They even have gourmet crickets, worms, and ants listed on their menu, and they ARE NOT cheap.

Time to jump back in the water.

Hablo Español

I hit a milestone today!
At church I made a comment in Relief Society in SPANISH!

I've had no problem reading in Spanish from quotes or the scriptures, because I've had the pronounciations down since high school....gracias Señora Hernandez y Sra. Belingheri. But I haven't had the guts to randomly make a comment in Spanish, especially since it is difficult to follow what they are saying since everyone TALKS SO BLOODY FAST!

But today the teacher broke us up into groups and handed us questions. My awesome partner allowed me to do the honors.

I always want to remember what was the first fluent thing I said in Church in Spanish.

Here was the question.
¿Cuales son algunos de los ralatos de las Escrituras que le han inspirado?

And I said:
En el Libro de Mormon, el historia de familia de Nefi. Nefi tiene mucho fe, pero sus hermanos no tienen fe. Cuando su familia no tienen fe, es muy dificil vivir por los mandamientos.

Its a very 'primary' answer, but that suits it being my 'primero tiempo' answering in Spanish.

It really felt like such a great accomplishment. I've come a long way since October. And I can't wait to bust it out fluently all the time. Next stop...bearing my testimony in Spanish on Fast Sunday!

A GREAT Investment!

One of our Montecristo Estates Villa Owners is looking to sell his Fractional Ownership in Phase 2. Located much closer to the Jack Nicklaus Signature Golfcourse and Market, our owner initially bought the last 2 weeks of June at $120,000. For personal reasons, he needs to sell and is selling at an unheard of price!

$60,000!

This is a GREAT investment. Whether it be for rental income, corporate retreats, or a fantastic family/friends getaway...You won't find a Luxury Fractional Ownership anywhere in the world for $60,000.

For more details, click here.

Great Deal!

ALL OF YOU LAST MINUTE VACATION LOOKERS!!

As May is right around the corner, one of our owners has dropped their nightly rate AGAIN.

If you want to get away with a BUNCH of friends or just yourself, COME HERE!

My Best Friend's Wedding

What a catchy title...they should name a movie that.

Well, anyway, that's what I got to be apart of about 2 weeks ago! My best friend from school days, Miss Janna Mackey...now Mrs. Stevens!

She is not only the most beautiful female I have ever seen, but she is the bestest friend a girl could ask for. And honestly, I am NOT just saying that. She's incredible. Smart, athletic, great listener, fantastic shoulder to cry on, HILARIOUS....she's like an octuplet threat...not a double or triple.

It was such a great weekend! I got in to AZ on Thursday the 11th of March and the wedding was on Saturday. I got to see ALOT of old fantastic friends, and get pampered at an INCREDIBLE spa...got my nails and hair did...it was the best. And I never once have gotten even remotely choked up at a wedding, but I got to say...there was more than one frog in my throat that day.

This picture was taken at the Rehearsal dinner at Cantina Laredo. Janna got us bridesmaids the BEST gifts! Hats with our married names on them, and beautiful bracelets and earrings.


Here we are on the wedding day leaving the spa to head to the wedding at Villa Siena!
We looked darn hot!! I loved the way Janna had our hair done, it was very classy and elegant.

I mean really...isn't she the cutest thing ever?!
On our way to Villa Siena....getting so excited.....

The aisle

The beautiful bride

Her beautiful bridesmaids (I had it taken in black and white, so I could look the same color as everyone else in at least one picture)

It's OFFICIAL!

It was so touching that Janna was escorted down the aisle by her brother...she had lost her father almost 2 years ago. So Janna had a picture of her dad attached to her bouquet. So tender and wonderful.

The awesome wedding party!

Okay...this party afterwards....SUPREME AWESOMENESS!

Janna had chosen M.I.A's Paper Planes to introduce the wedding party into the reception hall. And as we each went in...(bridesmaids escorted by groomsmen) we all decided to do some funky dancing. My groomsmen and me kept it REALWHITE and did the frog. Others C-walked and did the robot...it was toooo much fun! The food was DELISH! great dancing, great cake...greatness all around!

These are quite possibly some of the funniest people I have ever known...so good to be reunited with them....the 'Vegas Ladies'.

hilarity



Here is the exit of the lovely couple! I had never seen this before...it was so beautiful...sparklers, GENIUS!

