#fun things to do in punta cana

[gobblegloop]

I am destroyed.

It was his cousins wedding. October 7th. We had spent 9+ hrs driving from NJ to Canada with his sister. The road trip was fun. Really fun going to Canada, but as soon as we started hanging out with his family, I was left for the wolves.

Day 1 - Mehendi

His mom and dad were there for the mehendi and I mainly hung out with his sister. When it came to introducing me to his other family members, he was no where to be found. He left me to myself and didn’t introduce me to anyone unless someone forced him to have a stink about it. Luckily his mom and dad were there. At least I could talk to them and his sister and they were kind enough to introduce me to them.

Day 2 - Hindu Ceremony

He still isn’tintroducing me to anyone. I kept to myself and still wondered why. Is he embarrassed to be seen with me? His mom and dad is still introducing me to everyone. I am sad. He doesn’t notice. His Canadian friend that has family in NJ walks in. We are both happy to see her, but instead he starts introducing her to everyone. Not me. Her. What is this? This is so insulting. Why do I have to beg to be seen or noticed? I am hurt. I am forgotten about.

Day 3 - All is fine - I meet his mom’s side of the family. I like them the most.

Day 4 - me him and his sister drive back to NJ with little to no sleep. We made I back safely

Punta Cana

Day 1, Tuesday - We travel to Punta Cana. We had a good nights rest the night before. This trip to Punta Cana is a big deal for me because I’ve never travelled outside of the US and Canada. It’s also the first time we travel together out of the country together. This should be so special. I can’t wait! His friends Alex and Aleeza are there. I love that they are there. Idk what I would have done without them. The flight is great. We make it there safely and I had a great time on the flight. The dinner mixer is fine. We notice the shower head isn’t working properly at night time. I don’t feel comfortable showering there but I do it anyways. I call maintenance to take a look at the shower head. While I’m handling business, he leaves in the room to explore on his own. Day one in another country by myself. He leaves me by myself. Great. Just my luck. I text him to tell him I’ll be there. He finds Sarah and Khateja. They are exploring while I’m stuck by myself. He gets to have fun. I have to be the responsible one. I’m always the responsible one. He gets to go to the casino. The casino is our thing. I am hurt. I am hurt. I am sad. I do the dirty work to complain to our butler. I finally meet up with them. Idk what else happens that night. We sleep. Why can’t he take initiative? It’s not fair. He doesn’t check on me either. I don’t feel noticed. I feel like I’m bothering him. It’s only day 1. Shove your feeling down. It will get better Amy. I had to. He knows how important it is for you. He knows.

Day 2, Wednesday

I message our butler around 8 am. She says she can move us. 11am still nothing. The butler says we won’t move until around 2pm. The whole day is pretty much gone. He’s getting restless so I say he should hangout with his family. He doesn’t even say no I’ll stay, we should do this together. Gone. He is gone. I’m left by myself to pack up his things all by myself. The butler helps me move everything. I suppose I shouldn’t have said anything. It’s my fault. I guess. I would have liked him to at least tell me no, I’ll do it with you. But no, he doesn’t. I am disappointed. I am exhausted. I take a shower and get dressed to hang out with everyone. I end up at the beach. the beach was fun. He’s with family but by himself. We go into the water together. That was fun. He helped me get comfortable with the water. I don’t feel as bad. I feel like I can let go of the other things that happened. It’s fine. We also went to a French restaurant. Maybe the room switch was all that I needed. Things will get better.

Day 3 , Thursday- 12am hits. It’s His Birthday. He doesn’t want anything but to be with his family. I tell his cousin. She agrees they should all meet up at her place. The day is a blur for me. We sing him happy birthday and drink it’s fun. I hope he likes it.

I asked the butler to do something nice for his birthday. I tip her. The room looks great. The jacuzzi is too hot! We can’t enjoy it. It sucks. I don’t want to do it again. Maybe a different place. Definitely not here. I can’t remember if I had mamajuana today. Probably but I know we had amazing sex. It was probably the day before. I can’t remember. I think it was today. Either way it felt like the first time we had sex. I felt connected to him. I felt free. I thought things were good. i think we also did the beach this day. at somepoint i leave because its getting to hot for me. i end up spending a couple hours in the room by myself because i need a break from interacting and i want to take a lonnnggggggg shower. i do that. a lot of hours go by. we dont talk to each other until later. im glad hes haningout with everyone and i can freshen up.

Day 4, Friday - reception. It’s fine. We look beautiful. I spend most of the afternoon getting ready. Idk what he’s doing. Most likely at the pool. Idk. He doesn’t check on me either. The After party was lit. I enjoy myself.

Day 5, Saturday /Sunday HELL

saturday roughly 9am-2pm we go to the spa. I really liked the spa. It was fun. We spent morning there. I can’t tell if he’s having a good time. He doesn’t really say anything to me unless I ask. He teaches me to float. Woohoo!

The rest is a blur. i think i go to the beach with everyone.

Saturday we go to the club in the evening. It’s a bust. I try to dance. Everyone tries. But they’re all tired from the day before. Alex and Aleeza are leaving the next day so they don’t hangout as much. We end up at the bar.

Everything was fine until I see Anand randomly poke kahteja in the stomach. It’s weird to me because he normally keeps his hands to himself. I’ve never seen him do that with anyone else. Idk why he did it. I’m not used to it. I pretend like nothing happened just to suppress my feelings. I had already been feeling disconnected at some point. I probably should have caused a scene then. Maybe I would have gotten some sleep.

the night continues, it’s about 2am. Pretty much everyone is tired and leaving. But Sarah Katejah and mikey don’t want to leave. Neither does Anand. Ii would have left too but him poking her really upset me and now I have to stay there so he doesn’t do anything further. The night continues he still doesn’t want to leave. He’s pretty drunk and now banging on the chairs. These two white guys join and now they’re all jamming to songs idk. Idk what’s going on. I’ve never played this game with Anand. I’m too tired to think but i have to stay here because I’m scared he might do something further.

I have to stay alert at this point it’s 4am now they’re suggesting let’s stay up longer to watch the sunrise. A reasonable person would have gone to sleep, and then woken up at 6am to see the sunrise. Now that I’m apart of team no sleep and now these two creepy white guys are following us, I can’t leave Sarah and Katejah alone. Sarah was fighting with her boyfriend pretty much the whole night and I felt she was in a no fucks given mode and wanted everyone else to stay with her. Katejah is depressed and also didn’t want to go to sleep. Why doesn’t anyone want to go to sleep????!!! No I have to keep my cool. I can do this. Anand wants to be here. I have to be cool because he won’t like me anymore and will think I’m no fun. If it were my choice, we would have gone to sleep at 2am and woke up at 6am. I should have just left and went to sleep and if he did end up doing something then clearly he’s not meant for me. And I should learn to accept that. I can’t control him. I can only control myself. I guess the reason I’m upset is because we’re on this trip together. I don’t think it means as much to him as it does to me. I see that now. And now I feel he’s investing most of his time being the star of the party. He had to impress everyone. I don’t get it. Why does he feel the need to be center of attention? Why does he need to impress these girls so much? Maybe he’s not thinking it this way. Maybe this is who he is and always been? Maybe it’s just me overthinking. I guess I’m overthinking because my level of attention isn’t being met. But how much attention do I need? Now I’m watching will he touch me? Will he poke me? I don’t sense anything from him. I feel lousey and disconnected. Why is everyone else in this group able to have so much fun and not me? He says he’s here to hangout with family. But these girls aren’t family. They’re Reshma’s friends. all the family have gone to sleep. I am so confused.

The sun finally rises, we take pictures. That was nice. Now it’s at least 6:30am on Sunday. I’ve bit my tongue the whole night. STILL no one wants to sleep. It’s chaos. The white guys are swimming. And now they’re trying to peer pressure Anand to do it. We don’t leave until i FINALLY say I’m being over stimulated. Why do I need to start acting angry to be noticed. Why does this need to be the person I have to be in order to be seen? I don’t want to be this person.

We don’t sleep until around 7am-12pm. we miss breakfast. The only meal I enjoy at the resort. I’m awake at 11am. We should go get breakfast. Now he’s tired and wants to be left alone. I feel shoved to the side. I feel insulted. He’s getting snippy with me so I get snippy right back. We’re getting ready to leave the room but he says something rude to me and I can’t hold in my feelings any longer. He’s wondering why I’m acting this way but I want to know why he’s being such a jerk? Is it because I wanted to sleep and took him away from the fun? I don’t understand him nor do I think he understands me.

the day progresses. I end up hanging out with Reshma’s and Amrit from about 1pm-4pm. I’m really upset. Feeling alone. Drinking drinking drinking. I haven’t eaten anything. I feel very drunk. I need help. I ask Anand for help. He thinks I’m annoying him. I leave. I’m alone. I have to take care of myself because no one is going to take care of me. I asked for help. No one noticed. I am outcast. I don’t fit in. I am alone. I am sad.

I shove me feelings again because if I show any sign of emotion then I’m the problem. He’s teaching me to kill a part of myself that I’ve worked so hard to have. Courage. The courage to speak. He wants me to me to be complacent. I cannot for the life of me, go back to being someone’s agreeable personality. A part of me will die each day if I continue to neglect my emotions.

it’s now dinner time, I try to talk to him about how I felt today but he gets snippy with me again so I drop the conversation. I die inside.

Day 7, Monday -well, it’s the last day here. Finally. Maybe I can enjoy breakfast and forget about everything. I can’t. But I’m going unheard and unnoticed buy him. It’s fine. Shove your feeling down. You’re not allowed to be expressive here. How dare you have any emotions. You are too emotional for these people. They don’t understand you. No one does. As they’ve shown you yesterday right? You are alone. You have no one.

We are home. we made it home safely. The airport was fun. Just the two of us. Eating chicken and fries. We are both sick. Just my fucking luck.

Tuesday- he then tells me about how much fun he had. I should have said something again, but what the point? So I agree like a good little girl.

Wednesday- he asks me if it’s inappropriate for him to massage people. I ask who was there and what kind of massage it was. The one I taught him. He shared that with others. HA he must have been doing it to Sarah and Katejah. Yup, he confirms. LOL as soon as I left after I needed help from drinking, he chose to help them by massaging them. Got it. I am furious. But nah girl he doesn’t see you. Shove your emotions down again. Tell him yeah it’s fine. You massage ppl all the time. Like reshma had to explain to everyone, yep Anand is like this. He loves to give massages. Sure.

what am I feeling? I feel again left out, and alone. I feel suspicious because of what happened the other day and this morning. I can’t catch a break. It’s one thing after another hitting me.

Thursday. The blow up. I can’t hold it in any longer. We go to the chiropractor. He asks how was the trip. I lie and say it was great. I lie to myself yet again.

I can’t hold it anymore I’m in the car and I try to tell Anand I didn’t have a good time. And here’s why… he doesn’t get it still. Idk if he ever will. Now I’m all emotional. The one thing I feared would happen. Hes defensive and then he does the ultimate thing to destroy me. He posted our argument on tumblr. After he knows I don’t like things being posted. Idk how to forgive him. I don’t know who I am anymore. I am alone. I am unheard. I am misunderstood. I am unnoticed.

[simplydominican-news]

Essential Safety Tips For Family Vacations In The Dominican Republic

Planning a family trip to the Dominican Republic can bring up safety concerns. This Caribbean island boasts a sunny climate ideal for beach outings and outdoor fun. Our guide offers essential safety tips to ensure your family vacation is both enjoyable and secure. Keep reading for peace of mind on your travels. Key Takeaways - Keep valuables safe and stick to crowded, well - lit areas in the Dominican Republic to avoid thieves. - Use official taxis and stay away from isolated areas for better safety. - Check swimming gear for safety before enjoying the beautiful beaches. - Make sure to have travel insurance that covers emergencies while on vacation.

