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The Sunny D: June 2016

Wednesday, June 8, 2016

We Do-Summer Series..Some Day in June I Have Officially Lost Track

When my Grandma died this past year the family split up her very large collections. She loved her garden and decorated it with love. There were traces of her Irish roots and whimsy. We received these two garden gnomes and for one of our summer time projects we repainted them and added them to our herb garden. (Which looks VERY thirsty by the way.)




One great thing this summer is I am not moving classrooms, schools, grade levels....Can I get a Hallelujah?! I did not realize what pressure this put on me each summer and it has been three years in a row doing one of these things or several. This summer is just, Summer. I LOVE it. 

A look at my day:

5:45- wake up take Ayder tater to swim team, drive home.
 Ellie my early bird is up with her crazy messy swirl of a blond tumbleweed bedhead. She gets a snack (toast or something) She gets ready for swim team and packs her change of clothes for summer school. 
6:45- Take Ellie to swim team
7:00- Either bring Aydan home or he waits for his sister.
8:00- meet kids at the free breakfast provided most school districts that surround us. YES!! I love it! Free breakfast and free lunch. We haven't hit up the free lunch yet. 
8:15- Drive groggy head kids to school and drop of Ells for summer school, say HI to my past students in summer school. 
  • Drive home.
  • Do some cleaning, or go to the gym, sometimes Aydan comes to the gym too. We enjoyed a spin class the other day with my friend Em. HE was AWESOME. I was super impressed. He was also starving afterwards...can't blame the kid! Swim team and then gym! We took the day off of the gym today. 
  • Or work on classes for second side gig
  • Pick up Ellie from school
  • Lunch at home
  • Chore for the day OH YES my friends we have a chore chart
The kids then have the afternoon for fun! We have been lucky our old neighbors are in town for a few weeks until they move to Italy. We have been hogging every second we can with them and boy do we miss them! They have played here or today I took the boys to VIP Airsoft to play and the girls and I went to the gym and relaxed at the pool. We met Em there with her girls and it was a delight! 

FREE ACTIVITY: GET AFTER IT.
Barnes and Noble Reading program...they have the forms in the store and all your child has to do is answer four measly questions. After they do that they can pick a book from any of the books listed FOR FREE!!! You don't have to buy one darn thing, although....who can pass up a good book? SIDE NOTE: Don't even TRY to use your Starbucks gift card there that a student so graciously gave you. NO. The Starbucks in the Barnes and Noble do not accept Starbucks gift cards. So that kind of annoyed me BUT good thing.... AJ's was around the corner. Giant diet coke for Mama and a brownie as big as your face for the kids. It made for a nice afternoon out of the heat. 

FREE BREAKFAST AND LUNCH AT ALL PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS IN MESA AND GILBERT. 

Has anyone else found any free or super cheap and fun activities to do with your kids this summer? IF SO..PLEASE share in the comments section! I for one would love to know! 

XOXO- WHO loves Summer???? ME. The Sunny D



Monday, June 6, 2016

Rocky Point Summer Series / Days...Who Knows Anymore??

Rocky Point or Bust! 

It was my annual girls trip to Rocky Point and it could not have come at a better time. I was ready for a break and I think my friends were too. We did the things most Mom's probably like to do when they aren't busy with their kids. Sleep. Nap. Read. Sleep. Oh, maybe we should eat. You know, the necessities. I went with M&M and stayed in her wonderful RV. She was gracious to share, she is always generous and kind. Unasian Daddy Long Legs came as well and we had FUN. Well, Mom fun. 

M&M and I. There is something very cathartic about walking around in your swim suit and not caring one bit about who sees you. I don't usually like to post pictures in my swim suit but..we were at the beach. SO. Meh. 
Isn't that a delicious beach? Maybe it isn't the best beach in the whole wide world but it's the best beach in the whole wide world to me because it has always been accessible and affordable. 

We plop our beach chairs right in the surf, pull out our books and sunflower seeds, sip diet cokes...except not Unasian Daddy Long Legs she thinks it's liquid cancer. I say, Cheers! I love Diet Coke. 

Yassssssss. I wore that to church and PROUDLY. I didn't have anything else to wear anyway. I packed so exhaustedly that I only brought two shirts, two swim suits, a cover up, and a pair of jogging pants. I was just glad I remembered my toothbrush. This time at least. 
The first time I have EVER in my 20 years traveling to Rocky Point found a star fish. It was surprisingly heavy in my hand and I kept getting the feeling it was hurt. So I placed it gently back in a safe spot. Maybe it was just fine but I was a little worried.


