HARD ROCK PUNTA CANA

The Hard Rock Resort in Punta Cana overall rating would be a 6 for me out of 10. For starters, I will share the positives about the resort before I share areas of opportunities.

SPA:

My absolute FAVORITE thing about this resort is the SPA!!! I can not express in words the level of luxury that was put into this oasis. Never in my life, have I seen anything like it. Upon entrance, you feel like you're in an ancient Greek palace.

From the decor, to the aroma, and all of the endless amount of services they offer you will leave with an indescribable amount of refreshing peace. My only regret is not not partaking in more of the treatments. Rock Spa is filled with a wide array of services that it is a little overwhelming to select a particular one. If you are going here, I highly recommend you give the variety of treatments a little more thought before you choose one. Options vary from chocolate body wraps, rock massages,  diamond facials, and sensory pools. 

BEACH/POOLS:

The Beach is a hypnotizing teal blue. One can stay there all day and night due to the resort supplying an ample amount of umbrellas and chairs. Around the massive resorts, pools are endless so one would never feel too crowded.

One pool in particular is the party pool with hosts the famous foam party, aqua aerobics, and other pool activities. Hard Rock has an entertainment staff and DJ that dances and gets the crowd pumping. I loved the pure joy on their faces. They look they really love what they do and that helps to make the expedience that more enjoyable. 

Then, there are other pools more geared towards family which includes water slides and a lazy river. At Hard Rock, they did not forget about the adults. One of the pools is exclusively for adults where being topless is welcomed. 

ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES:

Around the resort their are several bars pool side and beach side. I did not encounter a bar tender I did not like. They all did amazing with the drinks. I loved the fact that I could just try different types of drinks because I did not have to pay for it. Also, the room included a fully stocked bar which was no additional charge. 

Before I go into the areas of opportunity, let me just share that I definitely would go back here for the above reasons. But, I have to be honest....

FOOD

The food here was a DISASTER. Now, mind you, there is food, restaurants, and stands all around this resort to eat at. And if you don't feel like leaving out of your room, you can order room service. During my stay, we ate at ever restaurant, ordered room service, and also did the romantic dinner. I was not impressed at all. There was only a single paella dish I could've eaten everyday. Other that that, I was highly unhappy in everything. Especially since the romantic dinner was so nice, it was disappointing that the best thing on the menu was the bar drinks.

Pizza Restaurant

Caesar Salad- Yuck!

Paella! This was good!

ENTERTAINMENT:

I must admit the primary reason I am expressing dislike for the entertainment is because their was a Beyonce performance which was soooo bad that it was a complete insult. Whoever thought it was a good idea to do their choreographed Formation rendition must've been drinking. It was terrible. Now, they do have other shows like a magic show, and a Michael Jackson concert. However, I was so disgusted from the Beyonce performance that I could no longer give the performers a chance. Also, the Friday night we decided to go to the Oro night club it was dead. We went late and it was maybe 30 people in the whole club.

One of the excursions we selected was the off riders and this was the coolest thing ever. Never have we ever rode anything and the chaperones encouraged us to go faster!

Overall, we enjoyed our stay. The entire staff was nice. If we could do it all over again, I would allocate more time to the spa. I've heard that they are projected to add a Zip Line over the main Guitar pool. I'm sure that feature will be a huge attraction. 

WINTER PARK VIRGIN SKI TRIP

Spring Break of 2018, my family and I went on our first ever ski trip. I really haven't decided yet if this is one of the best vacations we have ever taken or if it was the worst. I'll let you be the judge of that after you hear all about the trip. Included in this blog, I will share with you our mistakes and what we learned along the way. But before I begin, let me set the record straight and share with you that I NEVER wanted to go on a ski trip. Being from the south, I despise the cold! My vacations consist of beaches, sun, and water. Basically, anything polar opposite of plunging temperatures. The only reason I agreed to this was because my kids wanted to do this and they would not continue to push it back any longer. Honestly, I have cancelled this trip three times prior.

