January 30th - Feb. 5, 2016
This time last year, at our annual Company Retreat at the Zermott in Midway,
we were told that for the first time in the history of the company,
they were going to provide a trip to Cancun Mexico
for the employees at the first of the year 2016!!!
Everyone was so excited!
Spouses would be invited, but would need to provide their own way.
That was just fine with all of us!
We talked about this trip all year, and now here it is....
come and gone!
We had such a wonderful time enjoying the beautiful, sunny weather.
We flew out of SLC Saturday Jan. 30th in a snow storm!
We were late taking off, due to waiting in line to de-ice
and prep the plane for the weather.
Our flight was non-stop so that made it nice, but it also made it long!
When we finally made it to the Barcelo Resort,
we were exhausted and hungry......
only to find out, the portion of the resort we had paid extra to stay at,
didn't have our name on the reservation list!
They had us at a whole other end of the resort.
We were fine going there, but had paid $250 extra to be at the middle resort.
So.....now we had to fight that issue out all the while trying to communicate the problem!
The poor kid helping us, didn't completely understand and kept smiling and trying to tell us we needed to go to the other spot! Ha!
Again, that's fine, but give us our $250 back!
We finally asked for a manager. Turned out, he was on a break and would be back soon.
They were kind enough to let us go eat, since the buffet would be closing soon.
So....we did that, came back, worked things out with the manager and 2 hours later,
found ourselves in our room, at the right resort! Phew!
We unpacked our things, got settled a little and
went for a nice little walk out to the ocean and around the resort.
Such a gorgeous atmosphere at the Barcelo!
The next day, being Sunday, we just stayed at the resort and rested at the beach.
Trav warned me to wear some sunscreen.....but I "wanted a little bit of sun" and then I would!
That is the last time I will ever ignore my husband!
There was a slight breeze so it didn't feel overly hot,
but one of the other ladies there with us, who is tan as tan looked down at her arms and said,
"Oh wow, I'm getting red!"
I knew at that very moment, that whole situation was not going to end well for me!
I hurried and put the beach towel over my legs and put my swim shirt on!
Sure enough, by the time we got back to our room......
I was fried!
I could hardly stand to be touched or to move my arms to get dressed!
By the end of the week I was peeling like crazy and
now we've been home almost a week and I'm still sore.
Wasn't a smart move!
Not to mention.....I had a cold sore the size of a horse pop out on my face just as we arrived too!
Ha ha! Fun trip!
Kurtis Fisher, Carter Hanson, Troy Riley, Ty Carter, Trav, Cody Stephens , Joe Mattson
I LOVE the color of the water in Cancun!
So beautiful!
That night we ate dinner with the whole crew from the beach that day.
If you stay at the resort for a week, you receive 4 nice dinners at one of the Resorts Restaurants.
The other nights you eat at the Resort buffet.
That night we all ate together at the Italian Restaurant.
After dinner, some of the group went bowling.
We sat with them and watched.....we were the old ones in the group and it showed!
We were ready for bed! Ha ha!
Monday, Feb. 1st -
This was the day that Morgan had designated as a company day.
They were very generous in treating all of us to a day at Xcaret -
a water theme park with a Mexican flare.
a water theme park with a Mexican flare.
They have a large river that at times is underground that you float down,
snorkeling, Turtle watching, Restaurants, scuba diving, water boating, areas that are
like a zoo with tropical animals to see, a huge arboretum, and Mexican dancing shows
along with bull fighting.
We started off floating the river.
Then we went and saw the turtles.
We were excited to snorkel, only to find that
many weren't seeing anything other than other snorkelers!
We decided to skip that portion!
Rachael and Joe Mattson, Trav and Me, Kurtis Fisher,
Shar and Ty Carter, Troy Riley, Carter Hanson, and Christan and Cody Stephens
These guys are everywhere!
We ate lunch and then Trav and a few others paid to ride the speed boat.
Those with bad backs had to stay off.....that put me as photographer! :)
They loved it and said it was awesome!
Trav, Kurtis Fisher, Carter Hanson
When the boat ride was over, we walked over to the arboretum to see the butterfly exhibit!