Safety Tips for Traveling to the Dominican Republic

Keep your family safe on vacation in the Dominican Republic with some smart tips. Learn where to go, what to avoid, and how to have a blast safely! Is the Dominican Republic Safe for Family Vacations? The Dominican Republic welcomes families for vacations with open arms. Yes, the island is generally safe, but like any popular tourist spot, it has its share of crime. Thieves might try to snatch bags or pickpockets could sneak up in crowded places. Families should keep their valuables safe and not show off expensive gadgets or jewelry. Staying in resorts with strong security measures and using official taxi services can help make your trip worry-free. To dive deeper into safety, some areas are best avoided after dark due to higher crime rates. Yet, many places across the island offer a secure environment for families to explore during the day. The key is staying aware of your surroundings and making smart choices about where you go and what you do. Next up, let's find out which spots are perfect for family fun without risking safety. Areas to Avoid So, you're thinking about safety in the Dominican Republic? It's a great place for a family getaway. But like many destinations, some spots are best skipped. Here's your guide to places that might be wise to avoid on your trip. This way, you can focus on fun under the sun rather than worry. - Certain neighborhoods in Santo Domingo - The capital has areas full of life and rich history. Yet, some parts of the city, especially at night, might not be safe due to crime. Stick to well-lit, populated areas when exploring. - Remote beaches after dark - Beaches in the Dominican Republic look like paradise. However, secluded beaches or those far from where a lot of people stay can become risky after sunset. Enjoy the sand and sea during daylight hours. - Unmarked taxis and public cars (carros públicos) - While getting around is part of the adventure, it's smarter to use recommended taxi services or transportation options provided by your resort or hotel. Unofficial taxis might not offer the safest ride. - Border areas near Haiti - Due to various factors such as political tension and less patrolling, border zones could pose risks for travelers who are unfamiliar with local conditions. - Overly crowded tourist spots without personal belongings protection - Popular sites are exciting but can also attract pickpockets and bag-snatchers. Keep an eye on your things and consider using anti-theft bags or pouches. By staying aware of these tips and choosing your destinations wisely within this beautiful country, you'll help ensure your family vacation is both memorable and secure. Safe Places to Visit The Dominican Republic shines with spots perfect for family fun. You'll find a blend of adventure, culture, and relaxation that suits everyone. - Punta Cana: This place is a paradise for families. Its beaches are some of the best in the world. Resorts here offer activities just for kids and spaces where parents can relax. - Santo Domingo’s Colonial Zone: Step back in time and walk through streets filled with history. The area is safe to explore during the day. Kids will love seeing the colorful buildings and old forts. - Samana Peninsula: Nature lovers, rejoice! Here you can watch whales, hike through forests, and swim in waterfalls. It's less crowded, letting your family enjoy nature up close. - Puerto Plata: Get ready for adventure! Ride the cable car up Mount Isabel de Torres and explore the botanical gardens at the top. Beaches here are calm, making them great for swimming. - Ocean World Adventure Park: Near Puerto Plata, this park has sea animal shows and swimming opportunities with dolphins that kids adore. - Scape Park at Cap Cana: Find zip lines and natural pools here. It's an exciting day out for families who love thrills. - National Aquarium in Santo Domingo: Meet colorful fish and learn about marine life in a fun way. The aquarium is large but easy to walk through with children. - Manati Park in Bavaro: This park combines wildlife encounters with culture shows—dance performances give you a taste of Dominican culture while animals like parrots add fun. These places put smiles on faces without skimping on safety or fun experiences for any age group.

Preparing for Your Trip

Get ready for your adventure! Make sure to pack smart and learn about the local currency. Packing Essentials Packing for your trip to the Dominican Republic should be easy and smart. You need items that match the weather, activities, and local requirements. Here's what you can't forget: - Sunscreen: The sun shines brightly in the Dominican Republic. Bring strong sunscreen to protect your family's skin from burns. - Insect repellent: Mosquitoes are common, especially near water. Use repellent to keep bugs away and avoid diseases like Zika virus and dengue. - First aid kit: Always have a small medical kit for minor cuts or scrapes. Include band-aids, antiseptic wipes, and pain relievers. - Comfortable clothing: Pack light, airy outfits that let your skin breathe in the hot climate. - Travel adapter and portable charger: Keep your devices charged with a universal travel adapter and a battery pack. - Necessary medications: Don’t forget any prescribed medicine along with basics like allergy pills or motion sickness tablets. - Breathable shoes: Wear comfortable shoes for walking and hiking through scenic spots. - Copies of important documents: Bring photocopies of your passports, travel insurance, and bank cards in case of emergency. - Hats and sunglasses: Protect your family’s eyes and face from harsh sunlight with wide-brimmed hats and UV-blocking sunglasses. - Reusable water bottles: Stay hydrated without constantly buying single-use plastics; tap water might not always be safe to drink. This list will help you enjoy your vacation without worry or discomfort, exploring beautiful beaches, parks, and resorts safely with your loved ones. Currency and Money Matters The Dominican peso (RD$) is the official currency in the Dominican Republic. You'll need local cash for small buys and daily expenses. Go to banks and certified exchange spots to swap your foreign money, like US dollars and Euros. This way, you get a good exchange rate. ATMs are easy to find in tourist spots and big cities, offering another convenient option for getting pesos. Remember to check your bills carefully to avoid fake money. Tipping is normal here; people usually add an extra 10% tip on top of the service fee at restaurants. The exchange rates can change, so it's wise to look up the current rates for US Dollar, Euro, British Pound, and Canadian Dollar before you go or when you need more cash during your stay. Health and Safety Tips Staying healthy and safe is key on your Dominican Republic adventure. Here's how to keep your family feeling good from start to finish. - Pack plenty of mosquito repellant. Dengue and malaria, spread by mosquitoes, are common in wet seasons. - Drink only bottled water. The tap water might not be safe. - Bring sunscreen for everyone. The Caribbean sun is strong. - Keep a first - aid kit handy. Include bandages, antiseptics, and any prescription medicines. - Stay updated on weather advisories. Hurricanes and tropical storms hit, causing floods and landslides. - Get comprehensive travel health insurance that covers overseas medical costs. - Follow local warnings when swimming in the ocean to avoid dangerous areas. - Prepare for food safety by choosing well - reviewed restaurants to minimize risks of food poisoning. Next up: Exploring family-friendly activities! Traveling with Children After gathering all the health and safety tips, it's time to turn our attention to the joy of journeying with kids. Bringing children along means you're packing not just clothes and snacks, but also a sense of adventure. Make sure their carry-on bags have favorite toys and games. This keeps them happy during flights or car rides. Keep an eye on weather reports before you head out. Planning around hurricane season or rainstorms can save your vacation from turning into a stay indoors affair. For those moments spent outdoors, always apply bug spray to ward off mosquito-borne illnesses like chikungunya.

Family-Friendly Activities and Attractions

The Dominican Republic shines with fun spots for families. From thrilling marine parks to stunning sandy shores, the adventures wait. Ocean World Adventure Park Ocean World Adventure Park brims with fun for the whole family. Kids can splash in pools, slide down water slides, and join clubs made just for them. The park also stages shows that everyone will enjoy, filled with music and colors that pop. Visitors to Ocean World Adventure Park have lots to explore. From aquatic playgrounds designed especially for children to animal experiences that bring you face-to-face with marine life. This place promises adventure around every corner—perfect for families looking to make memories together. Scape Park This park offers a mix of thrilling rides, water slides, learning programs, and cultural experiences. It's perfect for kids and adults wanting to soak up the Dominican Republic's natural beauty. The park sets itself apart by providing a secure environment for all its visitors. Here, safety meets fun with interactive experiences that let families create memorable moments together. Next up is Manati Park.... Manati Park After exploring the natural wonders of Scape Park, visitors can continue their adventure at Manati Park. This park shines with family-friendly activities and attractions. Kids and adults alike can enjoy traditional dance and music performances that bring the vibrant Dominican culture to life. Plus, it's a chance for families to get up close with wildlife, making every visit both fun and educational. Manati Park stands out for its blend of cultural experiences and animal encounters. Picture your family learning about local customs while surrounded by exotic animals in a setting that prioritizes safety and enjoyment. From intriguing shows to hands-on activities, there's something here to spark everyone's curiosity. National Aquarium The National Aquarium in Santo Domingo is a must-see for families. It's packed with exciting marine life that will dazzle kids and adults alike. From colorful fish to sleek sharks, there's so much to discover. The aquarium also has special programs that teach visitors about the importance of ocean conservation. Visitors can explore different exhibits that showcase creatures from all over the world. Interactive sessions make learning fun for children as they get up close with some aquatic animals. It’s a great place for creating unforgettable family memories while educating everyone about our planet's vast oceans. Best Family Beaches in the Dominican Republic After exploring the wonders of the National Aquarium, it's time to soak up the sun at some of the best family beaches in the Dominican Republic. These beaches are perfect for building sandcastles, splashing in the waves, and making memories that last a lifetime. - Bavaro Beach, Punta Cana: Crystal clear waters and soft white sand make Bavaro Beach a paradise for families. Kids can play safely in the shallow waters while parents relax on the shore. - Bayahibe Beach: This beach is known for its calm waters and colorful coral reefs. Families can snorkel together and discover vibrant marine life just a few steps from the beach. - Playa Dorada, Puerto Plata: Surrounded by resorts and amenities, Playa Dorada offers golden sands and plenty of activities for families. From water sports to beach games, there's something for everyone. - Macao Beach, Punta Cana: If your family loves adventure, Macao Beach is the place to be. Surf lessons are available for all ages, making it a fun day out for budding surfers. - Sosua Beach: Nestled in a bay with crystal-clear water and sheltered by cliffs, Sosua Beach is great for snorkeling and safe swimming. The calm waters here are perfect for young swimmers. Each of these beaches has its own unique charm but shares one common feature: they're all safe places where families can enjoy quality time together under the sun. With gentle waves, stunning scenery, and sandy shores, these spots provide an idyllic backdrop for a memorable family vacation in the Dominican Republic. Top Things to Do in Punta Cana for Families Punta Cana shines as a family vacation spot. Its mix of fun, adventure, and relaxation makes it perfect for all ages. - Visit Ocean World Adventure Park: This park offers close encounters with marine life. Families can swim with dolphins, meet sea lions, and watch sharks up close. It's an unforgettable experience that combines education and thrill. - Explore Scape Park: Full of natural beauty, this eco-adventure park lets your family zipline over the jungle, discover ancient caves, and chill in a hidden cenote. Every path leads to a new surprise, keeping the excitement going all day. - Enjoy time at Manati Park: Here, kids marvel at tropical birds, reptiles, and other creatures in their habitats. The shows are vibrant, showcasing the region's culture with live performances that captivate everyone. - Dive into the National Aquarium: A visit here is like stepping into another world under the sea. See colorful fish, menacing sharks, and delicate corals—all without getting wet. - Relax at Family Beaches: Punta Cana boasts some of the best beaches where families can play in the sand, splash in waves or just soak up the sun together. - Discover fun in Punta Cana: Beyond beaches, it offers horseback riding along scenic trails and snorkeling in crystal-clear waters where you can spy on vibrant marine life together. Each activity brings families closer to nature’s wonders while creating memories that last a lifetime. The joy of exploring Punta Cana’s attractions together makes it a top choice for families seeking both adventure and relaxation.

