End Abductions Now – An Update!

You may remember I wrote a post almost two full years ago about our friend, Eric.  We met him in Mexico while we were living there for four months, studying Spanish, and working alongside a local church.  Here is my previous blog post:  End Abductions Now!  My Story.  Though his home is in Michigan, he has been living in Playa del Carmen off and on since January, 2013, when his wife abducted his two sweet babies while on vacation. We had the opportunity to see Eric once more when we returned to Cancun/Playa… Read More

Secrets the Vine, Cancun, Mexico

2016 Update:  We visited Secrets the Vine for our second time in August and this time we stayed 3 nights.  Here is a quick photo update on this beautiful resort.  This resort has remained almost exactly as we remember it, so there is no need for a detailed update…other than to share a few additional photos. What a fantastic resort, especially for adults, singles, and quick weekend getaways for friends and family.  The Vine is in a fantastic location with easy bus or taxi access to the main shopping areas in the hotel zone.  Almost… Read More

Secrets Maroma Beach Riviera Maya

August 2016:  Updated photos from our most recent visit:  This July and August, we spent a full week at Secrets Maroma and just loved it!  From the most stunning, white sand beach to the exquisite dining, it is now one of my favorite resorts in all of the Riviera Maya and Cancun area. Here is a quick synopsis:  This is a lovely, active, fun resort set on one of the most gorgeous beaches in all of Mexico.  It is laid back and relaxed, but also offers an active, energetic vibe.  The dining… Read More

Day 366: Time Flies…One Year Already!

Unbelievable! Today, June 16th, marks our Round the World one year anniversary! It’s difficult to believe a whole year has passed, and yet here we are in Vienna, Austria, making plans for our return.  Over the last few days, I’ve been putting together a “Year in Review” with photos and commentary, but as I progressed, I realized it would take much longer than I anticipated.  Perhaps I will save that for our return. In the meantime, as I was reflecting on the past year, I was reminded of God’s goodness to us in… Read More

2014 Turtle Release

Ryan and I recently had the opportunity to get away for a few days to attend a conference.  Here we are below, working very hard! We stayed at the Moon Palace.   While there, we participated in a turtle release program.  We had to wait until after the sun set, as the turtles hatchlings typically make their way to sea in the cover of darkness.  Here we are below, beyond excited as we wait for the experience.  Well, let me take that back. I’m the one beyond excited, as turtles are one… Read More

Royal Hideaway Playacar

Resort Photoblog:  We only had a brief visit at the Royal Hideaway, so photos will be our major means of communicating what we experienced.  Enjoy! The Royal Hideaway is located on the gorgeous, soft sandy white beach of Playacar, on the south end of Playa del Carmen.  In our opinion, it is the most elegant hotel situated on this stretch of beach.  The property is gorgeous, the landscaping well-maintained, and the staff and service just amazing.  We would love to spend a few days enjoying this resort!  If we had to rate… Read More

Reflections a Four Months

Four months.  We’ve been here in Playa del Carmen for four months and have been surprised by how quickly God has allowed friendships to form.  We’ve moved a lot in our lives.  Each time, we’ve had to say good-bye to dear friends and start the whole relationship-building process again.  We’ve learned over the years to be patient and  give it at least two years before we start feeling those bonds of friendship deepen. When you make the decision to journey around the world for a year, you hardly have time to wait two… Read More

Day 123: The Break In

We knew it would happen at least once.  We even tried to mentally prepare for it, wondering what would be stolen first.  Like most responsible travelers, we also made sure we had travel insurance.  But the truth is, unless you’ve gone through something like this before, there really is no way to prepare for…The Break In. So, what happened?  Saturday night, while we were sleeping, a stranger scaled the walls of our home, traversed the roof, and swung himself into the screened window of our daughters’ second floor bedroom, while they were fast… Read More

NOW Sapphire

This resort was a complete surprise and we just loved it!  We were able to do a site inspection in the morning and then we enjoyed the rest of our day experiencing some of what it has to offer.   As always, photos first and then our review.  Back to Mexican Resorts. NOW Sapphire Fact Sheet Now Sapphire is ideally located between Cancun and Playa del Carmen, and is a short 20 minutes away from the airport. Size:  Now Sapphire offers 496 rooms/suites.  While that may seem like a lot of rooms,… Read More

Day 107: Sun Setting Over Playacar

Some of our best family memories are created when we take time to walk to the beach.  We sit and watch the kids swim and splash in the turquoise blue water while the sun melts into the sea. This is the sun setting over our beach in Playacar tonight.  It was just stunning.  No matter how long we’ve been here, this site never feels repetitive or boring.  We’re so thankful for this experience and just wanted to share it with you tonight.  Buenas noches todos!