Dave, Becky, Mia, and Kainoa Filhart

Here we go again

2011-11-04T22:00:00.004-04:00

SUPER MIA! The toddler, the legend...TO THE RESCUE!

And introducing Kainoa Bear as Mr. T., fool! The baby, the sidekick, THE MUSCLE!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN 2011!!!

Turning the BIG 3-7

2011-11-01T21:32:00.004-04:00

Dave turned 37 last month, and birthdays are a real big deal around here. Of course it started out with the traditional breakfast in bed...although I think Dave's birthday wish here (note the expression on his face) was to have breakfast in bed about 3 hours later than we did.

We had a great day spent together, and ended it with a big birthday cake and candles. I think Dave wished for his usual $1 million dollars, blew out the candles, and we chowed down.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DADDY!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

Lately...

2011-11-01T21:15:00.004-04:00

Kids getting to work "swabbing the deck"

Rides on Daddy's shoulders

Enjoying Asian grapefruit sent from Banoi in Arizona

Bike rides and THE BIG BLUE HORN! with Daddy

Wearing extra special dresses (this one from Vietnam from Banoi) to Church

And getting ready for Halloween of course!

Kai Bear is ONE!!!

2011-10-12T23:07:00.011-04:00

That happened fast! Our handsome little angel officially turned one, and we've loved everyday with him since the moment he entered our lives. So far, we have tons of ways to love him, and he has brought an infinite amount of love into our family.

First of all...he is ALL BOY. In every way. From banging on any and everything, to making messes out of everything he can, being a dare-devil (that one makes us crazy!!!), helping Daddy with very manly tasks (even playing the guitar), [and being super cute] he has changed the princess dynamic in our home...all for the better!

He loves his sister, Mimi. They share a beautiful friendship, and honestly I think we have the makings of partners-in-crime...and that sounds great to me! Kainoa loves, admires, ADORES Mia. He is always the first in the house to wake up whether its in the morning or from nap time, and he can not function without Mia. He only lasts for a few minutes before he bee-lines it to Mia's bedroom door, pounds on it until it opens, then he'll go over and pound on her bed and scream to wake her up. They are awesome buddies that love to spend time together, take care of each other, and kiss each other.

Kainoa is a trooper when it comes to traveling. In only one year of life, he has lived in San Antonio, Texas; St. Kitts, West Indies; and Carbondale, Illinois. He's pretty much rolled with our crazy med-school plans and is a super happy travel buddy.

Kainoa is our super chubby lover baby. [Check out those cheeks in the above picture for cryin' out loud]. I always wanted a chubby baby...always! Kainoa's chubs have provided hours of more adoring, squeezing, snuggling, and joy!

Kainoa LOVES to be outside! Any time a door opens...and shuts...he expects to be outside! If that doesn't happen, it is a guaranteed disappointed cry-fest. Whether it's playing in his pool, pushing toys in the driveway, or scaring Mommy and Daddy by playing by the drain ditch, he loves to be outside!

Did I mention he is the perfect cuddler? He is so snuggly, always has been...and still continues to be even though he is very mobile. He LOVES his Mommy and Daddy...loves to be held, loves to be snuggled. It's pretty awesome, and we don't mind one bit!

Kainoa...you have brought an unimaginable increase of love, fun, laughter, and admiration to our home. Who would have thought it was possible? We love you more than words can say...more than actions can express. You are our little boy...our son that we adore. Thank you for being our little angel baby, so easy, so fun, so loving and lovable. Our family is even more wonderful now that you are in it!

365 Filharts

2011-09-17T10:45:00.002-04:00

I started a new blog. I know. I already have problems keeping this one updated...however I had an idea on one of my morning walks this week...I want a simple, picture journal of daily memories from our family each year. I'm sure I'm not the first to think of this, but I'm hoping I can be committed to it because I think the results would be something we'd really treasure. It is sort of derived from my friend Abby's idea last year of "a picture a day." I want to keep these posts separate because the idea is that at the end of each year I will turn our 365 Filharts blog into a book of its own (i.e. "365 Filharts 2011," "365 Filharts 2012," etc.). I am sort of sad that I didn't keep better records of our experiences on the island because we had sooo many adventures and unique things happen that I know I've already forgotten!

I've linked it on the sidebar if any family or friends want to follow along and see little snippets of our life each day!

Filhart Family Reunion

2011-09-16T16:07:00.006-04:00

...in July. Yes, I am a mere two months late in posting this...but oh well. There are a multitude of reasons why we are grateful to be back in the U.S., and one of them is seeing family...and them coming to see US!!!!

Dave's parents, brother and sis-in-law [and kids of course!] came all the way to see us for a sweltering visit in July. It was so hot and humid outside you seriously could melt. It's not like they aren't used to it being H-O-T in Arizona, but I think the idea of getting out of Arizona in the summer is to escape the heat. That unfortunately didn't happen with this trip!

The visit was HOT (did I mention that?)...but full of lots of family bonding, lots of cousin time, and any attempts we could make to create memories, eat good food, and have fun! Of course all of those were accomplished complete with night fishing, homemade ice cream sandwiches, and lots of running around and laughing (kids of course). It was a great visit! Repeat next summer??!!??

Becky's Art Work!!

2011-08-23T13:37:00.003-04:00

Becky is too modest to post these, but I LOVE THEM...she painted them for our kids' room. The "Monkey" is my favorite!

You are sooo talented baby!

Thank you so much for making our home heaven on earth.

I love you, Becky. I love you.

-Dave

Carbondale, IL - 2011

Nothing Like a Trip to Nauvoo

2011-08-19T15:55:00.003-04:00

(Check out those toes...)

This picture cracks me up every time I look at it. Yes, 'tis true, we are poor students. Holes in the socks...EVERY pair we own. Of course, we got some new ones, but those are now getting holes in them too. We can not figure out how in the world this is happening. Must be another twilight zone medical school occurrance, or something.

So in June, my parents + two of my sisters + 3 of my nephews came up to these parts to see some Church history points of interest. My parents thought it would be a nice idea to take the next 3 grandsons that are preparing for missions to see some very important places that shaped the beginning of the church. I thought it was awesome that we live close by...and that they swung by to let me and the kids tag along for a little bit of it!

(Nauvoo Temple at Dusk)

We ended up staying right across the street from the temple, which was perfect for sitting out on the balcony at night looking at the illuminated temple listening to my mom tell us stories about early church history. This was the first time I'd been to Nauvoo as an adult (and since the temple has been rebuilt), so it was a very meaningful trip for me!

(Mimi's favorite part=the HORSE RIDE!)

There isn't a ton to do in Nauvoo for little-little ones...and the 110 degree humid heat didn't help with trying to coerce them into believing that everything we were doing was for little-little ones. Luckily she was in heaven on the horse-drawn tour of Old Nauvoo!

(Kainoa, Papa, and Nana liked it too)

(The grandsons practicing stilt-walking)

(Mia working at mastering a game at the pioneer games station)

(After lots of prodding and FORCE, here is Mia in a make-shift Pioneer outfit)

(The FOUR grandsons on the trip! Don't be scared, Bear!!!)

(The fam (minus Janet taking the picture) outside our hotel)

Great way to spend a few days of the summer, and I even got to get away from the cares of our "holey-sock" student life!

You talk to Daddy...I'll talk to Bear

2011-08-15T15:49:00.002-04:00

The weather here in the last week has been awesome. Amazing. Totally redeeming, considering we lived in a sauna of 110 degree weather for the last two months. The extreme heat welcomed both of our families visiting throughout the summer with nothing to do but sit in our teeny house looking at each other because it was too hot outside to even step out the door.

Last night we went for a walk around the lake/golf course to take advantage of Illinois' sudden change of weather-heart, then decided to enjoy more of the weather by taking a drive to a near by lake with the windows DOWN [in August!]. gasp.

Dave and I were trying to have a lovely conversation...but kept finding ourselves being constantly interrupted by Mia. I finally told her that I was talking to Daddy and to patiently wait while we finish our conversation. She replied by ordering me to "talk to Daddy and I'll talk to Bear" [a.k.a. Kainoa]. She then turns to Kainoa and says, "Hi Bear!" Then a milli-second later she interrupts/says..."Mommy? Isn't Kainoa Bear sooooo cute?!"

So much for having a fluent conversation with an adult ever again for me. Good thing she's just as cute herself. Here are a few of her latest and greatest...

Made herself sick all day (fever included) from playing too hard when her cousins came to visit...

Playing with sidewalk chalk in the pool = turning into "paint" = getting it all over herself (without realizing it)...only to know what she looked like after she looked at the pics I was taking...

Modeling Daddy's hair-styling skills for me after bath time...

Staying true to her one-and-only love...CHOCOLATE!!!!

Life gets better and better, doesn't it? (Especially with fuzzy purple slippers, man.)

It's an Illinois Thing

2011-08-13T12:26:00.004-04:00

Since moving to Southern Illinois, we've been a different kind of busy. Not busy like we were on the island, where Dave was at school most of the day, studying most of the night, and I was running around the island trying to find decent food, stay safe, and avoid running over a donkey in the road...or a monkey...or a goat for that matter.

Now, busy-ness is Dave prepping for his big-ole' board exam in the fall while we (mostly the kids and I...and the rare occasion Dave included when we successfully steal him away from his love affair with medical books) explore this new habitat we've found ourselves in...another place that we're living that we only ever heard of once we've moved here...Southern Illinois.

Southern Illinois is a strange place...surprisingly much like the island (in a "twilight-zone" kind of way at times), yet with added bonuses like Walmart less than a mile away, and the most awesome local produce from the neighboring farming communities. It is an interesting place with lots of varying/opinionated/vocalized political views, small-town ideals and traditions, and plenty of unique sights waiting to be visited. I guess we are figuring out that our gypsy-medical school existence equates to being stuck in a vortex of sorts while we bounce from place to place on our journey. We are quickly realizing that just because we are back in the U.S., our lives will still not be any kind of "normal" until we are settled for good in _ _ years. Maybe.

On this occasion, we headed out to Cobden (about 30 minutes from us) to see a Bison round-up. Another experience I've never heard of in a town I didn't know existed. We joined the other 20 people that attended to watch the cattlemen round up hundreds of Bison all morning to administer vaccinations. It was a strange, yet interesting experience. Not sure if it's "bucket-list worthy," but it was a nice...free way to get out of the house and spend some time together.

One Happy Girl

2011-04-30T20:36:00.003-04:00

Papa and Banoi sent the perfect Easter gift for Mia and Kainoa. Well, Kainoa kind of slept through all the goodness, but Mia sure enjoyed it! The gift entailed heading around town to get McDonald's french fries and ice cream, and organic bread from the Co-Op. Mia, needless to say, was in heaven.

Banoi...Oi!!!!!

2011-04-06T21:28:00.006-04:00

Our first visitor, Dave's mom came to IL last week to spoil us. The day before she came, it was sunny and 80 degrees. The day she came in, and every day until she left was overcast, rainy, and COLD! It didn't get above 50 degrees the whole time she was here.

This "unfortunate" turn of events set the perfect stage for us to stay inside, snuggle up, and EAT EAT EAT.

And EAT we did...especially when Banoi is around!!! Her motto is..."Better not be dieting when I'm cooking!" Love her!!!

[Banoi and the happy son!]

[Bun Thit Nuong Cha Gio

Rice Vermicelli with Grilled Pork and Egg Roll

a.k.a My #1 FAVORITE DISH!!!]

[Original Pork Spare Ribs]

[Lemon Grass Pork Spare Ribs]

[Stir Fry Vegetables with Pork

Always hot, and always fresh off the stove...

check out that steam!]

[Thit Kho

Braised Pork and Eggs]

This is traditionally and Vietnamese New Year's dish, so we obviously "had" to make an exception and have it "late" because we missed it at New Year's. Sooooo GOOD!!!

[Mia Jane loving Rice Noodles]

[Banh Trang

Spring Rolls on the Grill]

Banoi did not mess around. This night was awesome. We had pork, shrimp, and squid ready to grill table side as we rolled, and rolled, and rolled spring roll after spring r

oll for each other to devour. It was sooo fun and delicious. Good thing it was still raining, because it gave us another excuse to EAT!

[Coleslaw for Mien Ga...YUM!]

[Mien Ga

Glass Noodle Dish]

This dish has been one of (my MANY) favorites since Dave and I started dating almost seven years ago. You add the coleslaw to the side or eat with the soup, and

it is delicious. Of course, Banoi did not disappoint with this one either!

[Name that dish...]

Believe it or not (and those that know our Banoi BELIEVE IT) there are 3 meals here.

