Jayne Jewell

“No matter what happens, travel gives you a story to tell.”

– Jewish Proverb

And I am very tardy in sharing my story and photos from my family vacation taken over a month ago. We stayed at Barcelo Family Deluxe all inclusive resort in Punta Canna. Our room was gorgeous and we stayed right next to the kids water park that was a huge hit with my little ones. The food wasn’t great but not bad either. None of this really mattered because I was just so happy to get away with my family and tune the rest of the world out. What a joy it was to just be with my husband and kids. I am not going to pretend the plane ride was a picnic or the kids didn’t squabble when they got over tired, but it was all totally worth the travel and discomfort to connect, giggle, play, swim, build sand castles, float in the ocean and fall asleep next to my family after a full day in the sun.

Truth be told, I didn’t take as many photos as I would have liked and many of them were taken with a point and shoot. **GASP** Carrying around my big camerea made me nervous at the resort and it seemed everytime I took it out we got a short rain shower. Not the kind of rain to ruin a vacation, but the kind that gets a camera wet.

When we pulled up the resort the kids immediately saw the water/splash park and couldn’t wait to get their feet wet. Alphonso played with them in the water while I checked us in. Already I was grateful we came watching my kids having a ball in the first 5 minutes of arrival.

Like most Moms who take the photos in the family I am in all of two photos from this vacation! Yikes-I must get better at turning over the camera even if the photos come back blurry!

Me and my little guy

My Favorite photo

The place I feel the best in the world is the ocean- it feeds my soul and heals everything.

We celebrated and cheered our guy on as he learned to swim on vacation! Worth the trip right there!

Dad and little AE swim up to the bar for a drink followed by a nap at the pool.

Daddy insisted that little J have her hair in braids. I was surprised she sat to have it done. Amazing what a bag of m&ms can do! She just loved looking at herself in the mirror!

Our vacation overlapped Nanny and Papa’s for a few days. Although they were staying at a different resort they came over and spent the day with us. We had such a wonderful time hanging with them in Punta Canna. Nanny was a good sport and had a few braids put in her hair on J’s request.

Afternoon play time at the kids water park

Papa and Alphonso. I just love this photo! Father like son?

The late afternoon brought rain on a few days, however that did not stop AE’s fun. Little J preferred to sit under shelter with a juice watching her brother.

Every afternoon we would go back to the room for some quiet time

The evening before we flew home little AE fell and busted open his chin *insert GASP*  I will save you from seeing those photos! We visited the onsite doctor, called our pediatrician and we were told that he really needed stitches. The emergency room pleasantly surprised us. It was clean, amazing friendly doctors who spoke english,  and best of all quick. They sent us home with a brave kid, 5 stitches, antibiotics and pain reliever.

The trip home was tough. We arrived at the airport to find we had a 6 hour delay and our reservation had changed. We arrived home at 3 am exhausted!

“A vacation frequently means that the family goes away for a rest, accompanied by mother, who sees that the others get it.”

– Marcelene Cox

I love that quote because it is so true! I can’t say I came home rested, but I would do again in a heartbeat! I have committed to yearly week vacations and a few long weekends away with my family.