10-Year Anniversary

Our 10-year anniversary is coming up mid-August, and so we decided to do something special.  We wanted to take a trip together, but was originally thinking of keeping it local.  Then one day we got an email with some great deals for an all-inclusive resort in Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic.  We thought about it for a few days and decided to do it (with my parents okay since they would be the ones watching the kids).  It was such a wonderful time away filled with rest and relaxation - no therapy, no appointments, no running kids here and there, no housework, no cooking meals.  It was much needed!  We left on Thursday, July 3rd and came back on Monday, the 7th.  It really was the perfect amount of time away - by Monday we felt ready to come home.  Plus it was a direct flight out of Cincinnati and only a 4-hour flight - can't beat that!  So here are some pictures from our time away together...

On the plane

Peacocks roamed the grounds, but this was the only one we saw with the colorful feathers.

Our room

Our room

Our room

View from our balcony - this is the pool we spent the most time at.

View from our balcony

View from our balcony

Just arrived

This is pretty much the majority of what I did while away.  I slept and took naps...lots of naps.  It was wonderful!  :)

Relaxing by the pool.

On our one and only excursion - parasailing.  On the motorboat headed out to the bigger boat.

All strapped in and ready to go!

Here we go!

The view was gorgeous!  It was a little scary how high we were and realizing the rope was the only thing holding us down.  I kept having images of the rope snapping and us floating away.  But amazingly we survived!  :)

While we were parasailing, there was this weird flying contraption nearby.  It basically looked like an inflatable boat with wings and a big fan on back.  IT WAS CRAZY...and looked very unsafe...and scary!  Something neither of us would ever do, but were still intrigued by it.

Time for the beach

View of the grounds

Dinner at the French restaurant

More pool time

The weather was really nice while we were there and not too warm.  We were two of the few who used sunscreen religiously and sat in the shade - ha!  But when we did get warm, it was nice jumping in the pool to cool off.  The water temperature was perfect.

We both caught up on our reading and enjoyed the quiet time to be able to do that.  So relaxing!

Drew went kayaking at the beach.  There was no back support on the kayak, so he kept laying back to give his back a break.  But he said it was still a lot of fun.

The beach was really nice and clean...and beautiful!

How cool is this palm tree?!  It was a prime spot, so we only got to sit under it once.

We loved the view

Drew also went snorkeling on the beach.

And found a starfish!

I think I might be ready to go back.  :)

We forgot to bring some cards, so we bought two decks as souvenirs.  We  passed the time before dinners playing speed solitaire!

Drew's favorite dinner was at the Mexican restaurant.

Our last night there - at the Mexican restaurant.

Waiting for the bus to pick us up to take us to the airport.

The "cafeteria"

One of the three pools that were on the grounds.  We never went to this pool, because it was a little farther away from our room.

View of the grounds

View of the grounds with the ocean in the background.

We thought this tree was so interesting.

The beach!!

More of the grounds

More of the beach.

Sipping on my last tropical slushie drink before we have to leave

The commons area outside the "cafeteria"

The lobby

The airport lines were so long!!

Finally ready to board the plane home.

A huge thanks to my parents and my sister for helping with the kids so we could take this trip together.  We had a wonderful time!!  A great way to celebrate our first 10 years of marriage!