Hi Lis! I can't help with suggestions of where to go since I'm a west coaster. But I can completely and wholeheartedly agree with Laura and Gin. Take lots of xanax, valium or something similar. If you don't want to take it, slip it into the kids' juice. And start planning a quiet, private, child-free trip NOW for you and Carlos for after your family vacation. Trust me, you will need one. I'm speaking from experience here..................... We took a 14 year old and two 19 year olds to Maui last year. They weren't nearly as annoying as younger kids and I still ran out of xanax before the trip was over. Luckily for me, a lady that worked at one of the galleries I visited several times while we were there felt my pain. She very kindly dipped into her personal valium stash (she needed them to deal with all those pesky tourists) and shared with me. She was my personal savior from that point on. I personally believe that vacations with children aren't vacations at all. They are some sort of cosmic penance for past transgressions.

Yesterday we pulled out our old snorkeling equipment and decided that it needed to be replaced. I had already bought a new snorkeling mask that has a camera (640 video and 8 megapixel stills), but the piece that holds the snorkel to both Kevin's and my masks was broken, Kevin only had bodyboarding fins, and one of my snorkeling fins had a tear in the back. My snorkeling equipment dated back to 1977 when I first started going to Cozumel, and so it is over 30 years old (hard to believe). Anyway, we went to Sports Chalet because they have the best selection of scuba equipment (and also have classes), and it was close. While there I bought a new mask because I liked the fit and color (clear with a translucent aqua stripe around the lens), a new snorkel (clear, to match the new mask), new fins (silver - don't match, but had to get what they had in my size), and then I decided to ask about a camera that we could use on our mountain bikes. I was standing in front the the display for the cameras when I asked if they had any - I often cannot see things that are right in front of me. I ended up buying a gopro camera that is also waterproof and will take 1080 HD video as well as still photos, but I plan to use it only for video. It came with a helmet mount, as well as a surfboard and handlebar mount, but I decided to order a chest mount to go with it, which was not expensive. I did have to buy the memory separately, and that was not so cheap. I had to buy memory for the mask camera as well, but I had already ordered that. I also got a couple of spare batteries. Anyway, we should be able to document our trip fairly well - similar to our trip to Taxco. Lars

Thanks for all the help everyone! I will use this thread as a reference over the coming months as we work through our plans with the architect and builder. trail, I had put only 1.5 baths on my "critical needs" list, and 2 bathrooms on my "desirable wants" list. I'll switch the 2 bathroom to the need list. Counter space. I expect this may come down to - do I have an island (or peninsula or something) for extra counter space, or do we use the dining table as prep? Looking forward to hearing any more advice you think of! angela12345, we may rent the place out to friends or acquaintances once in a while, but primarily it is just for us. Great advice about noting the things we use frequently in our primary kitchen, I'll do that. Sleeps 26, holy cow!! Our place won't be nearly big enough for that, but I do want to be able to sleep 8 comfortably, and up to 10 or 12 on air mattresses or pull out couches. For the next few years the most likely over night guest scenario is one other couple and 2 to 3 additional kids (in addition to our two). We will need one bedroom big enough for a couple of bunks I think. I agree about small bedrooms otherwise. If DH and I do end up living there semi-permanently after the kids grow up we could consider merging two bedrooms to come up with a more spacious master bedroom (if needed). dilly - absolutely! :) Thanks again rainwood. Interesting that your LR is the smaller space. We frequently have 'girls' weekends at various cottages off season, usually spring or fall. That is when I find we need the bigger living space - usually there are a few of us playing games at the DR table, a few reading magazines in the LR, a couple napping, etc. Usually we are 8-10 women for these weekends. We will have a screened-in porch and will likely either be out on the lake or on the porch from May to September. But off season people seem to like gathering around the fireplace/stove and chatting/reading, etc. Hopefully our architect will be able to create multi-functional spaces for us, given the small(ish) overall size of the cottage. maire-cate, great space saver recommendations, thank you. Noted! kaismom: I think your recommendation is closest to what I had in mind - abundant comfortable seating, large communal tables open to the kitchen. Most kitchens I see with this sort of open/communal type setting are unfitted. I'd love an unfitted kitchen (like mtn is considering) but I assume I need at least one very efficient fitted run (galley like) given the small space we will likely be looking at. No doubt the architect can help with this, but I do want to give him some preliminary guidance. During summer (only about 4 months here) we will cook and spend almost all time outdoors. We'll use the bbq for cooking for about 7 or 8 months a year probably, but will likely eat indoors off season. Unless we put an outdoor fireplace in our screened-in porch and make it 3-season friendly ... but that is a big maybe and probably a few years off. The pantry is on my "critical needs" list for the architect. Rosie - "What I'd really want if I could have it, though, is a rectangular window seat with a fabulous view of the water and goings-on inside and out, like our friends. Everyone always wants to sit there, and it's the most valuable real estate in the house--cantilevered off its side." - sounds like a great area. You don't have a pic by any chance? It sounds very intriguing. Crockpots are a good idea. They just take up space though, but I can bring them up for the big cooking weekends (which will likely only be 2-3x per year). localeater - that is DH's only point on our "critical needs" list - an area for kids that is away from the main living area for those rainy days, esp. in spring or fall. I agree that open loft spaces aren't ideal given noise issues, so we are probably looking at space in a walk-out basement. Our site is sloped so a walk-out makes sense I guess (I didn't want one originally, but I'm coming around to accept it). Given our budget and the site, the basement makes sense.

Wow, JTerri, that does look nice. Looks like hotel developers noticed the same thing I did ... the hotel stock in most of the Keys is a little long i n the tooth and they need some new investment. OTOH I am reluctant to choose an unopened hotel and the last time I did so it was not finished in time! Anyway, the Eau Palm is booked already for the dates I want!? And my family thinks I am crazy for planning so far in advance.Hrmmph. Now I have my heart set on something with a fun, hip PB vibe like that. Which I find more on Air BnB. I don't care so much that they won't be oceanfront (we see plenty of that already) but worry they will flake on me in high season! Funny, Bonnie Ann, I remember being in KW and being told ... its only 90 miles to Cuba and it seeming soooo exotic. ETA ... OMG, look at this listing! I thought there was a person in the family room. I would never rent this unless it was dipped in Lysol first. https://www.airbnb.com/rooms/12782884?guests=8&s=EQGRvyCN