Sunday-Funday!

I am really bad at keeping up with blogs sometimes.. I know they don't need to be much, but sometimes I just don't make the time!  This is going to be short and more picture focused but a reminder of the GOOD things that we have here - living in the Caribbean!

On St. Patrick's Day we went on a Catamaran trip to Nevis with many great people.  It was a lot of fun and made Brayton and I both grateful for the availability to have experiences like that at our fingertips!

The following Sunday was spent at work ... all morning long!!  My mom was coming to island and I needed to get ahead.. What does hard work lead to?  THE BEACH! =)  We spent the afternoon with our beloved pets at our favorite beach - Major's Bay.

Before the beach - a little preview of the life our babes live!

Eating is hard work... 

Onto the Beach!  

Little man starting to get water braver!! 

With a little wrestling! 

and a little whole digging! 

My girl is SO MUCH FUN!  Look at her jump! 

A little snorklin' 

Proof of a good day! 

Sea Treasures

Goats on a hill

The view.

So brown.. no rain here! 

The Monkey's were out to play on our way home! 

A tired puppy = success!! 

Being grateful for our opportunities on the island! <3

Gong!

Luckily we have found some great people to hang out with while on the island for Christmas!  Catherine and Matt took us out to Gong beach last week (a beach on the Atlantic side of the island - real name Sandy Bank Bay ) that we had not been to yet!  It was fun to venture over to the Atlantic side again as most of our 'beach time' is on the Caribbean side (which has waves comparable to the River on a dead calm day!).  We spent our time there playing like kids in the waves and chasing the dogs around the beach!  It felt so great and reminded me so much of North Carolina and our fun there!  It also made me miss everyone from home too!



Here are some photos to help you better understand the rough life we have had over this Christmas Break!

Some buggie - boarding!

The view to the left

The view to the right

Its always a good day for snorkeling in St Kitts!

Phew!

And he makes it back to shore!

What happened?!?!

Hold your breath!

Who says a cute little dog can't surf?!

My favorite photo of the day!  Catherine's dog liked to dig! 

the view again

Ahh the beach!

Needless to say - we have done a lot of THIS over break!  It has been very relaxing and much needed for both of us!  I have missed home a lot though, and look forward to being home in April!

Tuesday.

Since we were given free breakfast for Orientation, we all piled out of bed by 7:30 and met for breakfast and then headed to the beach for the morning!  We were at Shipwreck by 8:30, and were the only ones there (I mean who really goes to a beach at 8:30 am!! - we do, and it was hot!)  We all swam out to the sand bar, chatted and hung out and had a great morning.  By 10:30, Brayton and I were off snorkeling with some other students.  We got to see a sea turtle and it was so amazing - Brayton loved it!  We also saw many colorful ocean fish, a school of cuddle fish, some lobsters, a lionfish and a puffer fish!  The ocean bottom is an amazing place - I can't wait to learn to scuba.....

Unfortunately, we had to leave the beach by noon to head back to campus for more orientation.  Brayton headed to campus for 'Welcome To Ross' and ' Welcome To St. Kitts' lectures where they put the fear of the island in you!  I was able to go to school and work in my classroom.  I still feel very overwhelmed and nervous about what I am doing, the curriculum, and everything!  I was able to get some things accomplished though!  Everyone there is very helpful!!  Brayton came home to tell me I was never aloud to leave his presence without telling him where I was going, what I was doing and who I was with...purely for safety!  Apparently their presentation with the intent to scare, worked!

We headed over to the Marriott for dinner and drinks tonight and I again will say, it is amazing there!  We all sat around on comfy couches, were waited on, served great drinks, Brayton was able to have freshly made sushi...and I ate my salad!  The food was really goooood!  We also walked around the pool and outside there.  It was so beautiful!  I was suckered into buying a local beaded bracelet from one of the locals selling things at the craft market - it is very Caribbean ish!!

The busy-ness, heat and change in life is catching up...we are exhausted tonight!  Hoping for lots of sleep and a productive day in my classroom tomorrow while Brayton sits through lectures!  Busy...Busy!!!

Another day in paradise!

View of the island as we were driving to the beach today

Shipwreck Beach

The view from the beach

Us at breakfast

Today we woke up to another beautiful morning, overlooking the ocean and the sunny skies!  We all headed out to Sunset Cafe for a nice breakfast overlooking the ocean.  The food was great!  We then headed to Shipwreck Beach.  It was a really nice place, with monkey's and mongoose all over the place,  a great little beach bar/restaurant, warm, blue, clear water and lots of other Ross Students.  We pretty much spent the day either laying on the beach chairs or standing in the water enjoying the day!

Us at Shipwreck Beach

We came home around 3 and took a 2 hour nap - much needed!  Dinner at Ciao was really good - I never expected to get an awesome chicken parm. on a Caribbean island! We are exhausted, all this heat and nice weather is not normal for us yet!  I am sure we will be used to it in no time =)

They liked to hang out on the cars!  

Check out the awesome monkey pictures!  There were mom's with little babies wrapped around their bellies, and they were so cute!  They are amazing creatures to just sit and watch!

Monkey's - note the mom and baby on the left