Tulum!

with my friend Smokey, at book club

A couple of weeks ago, Ben and I flew to Tulum, Mexico to meet Greg and Tisha and some of their friends! What a fun trip! 

our beautiful home in Tulum

Day One: Ruins

back at our house....

Claudia, Tisha, Abby, and Laura :)

Day Two: Cenotes 

this is Ben

Cenotes are freshwater springs; they are so beautiful! 

Greg and Tisha

Ben and me

Greg with Claudia and Rhet (and a random floating woman in the back)

Claudia and Rhet

Mark and Laura

The crazy walls of the cenote.

We snorkeled through these caves! So crazy!

We had to travel in a single-file line here.

My favorite photo. So creepy!

We made it to the bat cave!

There are bats up there!

So proud of Laura and Tisha for making it!

the opening to the "bat cave"

Greg and Tisha

bats

group shot

The cenotes were incredible!

dinner out (worst lighting ever)

We witnessed two bizarre shows featuring these dancers in neon costumes! 

Ben had a fun drink!

The next day...we got on a boat! 

These "farmacias" are everywhere. So crazy.

And when we got home, we saw a group of stingrays in the ocean outside our house!

before dinner on our final evening

Adios, house!

***

Back at home...

Walker attended an epic birthday party.

Walker is third from left.

Walker is second from left.

Walker is second from left (again).

Spring Break in Key West

Headed to the Key West!

"Fred the tree" along the Old Seven Mile Bridge - a tree literally growing out of the concrete.

Fred can be seen from the Overseas Highway which runs parallel to the Old Seven Mile Bridge.

Our room wasn't ready when we got to Key West, so we explored an old US Coast Guard Ship called the "Ingham" that was in operation from 1936 to 1988. It has since been turned into a museum of sorts - totally worth seeing and exploring.

The bunks were so tiny!

by the cannon (or gun?)

at the Southernmost point of the Continental United States

(90 miles to Cuba!)

Walker and Ben went to the Ernest Hemmingway Museum while Lainey and I went shopping.

The museum has about 59 cats on property - and many of them have 6 toes!

The boys also visited the Truman Little White House in Key West.

So many roosters (and chickens) around Key West. Bizarre. The roosters are always cocka-doodle-doing.

I loved our hotel! SO quiet and peaceful and small.

a rooster, right outside our hotel room

boat ride in Key West

We got to see the sunset!

more chickens and roosters

Annnddd...Gracie's photo from her boarding facility. She looks unimpressed.

Walker's 14th Birthday Party

Walker and his best buddy Chase had a joint birthday party - happy 14th birthday, boys! Wiffle ball, football, pizza, and cookie cake. Fourteen-year-old boy birthday parties are so easy. I highly recommend. 

I had to include this photo. Walker's party was next to this "Holi" party. It was crazy. 

Chase's birthday card to Walker. :) So great.