They made it sound like it would just be a huge abundance of butterflies!
We were a little disappointed that what they really meant was maybe 15!
But.....it was really neat walking all through there....
Rope bridges, tropical birds, waterfalls, etc.!
We were given the option to stay til 9 p.m. and watch the evening shows,
but we are all worn out and opted to ride the bus back to the resort at 4:30.
It felt good to get back, rest, clean up, eat dinner and then sit around the resort and just chill
out by the pools and the beach.
Tues. Feb. 2, 2016 -
We slept in this day and that was so nice!
Around 1 p.m., we gathered a group together to head in to Playa Del Carmen.
I love this place!
It is the place to buy any and all Mexican Souvenirs you could ever want!
I'm not good at the bargaining with them.
Trav can bargain and is always willing to walk away if they say no.
I'm not usually willing to walk away and they must be able to sense that.....
because deals just weren't happening for me! Ha!
While we were there walking the streets.....Trav got offers for drugs 3 different times!
Sweet little town! Ha!
We got the boys some T-shirts, Sis a purse and Back pack,
A Mumu for me (I have a secret love affair with mumu's!),
and a little wooden helicopter for Austy.
We watched the street performers, until they caught us and started our way for $,
and then we walked down to the beach!
It was so hot this day! So hot!
We added Gene and Debbie McDonald and Paul and Deanna Taylor to our crew this day!
We LOVE to travel with Gene!
He plans everything and works all of the deals for transportation!
There is a reason he is one of the head haunchos at Morgan!
Everyone following Gene!
When we had all had our feel of Playa....
we went back to get ready for dinner.
That night we at ate the Santa Fe.
Talk about Hilarious!
Our waiter had some fettish with Trav.
When Trav asked him for some sour cream for his potato.....
the guy came over and personally poured spoonful after spoonful on it!
The first spoonful however, Trav reached over the potato to pull a decorative branch out,
and the guy poured sour cream all over Trav's finger!
The look on Trav's face was worth the whole trip!
We all died laughing!
So did the waiter!
Ty and Shar Carter, Trav and Me, Cody and Christan Stephens
Wednesday, Feb. 3rd -
In order to do a trip like this as a Company Sponsored event, meetings had to be held
with the employees while we were there.
Trav left early in the morning and was gone for about 3 hours.
I woke up feeling so sick. Something wasn't right with my stomach.
I truly thought the vacation was over for me at that point.....
or at lease that whole day would be.
or at lease that whole day would be.
I kept praying asking Heavenly Father to help me..
I couldn't get comfortable.
About 25 minutes before Trav got back, I slowly started feeling somewhat better....
just had a little stomachache and felt weak.
I thanked Heavenly Father for helping me out big time!
That afternoon, we went with Joe and Rachael Mattson and her parents,
Paul and Deanna Taylor to see the ruins at Tulum.
Paul and Deanna Taylor to see the ruins at Tulum.
The last time we were in Cancun, we saw all of the other big ruins,
but didn't make it to Tulum.
but didn't make it to Tulum.
We debated whether or not we should go.
Trav really wanted to just stay at the resort.
The more we talked, the more we realized we needed to go see Tulum
because we may never get back there again and have heard how beautiful it is!
How grateful I am that we went!
It was everything everyone says it is!
Probably my very favorite of the Ruins.
Chichen-Itza is really, really neat too......but the setting of Tulum is breathtaking!
We got back just in time to whip the hat off, shower and RUN to dinner!
Dinner was so fun this night! It was at the Japanese Restaurant....
where all of the food is cooked right in front of your group and they entertain while they cook!
The food was yummy and we enjoyed our awesome group!
Jeremy and Angie Nielson, Angie and Dean Garrett
Trav with Debbie and Gene McDonald
Trav, myself and my coldsore! :)
That night we were so exhausted from the day, we just went back to our room
and Facetimed with the kids and relaxed.
Thursday, Feb. 4th 2016
Because this was essentially our last day at the Resort, we purposely planned NOTHING
and played at the beach for most of the day!
