mexico – Ava's Journal Entries!

January 9, 2009

Last day. Thank god.

Well, yesterday we hung out here at the hotel. I sat up in the balcony and did my homework because my sunburn was killing me. And then I painted a bowl and frog. We all went to Habanero’s last night for dinner. It was pretty good. Today mom, Meryl, Oma, and I went into town in the morning to do a little bit of shopping. Then we all went to a really nice beach, we went swimming and I tanned, but didn’t get much. Then we went to the sea glass beach. We came back to the hotel and had dinner. We sat by the fire and had a cake to celebrate Susie’s birthday next week and Uncle Pat graduating. Um, not for me for getting my license because it’s not as important as those things. What the fuck ever. I was pretty pissed tonight along with Eddie and Meryl. We sat in our room complaining about the family and how Phoebe is turning into a really big bitch. But whatever. I’m so fucking glad we’re going home tomorrow!

Ava Estelle

Present day me: This was the year when these family vacations started to become less enjoyable. I do remember feeling unappreciated by my grandparents and aunts and uncles on this side of the family. Maybe I should have spoken up for myself, in hindsight, but I was very shy back then. When it came to standing up for myself, I didn’t know how to do so, especially with family members who were older than me. In my mind they knew best. I just vented to my siblings about any frustrations.

January 7, 2009

Wednesday

Beach/in the city day

This morning Meryl, Phoebe, Aunt Blanche, Uncle Pat, Meredith, Susie, and I went to a public beach. It was really nice, we could go swimming, but I didn’t because there were stingrays flopping around and jumping out of the water. I found a ton of sea glass. Mostly little pieces but they’re so pretty. Then we went into town to pick up everyone else from fishing. They had caught marlin and derado. We ate them for lunch. The dorado was better. We walked through the harbor and then changed into different clothes. We walked to Sammy Hagar’s bar – Cabo Wabo. And took some pictures. Then walked back to the car. And went back to the beach from this morning. So, Oma could go shelling. I found a ton more sea glass. We came back and went to bed.

G’night.

<3 Ava Estelle

Present day me: I remember feeling the absolute coolest going to Cabo Wabo. It was empty when we visited so we just took some cool pictures and relished the place. I was so excited to show others where I’d visited.

January 3, 2009

Saturday

In Cabo San Lucas, Mexico!

Me, Meryl, Eddie, Mom, Phoebe and dad woke up this morning at 3:15 to get on our flight to here at 6:30. Well we flew from Minneapolis to Denver then to here. We arrived at 12:30pm. We got a taxi ride to the hotel and met everyone else. It was a pretty good first day of vacation. The hotel is the nicest we’ve ever stayed at. The room’s balcony (which I’m sitting in right now) is massive. We could fit like 20 people on here. It even has a jacuzzi! The rooms are way nice too. Both bathrooms have tubs as well as shower stalls. As soon as we got to the hotel we unpacked and went out to the pool to meet everyone.

Eddie, Meryl and I walked on the beach. We can’t go swimming because there are bad rip tides. So, we all got food and hung out at the pool. Then everyone except the grandkids went grocery shopping so we hung out with Meredith and Susie. Meredith and I ran around the whole hotel. They came back, we ate and then all us girls went down to the firepits and took some pictures. Aunt Margot showed us the dark room and I took a video of it. It’s pretty awesome. So that’s it for now. Oh, and it’s raining in Ecuador until Monday. But oh well. At least it didn’t start on Monday. So, I’ve been up for like seventeen hours.

I only got three hours of sleep last night because I went to Ashley’s sledding party. Which was really fun! A great thing to do the night before I leave. So yeah. I guess if you don’t want something, no I mean if you think something is going to go badly and you’re not excited about it, then it will actually not be that bad. So, I’m thinking this could potentially be the best vacation yet!

G’night!

<3 Ava Estelle

Present day me: This might’ve been a vacation I wasn’t excited for because I was so involved with my friends and spending time with them.