Safety Measures for a Luxury Family Vacation

For a luxury family vacation, picking safe places to stay tops the list. Make sure you choose hotels or villas known for their security. Also, teaching your kids about water safety is key—only swim in areas designated as safe and use the right gear. And don't forget, travel insurance can be a lifesaver, covering you if anything unexpected happens. Choosing Secure Resorts Stay at hotels that focus on safety. Look for places with good security measures like surveillance cameras and 24-hour guards. These features ensure your family stays safe during your vacation. Read reviews from other families to find out how secure they felt during their stay. Make sure the resort has activities for kids too. This keeps them entertained in a secure environment while you relax. Next up, let's talk about avoiding isolated areas to keep your trip worry-free. Avoiding Isolated Areas Exploring the Dominican Republic brings fun and adventure, yet it's key to stick to places where lots of people are around. This means not wandering off into less crowded spots, especially after the sun goes down. Better safety waits in bustling areas where help is close if you need it. For a worry-free vacation, choose activities and destinations that are well-known and have plenty of visitors. This approach ensures you're always within reach of assistance and other families enjoying their time just like you. Whether at resorts or public beaches, staying in sight keeps your family safe. Safe Swimming Moving away from isolated areas, let's talk about swimming. The Dominican Republic’s clear blue waters invite families to jump in and have fun. But safety comes first! Always swim in designated areas where lifeguards are present. These spots are safer and can help prevent accidents. Check your gear before you dive into the water. Make sure all snorkels, flippers, and life jackets are in good shape. Broken or poor-quality equipment can turn a fun day at the beach into a risky adventure. Stick to using well-maintained gear for everyone in the family to keep the smiles going all day long. Proper Equipment Check your gear before you venture out. Read the full article

[la-appel-du-vide]

Moab Trip 🧡

I'm really just in my "Yes" era right now, because I say yes to every opportunity presented to me, especially this summer. Last summer was busy with wedding planning, and this summer is busy with being gone all the time. I can't believe how little I'm actually at home, and it's going to keep being like that for the next couple of months too. It's all very fun, but sometimes I start to crave a weekend of doing absolutely nothing (except being productive and accomplishing an entire to-do list for once??). But that's ok, I guess I'll sleep when I'm dead.

This weekend was a quick Moab/Escalante trip. We made the plan because Brayden's sister turned 30, and she wanted to skydive for her birthday. Brayden's never been skydiving, so this was a good chance for him to go. I would have done it, but I have already been twice and don't want to keep paying to do it. So we got home from Punta Cana late on Tuesday night, worked three days, and then drove to Moab late on Friday night. We took Reef to Jason's house for this quick trip, so that my family could have a break from watching him, and he probably had the best weekend of his life. Not only was Jason's dog there, but so were two other dogs that Jason was watching that weekend. So he had three friends while he was there, and he just loves to play with other dogs. I loved seeing the pictures and videos while we were gone haha, what an adventure.

Saturday morning, B did the skydive thing. It was hot sitting around waiting for his turn, and then waiting for him to go and be done, but he did love it. I'm so glad - everyone should try it at least once. We had a quick lunch, took the Jeep on a pretty off-road trail, and then went with his parents and sister on a Moab jet boat ride. They're trying to copy the Shotover Jets in New Zealand, and it was similar but also different. In New Zealand, I felt like the shock of it was how close the drivers would get to the canyon walls and rock obstacles in the river, only to pull away perfectly. This one in Moab was definitely a "water ride" where they were just trying to absolutely drench us. It felt nice at first, because it was so hot out, but after awhile I actually got cold even! It was a good time. (The water in New Zealand is definitely the winner though - why is the Colorado so brown??) We also got to stop at the Moab bookstore from my Utah bookstore map, and that was a great one to get out of the way since we already happened to be down there.

Then we were off to Escalante. I have been wanting to hike the Cosmic Ashtray, and this seemed like a good trip to fit it in. In retrospect, maybe it wasn't, because then we had to drive 4 or 5 hours per day. Moab and Escalante are not nearly as close together as I thought. We stayed at a cute, little house in Escalante for the night, but got up early to drive another 40 minutes out to the trailhead. We were told that the Jeep could handle most of the drive out to the location as long as we had four-wheel drive, so we went ahead. This is a very unmarked hike, and we had no idea where to stop and park, so we ended up going too far and driving through some really deep sand. We almost got stuck, but B was able to back it out of there. From there, we had to hike. B had downloaded a trail guide to his phone, and thank goodness, because otherwise we would have been so lost. We had to hike up very steep slickrock, and it was almost 100 degrees out. I was dying. And then, when we finally got up there and were so excited to see it, we realized we had to hike around the mountain if we wanted to be able to climb down into the sand and back. That was a sad moment.

But we did make it! And it was insane! It feels way bigger than it looks in photos, and the sand is so perfectly fine. Once I got down in there, I collapsed into the cool sand, and it was such a relief after being so hot for so long. I could have hung out in there for hours. You just need some food and a good book, and it's the perfect spot. There was not another soul in sight, and I loved having such a beautiful place to ourselves. I'm so glad we did it.

The hike back went a lot quicker, and then we had to make the long five hour drive back home (gross). It was a packed, adventure kind of weekend, that's for sure.

[friendsaqua]

Interesting Things to Expect If You Are Parasailing For the First Time

If you are parasailing for the first time, there are some things you can expect. The first time you go up in the air, you may feel a sense of excitement and adrenaline. However, you may also feel a sense of fear, especially if you are high up in the air. Therefore, it is important to remain calm and focused while parasailing. You should also be aware of the safety instructions given to you by the instructor.

What to expect if you are parasailing for the first time. 

Parasailing in Dubai can be a great experience but can also be dangerous if you're unprepared. Here are a few things to expect if this is your first time parasailing. 

The first thing you'll need to do is find a reputable parasailing company. Next, you must sign a waiver once you've found a trustworthy company. This waiver will protect the company from legal action if something goes wrong. 

Next, you'll need to ensure you wear the appropriate clothing. You'll want to wear clothes that won't fly up in the wind and that will protect you from the sun. You'll also want to wear sunscreen and a hat. 

Finally, you'll need to listen to the instructions of the parasailing crew. They'll tell you what to do when you're in the air and ensure you're always safe. Enjoy your parasailing experience!

How to prepare for parasailing. 

A water sports dubai companies gives you a full guide before doing parasailing

You can prepare for parasailing by doing a few things. 

First and foremost, wear sunscreen and a hat. The sun can be very powerful, and you don't want to get sunburned. 

Second, make sure to stay hydrated. 

Parasailing can be a lot of fun, but it can also be very tiring. You don't want to get dehydrated. 

Finally, be sure to wear comfortable clothes. Of course, you'll wear a life jacket but still want to be comfortable.

What to bring with you parasailing. 

There are a few things you will want to bring with you when parasailing. Sunscreen, water, and snacks are essential, as you will be in the sun for a while. You should also bring a hat and sunglasses to protect your face and eyes from the sun. If you use a camera or phone while parasailing, bring a waterproof case to keep them safe and dry. Most parasailing companies will provide you with a lifejacket, but it is always a good idea to bring your own just in case.

What to wear parasailing. 

Determining what to wear parasailing can be a daunting task. Of course, you want to be comfortable, but you also want to look good. Here are a few tips to help you choose the perfect outfit:

First, consider the weather. You'll want to wear something light and airy if it's hot. A tank top and shorts or a sundress are perfect. If it's colder, you'll want to dress in layers. A T-shirt, sweater, and pants are a good option.

Second, think about the activity. For example, if you're doing a lot of jumping and spinning, you'll want to avoid clothes that are too tight or constricting. Loose-fitting clothes are a better choice.

Finally, consider your style. Do you like to dress up or dress down? Once you've answered these questions, you can choose the perfect outfit for parasailing.

What to expect when you reach the parasailing location. 

The parasailing location is beautiful with crystal-clear waters and a white sandy beach. It's the ideal spot to unwind and take in the breathtaking scenery. When you arrive at the parasailing location, a friendly staff member will check you in and give you a brief safety orientation.

Once you are ready, you will be taken out to the boat, fitted with a harness and attached to the parasail. Then, as you soar through the sky, the boat will take you on a thrilling ride. The parasailing experience is a must-do while in Punta Cana. It is an exhilarating activity that provides amazing views of the Caribbean Sea.

How to parasail. 

Parasailing is a great option if you're looking for an adrenaline rush. It's easy to learn how to do, and it's a lot of fun. Here are the steps to parasailing:

1. Find a spot where you can parasail. Make sure the area is calm, and there is no wind.

2. Get into the parasail harness.

3. Wait for the boat to pull you up into the air.

4. Enjoy the ride!

5. Let the boat know When you're ready to come down. They will pull you back down to the ground.

6. Get out of the harness and enjoy the rest of your day!

7. What to do when you finish parasailing.

When you finish parasailing, you must head back to the dock. Again, you will need to sign out and return the equipment.

[scolomb01]

What is a Sex Vacation at a Dominican Republic Resort?

Sex vacations in the Dominican Republic come in all shapes and sizes. Many resorts cater to couples, as well as those that offer night-time erotic entertainment such as stripteases and pole dancing. Punta Cana is one of the most popular places for a Sex Vacation Reviews in the Dominican Republic because it offers luxurious accommodations with great Caribbean sea views.

For singles who want to enjoy this type of holiday, there are singles-only resorts where you can meet other like-minded people from around the world. These trips can be expensive, so be sure you have saved up enough before booking your stay! However, if you plan on going for more than just a few days, then the cost will average. Sex vacations in the Dominican Republic aren't just about fun and games; they're also an educational experience! You'll learn how to improve your lovemaking techniques while exploring different sexual preferences or fetishes. You might even find new positions to try back home when you get bored with your routine. One thing's for certain: everyone has something new to bring back home after a trip to a sex resort, no matter what age or gender.

What to Expect

Imagine the ultimate sex vacation—an erotic vacation in the Dominican Republic with plenty of opportunity to explore your fantasies and desires. Enjoy the pleasures of a romantic dinner for two, meet new people, enjoy an erotic show, then spend the night in one of our private villas. It's time to discover what you've been missing!

You Can visit us: -

Sex Vacation Resorts

Sex Vacation Packages

Sex Trips

Sex Vacation Reviews

Colombia Sex Resort

Sex vacations in the Dominican Republic are a growing trend, with more and more couples looking for new and exciting ways to spice up their relationship. Sex resorts Dominican republic offers a wide range of erotic vacation Dominican republic packages that allow you to indulge in your deepest sexual fantasies. Colombia Sex Resort Sex vacations in the Dominican Republic typically include a wide range of couples-oriented activities, such as erotic massage, sensual dining, and much more.

These sex resorts provide all-inclusive Dominican sex vacations where everything from meals to drinks is on the house. So if you're tired of spending money on things like dinner and drinks, then sex resort Dominican republic might be the perfect option for you! Not only will these sex resorts provide all-inclusive Dominican sex vacations where everything from meals to drinks is on the house, but they also have plenty of other erotic events going on, so there's always something fun to do no matter what time of day it is. Sex resort Dominican republic like Sexual Vacation often offers nightly erotic entertainment in the form of live sex shows and adult-themed parties.

Suppose you're looking for an active type of romantic getaway.All Inclusive Sex Vacations In that case, the sex resort Dominican republic may not be for you since most people come here to relax, unwind, and enjoy themselves sexually. However, Dominican sex vacations can be great because they don't require any planning or work. Many erotic vacation Dominican republic packages are available, including ones specifically tailored to meet certain kinks or fetishes. Some examples include BDSM vacations, Girlfriend Getaways, Couple Retreats, and more. You'll never run out of options when finding the right erotic vacation Dominican republic package. Whether you want something lighthearted or serious, a Dominican Republic Erotic Resort has covered you. They offer exotic accommodations, so every person is sure to find what suits them best.

[johncolom01]

Sex Vacation at a Dominican Republic Resort

Did you know that Sex Vacation Resorts in the Dominican Republic are just as popular among American tourists as they are among locals? These resorts offer a great opportunity for couples looking to spice things up with an experience designed to fulfill even the most exotic sexual fantasies and fetishes. But what exactly does that experience entail, and how does it work? Before you consider booking your romantic getaway.

A sex vacation at a Dominican Republic resort will leave you refreshed, rejuvenated, and re-energized in more ways than one. Not only do you get to relax on the beach, with some of the most beautiful sunsets in the world to watch while you're lying down, but you can partake in all kinds of sexual activity steps away from the ocean's edge – or even underwater if you want.

Sex vacations are popular among couples looking to try something different and adventurous when it comes to their vacations. Whether you're looking for an all-inclusive adult getaway or want to dip your toes in the resort pool and have some fun with some singles, you'll find plenty of options at one of our sex resorts in the Dominican Republic. Here are a few examples of what you can expect from your vacation there.

