Earning A Luxe Mexico Getaway With Grit, Humor, And Matching Hats

A resort welcome cocktail you can only get in your room. A concierge who answers in minutes. Swim-up patios that make morning coffee feel like a small miracle. We set out for Riviera Maya on a trip we earned with hard work, and came home with stories that blend luxury, leadership, and the kind of laughter that travels well.

We walk through the parts that made this getaway stand out: pillow menus, aromatherapy choices, a fully personalized minibar, and that Mayan Jungle drink our husbands tried to order at every bar. We’re honest about the misses—fine-dining dishes that needed more seasoning—and equally generous about the wins, like custom straw hats painted poolside, plush robes that begged to be packed, and a breakfast spread that never let us down. Along the way, we share how incentive travel shifted our mindset from “maybe” to “we did it,” and why small, thoughtful touches matter more than hype.

A highlight was dinner with our CEO, Laurent, whose soft-spoken, approachable style reframed what leadership can look like. We sat beside him, swapped family stories, and talked about vision, growth, and building a culture that feels human. Watching our teammate Tammy, a newer builder, celebrate her first earned trip reminded us that access creates belief—and belief changes the work you’re willing to do.

Of course, travel adds its own twist. Montezuma’s Revenge made a late appearance, sparking a candid chat about bottled water, risk, and the balance between caution and joy. We wrap with practical takeaways for all-inclusive travel, a grateful nod to the sponsor who cares for little smiles, and a plan to wear our Mardi Gras dresses on a future coffee talk just because joy deserves a stage.

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Transcript

Cold Open And Welcome

SPEAKER_02 0:00

Port of Valorda. Varlorda. I cannot say that right. And that's how my mama would say it. Port of Porto Vior Varlorda. Or something. I can't say it. She would say Porto Valorda. Port of Valorda. Yeah, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 0:12

Welcome to Coffee Talk with the Cajun Mamas. Grab a cup of coffee, settle in, and let's dive into real conversations about life, motherhood, and a little inspiration to brighten your day.

SPEAKER_03 0:25

Welcome to Coffee Talk with the Cajun Mamas. Today we have uh a great story of our travels for you. Uh so recently we went to Mexico. We're gonna tell you all about that. Um, but first we're gonna thank our sponsor, Dr. Ainsley Oye, at um Little Pearls Pediatric Dentistry in Lafayette. She is trying to build good, healthy teeth habits for your for your child. And you're supposed to really start bringing them to the dentist as soon as their first tooth comes out, um, just to make sure everything's looking good, everything's, you know, we we can really get a good look at what the mouth's gonna be, and um and she can really instill those good habits, especially if you're a first-time mom, you don't really know.

SPEAKER_01 1:13

You don't really know. Yeah, I didn't know. Yeah, you know, second go round, I knew that I was supposed to be brushing those little baby teeth.

SPEAKER_03 1:18

Or bringing them to the dentist. I don't think I ever remember going to the dentist before I was five.

SPEAKER_01 1:22

Yeah. You know, like no, but we know more now than we did. Yeah, for sure.

SPEAKER_03 1:27

And there and luckily there are pediatric dentists that can help that help just with children. She's also her and her team are special they specialize in pediatric dentistry, so it's for kids, but also those with uh special needs, um, and that their uh dental anxiety, all the things. So building this uh lifelong positive experience is what they all about at uh Little Pearls. And so give them a call at uh 337-568-0322 or check out their website uh at LittlePearlsDDS.com and they're located in Lafayette. So I mean anybody, like I said, I would travel for a good a good doctor as long as everybody's comfortable. Yes, a good experience. So y'all give them a lookup and um and see what they all about at Little Pearls. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 2:20

Okay, so recently, uh last month, February, we went to Mexico to Playa del Carmen on an all-include Yeah, it was Playa del Carmen.

SPEAKER_03 2:31

Riviera Maya Maya. Where did you when did you go to Playa del Carmen? Because I ain't been for quite some time.

SPEAKER_01 2:36

Yes, okay. Yeah. So that's close by. It's close, but anyway, it was Riviera Maya.

