Packing to go home’s always easier than packing for a trip. You don’t have to think: Do I want to take this? You’re taking everything.

So the majority of packing’s done in no time.

It’s panorama time! Kat and Jason already have it choreographed so that fun tradition goes smoothly.

It’s goodbye hugs for JR, and off to the airport—but he gets in a last chase with Griffin.

When she’s back, I hang with Kayla while Colt, Kat and Griffin enjoy the pool. We learn JR’s flight’s delayed an hour. Weather.

And Kat announces there’s a crab in the pool. This seems strange. It’s a dead crab which Colt scoops out with the net. But wait! There’s another, and this one’s very much alive! Colt is not quite so eager to scoop the live one, but between him and Kat, they chase it down—it scrambles some. Into the net with you! And Colt hauls it down to toss it back in the gulf.

I can only assume they ran away from home, decided the pool looked good. Then one met a tragic end.

Mario and other Switch games happen during the lunch hour.

BW and Jason do a drive around the island. Along the way they spot a wild pig and what they think were monkeys. I didn’t know we had either around here.

We decide on an early dinner and head to town. JR’s connecting flight is also delayed, so more airport hanging for him. Poor guy.

While we order dinner a storm sweeps in. Wild rain blowing in the wild wind. We’re under cover, but oh, those poor people on bikes, scooters, open-air jeeps! This is monsoon level rain, occasionally blowing sideways, just lashing down.

We’re lucky it finally eases off toward the end of our final dinner in Cozumel.

Home through big, splashing puddles.

Time for some Jack box.tv games, then bed before our departure day.

The birds are busy this morning, and very, very chatty. Lots of call and response going on. And no blue sky as dawn breaks. I’m really sorry to see the thick clouds up there as that’s where we’ll be in a few hours.

I’m going to squeeze in a quick workout, finish up the travel day packing—and hope some blue peeks out above as we ready ourselves to head home.

A lovely, fun, interesting, relaxing and occasionally adventurous family vacation. Many new memories banked. Really can’t ask for better.

Except—fingers crossed—a smooth flight home.

Nora

A pretty morning becomes a stormy one. Another hard driving rain pumps down with some wicked booms of thunder that roll into echoes. It comes and it goes with sun beaming, then sun washed away.

Sometime before the rain swept in, the older kids did some kayaking. I still don’t know how I missed that event.

The gang is thoroughly entertained by Mario Cart during the storm. There are wild cheers, groans and moans.

Then it clears again, looks like it might mean it this time. Kat takes Griffin off for a last round at the water park.

The report is much fun, but this time he was ready to go when the time came.

There are some daily chases, and my opponent appears to have forged some new weapons. He’s a tricky one.

Kayla and JR do some packing as he heads for home Sunday. The rest of us depart Monday.

Dinner plans evolve, and Italian wins the day. More Mario Cart before departure, and this time Griffin joins the cheering section. But when it comes time to do a little pano portrait in the living area, he departs and races himself for awhile.

A LOT of standing water here and there on the drive into town. I think they might have gotten hit even harder than we did.

And the sky opens again just as we park, so it’s a mad dash through it to the restaurant. But there, we’re under cover outside while an enormous cruise ship glides by in the distance through a curtain of mist.

I can’t resist that lovely citrus salad—and will get some grapefruit at home now and then to add to ours. Pizza and pasta for all, but for Logan who orders some sort of steak. It comes coiled around a vertical skewer, and is pretty impressive.

Also, Logan reports, excellent.

We have the drama of sunset to add to our meal. It never gets old.

Griffin already goes for his new fave, yellow ice cream. So dessert and cappuccino it is. Jason and I both go for peach Melba, and yum. BW gets about half of mine.

Home again, and Poker is the game of the night. This time, all the luck seems to be on one side of the table. Logan, Kayla, Colt and I, on the other end, don’t win a single hand. JR takes an enormous pot at the end. Other than Logan, Kayla Colt and me, who are wiped out, the others fare well enough.

I hesitate to say it looks like a pretty day, but so far, so good. Workout’s done, and though Griffin and Jason aren’t in their usual morning spots, they should be over soon. We’ll do our annual panorama shot outdoors, then Jason and Kayla will take JR to the airport.

Today is for goodbyes and packing for our own departure tomorrow morning.

Whatever else today brings, it’s been a really wonderful family trip. We’re blessed to have four grandchildren ready and willing to travel with us, and as always the best traveling companions ever, Jason and Kat. Another bonus this year, with Kayla’s adorable JR.

Nora

I doubt I could’ve been more wrong about the weather.

The potentially pretty day clouds up by late morning. Rain comes, fairly nice at first. But before much longer, we have a driving wall of rain, and the palm trees are whipping. Even the covered patio won’t do during this.