Yes, we're pigs. I think this was the first night Banoi was here. She was on a mission to FEED our poor-student selves...and she succeeded. Look closely, and you will see Banh xeo, shrimp and garlic, and pork and garlic. My mouth is watering.

[Note above: Dave's mouth is still full as he goes for more shrimp and garlic.]

[Banh Xeo

Vietnamese Pancake]

The kicker to banh xeo...is that they have coconut milk in them...which of course makes them de-li-cious. They are filled with meat and bean sprouts, then as you eat them, you wrap herbs and lettuce and dip them in nuoc mam (fish sauce). They.are.to.die.for.

[The famous Banoi eggrolls. Ohhhhh...]

[Banoi making Ginger Chicken Wings]

This seems like a lot of pictures...but sadly, I didn't get shots of her beef pho (soup), and her bbq ribs...and possibly some other dishes??!!! I'm not sure. I blame it on the food addict's blur, I do know that.

Everyday we'd wake up to a full blown breakfast, Dave would stay home and study while we'd hit the American and Chinese grocery stores for ingredients, we'd come home to only have Banoi knock it out of the park with a full blown lunch, then go take naps, only to wake up to a grand slam dinner.

We miss Banoi.

Good thing she stocked our freezer with all the hits for meals to come though!!!

Catchin' Up

2011-04-02T16:21:00.004-04:00

Lots to catch up on...

[Daddy and Kai at the Guitar]

Dave is wasting no time getting Kainoa ready to join his band. I think he's a natural already...

[The LAST "gummy" picture]

Take a close look at this handsome devil with no teeth. He now has two teeth on the bottom and his top two teeth broke through last week and are growing in already! Saaadddd...

[Dave's Tamarind Beef Satay]

There is lots to love about being back in the U.S., but there are things that we miss about St. Kitts too. When we went on our beach lunch date , we had tamarind beef satay for a lunch appetizer...and it was incredible. So good in fact, that we sat dreaming about it one night after we first got to IL when it was snowy and cold outside. Then we realized...WAIT! We're in the U.S. we can get anything we want! Let's make it ourselves! Dave took over and made a beautiful, absolutely amazing version that took us right back to the beach. Well, not really, but it was sure good, and I had to get a picture of it!!!

[Courtesy of Daddy, Mimi, and Kai]

I turned the big 3-2 in February. I spent a few days before a little crabby because we'd just moved to IL, and Dave hadn't mentioned my birthday at all. I thought he forgot, so I was gonna teach him a lesson and make him feel real bad.

Turns out, not only did he not forget, but he had lots of surprises planned for my special day. We ended up spending most of the day indoors because we were snowed in.

[Dave shoveling snow on my bday]

Well, okay. Maybe "snowed in" is a bit of an exaggeration, but for us ya-hoos from the West (and most recently, the beach), we are NOT experienced enough to be driving in any amount of snow yet.

So much for teaching him a lesson (on this occasion), he totally came through!

Dear Mia...

2011-03-27T19:35:00.007-04:00

[The Birthday Girl]

Our littlest Mia,
You turned three! This year has been a wild ride, but you hung on and sure grew A LOT! You are now 40 inches tall and you weigh 31 pounds. Your hair is still sun kissed caramel, and your skin still glows! You are a very energetic little thing, and getting your wiggles out is a daily necessity for you. Your favorite thing to do is to go down slides. Any slides. Anywhere. You love slides. We even bought you your very own green slide to have in the house so that you can slide all you want!

You are very happy, and one thing that we can guarantee from you everyday is lots of giggles and fun. You are quickly learning the way further into our hearts, lots of smiles and hugs. If we try to scare you or come towards you saying we're "gonna get you," you just hop right up with arms open wide and give us a big hug. Of course we can't do anything else but hug and kiss you right back!

You are a little princess. Everything has to be "princess." From dresses to bedding and night lights, if it can help you feel more like a princess, then that is what you want. You are getting pretty good at your princess twirls too.

One way that you like to spend time with our family is taking evening walks. In the Caribbean, we would go caterpillar hunting after dinner every night. Now that we live in Illinois, you like to go out in the woods and look for deer and squirrels. You are getting pretty brave when it comes to looking for all those animals.

You are becoming quite the artist. You know that your name is spelled "M-I-A," and you love to write it on every piece of art that you create.

Another favorite of yours is playing outside. When we lived in the Caribbean this past year, you had lots of sunny days to go and play at the pool or the beach, and you were very happy to enjoy the heat and you didn't mind if it was a little sweaty!

Daddy and I think that your favorite thing that happened this year was your little brother, Kainoa came to join our family. You are an amazing big sister that is just as loving and caring for your Kainoa bear as you are for your Mommy and Daddy. It is not uncommon for us to come into a room where Kainoa is fussing only to find that you are either there trying to take care of him in some way, or you have already been there and there is one of Kainoa's toys near him that you've brought him to make him happy. You are loving and kind, happy and excited every time you are around Kainoa. I just know that this year is going to bring lots of adventures with your little brother that you adore so much.

Mia, we love you more and more everyday! Here are some of our favorites of the cute little things you do right now:

*Talking and singing yourself to sleep at night long after we've tucked you in.

*The sweet little noise you make every time you kiss one of us.

*How you say "I love you." (Lov lu!)

*How much you still love to take care of us and want us to be happy!

*Your excitement and enthusiasm for everything we do together

*The laughter and joy you bring into our home everyday.

Even though this last year was very busy with Daddy being in medical school and mommy having our little Kainoa Bear, you didn't miss a beat. You are so much more than the daughter of our dreams. There is no way we could have even dreamed of all the love and joy you have brought us and continue to bring us. We love you, little Mimi. Happy 3rd Birthday!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Mimi turned 3!

2011-03-18T22:12:00.003-04:00

Our baby is now three. WOW. More to come...

So Long Schaint Kittshh

2011-02-23T17:40:00.009-04:00

Well...this update is long overdue...just by a few months. I suppose moving across the world, and then across the country contributed to that. We successfully made it off the island.

It was nothing short of a miracle. Seriously.

Med school is hard...for the student...for the family...for everyone. If I would have known everything we went through on the island(s) back in the beginning of 2009, I might have had second thoughts about signing up for this "adventure."

I'm super-duper glad I ignorantly got on those 3 planes and a ferry to start our journey all those months ago. Besides marrying each other and having our kiddos, all-in-all...it is one of the best decisions I think we've ever made.

I'm already missing things about our Caribbean adventure.

Like our car. It was a 13 year old Honda Van that had about 65,000 island miles on it. I know vans "aren't cool," but I reeeallly miss that car. A lot. The only thing that makes me happy is to know that our super cute friends are joy-riding around the island in it still. I hope they listen to some Spearhead in our honor every once in a while as they look out one window to the ocean and out the other at the volcano.

[Mimi swimming in December]

The other thing I am missing about the island is the weather. It is fa-reezing here. Within a week of being in snow, we both agreed that snow is great to visit, not to live in. Our tans went bye-byes too.

And I miss my Beth. We were pretty much St. Kitts Bff's. I think Dave really liked that we were good friends because Beth has good stories, and after every workout or "project time," I'd come home to Dave asking, "Any good stories??!!??"

[p.s. look at my pregnant belly...awww]

Our last memories of our Caribbean adventure are some of the best. Packing and getting ready to move was a little stressful (as usual), but we tried to squeeze in a few more moments of laughter and bonding.

[Us and the Allred's for one last "Progressive Dinner" around the island]

The night before we left, the Allred's took us on the BEST (and yummiest!) progressive dinner ever. We had delish appetizers at Marshalls, then delish indian food at Pride of India, then delish dessert at the Marriott. It was...delish!!!! And not-to-mention, the perfect way to spend our last night on the island...with very very dear friends on a gorgeous tropical night!

[Us and the Allred's at the Airport]

[Us with some members of our Branch at Church]

[Getting our paperwork together for emigration one last time]

Leaving the island was bitter-sweet. We were very excited to start "the next chapter," but very sad to know that we were leaving a beautiful island, and great friends. We left on December 23rd to head to Puerto Rico for the night. It took forever to get through emigration, and by the time we finally got to security...they were calling final boarding call. It was very stressful to realize that after all we'd gone through, we were going to miss our last flight off the island!!! I lost my cool, and Dave went into a daze.

Luckily, we made it through the gate as they were closing the doors. We ran out to the plane, Mia tripped up the stairs getting on to the teeny-tiny plane, and Kainoa had had it. He was screaming in my arms, and Mia was screaming in Dave's. We just sat down, looked at each other across the isle, and started to laugh/cry all at once.

This was it...the moment we'd been waiting for...to get off the island...for good. It was about 200 degrees on the plane, and we were already sweating profusely from the stress of getting through the non-airconditioned airport. We couldn't even enjoy the feeling, really. It took us right back to 20 months earlier on our first day when we took the ferry from St. Kitts to Nevis in 200 degree weather with Mia screaming and wanting to nurse, trying to get all of our junk on the boat. Coming and going, this adventure has been one wild ride!!!

[Chillin' in Puerto Rico at the Renaissance Resort]

[Christmas Eve in the sunny Caribbean]

Luckily we were able to regroup in Puerto Rico at the best resort ever for the night.

Only regret?

Not staying longer than one night.

Winter Weather Advisory

2011-02-07T12:40:00.002-04:00

I don't think we're in St. Kitts anymore, Toto.

That's the sound of sunshine comin' down on me

2010-12-15T20:13:00.010-04:00

10 December

Dave and Mimi during one of Dave's study breaks. Dave thinks he's Bruce Lee. From Mia's view, he is.

[Yummy Brunch]

11 December

Saturday made us super aware that we are seriously leaving this month and we're not coming back after break. We got out early to head to the semester sales to sell more of our junk. Then our gooooood friends from Nevis were heading through the airport in St. Kitts for their break, and wanted to meet for brunch. It was so good to see them, and it made us remember just how far we've already come as we reminisced about Nevis and about how much we missed living by each other.

Michelle and Amr moved into the pink palace right after us. Since we only moved up the hill, we were close, and spent a lot of time together, even though it was only for a few months. They were one of the few reasons we tried to initially stay in Nevis after transferring schools. They are fun, good people that are the definition of hospitality.

[Trying to coerce the kids to fall back asleep]
12 December

Sunday I wanted to sleep in. Bad. The kids had other plans. Dave didn't help me out with my plan. He sided with the kids and took pictures instead.

[Mia playing "fix it"]

13 December

Since we gave about 90% of Mia’s toys away, we’ve gotten a little creative with how we spend our time around here. She can literally sit for hours and unlace my running shoes if I leave them out. After about 5 minutes, she’ll come to me and ask me to “Fix It!” (meaning…relace the shoes so she can do it all over again).

It’s a fun game. Sort of. Actually, it’s kind of annoying on my part. Who likes to lace up shoes the first time you buy them…let alone over and over again in the same hour? But, for Mia, it’s great because:

1. She thinks it's fun.

2. Hey, it’s free, man

3. It’s nice and quiet

4. She invented it…now that’s creativity!

5. It doesn’t involve the TV in any way.

Oh well. It makes her happy, and since the cleaning lady threw all of her wooden lacing beads away that Milo and Pearl gave her (sorry Abby), I guess this will have to do as far as working on her hand-eye-coordination.

(No, I’m not complaining that we have a cleaning lady. I’m taking advantage of the last few times someone besides me gets to be the maid around here because our contract includes this service as “compulsory.” Like the cleaning…still want my beads back)

[Mia and Dave taking a morning dip]

14 December

Tuesday I woke up to a very quiet house. Kainoa was still sleeping, and Dave and Mimi were no where to be found. I headed outside to see if the van was still here and heard splashing in the pool. Man does it feel good to go swimming in December!

[Mimi and Kainoa at Bedtime]

15 December

Mia decided that she was going to read to Kainoa Bear before bed tonight. There are about a million and one things I love about this picture and the cuteness that is in it.

Shake Your Fire Maker

2010-12-10T15:02:00.006-04:00

[Lobster Dinner at the Shiggity Shack]

Dave surprised me last night with a date night...babysitter and all!!! The lovely Tamsin came and watched the kids...and was even brave enough to take Kainoa Bear so we could totally relax and enjoy the night. The food was delish, and the best part about it was that we took time out to really enjoy where we're at!

[Dancing on the Beach]

After dinner, the live band started, and so did the "fire dancer." He and his red pants came out and gave us a typical Caribbean show. Take a looksie...

Final Fever

2010-12-07T23:50:00.002-04:00

[Daddy and Kainoa relaxing on the couch]

Dave's finals for this semester are in full swing. He spends his time either studying, or trying to relax on a break to gear up to study some more. It's soooooo much information for each test. I sometimes think his head might explode. It's pretty overwhelming.

