Let There Be Light

After many weeks of putting up lights...here it is! The lights have been on for a few weeks now and we love to watch the people drive by slowly. It is truly beauitiful and I am still in awe every time I see it. Here are just a few of the shots I took.

This is a view from the pool area in the backyard.

Another view from the backyard.

The entryway at the front of the house.

Hope you enjoyed the lights!

Winter Wonderland Celebration

This past weekend Kyle and I went to Minneapolis. Now, you may ask why two people would leave the beautiful December weather of Arizona for the frigid cold of Minnesota, but we had a few very good reasons. First, we wanted to get into the Christmas spirit with some snow. Second, we thought it would be a fun trip for our anniversary, but most of all we wanted to surprise Kyle's Grandma Mary for her 91st birthday. Anyone turning that young deserves a bit of a surprise...don't you think?

We definitely surprised her, thanks to some help from cousins, aunts, and uncles and the whole moment was so special.

After the big surprise we went to the Holidazzle Light Parade downtown with family. This is Kyle's cousin Jen and her adorable 4, going on 30, year old daughter Morgan. Love the cheeks!!!

The lights in the parade were spectacular!
Kyle loved his little buddy!

If I didn't mention it before, it was cold! We're talking cover every part of your body cold. I believe the temps averaged 15 during the day and around zero at night. Brrr!!!

The snow is so beautiful. Nice to look at, but too cold.

We took a drive to St. Cloud to the VA hospital to visit his Grandpa Bob. Seeing his grandma and grandpa interact is priceless. They will be married 70 years in April. I only hope we can make it as long as them.

I truly love Kyle's Grandma Mary. She may be the sweetest person I have ever met. A true angel put on Earth.

After a weekend with family, it was time to say goodbye. We spent Monday and Tuesday downtown to celebrate our anniversary.

Ahhhh, Mall of America, my Mecca! I never get tired of this place. I'm like a little kid in a candy shop here.

The Macy's in downtown Minneapolis puts on a special display on the 8th floor each year. This year was "A Day in the Life of an Elf". It was so neat to walk through this animated creation. It really got us in the spirit of Christmas.

We made a visit to the new Twins Stadium. What a beautiful field.

Nothing like sitting in a giant golden glove.

We had a great time with everyone and while we enjoyed the snow and getting all bundled up we were truly grateful to return to 75 degrees on Wednesday. No wonder we have so many winter visitors. The whole time Kyle and I said, "Why would anyone live in this?" I shouldn't speak to soon. With our med school journey...who knows where we'll be.

One Year

One year ago, today, I married the man of my dreams, my best friend, and my soulmate. This past year has flown by and I'm sure the rest will go even faster. So far, it's been one crazy adventure filled with challenges along the way, but there's no one else I'd rather take this ride with. From a move to the Caribbean in January to an unexpected extended stay in Arizona this fall, we've been up, down, and all around the globe. I can honestly say this year has been wonderful and marriage is even more amazing than I thought. When people ask "Is it different?", I say "Not different, just better". So, here's to my wonderful husband Kyle...Happy 1st Anniversary! I Love You

Santa and His Elves

Every other year my mom and dad light up their house like the North Pole. We've always only decorated on the even years since we travel to St. Louis for Christmas on the odd years. Not to mention, it would be way too much work to put up all these lights each year. They put up over 50,000 lights and it truly is beautiful. I've always been proud of our Christmas lights and I love being a part of it. This year Kyle and I expected to be in Dominica during the setup time, but instead we're here to help.

About a week before Thanksgiving Santa and his 3 elves get to work. In case you were wondering, Santa is my dad. He is the head honcho who directs us all and makes sure we don't blow up the house. We would let him help string the lights, but that would be like asking a kindergartner to address your Christmas cards...it's just not a good idea. Instead, he has 3 hard working elves...my mom, Kyle, and I. It takes us about 2 weeks to get everything up in the front and back yard, but when we turn it all on it is worth the work. The neighbors seem to like it too.

Elf #1: Kyle

Elf #2: Mom

I'm Elf #3 and I took the photos. I will post pictures of the house all lit up when it's ready.

