Even though we were just down for a week, the Mexico trip was so much fun it needs two posts. In Part One there were baby sea turtles and lots of SPF 110 in the hopes of keeping my tattoos colourful- in the second half of our trip we went exploring Puerto Vallarta, I got to have a surprise meet up with one of my favourite people on the planet & our sweet friends got married!

Scroll on… :)

So, I did get a sunburn- and of course it was a second degree burn. I was reading a great book and got carried away! While I was wearing SPF 110 & SPF 60 I ended up getting burned while no one else was affected. I didn't like not being able to hang out with our new friends from the wedding party on the beach, but in the middle of the trip I had two days of time to nap, rest, read and relax in a gorgeous, soft bed.

During the day there were butterflies and pelicans everywhere, strong coffee and sea breezes, and manta rays that would swim beside you in the waves. At night, music would waft up to the balcony and the ocean would send giant waves crashing up and down the beach- just perfect for falling asleep to.

Evidence of my resting & enjoying myself way too much while doing it!

The resort was right outside of Puerto Vallarta, which has a huge boardwalk stretching along its coast. As soon as I was feeling better I got to take advantage of the short cab ride from town so I could explore the markets.  Along the boardwalk there were huge, amazing sandcastles, colourful shops and vendors with little carts selling candy, toys, and food while the sun set.

This was my first time travelling as a young woman with visible tattoos, and honestly I was a little worried. I've been to the Mayan Riviera before, and there was always a lot of shouting at women as everyone walked through the towns and I wasn't sure if PV would be the same, or how people would react to my tattoos. While I was definitely stared at in town and didn't see any other women with visible tattoos, people were really incredibly nice. I didn't hear anyone cat calling tourists and I wasn't approached by shop owners nearly as much as in my previous trips to Mexico. It was a very pleasant surprise!

Close to the end of the trip I got the chance to see my friend Andrea from Kempt Life. Andrea and I have been friends for years and have always kept in close touch since we found each other's blogs. I knew that she'd slipped away from Canada and moved to Mexico but I only found out that she was living a half hour from my resort right before I left for Mexico! We made last minute plans and were incredibly lucky to be able to connect- especially without the help of cell phones and 3G internet on my part. After years of stories, laughing & tears- while being on opposite ends of Canada, we got our first full day together… in Mexico. Why not!

We slipped out of the city and back to the resort and caught up over two meals, many drinks, a number of restaurants, a couple of beach chairs… and also over a giant iguana who was sunning himself directly under my chair as we ate lunch!

Honestly, if I'd moved my chair at all it would have been a very bad situation. I don't know if iguana's attack, and I'm glad that I didn't have to find out!

The highlight of the trip – and the whole reason for it – was definitely the wedding. It was a short, sweet ceremony with a really fun reception that even included a dance battle. I couldn't say enough good things about the wedding party or our friends getting married, but I do wish we could go back and do it all again!

By the end of the trip I was completely relaxed & recharged- and getting a little restless. Being away from reliable Internet access, Freckled Nest & my puppies was a great break but it reminded me how incredible it is to have a life built on all of these small pieces of things that make me so happy. The only way I could have stayed in Mexico and had fun was if I brought everything I have in Winnipeg and moved it there- including the restaurants, our tiny house, my family & friends, and all of it. It was a great feeling to know in my bones that I couldn't wait to get back to real life!

While I loved the getaway, I've taken some lessons from the time away and have started stitching them into my daily life.

Seeing the great group of friends in the wedding party, and spending time with Andrea, reminded me that it's important to be active in my friendships & to invest and make those connections deep. The time away from e-mail and notifications made me realize that I don't need my e-mail open all the time to be on top of what's happening, and helped me see that I'm more effective when I only check in during set times. Having a week away from crafts and handmade made me miss it terribly, and dive into my projects with more enthusiasm. And the week of time with Jesse made me fall in love with him again, in a whole other way, which has to be my favourite part of being married to such a sweet man.

And, of course, being away for the first week of The Bachelor made be realize that I'm a hopeless addict with no shame (or pride!) when it comes to those dopey kids and their crazy rose ceremonies. Send help!

Thanks for reading while I was away, and I'm excited to get back to normal around here with more projects, recipes and hands on ways to take the every day and turn it into a creative, beautiful life :)