New Year in Thailand

In true world traveler fashion, we skipped town after Christmas so we could celebrate the New Year in Thailand!

On December 30 we flew to Bangkok, and then took a taxi van down to a beach town called Hua-Hin. The hotel we were staying at was super family friendly, with a little playground area and a great kids' pool, so Landon and Layla had the time of their lives! We were combining a few vacation days with some staff seminar training, so Landon and Layla also had a great time interacting with some of the other staff kids (and me with their moms!!)

 Landon FINALLY decided he likes swimming pools! In the past when we've taken him he's curled his feet up and cried, and it's taken him a really long time to warm up to being in the water. This time around he loved it and actually requested to "go swim in the pool."

New Year's Eve in Thailand! They light off fireworks and also send off lanterns into the sky! Not quite as magical as Tangled, but very cool!

All the Wildcats throughout India

The night market that was just down the street from our hotel - great Thai street food! If you are ever in Thailand, do whatever it takes to find a Thai pancake. Deep fried dough stuffed with bananas and drizzled with Nutella and Sweetened Condensed Milk. You maybe should fly to Thailand just to get a Thai pancake.

Kyle with his whole fish slow roasted on a spit over coconut charcoal. He was in heaven.

Like I said, Landon and Layla loved the playground that was right outside our room. For some reason, Landon thought the playground was called The Beach, so he'd constantly ask to go to the beach...which was a few steps past the pool...but he actually meant the playground.

Layla was a little uncertain about the sand at first

Speaking of the actual beach, we did take the kids down to the water one day while everyone was having a volleyball tournament. I just took Landon and Layla down in our clothes, not expecting to actually get in the water or anything. I should have known better.

 Layla of course wouldn't sit and watch volleyball, but beelined it for the water instead.

 Then of course she wasn't content just walking with her feet in the water; she was ready to head out to sea. One of the sweet other moms who was dressed in her swimsuit offered to walk out with Layla since I was wearing jeans.

 Then Jessie took over making sure Layla didn't swim out to the depths of the ocean.

So happy

 Meanwhile Landon coerced Laura into carrying him out because he was too afraid to walk in the water. Typical.

 Here's our team in action on the volleyball court! I promise this shot isn't staged, it's for real. We got 2nd place!

Overall, it was a great, refreshing trip, but we were definitely glad to get home to our own beds. Well, we were glad to have the kids back in their own beds. I actually kinda miss the fluffy hotel bed.

Oh, and one of the very best parts about Thailand?

Real hamburgers at McDonalds. We ate there almost everyday.

Dunkin Donuts!

And Starbucks. Nuff said.