Mimi at the Beach

It's hard to believe that we've been here for almost a year. Weird. This time last year, (February 20th to be exact) we found out we were accepted to MUA in Nevis.

My...what a year can do...

-We sold everything we own except for all of the "prized possessions" we thought we needed to put in 2 5X10 storage units in Arizona. We think about what the heck is in those storage units and wonder why we didn't get rid of it all.

-Dave quit US Airways, so our flight benefits went bye-bye too. Man how I miss those free flights.

-We moved to a teeny-tiny island called Nevis in the Caribbean. Lots of bugs, power outages, rain storms, good friends, and awesome beaches. Miss those Nevis beaches.

-Attended a teeny-tiny branch for the first time. Great times, strong testimony-building experiences, and lessons learned. Miss teaching the ESL class.

-Wasn't happy with MUA in Nevis, so Dave started looking at schools in St. Kitts and we transferred to UMHS in August.

-Mia and I traveled home to TX for my sister Heather's wedding. First time apart since we were married.

-My brother John was diagnosed, battled, and passed away from Colon Cancer in under six short months. Swift, painful, and devastating for our family. I miss him.

-First inter-island (and better be only) move to St. Kitts, to a new house, friends, and branch. Great move.

-And last, but not least, a new baby on the way! We are thrilled and excited for a new addition to our family in September. Mia and I will travel home to TX sometime in August for a few months to have the baby while Dave barrels through school here in the Caribbean. It will be hard to be apart, but a good decision to have the baby at home.

Wow...what a difference a year makes! That's a lot of info. Here's some more pictures of Mia at the beach to calm it all down...

Dora on Ice...in the Caribbean

So a few weeks ago, my friend Beth called me up on a lovely Saturday afternoon and said she had an extra ticket to Dora on Ice. I really had no idea what she was talking about. I had all the windows in my house open and I was sweating like a pig. Dora? On Ice? Where? I knew this was an adventure I COULD NOT miss out on, so I had to join the Allred clan and see this for myself.

The hubby had a big test to study for, so he had to stay home. I did bring him some brownie ice cream from Scoops after our outing, and that was all he needed. Sad he missed out though...Mia LOVES Dora, and she was so cute and excited, I know he would have loved to experience it with us.

So the ahem...auditorium was an outdoor field. The "stage" was like an 20 X 25 sheet of synthetic ice (whatever that means). The night started out with an annoying clown coming out and blowing a whistle and pointing at the audience. They love whistles in the Caribbean.

I thought the large blue container to the left of the stage was a special touch to the ambiance.

That's right. I never stop sweating and looking greasy around here...

The only brave Americans to venture out to Dora on Ice that night...don't we look HAPPY!!!??!!

As the "real show" started, so did the rain. Which now that I think of it, was probably the last time it rained on this island. Everything is brown around here now. Someone decided that they'd just drive their car out on the field and sit in it and watch the show to avoid getting wet. Nice solution!
Here's a little sampling of the Dora performance. The performance troupe was from Puerto Rico, so listen for their Puerto Rican accents singing the song and Mia chiming in.

When we got home that night, Dave was asking a ton of questions about how it went. He asked if they were doing tricks like triple axles. I said, "No. Not quite."

I Love YOU!!!!

Gardens and Primary

We were thrilled to finally plant our garden here in St. Kitts! Luckily, we have a private balcony far away from animals that we can safely keep our garden treasures.

First we had to go to the local "Home Depot," or in St. Kitts...Horsford's Building Center.

We knew we had to make it a family affair, so Dave and Mia did the dirty work, while I chilled and took pictures. Guess I wasn't in the mood to plant a garden that day.

We went well into nap time due to the fact that we started planting the garden around 1:00 pm. Mia was definitely ready for a bath and a nap when we were through.

After no time, we had the finished product! We have two things of lettuce, some spinach, tomatoes, cucumbers, and jalapeno peppers. We can't wait for fresh produce!!!!

In other news, I was called to work with the Primary children at church right after we moved to St. Kitts. We have a very cute and fun bunch of kids that, well, I've already fallen in love with. There's something about working with kids that speaks to my soul. For so many years I had my little classroom filled with 24-32 kids that called me their teacher. I loved it. It was my dream job.

When I had little Mimi, Dave and I decided that it was time for my love of teaching to move from the classroom to our home. I am blessed beyond belief to be able to continue to teach children even though I am not a professional teacher anymore. We are learning about how much Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ love us, and how to Choose The Right. They each got "CTR" rings the first Sunday of the year to remind them to make right choices. They are the highlight of my week!!!

Isn't this a beautiful picture?