This picture is just a peek into the kind of electrical contraptions we build to make it all work. Let's just say I've used more extension cords, plug converters, and electrical tape than I ever care to.

Thanksgiving

This Thanksgiving gave us much to be thankful for...first, each other. This is our first Thanksgiving together as husband and wife and I can't think of anyone I'd rather be with. Second, spending this day with our families. Considering we were scheduled to be in Dominica at this point, it's a blessing to be able to share another Turkey Day with grandmas, grandpas, moms, dads, brothers, and sisters. We love all of you so much and it meant a lot to look across the table to see your smiling face. And last, but certainly not least, Kyle and I found out we're going to be an aunt and uncle in August. Kyle's brother and his wife are expected a beautiful bundle of joy this summer and we are thrilled. I must say, I never gave much thought to the idea of being an aunt until now. As an only child I never thought of anyone calling me Aunt Heidi, but I do like the sound of it.

We started the day with a turkey lunch at Kyle's grandma's house and finished the day with a turkey dinner at my mom and dad's. Let's just say we had to be rolled home by the time we were done. We certainly didn't go hungry. The picture to the left is a nice shot my mom took of my dad and I...thanks mom! We're flipping the bird in the oven to get 360 degrees of crispness. It's a 2-man job for sure.

It was a great day with great people and great food. We are truly blessed and many ways.

Happy Thanksgiving to all!

Shoppin' Till We Were Droppin'

I had mentioned a few weeks ago that we were going to California and this past weekend, we did. It was such a fun trip filled with LOTS of shopping, but somehow little buying. Nonetheless, we had some great times. I do believe that Kyle was fed up with all the shopping by the end of the 3 days, but he was such a good sport. How do you reward a tired boy for being so patient with his mother-in-law and wife who happen to be professional shoppers? Well, you get him a Ninja Turtle ice cream of course...

He looks happy doesn't he?

One place we went was the LA Fashion district. It's about 4 square miles divided into men's, women's, flowers, fabric, diamonds, and more. People sell anything and everything here. It seemed like we walked all 4 square miles and all we bought was some fabric and makeup. We were entertained for sure. My favorite part was the flower market. It's filled with rows of beautiful flowers. Everything from roses to orchids, containers to put them in, moss, branches, etc. It truly is a fun place to walk around.

On the way to the Fashion District we drove past a diner and noticed there were about 30 people lined up outside to get in. We decided it was a sign of good food and made up our mind to have lunch there. Even at 11:00am the line was still out the door. We waited about 40 minutes before we got our table. It's called the Original Pantry Cafe and it serves good old fashioned food like grandma makes. The menu is on a chalkboard, they only take cash, and they haven't closed their door since 1924. What a find!


You might notice the portions are HUGE!!! We could have easily split one meal. Our leftovers could have fed a family of 6. Live and learn, right?



On Sunday we were off to the fabulous Rose Bowl Flea Market.

Of course we had to have some of the delicious lemonade. That also kept Kyle pretty happy. Are we noticing a trend?

We really didn't buy too much, but we still had to work on getting it all into the car. We looked a bit like hillbillies on the drive home.

What would complete a trip to California??? A wild fire and a field of wind turbines near Pasadena, of course.

We made it home Sunday night just in time for Kyle to miss all the football games. What a sport he was. Not many guys would go on a weekend of shopping with their wife and mother-in-law. Either we're just that fun or he's a trooper. We had a terrific time. Thanks Mom!

It's Chili in Arizona, With a Side of Philly

While I will admit that it is cooling down, finally, here in the desert, it's only about 76 degrees for a high each day, the chili I'm referring to is the kind we made last week for Monday Night Football. As the Steelers worked on taking down the Bengals we cooked up some savory Cincinnati style chili. Known for it's slightly sweet, yet spicy, taste this chili has cocoa powder, cinnamon, and allspice in its list of ingredients. It's also served over spaghetti noodles and then a heaping pile of cheddar cheese is placed on top. We took it a little easier on the cheese than suggested, but it still turned out fabulous. My dad and I are really becoming quite the cooking team. I love getting to share in these new, yet wonderful traditions.