What is a Sex Vacation at a Dominican Republic Resort?

Sex vacations in the Dominican Republic come in all shapes and sizes. Many resorts cater to couples, as well as those that offer night-time erotic entertainment such as stripteases and pole dancing. Punta Cana is one of the most popular places for a sex vacation in the Dominican Republic because it offers luxurious accommodations with great Caribbean sea views.

For singles who want to enjoy this type of holiday, there are singles-only resorts where you can meet other like-minded people from around the world. These trips can be expensive, so be sure you have saved up enough before booking your stay! However, if you plan on going for more than just a few days, then the cost will average. Sexvacation in the Dominican Republic aren't just about fun and games; they're also an educational experience! You'll learn how to improve your lovemaking techniques while exploring different sexual preferences or fetishes. You might even find new positions to try back home when you get bored with your routine. One thing's for certain: everyone has something new to bring back home after a trip to a sex resort, no matter what age or gender.

Visit us :- https://colombiaeroticvacations.com/

[nidhisharma12352-blog]

                         fun things to do in punta cana

We offer a combination of Excursions and Tour Packages with Water Excursion, Safari Excursion, Night Clubs Package and more.

[the-kidd-kell]

o.c. - levi

PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION

name: Levi Jonas Thomas

nickname(s): none

age: 17

birthday: December 1st (Sagittarius)

hometown: Santa Monica, California

dwelling: Jacktown, Michigan

height: 6'0"

weight: 220 lbs.

hair: blonde, just barely above his shoulders, thick and curly, always a crazy mess

eye color: light blue

defining marks: three small tattoos (3in or smaller); "pleasure" in red on his left forearm, a trippy smiley face on the back of his right forearm, and "2000", the year he was born, on his left thigh above the knee

build: muscular - chiseled - athletic -

parents: Derek and Sheila

siblings: twin brother, Lachlan

pets: none

DO THEY HAVE

love interest: Levi was in love with a girl from his school in California called Bailey Hart. When things between the two ended, Levi was left broken hearted. Since then, Levi has avoided feelings for girls and focuses on himself and his needs. He's interested in hooking up with any girl he wishes, but holds no interest for extended relationships.

passions: Levi is very passionate about living his life to the fullest every day he can. What that looks like for Levi is lots of travel, money, and adventures. He is always craving new experiences with new people. He is very passionate about meeting new people and love, but not in any conventional way - Levi focuses on his pleasure and his love for life in itself. Levi feels passionately that being surrounded by large groups of good people gives him security. Levi is very passionate about cars and racing them - whether it is street racing, drag racing, or even racing video games.

loyalties: himself and his pleasure, money or the "hustle," bros, partying/smoking/drinking on the weekends,

BEHAVIOR

habits: staying up all night, being late to everything, lying or manipulating the truth, complimenting people, making people laugh, disappearing, forgetting about his homework, relying on others to achieve, self-sabotaging,

preferences in:

• Clothing: Levi would describe his taste in fashion is similar to that of "an emo frat boy." Levi has fallen prey to brand loyalty and has a serious commitment to a few companies - Nike, Vans, Guess, Balenciaga, etc. Levi has a very expensive taste in clothes, though he spends so much money on clothes to kind of dress casual and purposefully sloppy. Levi like to dress for comfort and agility, but takes pride in having nice clothes and dressing to impress the girls around him.

• Transportation: When Levi was sixteen years old, his parents gifted him a brand new Subaru WRX STI. Ever since, Levi has been head over heels for the car, arguably more in love than anything else. Levi loves to drive fast and reckless and prefers to be in the drivers seat rather than the passenger seats. Levi drives around a lot, it's something that he does when he needs to clear his head. Levi takes an immense amount of pride from being the owner of a kickass, badass car and loves to obnoxiously show it off whenever he gets the chance.

• Vacation: Levi has been on many vacation trips in his time. Levi remembers most of his trips for one reason or another, however, his trip to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. Levi spent two weeks blackout drunk with his buddies and many gorgeous Dominican girls he met throughout the trip. What Levi does remember from the trip is the most fun and unleashed he has ever been.

• Family Life: Levi would honestly prefer to move out on his own. He's been ready since he got his car and his license, if he is honest. It's not that he doesn't love them, because he absolutely does, it's that he doesn't feel like he really belongs there with them. Levi has typically felt like the black sheep or like an outsider; while his family was successful and doing great things, Levi was struggling to keep afloat in his classes. While his twin takes only AP classes, Levi struggles with the regular curriculum.

• Music: Levi listens to a lot of classic, old rock from bands that were popular in the 80s. Examples of these bands include; Journey, Kiss, AC/DC, Led Zeppelin, Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Iron Maiden, The Rolling Stones, Styx, etc. Levi also listen to a lot of rap and/or trap music from artists like: Drake, Migos, Travis Scott, Kanye, Tyler the Creator, Eminem, ASAP Mob, The Weeknd, Logic, NF, gnash, etc.

• Movies: Levi mostly watches comedy and adventure films. He loves the Fast and Furious saga, the Marvel movies, war movies, and anything involving Will Ferrell, Adam Sandler, and/or Jim Carrey. However, most of the time, Levi will let his female counterpart pick the movie so that he can focus on "other things" such as getting her beneath the bedsheets.

• Books, Magazines, News: Levi uses social media sites such as Twitter and Instagram as his main source for news and gossip. Levi doesn't care about any local news that happening here in Jacktown, but tries to stay caught up with what's happening in Santa Monica. Other than sports news, Levi doesn't read much of anything. He has a hard time concentrating on idle tasks like reading, listening, etc.

• Sports: Levi was a year-round athlete at his school in SM that would play dual sports whenever he could. He played football, basketball, soccer, and baseball. Levi loves a good challenge and enjoys the sense of belongingness and community when you're a part of a sports team. Levi was a star player on the soccer team, he performed so well that he was allowed to dual-sport with baseball and still maintain his reputation as team captain of the soccer team.

• Friends: Levi's friend group mostly consists of buddies from his sports teams that share the same love of girls, partying, and fun as Levi has. Levi holds true to his "bros" more than he does his family, in fact, he considers them to be better family than he does his actual nuclear family. Levi ends up quite dependent on his friends, given that he always takes a friend with him to run errands. Levi and his boys throw parties together, pick up girls together, and enjoy doing stupid teenage boy things daily.

• Hobbies: racing his car, going out to eat, talking to girls, sports practices, playing guitar, collecting retro memorabilia, listening to music, partying, picking up chicks, hooking up, smoking weed, creating music, drinking, sneaking out, car shows, going on dates, making music/writing songs, used to be in a band in California

phobias: heights, being/dying alone, consequences of his own actions,

likes: naked girls, guitars, cars, street racing, street style, soccer, smoking weed, blunts, good food, being part of a community, going on dates, people, socializing, attention, parties, weekends, late nights, clubs, pranks, loud music, traveling, money, adventuring, flirting, hooking up, being loud, big groups of people, making people laugh, uplifting people, classic rock music, rap, drinking, nature,

dislikes: early mornings, hard work, authority figures, rules, drama, waiting, plans/planning, sitting still, being questioned or challenged, showing or expressing negative emotions, rejection, school, being told what to do, doing things on his own

positive traits: determined, daring, confident, adventurous, friendly, welcoming, warm, uplifting, upbeat, optimistic, charming, charismatic, free spirited, carefree, loyal, usually very pleasant, generous, giving, active, athletic, smart, bold, brave, fun loving, magnetic, a very good friend, captivating, entertaining, positive, thrill-seeking, smooth, flirty, sensual, musically inclined/talented

negative traits: disruptive, disrespectful, childish, rebellious, brash, insecure, arrogant, easily discouraged, sensitive, misguided, lost, vengeful, greedy/selfish, condescending, rude, ruthless, restless, combative (easily set off/triggered), dishonest, unforgiving, impulsive, aggressive/dominant, naïve about the way the world works, easily discouraged, emotionally guarded, unfaithful (likely to cheat on his partners)

ATTITUDE ABOUT

marriage: Levi has a very long list of things he'd rather do than think about his future, especially marriage. Levi only cares about himself and having the most amount of fun he possibly can have in the present moment. Right now, the last thing on Levi's mind is finding one person and settling down with them.

children: Levi really does not like children; he thinks they are annoying, clingy, and more of a burden than anything else. He hates how little kids ask a thousand questions a minute and often feels uncomfortable around them. Granted, Levi has never really been around children for an extended period of time, nor has he had the opportunity to create a bond with a child.

pets and animals: Levi loves dogs, and is always asking strangers if he can pet their dog. Levi would prefer if he had an animal that was self-sufficient and didn't require a lot of his time. That being said, he's not much of a cat person at all, he's actually afraid of them.

SOCIAL

marital status: single, but always mingling

level of education: junior in high school, retaking some classes online to ensure he is able to graduate

occupation: floor worker at a local grocery store, mostly stocks shelves and organizes product in the back

languages: English, but has some general knowledge of Spanish

secrets: is scared of being hurt, does not like to be alone, feels down/hopeless often, feels like the black sheep of the family,

relationships with:

O family: Levi has strained relationships with most of his family. He has never really felt like he fits in with his family and has always felt like he needed to behave and act badly in order to get their attention. Levi feels as thought everything between he and his twin is a competition and has never felt able to be himself around his twin. Levi's favorite person in his family is his grandmother, who he has always felt loves him for exactly who he is. He feels seen and understood by his grandmother, therefore he feels the most comfortable and strong bond with her.

O ex-partners: Levi has head over heels for his ex-girlfriend, Bailey Hart. The pair dated on and off for about three years but were solid for two years. Levi felt so happy and whole with Bailey by his side. However, Levi was pretty toxic and borderline abusive to Bailey and the relationship ended badly less than a year ago. Levi was left with a broken heart due to his own actions. It hurts Levi to think of Bailey, sometimes it will even reduce him to tears still.

O friends:

- Gabriel Ruiz: Gabe was one of the firsts people that Levi met when he first moved to Jacktown. Gabriel has a large group of friends and has been introducing Levi to them since he arrived. Gabe and Levi share a lot of mutual interests and have quickly created a bond that is likely to last a very long time. Gabe and Levi party, drink or smoke, skate together, or see each other almost daily. Whenever Levi or Gabe are in the mood to do "hoodrat shit", they do it together.

- Andre Aguilar-Hernandez: Andre is in a lot of classes with Levi, despite being a year older. Andre has a smaller circle of friends, but always has good weed on him, so Levi buys from him often. Levi and Andre mostly hang out at school, but often see each other at parties. Andre has a long time girlfriend named Grace, and the pair will sometimes invite Levi out with them when they go on day trips or adventures with their other friends.

- "Jocks": Levi, being very athletic and super into a few sports like football and soccer, has met a lot of the jocks at his new school and gets along with them quite well. He knows them all a excellent people to party with and good people to copy homework off of. Levi doesn't necessarily hang out with these guys when there isn't much to do, but he doesn't throw a party without them or the girls that typically follow them around.

- Friends from California: Levi has been estranged from most of his friends from his hometown for a while. After Bailey and Levi broke up, a lot of his friends took sides with Bailey and essentially turned their backs to Levi, for good reason. Levi does not consider them as enemies, in fact he misses those friends and doesn't understand why he was shut out by them. These were guys that he grew up with, from elementary school all the way until sophomore year when Levi had to move to Michigan.

○ The guys from his old band are included in this group.

O enemies: when Levi finds an enemy, he wants to destroy them. He will do whatever he can to make his enemies' lives a living hell, even if that means causing physical harm. Levi will seek revenge with a stone cold ruthlessness. Though Levi is typically pleasant to be around, having an enemy exposes a mean, cruel side of Levi that he's not proud of.

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Punta Cana is a tropical vacation destination with a warm weather, idyllic beaches, endless list of fun things to do, nightlife and luscious food. In terms of rentals, book world-class Fully Equipped Vacation Homes in Punta Cana at a lucrative price.