Now this is going to insane. I really don't know what the hell I was thinking. But originally, the plan was to rent an RV, drive to Colorado and stay at a RV park! However, a couple of months prior to our trip we heard of a tragic accident involving black ice on the roads. That scared the mess out of me and I decided we should not go. Then, my oldest asked if I had looked into the flights.

"Ugh... ok," I reluctantly agreed to look into it. After days of him coming home from school asking me about it, one day we sat down and looked at the airline prices. To my un-excitement they were not expensive. We end up flying Spirit for less than $200 a ticket round trip.

Our Itinerary:
Day 1- arrived at the airport; got our rental car. The lady at the rental car asked if I wanted an SUV instead of mini van. When I found out the price of the SUV, I decided to stick with the van! HUGE HUGE HUGE MISTAKE! The drive up the mountain was beautiful. Once we reached the top, we found our condo, put away our luggage, and went exploring. After crossing the street from out condo we became stuck in the snow. Partly because I was having problems with the car or maybe partly because of my unfamiliarity with driving on those types of roads.

What I can say is when you suddenly go up 10,000 feet in elevation your body gets lethargic very quickly. I crashed when I realized the sun had set and we were stuck on side the road. However, at this moment I got to see my kids step up and take charge. It was a beautiful sight. My oldest son, kept saying, "Mama we can push this van out of the snow!" And they attempted at least 20 times. The whole gang. But, my middle son realized that their was a parking light on in the van that would not go off. He googles how to turn the light off and gave multiple suggestions! "Mama, cut the van off. Start the van. Let's put our seat belt on....." he suggested. Then, when nothing seemed to work, I just burst into tears and my daughter did her best to comfort me. I was literally crying my eyes out, because we were stuck and i was so damn tired!!!! This story would've been great if the kids were successful in getting the van out of the snow, but I still got to see my kids respond when mama can't respond.

Finally, a tow truck arrived and I called the rental cars road side service.

Here is the deserted location where we were stranded

Day 2- We had NO rental car. Enterprise had to bring another one from the airport and we had no idea how long that would take. I scheduled lessons for this morning, so we had to figure out how to ride Winter Park Bus Shuttle.  Here was the next phase of our adventure. Trying to figure out how to ride a bus in a strange place. In today's time, we are so used to turning on our GPS and just going. We actually had to use our brain and in hindsight it was pretty cool. Once we arrived at the "BASE" of the mountain a whole new world opened up. There was people everywhere skiing, snowboarding, getting on the lifts, taking lessons, and pulling wagons with babies.

The crew got their rental equipment and headed off to the slopes. 

After one 1/2 day lesson, they felt like they were some skiers!

 

      

                   

Hold up, Lil man! You're not old enough for Ski School!

Here are a couple of the kids after one lesson:

By the end of this day we got another rental car. 

Day 3- This morning I scheduled a Snow Cat Tour to take us deep into the mountain. Now that we had a car you would think everything would be smooth sailing. But noooo...... We got to the resort on time. However, we had to park and wait for the resort bus to take us to the base of the mountain. We arrived 10 minutes late for our tour and we end up missing it! Ya'll this whole trip was just one thing after another. Luckily for us, we were able to get on the next tour, but we had to wait two hours for that.

Riding the Snow Cat all the way to the top of the mountain opened my eyes to a whole world up there that one would not be able to see if they don't take the lifts up. There are a couple of restaurants and trails for days. But the snow cat was a spacious and cozy way to see the other side of the mountain. 

One of the nicer restaurants at the top of the mountain

Final Day: We woke up to a snow! Our first time ever seeing snow fall like this and it was a beautiful sight. However, we had to drive 2 hours back to the airport in this snow. I guess it was time for another adventure!

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED PACKING FOR A SKI TRIP.
1. Obviously, ski clothes and coat. Ski bibs are like waterproof overalls that are thick and will keep you warm. You can find plenty of these for kids in the thrift store. Adult sizes are a little harder to find. But I did manage to have luck with finding them. Every packing list will tell you to dress in layers.