SPEAKER_03 2:41

It's close. Um they are the same.

SPEAKER_01 2:43

Yeah, it was an hour plus drive from the airport. I do know that. That felt like it took forever.

SPEAKER_03 2:48

Yes. And for those of you who are out there thinking, well, it must be nice. I love it. It must be nice. We heard that oh, so many times. And it's like, I bet you people just see us on our trips and think we're just chilling on the cash. We're rolling in the dove in here. No, we actually earned this trip with uh with Lime Life, the skincare and makeup company that we work with. And we we put in the work for it. Sure did. And we both earned all expenses paid to this um all-inclusive resort. All inclusive resort. It was called the Unico.

SPEAKER_01 3:25

Um, and then we earned our husband's uh fair, like their stake. The flights. And the flights. Yes. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 3:32

And when we got there, I think we were treated like royalty even more than the last one.

SPEAKER_01 3:39

It was, yeah. We this is our second trip that we earned with Lime Life. We went to Mexico last year, but on the other side, um, Puerto Valorta area. Puerto Voltaire. Puerto Valorta. Vallorda.

SPEAKER_02 3:50

I cannot say that right. And that's how my mama would say it. Porto Porto Valorta or something. I can't say it. She would say Porto Valorta. Puerto Valorta.

Comparing Last Year’s Mexico Trip

SPEAKER_03 4:00

Yeah, yeah. For the last time. Yes, because when we when we landed, I was kept calling it Puerto Vallorda. And it was like Puerto Vallarta.

SPEAKER_01 4:08

Puerto Vallarta. Yes.

SPEAKER_02 4:10

No, Puerto Vallorda.

SPEAKER_01 4:11

Anyway, that was uh last year, and it was so nice, but I really, yeah, I feel like this year was even nicer. It was from the time we walked in, just royalty, I tell you. The resort was top notch. The only complaint I have is about the food to me.

SPEAKER_03 4:31

It was not the best.

SPEAKER_01 4:32

It wasn't. The resort that we stayed at last year. The food was at the Valorta resort. Yeah. It was. Um, but but you know the rooms here were nicer at the Unico. We had um, we were each on a ground level, so we had a swim up uh like little pool thing. Like you opened the doors and it was funny. Yeah, it was um like a nice little bench where you could lay down. They had hammocks, they had two chairs in the water, and it was like a swim up thing to your room. That was like look just luxurious.

Room Perks And Personalized Luxury

SPEAKER_03 5:08

It was so nice. So nice. Uh when I think about it, that was my favorite part. It was the room, you know, like it was just it was a big suite. They had things in the little mini bar and they didn't charge you for them for the snacks and stuff.

SPEAKER_01 5:21

Yeah, you got to pick what you wanted in there too, like before the the this experience started before we got there. Yeah, because they sent us an email and you could click the link and you could personalize your room. Okay, that was the most impressive to me. I knew we were in for the treat when we got that email. Uh-huh. You could they had a pillow menu? Like you could pick what kind of pillow, like firm or soft or whatever.

SPEAKER_03 5:44

You need one for the middle of your knees, you know. And I'm like, Yeah, I do. I really do. You know? Yes. So they they had a pillow menu, they had a um aromatherapy. Aromatherapy. You choose your scent that you want the turn down service to put. And also, what was your favorite, your husband's favorite thing?

SPEAKER_01 6:01

You get to pick a signature cocktail to be waiting on you when you get there. And ours was called the Mayan jungle. I didn't never see my husband so happy. Like he loved that Mayan jungle the whole time.

SPEAKER_03 6:13

The whole time. And and the the sad part was it was only available as a welcome drink.

SPEAKER_01 6:18

In the room.

SPEAKER_03 6:19

You could not get it at the bars anywhere because he tried.