[theblogchelor]

The Bachelor Week Three aka Feathers and Crying and The Pool Party That Wasn’t

Here’s What Happened Monday

It’s been one week since the pop heard round the world, or as Hannah Anna tearfully calls it, the “finasco that was the champagne-stealing incident.” Little did we know that that would be the only interesting thing that would happen for two episodes. How do I miss Kelsey?

Let’s dive in, because perseverance is a virtue.

The First One-On-One

While the girls unravel at home, Peter takes Victoria P. on her first one-on-one to a square-dancing bar. Peter and Victoria P. both gush about how natural everything feels, even though they are doing a choreographed dance with twenty-year-old girls in a honky-tonk bar in Southern California during broad daylight.

Later, at dinner, in a hangar and surrounded by the decadence of private jets and antique planes, Victoria P. reveals her tragic family history of addiction and poverty to a doe-eyed Peter. She thinks that maybe it all led her to him, and he confirms that maybe it all led him to her – or at least, it all probably led him to one of the twenty women there, possibly her.

The Group Date

The group date hosted by infamous Colton-season reject Demi Burnett, who, as you remember, blazed the trail against heteronormativity when she brought her girlfriend on Bachelor in Paradise. Carrying that progressive spirit forward, Demi arranges a sexy pillow fight for all the women. Wait…

Demi distributes an assortment of pajamas to the ladies, ranging in relative sex appeal from lingerie to elderly-grade flannel nightgowns from Kohl’s. Viewers may have expected a clichéd porno-style pillow fight, but they failed to forecast the rage these women are rarely allowed to express physically. Alayah fills her pillowcase with nickels, enters the feather-strewn boxing ring, and bludgeons Kiama to death.

Later, at the cocktail party, Sydney suggests to Alayah that she is a brainless, superficial loser. (But pretty, so pretty). Sydney then warns Peter of this fact while batting through artificial eyelashes. Peter is rocked by this unforeseen betrayal.

The Fated Pool Party

Pool parties are sacred. As a kid, pool parties are an opportunity to eat all the pizza you can while being ravaged by insecurity in your new Old Navy swimsuit. As an adult, they are much the same but with the fun unpredictability of alcohol-accelerated sunstroke. That is a pool party.

This is not a pool party. This is a group of women who refuse to go outside because it’s humid and they curled their hair for this, while Peter pulls them to a cabana one-by-one to express his internal turmoil. With each passing rumination on Alayah’s genuineness, we lose more daylight and further disgrace the institution of the pool party. I chipped a tooth on a beer bottle in a swim-up bar during Spring Break in Punta Cana my senior year of college. Now that was a pool party. This is pale, sun-safe torture.

 The Rose Ceremony

The collective anxiety at the Rose Ceremony is high, primarily because most of the women did not get to spend time with Peter at Group Therapy In Proximity To A Pool.

Peter distributes roses to the usual suspects until he promptly leaves to go speak with his father, Chris Harrison. Returning, Peter bequeaths his last rose to Mykenna and not Alayah, who’s name he could never pronounce anyway. He immediately regrets this decision, because he is a weak, weak man.

Two or three other girls go home, but unfortunately no one cares.

Until next week, which would be hard-pressed to be less engaging.

[keepingupwithfundies]

BuB 901: A First Time for Everything!

Evan & Carlin start their honeymoon in Charleston, the Bates and Kahle families meet, and Josie and Kelton prepare for the arrival of her first child. 

-T

The season opens looking back at Carlin & Evan's perfect, fairytale wedding. Everyone is thrilled with how well the wedding went, and Evan and Carlin drive away to their honeymoon.

Evan and Carlin are starting their honeymoon in Charleston before going to Punta Cana. They stay in a cute rental house.  This is a new chapter about to unfold, and they are experiencing so many firsts together as a married couple.  Their first activity is a carriage ride, which Erin says is romantic, but the little boys think is just fun. They go on a carriage ride and enjoy sightseeing. Carlin and Evan are enjoying getting to spend their time together and talk about how special it is to marry your best friend.

Back in Tennessee, the Bates family is getting ready to meet the Kahle family. This is a big step, everyone agrees. The Kahles arrive and Trace greets them first, followed by the rest of the family. Katie says, "Praise the Lord, finally a Bates boy has got a girl." Lawson is mildly offended. Kelly says the Kahle family has a lot in common with her family. Chaney loves sports, so they decide to play bocce since Trace and Chaney are both competitive. Callie says Trace is extra sweet around Chaney. Zach wins, and says he feels bad beating Trace in front of Chaney but he's already married so it doesn't really bother him. After the families hang out, Kelly says she feels even better about this relationship than before.

Evan and Carlin go to eat on a roof, and it is a special moment. All the married reflect on the happy, carefree, finally alone times on their honeymoons. They order mocktails on the roof and talk about how fun this trip is.  Evan says they should go crabbing tomorrow, and Carlin bets him she'll catch more than he does. They are enjoying being on their own schedule.

The next day, Carlin and Evan head out crabbing with Tia and Art, two hosts. Carlin's family does not think this will go well. Tia shows them the ropes of crabbing, and has Evan hold a small crab. Finally, it is time to crab, and the competition heats up immediately. Art and Evan take on Tia and Carlin. Evan gets one, and then Carlin gets one but drops it out of her basket as she pulls it up. Carlin gets her next one, and it is a big one. They tell Carlin she has to hold the one she caught, and she briefly holds it and then drops it.  They finish crabbing and take a picture with the crabs.

Back in Tennessee, Whitney, Zach and their kids are going to an ultrasound to see baby Khloé. Whitney says she moves around a lot. There are so nerves, but they are so excited to see her on the screen. They listen to her heart, and the family is looking forward to meet her. Bradley gets the pictures of baby Khloé. Whitney says she has been emotional through this pregnancy and has been trying to soak it in.

Back in Charleston, Evan and Carlin take a sail boat ride. Carlin gets to control the boat for a little while, and then they head to the bow. Carlin wants to have a Titanic Moment on the Bow, so they take a picture and then sit on the front of the boat and reflect on their trip. Both agree it was an incredible time.

In Tennessee, Josie is very close to her due date and looking forward to meeting the baby. Josie is trying to pack for the hospital. Josie and Kelton have decided to try a natural, medicine free labor after Kelton lost his mother due to complications from childbirth. Kelly says there is no pressure either way, everyone has their reasons, and don't feel bad or pressured to do anything. Just be you. Josie says she is blessed to have her mom since she has been through birth so many times. Josie says the house is clean, everything is washed, and it is just a waiting game.

The sisters go out for lunch as a last hurrah before Josie delivers. Josie says she can only have two people in the room during labor- her mom and Kelton and then a doula as well. Josie had to explain what a doula was to her mom. Erin says she thinks a doula does what the husband does, and says Chad is a good looking one. Josie says she is worried Willow will be like, two weeks late. Erin says the first is the scariest since you don't know or have a comparison yet. Josie says spending this time together was so good.

That evening, Josie and Kelton are hanging out and waiting for their doula meeting. Both want a little professional coaching and advice for their first pregnancy. Kelton says he is worried about not knowing what her reactions will be like and not being sure how to both support her. Josie says Kelton didn't realize it was an all day affair. The doula talks them through the stages of labor, and Josie says it is a lot to take in. The Doula shows them some pain management techniques to use during the labor. Kelton says he is a little terrified but ready. The doula tells Josie to call her when she feels any contractions.

Kelton and Josie talk about how they wanted the delivery to be more private and then invite the family after Baby Willow arrived. Josie wasn't progressing, and Kelton got emotional as it went on. Josie passed out at one point, and woke up and saw Kelton bawling. Kelton says he wants to take on that pain but he could not. After 36 hours of contractions, the doctors felt like she needed help progressing. Josie and Kelton asked to pray about it alone, and then decided to go with an epidural. Kelton is worried because he knows the epidural contributed to doctors missing signs with his mom, but with Josie it worked well, and she gave birth to Willow after 48 hours. Josie says after pregnancy and a long, traumatic birth, seeing Willow's perfect face made it all worth it. Michael says she feels for how long and hard Josie's labor was, but she was so proud of her. Josie says she doesn't know what life will be like now, but they are so excited about this journey.

Back at home, Josie and Kelton are waiting for her family to come over. Josie says she is still recovering and doesn't feel normal yet, but she is excited to have their baby girl here. Josie says you can't actually be prepared for having a baby. The family trickles in to see the baby, and everyone wants to hold Willow. They start passing the baby around. Zach holding Willow gets Whitney and Zach really excited for their new baby. Jud says he loves to hold little babies. Bradley and Kaci hold her together. Josie and Kelton are closing on a house next Wednesday, and ask their family to help get their new house ready. Josie says the second year will be their resting year; Gil says Willow will have something to say about that. So many exciting things are going on, but it is so much fun to see all the family so happy.

[dennythegood]

Is It a Better Travelling Experience by Purchasing a Deal Package?

People love to travel, whenever they got that precious vacation time and somewhat sufficient funds they packed up and just flee their home to somewhere new. It’s even the case here in Canada, as people love to escape the cruel winter here to somewhere warm and fun.

Here comes the question that many people have wondered but never completely figured it out - Is it always better to purchase a deal package which usually include the flights, hotel and the food is all inclusive; or is planning your own vacation the better way to travel. Economically it is usually cheaper to purchase a package deal and stick with an agency such as Sunwing, Air Transat etc. These packages are usually cheaper than you booking the same content by yourself because a) the travel agency books resorts using their own internal system which is usually significantly cheaper than the prices for daily consumers. b) Companies like Sunwing or Air Transat have their own airlines that fly to the Caribbean for example almost daily and with a package price the cost for plane ticket is much lower than you booking airlines by your own. Due to these two factors, economically speaking it is a wise choice to stick with a vacation deal package for people who just want to set back and relax without spending effort planning.

For those more adventurous people out there, laying on their back sipping cocktails 24/7 might not be what they are looking for. Sometimes people want to customize their trip to maximize the fun element of their vacation. Although planning a trip is troublesome and require a lot of research beforehand, many people find it rewarding DIYing. Take my experience for an example, I booked a vacation package to Punta Cana through Sunwing back in 2018, it roughly cost us CAD$2500 per person after tax. I did a little bit research and the total best price I could get to book the same hotel for the same amount of days and the same airlines is about 1.6 -1.8 times the cost I paid to Sunwing. I chose to book the package almost instantly. The first couple of days were heavenly, the hotel is comfy with a pool accessible from the room and pool bars almost everywhere. The food and service was extraordinary as well. However the last three days of the seven-day vacation was just not that fun as the only activities that is really interesting is driving buggies and archery. Overall it was a great and relaxing vacation, but could add a little bit more stimulation.

This is why some travelers prefer to plan their own vacations. I did this during my second trip to Florida in 2019. We booked everything ourselves including plane tickets, one Disney resort hotel and another hotel on Miami Beach. During this trip there wasn’t a night that I was not exhausted and just went straight to bed after a late dinner. However I enjoyed it every minute as I could do so many things in five days and we got the freedom to do whatever we wanted. It was just an amazing experience driving a topless Camaro down to Keywest. Not to mention the three days that we spent in Disneyland and Universal Studio, it was my second time being there but it was still mesmerizing.

Now it is a little unfair to compare Punta Cana to Florida, but these two experience do explain my theories quite well. When you are tired inside and out from the work and long winter in Toronto and just want to find a place to relax, go with an agency, they will help you find the perfect place to get your relief, and all you have to do is to prepare your body for a ton of light alcohol and maybe even a nice SPA on the Caribbean beach. On the other case, when you still feel young and energetic inside and do not want to lie on the beach everyday. Go with your heart and try your best to plan out the most ideal vacation in your mind, be spontaneous even so that you can maximize the fun from the vacation.

There is never a best travelling experience after all, but a best vacation for one of each person and at different times of their life.

