Jamaica
July 10 marked 15 years of wedded bliss for Jeremiah and me. We decided that we should do something for just the two of us and I reluctantly agreed on a week for us to go somewhere fabulous without the kids. So we went to planning on our vacation. We decided on a Sandals resort and after much research decided on the Negril, Jamaica location. An all-inclusive resort in Jamaica? I think I could get on board with being without the kids for a week for the first since having them. Then I realized that they were going to Pennsylvania and leaving before our trip and getting back after. Which meant I was going to be without kids for nearly 2 whole weeks! What?! I had to figure out how to be ok without the kids for almost 2 weeks? I literally had to look at the Sandals website almost daily to calm my nerves as the days were leading up to the kids leaving for Pennsylvania. And guess what? I was just fine. I knew the actual trip was going to be amazing and it really was. It was the few days before and after that I was here at home without the kids that was really hard on me. But, again, I survived.
So now onto the good stuff. The few pictures that I took and that we purchased from the resort. Let me start by saying, if you are thinking of doing a trip like this know that it is truly an all-inclusive resort. We only paid extra for our one excursion which we set up before we got there, our beach sunset dinner for our actual anniversary day which we set up before we got there, and pictures and souvenirs.
Our room had a swim up to the pool just outside that overlooked the beach. This was our view from our patio…
We enjoyed breakfast here a few mornings…
We spent every morning on the beach where we had chairs that were reserved for us with a cooler full of water. It was nice letting someone pamper us for a week. 
We also had a couples massage. The last time we had a massage was 11 years ago when we went to Hawaii. I was in so much pain after because it felt like the therapist was taking out her problems on me. I swore them off. But I decided to try it again and it was amazing. I have never been so relaxed. The therapist that was massaging me said I had three knots in my neck. I jokingly told her that they each had a name since I have three kids! 
We went on a tour of the island on a sunset cruise. At the end of the cruise, everyone was doing shots on the bar. That was fun. Alcohol was completely included and there was a lot of it. In fact, the one bartender would see Jeremiah coming and call out, “Hey Rum and Coke!”
There were lots of critters around. Peacocks would join us for breakfast, starfish in the ocean, little sand crabs. We saw lots of crabs actually. This one greeted us on our patio on day…
We had reservations at the one restaurant one night. It happened to be at sunset and we were seated right next to the beach…
We did a few things that were way outside of my box. We went kayaking. Yep, I’ve never done that and was terrified the whole time but, when I finally was on the sand again, I was happy I did it with my love. We also went snorkeling. I was so scared going into it but was so excited. It took a bit to figure out how to breathe with the mask and such but I got the hang of it and was happy there was a photographer catching us feeding the colorful fish with a piece of melon even if I was in a bathing suit…
On our actual anniversary day, we set up to have a dinner on the beach at sunset. It was just the two of us and it was amazing. We had such a great time just enjoying the view and not having to eat in 20 minutes because a little one was going to throw a fit or start fighting with another one.
It was a trip to remember and we will be going to a sandals resort again. It was the first vacation we’ve taken that we both felt it was a true vacation and we didn’t need days to recuperate. It was truly amazing.
Next up, what the kids did while they were in Pennsylvania!
A Group Of Stahrs 