At the beach this week

Every year, since I was a baby, my mom's side of the family (My aunts, uncles and cousin) pile into one house right on the beach in Santa Cruz. It's a week the entire family looks forward to, as it's the most relaxing vacation you could possible take. The house is literally right on the sand, and the rule is everyone gets to do exactly what they want, there are no set plans. If you want to read on the beach all day, you can read. If you want to swim or take a walk, or even watch Euro Cup soccer, no one will judge you:) And then of course we all snack and eat all the live-long day. When we were kids, our uncles used to tell us that we could have as many otter pops as we wanted, and THAT was something to get excited about, ha!

This will be the first year in about 10 years that I've been able to stay the entire week, and boy am I grateful. I needed the rest and relaxation. So far, the week has included loads of yummy snacks, beach reads, yoga on the sand, 10-minute abs, walks on the beach, spike ball, Kan Jam, cards, watching euro-cup soccer and of course the olympic trials! It's been a blast.

One awesome highlight so far has been a murder mystery dinner. Last year my mom got a boxed set at a yard sale, and the entire family dressed up and got into character, it was hilarious. Our whole house was transformed into a Roman Villa back in the day of Ceasar. We had so much fun, we decided to make it an annual tradition. So this year, the murder mystery dinner took place on a train car in Paris in the 1940's. Of course we all dressed up again (I wore my old prom dress from 2001, haha!). As you can see from the pictures, we had too much fun! (And please note that my Aunt Julie might just be the most hilarious person ever…she went into the bathroom for a minute, and emerged more "well endowed" thanks to some toilet paper rolls, hahahah!!!)

I am so grateful for this hilarious family of mine. They make me feel loved, wanted, and special, and I couldn't be more thankful. Hope you all have a great week!!

xoxo

{a little 10 minute abs my uncle led us in!}

The whole family dressing up for the murder mystery dinner…think Paris 1940! 

{my aunt stuffing a few toilet paper rolls to liven up her costume, haha! 

My mom and her sisters below, so hilarious! }

{The whole group, with everyone in costume! SO fun!} 

Marmaris, our favorite beach town in Turkey

Marmaris was a bit of a last minute decision for us, and we were thanking our lucky starts we got to spend some time in this haven. Marmaris is situated in a cove, on the southern tip of the western coast, so that you are surrounded by mountains on every side. To me, it felt a bit like hawaii, lush and green, with warm water lapping at your feet. Like any touristy European beach town, the coast is swarming with beach clubs complete with chairs, umbrellas, and waiters. The nice part is that you didn't pay to use the umbrellas and chairs, you just had to buy a drink, which we probably would have done anyway! After a crazy 2 weeks tromping through Turkey and ferrying all over Greece, we were exhausted. I will never forget the morning in Marmaris when we woke up, ate a delicious breakfast overlooking the ocean, and then just sat at the beach doing nothing but reading and sipping cold drinks. It sure was a blessing. 

Here are a few of my favorite things to do in Marmaris: 

1. Walk the ocean front promenade: As I mentioned, Marmaris is in a cove. All along the beach front, there is a path that walks you all around the cove. There are interesting shops, hotels, restaurants, and beach clubs. It's a gorgeous stroll, and especially fun at night when all the lights come on! So magical! 

2. Swim and lounge at a beach club: There are a million beach clubs! Find one that suits your fancy and park yourself for the day! We picked one with chill music (think Frank Sinatra, instead of House music), a little away from the main downtown area so it was quieter, and of course one where the chairs looked clean and new! There really are some great choices to pick from. The chairs/umbrellas are free, you just pay for the drinks! 

3. Enjoy a dinner at night along the water: Marmaris had a slew of incredible restaurants dotting the shores. At night, all the lights come on, and the water lights up! Kevin and I had such a hard time choosing a restaurant, but in the end chose one callad Bono. It was right on the water, was super hip and swanky, and the prices weren't too bad! They totally accommodated my gluten/dairy allergy, and the food was yum!! 

Of the two beach towns we visited, Bodrum and Marmaris, I would have to say I enjoyed Marmaris a little more. But both are great options!! Happy Wednesday friends,

ps- If you want to giggle, read my friend Erika's post about online dating here. #icouldn'tstoplaughing