And...Heck who doesn't love a big guy with muscles?!?? This cracked me up. I love watching little kids play in the ocean. Everyone is so happy, even the HULK.

I LOVE you Summertime! I love my friends! I love rests for Moms! Most of all I love the beach and Rocky Point! 

XOXO- The Sunny D...Rested, Finally.








Rocky Point Like a Local


Puerto Penasco has held my heart for twenty years. A short three and a half hour drive is all it takes to go from the desert to the sea. Puerto Penasco is also lovingly called Rocky Point by gringas like me. If you google places to stay you may need to use both names. Rocky Point is that road trip that quenches my need to go off the grid and have my very own, "Into the Wild" experience. Except it is equipped with showers, toilets, and running water. 

Where to stay:

If you want to go on the cheap I highly suggest camping out at Playa Bonita. For $30 you have a nice clean campsite with electrical and water hook ups. It sleeps up to four. There are public restrooms, showers, a laundromat, and you can buy ice in the front office. It is a hop, skip, and a jump to the ocean on a lovely beach. I have stayed in hotels, rented luxury apartments, and even vacation homes in Rocky Point but this is STILL my favorite way to go. Plus, my best friend has an RV so when she invites me along it's dreamy. I would not recommend the hotel however....BUT the restaurant has a lovely deck and pretty yummy chips and guac. Make sure to call ahead as they are busy and do fill up. The weather can be hot and most of Rocky Point shuts down in September for their vacation month. The best months to visit are October, March-the first few weeks of June.

Pull your chair right up to where the ocean meets the sand and let the water lick your toes. It heals the soul. 

What to do?
The beach is enough for this old girl. I bury my head in a few good books, walk or run on the beach, look in the tide pools, collect shells. There are the usual touristy things to do like banana boats, parasailing, riding horses along the beach, sunset cruises the list goes on and on but I prefer the simplicity of my heart and the beach. There is the fish market, dirt mall, a busy night life that I tend to stay away from. I love watching the stars come out in the night sky. Simple. I do buy a mexican dress every few years that I wear to threads and then hit up the dirt mall for a new one. I even wore it to church because we decided to go last minute. 

Farmacia Gloria is the one pharmacy I would recommend for anything from Retin-A to Latisse to Ex-Lax and cold sore medicine. It is a great buy and she is a real pharmacist. You can also pick up a Kinder Egg for your kids here. They don't sell them in the states but if you see one...buy one. She is right off the main street  BLVD. B. Juarez that runs through town and up through the fish market.

Blvd B. Juarez will take you anywhere from Sam's Club located next to Wal-Mart for when the water supply runs low. I still would NOT drink the water so bring plenty. Also, Coca Light is pretty much the most delicioso diet drink on the planet. Buy cases to bring home. This main drag will take you all the way up to the fish market where you can have fresh catch of the day entree's for less than $10.00 a plate or fish tacos. You can cross the street to score mexican curios or Ray Bans for cheap. Well, fake Ray Bans that is. Vendors will also hit you up on the beach for these items and they are cheaper to buy on the beach. Do not pass up the taco lady that walks the beach. Order the papas y chile tacos. Trust me. For $4 you have lunch delivered to you on the beach. Yum. Pollo Lucas is right on the main drag don't miss this awesome charbroiled chicken restaurant. The food is good and fresh. A whole chicken, beans, rice, tortillas, salsa, and garnish is under $20 and will feed a family of four. There are Thrifty ice cream parlors all over the place pop in here for a scoop. My favorite breakfast place is the Kaffehaus. Think lederhosen meets sombrero. A German breakfast shop with pancakes named the chunky monkey, omelets, and skillet breakfasts. It is the best breakfast in town and will run you under $7 a plate and that includes tip. The water is good to drink here. I know you have heard of 7/11 right? Home of the Slurpee? In Mexico they have something similar but it is called 8/12.
Fresh coffee if that's your thing and homemade donuts every morning but get there early they sell out fast. They also have breakfast burritos and a regular convenience store set up. The cinnamon twist is my favorite. 

A chile-lime mango on the beach is so yummy and makes a great brunch. Don't be afraid to grab a taco at a taco stand for about $3 you have a full meal. Enjoy the local fare.

For literally under $200 you can go to the beach for a week. Don't forget your passport even an expired one will get you back through to the US border. You will need Mexican Insurance on your vehicle so don't forget that. My happy place. I leave a little bit of my heart on that beach. Viva La Mexico! 






XOXO-The Sunny D