It is so peaceful to sit there with a Pina Colada in your hand,
listening to the waves crash on the shore and the wind in the palm trees above your head.
Love it!
We only left our beach chairs for an hour or so to go watch some of the ladies
in our group swim with the Dolphins.
I had so much fun the last time I did that, I didn't want to miss watching them.
That night we ate at the Japanese Restaurant again!
Our chef this time was even better and had us laughing!
Kurtis Fisher, Troy Riley, Ty and Shar Carter
Troy Riley, Ty and Shar Carter, Kurtis Fisher, Trav, Me, Christan and Cody Stephens,
Carter Hanson, Joe and Rachael Mattson, Deanna and Paul Taylor
After dinner, we walked around and did some last minute shopping at the Market in the Resort,
then changed into our comfy's and sat out by the pools and beach one last time.
How do these vacations always go so extremely fast?!!
After everyone called it a night,
Trav and I took one last walk on the beach before heading back for the night.
On our way to our room from the beach, we stopped at one of the bars to get
one last Pina Colada.
Obviously, we asked for it to be non-alcoholic as a large group around the bar looked at us!
The server grabbed the mixing pitcher and immediately filled it almost half way with alcohol.
I nudged Trav and he said, "Oh Sir......remember we asked for no alcohol?!"
The guy said, "Oh yes! I just forgot!"
As he went to dump it out, the crowd next to us said quickly....
"Wait! Don't waste that! Just make us whatever you were making them and we'll drink it!"
Then a lady in their group said, "Oh, is that for your kids?"
Trav and I laughed and said, "No. We want it non-alcoholic for us!"
Their jaws were on the floor.
So.....the server makes them alcoholic pina colada's, rinses out the pitcher and adds ice.
Before we knew it.....he seriously was pouring alcohol back in to the mixer for us!!!
We stopped him again and he laughed and said, "AHHH. I forgot again! Its just second nature!"
He then tried to drain the alcohol out and keep the ice.
When we asked him to just dump it all and rinse it completely you could feel the stares
from the other group by this point!
Who were these weird people trying to get a Virgin Pina Colada???? Ha ha!
We finally got our non-alcoholic pina coladas and turned in for the night!
Friday, Feb. 5th, 2016
Morgan Employees
(Back Row: Trav, Dean Garrett, Paul Taylor, Carter Hanson, Troy Riley, Kurtis Fisher, Fernando Gama, Lance Roberts
Front Row: Fred Bauman, Aaron Edwards, Mike Haslam, Jeff Fleming, Russ Short, John Tucker, Gene McDonald
Todd Morgan, Brian Allen, Stephanie Fuentes, Ty Carter, Jeremy Nielson, Joe Mattson)
Trav had one last meeting before we had to leave for the airport.
I spent the morning packing us up and getting ready.
When he got back to the room we finished packing up and left to eat lunch.
It was a little overcast that morning.....which made it somewhat easier to leave.
Somewhat! :)
View from our balcony
We soaked up the sights, sounds and smells in the resort lobby while we waited for our
group van to pick us up for the airport!
Grandpa Randle brought Ty, Sis and Austy down to pick us up.
Garrett was still at the High School Bball game vs. Layton High.
We missed it by just a few hours.
Austy and Sis wanted their gifts immediately......we made them wait til we got home!
As much fun as it is to get away and have time alone together.....
It's always so nice to come home.
By the end of every trip, I'm ready to be with our kids again.
I miss them so much when we're away and stress making sure they're taken care of.
Thus the reason for the cold sore this entire trip.
It showed up the second we got on the plane to leave for Cancun....and that's no joke!
I'm so grateful for my sweet Mom-in-law and my awesome Dad
as well as many friends and neighbors who helped take care of our kids while we were away....
we couldn't do these things without them!
I love time spent with Trav. He is truly my very favorite person.
Thank you Morgan Pavement for your generosity in
providing such an amazing week for all of us!
We are very fortunate that Trav not only enjoys his job,
but that we enjoy the people we are surrounded with!
No comments:
Post a Comment