And then we have my favorite pic of them all...

Congratulations Mr. and Mrs. Keith Stevens!

LOVE YOU JANNA!

Los Cabos Vacation Villas

WHO IS LOOKING FOR AN AFFORDABLE VACATION THIS MAY??

I still have available the last two weeks of May of this year. The 16th thru the 31st. If you want just one of those weeks, that would work too!

The original price was over $1,000/night. Right now...$399/night!

Let me refresh your memory of how incredible these villas are!

Go here if you want to make some awesome memories this May!!

Lots of random funness

On the 16th of February we were able to check into our MonteCristo Estates villa for one full month! It was so much fun. Our first night there, we hosted a Sushi night with a few of our dear friends that both live here and were visiting. "Good times, noodle salad."

It was delicious! Our friend Claudia is a professional sushi chef, and she did an incredible job.

It was fascinating to watch her make it....it was the best sushi I have ever had!

Let me give a brief explanation before the viewing of the next photo. I haven't taken a bath since like 1986. I don't know how much bubble to put into a bath. So, the maid had left one little 'sample' size bottle on our awesomely HUGE tub. I thought it took the whole bottle.

This is where Spencer caught me doing my "Pretty Woman" impression. (singing "Kiss" by Prince)



Later that first week we went back up to Magdalena Bay with our friends Dan and Nancy. We got to go out on a panga with Ed, and saw incredible wildlife in the estuaries. That place is fabulous.





Then our parents arrived for one month to stay in the other villa. Yeah, I got ZERO pics. Sorry mom. It's just that you guys are so fun, I totally forget to take a picture, b/c my thoughts are totally engrossed in the funness we are having. ;)

With the emotional ups of good times with family and friends....there was ONE down. Spencer was backed up into by a tour van. The driver threw his car into reverse not thinking anyone was behind him and BOOM! nailed Spencer. Luckily, thankfully, noone was hurt.


And it stills drives...so while the responsible party is ordering our Lexus parts from San Diego we can still drive it.

Thanks mom and dad for the great time! we love you and miss you!

8 Anos de Matrimonio

That means 8 YEARS OF MARRIAGE!

I can't believe it has been 8 years. So much has happened and we have moved so many times that looking back it is a blur of funness, activity, adventure, sorrow, and growth.

I couldn't decide what I wanted to do. We have been super duper healthy and active lately, and we had only 2 protein shakes and played volleyball all day long...so WE WANTED TO EAT!!

However, I have a TON of favorite foods. So this is what we did....FOOD HOPPED.

The most incredible sushi in the world is here at the Tiki Bar. I'm serious...sushi snobs have commented that it is very good. So that is where we started. Sushi for appetizers.

Then on to Baja Cantina for the most incredible shrimp tacos.

Then...Senor Sweets for the best gelato!! One scoop Ultra Oreo and one scoop Dulce de Leche.

This was the dinner for champions.

Luckily Spencer and I have the exact same taste in food. (no pun intended)

Oh and all these restaurants are on the beach/marina, so we had gorgeousness and romance all around us.

I love it here. And I love that I can share it with the love of my life.

Happy 8 years of marriage and Valentine's Day my love.

Magdalena Bay

Wednesday we headed up to Magdalena Bay, with Ed, to check out the property for the resort he is building called Magdalena Secret. The permit for building has officially gone through and the building starts at the beginning of March. Spencer got to see it last April, so I was pretty excited to see it for myself.
one word.
Wow.

So, it's about a 4 hour drive north of Cabo. We get to drive through Todo Santos and La Paz, and then we stay the night in Constitucion. I love this little town. It is so clean, beautiful, friendly, quiet, and they have really really good food.
Here are some pictures I took around Constitucion.

This was our hotel

Of course, I just realized I COMPLETELY forgot to take pictures at the cute little outside deli we ate lunch at, and the fantastic restaurant we ate at for dinner. Delicious papas and tortas and the best macaroons I have EVER had in my life.

The property that Ed owns at Magdalena Bay is, right now, a 40 minute drive through a cactus jungle, on a dirt road. And then there is the exploration of the property which covers 2 miles of undiscovered beach and 900,000 sq.ft of land. ( I can't remember the acreage). So we decided to start early the next morning and spend the day there.


So the next morning we went to the Super Ley, got bag lunches of Tortas and yogurt, and off we were.