January 9, 2008

Wednesday

Wow. Yesterday we went zip lining!! It was AMAZING!! I wasn’t afraid at all of the heights. Mom was! Well, it was me, Eddie, Meryl, Phoebe, mom, Aunt Blanche, Uncle Pat, and Opa who went. I was kind of afraid before we started. But once I went on the first one it was so cool!! That as my favorite day so far. After we were done gliding through the trees we took our harnesses off and received a free soda ticket. So, we all got free sodas and used the bathrooms.

There was a river at the end. So, we all put our feet in, and it was freezing! But Phoebe, Meryl and Eddie went off the slides. So (highlight of the day) we go back to our table to put our shoes back on and pack everything up again. I take my soda with about half an inch left in it and do bottoms up. A BEE COMES INTO MY MOUTH OUT OF THE SODA CAN AND STINGS ME ON MY TONGUE!!! I immediately spit it out, soda and everything. So, it’s getting numb and hurts like you couldn’t believe. Aunt Blanche is there (sees it happening) and I keep my mouth open, I can feel the stinger in it, she pulls it out. The whole right side of my tongue numbs up and swells. Mom gave me two Benadryl’s to help the swelling. I had so much spit in my mouth I could only spit it out. My tongue swelled up so much it had teeth marks in it from getting too big. So, we got back to the hotel room and I just laid down on the couch and fell asleep for an hour. It was very refreshing. Then me and mom went to the market to pick up some food we needed. We ate dinner with Meredith and Susie last night. Even with the bee sting yesterday was my favorite day so far.

Now, moving on to today: we got up at 6ish in the morning to go deep sea fishing. Same people went as zip lining including Aunt Margot. We all got on a bus to drive us down to the dock. We waited about fifteen minutes for the boat. Then we started out on the ocean. Aunt Blanche caught the first fish. Everyone caught a fish except me because I got motion sickness from the waves. So, I just sat there and watched, took some pictures and tried not to throw up. I took some Dramamine, but it just made me sleepy. So, I took like a two hour nap on the boat for the last two hours. But once I woke up from my nap I felt fine. We walked back to the hotel (15 min) and had some food, got into our swimsuits and went down to the pool. I read a little bit of New Moon and just hung out. Then we went out for dinner because we had the fish, we caught cooked at one of the restaurants at our hotel. It was yellowfin tuna, pretty good! We took a family picture too. So today was an alright day. But I’m getting anxious to get home and see what’s going on with everyone. And to tell them what all has happened.

<3 Ava Estelle

Present day me: this is a memory I still share with people to this day. Anytime I encounter a bee around me I just remain calm and hope they fly away. After having this experience of a bee stinging my tongue, I have a different perspective on bees. I’d never want it to happen again of course, and I’ve always checked my cans of soda before drinking them ever since!! Zip lining is also an experience I’d recommend to everyone. I’d definitely do it as an adult if I ever had the opportunity to again!

January 7, 2008

Monday

I miss my friends like you couldn’t believe! Opening this made me sad. ☹

Well today was our third day in Mexico. We arrived on Saturday the 5^th at around 3pm. And we just explored that night. Then yesterday was a beach day. Hung out at the ocean and pool and spent time with Phoebe, Meredith and Susie. Not really that exciting. But it was relaxing. I laid on my stomach out on the beach for like two hours and got the back of my legs and butt red.

So today we went into town to do a little shopping. Me, Meryl, Eddie, mom, Phoebe, Uncle Pat and Aunt Blanche went together. We walked down the road for like twenty minutes, got to a mall, but mom and Aunt Blanche asked someone for directions on how to get to the market. So, we blew off the mall and waited for a bus for thirty minutes! (We weren’t even with Oma and Opa!) So we get on a bus and the directions the guy gave us told us we had to get off at a highway and get on another bus on the other side of the highway. So, we get off and run across the street and wait for the next bus. It comes, we get on. But all seven of us have to stand, along with some other people, in the aisle. It was weird. I was really sweaty, and I had only a handle on a seat to hold onto. I can’t balance that well! But some people got off and we had more room. And then our stop came, and we got off to go shopping at a market. Meryl and I bought some shell necklaces for 12 & 13 dollars. They’re really cool. Then we got a taxi to come back and hung out on the beach and took pics.

