Whew! It's been a crazy [but super fun] past couple of weeks. I haven't posted in a while, so apologies for this being such a long one.
My mom, her best friend, my brother's two best friends, and I all went to Puerto Vallarta last week! My mom actually won the trip in a silent auction [her weakness], so we got quite a deal on an absolutely gorgeous home. There was a couple who lived there with their two kiddos [probably the two sweetest people I've ever met]. They took great care of us.
She was an excellent cook and he made a hell of a margarita! I'm never going back - tamariñdo all the way!
His family also had an unbelievable recipe for salsa verde that I literally could have swam in. It's so delicious. I'm actually trying to recreate it as I type this post. More to come if that works out...
Best. Guac. Ever.
This was our dinner the night we arrived. Absolutely amazing crusted Durango (it's a type of fish - never had it before but I am a major fan), Mexican rice, a super fresh salad, homemade guac + salsa verde, plus fresh limes, crema, etc. Everything here was the epitome of fresh. We ate like royalty, but I never felt completely gross and stuffed like I sometimes do at Tex-Mex places (but that hasn't stopped me going back now, has it?).
The house was in a gated area that led all the way up the mountains. It was built (like all the houses there) into the side of the cliff, so this was our view from the infiniti pool [trust me, the pictures do not do it justice]. We'd just sit outside, sip coffee [or margaritas], and talk and read and lounge and sing.
¡Viva Mexico!
Not the worst sunset I have to say... We could actually see all the way to the Baja strip from our balconies (yes that's right... plural... there were three levels)!
This is the view from the top balcony where the master suite is. Absolutely gorgeous.
We pretty much lived in the pool the entire time. With a view like that, why wouldn't you?
This was the ceiling on the third level near the master bedroom. The detailing of the tile was just breathtaking. I couldn't imagine waking up every day, walking out of my bedroom, and seeing this. Just gorgeous.
I'm not going to lie, there was a definite presence missing on our trip. My brother would have had so much fun. It was very healing to get to spend time with his buddies sharing stories and laughing and crying over my crazy brother. This bird you see here below kept swooping in and hanging out with us from time-to-time. We had to really be patient in order to get a picture because he was a sneaky little bugger. I have to say [and I've said it before] that birds remind me so much of those who've gone before us. I feel like they're God's way of showing us comfort and strength in times of bittersweet sadness. That's what this little fella did for me.
We took a walk down to the beach one day and along the way I snapped a few pics of the neighborhood.
At the beach, we went to a little cantina and had some snacks + bevs. I went with a trusty ole Corona + lime. It was a fun experience, but I have to say it was a little scary. I don't want to get into anything negative, but it will be a while before I go back to Mexico. I really pray the drug wars end and the government can gain control of everything again. The people are truly wonderful and are just trying to earn a living and raise their kids. It's tough to do in the kind of surroundings they have currently.
There were dogs everywhere (which I of course loved), and I even found Penny's doppelganger.
I'd love if we could get plants like this to grow in Texas! Just beautiful. They were literally everywhere - on stairs, in windows, in small pots on the side of the road.
On our last night there, we went to an amazing restaurant called Le Kliff [and yes, it was on a cliff]. I finally got to wear a new dress I got from Old Navy! It's perfect for summer, even in a place as steamy as Mexico.
Our view at dinner:
Herbal Martini = Happy Lilly
(this place is actually known for their martinis - they had an entire page in the menu for them - they're ridiculously delicious)
My brother's friend had the lobster. Get. Out. Of. Here. Yummo!
I had the pecan crusted snapper that came with a passion fruit sauce + asparagus. Holy Fish Heaven.
I was so happy to get back to squeezing deeze cheekies! We played in our little inflatable pool in the backyard the day after I got back. Homeboy wasn't having it at first.
But then Daddy decided to jump in, and little man was all about it! Look at these two hunks.
We spent Father's Day at my in-laws house and had a great time laughing, swimming, and eating! I'm a lucky, lucky lady to have this man as my baby daddy. He's kind of amazing, y'all.
Corey's also discovered that he LOVES Play-Doh! Score for this mama!
Cheers to the weekend! We're off to Port Aransas with the family tomorrow! Praying that it doesn't rain the whole time.