SPEAKER_01 6:22

He tried at every bar. And uh finally, uh, we had like a little uh we had our a personal like concierge assigned to each of us. Oh, I loved that. I know, me too. So um, like we had to download the WhatsApp because I don't even have that. So we got the WhatsApp, and that was how we communicated with our little concierge guy. And so I said, You want a mind jungle, baby? Hold on. And I get out my phone and I texted my little boy, and uh, I was like, Can we have another mind jungle in the room? And he said, Absolutely. He did, he brought him one.

SPEAKER_03 6:54

He did, yes, see now I wish I would have done that because I really wanted to taste that. That's my only regret. Oh, your only regret. Not my only regret, but that is a regret that I have. Um, but the the but it was just nice. I missed out because I thought like that was just something you was gonna have to pay extra for. So I didn't do it until it was like we were in the airport and then we were talking about it. I'm like, oh, I better go do this, you know. So, but I ended up getting some of the perks anyway. But I just thought, wow, we don't even have to pay for this.

SPEAKER_01 7:24

And you got to pick what drinks you wanted stocked in your little fridge, too. Yeah, you could have some cokes or some beers or water or just.

Concierge Wins And Signature Cocktails

SPEAKER_03 7:34

I texted him and I said, I I if you don't mind, I need some more of this, or I need some, I don't remember, there's something else I texted him for. And oh, some coffee, member. Oh, yeah. They kept putting coffee in there. So what's the deal with it? I need some dark coffee. And so, yes, ma'am, they came and put it in the room. So it was just luxury to store off with. Okay, yeah. Not to we didn't even tell you about the robes. I had to buy a robe on the way out. You bought a whole robe to take home. I did, and I put that thing on. It's like a it's like a sweatshirt robe. It even got like a hood, like a jersey material. I don't know. I loved it. And um, and then they had like these little shoes you could like shoe around the apartment.

unknown 8:20

You shoe around.

SPEAKER_03 8:21

And then they're not the same at home. I threw that away because it was just like some little, you know, pedicure shoes or whatever, but they were kind of nice. But yeah.

SPEAKER_01 8:29

And um and then the hats though. Oh yeah, yeah. So each room had um some little straw hats. One was like a little lady's hat with a big brim, and the other one was like a shorter brim for a man or whatever. Or you could either way, it's just two different styles of hats. But the cool thing there, like you take your hat down by the pool, and they have artists that were set up and you could paint, they would paint designs on your hat for you. So, like, we'd each got a little custom, like a souvenir. Yeah, you know, that was included. I thought that was so sweet.

SPEAKER_03 8:59

Well, that was so cute and so like different, you know, because you always come home with a magnet or whatever, um, or a bathrobe. But you uh you know, like the hat's cute. I don't know. And we took some cute little pictures on the beach with our hats. It was I thought it was sweet. It was. Um, like you said, the food. Uh-huh. I know uh the breakfast was good. I like the breakfast. And and it's but it's hard to miss a breakfast, really.

SPEAKER_01 9:22

I mean, really, yeah, it is.

SPEAKER_03 9:24

When you have an omelet station and all the French toast you want, yeah. I I just liked it.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

Yeah, I agree. The breakfast was good. Um some of the fine dining restaurants though, no, I mean, I don't think and and and I know we always say when we travel, like the food's not seasoned enough. But with a little salt, you know, I just feel like a little salt would have gone a long way at some of these dishes.

SPEAKER_03 9:48

Yeah. I I just don't know who was out there saying this is what I want on the menu. Because when our poor little husbands got their risotto risotto with that uh poor little pieces of what was it?

Resort Extras: Robes, Slippers, Custom Hats

SPEAKER_01 10:02

Bra it was a was it beef or pork that was braised or something, was supposed to be like, I don't know, super tender or whatever. I got the risotto too, and my most of my beef meat was just fat and gristle.