[la-appel-du-vide]

PUNTA CANA - Birthday Trip

On Saturday, we had an excursion planned. We got up, had breakfast, and lounged by the pool for a couple hours. I noticed that the super strong chemicals in the pool were turning my hair absolutely so green - I’ve never seen anything like it. But I wanted to swim and not waste the opportunity, so I just took the L and continued. Luckily, when I got home and could order Malibu swim care stuff, I was able to get the green out. Anyway haha, then we got ready to go out for the afternoon. Our tour guide came to get us, and drove us up to a nearby mountain town. That was the most exposure we had to what life is like for Dominican locals, and it really is a third-world country. It was reminding me of Kenya as we drove along, with sad little businesses and houses lining the road, in bad shape. We learned that many people can’t afford electricity, so they illegally wire a connection from the main line to their house. The electric company comes through every now and then to cut them all down, but they go right back up the next day, and the police don’t do anything about it. We also learned that every car wash is pretty much also a bar, where they drink and party - very unique and weird cultural thing haha. Our first stop was a local coffee and cocoa bean farm. They did some demonstrations about how a coffee bean and cocoa bean is processed for use, and let us sample fresh brewed coffee (bleh) and hot chocolate. We bought some local cooking vanilla, cocoa butter, and Beach got coffee grounds for Jason. Next was the main attraction of the day - Monkeyland. A local person started it years back by bringing two endangered squirrel monkeys in and creating a habitat for them, and apparently they have flourished here since. We got to walk through their beautiful exhibit, which is just big, open, and natural, and then hold food to attract the monkeys to us. It was pure chaos hahah, the monkeys were climbing ALL over us - jumping from head to head, hanging out on our shoulders or arms… very silly, very cute. The joy on Beach’s face was the cutest thing ever. We really loved it. They brought us multiple rounds of food, so we could have many personal encounters with the monkeys. We got some great photos and videos, and just highly recommend the whole thing! They had some cute souvenirs there, and I got a pretty and colorful tile bowl, and a monkey key chain. B realized that he got ripped off when the little monkey figure he bought at Dominican night was here for $40 less than he spent on it, oops.

After they drove us back to the resort, we got ready for dinner at the Italian restaurant. This is the fanciest one, and it was really good as well. We started with bread, then got minestrone soup and some kind of yummy cheese balls, and then our main dishes. I had pasta with Aurora sauce and chicken, and it was great. For dessert, I wanted to get the tiramisu, but it was already gone for the night. I ended up with a pear shaped pear mousse hahah - it looked very impressive, but was not my favorite thing to eat. Overall, a very fun day.

[storyofmyownlife]

End of The Decade

I started this about 9 years ago for a very simple reason-I was hooked on the tv show called Akward. Jenna, the main protagonist of the show, likes to write blogs about her life as a way to cope and express how she feels. Awe inspired, I decided to create my own anonymous blog with the hopes that cathartic venting and documenting the past can help me navigate the present. For the last couple if years, l had been given many opportunities to taste the bittersweet feelings of life. Truth to be told, I have never thought I would be here writing this blog to end the decade. The earlier entries can attest to this. Ten years a go my life was in shambles. I had a broken family, broken English, and the broken will to live.

My father, two siblings and I arrived in Canada on April of 2009 to finally live with my mom. With little regards of the past, I cherished the brand new start to live a life without prejudice. I felt very little emotion when I left the Philippines because I knew deep down I could finally escape the invalidation of others of how I suppose to love. Of course, then, I was naive to think that I wouldn't felt that way ever again- I was completely wrong. It did not take long before everything start to turn sour. Us siblings did not get a long. We did not group together and we did not know how to live with one another. My mom and dad started to fight a lot. Almost every night. My dad started drinking a lot for many reasons that I know now and understood, but not completely forgiven. He misses his old life back in his home country- the life of the party and his other family. My mom push him to work and help with bills. Just like my sister and my brother and I, My mom and dad did live apart for many years. The feeling of living with my whole family was foreign to me. A month after arrival, the incident happened. The police came and for many months the social worker came and visit us. The resentment between us siblings began to build up. For many months, my brother and I blamed my sister for telling the truth. Knowing what I knew now she did the right thing. Nevertheless, my brother and I alienated her.

I also had broken English. I did not make a lot of friends in Grade 8. I was that loner kid who would spend every day during lunch alone and would walk on the school ground by himself. My sister and my brother got their own friends. I wanted to make my own but couldnt. On the bright side, my brother became friends with the guy name Denver. He is one of the only few people in our lives who never left for the past decade. He is still with us.

I started high school. I made more friends who are Filipino. We all kind of form this group. Denver is also part of it. Within that inner group, we had more inner clique called cajibo. I'm not going to disclose who they are because I no longer associate myself with them and it does not matter. There were also four girls who called themselves kimfejeny and they became part of the inner group. Regardless of what happened in the end, they taught me a lot of things about life. For the first time, they made me feel what is like to find a family in a group of random strangers. I must admit they helped us work throughout with some of the traumas. We had crazy dreams together, we spent so many adventures together, and they taught me the life is not as simple as black and white. It all ended because I cared too much and told the truth when it was not my place to do so. Inspite of if all, there were some silver linings to it.

I worked hard to improve my english and move in advance english. My ESL teacher helped me a lot. I improved my academic performance in no time. I also began to developed new relationships. My brother and I became more close to Daniel, Alen, Kith, and Alden. I also began to listen to Taylor Swift's music. She did help me cope with unreciprocated love, broken hearts, and the unpredictability of life. I swear I had crush on couple of people at my high school. I'm just gonna name them here for memories sake- adam, alden, aiah, and andrew.

As time went by, I started thinking about my future. After taking few courses, I knew that I have a passion for literature and history. During my junior and senior years, I took classes in philosophy, history, and law. I was no good in math. Science was okay. I actually got the biology award college level and made it to the honor roll in grade 11 and 12.

In my senior year, this girl name Chelsea asked me out to go to the prom with her. I tagged a long with her friends. They were also friends kimfejeny and some members of cajibo. It was an okay time. I didnt really have an ecstatic time. Suffice to say, I got to go so it was a check for one of my bucket list. Since I'm on the subject, I also went to Red tour concert instead of going to my own school prom. Ed Sheeran performed with Taylor swift! They were both great. Another item checked off!

On my last year, I was also determined to move out. My mom was very supportive of it. We started to look for school. I got in to all of the ones that I applied to. I was torn between u of t and Mac. To be honest, I would not have considered or let alone knew about mcmaster if it wasn't for Andrew. I visited both schools. I thought that u of t provide more classes and opportunities for what I wanted to do. But, I wanted to have an experience like those in movies. Also, deep down I wanted to run away in hope that I could find myself and be. I decided to go to mac

My brother and I graduated. I said goodbye to my favorite high school teach who gave my brother and I a gift. But she did not need to because she has already given me so much and more. The summer was filled with excitement and anticipation. I held a get together before I leave for college. I said goodbye to my friends and left a note for my brother to read. There were crying involve because I felt that I did not deserve them at all. They were so good to me and I was not in return. That summer was bittersweet.

I started my university experience. I would not go in a lot of details because I pretty much documented my first year here well enough. Grace, Shane, nicole and devone made a difference in life, especially Grace. She saved me from myself.

In second year, it was interesting because it started off as bad. I was seeing this guy and wanted to be with him but couldnt. I also was very insecure about myself and my sexuality. Everyone went on dates, make out with someone at the party, etc. I risked my life a couple of times in pursuit of getting the same experience. With the help of my friend and after going to group support, I got through it all. I started joining clubs: board games society, humanities,etc.

Devon came back. Turns out he is bi. I've always liked and wanted him. I had wanted his approval but It was an impossible task. He was drunk and toxic. He liked one of my roommate to who kind of like him too, but did know it was right. She was also the only person who knew about my feelings towards him. Suffice to say my relationship with Devon was severed after the end of that year. Shane was also a drunk and feel like he would not approve of my sexuality so I cut my relationship with him slowly.

I also started dating someone name T. It was an okay relationship. He was a really good guy but I don't think we were meant for each other. I loved how he held me, but I knew I was not the one for him. I was not a good boyfriend to him. I think I tried to look for things in him that I want from my partner. Older, and hopefully wiser, know now that it was wrong. I ended it.

I had great times with my friends and old roommates. Spontaneous drives, adventures, and they gave me opportunities to experience things I never experienced before. Like going to demetris, hiking to trails and falls, random trips to McDonalds etc. Alicia also became my support on my last year at mac. I also became hers as well.

When graduated, I did not find a job immediately and was kind of down. I started to work out to motivate myself. I lost about 75 pound in a couple of months. With the help of family friends, I got hired at a law firm. I learned a lot of things from there. What it's like to practice law, experience to use office equipments, how to network, etc. The perks were great. But the coworkers and the work are not as great. Couple of coworkers come and go. 2 years and a half I still work with them. I also met Ashley, Selena, clarice, bryce, mike. Fun fact: Ashley's wedding was the first wedding that I attended that was not affiliated with my family.

A year ago, I woke up one day and decided to apply to post grad HR program. I was supposed to apply right after I graduated university but I knew I needed to take some time off. But, that day, I was determined to start a new. I got in to the program but was not able to start until last january. The program taught me so much about myself and others. I worked like I've never work in my life. In the end, I got 3.64 GPA. I've made friends and enemies.

My friends from high school that I mentioned before are still with me to this very day. We've gone through so many late night adventures together! I finished my internship last week and I now work as a full time employee at COC. I've traveled couple of times outside Canada for the past 2 years.My family and I recently went to punta Cana. I'm hoping to go to either Mexico or California next year!. I know in my last post I may have mentioned my struggle with the changing times. I know everyone in my life is starting to build their own life without me and that's okay. It is part of growing up. I'm also having short term memory lost lately but hopefully I get better. I'm hoping that my friendship with mike and Bryce would last longer. I wish my family the best in this new decade.

They say, life gets tougher as you grow older. My hope is I became tougher and more resilient still. I will ride the every changing tides of time while always looking up to the daylight.

I'll tell you the truth but never goodbye.

December 31st, 2019

Ps: pic 1 shows the books that I accumulated and read over the years. Pic 2 my favorite things the I received and owned this year.

[cheesewithchips]

ho ho ho, and a bottle of rum: a forever hold your peace christmas drabble

long time, huh? i know i suck in every way possible but i thought i’d grant a little christmas miracle with a christmas drabble that i started a very long time ago. after a little tweaking i was finally able to make it work and am ready to share it with you all now! so without further ado, here is a little 5k+ non-canon christmas drabble full of santa, booze, and the lovely fhyp gang. hope you all missed them as much as i have, and happy holidays!

Christmastime was meant to be the most wonderful time of the year – there were only hundreds of songs written in its honor. This was when happiness was meant to linger in the air along with that hint of holiday magic that couldn’t bring anyone down. Birdy Thomas liked to believe that she could feel that magic of the holidays whenever December finally rolled around, when she finally got to see the people she loved at their most festive. But despite the joy and jubilance of Christmas, there was nothing that could have gotten the scowl off her face at that very moment. Why was it there one might have asked? None other than the holly, jolly Santa Claus himself.

(Well, the one at the Westfield Shopping Centre anyway.)

She was too nice of a person, she thought. Her day could’ve been filled with Christmas films and heated blankets in her flat, but instead she was watching her neighbors’ twins while her neighbors spent long hours at the hospital treating trauma patients. While a day of watching movies might have sufficed for Birdy when it came to Mia and Tommy Winchester, who were some of the most restless kids that she knew, they needed more stimulating activities to pass their time.

With the combination of doe eyed looks and more ‘please Birdy?’s than she could take, they’d ended up right where they were currently; waiting for the shopping centre’s Santa to finally see them. Birdy only wished she’d opted for some more sensible shoes as opposed to the heeled booties she’d decided on at the last minute.

“Birdy, I’m tired,” Birdy’s eyes averted from the long queue ahead of her, glancing down to catch the look of discomfort on Tommy’s face. “When are we going to see Santa?”

Birdy sighed, ruffling the top of Tommy’s curls. “You’d have to tell me that, mate.”