It’s impressive with some quick lightning and its answering roll of thunder.

Griffin spots me, and the chase is on. He’s adopted my cross-arm Wonder Woman-like shield. And his, naturally, proves more powerful. He takes my hand in my defeat and guides me to the corner of a wall where I understand I will be stuck. With much effort, I gain my release.

We repeat this awhile until Colt takes my place.

JR and Kayla do laundry.

As it’s cooled considerably, I open the big accordion doors so the outside is in, the inside is out.

I make progress with some business at home—that’s a big check mark! My forever friend and our business manager makes more on Boonsboro business. Yay!

Time for a pitcher of margaritas.

The rain passes, and the sky blues again. Here’s the sun.

Kat and Griffin enjoy the pool. I think nobody enjoys the pool as much as Griffin, but Kat comes close.

It’s been a lazy, rainy day so the sun, the pool time, the cooler air (that won’t last) are welcome.

Off to dinner, and again, we have a live band. We’re not seated so close this time, so conversation’s possible. And the music’s fun. After considerable debate, I decide on a burger. I can’t remember the last time I had one. I manage to make it clear I want burger and bun, no more. I am a burger and bun burger person.

The enthusiastic pool time has Griffin conking on the way to the restaurant. He sleeps on Mom awhile, then wakes, blinks around. He has yellow ice cream (vanilla) chicken fingers and fries. My burger is tasty, and huge. I cut it in half and nearly manage the half.

The sun’s begun its drop toward the water as we head back. But on the walk to the car, I spot a shot, and take it. Back home, Colt dashes for the dock, and I follow behind him, Kat and Griffin.

The red sun’s hardly more than a dot at water’s edge, then poof! Gone. But the sky is still more than worthy for documenting.

We’re going to try six-handed Hearts. Kat, BW, Colt, me, JR, Kayla.

BW has a rough start as he takes the Queen on an early trick. And although there are a couple hearts in the widow, as it turns out, he has no chance to run them. We’re only playing to fifty.

After she racks up some points, Kat claims to have a plan. She’ll take just enough more to hit fifty and go back to zero—and does the math. Her plan falls apart, so it’s onto Plan B. Meanwhile Kayla gets stung a couple times, as do BW and JR. Colt makes the classic mistake of announcing he has zero and will win.

Oh, sweet summer child!

He takes the Queen and a handful of hearts in the very next hand. You do not tempt the god of cards.

I, on the other hand, have taken the Queen once, and a scatter of hearts throughout the game and remain low man. I am also seasoned enough to shut up about it.

In the end, Kat’s plan—even Plan C—fails, Colt’s hubris puts him over fifty, and I slide quietly into victory.

Bedtime for Griffin, but not before a Chase. Now he simply points to where I must stand and be stuck.

This morning, the yellow warbler is perched on a branch just above my own perch on the bedroom balcony. He doesn’t sing or call, just sits and looks around. Blue skies, so fingers crossed there can be some home-style snorkeling and kayaking today.

Time to work out.

Since I’m not going down water slides, I opt out of the water park. BW seems to want a lazy day, so the two of us stay back while the rest of the gang heads out for water adventuring.

Just as they leave, the power goes out.

Oh well.

BW and I read on the patio, and since the gang doesn’t quickly return, we assume power is okay where they are. And fortunately, it was only out a couple hours here.

I watch a grackle land by the pool, then his companion, and they play their own water games. Another joins. Then I see one sitting on the wall and start getting Hitchcock vibes when one more lands.

We do not have an attack of the grackles, so we read on.

I decide to trade my book for some work on my own.

Time for a snack, and shortly after, power’s back. I can now check my email as a lot of business is going on at home, and I need to keep up.

The gang has lunch at the park before they return. Fun for all. In fact so much fun for the youngest member,  he didn’t want to leave. Some serious crying and strong objections to departure is reported.

Jason said while there he wanted to go on the slide. Was very determined. But the rules are you must go down alone, and no floaty vest. The kid’s too young to slide down into five feet of water alone—especially since you’re also not allowed to hang out at the bottom and catch the kid.

While disappointed, Griffin found much else to do, especially since the place was packed with kids.

Some hang time before dinner.

Then it’s back into town for food. Griffin’s new thing is delight in: 100-citement. Which means 100% excitement. We have some on the drive as a doorless Jeep pulls well into the road. Jason dodges it, then has to dodge another Jeep coming on the other side, THEN dodge a man in the road fixing a water pipe.

It’s like Mario! 100-citement. Do it again!

At the restaurant, Griffin settles for his iPad version of excitement. I have my own with the biggest margarita to date.