Only a few more tests to take, lots of beach time for me (hopefully), and last minute fun with friends. All of our crap is either being given away or sold, I'm starting to pack for the long trip home, and we're officially running out of food. Which is good, but I gotta start getting really creative. Me, creative. Now that's hilarious.

It's really 12:01 am. What am I doing up?

Why can't church be later in the day??!!??

2010-12-05T22:31:00.001-04:00

[Getting Ready For Church]

Even though we let her sleep in until 8:30, she was just a wee bit tired this morning. Dave's finals start tomorrow...which means I am officially on my own so to speak for a couple of weeks with the kids, so as you can tell, he's not the only one getting to bed late around here!

I like my kids. A lot.

2010-12-04T23:45:00.003-04:00

[Admiring Kainoa Bear]

This picture is from last week. I'm too exhausted/lazy to go in the other room to get the camera to download pics from today...as it's almost midnight and I have no idea what I'm doing up. Maybe I'm so tired because I spent 6 hours working on a paper for school today. Maybe it took me 6 hours because I kept looking out the window daydreaming about swimming at the beach (what I'd MUCH rather be doing than writing a strategic case analysis for a business management class). And now this post is taking me way longer than it should because I'm sitting here trying to think of clever things to say that may (or may not) make the 2 people that read our blog think "Wow, that Becky is so witty."

Not.

Good night. (Hopefully...Kainoa)

When tres leches goes bad...eat it anyway

2010-12-03T23:25:00.004-04:00

[Beth, Brigette, Tamsin, Angela, Sister Case, Me, and Baby Bear]

Perfect day for partying. Today was Beth's birthday, and we made sure to make it count! We had a girl's lunch at the Marriott golf club while all the kids (besides Baby Bear) were being babysat elsewhere. We instituted that rule recently because at the last girl's outing, the toddlers were being completely coo-koo including Mia pulling Damon's chair (with him on it) over on top of her. I think one of the girls that doesn't have kids went home and told her hubbie that she's fine not having kids for a while after that one.

Anywho...the day was beautiful...the weather was perfect...and this angel...

took Kainoa during the whole time, so I really got a break!!! Lunch was yummy, and Beth was the perfect birthday girl. She was happy and fun, and didn't even flash me a dirty look when my tres leches cake looked more like soup with chocolate glaze on it. It was good...but man did it look terrible. We'll have to do a part II post when I get pics of the rest of the day...because you KNOW it didn't stop there!!! :)

Hunting with Mimi!

2010-12-01T20:28:00.005-04:00

[Morning walk]

Today we went rock collecting and caterpillar hunting. That's about as crazy and exciting as it got today in the Caribbean.

Better than skype

2010-11-30T21:27:00.001-04:00

[Daddy and Mimi after school]

Glad we came back...

Buy-na-nos!

2010-11-28T14:16:00.003-04:00

[The Post-Church Snooze]

For the last couple of months, Mia has been walking around the house shouting "Buy-na-nos!" I haven't been able to figure out what the heck she's talking about. I've tried to give her bananas to eat, blue clothes to wear, and even thought she might be turning from her liquid-diet ways and was asking for pineapple.

It all clicked the other day when she finished the phrase..."Buy-na-nos, Mommie! Everybody, let's go!" Spanish..."Vamanos!" (Let's go!).

Thanks, Dora.

[take a look at that little paw above. toooo cute]

Mia and Purple Magic

2010-11-27T00:59:00.006-04:00

Mia has a sweatshirt that she has affectionately named "Purple Magic." She loves to wear it, all the time, everywhere (Kind of like Becky and her black sweatshirt she wears at Christmas time). She loves to wear it so much, that when she was in the bath tonight, actually in the tub playing, she asked for Purple Magic. Of course we said no, and tried to explain that Purple Magic would get wet, but Mia persisted. So, we thought, why not?? She is thinking outside of the box!

We think she had fun! Good move Mommie!!

Thanksgiving 2010

2010-11-26T14:19:00.004-04:00

[A new Filhart Thanksgiving tradition...brownies for breakfast]

[Mia liked it a little toooooo much]

Thanksgiving started off awesome. We had a regular breakfast, and then Dave asked for a glass of milk and some brownies. Mia saw them and said "CHO-CO-LATE!!!" I think this will be a new Thanksgiving tradition for us.

Unfortunately, Dave had school. I was really bummed. I really love holidays. So we sent him off to school and turned on the Macy's Day Parade and opened the windows and sliding doors and enjoyed the tropical views and ocean breezes while we baked. It was a beautiful, relaxing day.

For dinner, we headed off to the Allred's for a big gathering that was the perfect way to end the day. We had dinner out on the balcony while the breezes kept the bugs away and we listened to the sounds of the waves crashing. It was a very unique, special Thanksgiving that we will surely remember. In a place where good friends become your family, we are very thankful to be blessed with a great support system here. We love our St. Kitts family!!

[The only bad part about big Thanksgivings like this is you only get the left overs of what you brought. I can't just sneak in the fridge today to get little bites of all the left overs today. I'm missing a lot of yummy food that we had last night!!]

[Dave taking the "stance" to get the ham going]

Pre-show warmup

2010-11-24T22:10:00.003-04:00

[Post dinner chat at my house 7:00 pm ]

Dinner tonight was spagetti with homemade sauce. Yum. Feeling full...but not too full for some good eats for Thanksgiving tomorrow. You know it.

19 Months Down...1 to go

2010-11-23T11:24:00.005-04:00

Remember this post? Switch that around, and now we're really almost DONE with what I like to call the" Island Phase" of Dave's nightmare...I mean dream.

I read that post now and just laugh. Laugh at my ignorance, laugh at my optimism for island life, and I am amazed at just how far we've made it. We've moved past the "scary oven," we both now kill bugs with our bare hands (no joke), and we have no problem filling up our time with school, kids, beach, and friends.

Dave said the other day that this is nothing short of a miracle. And he's right. Not that we haven't done some creative moves and shakes in the last 19 months to keep things rollin', but I am impressed that Dave hasn't given up on becoming a doctor. He wants it. Really bad. And the road to MD is really really hard..for both of us.

So a month from today, on December 23rd we'll fly outta here for the last time. We're excited and anxious about our next adventure, and after all these 19 months, we find ourselves strangely sad too. Sad to leave our good good friends, and sad to leave the pristine secluded beaches we've looked out our windows and viewed for 19 months straight.

Holy crap I have a lot to do to get off this island in a month. Later.

p.s. did you notice that Mia has doubled in size between these posts? Boo-hoo.

So Much For That

2010-11-22T21:16:00.002-04:00

(A Little Piece of Heaven...a.k.a. My Bed)

Taking a nap here for SEVERAL hours would have been fantastic today. It was rainy and stormy and windy and purrrrrfect napping weather. Ho-hum.

Boo-ya

2010-11-21T17:28:00.001-04:00

[The Sunday Fake-Out]

Guess I won't be enjoying the last piece of cake I thought was in the fridge.

Good Things Come in Three's

2010-11-20T21:47:00.003-04:00

(The Pier at The Beach House Restaurant

with Nevis in the background)

I cheated big time today. We had an awesome day with three phases, so naturally...I couldn't pick just one picture. The day started out as a family at our fav St. Kitts beach...Banana Bay, which as usual...we had all to ourselves. We floated and looked for shells, and talked about how in a few short months we would probably be sitting in snow wishing we could be here. It was Kai's debut at the beach. He slept through the whole thing.

[Banana Bay, St. Kitts, West Indies]

Then phase 2 and 3 began...like we hadn't already had enough fun for one day. Dave and I headed back down the Peninsula [sans babies] for a date at the Spice Mill Restaurant for Lunch, and then to The Beach House Restaurant for some Dessert. Wicked Awesome.

Blow a Kiss...or not

2010-11-19T20:41:00.002-04:00

[Bath time]

19 November

Be careful when blowing kisses. Some are innocent and cute, but some are flirty and can incite husbands looking on. As we passed a few kittian construction workers today, they learned to not do that to me...especially with Dave right there. He got a little mad. I got a little panicky. Even though it wasn't a big deal and only words were exchanged...somehow by the end of the day, according to Dave...ninja kicks happened, punches were thrown, and at one point, "the dust settled." I'm sure more embellishments will be added with time.

33 Days and counting til we're back to the U S of A.

Goodness

2010-11-18T20:46:00.004-04:00

18 November...Good Day

Goodness is Dave loving our children. Kainoa is holding his head up like a pro. Time is flying. We are both clinging to any baby time we get with him. Mimi constantly sings her ABC's, and now practices all the sounds each letter makes. Flying.

Goodness was the bagger at the grocery store offering extra change to me when I was paying and I was having a hard time trying to dig out EC change that was mixed in my US change while struggling with two kids. Living in a different culture comes with it's set of challenges, and sometimes it's just refreshing to see the good in people that you often have differences with.

Goodness was both kids taking a 3 hour nap at the same time today. I even got to lay down for a little bit too.

Goodness was Dave making his "crazy" chow mein for dinner. Not only was it delish...but it meant I got the night off from cooking.

Good Day.

A Picture A Day

2010-11-17T21:20:00.004-04:00

So my darling friend Abby is doing something I love on her blog. For the rest of the year, she's doing a picture a day. As I was checking out her blog...I thought, I should totally do that. I am horrible at documenting all the memories I want to, and this would be a manageable, nice way to finish out the year. Plus Abby is just cool and I want to be like her, so I'm being a big copy-cat basically.

[Our good friends at church]

I didn't take a picture today...but wanted to start it anyway, so I just chose a recent pic that I liked.

I will be amazed if I actually pull it off. Here's to goal setting!

Went Deep Sea Fishing with the Boys!!!

2010-11-15T20:14:00.001-04:00

November 13, 2010 - Went Deep Sea Fishing with the Boys!!! This was an awesome trip, definitly worth blogging about! My buddy Adrian set it all up and it was a great time (Thanks man)! Elder Case was there, Brandon Prince, Jimmy Avance, and Shane Brauchie were there. We had a blast! St. Kitts man!!! Here are some action pics! (Beth, I stole some pics from your guys' blog...hope you don't mind....thx!)
p.s. I would especially like to thank the boys for being so gracious as to let me reel one in! Thanks guys!

Halloween

2010-11-11T14:48:00.002-04:00

We made it back to the island just in time for Halloween...a holiday that they don't celebrate here. So we figured we'd take our hot, sweaty, costumed bodies to a little community that does "celebrate" it to trick-or-treat there. It's a neighborhood filled with foreigners that sort of get into it, but as with everything here, there's a catch.

You just have to donate some candy to be able to trick or treat. (The things we do...).

Anyway, Mia had a great time, and quickly figured out that all you have to say is "Trick-or-treat" and you get candy. And for my child that only likes to eat chips, chocolate, and milk, this was a piece of cake.

Meanwhile, Kainoa just slept in my arms the whole time probably wondering why I put him in a wool clown fish costume in 90 degree weather. (Because he had to fit my ocean theme and match his mermaid sister of course!)

Here's to bring-your-own-candy Halloweens that the kids won't even remember!!! Hooray!!

A Beautiful Day for a Blessing

2010-11-11T14:36:00.004-04:00

[Daddy and Kainoa's Sunday outfits ready to go...]

Last Sunday we had our "Kainoa Bear" (or "Baby Bear" as Mia has affectionately nicknamed our babes) blessed by his Daddy at church. It was a gorgeous day that was very very special. Dave committed to me the night before that not only would we be on time for church, he'd make sure that we were there early. And we were! I was impressed, and very grateful to be prepared and calm for our little Kainoa Bear's blessing.

It was a special event to share with our island family. We were so grateful to have wonderful friends that were willing and able to participate in the blessing.

We are still in love with our littlest addition!!!

[So much for ever getting a decent family pic]

[Kainoa and the Priesthood Brethren from the St. Kitts Branch]

St. Kitts...here we come!

2010-10-19T23:17:00.001-04:00

As we wind down our American "baby-cation," things are sure moving along. Kainoa is getting nice and chubby and is tipping the scales at 11 pounds already. He is the BEST baby. I almost considered calling the pediatrician early on because I was concerned he was sleeping too much. Then one of my friends informed me that newborns are supposed to sleep a lot. I had no idea. Mia was very alert and active as an infant, so this is a totally new experience for me and I am truly enjoying it!

Mimi is still Mimi. She is opinionated and strong willed with a hint of spunk. We have been taking advantage of all the American amenities while we've been here...like the zoo, parks, playgrounds, water parks, and lots of family time. Here she is at the New Braunfels Children's Museum. They had a little NASA section where she could dress up and play.