Driving over and through this

getting closer to the bay...

The mountains in the background...that is Margarita Island.

And then we arrive, and for a moment I thought I had died and gone to heaven.

I felt like a kid in a candy store. The sand...I have NEVER felt sand like this before. You can sit down on it, roll around, get up and brush it ALL off. It feels like therapeutic spa sand...finer than cinnamon. And then when it gets wet, it is like the softest clay...but NOT muddy at all. It doesn't stick to you at ALL. It just molds and comforts your feet.

my prancing in the sand drew an audience

The seashells on the beach are awesome. There are ZERO crushed shells. They are big, beautiful and in one piece. All different kinds of colors and shapes. Click on the picture beneath to make it larger.

And this next picture...IT'S A CRAB! Alive and strolling along the beach with me. (click on it to see it better).

OR, it's possible he was trying to find all of his brothers and sisters who were waiting for him in the boat.


we'll be eating good at the bay.

Ed was going to take us out in the boat to go touch the 50-60 WHALE that were out there.
Unfortunately the boat was not quite functional, so we will be back next week to do that.

The plans Ed has for this place is truly exceptional. The villas, bungalows, and casitas that are going up, will be first class, 5 star, GRADE A, top of the line, choicest places on EARTH to spend any vacation. And I can't wait to live there.



p.s. There are a few more lots for sale. FYI. If you purchase one, your return on investment will be 1.2 million dollars in 10 years.

Gift of Tongues

We have been here for about 4 months now. Everyday I have tried to exercise my skillz of Spanish in some form or another. A word or sentence here or there. I had a good foundation for it, since I took 3 years of it in high school. But I can understand it a TON better than I can speak it.

Well, Spencer on the other hand...no Spanish. None. Niet. Nada! Since being here I haven't even heard him successfully attempt one complete sentence in Spanish.

So yesterday at church. We are in Sunday School. They are passing around the scriptures as we are all taking turns reading (this is a Spanish ward). It comes to Spencer's turn to read, well, sadly, Spencer doesn't attempt it, he just passes it to me. My pronunciation is fabulous, if I do say so myself. So, after I read, I am thinking to myself...man I hope Spencer picks this up SOMETIME.

It was SOMETIME. He is asked to give the closing prayer. You can imagine my complete shock, awe, and surprise, as HE BUSTS IT OUT IN SPANISH! THE ENTIRE PRAYER! It wasn't memorized, he didn't even know he was going to give the prayer until she had just asked him right then and there. I could NOT believe it!

When he finishes the prayer, he looks at me with these HUGE eyes, and smile, and I am pretty sure he was sweating. My mouth was hanging open and I say, quite loudly, "Where did you bust that out of??" Yeah, he didn't know. It just happened. I honestly wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't have been there.

So last week I was called to be the 2nd Counselor in the Primary Presidency. The 1st counselor is an American who has lived here for about 12 years, and she is fabulous! So, I have no worries about needing help in there. I can usually understand 1 out of every 5 or 6 words in sacrament and Sunday School. Well, when I walked into Primary for the first time yesterday, I could understand EVERYTHING! I was so excited! I didn't speak at all, and I couldn't sing the songs, but I understood everything the kids were saying, and what Sherri was teaching. It was such a wonderful experience. I am so excited to be here and to be apart of all of this.

I am so proud of Spencer. Now, he won't stop his random Spanglish. It's awesome.

Come what may

This week:

woke up to no running water...
water came back on and...
had to go to bed with a flooded bathroom..
there is now a hole in our bathroom ceiling from condo upstairs.

Woke up to HORRIBLE news...that I don't even want to mention on here...

slammed my toe into a rock wall on the way to the bathroom from beach volleyball..
Was in so much pain, once I got to the bathroom i fainted.

10 minutes later I got up...walked outside, luckily Spencer was just then walking up from the court, cause I almost fainted again, and he caught me.


Now my toe AND my computer are broken...

*sigh*

but then I get to see a picture of this little guy and everything gets a little better...

i love him.

My computer is fried

I am so sad.

My computer killed itself over a week ago.

I am on Spencer's laptop.

I hate laptops.

No mouse, tiny keyboard, uncomfortable.

I want my computer fixed.

Salud

Another one of my favorite things about living here.

The greeting

We don't just shake hands anymore...we get a LOT of love.