“This isn’t Santa,” Mia declared, folding her arms across her chest. Tommy turned towards her, his eyebrows furrowed deeply.

“What are you talking about?” Tommy inquired, taking on a defensive look almost immediately. “Of course it’s Santa. He’s got the beard and everything.”

“So? You think that every man with a white beard is Santa?” Mia retorted swiftly. “Santa doesn’t exist.”

Birdy’s eyes widened just as Tommy’s mouth dropped widely. “You don’t know what you’re talking about! Santa exists! How do you think we get those presents under the tree?”

“Mummy and Daddy.”

Tommy scoffed. “They do not give us Christmas presents. Only presents we get from them are on our birthday.”

Now it was Mia’s turn to scoff, her hands going onto her hips before her head tilted upwards. “Birdy, could you please tell Tommy that Santa doesn’t exist? Because I’m pretty sure that I overheard my teacher say something to my mum about how he doesn’t and my teacher doesn’t lie.”

“Birdy, could you please tell her that Santa does exist?” Tommy countered with a hard glare in his sister’s direction. “Because Mum and Dad have said that he does and I’m pretty sure that they wouldn’t lie either!”

“You think that someone as fat as Santa can really squeeze into every chimney in the world? Or knows what every kid in the world is doing enough to put them on a naughty or nice list?”

“He’s magical! He can do what normal people can’t!”

“Oh yeah? What about people who don’t have chimneys? Do you think he just skips them? And how can reindeer carry a huge man all across earth? Does that make sense to you?”

“He’s magic. Magic people can do magical things. That’s the whole point of them being magical in the first place!”

The twins ended up silent, both peering towards Birdy for a confirming statement that she knew very well she couldn’t give. She instead let out an awkward chuckle, scratching the back of her neck before pointing forward.

“Lookie there! Queue’s moving! Who would have thought?” She decided to use as her cop out, taking this opportunity to skitter ahead. Mia and Tommy continued to bicker behind her and all she could do was let out a sigh in relief. Though she did have a drama background and the ability to do improv like a champ, there was a difference between being able to conjure up replies for a stage and conjuring up an answer for whether a childhood character was real or not.

The wait was proving to be even more unbearable than Birdy first thought, fifteen more minutes going by before she was ready to kick her shoes off and sit down on the assortment of presents that had been stacked high beside her. Mia and Tommy were even worse than she was, outright voicing their complaints and whines until Birdy was close to pulling her hair out.

They were almost at the front of the queue when a tall body wedged their way between Birdy and the kids, at least six foot of person standing right in front of Birdy while whistling ‘It’s Beginning to Look A Lot Like Christmas’. She glanced at the man up and down, a scoff leaving the back of her throat as her eyes narrowed on him dangerously. If there was one thing Birdy Thomas didn’t tolerate it was being jumped in a queue – especially one she’d spent so much time to get to the front of.

“Hey!” She exclaimed to the back of the man’s beanie clad head. “We’ve been here for a great amount of time and you think it’s alright to cut ahead like that? I don’t know where you were raised exactly but surely you were taught better manners than that.”

“I dunno, I was pretty bad back in primary school,” Birdy’s temper immediately eased upon hearing the responding voice, a crooked smile on Harry’s face as he turned around to face her. “Must’ve never been corrected.”

Birdy rolled her eyes. “Liar. You were a prince in primary.”

“I know I was,” He replied smugly, leaning down to leave a kiss on her lips.

“How nice of you to join us, Dimps,” She said with a shake of her head, glancing down to take in the red sweater that Harry was wearing that had a cute Christmas tree dead center. Mia and Tommy immediately rushed towards him afterwards, their arms wrapping around his waist to give him a squeeze. “Oi, don’t act so happy to see him. It’s just Harry.”

“Yes, but they love and appreciate ‘Just Harry’. Apparently more than you do,” Harry gave her a pointed glance as he hugged the twins back. “How are you lot? Ready to see Santa?”

“So ready!” Tommy exclaimed, grinning. “But Mia thinks that Santa isn’t real. Isn’t that weird?”

“You’re weird for believing in that old man in the first place!” Mia retorted. “You’re just weird in general.”

“You’re weird!”

“No, you are!”

Harry chuckled as he watched the two of them, giving Birdy time to roll onto her tiptoes and whisper into his ear. “I was about to go insane.”

“Trust me, I could tell,” Harry said, laughing slightly. “Did you know that your texts show what kind of mood you’re in? You’ve been emoji-less all day. I was about to ring the police.”

“I am floundering,” She said through grit teeth. “I can’t be the one to break a little boy’s heart, Harry. In fact, I won’t. I already did it to Izzy when she was younger and I swear to god she’s held the biggest grudge over my head ever since then so I’m not going to be the one to do it here. Might as well go ahead and tell him about the Tooth Fairy and the Easter Bunny if I did and there’s no way I’m going to ruin anything that–”

“Bird,” Harry said simply, the simple utterance of her name causing her to shut up on sight.

She wet her lips, nodding slowly. “Sorry.”

“Don’t apologize, just.. breathe,” Harry suggested, cheeky half smile on his face. “Don’t worry about it. It’ll be fine. Even if he did figure out that Santa doesn’t exist, it happens to everyone eventually. But he won’t, alright?”

Birdy blinked once. “I just want to go Zara.”

“It won’t be more than five minutes, muppet. Be patient,” He said, giving her shoulder a squeeze.

“You’re right, I suppose,” Birdy muttered, shaking her head. “Times like this remind me how I am the overreacting melodrama whilst you are the calmer and levelheaded one of the two of us. Maybe I should start listening to what you say.”

“Mm, both you and I know that’s not going to happen,” Harry said, slipping an arm around Birdy’s waist and drawing her close enough to kiss her once more. “I actually wanted to talk about something–”

“Queue’s moving!” Tommy exclaimed, tugging on Birdy’s arm and jumping ahead excitedly.

“A babysitter’s job is never done,” Birdy sighed, escaping Harry’s grip and following behind the twins. There was a single family left stopping them from finally meeting the centre’s Santa Claus and it couldn’t have come soon enough. Tommy was bouncing on his heels at the thought of seeing Santa while Mia was standing idly by looking all but enthusiastic at what was ahead. The varying personalities in the two were apparent, it was almost intriguing for Birdy to watch.

She glanced back in Harry’s direction, catching his hands going into his back pockets while he bit down on his bottom lip. “Have you got plans tonight?”

“Was planning on packing,” He replied. “I’ve barely made any headway and I leave tomorrow afternoon.”

“Gang’s all meeting at Stanza tonight and I was hoping for a fun little hangout before we all go our separate ways,” Birdy replied, taking out her phone and briefly flashing her and Liam’s text log in Harry’s direction before stuffing it away again. “Besides, how much do you really need to pack for Punta Cana anyway? Some swim trunks? Sunglasses? Tequila?”

Harry let out a small breath, looking displeased. “Another year without snow. You know how I feel about that.”

“Yes, but not all of us can be so fortunate,” Birdy countered. “I know you don’t like hot Christmases but just know that there are some people who would die to be suntanning on a beach after unwrapping presents.”

“You’re of a different breed, Birdy Thomas,” Harry declared, bringing a smile to Birdy’s lips. “But if you are so keen on suntanning then you could always–”

“Oh my god,” Birdy cut him off, a gasp sounding as her hand clapped over her mouth.

“What?” Harry asked, furrowing his brows. “Is everything alright?”

“I know that I’m the overreacting melodrama and everything so please confirm if I’m going mad or not,” She started, already starting to snicker. “But does Santa look familiar to you or is it just me?”

Harry subtly averted his gaze from Birdy to the bearded man only a few steps away from them, his eyes squinting before his mouth dropped as well. There wasn’t a chance that the chuckles from either of them would have ceased, especially when the family ahead of them finally dispersed and Tommy and Mia began walking in Santa’s direction.

“Ho, ho, ho, happy Christmas little man!” Santa said, voice deep and throaty. “And is this your sister here? How are you doing me little peach?”

Tommy hadn’t moved any further, a frown beginning to settle on his lips. “Niall?”

“Told you he wasn’t real,” Mia said in a snooty tone, her nose going into the air. “Birdy, Harry, didn’t I tell him so?”

“Yeah… I’ll be coming to Stanza tonight,” Harry said through his laughs, watching as Niall glanced towards him and Birdy in absolute horror. “Hey mate!”

Birdy waved at Niall afterwards, watching as his gaze dropped to his lap. “It’ll definitely a night you don’t want to miss.”

Birdy couldn’t remember the last time she’d laughed as hard as she had been for the past five minutes. She didn’t need to tell more than a sentence of her ‘Niall is the Shopping Centre Santa’ tale for the whole bar to burst into belly grabbing, tear wiping laughter. Even Samson had to pause from making drinks to laugh at that new bit of knowledge.

“I’m sorry, but there’s just no way,” Darcy said, sputtering up a laugh before collecting herself. “Niall’s really Santa? Like Kris Kringle, joy to the world, ‘merry Christmas to all and to all a goodnight’ Santa?”

“Yes Darce, I don’t know how many times I have to confirm this. I saw it with my own two eyes,” Birdy said, her body turned in Darcy’s direction. “He was miffed once he saw we were there. Thought he wouldn’t see anyone he knew all day but somehow me and H were lucky enough. Weren’t we, Dimps?”

“We certainly were,” Harry chimed in with a smirk. “But hey, let’s not give him a hard time. He’s just trying to make his Christmas money like all the rest of us.”

“Hmm, yeah. I’m still going to make fun of him. I’m going to destroy him actually!” Darcy announced happily. “Where is the little leprechaun anyway? I’ve never been happier to see him in my entire life.”

“I don’t know if I’ve ever met someone as cruel as you are, Darcy,” Liam said, a hand going through his hair. “It’s scary but also a little admirable.”

“I think we should listen to Harry,” Anastasia said, sounding as sweet as Anastasia usually did. “We all know Niall. He could be out there prostituting or selling parts for money, but instead he decided to do something to make the kids happy! Can’t we all appreciate that?”

“Absolutely not!” Louis scoffed, poking his head from behind Darcy. “Can we all grasp that this is probably one of the funniest things that any of us has heard all year? I can understand if Harry and Ana want to be on Santa’s nice list by giving Horan the benefit of the doubt, but this is just plain hilarious!”

“Niall is Santa so he could definitely put them there,” Darcy joked, sending herself back into laughter. She and Louis high fived, rising giggles from Liam and Birdy as well. “I swear; this is never going to get old.”

“You lot are mean,” Ana mumbled as she turned the drink in front of her with the candy cane printed straw she had been sipping out of.

A jingling of bells filled the room shortly afterwards, the shuffling of heavy boots following as a flash of red darted into the pub. Almost on cue, the heavy sniggers began again. Niall had finally arrived, and he hadn’t even bothered to shed his costume before entering.

“Yeah alright. Laugh it up,” Niall rolled his blue eyes, pulling the hat off his head and brushing the snow off his jacket. “I don’t care what you wankers say – if it weren’t for the suit, I definitely would have caught pneumonia by now.”

“I didn’t think it could get any better than it already was,” Liam got out, though his laughter was prominent enough. “Happy Christmas to us all, truly.”

“You’re a right dickhead for telling them all,” Niall shot at Birdy, who hid behind Harry as soon as Niall started to address her. “But then again, what else is new?”

“Oi, they would have found out anyway, wouldn’t they?” She replied, holding up her hands in defense. “Besides, I think you make quite the Old Saint Nick. Even though you nearly made Tommy cry.”

“Dickhead,” Niall reiterated slowly, turning towards Samson. “Get me something strong and peppermint please.”

“Say no more, mate,” Samson nodded. “Would you like me to add something in there for your reindeer or will they be servicing themselves this evening?”

“Come on,” Darcy cackled, her head resting down on the bartop. “I’m trying to be nice here and you’re all not helping one bit.”

“Oh no need Red, go ahead and hit me with everything you have,” Niall told her, shrugging his shoulders. “I can take your weak insults any day.”