After some chili, we had a philly...cheesesteak that is. This week the Eagles played the Redskins and we honored them with our own take on the famous cheesesteaks of Philadelphia. What's "our take" you ask? No Cheez Whiz! We actually bought some for Kyle, he wanted some, but I forgot to use it. Whoops. So, all of us (my mom and dad, my grandma, Kyle, and I) had provolone. It was basically deliciousness on a toasted hoagie roll.

Kids These Days

I've been so blessed to have been able to go right back to a job since we've been home. Obviously our extended visit was unplanned and I needed to fill my time in some way and make some money too. Substitute teaching has been the perfect thing. I've worked almost every day each week that we've been here and it's something I truly love doing. I sub for K through 9 so I get to experience a little bit of everything. One day I have a 6 year old tugging on my pants and telling me I'm pretty and the next day I have a 14 year old giving me "the bird" and telling me he hates school. It's always an adventure and I truly could write a book on all the things I've experienced. These are just a few of my favorites since I've been home:

• I had a 3rd grader poop on the floor. It literally fell right through his shorts and onto the floor. The next day I noticed he was wearing pants that seemed to be tighter at the ankle. Poor little fella'.
  
• I had a 1st grader make the comment "I just don't think that Harry Mitchell is gonna make the cut this time". This was on election day and she was referring to an AZ candidate for Congress. Kids must really pick up on everything they hear.
  
• A 3rd grader told me "Man, my new shoes are increasing my speed each and every day. I don't know when I'll be able to stop". Where do they come up with this stuff?
• While I was in the middle of reading a story to a class of kindergartners one of the girls raised her hand and said "I feel like coloring". That was it...she felt the need to raise her hand, stop me in the middle of the story, and tell me that. I wanted to say "Yes and I feel like a cocktail, but we don't always get what we want in life now do we?" Instead I simply said, "That's not what we are doing right now". I am constantly censoring myself.

I love my job and look forward to a new adventure each time I step onto a campus.

SOLD!!!

In an attempt to further slim down the amount of stuff in our storage unit and to make a bit of extra cash, Kyle and I decided to have a garage sale. Luckily my cousin, Edie, had a lot of furnishings and items for kids that she was also needing to get out of her house/garage. Together, we had a fine lookin' sale! While I taught 3rd grade, Kyle and Edie held the sale on Friday and boy was it busy. Lots of stuff sold and we all made some money. Now today, Saturday, I'm sitting here by myself as Kyle puts out signs and gets us some coffee. I've had a drive by and 1 couple peruse our "junk", but not a single sale an an hour. Is it me??? Hopefully not. Otherwise, it's going to be one loooong day. While I hate, doing these yard sales, I always feel good when their done. Our pocket books are thicker and our lives are less cluttered. I thought I'd run down a few things that really bother me about yard sales...

I hate when everything is clearly marked and they still ask you how much for everything! (There's a reason why I spent hours labeling each item)

I can't stand when they bring up a big pile of stuff and make you an offer, much lower than priced, and tell you this all the cash they have on them. (I say BS! Who goes for a day of yard sale shopping with only $7?)

My biggest pet peeve is when they ask you if you'll take 1/16 of the price you have labeled. I mean, come on! I understand the need for a bargain, but you're at a yard sale...it's already a bargain. (What they're really asking is if I'll take $1 for the item I have priced at $12, but originally paid $80 for and used twice...I don't think so)

Well that's my rant for the day. Poor Kyle's heard it a few times, so I thought I'd share the wealth.

Grandma Turns...

This weekend we celebrated my grandma's birthday which is actually on Tuesday. She will be 75! Whoops, I mean 57. We made a coconut cake, one of her favorites, and some "unknown" lady came in a switched around the numbers...

Here are my cousin Edie's kids, Taylor and Tyson, hanging out with GG, their great grandma. Ironically, Taylor is 5 years old and Tyson is 7. They love their GG.

Before the night was over we asked to see a preview of their costumes. What a creepy Freddy Kruger and a beautiful Snow White. I'm sure they'll get loads of candy on Halloween.

It was a wonderful weekend and one more reason for Kyle and I to be thankful to be home.
These are the things we really miss.

