Spring

We've been playing outside a lot.  We've had a great spring.  March even had a week of 80 degree weather.  Which left us warm, and happy.

We wore sandals and painted our toes.  Liv was thrilled to put on the top coat.  She loved it so much that she painted 3 coats of clear over the top of the colors and the girls had to wait for what seemed like an hour for them to dry =0).

One day Beckham and I surprised the girls with milkshakes when they got home from school.  Beckaroo slurped his up in record time and Gwen quickly offered that he could share hers.  I was impressed because lets face it, it is ice-cream and I didn't want to share mine =0).

We've played a lot of red light, green light, scooter light.  A game that Brad and I enjoy right along with the kids.

Beckham was so excited to show me how big he was.  And that he had put on his own shoes =0).  He could barely walk in them.

St. Lucia |March 2012|

Last year, about this time, Brad and I started researching places to go for our 10th anniversary.  We wanted a hot, relaxing, small, french speaking, safe island in the caribbean.  We went through many options and eventually settled on St. Lucia.  

We left our house Friday Morning at 3:20am to drive to Portland.  We flew out of portland into JFK (1 hour) and then straight through from JFK to St. Lucia (4 hours)  We landed in St. Lucia at 2:30 in the afternoon.  

St. Lucia was just what I expected.  Only the islanders were even nicer than I imagined.  Our resort was exactly what we thought it would be.  Small, personal, private.  We took a couple of days to settle into the slower pace, and made the most of our time by alternating between relaxing on the beach, eating heavenly food, and exploring the island of St. Lucia.  After a lot of research we discovered that the most affordable, and most appealing way to see the island was to hire a driver.  Kimbert drove us all over the island.  He would drop us off, wait for us, and take us to the next spot.  On the way he stopped at scenic viewpoints, taught us how to eat local fruit and find it on the trees, and taught us about the historical background of the island.  He became our friend.  Brad broadened his French and Haitian by picking up bits of their creole. The locals thought it was pretty funny and enjoyed the white guy speaking their dialect. Here is a list of things I would like to remember:

1. Zip lining.  12 lines, the longest in the Caribbean.  The longest line: 800ft.  The fastest: 25mph.  Both Brad's and My favorite activity.  It was amazing.  On the last line, I literally felt like I was flying over the rainforest like peter pan.

2. Picking fruit by the side of the road.  Eating the jelly out of the cocoa pods.

3. Swimming under a waterfall

4. Hiking up Pigeon island.  Racing Brad to the top.

5. Visiting a stinky, stinky volcano and touching the stream that came from it (85 degree), and another hot spring(112 degrees)

6. Ocean Kayaking

7. Talking with the Rasta men

8. Dancing and playing the drums at a street party/Fish fry.

9. Visiting the Botanical Gardens and diamond falls.

10.  Sitting in the sun

11. Enjoying the food, breadfruit, and fresh fish.

12. Talking to the man who swam miles along the ocean coast fishing for octopus.

13. Meeting Snake man

14. Having a bird fly into our room every morning. 

15. almost stepping on a boa constrictor.

16. Snorkeling. (getting stung by hundreds of tiny jelly fish in the water, seeing a giant lobster.)

17. An oceanside, chocolate oil massage.

18. Walking up and down over 150 steps to our beach.

19. Eating a jelly coconut and drinking its juice through a straw.
20. Eating Tamarind.  Sour, tangy, and sweet.
21. Eating Casava bread.  Cherry and raisin.
22. Kimbert teaching us all of the medicinal purposes of the local fruits.
23.  The women at the market joking that they were Brad's Mom and Grandmother.
24. Making friends.
25. Being Lucky.

20. Learning to relax like a St. Lucian.  And loving the St. Lucian people.

It's His Birthday!!

I've been absent, but now I'm back.  And I will start off the string of updates with a very important celebration.  Happy Birthday to my BR.  Brad is a pretty amazing guy.  He is loving and kind, funny, smart, adventureous, and more. He's got a laugh and a smile that will make you happy.   34 years ago today he came into this world, and that makes me very happy.  Happy Birthday to my best friend!  I love you!

Reenie Rose

(Watch this video!)

I love art.  I love to admire artists, feel the energy that emanates from the beauty they create.  I love to see the world through their eyes.  Art gets me all revved up and makes me feel alive. . . cheesy I know, but true.  One of my good friends from High School is one of the most talented women I know.  Her paintings are amazing and her niche excites me.  Not so much because I feel strongly about it as because I'm proud of her for coming up with it and proud of her for making a name in it.  She is based out of Chicago and paints gorgeous images of bridal bouquets.  You could reach right in and pick them up. . . Take a look

Reenie Rose

One of my favorites!

One of my favorite yearly traditions includes snowmobiling with these guys. 

This year we hoped and hoped for enough snow.  We had to drive 2 hours away to find it.

I made everyone pose for the camera, and then we left it at home while we went on a 200 mile, one day ride!!!  Yes we are crazy =0).

These kids played for hours. . . . and then played some more.

And Chris spoiled us with amazing food.

Ninjas in the House

They asked me to pull out the Balaclava's because they had plans.  They played ninjas for the rest of the morning.

|Seeing this kind of Creativity in my kids is definitely one of my favorite things ever.|