Playa Paraiso Slideshow

This slideshow sums up our vacation in Playa Paraiso...from us flying from ATX to Cancun to us leaving the resort the last day. We have been home almost two weeks....and I wish I was still there...it was the best, most relaxing vacation we have every been on! We didn't say goodbye because we know we will be back there very soon!

Until Next Year..... Iberostar Grand Hotel Playa Paraiso

Firecracker Open

The Onion Creek Club Firecracker Open ~ Couples Scramble

A beautiful 4th of July day for golf....it didn't get "Steamy Texas Hot" until the 14th hole or so....a great breeze! We got on every green very easily...and every hole (but one) we had a makeable putt for birdie....we didn't putt well today! Today was a -5 kind of day!

We enjoy every round we play with our BFFs....Jody and Rob!

Many people call the guys Rob 1 and Rob 2 ... kind of like Dr. Seuss' Thing 1 and Thing 2.

Jody and I just call them "mine" and "yours"....it is just easier that way...because we both think OUR ROB is #1!

Happy 4th Y'all!

AND Most Importantly...

Happy Birthday to my brother, Steve!

He also played a round or two today in San Antonio!

Our Trip to Playa Paraiso

Rob has every piece of technology available....including his caramel latte!

Our adventure started Wednesday, June 20th....Austin just began a non-stop flight to Cancun via AirTran (recently bought by Southwest Airlines). So the flight was quick and pretty smooth. Rob and I sat in the very last seat of the plane and we were lucky enough that no one set with us...so it was all worth it! We spread our electronics out and enjoyed our personal space...

Up, Up, and Away...we are ready for a week of FUN in the SUN?!?

Little did we know the Hurricane "Debby" would be with us the first 3 days...lots and lots of rain..but that didn't stop us! 

Views from the sky...

Arrival at the Cancun Airport...then off to our shuttle to Iberostar Grand Paradiso. Our travel agent used Best Day Travel.....and they were awesome...always on time.

Waiting for our shuttle.....nice and humid and hot ~ the sun was actually shining!

Little did we know that was the only sun we would see for days...

 

We checked in to the resort...we were met with cold scented hand towels and mighty tasty champagne punch!  We should have tried that again...but didn't we were too busy trying other drinks!

Our "Ocean Front" Patio highlights....a hammock swing (I read many chapters of 50 Shades of Grey here!)...we had a spectacular view of the ocean! 

Netbook all set up....keeping in touch with family in the USA!

 

We went for a little walk right after we got our luggage in the room...we could hardly wait to feel the sand and the surf! Another funny face...I was trying to jump up and get a picture in the air...camera too slow!! 

 Finally....Rob gets to sit down and relax with a CocoLoco...one of our daily drinks!

Our view for the next few days...Mucho Lluvia!

Rob's Happy Birthday Apple Pie

First of all, Happy Birthday to My PGA Man today.....apple pie is his favorite dessert!

Ingredients:

• 1 whole Unbaked Pie Crust (I use pillsbury...the one found near the cookie dough!)
   
• 4-5 whole Medium Granny Smith Apples, Peeled, Cored, And Sliced Thin (I use my handy dandy Pampered Chef Apple Peeler/Corer/Slicer...LOVE IT!!)
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 cup Sugar
• 1 Tablespoon All-purpose Flour
• 1 cup Heavy Cream
• 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 1/8 teaspoon Cinnamon

Topping: (My personal favorite part!)

• 7 Tablespoons Butter
• 3/4 cups All-purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
• 1/4 cup Pecans (more To Taste)
• Dash Of Salt

 Now let the fun begin...THE RECIPE...

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Roll out pie dough and place it in a pie pan. Decorate the edges as desired.
• Add apple slices to a large bowl. In a separate bowl, mix together cream, 1/2 cup brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, 1 tablespoon flour, vanilla, and cinnamon. Pour over apples. Pour apples into pie shell.

• In the bowl of a food processor (or you can mix by hand) combine butter, flour, sugar, pecans (chop if you're not using a food processor), and salt. Mix until everything comes together in clumps. Pour topping over apples.

• Attach foil to the edges and lay a piece of flat foil loosely over the top of the pie. Place pie pan on top of a rimmed cookie sheet and bake for one hour. At the end, remove foil and allow to finish baking and browning. Can bake for up to 15 or 20 minutes more if necessary.
• Remove from oven when pie is bubbly and golden brown.
• Serve warm with whipped cream or ice cream.

SUCCESSFUL and Delicious....I usually make him my favorite Caramel Apple Pie...but this time he requested on without caramel. This one is a Keeper! The birthday boy loved it!

Day Trip to Playa Del Carmen

We broke away from our "adult only" FIVE STAR  ***** resort to venture into
Playa Del Carmen for a few hours of shopping, beach walking, margaritas and some amazing quesadillas.....the resort shuttled us over in their van and picked us up, too!

 We enjoyed walking the streets of Playa Del Carmen..we felt very safe?! with these armed military guys everywhere we looked! 

Some of the tourists took pictures with these guys...they seemed very friendly!

Dr. Seuss' Thing 1, Thing 2 ~ a new twist!

We shopped...mainly for t shirts and some bandaids and bug spray!

The mosquitoes were out at the resort in the evenings....

 This was the first day we saw the sun on our week in Mexico...you can imagine how red "My PGA Man's" head got on this outing...and I tanned! I don't remember it being very windy...but my hair sure is blowing in this picture!

 The ferry to Cozumel....we wish we had gone to one of our favorite activities there...The Cozumel Bar Hop (I still need to blog about that amazing day ~ July 2011!)

 My element.....laying in the sun....always been a sun goddess and probably always will!

We saw them setting up for a wedding...

 My PGA Man...looking good in his Tiger Woods red!

Posing at Senor Frogs.....

Loved this quaint little Hotel.....always looking for possibilities...

 An iguana with a tail that is growing back....

Loved this place....kinda wanted to eat there...but we were in MEXICO!

 Looked like a great place for a couple of margaritas.....2 for 1!

 Posing for the Las Delicias'  FB page....our pictures haven't shown up on their page yet...we are anxiously awaiting our debut!

It was HOT and STICKY..patiently waiting for a cold drink! 

Margarita #1 for the day...and the BEST one in Playa Del Carmen!

Delicious Quesadillas!

Their hot sauce was amazing...we wish they had it packaged to bring home with us!

I am enjoying margarita #2 and in Mexico that is PLENTY!

 Rob is cooling off and watching soccer!

This was a perfect ending to our day in Playa del Carmen.....Red Solo Cup...loved it!

An amazing outing...we really had fun!

The shuttle ride back was enjoyable we met a couple from New Jersey...he picks and throughbred & harness racehorses and owns The Horse Racing Source...his name was Sam of Sam's Picks!  He is a race horse owner as well.....If you know me and my family well, you know I am a horseracing gal....so we talked and talked all the way back to the resort!