Only six days and counting until we get to head back to the island and see DADDY!!! We are so grateful to have been able to have baby Kainoa in the states, but we are even more thankful to be together again as a family in less than a week!!!

Another One For Daddy...

2010-10-18T16:36:00.002-04:00

For Daddy...

2010-10-09T14:54:00.003-04:00

A Year Ago Today...

2010-10-08T17:32:00.002-04:00

365 days. It's been a whole year. We miss you, John, our brother and uncle. As your children say...we know you are the brightest star looking down on us.

Till we meet again...

Introducing...

2010-09-29T22:46:00.005-04:00

Kainoa John Filhart

September 11, 2010 12:12 pm

7 lbs. 14 oz.

20.5 in

-The last pregnancy shot -

The labor was awesome...seriously. I was so ready to have this baby,but I was very nervous to go through labor and delivery because Mia's was a little long, and well...painful. If there ever was an opposite, ever...this was it.

The labor was only 3 1/2 hours which both Dave and I mostly slept through, if you can believe that. The pain meds were done well, and we were both exhausted from no sleep the night before, so we slept! The nurse came in to wake me up and check on me, and I was dialated to an 8. She said we needed to prepare to push and that he'd be here within the hour.

I quickly woke Dave up and told him to run to the car to get the cameras. In no time, Kainoa arrived, and the experience was wonderful. Perfect. Emotional. And heavenly. I loved every second of it. My first thought as soon as I saw him was "Oh....I'm in love." It's amazing how your love is not divided with a new child...it is just multiplied. We are sooooo lucky.

The new big sister...Mia Jane. She is in love too.

Our new family!!! Watch out...this is gonna get crazy...

While the Hubbies are away...we PLAY!!!

2010-07-25T15:35:00.014-04:00

Beth and I love to try and find any excuse to play...especially because we knew she'd be heading home for the summer and I'd be right behind her not much after. Our husbands love to tease us about our projects and outings. Maybe it's because we don't get anything done around our own houses when we're together, but I think it may be because they are secretly jealous of our fun.

We took Mia and Damon around the island and hit a few "must see" spots...

First was Romney Manor. It was once owned by Thomas Jefferson's great-great-great grandfather. The grounds were amazing, and it was fun to explore...

Romney Manor is home to "Caribelle Batik," where beautiful clothing and fabric is made by a lengthly process of using wax to dye the fabric. It was so impressive that I couldn't resist getting Mia a little purple Batik dress. It was well worth it, she looks adorable in it!

Mia was so impressed with it all that she figured she'd run around the store and not listen to me. I decided it was time for a regroup (a.k.a.) time-out.

Here is the bell tower that was used to call the slaves in from working...

As we were heading out...we had to make sure to avoid running over a guy that was taking a break in the shade of the street...

Our next stop was Rawlins Plantation. We wanted to have a quick picnic with the kids and head to the art studio that is on the property. Again...another fabulous, tranquil part of the island.

Here's our little Mia and Damon. If we have our way, they will get married one day and we'll have all these fabulous pictures of when they were 2 years old and in love.

The Book Boat...

2010-07-25T15:06:00.007-04:00

I'm just a mere 3 months late on this post. No biggie.

The "Logos Hope" Boat a.k.a. "The Book Boat" docked in St. Kitts for a few days back in April. It was pretty exciting around here.

It is a boat that is funded and operated by a Christian organization and brings books and such at great prices to developing countries. I was extremely impressed by their operation.

The people that work on the boat are from all over the world and they give up two years of their lives to travel and support this cause...without pay. Sounds pretty familiar...

It was very, very busy!!! Dave, Mia, and I met some friends Saturday to take a boat tour and check out the book shop...and eat some delicious soft serve ice cream. It was divine. There is no where to get that here...I liked it so much that I dragged Beth and Damon along with me the next Monday to get more ice cream..uh I mean books.

It was a little unlucky...that was the major field trip day for the local schools and it was PACKED. And I mean PACKED...

Beth and I were trying to enjoy our ice cream, when this cute bunch of kids came over and asked us if we were the face painting station. Huh?

No...we were just two girls that were skipping our morning workout to come pig out on ice cream instead.

They sure loved Mia and Damon though...

3 Years and Counting...

2010-07-12T15:33:00.007-04:00

Our happy third anniversary happened in June, and it was the first year we didn't "go anywhere" for the special day. So we decided to save up ahead of time and treat ourselves to a night out in St. Kitts at the gorgeous Ottley's Plantation for dinner. It was unbelievable!!!! It was originally a 17th century sugar plantation, and has now been turned into an inn and restaurant.

Here's our view at our sunset dinner overlooking the ocean in the distance. The food was spectacular. Seriously. It was delicious and well worth it!!!

The happy couple with the "Grand Plantation House" in the background. I think I was about 26 weeks pregnant at this time...

Here's the entrance to the rainforest hike on the property. Check out those mangoes...I'm addicted. The hike started out nice until a few bats swooped by our heads as we entered, so we quickly turned around and headed to dinner instead.

Look at that belly!!!

Below is one of the cottages on the property that you can stay in. I think this is my favorite place in all of St. Kitts. It is so quiet and beautiful!!!

Oh...we have a blog??!!??

2010-06-24T14:25:00.004-04:00

I have two words for you...load shedding. Don't know what that means? Neither did I, until I moved to the West Indies. Load shedding is a not-so-pleasant term around here that basically means you're not going to have electricity for certain periods because the generators on the island are going hay-wire. Our "designated time" with no electricity is supposed to be every Friday from Noon-5 pm. Well add Monday nights, Wednesday mornings, and Thursday afternoons to that, and there you have our true load shedding rotation. For about 4 weeks I felt like telling people..."Hey! I don't live in the Caribbean, I camp in the Caribbean!" When we'd have power, our internet went out. So forget getting anything done whatsoever. They couldn't figure out the problem. I figured it was time to cross my fingers and switch to the only other internet company on the island after 4 weeks with only a few hours of internet each day.

Spoiled am I?

I suppose so.

I realized how grateful I was for the internet when we first moved down here last year. I kept telling Dave that I felt far away, but having our vonage phone and the internet really helped me feel connected and close even though we're in the middle of the ocean. This past month affirmed that sentiment.

I like to have electricity and I like to have the internet. Running water is great too, but I'm not nearly as bummed when that's out because at least I can store water. I can't store power or the internet.

I've had power consistently for a whole 9 days now. It's weird. I hope they fixed whatever problem they were having and I can get started on the blog again.

(here's Mia getting creative during her nap with no electricity. experimenting with acrobatics and then crying for me when she gets stuck.)

Mr. Cuteness and little cuteness

2010-05-08T15:26:00.009-04:00

Today was the last day of Dave’s two week break from school. If I thought that Christmas break was the perfect break, I had no idea what the word perfect meant. This break was incredible. We had the perfect daily combination for a vacation.

Beach. Pool. Lunch. Nap. Amazing.

So on the last day of this perfect break, Dave offered for me to have my own “mommy break” today. He told me last night that I should take four hours this morning all to myself, and he and Mimi would play.

Deal.

I thought I’d go shopping, go to the beach, or relax by one of the resort pools, but when I woke up this morning, all I wanted to do was sleep. So he took Mia and went in the family room, and I got out of breakfast duties, diaper duties, and being a responsible parent in the morning.

It was perfect.

About 40 minutes into my “four hour” break, I went out to the kitchen to get some breakfast for myself. There I found the evidence.

Milk. Eggs. And Cookies for breakfast. Busted.

Complete with messy face and all.

Apparently, I wasn’t supposed to see that because I was supposed to be sleeping.

I retreated to the bedroom, and about 10 minutes into the next part of my “four hour” break, I heard the familiar little knocks at my door.

Little Cuteness. I couldn’t resist.

Mia came in and snuggled and talked and talked about very important things she wanted me to know about. I couldn’t understand her one bit. But I could understand how beautiful her morning hair is as it falls across her eyes and how cute her little tongue is when it moves over her teeth when she talks.

I love that little girl.

So even though my “four hour” break was more like “one hour,” I am grateful. It was a nice, kind, gesture from Mr. Cuteness.

Back in my previous life (aka pre-med school wife times), Mr. Cuteness used to watch Mia on Saturday mornings for hours while I indulged in my addiction for garage sales. Then Saturday mornings turned into ½ marathon training time, and again, Mr. Cuteness stepped up and gladly watched Mia while I ran for two hours. He would even drive with Mia and meet me at different points along my route with water and lots of encouragement.

I say “watched,” I know. It’s not babysitting. It’s parenting. And he’s wonderful at it.

I am grateful that we support each other in our individual dreams, desires, concerns, and needs.

That’s not mushy. It’s family.

And I love being in my little family.

St Kitts...Tuesday

2010-04-20T16:26:00.003-04:00

Yeah...maybe this idea of a weekly update is a bad idea for someone who doesn't blog regularly. Oh well.

This week's installment is all about solutions in St. Kitts.

What do you do when the bathroom stall is so small that the door won't open inward? Instead of changing the hinges to have the door swing out, just cut the door to go around the toilet as it swings in. This is at Ackee Cafe in Frigate Bay...

(foooouunnd)

Sometimes the roads are bumpy, sometimes the roads are slick, but what do you do when painting the lane line on the side of a road that is crooked? Just follow the curves, mon!!! This is at Port Zante in Basseterre.

(fooouunnnd)

St. Kitts Saturday

2010-04-10T11:21:00.003-04:00

I've decided to start a new feature of our blog. There are so many different, funny, and interesting things to see and experience in St. Kitts, that I find myself telling friends and family back home " You'd have to see it to believe it!" So every Saturday, I'm going to post something unique to our everyday experiences in St. Kitts.

A few weeks ago, I was on the other side of the island and looked toward the volcano. There was smoke rising and covering a lot of the island. As I drove closer to home (and toward the mountain), I quickly realized that they were just burning the sugarcane fields. So in this case, you just carefully drive home, close all your windows to keep the smoke out, relax, and let the fire department worry about flames that get out of control!

Travelin' on the St. Kitts Scenic Railway

2010-04-09T21:49:00.008-04:00

We sure have been busy around here lately. I manage to check all my friend's blogs daily...and I even get ticked when they don't update it regularly. Then I realized that I haven't updated our's in almost a month. So here's a lot of pictures to make up for it.

A school group took a ride on the St. Kitts Scenic Railway at a nice discounted price, so Mimi and I were sure to be on board. It is a double-decker train that tours the island, provides all of the smoothest virgin pina coladas you can handle, and they even have a little choir that comes to each car throughout the tour as you glide through the island and let the cool breeze take you away.

I was a little intimidated with taking care of Mia on this probably-not-so-safe train by myself (by school group I mean the spouses of students...the boys are always studying). To my surprise (and relief) she was very obedient and delightful.

The tour started out with a glance at the quarry on the island. I was pretty impressed. It was pretty official.

The workers were sure to take a break and give us a wave.

The former conductor (now the guy that comes around and counts how many people are on board in his semi-retired days) was sure to stop and ready his "props" for a very posed picture. I wasn't expecting it, but he sure seemed eager and was used to being a "celebrity."

We quickly started seeing remnants of the sugar industry as the tour continued. Sugar was the main source of income for both St. Kitts and Nevis for a very long time. Sugar production only stopped in St. Kitts in 2005, when it's main interests for revenue turned to tourism.

This is called a "sugar slider." It was what they would transport sugar products on.

Sugar cane still grows wild all over the island. You can sometimes see locals out chopping it down to use.

Look closely at the top of this almond tree. Can you see a sneaky climber enjoying a morning view of the ocean?

Our tour guide told us she retreats to this black sand beach when life gets stressful. I would love to do the same, but I haven't figured out how to access this beach as of yet!

We crossed over bridges...

And looked ahead to bridges we were yet to cross...

We tried to gaze through the clouds at Mt. Liamuiga , meaning "fertile land." It used to be called "Mt. Misery," so I guess it's a good thing I'm pregnant and won't be able to climb it after all.

Here are "chimneys" from the sugar plantation days. This is where the husks from the sugarcane was burned during sugar production. Many of these still dot St. Kitts and Nevis.

Mia was a great traveling buddy...even though towards the end she didn't consider staying by me to be the most fun anymore...

As we passed by schools throughout the tour, the little school children would all wave and shout "Good Morning!" to all the passengers on the train. It was very enchanting. This class even took time out of their story time under the mango tree to bid us hello!

On the "country side" of the island, you can see the islands of Statia and Saba in the distance. They are relatively close, but not as convenient to get to as there aren't regular (and affordable) ferrys.