Good food, good drink, good company. The older kids go across the street for the sunset before we head home.

We’re a little later than usual, but there’s still time for Poker. Texas Hold ‘Em is the game, and this time I win the first round. There are bluffs, hopes rise and fall. The river has two queens and an eight—I forget what else as that’s what mattered to me as I have a queen and an eight for a full house in my hand.

Logan goes all in. I call on the biggest pot of the night. He has a full house—eights over queens. My queens over eights beat that. So I win the first and last pot of the night.

Some pre-bedtime Chase wraps things up.

Quiet this morning. Maybe the birds are planning something after all. I hope not as the sky is a pretty summer blue and so is the water.  A big white excursion boat just passed, absolutely packed with people.

It feels like it’s going to be a lovely day.

Nora

Griffin wants a playground, so Kat, Kayla and JR go off to try one. With the rest of our crew off snorkeling, I settle down to work a bit.

It’s a pretty pleasant, breezy day, so I choose the patio. Nice, really nice, to sit outside, feel the breeze, glance up and see the shine of the gulf through the trees. I can hear the water lapping, and the birds calling. Otherwise it’s quiet in my outdoor office.

I’m surprised when the snorkeling gang returns. The time flew by. But I’m not quite finished this scene, so keep at it while I hear about a shark sighting—baby nurse shark—barracudas, and many, many fish, small and large.

Playground gang returns. Playground was a bust, so they hit the mega store. It has some kiddie rides, and that did the trick. Also ice cream.

Kayla realizes I’m still working and says they’ll be quiet. I remind her I started this adventure with two pre-schoolers. I can work through noise, and nearly done.

And scene!

Griffin’s napping on Daddy. BW is upstairs working on the photos he took with his underwater camera. I treat myself to a Bellini, and see BW has sent out the pics. Oh, there are such wonderful ones of Colt and Logan! No doubt their first real snorkeling adventure was a success! These get printed out and framed once we’re home.

I walk into the kitchen and discover the Wilder Hair Salon is open. Just about every vacation, BW gives Kat a haircut. This started years ago on our first trip to Montana. I don’t know why Kat decided to trust him, or BW decided to trust himself, but it’s now a tradition.

I’m a little aghast at the amount of hair he’s whacking off, but as usual? Yeah, it works. 

Time to clean up for dinner. We’re trying a new-to-us place. It’s closer to the villa, but not on the water. Still, we’re all curious.

It’s lively. It has an old car Griffin can climb in. A guest chef from Austin greets us and tells us he’s making MD crab soup. We tell him all but one of us (JR) come from MD. He insists on giving us a sample—though he explains he uses shrimp and lobster instead of crab.

When in Mexico!

And it’s very tasty.

There are big screens on opposing walls and they’re playing MTV—80s edition. It’s fun and funny. This doesn’t feel like a touristy spot. The patrons strike me as old hippies (I’m one myself) and ex-pats. Maybe some locals.

Fun time guessing songs and artists on MTV—and amusement abounds at the hair styles.

Colt and I split a pepperoni pizza. Logan orders shrimp pizza—which seems to be a house speciality.

Once again, Logan’s choice is wowzer! How he manages to eat all but one piece is a mystery. The boy’s skinny as a snake—but not for lack of eating.

So a good, entertaining meal not far from home.

Back home and Kayla’s got a little headache. She retires for the evening. Kat and Griffin go for a swim, BW and I sit down by the dock for a very satisfying sunset. A golden end to a lovely day with plenty of memories banked.

It rains for about thirty seconds.

But it’s not over as Griffin’s still enjoying the pool. I think he might’ve stayed in half the night, but here comes a roll of thunder. Now it’s time to admire the creeping dark, then look amazed—Griffin and I exchange amazed glances—over the lightning.

Bedtime.

The birds go wild this morning. It sounds like an old Tarzan movie on my little balcony. I think I spot a magpie. Do they have magpies in Mexico? I’ll have to look it up.

There are plans for a visit to a nearby water park today. Should be fun. Hopefully the skies stay clear so everyone can splash around. Right now they’re a pale, quiet blue, and a little breeze remains. But it already feels as if it’ll be a hotter one than yesterday.

A water park sounds like a good way to keep cool.

Nora

Note from Laura: There are, indeed, pancakes.

Cloudy and breezy make very nice weather for patio sitting with a book. Colt is late to the party as he decides to practice his shuffling. I believe we have a card shark in the making.

I am incarcerated again when I go inside. My many escapes are short-lived, even when I unlock the Daddy wall with magic keys.

Logan and Grandda do some snorkeling down off the dock, and Colt has some mid-morning pancakes.