SPEAKER_03 10:16

Yeah, no. No, we was not happy with that night. But anyway, the drinks were good. The drinks were good, yes. We did, we did, we did get some good drinks. We had uh a couple of coffee talks by the pool that were fun too. Yeah, and um, and it was Lime Life's birthday, so we had a birthday celebration. We had lots of content from this Mexican vacation. I don't know if you saw them. We had coffee talk. Well, it wasn't a coffee talk, it was a uh margarita talk in the pool. And we did some people watching. We did um I tackled you in the pool. You did tackle me. Got some funny moments from the for the for Cajun Mama stuff, but then also we uh we were invited to have dinner with our CEO, Laurent Billion. Yes, and he is just so I just love him so much. He's precious, he's so precious, and um he he is our CEO as of you know, like I don't know how long has he been? Over a year.

SPEAKER_01 11:19

I feel like about a yeah, a year since last November. Yeah, we made a year.

SPEAKER_03 11:23

We made a year, but and we've just really gotten the chance to um and talk about the company and really see what his vision is for our company, and it's just it's it's been so nice and the growth over a whole year, yeah. Um just getting to know him and and all of our home office has been great. Um, but we got to sit at the table with him because we earned the entire trip for two.

Food Highs And Lows At The Resort

SPEAKER_01 11:50

We were one of eight, I think. Well, two of eight that earned the trip for us and a guest. Um and yeah, that was an unexpected surprise. I mean, I literally sat next to him. Yeah. And we were just kind of talking. He's asking me about my family, and I was asking him about his family. And he's he is very French, very like speaks good English, but like uh sometimes I'm like, I have to have to watch, I have to watch his mouth. And and if I can see how his lips move, I can understand him. But if I'm not watching him, sometimes I'm like, I don't know what he just said. And he's soft spoken too. He's very soft spoken now.

SPEAKER_03 12:28

Yeah, you gotta put that into the factor. And sometimes we're like loud, especially like if we're in a meeting or whatever.

SPEAKER_01 12:36

Well, and a bunch of women together, I mean, cackling and and talking, like he's gonna he he's come a long way though from where he first started. Like, we yeah, he knows to project whenever we're gonna.

SPEAKER_03 12:46

I feel like I feel like though when you think of a CEO, you think of somebody really buttoned up, and he's just not that. I feel like he's completely humble, like so approachable, like I don't know. I love him, I love him. Yes. Um, but anyway, we got to sit with him at a very beautifully decorated table that was bougier than all the other things.

SPEAKER_01 13:07

So bougie. The uh what you would call it, not welcome party, the opposite of welcome party, like the fine finale party. What what did they call it? The goodbye party. I don't know. I I feel like there's a name I'm trying to think of. There was a welcome party on the first day. Yes. Um, and so this was just like the big bash at the end. Um, totally catered. That was probably some of the better food that we had there. Yeah, I feel like that food was good. That was good. Um, and you know, drinks and music, and we danced, and that that was super fun. All outdoors, it was beautiful, um, decorated and stuff, and just like an experience that makes you go, I can't believe this is my life. Oh, yeah, for sure. You know, like wow, when you think of how far we've come with our business in Lime Life, and also we had a teammate that earned the trip too with us.

SPEAKER_03 14:00

That was so special to see.

Pool Content, Parties, And CEO Dinner

SPEAKER_01 14:02

Um, one of our one of our teammates, Tammy Shasson, she was there with her husband, and Tammy has only been really at this for a little over a year working her business, and she earned this all-inclusive trip.

SPEAKER_03 14:15

I didn't earn the getaway in my first five years.

SPEAKER_01 14:18

I know, you know. I know, and just and and there was a lot of first-time earners on this trip, and it just made me think like it's it's possible. Like, it's possible.

SPEAKER_03 14:29

It's so possible, and like so many first-time earners, and they had only been with the company for months. I know, you know, not years, months. And so uh some of them years, but yeah, a lot of them just months. And I was like, man, anything is possible. Yeah, and I didn't really think about that before I started working for this company. I never thought I would get out of charge point. So uh going to New York three times, going, you know, uh here and there, that's just not something that I thought was in the cords for me. But here we are, two times in Mexico. We had a great time. Yeah, we had a really, really great time.

SPEAKER_01 15:01

Um so now when we got home, it wasn't so until we got home. Um, yeah. So uh y'all ever heard of Montezuma's Revenge or they call it La Turista? Like, yeah. Um, I hadn't heard of that until it happened to me.

