January 11 2016

Planning Our First Visa Run

bonampak, chiapas

Yesterday we returned from our first visa run/family vacation since our move to Mexico.

What’s a visa run you ask? When you enter a foreign country you are using a tourist visa, which gives you legal permission to be there.  You’re only visiting so there is a time limit on your stay and in Mexico it’s 180 days (many places it’s less.) To stay longer you need Continue reading

December 7 2015

Eating My Words About Being Safe…Almost

In the first week of December I’ve posted not once but twice on how safe I feel living in Mexico. This weekend I thought I was going to have to eat my words when my husband didn’t come home from a night out. Continue reading

December 3 2015

Living Between Their Childhood and Mine

I posted a picture of Rory with her new bike a few weeks ago, and my friend Erin responded, “Where’s her new helmet?” I didn’t have a good answer-they do have a few in the stores, but we just hadn’t felt the need to buy them even though we all had them back in Iowa. It got me thinking about how differently we live here-like we’ve gone back in time. Continue reading

December 2 2015

Watching An American Mass Shooting From Mexico

Another day, another American shooting, this time in San Bernadino. There seem to be more and more of them since we moved to Mexico, and all I can think of when I see them is how glad I am that we got away. That’s right, I said it. I feel safer here in Mexico than I would in the U.S. right now.   Continue reading

November 5 2015

Why Pre-BEX Tours are Important

TBEX

I recently attended TBEX North America in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida. For those who have not been to a TBEX travel blogger conference, a pre-BEX tour is a free tour that is offered to attendees before the actual conference begins. They vary by location as the conference is in a different place each year and promote area attractions to the visiting bloggers. The value of these tours sometimes gets overlooked but they are invaluable for connecting to other bloggers and as well as the businesses that offer them.

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November 4 2015

Embracing Dia de los Muertos

Cozumel Mexico family travel

The girls and I have read about Dia de los Muertos and now that we are in Mexico it was something I have really looked forward to taking part in. It is not “Mexican Halloween” but has a rich history of its own in Mexican culture. Continue reading

November 2 2015

My First Trip Back to the U.S. from Mexico

So I just got back from my first visit to the United States since our family moved to Mexico. Are you curious how I felt? Did I want to stay? Where did I feel the urge to go when it was time to go home? Here are the answers. Continue reading

October 25 2015

Kids and Crocodiles

cozumel

So when we moved to Cozumel I was under the impression that there were only crocodiles way down south in Punta Sur, the eco-park on the south end of the island. It seems that I was wrong. Continue reading

October 16 2015

Wherever You Go, There You Are – 3 Months In Mexico

Today marks 3 months since we arrived in Mexico. It’s gone by fast, and although we’re enjoying our life here it seems like we’ve hardly done anything we planned to do yet. Time is flying. Continue reading

October 7 2015

A Harsh Lesson From the Sun

My family is a dermatologist’s nightmare. If we ever went to a dermatologist. When Jason and I met he said I was the only girl he knew who washed her face with bar soap, and I didn’t start using moisturizer until I noticed visible wrinkles in the dry skin around my eyes. I think I was 32-what can I say, I’m a minimalist. Continue reading