Making Memories...

We spent the long weekend in Phuket - and it was so relaxing. It was our last trip in Southeast Asia as we are quickly wrapping up our time here. And, while this trip was in the works long before we decided we were moving to Poland, it was the perfect finish to our time here. There are lots of great places you can travel to from Kuala Lumpur - many that people would consider more essential than Phuket or more "upscale" than Phuket, but this was the place our kids wanted to go - and it totally worked for us.

We also were very lucky to spend the weekend with our friends, the Reimbolds. They live in our 'hood and they've become good friends of ours. And, well, Grayson and their son, Logan, are practically inseparable - so this added to the fun of the weekend.

After each and every vacation, on the cab ride home from the airport, I ask everyone to share their favorite part of the trip. When the kids were little, it was always about the trinkets and stuffed animals and things that were purchased. In the last few years, it's never been about the cheap hat or souvenirs - even though they get a few of those things. It's always about something a little more "deep" or something they experienced or something simple. These were the boys' favorites from this trip:

Grayson - Spending time with our friends

Caleb - Petting a baby tiger

Blaine - Relaxing on the beach

My list is long...so that's what I'm going to share - my list of favorite memories from the weekend:

- Daredevil Kitty and her many photo opps in Phuket. We picked her up at McDonald's at the airport and the kids decided she would be our "Flat Stanley" for the weekend. Where we went, Daredevil Kitty went.

- Sitting on the beach listening to music with Caleb when the song "Danza Kuduro" comes on and he says, "Do you remember you and me dancing to this song at Club Med?" (Which is exactly why it's on my playlist in the first place - because I love that memory!)

- Blaine and Eric sitting under the Hooters umbrella on the beach...the day after they had taken all of the kids to the Hooters in Phuket for dinner and then sending the pic to Barb. (You are correct in your assumption that none of the wives were in attendance for that dinner!)

- Watching the kids as they spent time petting baby tigers and getting so close that they could lay down next to them.

- Laughing that Caleb has his favorite masseuse at the place where we got foot massages in December and hoping that she would be there this time. He remembered her name - Ta-Ta - and he was so happy to see her again on this trip!

- Hugs and kisses from Grayson each night as he thanked us for a great day. (Unsolicited hugs from this child are a rarity - and thank yous can be even more elusive at times - so this was very rewarding.)

- Grayson and Logan getting matching "tattoos" on the beach. True buds.

- Caleb in his Thailand bucket hat and his "Murica" sunglasses

- Watching the not-so exciting fight of the century from the pool. That definitely made it more tolerable.

- Dinner and drinks and good conversation with friends.

- Smiles as the kids watched the Thai woman make pancakes/crepes filled with Nutella and then gave them cute little frosting animals to put on top of them.

- Being able to laugh the next day about Logan vomiting while getting a foot massage (the poor dude was suffering from heatstroke) by saying: He's going to have a great story to tell one day. After all, what 8 year old can say he was naked in a massage parlor in Thailand and that his mom had paid for the services. (He stripped down to take a quick shower right there as he was sick all over himself, hence, why he was naked.)

- People watching on the beach with a cold drink in hand while the kids played in the sand or in the water.

- Spending time with my husband after what has been a month of complete craziness.

And then last night I saw this quote:

Fill your life with experiences, not things. Have stories to tell, not stuff to show.

Phuket was definitely filled with simple experiences...giving us lots of great memories.