SPEAKER_03 15:19

I didn't hear of that. I knew you're not supposed to drink the water.

Leadership, Vision, And Company Growth

SPEAKER_01 15:22

You're not supposed to drink the water, they say. And they even had bottles of water next to the sink. And I didn't put two and two together. I did the first time we went to Mexico, but I was just living my best life. I just don't understand why I I I did it without even thinking. Like, I put the toothbrush underneath a sink faucet, brush my teeth, and then when I went to rinse my mouth out, I was like, oh my god, I was supposed to use the bottled water. Um, so then I rinsed my mouth with the water, but I had already put the toothbrush under. Don't know if that's what I actually did it. I really don't know. We'll probably never know. But when we were on the way home on the Friday um after our trip, we had on the last leg from Houston to Lafayette, my stomach was not happy with me. And I was just praying, like, Lord, get me home. Just please get me home. Don't let me, don't let me, don't let it come out either in, Lord, let me get home, please. Um, and so he was very gracious in that and so merciful, so merciful because a lot of people had commented, I had made a post about this that I was sick, sick, sick, sick, and a lot of people were saying uh happened to me, and it was the worst plane ride home of my life.

SPEAKER_03 16:37

And I just thought, oh my god, could you imagine being sick on the plane?

SPEAKER_01 16:41

No, no, no, no, no, no. So he was very merciful, and I made it home, and then I got sick like a dog. And the entire next week of that, I was nauseated every day that week. And you know, uh who knows? I might have had a parasite in me, you know, might still might steal because I didn't go to the doctor. Nah. You know, didn't take you uh ivomectin? No, I didn't I don't have any myverme. I didn't have any ivamectin on hand. No.

SPEAKER_03 17:10

Because you know what they say. They say they all come out when you take the ivamectin.

SPEAKER_01 17:14

Yes. Um but I don't know. I call it horseymectin. Because it's all horse medicine. It's really for horses. So I call it horsey mectin. But why do you think they think it's alright for humans to take it? You can. Well, and it comes in pills too, like they have human forms of it, but like when when COVID was hitting, people was taking the horse medicine. Yeah. Because that's what was doing it. That was gonna be working, supposedly. And I'm not against that. No, if you want to take horsey mectin, you go for it, all right?

SPEAKER_03 17:47

Go for it. That's what I say. They was, they was all that's when it really started, COVID time. Yes, everybody was taking the ivamecton.

SPEAKER_01 17:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:56

The horsey mectin.

Gratitude And Team Member Wins

SPEAKER_01 17:57

Yeah. But so, yeah. But you got you got sick too. Okay, but not as bad. I don't it's not as high.

SPEAKER_03 18:04

Well, let me explain to y'all my experience because we we made sure that we were gonna be back to be able to go to the Marty Girl Ball on the Saturday. So we coming home on the Friday, okay. Morty Girl Ball is on the Saturday, and I I'm going because I'm on the court. Okay, so like I can't just say, ah, you know, I'll go next year. No, I'm on the court, I gotta go, okay. And I was happy to go. But just knowing that she was sick, and it and and I'm so like this. Anytime anybody throws up around me or has a virus or anything, I start feeling sick. Like my stomach will start crumbling. Like I know I'm gonna I know I'm gonna get it too. I'm gonna get it too. It's inevitable, and and God, I know it's gonna happen right before I go to the ball. So I'm not gonna make it. And then like you know, so um I prayed all that day, and I was like, God, please spare me from this. Uh baby, I prayed for my friend. And then right before the ball hit, I'm looking at my sister and I just I I did like this too, and I ran to the bathroom. My I'm in my all my dress and everything, my shoes come flying off of me and go run to the bathroom. And then after that, I felt much better. And so I make it to the ball, but I'm a little nervous that I'm gonna get other people sick. Ain't nobody else getting sick. They wasn't drinking the water in Mexico.