For months, I shopped for ski clothes. Eventually, I was able to find ski pants, coats, and sweaters for an unrealistic amount of money. One store had EVERYTHING for $2! I found ski bibs! Boots! Thick Columbia coats! But please know that I did not find all this at one store at one time. If you are going to thrift you have to have patience. The only items I purchased online from amazon was wool socks, goggles (reluctantly), and all the kids got a set of thermals to serve as their base layer under their clothes.

2. Wool socks- they help keep your feet warm and dry. Cotton socks will sweat easily in the snow boots.

3. Goggles- I did not want to buy them because I did not know the importance of them. However, I found a 3 pack on amazon for $12 and I know understand the importance of them. I was very reluctant to buy these but I understand the importance of them now. Every ski trip packing list will instruct you to get these, because that sun and snow mixture is a BRIGHT BRIGHT combination!

TRANSPORTATION TIPS
The most important thing you should know is to stay away from driving if you are not used to driving up and down the mountain, in snow, or ice. I am so serious. Just don't do it! The day was beautiful getting to the resort, but on the way home it consisted of me being very focused and praying the whole 45 minutes it too for us to descend from the mountain. The roads had ice on them. It was snowing. One of the scariest things I ever did in my life. However, I kept a pace of 15 mph and just took my time.

SKI LESSONS/LEFT TICKETS/ SKI EQUIPMENT RENTALS
You want to invest in the lessons. Winter Park the lessons/lift tickets/ski gear rentals are overpriced, but to find cheaper prices you have to travel extremely far from the airport. I decided to get as close to the airport as possible which was still a 90 minute drive up the mountain on a clear day.  Leaving, it was snowing with ice on the road and the trip took over 2 hours.

Pay ATTN to the Children

“ You read that book in one day?” This is my husband questioning me on the plane ride to Vegas yesterday morning. It doesn’t take a long time to read a good book. As I was sitting next to him on the plane, he would peer over at the pages periodically and say, “That girl crazy! She a fool!” Ten minutes later he would scan the page I was currently reading and again remark, “Yeah, she crazy for real!”

I had Tiffany Haddish’s, “The Last Black Unicorn” since it came out, but for no reason at all I did not open it until yesterday. Ok. I did have a reason. Originally, I bought the book because I was interested in her story. Then I felt I knew all I needed to know about her and just put off reading it. Well, I’m glad I followed my first mind and eventually read the book. 

Last night we walked Freemont Street which is downtown Las Vegas. Here, you never know what you will see. There’s always live bands, half naked men/women charging tourists for pictures, and my favorite part... the street performers. 

At the end of the street we stumbled across this little  performer named Jamiya. She was dressed in all black and performed a mime dance with an older lady who is possibly her mom. The act was good, but no question Jamiya was the star of that show! 

I could’ve watched her all night. The intensity of her dance was with such skill and passion. Then, she did something I did not expect. Jamiya picked up the mic and starting singing!!!! My mouth dropped! This was the same little girl who was hand standing and popping and doing the splits .2 seconds ago! Seriously, I will post a link to her performance which i will post on my YouTube page. She was amazing! 

During her break, i used the opportunity to go and talk to her! I don’t know if it was because i had just finished reading Tiffany Haddish’s book that I shared with Jamiya, “Never forget that you are a performer! And I pray the world is kind to you!” 

Everyone has a story. Tiffany Haddish’s childhood was one filled with great sorrow. But, there was a time in her life where she forgot she was a comedian. However, along her journey she had a great social worker that her guided her at 15 to pursue comedy training. Also, along her journey she met people and had experiences that produced great content. 

I remember as I kid I always wanted to go! My mom took me everywhere in Houston! We even left the city a couple of time. So, as a child I always loved being on the go. Another thing about my childhood was I remember getting together with my cousins at reunions and dancing. We did talent shows and made up dance routines. I even remember us creating music videos. Also, on the weekends, we would stay up all night telling stories and writing books. 

Do you remember your childhood? What did you love to do? What made you happy? Look at the kids around them. What direction are they gravitating to? 