We took a bus to get back to our car, and Mia enjoyed the car-seat-free ride a little too much. There's no such thing as "car seat laws" in St. Kitts, so sometimes in binds, she gets away with it...

So as you can see...although we are a world away from everything that we know and love...we are sure enjoying where we are and what we are doing. We are only here for a little while longer, so we're taking advantage of all the opportunities we can get and meeting some wonderful people in the mean time!

Roller Coast St. Kitts Style

2010-03-14T22:26:00.003-04:00

Don't know why I brought tubs of toys to this island when this is all she wants...

The Best Birthday Present Ever...

2010-03-14T21:28:00.004-04:00

Glad that Mia LOVED her birthday present this year from us... a donut. Not only was it economical for our med school budget...but it meant that mommy and daddy got to get donuts for this first time in St. Kitts too! Thanks for having a birthday, Mimi!

Happy Birthday Mia!

2010-03-11T11:41:00.012-04:00

Our baby is 2. The first year of her life went by just about right. Each phase was exciting, but the pace felt just fine. This past year however was on fast forward. It zoomed by and left us wondering how in the world she can be two already.

When we first moved to Nevis, she was still nursing, she was very dependent, and very much a baby. In no time, she's grown so big, is talking, dancing, having opinions, watching Dora, and turning into quite the little lady. How all of this has happened so quickly is beyond me.

Dave and I were talking last night about her dating and getting married one day. I think we were both about to start crying, so we had to stop talking about it and change the subject. She is our everything...the reason we do everything we do. She has inspired us to be more devoted to the Lord, more kind and thankful to others, and more patient and loving towards each other. I guess it's because I want her to grow up in a home where my children aren't just told what to do, they are shown what to do.

Mia...when you were 2...your best friend was Damon Allred...

You were a little afraid that we didn't quite know what we were doing at times when parenting you... (you were right)

Life seemed a little worry some with Mommy and Daddy at the wheel...

But you kept growing and persevering, which is exactly what Filharts are made of...

So here is my Dear Mia second birthday letter:

Dear Mia,

Now that you're two, you're becoming quite the lady. You are 34 1/2 inches tall, you weigh 23 pounds, your hair is sun-kissed carmel, and your eyes are the deepest chocolate brown. You are a busy little girl whenever you're awake. The first thing you say in the morning when we come in to see you is "mornin!" You are happy, cheerful, and you are happiest when mommy and daddy are right beside you. When we work on our colors, you think that everything is "yellow," and when we work on our numbers, you think that every number is "2." Your favorite games are when mommy or daddy can participate in some way. You are a very methodical and diligent little worker when you're playing. You are focused and patient, even though at times, you may get a little frustrated and look to mommy or daddy for help. You love to color, especially with daddy's dry erase markers on his study desk where he can hold you and help you. You will stand at the coffee table and color in your coloring books all day if I let you.

You have recently started to love movies. Your favorite movies are Mary Poppins, The Santa Clause 1 & 2, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Summer Magic, and all the Dora mommy will let you watch. You love to try to dance and sing along with the musicals, and you're getting really good at jumping!

You can climb stairs like a pro, you love to dance with mommy and daddy, and you love to be flipped around and tossed in the air. I think you and daddy will have a lot of fun on roller coasters together when you get older.

Feeding the chickens at our house is one of your favorite things to do. Whenever we walk down to the car you look for the chicks and yell, "Cuck...cuck!!!" You aren't afraid of them and will try to walk right up to them like they are your friends.

As the airplanes screech over our house everyday, you always look at me with your hand pointed in the sky yelling, "Airpane, airpane!" Maybe you'll be a pilot or flight attendant when you grow up.

You are talking so much. Here are some of the words you like to say:

Mommy

Daddy

Airpane

Cuck (cluck)

book

cookie!

jue (juice)

ilk (milk)

flowa (flower)

shoes

dress

hair

eye

no (nose)

elbow

knee

back

backpack

Dora

cow

moo

puppy!

boy

girl

baboo (baby)

burr (bird)

bye

hello

ball

pee-bo-boo (peek-a-boo)

yum-my

all done

goodnight

oh man!

uh-oh!

daddy toot?

apple

pease? (please)

Those are probably your favorite words that you say everyday. You are a good listener...most of the time. You do have an opinionated streak that tempts you to do what you want rather than what mommy and daddy want especially when it is something fun or daring. You aren't afraid to use the fingernails that you inherited from your mommy to defend yourself against your friends if you feel the need to do so. We're trying to work on that.

I can already tell you're going to be the best big sister. Whenever I ask you, "Where's the baby?" you come over and kiss my belly. No one taught you that...you decided to kiss my belly one day when I asked you that, and that is what you do every time now. You also say "girl" after you kiss my belly. Do you know something we don't?

You do not like time-out, and all we usually have to say when you need to calm down is "Do you need a time out?" and you usually will snap out of it and obey.

Daddy's favorite thing about you is that you like to take care of people. Every morning when Daddy is getting ready for school, you go and find his shoes, his backpack, and try to make him put on his bike helmet...even if he isn't riding his bike that day. You love to help mommy with the dishes, clean up your toys, and find little ways to help around the house like sweeping with the big broom.

Over the last two years Mia, you have taught Mommy and Daddy more about what it means to love unconditionally than we have ever learned before having you. You are special to us because you are our first born little one. You made me a Mommy and Daddy a Daddy. For that and so many more special reasons, we love you forever little Mimi. Happy second Birthday!

Love,

Mommy and Daddy

Mimi at the Beach

2010-02-24T20:57:00.007-04:00

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

2010-02-24T20:36:00.002-04:00

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!!!!

2010-02-04T21:56:00.002-04:00

Gardens and Primary

2010-02-03T20:58:00.004-04:00

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?

Now that takes Courage...

2010-01-29T14:27:00.003-04:00

My cute cousin Becca keeps a very entertaining and informative blog. She updated it yesterday with an interesting turn of events in the life of her little brother, my cousin Jonny. Below is her post:

Remember this and this and this. My little bro and his cutie wife went from a family of three to five in just 3 months . . . that is right- a three-year old, a one-year old and a new born. Intimidating right? Should they add another?

Six day's ago Alli's biological mom gave birth to another son. Yesterday CPS called Jaimee and Jonny and told them about the baby and asked if they would be interested in taking the baby. They decided to take a few days to pray about it. CPS called today and said the baby needed a home tonight and it was either them or the foster care system. If you know my brother and Jaimee you know that hearts don't come bigger . . baby Riley was delivered 45 minutes later(shortest delivery ever). Adoption isn't guaranteed, but it is likely.

Riley was born January 21st, his biological mother sent him home with another inmate who had just been released. CPS stopped by to check on him and he was covered in meth, needed bathing and had diaper rash.

I am sure that by now all his clothes have been washed, he has been fed and is being LOVED by Jonny and Jaimee. They have their hands full, but if anyone can handle it, they can. They will need to go car shopping on Saturday so they can get a car big enough to fit them all!!

BTW he is cute!! He looks nothing like Allie - almost looks Asian or like an islander. He has sweet chubby cheeks.

A little background...they had their first little cutie three years ago, and then endured several years of difficult miscarriages. They ended up adopting their little one-year-old Allie just as Jaimee was finally pregnant with their second child. That child was born on December 31, 2009. And now, a new joy has entered their home once again.

As I was reading this, I sat in awe as I contemplated the awesome responsibility they have accepted with this new life in their home. Knowing what it takes to have a newborn, I can not imagine the chaos this might bring. Then my next thought was..."Of course I wouldn't say no, though. I couldn't knowingly leave a baby in that situation. Ever."

I started to wonder if I have what it takes to accept challenges when I know it's going to be really hard. I have been thinking about what I'm made of. I am constantly working on doing what I think is right, but when push comes to shove, sometimes because of fear, insecurities, embarrassment, or even dare I say pride, I back down or step away.

This has given me a lot of reason to pause and reflect on what I need to work on, who I am, and what I have to give to others. I have a lot to work on!

Blast from the Past

2010-01-23T21:49:00.004-04:00

As laundry, primary, schoolwork, and housecleaning all wait to be done...I have chosen to slack big time in every department this week. Who knows why. I found myself jumping at every invitation to do something with friends this week, along with every opportunity to take a nap or go to sleep early.

Well...here's another time-waster. Going through old pics and files for fun. I came across these videos that Dave put together years ago. Funny to go back now and relive some of the memories!

This one documented his trip with his Mom to Chau Doc, Vietnam a few months before we got engaged. He was gone for a whole month and missed my birthday and Valentine's Day. It was sad. Well...I was sad. He was living it up in Vietnam. He did come back and realize that he couldn't live without me, and that after only 2 1/2 short years of dating, maybe it was time for us to get engaged.

Here's Dave at the House of Blues in Vegas with our friend Eddie (that we just saw in Austin over the break). That trip was a blast for real.

This last one is just for fun. It's our first anniversary trip we took to Portland, Oregon. We stayed on a floating house in the Columbia River. It was a spectacular weekend, and I noticed something watching it...I'm wearing...THAT SWEATSHIRT. Weird.

Break...the END!!!!

2010-01-20T17:10:00.007-04:00

Our last treat in TX was to go and visit with my dear friend Kerstin, who just had her third baby a few weeks before Christmas. I was spoiled with getting to hold Luke the entire time we were there. Makes a person baby hungry!!!! (Notice the sweatshirt? EEEKKK!!!!!)

After the long drive back to TX, we got to stay in AZ for another week before coming home. We thought it would be a fantastic idea to give Wes and Mary's kids some fun Christmas presents. Dave picked out these nasty teeth for Steele. Turns out that Mia is deathly afraid of this look and was panicking. Big time. Now we know for the future I suppose.

On New Year's Eve, we went to the Mesa Temple Lights, and it was the perfect way to end the year. It was beautiful and peaceful, and it was a nice chilly evening that made us grateful again that we are a family.

With all our bags packed to the limit, we headed out of the PHX airport on the 5th to make the long trek back to St. Kitts. Mia was again the best little traveler. She did amazing the whole way. Can't complain one bit.

We overnighted in Miami and decided to stay at the airport hotel this time. I highly recommend that idea. After having to overnight 5 times in the last 3 months previous to this epiphany, not having to shuttle and deal with crappy hotels was awesome. We just came out of the terminal, found the elevator, and zip! We were in our hotel for the night. Quiet, dark, awesome. I was very impressed! I changed Mia's diaper and went to throw it away in the bathroom, came out, and this is how I found her.

Our last night of "free" A/C and maximum chill. It was excellent.
I went down to get us some drinks and the hotel is right next to the American counters. I thought I'd ask one of the ladies what time she thought we should be down in the morning to check in, and she asked where we were going. I said, "We're on the 11:00 flight to St. Kitts." She not-so-nicely-replied, "Well, you better plan on staying in Miami for a few days. Montserrat (an island 65 miles south of us) is erupting and today's flights had major problems and had to come back. They won't fly when there's ash in the air because it does major damage to the planes. And American is not paying for hotels because it's weather related. You better call the 1-800 number and find out what's going on." Well thanks lady for the throw up of information. So after a long night of [me] worrying (Dave was in total chill mode), and a morning of crazy Miami airport shenanigans (including almost-lost Dave backpack with laptop, Nikon camera, video camera, and well, a lot of mu-la-la), I was just hoping that we could get back to St. Kitts.

We were the lucky flight of the week , and we got in with no problems, and no problems with customs.

Just a teeny problem with Dave's wallet getting stolen as we got off the plane, and the old alternator problem with our van that ended up costing us some of that mu-la-la, patience, and sanity. We settled back into reality pretty quick!

Break Part V

2010-01-20T16:47:00.004-04:00

Another highlight over the break was heading to Austin for the day to visit our friends the Inukihaangana's. They are a great family with lots of love to give. Dave knows Ed from the music days, and we used to visit them when they lived in Vegas and we lived in AZ. Dave even played at the Hard Rock Cafe with Ed's band right before we got married.

We went to a dog park in downtown Austin and of course the kids attacked every dog they were able to get their hands on.

I found out later that one of the main reasons we came to this park was because they had a statue of Stevie Ray Vaughn. He was born in Texas and is considered by many to have been a very influential electric guitarist. The boys were excited about it anyway.

Dave insisted on a family picture by the statue.

Break Part IV (Is that the symbol for 4?)

2010-01-19T16:45:00.014-04:00

Okay...so I'm kind of done with Christmas/New Years stuff, it's getting boring even to me. I took all these pictures (i.e. over 600) with grand ideas to blog and document for our little family, but waiting over a month to do so is kind of lame.