A handshake + the added bonus of a kiss on the cheek.

Merry Christmas!

Yes, I'm a little late posting this. Especially, it being after my New Year's Resolution post. But for posterity's sake it had to be done sometime before 2010 hits.

This is our family Christmas photo for 2009. Taken in front of our ONLY Christmas decoration.

A picture of Jesus.

We hope everyone had a GREAT Christmas.
We spent our Christmas Eve celebrating with new friends. Learning very special traditions, and singing all our favorite carols in Spanish.
Thank you Galbreiths!

Christmas Day we were supposed to go surfing but the weather was COLD and CLOUDY.
I think that is how we will bring in the NEW YEAR instead. Bring on the waves baby!

Oh, and our gifts to each other....BOOGIE BOARDS!

Hero-flex...a resolution

So we went to our favorite place for dinner last night on the marina. Baja Cantina.

We met our friends there that Spencer went fishing with yesterday (they caught 9 MahiMahi).

As we are sitting there laughing and talking there is a HUGE commotion behind me. I turn around and see a bar stool from the restaurant next to ours being tossed into a guys face. And guys chasing another guy and beating him down. My natural reaction to such circumstances is, I'm sorry to say, FREEZE! I become completely frozen. I HATE IT! Well, as soon as I realize what is going on, I also realize that Spencer is nowhere to be seen. Apparently his natural reaction is to jump in and help, or at least find out what happened and then help.

Apparently, some American walked up to another American having dinner, and said, "I think I should punch you in the face." And then proceeded to do so. The guy who got hit..his friend picked up the barstool to throw at the guy doing the hitting. Spencer immediately jumped up to go find out what was happening and help if need be. (crazy).

This is what I have labeled as the 'hero-flex'. The film-producing Dutch man who took out the terrorist on that flight last week has it. Spencer has it. Many friends of mine have it. Marie Edgar Bleak...YES YOU HAVE IT! A natural reflex in the face of trauma or disaster to act IMMEDIATELY. I am very pissed that I don't have it. I just freeze and look like a deer in headlights. It is very frustrating.
And that is going to be my New Year's resolution. To work out my hero-flex. No matter what happens, I am going to jump up and do SOMETHING.
It may just be yelling or jumping up and down on one leg clucking like a chicken for now...but I just hate sitting there and being useless.

A change in weather

We had our first day here yesterday of pouring down rain, and coldness; lots of coldness.

Which I have to say, I was grateful for. There was no need to run to the beach for ANYTHING, or to the marina or anywhere!

We stayed inside all day, I got to throw on sweats and I read an entire book. While eating Costco pizza.
It was a GREAT day.

This is the book I read...AWESOME!

A Job? What's that?

I am constantly bombarded with the question...

So, what do you DO?
(accompanied with a glare that really says, "if you say, play volleyball all day every day I hate you)

Truth is...I have been yearning, nay pining, nay pleading to be guided toward something I can enjoy and be good at, whilst Spencer is working. I have felt so "lazy" and kind of pointless lately. I have no kids YET, so really, I need to be "anxiously engaged in a good cause".

My prayers were definitely answered.

Pueblo Bonito MonteCristo (resort that my family is apart of) has NO ONE renting out their villas for their owners. It is really up to the owners to get that done themselves. Which really separates them from being time-shares. It is actually a fractional ownership.

If you go through a regular rental company to do that, the company charges AT LEAST 50-60% of the rental price. That is ridiculous.

That is where I come in. I have started my own website/business and my fees are LOW! 15%!

AND...I meet personally with clients' renters at the concierge and guide them through what they may not understand...(the ever-so-common-language-barrier) which adds a lovely personal touch.

For now, I am focusing only on the MonteCristo Estate Villas, since I am so familiar with them, and I already have clients.

There are NO pictures anywhere on the internet of the NEW PHASE 2 MonteCristo Estates...
UNTIL NOW!

I was able to get special access to the villa and take my own photos. And I have created a lovely video, which I humbly say...I am quite proud of.

So...yes...I DO DO SOMETHING!

AND I LOVE IT!

In case someone IS interested in spending a wonderful vacation in this MOST BEAUTIFUL villa...we do have the 3rd week in February still available. Normally, they rent out at about $4,000/night. However, due to the economic downturn...the owner's are willing to rent this out at $350/night. They are just trying to cover their maintenance fees at this point.