<3 Ava Estelle

Present day me: I do remember that bus ride. It was really awkward! I’m glad we managed to get to that market that seemed so important that day. Sometimes Aunt Blanche just did her thing, and we were all along for the ride. Spending time with cousins was nice too, since we didn’t live near each other. The Mexico trips each year were a way for the family to get together.

March 10, 2007

Saturday

Well, a month ago today we were in Mexico!! Wow, time as flown by. But in a week, we’ll be in California! Yay!! This year has gone by fast so far. And there’s good things happening! Except on Thursday night when mom and dad got into a fight and mom said she wanted to just go down to see Sylvia. But instead, she just went out with Cathy. Soo yeah, I guess it’s all good now. And this whole past week we’ve been talking about putting Dil, our senior cat, down. Mom and dad both said we should put him down before we go to California. Because nobody is going to be here to watch or clean up his pee. Soooo, I hope this next week goes fast! I think dad has to take him in anyway. So, it’s hopefully not going to be that bad. So, I’ll just keep watching Charmed season 4 at the cabin.

<3 Ava Estelle

Present day me: What a peak into my life as a 14-year-old. I remember our cat being so old and frail. I still miss him! This is interesting to read later in life.

February 17, 2007

On Wednesday the 15^th Eddie, Mom, Opa, Uncle Pat, Uncle Leroy and Aunt Margot went deep sea fishing. But that day was cold out. The wind was blowing all over and they were in a very small fishing boat. But they caught lots of fish, red snapper, perch, and trigger fish. Those fish were fileted, and we had them for dinner that night. Fed thirteen of us and still had leftovers. They got back around 10:30am (they left at 5:30am) because mom and Uncle Pat both threw up and the others were getting nauseous. The rest of the day we just hung around at the beach, and to me it was kind of an all together boring day.

On Thursday the 16^th Nana took all the grandchildren and my mom to the aquarium. Nana ran out of cash, so she had to get money from Eddie. Being Eddie, he gave her all his money. (Don’t worry he gets it all paid back) and the cost for the aquarium came up to $40 USD!!! For 8 people. We walked through the outside with all different kinds of birds flying around us. It was pretty cool. Then we walked inside the building to see all the fish and sea animals.

So, after the aquarium we walked up to Senor Frogs Restaurant. That place was AWESOME! Me, Phoebe, and Meryl got mango drinks then Meredith and Susie got strawberry drinks. Good drinks! When we walked into the restaurant everything was autographed with people’s name and other weird sayings. So that was cool reading all that. Then after we were done eating a guy came around and made each of us a different kind of balloon hat. Me and Phoebe got the same design just different colors. That was a fun place. We did sign one of the pillars that was right by our table, me, Meryl, Eddie, and Phoebe signed it.

After Senor Frogs we walked back to the aquarium because we wanted to see the bird show. It was kind of weird, but okay. After the bird show Nana wanted to see the Sea Lion Show. But there wasn’t another one until 4pm. So, we had 2 hours to spare. We decided to go to the shops down main street. Meryl, Eddie, Phoebe, and I walked down there while the rest took the car. It was fun. We were all in really good moods. So, we shopped and walked around for like the rest of the day. That was the only day of our vacation that we didn’t go in the pool or ocean.

On Friday we all went down to the beach for the last day. The tide was really high and the waves were big. Phoebe and I went swimming in the waves. I got sucked under a couple times, but it was fun. We all just sat on the beach most of the day. Played 3 or 4 games of volleyball with a bunch of people from Canada! Then at 3 o’clock we had to go on a tour of the city (Kind of ridiculous to go on the last day) But it was cancelled. So, we just went out to eat at a place called Lapalapa Del Mar. They had good food. After we ate at 4pm we walked down the main street and looked around. Last night was fun. We fit 9 of us into a 5-person car. Everyone had someone on their lap except the driver, Opa. There were a LOT of Canadians staying at our hotel. We were the only one’s from the Midwest.

<3 Ava Estelle

Present day me: This trip to Mexico was our third time in Mexico, but our first in Mazatlán. I remember it being the most fun trip because everyone was in good moods. The Senor Frogs experience really has stuck with me throughout these years. I felt so happy to be with my family and to have a good time with them. It felt complete and like a perfect family vacation.