It is our job as guardians to guide them towards the direction they are called to go! Also, it’s ok to make your kids read! My mom made us read as a child and I hated it! But, I always enjoyed the book in the end. Books are away of experiencing other perspectives in a fun and educational way. Now, I love to read! I still love to go! I want to see as much as I can on my journey! I want to dance as often as I can... and I get that from Zumba classes. And last but not least, I want to tell stories!!!! 

Please share with me about your path that you are on right now! Why are you there and what direction are you traveling to? Can you attibute the place you are in right now to childhood experiences? 

Also, think of the people along your way who’s supported you, gave you a kind word, helped you, and guided you along your journey. I can easily list a handful of people that i am forever grateful for! 

For more content on literal and figurative travel visit: MoKnowsTravel.com

Buyers Remorse

Lord knows I have two 16 hour shifts to work tomorrow and here I am up at 3 am can’t sleep. My insomnia is attributed to my purchase a few hours ago in a furniture store. Here I was attempting to go inside the store for inspiration! Honestly, I had no intentions of purchasing anything. But then.... there it was.... something caught my eye and the price tag was steep.  What it was is really of no importance. I could blame the pushy sales guy who followed me around the whole store. But, the truth is I knew I was just browsing and was not ready to buy anything.

So... here I am up googling the stores return policy and from what I’m reading I can call them in the morning and cancel my order. I’m crossing my fingers customer service will be open in the morning. The sad part is I came home from the store all excited telling the kids about what I had bought.
Ultimately, we can scream YOLO all day everyday. But, we still have to be good stewards of our money. This has happened to me before when I bought my truck a few years ago. It’s paid off now but I made a promise to myself to never put myself in a situation like that again.

At all times do what feels good for you! Things that light your spirit! I really don’t get joy out of things too much so I don’t know what took over me. Typically, I am very OCD and organized with things like staying on budget. I even plan my trips like two years in advance so I know I will have enough money. Also, we are only a few days into the New Year and I the plan was of paying off my Tummy Tuck surgery before I made any more purchases.

Today this was not something I planned for, but I do want in the future. Hopefully, I can get out of the purchase and add the item in my budget for the future or find something similar but more economical. Lesson learned at this destination (furniture store) is to stay on track! Don't derail and get side tracked with distractions!

Have you ever bought a car, purse, or shoes and regretted the purchase? How did you cope with your remorse? Just for curiosity... is there anyone out there that bought a trip they regretted?

Live is a Journey! Not a Destination! 

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Thanks for reading!

DEATH

I'm a get straight to the point. Death will be discussed in two ways in this post.
1. Literal DEATH! My first VLOG for 2018 was to be a "Just Do IT January" featuring owner/founder of Dining with Dria which is a weekly meal prep of healthy, tasty foods in appropriate portion sizes. Personally, Dria lost over 91 pounds by changing her diet and working out.

facebook.com/diningwithdriatx/

Well... that video has yet to happen. Unfortunately, tomorrow Dria is burying her grandfather that recently died of cancer. After enduring radiation, chemo, and a massive amount of severe pain Mr. Lancaster passed on the 30th day of his diagnosis. Cancer!!! Death!!! It is relatable to see people hash tag Fck Cancer! For real! Clearly, I can remember in 2011 the pain of losing my grandfather to cancer.  Two months later my kids lost their dad tragically.

We all know how heart breaking death is. Death is symbolic of us being on our journey and the bridge to get across the troubling waters is destroyed. Death is symbolic of being out to sea and the boat capsizing. Yes! It's that dramatic when our comfortable life lines are suddenly snatched away from up under us. I'm not going to say anything cliché about how to deal with the death of a loved one, but I will like to state... MANY TIMES WE FEEL AS IF OUR SHOES ARE TOO HEAVY TO WEAR!!! NOBODY UNDERSTANDS YOUR PAIN!

After my kids lost their dad, my middle son had a dream that he literally died in real life. The dream was so real to my son. They all went to counseling after the tragedy which taught them to express their feelings. So when my son woke up that morning, he immediately shared the frightening dream with me. I am a big believer that dreams are our subconscious trying to speak to our waking life. When he shared this with me, collectively we went to dream decoder website and researched what it meant. In summary, it said that he had experienced a traumatic loss and he was not to lose himself because of it. LIVE YOUR LIFE SO WELL THAT WHEN YOU DIE, PEOPLE WILL KNOW WHAT YOU WERE ALL ABOUT. I told my son to continue to be the funny bright kid that he is and not to change.

