Cabo San Lucas, Mexico: Week 1

We got home from our wonderful trip to Mexico one week ago - we had such a fabulous time! We arrived home on a Wednesday late afternoon, and had Thursday to catch up on some sleep, do laundry, and pack to head to the cabin in WI for the 4th of July weekend. So we've been busy over the past week enjoying the Wisconsin northwoods and going through our many pictures from Mexico... a lot of pictures are taken on a two week vacation with a baby! So no real time for blogging as of yet, but I'll attempt to summarize our fun time in Mexico here. Although the pictures are good, they don't really do the place or our experience there justice, so you just might have to think about visiting there someday yourself... I'm guessing most of you wouldn't mind that! This is the view that we woke up to every morning - isn't it beautiful?





On our way to Mexico from Minneapolis, our first flight and Mckenna's first time on an airplane went well and was rather uneventful. It was an early flight, so luckily Mckenna went right to sleep in my arms and slept for a good part of the trip. We flew from MSP to Houston, where we were extremely lucky (a total random coincidence!) to be on the next flight from Houston to Cabo as Cam, Linnea, Gwen and Sonja. Fun, right? Well, when we met at the gate, we realized that Matt, Mckenna and I were in row 9, and they were in row 10 - what are the chances? So we had fun hanging out with them on the plane, and I think being able to interact a bit made the trip go that much smoother for our girls.

Here is Mckenna with her first set of wings, the plastic sticker variety. She got these on our first flight from Minneapolis to Houston. We had a really nice Texan stewardess named (yes, I'm serious) Muffin. We told her that it was our first flight with Mckenna, and she checked back with us many times to make sure we were okay. Several times she loudly exclaimed, and I quote, "Ya'll, that is the cutest baby I've ever seen in my life, ya'll!" :) Too funny. And she told all of the other flight attendants on the plane too, and a few of them even came over to see Mckenna for themselves at Muffin's urging. So it was a very memorable first flight with Mckenna.


Cuties!


Cam, Sonja, Linnea, and Gwen... are we there yet? :)


I just can't get enough of these two together!


Welcome to Mexico!


Waiting to go through customs in line at the San Jose Del Cabo airport. I think we were all ready to get through the line, get our luggage, and get our fun vacation started!




When we all got to the villa that would be our home away from home in Cabo, we had to prioritize... what to do first? To the pool we go!




These two little gals had a lot of catching up and playing to do...






I know the girls really enjoyed having a whole week to spend with their grandpa and grandma, and I think vice versa. :)


Craig, Cam, and Matt went deep sea fishing for Father's Day and caught a beautiful Mahi Mahi. The boat staff filleted the fish for them, and the guys brought it home. A few nights later we feasted on grilled Mahi Mahi. Thanks Linnea for preparing such a fabulous meal!















One night Karen and Craig were kind enough to watch the girls for us, and Cam, Linnea, Matt and I went out for a romantic dinner with an absolutely breathtaking view of the ocean and the famous El Arco. These pictures definitely don't do it justice at all, but it was such a wonderful and very memorable night.

This is a shot of the inside of the restaurant, which had a very cool atmosphere and vibe. I had read about this place in a Cabo travel book that we have, and it said that it was popular for wedding rehearsal dinners and receptions. There was a wedding party there that night inside, which was fine because we wanted to sit outside and enjoy the amazing view.


Can you see El Arco in the distance? We have already decided that we're going to go back to Cabo in 2012 for our 10-year anniversary... and I have already decided that I want to come back to this same spot and sit at one of those tables that you see behind us, have a drink, and enjoy the awesome view once again. It was just so beautiful!




Several of our days in Cabo we went to the nearby sister-resort to the villas we were staying in, called Sunset Beach. Here is our little sweetie in her ladybug floatie at the pool. Could she get any cuter? It was so fun to watch her really enjoying the water and splashing around.






Almost every time after Mckenna was in the pool for any length of time, we would take her out, wrap her up in a blanket, snuggle her for a few minutes, and she would fall fast asleep. All of that swimming, sun, and fresh air takes it out of you! It was nice to let her nap on some blankets on a pool chair in the shade while we sat next to her and read a book.






One afternoon we all went on a glass bottom boat ride around the area and saw the sights. Here are Matt and Mckenna waiting to get on the boat. A word about her funny yellow hat... it's an SPF/UV protected swim hat that I bought for .50 at a garage sale we went to in May that I thought would be good to bring to Cabo. The one main thing I didn't want on this trip is for Mckenna's fair skin to get sunburn, which I guessed would happen easily - no fun for anyone. I know how miserable I feel when I've gotten sunburn, so I wanted to try my best to not have her go through that at such a young age. So everytime we were out in the strong sun I lathered her up with sunblock, put this yellow hat on her, sometimes had her wear that pink striped SPF/UV romper that she has on, often put sunglasses on her... anything to protect her fair skin! So thus the funny yellow hat. :)


Literally about 2 minutes after we got on the boat, Mckenna fell asleep. I guess you can't really tell with the sunglasses on, but she is completely out. I suppose the rocking of the boat and the warm breeze set the mood for a nice nap.






A rock formation near El Arco called Neptune's Finger. I really enjoyed the awesome rock formations in Cabo lining the ocean, they were beautiful.


The whole group! We really had a fun time on this boat trip, it was great.


Another rock formation near El Arco called the Window to the Pacific. On the side that we were on was the Sea of Cortez, and on the other side of that opening in the rock is the Pacific ocean. Isn't that cool?


The distinctive and famous Cabo San Lucas rock formation, El Arco. This archway represents the "Lands End," meaning it's the southernmost tip of Mexico's Baja California peninsula. Linnea commented on their blog that she thinks it looks like a moose taking a drink of water - it really does!






Sea lions enjoying the sun and surf near El Arco. Gwen really enjoyed watching these guys.




Back on land, and Mckenna gets a taste of refried beans at dinner - yum!


Another fun day, another trip to the pool! Mckenna really did have a great time in the water, it was so fun to watch.


There were many rocking chairs lined up outside at Sunset Beach, so of course we had to get the girls in them for a photo op... we had to snap the pictures quickly and make sure that the babies didn't topple over! It's a bit hard to see, but Mckenna's shirt says "Hug Me" in rhinestones - very cute and very appropriate. :)


It was just a bit windy that day!


June 22nd was our 7-year wedding anniversary. When we got back to the villa after our day out and about, this is what we found on our bed and in our bathroom. Isn't it cute? We had to smile when we realized that the word anniversary was spelled wrong... it's the thought that counts!


There was a jacuzzi bath tub in our bathroom with french door style windows that opened up to the courtyard and fountain in the front entry. It was fun to take some pictures of all of the towel art and flowers that they left for our anniversary.




Is this not the cutest picture ever? I love these girls!


Gwen really loves her cousin Mckenna. When we dropped them off at the airport when they were leaving, Gwen even whimpered a bit because she didn't want to leave Mckenna... I thought that was so sweet.


A cousin bath!


A tired Mckenna with her daddy after a bath with the cousins and a fun day in Cabo.


One last day with the Johnson's for our first week in Mexico. There's nothing like having breakfast outside overlooking the ocean with people you love!


Matt, Gwen, and Grandpa enjoying the ocean view from the edge of the infinity pool at the villa.


One last family picture all together - gotta love the camera timer! We tried this picture several times, and I think we got a few good ones. Such a special picture and memory of our time together.


One last picture before leaving the villa to head to the airport...


...thank you, Craig, Karen, Cam, Linnea, Gwen, and Sonja for coming and spending a week with us in paradise! We had such a wonderful week together, one that we will never forget.