What just happened???

This is how I feel about the past 2 weeks.  We made a trip to our hometown in MD for a wedding and a baby shower and ended up spending the entire week on the road running around like chickens with our heads cut off.  I crammed more activity into the 10 days we were there than I can even wrap my brain around but I will give a synopsis in pictures and then give specific details in future blogs (I hope)...

Drive 500 miles from SC to MD...

Visit my best friend, Courtney (and her baby to be Wyatt), in the hospital!

Spend time with my hubby's brother and wife and my adorable nephew Elijah...

Attended the fabulous wedding of our high school best friend, Matt, and his beautiful bride, Melissa...

Our Group...Hubby and I with 2 of my best girlfriends and their hubbies!

Had a MD Crab Feast with my family...I hadn't seen my brother in almost 6 years!

Spent the 4th of July with our amazing friends, Krystal and Matt, who just moved to Annapolis, MD from Charleston in March!  (I miss my partner in crime, Krystal)

Navy Wives stick together!

Navy Buddies...

Happy 4th of July...Home of the Free because of the BRAVE!

Luck was on our side and our sister in law, Sara, gave birth (while we were in town) to a beautiful baby girl...

Andrea Reese

I met up with my Dad (at Chick Fil A)...I don't see him much so it was nice to spend a little time with him!

I had the honor of taking maternity pictures of my BEAUTIFUL best friend Courtney....here is a sneek peak!!

I took my Nieces and Nephew swimming...with all of the craziness of watching after my 3 nieces who are 12, 8 and 5 and my nephew who is 2 1/2 and Aiden who is 22 months...I only snapped 1 picture...

My very best friend, Nicole, and her amazing husband, Jose, bought their very first home...and it is beyond beautiful!  These two have worked so hard and waited so patiently for this day and I could not be happier for them!  Welcome Home Nicole and Jose!!!

Champagne is a MUST!

We attended my niece, Kasey's 6th Birthday Party (she isn't 6 until Thursday hehe)

I also attended Courtney's baby shower...it was so nice to spend the day with 2 of my very best friends, Courtney and Nicole, and celebrate the impending birth of this amazing little boy, Wyatt!!

Cute cake...Cuter Momma to be!

My 2 besties from High School!

How Cute is she?

And if that wasn't enough...my bestie Alison swung by late Saturday night so that our handsome boys could play together....

Aren't they adorable....dancing machine!

Drive 500 miles back to SC...

Are you tired yet????  I sure am!!!!

I'm a runner...

OK, maybe the title of this post is a little overzealous.  What I should say is that I ran a 5k and I am pretty sure a runner that does not make.  I have always admired those people that can just lace up their shoes and take off for miles and miles.  Oddly enough I also admire their physique...you know, SKINNY hahaha!  I have never really had a relationship with running and by that I mean that I neither love it nor hate it.  I have also never had a runners body and by that I mean SKINNY!  But if the tunes are pumping I could run for a while.  However, if I am not feeling it, there are not enough beat pounding songs on iTunes to get this girl in gear.
Lately I have been feeling the need to challenge myself physically.  I really don't know why or exactly what I am trying to prove but I do know that I am trying to prove it to the most impossible person on earth, MYSELF!  I could really care less what the rest of the world thinks because quite honestly it doesn't even compare to the pressure and expectations I put on myself!  After tossing the idea around with some of my favorite ladies, my workout buddies, we decided to just pick a day and go for it!
My goal...30 minutes or less, no walking, and no internal dialogue that sometimes sounds like this, "you suck", "this sucks", "just quit", "I hate this", "I can't do it"....oh yeah and one minor detail that dates back about ten years!  The first, and only, time I ever ran a 5k was in college...it wasn't my idea but I didn't really have a choice.  I had never run more than a mile in my life and here I am running 3.1 miles....I didn't walk but in the last mile I feel someone just flying by me.  I look over and I was being passed by a man pushing a double stroller UPHILL...UGH, talk about defeat!  This was the basis for my final goal...I WILL NOT BE PASSED BY A STROLLER!
I am not usually one to get nervous but I must admit that I was a little nervous leading up to the race.  I use the term race lightly...my poor Mom thought I was about to sprint my way through an obstacle course with hurdles and pole vaults.
Mom:  "How far is a 5k?  1 mile?"
Me:  "No Mom, it's 3.1 miles"
Mom:  "Teresa, be careful!  Don't fall down and skin your knees"
Me: "Mom, what kind of run do you think I am doing...I am not jumping hurdles or anything...it is just a "fun run"
So...to refrain from making a long post longer I will sum it up!
From start to finish I felt great.  My internal dialogue went something like this "you can do this"  "you will finish"  "I think I can go faster"  "I refuse to let a stroller pass me"  "I can't believe I am almost there"