Now that that's off my chest...onto TEXAS! Taking a two day flying trip to Arizona wasn't enough for us over the break. We thought it would be fun to rent a car and drive 16 hours across the desert. Hey...we've been driving around in circles on a tropical island for 9 months...it sort of sounded sane.

So we piled little Mimi and all of our junk into a REAL rental car (vs. the not-so-real rental cars you get in the Caribbean) and set out for Texas.

I'm kind of anti-movie-for-kids, but I sure turned to it when we had a long drive ahead. We set up the laptop and Mia was set. Seriously. I couldn't believe how amazing she did. We didn't have to stop once, and this road trip turned out to be the highlight of our whole break. It was perfect to sit in our little car so close and just be us, talking and enjoying each other's company.

Our first stop was Sierra Vista, AZ for the night to play cards and listen to Christmas Carols with my grandparents. It was a very memorable evening, and we were very happy that we were able to stop and visit with them.

Then it was on to the next 12 hours of the trip to San Antonio. First order of business? Get all the cousins together and mess my sister Heather's house up!

Then we had to sneak some of Mom's famous apple pie. She actually let us cut into one on Christmas Eve. Couldn't believe it. Never happened before. Probably will never happen again.

(Man, that pie sure looks good right about now...)

We stayed at Shaman and Heather's house, and our Christmas morning was filled with love, lots of surprise goodies from Shaman and Heather, and lots of family. We were really glad that we were able to go home for the holidays.

It was our first Christmas without my brother John. It was wonderful to all be together, but very difficult because his absence was very marked. My sister-in-law Jacqui is wonder woman. I so admire her. I love her dearly.

Yep...you guessed it. Snuggies were received at Christmas. I have never seen two people more happy to get them until I saw the expression on my parent's faces. Snuggies were made for my parents. They both wore them the rest of the week we were there. I can bet you the $5 EC I have in my wallet that they're wearing them this very second.

We got lots of granola bars for Christmas to bring back with us. We don't buy them in St. Kitts. They are like a million dollars a box. Never thought I'd be happy for granola bars at Christmas.

Started to notice a trend as I was looking through my pictures. I wore this black sweatshirt like everyday. I didn't notice I was wearing it everyday over the break. I only noticed it when we got back and I was going through pictures. That's not only gross, but where has my fashion sense gone?

And this is where I gave Dave the "Stop taking pictures of people without makeup on looking nasty (me) at Christmas" look.

The End.

Break Part III

2010-01-18T16:10:00.007-04:00

One of the first things we did when we got home was to make sure we brought Mia to a "real playground" type thingy at the mall. She was a little shy at first because we have nothing remotely close to this in St. Kitts, but it didn't take her long to become obsessed with the slide. It also didn't take her long to develop a runny nose and cough from the germ-infested gift of a playground experience we gave to her.

Of course, there is always plenty of Papa time in the backyard at Dave's parent's house. He loves to show her around the garden and have her help him do work!

We spent lots of time walking to Mesa High School to walk Shamoo and let Mia run around. Dave encouraged me to do wind sprints while him and Mimi chilled with Shamoo. It was tempting.

Mia assumed the family workout charge and did some bleachers.

And picked her nose while watching the airplanes fly by.

And there was lots of kissing as we laid in the grass. Did I mention it was the perfect break yet?

Break Part II

2010-01-11T16:17:00.004-04:00

Disclaimer: These blogs are gonna stink. I am having problems with my brain or something, and can't figure out how to get these pics in the order I want them to be in. Enjoy!!!

Our first stop was Arizona after an overnight in a crappy Miami hotel. Christmas started right away at Papa and Banoi's house!

Mimi was excited to see cousin Lily and cousin Phyoung...

Mimi wasted no time rushing over to reconnect with Shamoo...

Papa was the one that couldn't wait for Christmas this time. The horses (a.k.a. Christmas presents) came out early for the grandkids this year. I don't think the manufacturers knew kids were going to ride these horses with such vigor...

Dave got to meet his four-month-old neice Lily for the first time...

Mia wasn't as "bouncy" as the boys. She is a lady after all...

Break Part I

2010-01-10T21:03:00.011-04:00

Is that a great view or what???!!!!???

Not that we aren't incredibly blessed to be chasing Dave's doctor dreams on a gorgeous island, but plane + us = HOME!!! And there's no place like it. We headed out of the Friday afternoon flight for our much anticipated trip off the island for Christmas and New Years.

Mia decided that she was going to help with the final touches of our trip by modeling.

Then she decided she could be of more help by walking around with her hands in her pockets. I sure can't complain about having to do it all around this house!

Our taxi driver was supposed to be at our house at 1:00 pm to take us to the airport, and in true island style, she was nowhere to be found. At 1:20, Dave started frantically calling all over to try and get a ride or another taxi.

I am the one usually freaking out a little with travel, and he is the more reserved, calm one. This rattled me a little. He was seriously freaking out. He called another taxi driver, (and anyone and everyone in our branch looking for a ride) and wouldn't you know it, as soon as the new taxi driver pulls in, right behind him is the driver that was supposed to be at our house at 1:00. I asked Dave why he was freaking out, and he said it was because he didn't want ANYTHING to prevent us from leaving the island TODAY!!!!! He was just a little ready to get home...

(side note: Wouldn't you know it...we came within nano-inches of a major head-on collision in our taxi on the way to the airport. Good thing it was just nano-inches and not a real accident). Man I love this island....

So Close!

2009-12-10T13:22:00.004-04:00

No more days to count...we are counting down the hours now...until we go HOME!!!!! Yay! Dave has been studying like a mad dog, which has left me to get everything in order for us to be gone for almost a month. That has meant lots of errands, favor asking, and organization to get everything in order to leave tomorrow.

Dave has his Cell Biology and Anatomy Lab final today, and his Histology and Anatomy Theory finals tomorrow. Even Mia is helping out around here by organizing Dave's Anatomy flashcards for him. She did a great job. He is done at 11:00 AM tomorrow, then we head to the airport at 1:30 PM and leave on a plane at 4:00 PM to Miami! We have to overnight in Miami, but we are looking forward to just being together and having some quality family time before we see our extended family and friends. Our flight out of Miami leaves at 5:00 PM Saturday, and then we're home in AZ around 9:00 PM. We are so excited, we can hardly stand it!

See you on the other side...

Ocean Views and Monkeys

2009-12-06T13:27:00.006-04:00

Last week was a good week to really appreciate what is great about living here. We spent one morning swimming at our friend's pool. It has gorgeous views and the company is beyond fun! We love our friends the Lands.

Here's Mimi sitting on a coconut tree stump. You don't find this every day!

Yes...she is beginning to have an attitude...

Can't feel too sorry for ourselves when we get to enjoy this on a lovely Thursday morning...

Our good friends, the Land kids. They are so special to us!
If you look closely, there are four boats in this picture...l-r a sailboat, a catamaran, the St. Kitts-Nevis Ferry, and a motorboat.

Gosh...she is getting big! Here she is at 21 months...in December...in a sundress!

We spent another morning at the Port doing a little Christmas shopping. Mia ran into some unexpected company, but I was pleasantly surprised to see that she thought it was fun and she didn't freak out like I thought she would!

Mimi and Daddy time

2009-12-04T13:51:00.003-04:00

Mimi loves to be with Dave, and she'll do whatever it takes to spend time with him.

Like trying to figure out pushups ...

Chowing down on some food...(and I'm not quite sure why they're looking at me like this by the way...)

Taking a break to look out the window at the landscapers...

Or even picking out a tune during our favorite time of the day...snuggling in bed in the morning.

Out and About

2009-12-03T21:41:00.005-04:00

Here are a few ways we like to spend our time lately:

Sleepy afternoons filled with extra long naps...

Hanging around the house looking extra cute...

Working on our femininity doing our nails...

Going on a date here and there and remembering why we fell in love...

Checking out the huge mango trees in comparison to our car...

Hiking in the rainforest...

Island life isn't so bad afterall...

Halloween...a little late...oops

2009-12-01T15:34:00.003-04:00

I used to be super organized. Super organized. Well getting married, having a kid, and having most of my life in a storage unit in Arizona have all contributed to me being...a little less organized if you know what I mean. Here we are in December, and I am finally organizing all of our pictures from when we first moved here...in April.

I came across our Halloween pics and thought I'd throw them on the blog.

Mia got the shaft when it came to a Halloween costume this year. We got back from the funeral that Monday and I spent the whole week packing in Nevis and unpacking in St. Kitts for our big move, and her costume just kind of got put on the back burner. She ended up being a jungle-fairy-ballerina thing. Good thing she is cute beyond belief, so she can carried it off.

We went to Oualie Beach in Nevis for trick-or-treating. What a memorable Halloween. Eating candy on the beach during a gorgeous sunset. My kind of night. Here's Mia with our good friend Layla the Witch.

We are working on a "Flat Stanley" project for my nephew Tommy. (Flat Stanley is a book about a boy who gets flatened and travels all over the world. His class send us a "Flat Stanley" to see the sights in St. Kitts-Nevis, take pics, and send it back to him. It's been fun!)

Here's me, Mia, and Flat Stanley celebrating Halloween. As you guessed, Dave was at home studying...

I want your hair man

2009-11-30T21:00:00.001-04:00

Conversation with Dave tonight:

Me: "Your hair is really straight. It just sticks out."

Dave: "Ya, I know. But I've had people tell me before that they'd love to have my hair."

Me: "Ya? Like who?"

Dave: "Oh, this guy from ASU named Dave Leechie. Did you know him? Well anyway, he was red-head fro' guy that said he'd love to have my hair."

Me: "uhhhmmmm..." [uncontrollable laughter]

Dave: "Ya, never thought of that. I guess that would make sense, huh?"

The end.

p.s. come on...no offense to red heads, fro's, or even asians for that matter. all in good fun...

It begins...

2009-11-29T22:41:00.004-04:00

Okay a few things come to mind here:

1. Brand new chair, not ours...we've lived here for 3 weeks...pen marks...white fabric...not coming out

2. First offense

3. At first she was totally busted, and I thought of shipping her home to be with her friend Chloe

4. Alright...get it together, Becky

5. Hey! She doesn't even care...she's talking on a cell phone!!!??!!

6. Guess my days of re upholstery are back sooner than I wanted them to be

7. Good thing we're going home in a couple of weeks and I can get some fabric to fix this

8. I'll wait until the day before we move to re upholster anything around here.

9. I am continuing to discover what unconditional love means... I do love my Mimi!!

Caribbean Thanksgiving

2009-11-29T22:27:00.002-04:00

For being our first Thanksgiving away from family...we were sure lucky to have family come to US! My late-eighty-year-old grandparents from Arizona made the long two-day trek down to St. Kitts to spend a few days with us over Thanksgiving. I couldn't believe they did it, and I was so happy to know that the 3:00 pm American Flight that flies over my house everyday actually had someone on it that was coming to see ME!

Above is Nana and Grandpa with little Mimi on the South Peninsula. They loved this drive and Mimi loved playing games in the back with Nana during our "long" drives around the island.
Here we are at "Bobsy's." It's a bar and grill in Frigate Bay that Nana and Grandpa treated us to. Life here is pretty nice when you're a tourist...experiencing the island not on a student budget! Hahahaha...
We spent the actual Thanksgiving dinner with good American friends from church. (Didn't get any pics...sad). The kind Allred family opened their house at the Marriott Resort to a wild bunch of Mormons and we chowed down! It was a very special day, and we felt lucky to have been included when we are such newbies to this island! The food was incredible, the company was enjoyable, and all-in-all, it was a great day that we will remember with fondness...our First Caribbean Thanksgiving!

It's been a while...

2009-11-18T21:41:00.007-04:00

Yes...life got really busy, and the blog didn't...which is unfortunate because we want our little blog to document life, and it has really slowed down. So here's some of our news as of late:

Dave transferred schools. The University of Medicine and Health Sciences (UMHS) is a school right across the ocean in St. Kitts, and we felt like it was a much better school, so we went for it, and Dave is very happy and doing well, so it was a great move. Yay.

At first, we decided to stay living on Nevis and have Dave commute by ferry everyday. We did this for two months, and it was a lot to handle. It was an hour and a half each way and very expensive...so we moved to St. Kitts as soon as I got back from my brother's funeral.

St. Kitts is nice...and we really love it! It's a lot bigger, there is more shopping, produce is fresher...and there's even a movie theater here (gasp). The pace is faster, the people are friendlier, and we can see the cruise ships coming in and out everyday from our house. It's kind of fun and exciting. (hint, hint: if you come on a cruise that stops in St. Kitts...you BETTER let us know! This pic is taken from our balcony...I'm serious...the port is 5 minutes away!)

