I believe in the importance of parents getting time alone, away from their kids. Marriage challenges couples without kids, but throw in tiny humans who enjoy pushing buttons and see what happens. The day-to-day grind wears on each of us and we need time together to re-charge and remind ourselves why we chose this journey together. I don’t know what I would do without Ryan in my corner, he makes me a better person and a better mom.

After moving states and being separated for weeks at a time, we really needed a vacation. Well, I desperately needed one that included loads of sunshine since we moved from sunny California to Washington. We chose an all-inclusive resort in Mexico and had an amazing time- here are some highlights.

We stayed at the Blue Diamond Luxury Boutique Hotel in Riviera Maya, Quintana Roo, Mexico. We honeymooned in this same region 9 years ago and were excited to go back. The Blue Diamond is a small resort, less than 130 guest rooms, and had the perfect laid-back vibe. We’ve stayed at resorts where it feels like constant chaos- which can be fun. But this go around we needed relaxation and got exactly that.

We stayed in a Lagoon Jr. Suite that featured a bathroom the size of a personal spa ☺️ included a double shower and outdoor tub. The guest rooms are spread throughout the property and surrounded by trees so it felt secluded and private. The resort has three restaurants that all served delicious food. There wasn’t a meal we didn’t enjoy.

Ryan and I both loved how laid back this resort was. Other all-inclusive resorts have been so crowded that you had to wake up super early to claim your spot at the pool or beach, make reservations for the restaurants, or wait forever for a drink. At the Blue Diamond we didn’t have to worry about any of that and just got to enjoy each other, our drinks and, of course, this view.

The resort also had water activities as part of the all-inclusive, including snorkeling, paddle boarding and sailing. On my birthday we got a mini sailing lesson where we got

to try it ourselves. It was so much fun! I loved that there were things we could do together that we both enjoyed.

When we first planned the vacation we’d sort of committed to no plans so that we could just recoup. Which we did, but we also had a few adventures. 😏 The first few days we were there were overcast, so it was a relief when we went sailing in beautiful, sunny weather with incredibly warm, clear water. We could’ve stayed out there all day.

My favorite adventure, by far, was swimming with the whale sharks off the coast of Cancun. I honestly didn’t think I’d be able to convince Ryan to let me do this, let alone go with me. He’s to a big fan of the unknown in the wide-open ocean, so he usually declines the invitation to snorkel. But when I was doing research on things to do in Riviera Maya, everyone raved about swimming with whale sharks!!! Whale sharks filter plankton from the water, so they tend to follow the plankton where it goes. We lucked out that the time we were there was the perfect season for the whale shark experience. It was A-M-A-Z-I-N-G. No photos or videos really capture the experience of swimming next to these gentle, HUGE creatures. Each whale shark has unique spots and there’s even an initiative to collect photos of whale sharks’ spots to help researches learn more about their habits. So with all this hype I somehow managed to convince Ryan to swim with me and the whale sharks (he loves me) and we both loved it!!!! If you ever have the chance to swim with whale sharks- do it. If you want to learn more, here’s a start: 10 Best Places for Swimming with Whale Sharks | Wildbook for Whale Sharks

We did some snorkeling in Xcaret where we were surrounded by fish and a very eager turtle. He followed us around for a bit. We also spotted a ray, but the photos for that weren’t the best. Later that day we swam with the dolphins.

We don’t have any photos of us swimming with dolphins but the photos don’t capture the experience anyway. Dolphins are so playful and graceful, we were excited at the opportunity to swim with one. I think this trip really reinforced how much I love sea life and being in the water. I plan to pursue my diver’s cert this year so that the next time we vacation I can do some real diving and explore the mystery of our oceans.

The whole vacation was such a blessing. The kids had a blast hanging out with grandparents while we were away and we got the time alone that we needed to recharge. It’s good that we relaxed so much, because once we got back to California we spent two days with the boys at Disneyland before coming home, taking in a Dodgers vs. Mariners game and then started back to work the next day. 😂