Jim and I celebrated our country's independence day by doing what else? Leaving the country, of course. :) We went down to Cancun, Mexico from 7/2 - 7/5 to witness Chris & Joanna get married. The ceremony took place under a gazebo at the top of a cliff overlooking the gorgeous Caribbean Sea.

It   was   amazing.

Quick rundown of our time there:

Day 1 - R&R at the beach (the bluest water you will ever see), lots of good eating, some sunburn, Congo Bar where the shot girls go around blowing a whistle & pinching men's nipples, cheeks, and butt cheeks. Weirdest/most annoying thing ever. Jim wasn't violated, by the way.

Day 2 - R&R at the beach (the bluest water you will ever see), lots of good eating, more sunburn, wedding, reception, after party at the Coco Bongo. This place is like a club but with performances. They have huge screens projecting real concert footage of Beyonce, Madonna, Michael Jackson, Elvis, etc. Then they have an impersonator come out and do the performance w/real backup dancers, legit costumes, and everything. It was AWESOME! And they also had these Cirque de Soleil-ish performers that played out a fight scene between Spider Man and the Green Lantern. So cool! (No pics, unfortunately because I thought this was place was going to be like Congo Bar)

Day 3 - Catamaran ride to Isla Mujeres. Chris & Joanna rented this awesome boat to take all 40 of us to an island off of Cancun, called Isla Mujeres (Women Island). Don't ask - I didn't name it. This was the most magical day ever. Picture perfect day. Salty air blowing through my hair. Stopping in the middle of the sea to go snorkeling. (Snorkel guide got a me a starfish, but I felt bad removing it from its habitat, so I let it go.) Stopped at this beach and got to hold a shark! We reached the island of women, walked a few blocks to have an authentic/non-resort Mexican meal. Mmmmmmmm. Then we got back on the boat and headed back to Cancun. More sunburn. Dinner & sleep.

The Mexican sun is crazy. No matter how much we reapplied sunblock, we crisped. And if you think NJ is humid, visit Cancun. The air is so thick, it's unbelievable. Below is a quick video of the boat ride, the mariachi band during cocktail hour (I asked them to play the Solamente Tu song that I heard on my honeymoon!), and some photos from the trip.

Congratulations to Mr. & Mrs. Nam! Thank you so much for an awesome weekend. Unforgettable.

...I married a wonderful man in a white chapel, lit with candles and surrounded by 250 people. Today I'll celebrate that day with just one person, homemade dinner, and a small piece of cake.

To this wonderful man,

You have made this year amazing. Your patience (except in traffic) leaves me speechless. Your little acts of service (cleaning the bathroom, clearing the dishwasher) surprise me. And the way you love me (kisses, hugs, and prayers) still gives me butterflies. Thank you for a great year. I love you so much, and I thank the Lord everyday for bringing us together. Happy anniversary!

p.s. I know you don't read xanga anymore, but maybe you will today. :)