“I’ll let you get some liquor in your system first. Might make it easier for you to take them,” Darcy mocked a kiss his way, prompting his eyes to roll. “But seriously, how is the job? How many kids did you promise ponies and functioning families today?”

Niall waited until he had taken down a good amount of the drink Samson handed him before deciding to reply. “You know what? Being Santa really isn’t as easy a job as you all might think it is. It takes a certain skill and finesse that not everyone has. You really have to get into character for something like. None of you would understand.”

Birdy held up a hand. “I act. I think I would understand that better than anyone.”

“Touché,” Ana nodded in agreement.

“Well then why don’t you and your smart mouth try doing what I do then?” Niall inquired, his mouth on the rim of his glass as he took another swig.

“Are you challenging me Niall? Is this a challenge? Is this really what you want to get into? Cause my Santa could wipe the floor with yours, I promise you,” Birdy inquired straight into Niall’s ear, his face scrunching up in reply.

“You’re like an annoying fly that I can’t kill,” He muttered, waving a dismissing hand Birdy’s way.

“You love me,” She said, giving him a knowing glance before grinning at him. “Please continue. Being Santa is a hard feat. Tell us more.”

Though he rolled his eyes beforehand, he did end up continuing. “You have to convince these kids that you know exactly what you’re doing. Personally, I like to throw meself into the job, make the kids feel like I’m their friend before promising them that toy or service they want.”

“I love how you’re talking about it like it’s a real job, that’s probably the most interesting part of all of this,” Harry deduced, looking genuinely interested.

“Even though it’s not and by the time Boxing Day rolls around, you’re looking for employment once again,” Louis pointed out, giving Niall a look of sympathy.

“Maybe so, but at least I can pay my rent for the next two months. Was I able to say that before this job?” Niall asked.

“Hell no,” Darcy held up her own glass as she shook her head.

“Think that was meant to be rhetorical,” Ana whispered to Darcy.

“Trust me, I know,” Darcy said with a smirk.

“Your arse would be the first one on my naughty list, Red. Be lucky I’m not actually Santa Claus or else you’d be getting straight coal this year,” Niall grumbled. “Could I get another glass?”

Birdy tutted, watching as her friend received a new drink. “How can you promise things to little kids when you can’t even get your life together in the first place, Ni?”

“How can you talk to me about children like you aren’t wearing a skimpy pair of Christmas themed knickers right now for everyone to see?” Niall shot back, getting everyone’s eyes wide. Birdy scoffed, shifting awkwardly in her chair and pulling the hem of her shirt down which were slightly ridden up before. “Are those the ones that light up or the ones that sing?”

“You’re literally the most abominable creature I know.”

“You want coal too?” Niall questioned. “Annoying bint.”

“I was trying to be nice!” Birdy exclaimed with a scoff. “The whole reason I came here was to make sure no one made fun of you as bad as they could. I could be helping Harry pack for Punta Cana right now but I wanted to make sure that these people let you live.”

“They wouldn’t have known about it if it weren’t for you! You strategically planned this, don’t try and act innocent,” Niall shot back at her. “And if you’d rather be packing than seeing me, not only are you annoying but you’re mad too.”

Birdy stuck her tongue out at him before settling her elbow onto the countertop, peering to her left to catch Harry’s eye contact. “And you. What do you want? You’re giving me a look.’

“What look?” Harry asked innocently.

“That look,” She said with a tap to his slightly pouted lips. “The look you give when you want something.”

“I don’t know what you mean.”

“You’re not the only one who can read people around here, Dimps,” Birdy remarked, a smile playing on her lips.

Birdy’s smile drew one out of Harry almost too easily, his tongue running over his bottom lip before he leaned closer to her. “Well, I would like to see these Christmas knickers Niall was going on about.”

Birdy’s eyebrows went up in surprise. “Oh really?”

“Yes ma’am.”

She hummed, nodding slowly. “If you end up on the nice list you might be able to. Or if I end up on the naughty list. Either or, your chances are looking pretty nice right now.”

Harry laughed, his green eyes flashing up before they went back down. “I’ve also got this Christmas wish of mine that you could very possibly grant for me.”

“Little old me?”

“Yes, you,” He confirmed playfully. “I’ve been wondering – hoping actually –  if, uh, if it was possible for you to maybe–”

He hadn’t finished his sentence before a loud whistle cut him off, followed by Louis’ voice.  “Do you lot want to join our drinking game? Or would you rather gaze lovingly into each other’s eyes while we’re all pissed out of our minds?”

Harry laughed awkwardly. “We were actually–”

“A drinking game?” Birdy repeated, her attention piqued. “What kind?”

“It’s called ’All I Want For Christmas Is You,’” Liam said slowly, waving his hand in the air like the words were hovering above his head. “We go around and we all say what we want someone else to do for Christmas – a risqué, grown up version of course. If that person doesn’t do what they’re asked of then they take a shot.”

“It’s like truth or dare but without the truth, and Christmas-y,” Anastasia explained further. “But no worries, embarrassment is definitely still a part of it.”

“I’m gonna end up really drunk by the end of this, aren’t I?” Birdy asked candidly.

“There’s a very, very high possibility,” Darcy replied.

“Count me in then,” Birdy smiled, taking the shot glass that Niall slid her way. “You playing, Harry?”

Harry sighed, shaking his head before smiling half heartedly. “I’ll pass. I drove.”

“You could sleep at mine! Come on,” She insisted, shaking her boyfriend’s arm repeatedly. “Pleaseeeeee?”

“I’m alright, I promise,” He said, giving her hand a squeeze before leaning against the counter. “Besides, it’s been awhile since I saw you all make arses of yourselves.”

“Say no more, Styles!” Louis exclaimed. “I’ll go first. All I want for Christmas is for Santa Claus Horan to take me on his sleigh.”

More laughter followed, along with the clatter of Niall’s shot glass once he drained it in one go.

“Oh my god,” Birdy said, running a hand over her face as she moved closer to her bathroom mirror. “I am so drunk right now.”

She staggered backwards, accidentally running into Harry who grabbed her by the waist and steadied her. Birdy had been drunk enough times to know how to handle herself whenever she was, but she couldn’t deny that having an extra set of eyes to keep track of her didn’t hurt. Especially on nights when she was feeling as wasted as she was right then. Harry always took care of her, most times more than she felt she needed to be. But that’s how he had always been, constantly making sure that she was alright.

“I should have dropped out sometime after the eighth. The ninth one was that big holy grail moment. The whole ‘you should stop now but you know you won’t’ kind of thing,” She rambled on, shutting the lights off in the bathroom before beginning to stalk towards her bedroom. “But I’m much too stubborn. You know I don’t like backing down from a challenge.”

“I know, baby,” Harry indulged her with a laugh, following behind her. “It’s one of your best and worst qualities.”

“It’s definitely one of my worst,” She said before flopping onto her bed and closing her eyes. “I’m giving up drinking.”

“Really?” Harry asked with a clear tone of disbelief. He sat down beside her, his fingers pushing the hair out of the way so he could see her face. “Now that would be the day.”

“I mean it, Harry,” She tried to say adamantly, trying not to slip over her words. “From this moment forward I am done with liquor. I’m a new woman.”

“New Years is right around the corner, Bird.”

She paused, swearing under her breath once she realized he was correct. “It’ll have to be after that then because New Year’s is always best when you’re a little bit drunk.”

“Just a little bit?”

“…A lotta bit.”

Birdy wasn’t sure if Harry’s doubt annoyed her due to his lack of faith or just showed how much her boyfriend truly knew her drunken ways. Either way, she was far too inebriated to worry about it.

“The room’s spinning a bit,” Birdy confessed, her words muffled by her duvet. She was sure that Harry had heard her regardless though, considering how he kicked off his shoes and slid further up the bed, pulling her into his lap afterwards. She closed her eyes, breathing in the familiar scent of his cologne and body wash. No matter how far away she might have felt mentally, he always brought her back to some semblance of reality.

“If you throw up on me, I’m leaving,” Harry remarked with a poke to Birdy’s side.

“I wasn’t planning that but it could always be arranged,” She muttered into the crook of his neck with a smirk on her face. “Anyway, you can’t leave. Cause I won’t see you again until after New Years and I’d like a bit more time with you.”

“You’ve been with me most of the day. That’s not enough for you?”

Birdy shook her head slowly. “I’d be around you all the time if you’d let me. Unfortunately, you find me irritating and call me mental all the time so that doesn’t happen.”

“But am I lying?”

“’Tis the season to be a dick, I guess,” Birdy scoffed while Harry chuckled right against her forehead, stopping only to press a kiss against her skin, making her even warmer than she already was. “M’gonna miss you. Truly. I’ll be in Leeds eating Yorkshire puddings and missing the hell out of you. Meanwhile you’ll be in an island paradise. Life is not fair.”

She’d expected a declaration of the same caliber from Harry’s end, one where he went on about just how much he would be thinking about her in the sunny weather or how he would avert his eyes every time he saw a woman slicked down in oil, but instead there was silence. Just Harry combing through her hair in a way gentle enough to put her asleep right there and then.

“You know, I’ve been trying to ask you something all day,” He finally spoke after another long bout of silence. Birdy was so beside herself that she couldn’t even pinpoint what he was talking about. “Should have been asking you this a long time ago actually.”

“Asking me what?” Birdy asked quietly, opening one of her eyes up. “Is it about my knickers? Cause you can see them if you want to. All you have to do is ask nicely.”

Harry chuckled, looking at Birdy like she was the most endearing thing in the world. “No, not your knickers. I’m sure they’re very nice though.”

“Are you sure? They light up.”

“Yes, Birdy. I’m sure.”

“Then what?”

He shrugged his shoulders. “I was gonna ask if you wanted to come.”

Birdy’s eyebrows went up in an inconspicuous fashion. “So you don’t want to see my knickers but you’re asking me if I want to come? Because the answer will always be yes.”

“Jesus, Bird,” Harry ran a hand over his face, looking at her incredulously. “I meant if you wanted to come on holiday with me.”

Birdy couldn’t help but widen both of her eyes, pushing herself up so she could look at him properly. “To Punta Cana?” She asked for clarification.

“Yeah,” Harry said. “If you wanted to.”

“‘If I wanted to?’ Harry, do you know the level of that request? That’s at least six Christmas presents all in one,” She scoffed, shaking her head. “Mad, that.”

“I should’ve asked you earlier but I kept getting cut off,” He continued. “I also didn’t know how you’d feel about it, considering how last minute the request was. Plus, you always do Leeds and I know that your mum’s Christmas dinners could have stories written about them and it’s all very last minute but–”

Birdy shushed him before he could finish, putting a finger up to his lips. She wasn’t in a place where she could comprehend his long winded sentences. “You’re inviting me to Punta Cana and you think my mother’s roast is going to hold me back?”

“You say that like her roasts aren’t out of this world,” Harry replied before biting at Birdy’s finger, which she responded to with a frown. “I figure it’s too late for you to reconsider now.”

“Says who?” She questioned with a laugh. “If I wasn’t completely smashed I would be packing right now.”

“Your family wouldn’t hate me if I whisked you away?”

“Would take a lot for them to do that. I guarantee they’ll manage just fine without me,” She said with assurance in her muffled tone. “Mum might have something to say but she’ll get over it. Win and Finn will be able to take third and fourth servings of food without a side eye and Izzy will just ask me to pick her up something. A t-shirt or a man, one or the other.”

“I am not at all surprised,” Harry said, looking pleased. “We can give it another day or two. Time for the both of us to pack and for you to sober up.”

“You don’t think this would be the perfect way to link with your family in the DR? Heavily under the influence?” Birdy asked sarcastically, prompting Harry to let out a loud cackle.

“Your choice, love. Might loosen you up a bit,” He retorted with a shrug.

“Don’t tempt me,” Birdy waggled her eyebrows, nuzzling back into Harry’s neck and letting her eyes fall back closed. “I just have one question for you.”

Harry went back to combing through her hair, his milky tone replying back, “Anything.”

“Are you packing the tequila or should I?”

[clicksubmit123]

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