The Flight Home And Getting Sick

SPEAKER_01 19:36

And my and that's another thing. I know it was probably something we drank because or because my my husband didn't get sick, my kids didn't get sick, like and they were all around me. It wasn't a stomach virus, it was Monozuma.

SPEAKER_03 19:49

It was Montezuma's revenge. So uh mine definitely wasn't as bad as hers. Uh, because I I bounced back quite quickly from that.

SPEAKER_01 19:59

I was so sad to have to miss the ball though. Like, I was so sad.

SPEAKER_03 20:02

And I'm glad I went back because I ended up coming home with the crack. You sure did. So um, it was very much a traumatic experience. It was touch and go. And you feel it was very touch and go, and I was just like, oh my gosh, oh my gosh. I got to wear my pretty dress and all the things. But I do think we uh should have a coffee talk in our entire Marty Girl outfit. I have not told you this.

SPEAKER_01 20:26

I have not worn my I didn't get to wear my dress, so we should do a coffee.

SPEAKER_03 20:30

So we should do a coffee talk since we didn't have a chance to wear our dresses together and maybe even a photo shoot and take our pictures.

SPEAKER_01 20:38

I'm down, and you can put your crown on.

SPEAKER_03 20:39

And I'll put my crown on. So anyway, it I mean, it was a great trip. I and I told her, I said when we come back, I was like, uh, I brushed my teeth with the water. I didn't care. Uh-huh. And um, I would do exactly the same thing that I did again. I just except I would just use the bottled water on the side of the sink.

SPEAKER_01 20:57

I don't even know, like I said, if that's what did it or not, because people were commenting, did you eat fresh, did you eat any fruit there? Did you eat a salad? I'm like, we did all these things. Yeah, because everything. Why wouldn't you? Like you go in. I'm not gonna go, oh, did you have ice in your drink? Of course I did. I drank a margarita, it was blended in my drink.

SPEAKER_03 21:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:16

If I have to not do any of those things, I might as well stay home. Uh-uh. So I wouldn't change a thing. You hear me? So if you are going to Mexico or any travel destination where they say don't drink the water, just you know, bottle water it for sink purposes. But do the rest and live your life and just, you know, pray.

SPEAKER_03 21:35

Hopefully, it's like chicken pox and you only get it once, huh? We immune now. We just immune to it now. That parasite staying in there. All right. Well, we just wanted to share that experience with y'all for no reason.

SPEAKER_01 21:49

We share everything with y'all. And you know, y'all seem to like our travel adventures, so I hope you enjoyed that that rendition of our story.

Mardi Gras Ball Drama And Recovery

SPEAKER_03 21:57

Oh, it's never, it's never not a Shenanigan with us, let me tell you. That's right. Um, so uh yeah, thank y'all for listening to that, and thank you so much to Dr. Ainsley Oye for uh sponsoring with Little Pearls Pediatric Dentistry.

SPEAKER_01 22:13

Yes, uh Little Pearls is led by board-certified pediatric dentists, and they specialize in working with children of all ages and needs. They take the time to connect, educate, and empower both the kids and the parents. So if you're looking for an experience for your kids, especially if they're little, to try to get them used to going to the dentist and comfortable going to the dentist and having people, you know, in your mouth, like that that can be traumatic. Yeah. Like if you think about it for a kid, like you know, um, her whole team and her whole staff is trained um for for kids and to make them feel comfortable and to educate you on how to best support their dental health, you know, throughout their life. So if you're looking for a good pediatric dentist, please visit their website at littlepearlsdds.com. If you're in the Lafayette area, give them give them a try and see what she's all about. Um, the first visit under age two is actually free. So that's a good thing, too. They're located at 2912 Johnston Street in Lafayette, and you can call them at 337-568-0322. Thank you to Little Pearls for being our sponsor this month. And thank y'all for listening. We'll see y'all next week.

SPEAKER_00 23:21

Thanks for joining us on Coffee Talk with the Cajun Mamas. We hope you enjoyed your cup of coffee and our chat. Don't forget to subscribe and share with your friends. Until next time, keep the coffee brewing and the conversation flowing.