Skies clear and the pool beckons. Kayla and JR play some pool games with Griffin who’s confident in his floaty jacket and swims around. Then Kat takes the Orca floaty who threatens and attacks. Hilarity ensues.

Then thunder booms. Booms and echoes across the water though our skies are bright. Check the weather app, and we look good for now.

When it booms closer, adds that telling crack, everyone takes a water break, including Orca at Griffin’s insistence.

Thunder drifts off. Barely a murmur now, and the sun streams. We have one stormy looking cloud off to the south, but it’s back in the pool.

Later, inside it’s apparently time for Mario Cart while BW and I read and have a cocktail on the patio.

Time to clean up for dinner as many are starving. Plus most restaurants close early on Sunday. We get a table right on the water again. Lots of boats, lots of people swimming right below.

Logan asks if he can order the surf and turf. Go for it.

When it comes out, the whole table is: Wowzer! It’s serious surf and serious turf. Beef, chicken, pork, I think. Lobster, shrimp and who knows what presented on one enormous platter.

Though he gets some help with it, he does it justice. The rest is boxed up for another day.

Back home and JR and Kayla suggest we play something called Jackbox.tv on the Switch. Several quirky games in one. So we download the app and begin. You use your own device which connects with the game.

Trivia questions. Guessing games. Much goofiness. Make your own tee-shirt game which includes drawing and slogans or sayings—and the game mixes and matches them for votes. Another game where you have to discover The Faker among us.

Very entertaining, and I believe this will become a staple going forward.

A very nice, easy, fun-filled Sunday comes to an end.

Up early, make bacon.

BW, Jason, Logan and Colt are off on a snorkeling trip this morning, and head out while I work out. Clean up, and Kat and Griffin are having breakfast. I escape possible arrest by heading to the patio to write the blog.

I suspect my freedom will be limited.

Will likely finish the book I’m reading, then go work on my own awhile.

Another breezy day, and with enough clouds now that the water is a shiny, silvery gray.

Nora

I end up in Griffin Jail many times over the morning. This seems to be his new addition to the Chase game.

Kat makes omelettes for those who want them. She makes pretty ones.

Kind of a lazy day otherwise, and, on parole, I go up and work a couple hours. Jason and Kayla head out to pick up JR at the airport, then pick up a few things at the store. Griffin takes a long, deep nap.

When I come down, I hang out with Colt on the patio awhile, ask if he wants lunch. Grilled cheese sandwich? No problem. Shortly after consuming one, the growing boy asks for another. Good thing Jason’s picking up bread as this will finish off what we have.

The Mexican grackles come along—always one or two at a time—to stand on the edge of the pool and drink. And take a quick shower while they’re at it.

JR arrives, safe and sound. He gets settled in, and Kayla shows him around before they take a dip in the pool. Somewhere in the neighborhood, people are playing a game as every couple minutes, we hear cheering.

Time to clean up for dinner. Meanwhile Griffin decides Kayla and JR are fair game for chasing.

We’re nine now, and pile into our two cars for the drive to town. We’re for Italian tonight. A pretty restaurant, open air, and as close to the water as you can get. Wonderful view, one of the skyscraper size cruise ships out there, and a couple of people swimming closer in.

Our server claims they have the BEST margaritas. Okay, I’ll be the judge! I order their salad special, a citrus deal, and a margarita pizza to go with the BEST margarita. And that drink is most excellent.

The salad’s amazing. Fresh grapefruit and apple with greens so fresh they snap and a dressing with tiny chunks of mango. Kat got the same, and we agreed: Yum.

Griffin’s all about the bread, sort of a round, airy pita. I can’t blame him, and as Jason and I both bake bread, we ask if they’ll give us the recipe. Our very friendly server comes back with a little note, handwritten in Spanish. Ingredients—no measurements or instructions. I think we’ll give it a shot.

Time for pizza or pasta.

Now Griffin’s all about the spaghetti, which does look delish. My pizza takes me back to Italy.

We eat while the sun sets, and it’s spectacular. All that color over the water, spreading and blending and bleeding. We decide we’ll have dessert tonight, and cappuccino. When mine’s cool enough, Colt samples it. He is undecided.

Back home after a very happy meal for another couple rounds of chase. A good idea after that very happy meal.

Then off to bed.

It rained overnight, and was steamy when I got up this morning. Today’s a make bacon day, and once that’s done, it’s workout time. While I clean up after, I hear happy, excited noises from downstairs.

The Chase is on, with Kayla and JR. When I come down, I’m immediately put in jail. I don’t know my crime. But when I escape and get out on the patio, I have time to write the blog.

Laundry’s on the schedule for some time today. But not right now. Right now feels like lazy time.

Nora

*Please note this is an imaginary competition as I really couldn’t choose a fave. ~Laura