Memories in Monterrey!

Last year the guys had to attend a yearly conference out in Monterrey Bay, CA.  They went and played golf and had a blast.  This year we girls got to tag along and I am reminded how much we love to travel and live big with these guys.  We truly are blessed to say that we get to work with some of our best friends!

Monterrey Bay is a tiny little part of the US that is absolutely HUGE in attraction.  It, of course, hosts some of the most famous golf courses out there, but also is one of the most spectacular beach and ocean areas around.  The Bay is this really fascinating geological area just teeming with life due to the fact that it is DEEP right off the coast.  I mean less than a mile from shore the bottom plummets to over 10,000 feet.  Amazing. 

Our house for the weekend was literally right up the hill from the ocean and the views from the living room were spectacular!  Just amazing and so peaceful.

We got off the plane and quickly got checked in and changed for the "business" event at the Monterrey Bay Aquarium.  The conference literally takes over the whole place and everywhere you go there is food, alcohol, and dessert.  So much fun!

We had such a great time  seeing all of the aquatic life and enjoying a fancy night at the aquarium.  This octopus was by far my favorite.  I have never seen one so active.  This guy was the inspiration for Hank in the Finding Dory movie and he was amazing to watch.

I know that octopus' have spectacular camouflage, but to see this guy go from Red to near grey white when he decided to settle was mesmerizing.  It was like a switch was flipped and he instantly took on the color of the rock.  Very neat experience.

The four of us had some wine, a few beers, and lots of laughs.  What can I say, we work hard and play hard.

Following a night of excess and fun I woke up in the morning and enjoyed a 3 mile run right on the beach.  There is a gorgeous trail that runs the length of the beach and it was so much fun to explore.

We found ourselves at the Paris Bakery for some homemade quiches and tarts.  There were so many things I wanted to eat....and so little time.

The guys golfed and Tara and I spent our morning at the Pebble Beach Spa. OMG.  I had one of those spa experiences that I will never forget.  The room my service was held in looked like a giant shower with a long pole that ran the length of the table with 7 shower heads on it.  My whole self was sea salt scrubbed, massaged, wrapped, soaped, washed, and throughly moisturized.  I had a blast and it was so much fun.  Following my treatment I sat in the sanctuary, an outdoor heated hut with comfy chairs, warm blankets, and a fire pit.  Ooooof, amazing.

We finished got dressed and met our men for an entire evening at the Spanish Bay Links.  We got there at about 3 and didn't leave till about 7.  We saw the Bagpiper close out the course, and ate, and drank, and ate, and drank, and talked, and laughed.  It was awesome.

We came home to our gorgeous abode, all curled up on the couch and watched Stranger Things. 

Our next morning was slow, but we got up, stopped at the crepe shop, and found our way to the Blue Ocean Headquarters for our Whale watch!  

While we were waiting for our boat we watched these big guys sunbathe.  The ocean was literally just teaming with life here.

Our whale watch was amazing and we saw many whales.  It was especially cool to come across a huge pod of whales and sea lions feeding together and the whales were lunge feeding.  They would go under and then come up out of the water with their mouths wide open.  Amazing!

The 3 hour trip was worth every second even to see Matt actually rest for 3 seconds! 

Following our trip we stopped and had some lunch where I couldn't help but capture the enormous succulents, and then we headed back to the house for naps.  I wasn't feeling great (more on that later) so a nap was amazing.

We spent our evening shopping and enjoying the fabulous salad bar and seafood at the Chart House.

For our last morning, the guys snuck onto Spanish Bay for one more round of golf, and while Tara slept, I went for a nice long 6 mile run. Even feeling less than my best it was a wonderful run. I listed to my favorite podcast sermons and reveled in the experience. I love running.

Before our flight we made it over to Pebble Beach for a photo op near the 18th green.  Pebble Beach is spectacular and something you just have to see to understand.  Such a gorgeous piece of the world.

Im so grateful for weekends like this one and for the friends we get to share it with.