To be honest with you, I started traveling tough after 2011. It was my way to band aid the pain. It allowed us something to look forward. I never felt more alive. Losing someone close to you will cause you to realize how short life is.

2. Figuritive DEATH. One of my best best girlfriends asked me a question yesterday about how certain seminars and motivational speakers try to inspire people that they can do it! Telling people they can do something instead of showing them how is similar to directing the horse to the water. IT IS MY BELIEF THAT OFTENTIMES PEOPLE DON'T DO CERTAIN THINGS BECAUSE THEY JUST DON'T KNOW HOW! They don't even know where to begin.

When there are areas in your life that are dying you need direction! Seek and you shall find.  One of the main reasons people get so excited about the New Year is because it signifies new beginnings, possibilities, and opportunities. When you enter into a new stage of your life and you are smacked with tragedy(death), what is one to do? The take away is this... Find your direction! Deal with Death by Directing a different path! I have a co-worker who joined a foundation for pediatric cancer after she lost her daughter. Don't try to make sense of it at all. Use your daily gift of life to seek future direction. If your business is failing search for mentors that will show you how. These times we are living in it has never been easier to learn. Online you have the availability of information and resources easily. Learn how to fish and you will eat for the rest of your life. Right? And that goes both ways... the same girlfriend recently posted about one person having two talents and another one having five. Use your talents to direct someone else. Even if you only have two you can help someone behind.

In closing, this blog is all about our personal journeys. Its not always fun and games. Real life events will occur that are painful and makes you question everything. Why did this have to happen? Why me? What next?

If you didn't care about the death... then there would be no point of the pain. The only thing we are commanded to do while we are here is Love God and Love others! Whatever else you do along your journey...LIVE YOUR LIFE WITH LOVE! 

Have you lost someone or something very meaningful to you? How did you cope and what did you learn from the loss?

Life is a journey! Not a Destination!

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Tummy Tuck 6wk

2018 Manifestations

Yesterday, I saw a YouTube video that said you should write your top 10 goals for the New Year down as if they have already been manifested. Then... execute a plan to get it done. I know... I know... I  know... Easier said than done. But there is another saying that you are crazy to think that you will get different results by continuing to do the same things. Many people believe New Years Resolutions don't work, but I would have to argue that the cup is half full or half empty to those who thinks that way. In other words, whatever you believe is true for you. That's basically the Laws of Attraction. We are spiritual beings constantly sending out vibrations into the Universe and we attract the energy that we send out.

First things first, start the New Years off with gratitude and a positive mindset. Really take an inventory of all the good and bad from 2017 and determine what you need to do more and what you need to eliminate. 

Here are my top 10 Manifestations for 2018:

1. I showed more love to my family and friends.

2. I matched my earned working income with my self-employment income.

3. I doubled my current investments.
4. I weigh 150lbs.
5. I traveled to a new continent.

6. I had enough profits from the travel agency to fund the non profits summer 2018 trip.
7. I went on a ski trip.
8. I saved a massive amount of money.
9. I met a celebrity, preferably Ellen.
10. Nigel (my oldest son) got accepted into college with a full scholarship!

After you write down your manifestations, brainstorm a plan as to how you will get it done. Here are just a couple of mines.
1. I showed more love to family and friends by calling them for bdays instead of social media posts or texts. I made more time to physically see loved ones.
2. I increased my self employment income by researching new marketing ways. I blogged/vlogged/created content.
3. I increased my investments by putting in more into my 401k. Also, I have faith that stocks and other business ventures will do great this year!
4. I will reach my goal weight by diversifying my work outs and being more mindful of my eating. Today was my first day back to the gym since my tummy tuck and I had a great time in Zumba.



***Please share with me your manifestations for 2018 as well.  Life is a journey, not a destination!