As I approached the finish line I noticed the time...26 minutes and 50 seconds....really?  I took off!  All of the sudden my goal of under 30 minutes went out the window and I was now determined to finish in under 27 minutes (funny how that happens)...my final time 26 minutes and 58 seconds.

Overall I was pleased!  I did something I set out to do and I actually had fun doing it!  I ran with a group of amazing ladies who are so incredibly supportive and my 2 favorite men were there cheering me on at every turn and most importantly as I approached the finish line!

 
Since I am bragging about my men cheering me on I figure I better share the evidence...listen closely and you can hear my hubby saying "pump it out" and my baby boy cheering "Mama"...makes me feel good!!!

Magical Mexico...

So I am a little behind on this post...whatever!!!!
Two weeks ago we spent a magnificent 6 days in the beautiful Riviera Maya...we stayed at Dreams Riviera Cancun Resort and Spa!  This was our second trip to the same resort and if that doesn't tell you how awesome it is, I don't know what will!
Rather than write a long post about all of the details I will just give you the highlights in pictures! (warning:  LOTS of pictures begin now...)

Paradise Indeed!

Let the fun begin...

First afternoon was rainy...upgraded to Jacuzzi on our balcony... priceless

Putting the family in family vacation!

Beach Front Playground...

Nana and Pops came this year...

"Swing Up" bar

All Inclusive means "1 more virgin daiquiri please"

Happy Boy

AMAZING  Ceviche....is it bad that I ordered this everyday?

The seafood was so fresh and Muy Delicioso

Daily 2+ hour naps in the cabana!

Fabulous Family Dinners

First Class...

Breathtaking views

Date Night...

New Friends....

Recreating the same pose from 2010

Chess Anyone?

If these pictures do not make you want to get on a plane right now, you are blind!!!  This was an amazing vacation that absolutely could not have gone better!  Aiden was an Angel...he slept on the plane, napped at the cabana, played at the pool all day (everyday), made new friends and brought new meaning to the phrase "go with the flow"!  I am one proud Momma...was there any question?

When I was a kid we didn't take family vacations, in fact we didn't do anything as a family.  I did, however, vacation with my "other" family and I am so thankful for them and the places they took me...I have mentioned them before in this blog!  I used to dream about the life I wanted for my children...a life full of fun memories, new experiences, and lots and lots of family time!  I am lucky enough to have married a man who feels the same way, a man who works very hard to make sure that we can do the fun things that I have the pleasure of blogging about, a man that would rather be with his family than anywhere else in the world!  I know that when he deploys our fun excursions will be a little more rare but there is no doubt that I cherish every amazing moment that we have made thus far and the ones that I know are to come...as long as we are together there will always be a ton of "Adventures in Gunder-land"!

Moments...

As I was snuggling Aiden tonight before I put hime in bed I said to him, "Aiden, am I a good Mommy?"...He smiled and gave me a big nod YES!!!  In that moment, nothing else mattered!!!

***More blogs coming...including a post about our vacation in Mexico!!!