Mia is hilarious and very girlie. She is obsessed with watching Mary Poppins, has to carry her pink purse around all day, and must wear her sunglasses...even if we're in the house. She is still incredibly shy around strangers, and loves to "cluck" at the chickens outside our house every time we go in or out. Everything is a "puppy" (pronounced "poppi"), and popcorn is her favorite treat by far. She is the highlight of our lives...yes we've turned into "those people" that gush over our little one, but we both waited so long for her, so why not?

I'm still working on my master's online, Dave's doing great in school, Mia's getting cuter by the minute, so life is wonderful. Our big family Christmas present is to go home for the Holidays, which we can't wait for.

That's all for now...hopefully I'll be better from now on, but we'll see about that.

Yay!! They're Coming Home!! 10-24-2009

2009-10-24T21:11:00.015-04:00

Above is a picture of the Love of my life, Mi amor...xooxoxoxox. I love you Becky!

I am sooo excited for my favorite girls in the whole world to come home to me this Monday!! For the last month and a half, I've only seen them for two weeks...that means I haven't seen them for a month. It has been the hardest month of my life!! All I want to do is be with my little family... when Becky and Mia get home we are going to:

1. Play Tennis (Mia has a new 'Dora' tennis racquet)!
2. Go to the beach.
3. Eat ice cream.
4. Go to the movies!
5. Hang out together!!

One thing I have learned on this little excursion is how much I love them and just want to spend all of my time with them...everything else is secondary. Becky and Mia, you make me sooo happy! I get emotional just thinking of you two.

Above is Mia at her Aunt Heather and Uncle Shaman's wedding reception.

I'm so glad that they were able to visit family though. I think that Mia had a great time with her cousins in Texas. I wonder if Mia is going to say "ya'll" when she gets home.

This one on the bottom is of Mia and her big cousin Sheridan, I had to post it because they are both sooo cute!!

I can't wait, I am so excited. I am sooo in love with you guys! Come home safe to me!

mucho smoocho,

Big Daddy

Is this a Rockin' Family or What??!! Livin' da Life!! ;)

2009-10-19T09:56:00.006-04:00

On Sunday, October 18, 2009, my niece Lily Mae Filhart had her baby blessing! I hear Wes did an awesome job. I'm sure he did. As you can see, (this picture was taken the day of the blessing), they just look like the most rockin' family around. That's the crew! Look at Steele, that is pure mischief, and I hear Gi-Gi is not far behind, and then beautiful Lily Mae!! Tell me, don't they look all beautiful and happy!?!? I must say that I'm very proud of my brother and his family. Him and Mary are doing an excellent job. So darn proud of you guys!! We'll be there for the next baby blessing, okay?! I better be off to studying! Love you Wes, Love you Mary, Love you Steele, Love you Gideon, and Love you Lily!!!! Love you all! Keep on keeping on!
Love,
Dave, Becky, and Mia

My Feelings about my brother, John

2009-10-09T21:38:00.000-04:00

Well I suppose I have to just sit down and write my memories about my dear brother, John. I have been avoiding this because I am having a difficult time accepting this. Living so far away right now really removes you from everything, and up until seeing John at Heather’s wedding last month, in my mind, I still see John as a healthy, witty guy that has a wink and a smile ready for you.
My recall of memories really stinks, honestly, so I have been praying that I would be able to not be my normal, forgetful self, and actually dig deep and remember more than I usually do about the past.
My earliest memories of John are from Woodbridge, VA. I remember mom and dad buying us a round metal horse troph for a swimming pool in the backyard…ha! We had to plug that thing with a washcloth so the water would stay in. We’d all get in there and run around and make whirlpools. I remember from a very early age loving having all the family together, especially when the “older kids” were around and playing with us. I am number six in the family, and I remember doing whatever I could to be around the older kids. I remember Rob and John playing ball and breaking the Van windshield in the driveway. I remember the older kids playing rubber band wars in the upstairs hallway and in order for us younger ones to “be there,” the boys would have us clean up the rubber bands between games. Ahhh, what a little kid will do to be involved.
In California, I remember John and Rob playing the trashcan lid game. I loved running between the bases. I also remember Axis and Allies…it was very heated at times. One of poor mom and dad’s tactics to get us to stop fighting/be more respectful, etc. was to use money. At the beginning of every week, we each started at a WHOLE $5! (That seemed like SOOO MUCH to me back then!). Throughout the week, money was deducted if we were disrespectful, whined, or fought. By the end of the week, each child was given the remainder of the $5 they “earned.” Well, if my memory serves me correctly, Rob and John were “playing” Axis and Allies in their bedroom for a while. Things got…ahem…a little competitive, and before we knew it, the door was locked and they were fighting it out! Mom sent one of us through their bedroom window to open their door so she could get in there. Mom and Dad took Rob and John into their bedroom and talked with them for a long time. I remember them coming out and finding that they had been in trouble…and they LOST ALL $5 of their dollars for that week in one swoop. I couldn’t believe it, I remember thinking that was big time. I also remember the boys selling flowers on the side of the road in the entrance to Oak Hills and doing their paper route early in the morning. Even from that early time, John was developing a strong work ethic and sense of responsibility. I remember going to see John as Charlie Brown in the school play, and how much he loved living in Monterey. I think he thought those were some of his best times.
In Kansas, I remember John and his friend taking us little kids to Worlds of Fun. It was an amusement park, and we had a blast! We all went on this crazy rollercoaster and most of us barfed big time at the end of it, honestly. Looking back, that was really cool for him to choose to take us annoying kids to an amusement park when he could have gone with just a group of his friends instead. That says a lot about John. I remember John being into “The Proclaimers” and listening to that tape over and over and loving it years before it got really “popular.” Then there were the class ring hits. John was very patient as a brother. He didn’t need to be in charge, have his way, assert his authority, etc. He was very kind and loving…but sometimes, enough was enough. Sometimes I remember I would push his buttons just because I knew he wouldn’t fly off the handle. He would just sit and let me hit, pinch, punch, etc. while he sat there. Well sometimes when he wasn’t in the mood, he would start counting…1…2…that’s 3…then I knew I was in trouble. For every hit I did, he would hit me back my holding my arm, turn his class ring with the stone facing out and hit me on my arm the number of times I hit him. I had it coming. This only happened after patient, quiet requests to stop and leave him alone. His mullet happened around that time too, I believe. I remember sitting at Nana Wendt’s table in Arizona on our way to Hawaii with my parents talking about John needing to get rid of his gothic coat and cut his hair…are there any mullet pics of John floating around?

In Hawaii, John lived in the maid’s quarters on the other side of the house. I remember his room being full of these drawings…were they mythical creatures? Does anyone else remember those? He listened to Weird Al Yankovic music too, and would sing his songs around the house and in the car just to get you to laugh.
I was proud of John being worthy and willing to serve a mission to Las Vegas. I remember getting letters and pictures of him serving and helping. I remember this picture of him and his companion standing in tons of snow in Susanville, CA shoveling it off of someone’s rooftop. When he came home, he had a huge stereo he had bought on his mission. Years later, I ended up receiving that stereo from him. He was very generous. He had a fun outlook on life and what makes it interesting.
When he moved home after a difficult period of life, I remember he would spend a lot of time in his bedroom. I must have been about 15 or 16 at this time, and one day he and I were the only ones home. I was doing my thing, and he was doing his thing. I remember that he came out of his bedroom and asked if I wanted to play a card game. I was happy that he wanted to, and we must have sat at the table in mom and dad’s house for hours eating Pringles chips and playing cards. I still remember feeling so happy that he was smiling and making jokes. That was good to see.
He also gave me my cupid prick of love for animals (which my husband is forever in his debt for). Little Sebastian came home with John when he moved home and was…well…a complete terror in my parent’s brand new home. I was never an animal person up to that point, and I was not excited about this little dog coming into our home. But John loved little Sebby and we all knew John needed him. Well, it didn’t take me long to know why. Sebastian was the cutest little West Highland White Terrier ever. He would cuddle with you on the floor when you were watching TV., he’d pee all over the floor, and chew furniture and windowsills. But he was always ready and wagging his tail when you came in the door and wanted to say HI to you like he’d been waiting all day for YOU to get home. But till this day, watching how much John loved that little guy still gets me, he definitely loved animals.
Ahh…then Jacqui entered his life. I think the first time I knew of his interest in Jacqui was when I came into his room for something one day and he was writing in his journal. He was lying on the floor with his journal open and there was a picture of Jacqui lying on the floor next to the journal. In the picture, she was wearing a green outfit in front of a white gate or something. I asked what he was doing and who that girl was, and I think he got embarrassed and told me to get out of his room. Well…it didn’t take long, because the next thing we knew, she was over at our house for the infamous first dinner experience, and the rest was history. Jacqui drove an Eagle Talon sports car back then, and I remember one time before they were married John had her car for some reason. He was going to go to her work to bring her some lunch and asked if I wanted to go with him. We got in the car and as he drove, he looked over at me and said “Did I ever tell you how much I love this car? It is so choice.” (Insert Ferris Bueller’s voice for that line). John was always happy to include me and was just happy that I was there with him. I remember when he took Jacqui on a fancy date…was it Phantom of the Opera or something? Anyway, he was agonizing about what to wear for the date because they were going to dress up. He got a whole new outfit and looked great, and the picture they took together at Jacqui’s house before their date ended up on the floor right next to the picture of Jacqui when he’d write in his journal in his bedroom after that. I must have been nosy, because I remember seeing him on a few occasions with those pictures…ahhh…that new love. John and Jacqui’s wedding reception was a little slice of heaven for me. I remember it being so fun, so beautiful, and we danced, and danced, and danced! I even remember my brother Rob asking me to dance at their reception and how good that made me feel. John and Jacqui were exquisite that night, and to see John so HAPPY was good for all of us who love him so much.
Shortly after he and Jacqui married, they basically gave me their little blue get metro when I graduated High School. That poor car saw some rough times with Janet and me commuting to SWT, but John and Jacqui’s generosity really helped out when I was a poor college student. I remember a few years later John joining Janet and I’s commuting schedule and how I will now cherish that time and those early morning conversations and institute classes we shared that I realize now how much I took for granted. I remember if he and Jacqui went out of town, Janet and I would housesit for them and watch their dogs. That was really fun.
The day John told us that Jacqui was pregnant with their first child, Tommy, was a special day. We were all at my parent’s house sitting in the family room, and John came in and asked what we were all doing in April (I believe that was the original due date maybe…although Tommy wasn’t born until May…). We all kind of sat there confused…and then he got all excited and happy and said, well I was wondering because that’s when JACQUI’S DUE!!!!! We were all totally excited! It was really fun to watch both John and Jacqui prepare for the births of each of their special children and how excited, organized, and focused they would get when they were welcoming a new child into their home.
Something kind of special to me is the fact that for a few years, Dad, John, and I were all teachers at the same time. Although they both taught High School and I taught Elementary, it was something special to find us three sitting and talking every once in a while about teaching, and suddenly the room would be left with only us three. I guess “teacher talk” IS really annoying when you’re not a teacher! Having that unique bond was something I was proud of, simple, yes, but I will cherish forever.
After college, I moved away, and I remember John calling me for important things that were happening in his life. He called to tell me that he had finally gone skydiving, and told me all about it. He was so happy and proud of himself. John called about passing his Counseling exam that was very stressful, yet he was so relieved and happy that he wanted to call and share his joy with me. We had a lengthy conversation when he found out that he was diagnosed with colon cancer. It was a week before we left Arizona to move to the Caribbean, and I stood outside a restaurant that we had gone to for hours on the phone with him. It was like he didn’t want to get off the phone with me. It was the best conversation I think I ever had with him. He had lots of advice and words of wisdom as Dave and I were moving into a stressful, difficult time of life as Dave entered Med School. Somehow as all of this is happening, one of my sorrows is that I know John would be a source of great comfort and wisdom for me, yet he is the one that has passed on. I will miss those conversations and special bonding times.
Oh ya! Disneyworld! That was a great family trip! Talk about crazy…piling all the family into two condos for a week of Disney. It is still one of my most favorite family trips ever…though! One night mom and dad agreed to watch the kids late while the adults went back to the park to ride rides. It was so so so much fun! After the grandkids started coming, it was rare for the siblings to really be alone and have adult time in the family, so this was a special treat. I remember standing in the line for that star tours or star wars ride and John cracking jokes.
John was impressively kind and considerate to my husband, Dave. Both he and Jacqui made it a point to sit by Dave and genuinely ask him questions about how his life was going. They took time out to make Dave feel comfortable and accepted, and for that, I have the most respect and love for John and Jacqui.
At this time, my heart hurts terribly for the loss of my dear brother, for his beautiful wife, my sister, Jacqui, and their four amazing kids…Tommy, Sheridan, Rita, and Miles. It is hard for me to understand the reasons for this situation, and even harder to be so very far away from everyone now. I hope that Tommy, Sheridan, Rita, and Miles know that their dad was a man of honor, courage, understood responsibility, had a strong work ethic, loved family and wanted to be around them, and honored his priesthood. He loved your mom very deeply. She not only made him very happy, but made him a better man. He had a tremendous laugh and a witty sense of humor. He was gifted in imparting wisdom and sharing personal experiences to help you through tough times in your own life. He was an incredible big brother that loved me, I know this. I will miss him terribly.