In the Top 5 of "Best Days Ever"

It actually started off sadly...with saying goodbye to my parents at 5:15 am. But it was all uphill from there.

Pueblo Bonito hosted a beach volleyball tournament today at the Blanco resort. There were 20 entrees. We played teams of 4, co-ed. When we arrived I was actually kind of nervous when I got a look at our competition. I was figuring it was going to be the same people I play with/against over at Sunset beach...(which would have been an ace in the hole). Alas, such was not the case.

It was AWESOME!

Some of these guys playing could easily be playing in the AVP tour in the states.

So, I was hoping for at most 2nd place.

It was pretty easy getting to the final championship game...(the 3rd match I served the ball 14 times)

But then we were up against the pros...But I am so proud of my team!!!

Me, Spencer, Miguel, and Jose...pulled it out of somewhere and won 1st place!!!

We won Pueblo Bonito t-shirts and FREE DRINK COUPONS!
It was close too! Final score...21-19. phew.

our competition really was fierce.

Highlight from final: I'm middle front...Kieran (6'6 guy on the other side) goes up to spike and Miguel (on my side) goes up to block, so I am right there waiting for a tip...instead of tipping the ball Kieran turns his shoulder and slams the ball right off of my forehead. He hit it is so hard and fast that I had ZERO time to react...AND he annihilated my sinus infection. i dropped straight to the ground. it was awesome.

But the awesome day doesn't end there. No, no, no. I have had many days of playing awesome volleyball, and have won more t-shirts than you could possibly imagine.

After volleyball we hung around the resort a bit and played with our WONDERFUL friends in the pool there. Miguel's family is AMAZING! His little boy just melts my heart. I love having wonderful friends here!

So, then Spencer and I went to dinner at the marina at Senor Sweets, and had the most delicious pizza I have EVER had. seriously...that is saying something. It was bbq chicken pizza with cilantro. AMAZING!

But it doesn't stop there....

Then we went to what is now ranking in my top 10 of favorite movies....AVATAR! (in the VIP theater with lazy boy recliners)
if you haven't seen this movie yet...go now.

Great volleyball+ winning great volleyball +great friends+great beach+great food + great movie+ great date with my man= IN THE TOP 5 OF BEST DAYS EVER!

Deep Sea Fishing

There are only 2 fish in the world that my dad hasn't caught. A sailfish and a marlin. So, seeing as how he is here now, and there are marlin all across our shorelines...we had an exciting day at sea!


This picture was taken on the boat at approx. 6:30 am. Which means that I awoke at 5 am. I have to log that, b/c I don't think I will ever wake up that early again...

This wasn't our boat..it was the boat next to us, but this is what our boat looked like. It's next to impossible to take a picture of a boat that you are on.


I caught the first fish....a Dorado. Which, at first, I was like...a Dorado? Who cares...I've never heard of that... but then I was politely informed, that a Dorado is a MAHI MAHI! WOO HOO! Boy, did I get excited! This picture makes it look ALOT easier than it is...especially when you are left handed using a right handed reel.




The wind was HORRENDOUS! Weather Underground had lied to us. We had to take Bonine (anti-seasickness pills) that morning...and after the excitement of the first catch...we all PASSED OUT IN THE CABIN! I would have liked to have gotten a picture of that, unfortunately, I too was unconscious.

After a mighty fine nap...Daddy was blessed with his...(drum roll please)

100 lb. MARLIN

Dad released it...He doesn't want to kill things that he won't eat (WHAT A GUY!). And it is better ecologically that Mr. Marlin grow up a little more and produce some marlinettes.

Next up...Spencer



yes, his was bigger than mine.

Another awesome part of the day were the dolphins swimming along side of us!!
After 8 hours of fishing and traversing rough waters...we hooked but lost 2 marlin, and 2 dorado, and one MASSIVE Bulldorado! bummer. But we each caught one...and we were happy!

On the way in, these pelicans were BEGGING for our bait...they got so close to us I could have touched them!

So the following night...thanks to our dear friend Ed, our favorite Italiano restaurante, Salvatore's, made a meal of our wonderful Mahi Mahi.
As their spiritual bodies have now strengthened the armies of heaven, their physical bodies have now strengthened the army of Bradford.

sidebar: i slept 13 hours that night. never taking Bonine again.