John William Schoen - We'll Miss You!! May 6, 1972 - Oct. 8, 2009

2009-10-08T16:44:00.015-04:00

I felt that it was important to write a few words about my Brother-in-law, John William Schoen. We found out this morning, October 8, 2009, that he had passed on. He was only 37. John was diagnosed six months ago, and died of colon cancer. He leaves behind his wife Jacqui, and his oldest son Tommy, daughter Sheridan, daughter Rita, and baby Miles. I will deeply miss him. His family will deeply miss him. We all will miss him.

John is Becky's second oldest brother. I have only known John for about five years, but I can say, he was a great husband and father. He was a good brother. He was a good man.

Above is a family photo of John and family Christmas 2006 (l-r Sheridan, Jacqui, Tommy, John, and Rita)

Above is a photo of John, Jacqui, and their youngest son, Miles in January 2009, for Miles' baby blessing.

John Was first and foremost a loving husband to Jacqui, and a kind and loving father to his children. He was a deeply religious man, and endeavored to teach and lead his family in the way of the Lord. He was very kind, and had a huge heart.

I remember when I was first meeting the family, and during subsequent visits to San Antonio, that John always showed kindness and love to me. He would always go out of his way to talk with me and make me feel welcome and comfortable. I enjoyed the conversations that we shared. He always left me with the impression that he was genuinely interested in me, and he was always a gracious host. His simple kindness touched my heart and I will always be grateful to him for our friendship. I will never forget him.

A few weeks before entering medical school, I was in the airport in San Jose, waiting for my flight back to Phoenix. John called me on my celly, and we must have talked for over a half an hour or so, about our families. I shared with him my insecurities and feelings of inadequacy in regards to being a new father, and the struggles that come with being a family man. John lent an empathetic ear, and shared with me some of his personal experiences, and gave me some advice and words of encouragement. Looking back, I didn't know that would be the last conversation I would have with John, but I am grateful for it. I considered myself lucky to know him.

Above is at Rita's Baby Blessing in 2006

Church and family were the most important things to John. That was evident in the way he lived. He served a mission, went to church every Sunday, and was a faithful and devoted husband and father. He was a hardworking man.

Every Dad's dream, to sleep, while the kids are sleeping! ;)

I loved seeing this picture of John catching some zzz's with his little ones. He loved his children. It always cracked me up to see the bantering that would go on between Tommy and his Dad. I remember quite a few times where John would be as stern with Tommy as I have ever seen, but Tommy would still push his buttons, without hesitation. I would always laugh inside, and always got a kick out of watching them interact. Sheridan would get in on it too! Looking back, I will definitely miss witnessing that.

I loved that John and his family did Tae Kwon Do together.

Me and Becky have vowed to keep this tradition going in our family. What a good, wholesome, recreational activity to do as a family! A family that kicks butt together, stays together. Thanks John, for your good example!

I remember one time we were at Becky's Mom and Dad's house, and John, Jacqui, and the kids were over. Of course, the kids would always put on a demo of their latest kata, but one time, to my surprise, John and Jacqui were showing some action! I think Jacqui was demonstrating how to get out of the grips of an attacker, and John was her demo partner. I still remember clearly the smiles she had in laying the smack down on John, and I remember very clearly how proud John was of his dear wife.

The above picture was taken just a little over a month ago, on September 5th, 2009.

Becky was able to be at Sheridan's baptism. She said that after the baptism, that John gave Sheridan a blessing that was really sacred and special. It was one of the last blessings that John gave to his daughter.

As I am writing this, I must admit, I am teary eyed. But, in my heart, I know, as John knows, that families are forever.

The above is a great picture of John dancing with Jacqui and Sheridan at Heather and Shaman's wedding on September 4, 2009.

John dancing with Jacqui at his sister Heather and Shaman's wedding reception.
Even though he was sick, he was still a handsome devil.

God speed John, we'll miss you brother. We'll see you soon.

Read more about John's struggle with cancer as recorded by his wife, Jacqui:
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/paininthesacrum

Below is a link in rememberance of John, and also where you can contribute to John's children's college fund:
http://notsosouthern.blogspot.com/

John William Schoen's Obituary:
http://www.valleymorningstar.com/articles/john-61303-schoen-cancer.html

Friday Night PHO at the Filharts...can you say alliteration?

2009-09-12T14:55:00.007-04:00

Yes, my wife is international, but you would think she is straight out of Chau Doc, Vietnam, with her skills in the kitchen!! She makes Pho just like my Mama!!
Love you baby,
xoxoox
DAVE

Aug. 31, 2009 - Happy 2nd Anniversary (late celebration...included flying objects)!!! St. Kitts - Marriott

2009-09-03T16:12:00.012-04:00

Well!! It's been one heck of an adventure!! Me and Becky celebrated our 2nd anniversary a little late this year because I had block exams during our real date, but we made up for it in style!! We chilled at the Marriott in St. Kitts. It was really nice!

Of course we had to bring Mia along, our anniversary celebration just wouldn't be as fun without her!!! She makes life exponentially more joyful each and every day! xoxoxo

We spent our anniversary at the Marriott in St. Kitts...we scored an ocean view / pool view of on the 4th floor...killer views!

I love this picture of Mia!

We also scored a sweet breakfast:

2 Hot Chocolates
2 Orange Juices
1 Tropical Fruit Smoothie
1 Yogurt
1 Bagel and Cream Cheese
1 Steak and Eggs (1st time I had steak since being on the island)! and Hash Browns
1 Blueberry Pancakes and Bacon with Hash Browns
1 Side of Bacon
1 Side of Hash Browns
and 1 Fruit Plate

This view was especially sweet at night as they had the pool lit up and palm trees lit up...it was all dramatic, and nice...especially kicking it in our undies on the balcony till midnight. Mia was sleeping.

Mia is sooo cute!

Another cool thing that happened, was when Becky was on the phone with our bank, and talking to the automatic phone thing...and just for fun, when it would ask her to punch in our account # or whatever I would make an annoying noise, just for fun. Becky kept telling me to stop, so I just saw this as a tremendous opportunity for a little fun. I guess after I made the noise, the automatic machine operator would say that it could not understand Becky's response and she would have to start all over! LOL! So after she kept telling me to stop, well, I had to do it one more time...and then I was looking down after I made the noise, and BAM! My head deflected a cell phone, which hit so hard that the keypad and the battery flew off!! BECKY THREW HER CELL PHONE AT ME AND HIT ME IN THE PTERION!! The Pterion is the sight of the skull where the union of the frontal, parietal, sphenoid, and temporal bones come together (one of the few things I have learned in Caribbean medical school ;) ). It is the one of the weakest parts of the skull meaning that a blow to this area is very dangerous!!! At first I was upset, and Becky apologized...and then I got to thinking...that was kind of cool! In fact, I found the fire in her eyes and crazy reaction sexy! I mean, most people find Becky to be passive aggressive...if they only knew...and to think that I am the only one that can drive my wife this mad....well, I will have to say that I am honored.

Becky Darlin'....Here's to living life the way we please!

Love you Baby! XOXOXOOXxoxoxoXOXO

....love Mia too! ;)

Ch-ch-ch-changes!!

2009-08-25T21:50:00.011-04:00

Well...we moved. Our first place was great and all...and of course we made memories there and it will always have a place in our hearts...but I wanted to check this island out. With nothing to do in June, I called a few local real estate agents and went all over the island looking at available rentals just for fun. I decided that if I found something that was comparable in price, location, safety, amenities, etc. then it would be worth it to move. One of the real estate agents really ended up liking me I guess and was determined to find me something that I would like. I was able to negotiate $400/month off the asking price and WHA-LA!!!! We moved into a gorgeous Caribbean Villa that will amount to about $60/mth more after all is said and done. SOLD!!!

Old View

p.s. this is a view of our old "dryer." Yes, I'm eco-friendly, but it rains like crazy here and it was tricky to do laundry. Now I am proud to use Miele brand appliances (they are top of the line german appliances that Dave and I are sold on)...so I'll just have to wait until I get back to AZ one day to dry on the line again... New View...I love the arch we drive/walk under to get to our house. We so want one of these one day...hahahaha.

Our new place!

This is a view of our neighbor/landlord's house. It is more adorable than ours. She's a great lady from New York that retired here.

This is a view of the garage...
This is a view of St. Kitts from our porch.

Our old porch...
Our new wrap around porch...
with plenty...
plenty...
plenty...
plenty...
plenty...
did I mention PLENTY of sitting/relaxing/lounge space? COME, COME, COME AND VISIT!!!! PLLLLEASE!!!!

This is our old Barbie/Pink Palace ceiling and kitchen...hahahaha. The glitter on the ceiling doesn't show in the picture...but it's there alright!

New ceiling/kitchen...ahhh better on the eyes...for sure!
Old sitting/living room with fabulous artwork still in the plastic...

A new family room with books, lots of comfy seating, and lounge options with NEUTRAL wall paint...
Even Mia's vibrating ELMO chair made the move...we couldn't leave him out...
Oh ya...another plug for visitors...that green chaise can be a bed and has a trundle bed underneath that pops up beside it...with an awesome fan overhead. We have plenty of room!!!
This is both Dave and I's favorite reading chair in the whole house. Out the window is a perfect view of St. Kitts and the ocean. Look! A framed piece of artwork!!! We scored!!!
Old dining room table with "surprise" chairs that were nice and wobbily and unpredictable. I knew that would be the end of any self-esteem I have left if I broke one of those...
A new dining room with comfortable, stable chairs. That's not asking too much...is it? wink winkOur old bathroom...and ohhhhh the smell. Don't be grossed out...but we were for FOUR months!!! The town water here can really smell bad, and the plumbing in this house is so old and in need of a complete overhaul, that we called it the poopy smell. Lucky for us, the bathroom wall shared with our bedroom closet. Yay for poopy clothes smell!!!

Our new bathroom...one of 2! First time for two bathrooms (the other is identical to this one on Mia's side) and NO POOPY SMELL!!! When you clean it, it's really clean! Yay!

Old hospital bedroom. The walls were a pale/pea green and the lights were flouresant. Not complaining...but during my "fun" of seeing what else was out there, I had to weigh some pros and cons people.

New bedroom, lovely, airy, and romantic. Ahhh...
Mimi's little bedroom. I love her bedroom, it is so pretty and bright. That chair in front of her window is called a corner chair. I love it! We have two of them here, and they are perfect. I've never seen one before, but now I will want to be on the lookout back home for some.
Of course, this place is fun, and sure makes our time here enjoyable. But alas, we're students, so we know this place is but a mere dream for us. The most important thing is we have each other and we have our little poopy with us. What can go wrong in life when you have this little beauty every day? We are grateful, and ever watchful for guests to come and visit...don't hesitate!!! Get down here as fast as you can!!!

Como se dice?

2009-08-22T13:17:00.004-04:00

Man, I should have stuck with Spanish in High School. I took tons of Spanish classes, and was even inducted into the National Spanish Honor Society...BUT I always hated how I sounded speaking it, and I sure didn't keep up with it, that's for sure.
When we got here, the missionaries quickly caught wind that I was a teacher, so they asked me to start a weekly English class. I can't believe how fast my Spanish has come back, even though I still have a long way to go with it. Most of the members in our Branch are from The Dominican Republic, and only speak Spanish. They are here working, and can obtain better jobs if they learn English. So, I took it on and designed an English program and got the class going. It is a major highlight of my week here. I love it.

Here is Mia helping out. She comes with me while Dave stays home studying for school.

Here we are with two of my students...Julio and Fransica. They are hilarious. Julio likes to tell me how to drive when we're going home, even though if I would have listened to him, we probably would have died three times by now. Fransica is so special. She's 45 years old!!!! She doesn't look a day over 33 to us. She is so happy and kind, and she babysits Mia every Friday night for us so we can have a date!