Happy Birthday Grandma and a Happy Halloween to all!!!

California Here We Come!

In 2 weeks, my mom, Kyle, and I will be driving to California to go to one of my favorite places in the world...THE ROSE BOWL FLEA MARKET! Now, before you jump to conclusions, I must say that this is no ordinary flea market. There are no overweight men in overalls trying to sell rusty old farm equipment and no toothless woman nagging me to buy her "crafty crap", shall we say. This flea market happens to be a unique collection of everything you can imagine and it attracts quite the crowd, including many celebrities, stylists, and designers (we saw a Backstreet Boy last time we were there). There is vintage clothing and furniture, boutique clothes and jewelry, overstocked items (like snowboard gear and clothing), etc. I could go on and on about all the finds. The best part is the element of surprise. Although I have some idea what might be there, in the end I really don't know what to expect. My mom and I go for the fun finds and Kyle goes for the delicious frozen lemonade they sell around the market. I really could park him on a bench all day with this stuff and he's be content. It is sooooo delicious.

This flea market is on the 2nd Sunday of each month right at the Rose Bowl stadium. I really recommend a trip there some time. It's quite the experience and one I feel so lucky to have. After being away, I appreciate all the times we get to spend with family like this. It really is a blessing.

A Monday Night Throwdown!

This Monday was a "Battle of New York Pizza". A friendly competition between my dad and I to be judged by my mom and Kyle (2 food connoisseurs???) Let's look at the contenders...

Dad: Recently thinks he's been to culinary school after reading a cookbook or two. Not to say he isn't a good cook, but come on buddy...you ain't Emeril!

Me: An international chef (hey, my friends in Dominica like my cooking). I do like to cook, but I don't do anything too fancy.


Looks like this is a pretty even competition. Let the battle begin...

Can you tell who made which pizza???

Well, I made the pizza in the first picture and Dad made the pizza in the second picture. He went with a pizza stone in the oven and I made mine on the grill. I must say, both pizzas were very tasty and I'm not sure there was a clear winner. Overall, it was a fun competition that produced some wonderful food and great memories.

My pizza on the grill. (We don't get this in Dominica)

Two weeks ago we made a wild rice beef roll with asparagus for the Vikings and Jets game. Very tasty! Last week we made BBQ pork sandwiches with coleslaw for the Tennessee vs. Jacksonville game. As many of you know, my mom is from Tennessee so this was authentic! We even used my grandma's famous, and delicious, coleslaw recipe. Down home cookin' and darn good! Next week the Colts play the Texans. I do believe I see a beef brisket in our future...

Slackin'

I haven't been too good about blog posts in the recent weeks. I guess you could say I've been slacking! I must say, I don't have as much to write about. Not that my days or boring...they're just filled with most of the same things you all do each day. When we were in Dominica I could tell you about the cows I see when I walk to and from the store, how it takes me hours to shop for everything I need for meals, how it rained constantly (it is a rain forest), and the crazy things I do to fill my days while Kyle studied for 15 hours at a time. Now, I just fill you in on the things Kyle and I do in AZ that we missed so much while being in Dominica, but this must seem a little crazy to you all.
Since we've been home...

• We walk into any grocery store in awe of the amount of food that is available and how fresh it looks
• We go to the mall and gawk at all the fabulous winter clothes that we would NEVER wear in Dominica
• We go to the movies only to find out we haven't heard of half of the titles (we only see a few commercials for new movies coming out)
• We drive in a large, air conditioned vehicle on the right side of the road. The freedom to go where you want, when you want is amazing
• We can get a quick carry-out dinner that isn't greasy Chinese food or cardboard pizza...the possibilities are endless!
• Best of all, we get to see and chat with our families whenever we want. "Hey mom, wanna run to the store?", "Hey Dad, want to grab a beer and watch the game?" We LOVE getting to do that. It's truly the best!!!

Ahhhhh, America! We've never loved you more. Live in a 3rd world country some day. It will make you appreciate all that you have or have available at your fingertips.

Coming soon...an update on Monday Night Football meals.

In a Pumpkin Paradise

As requested, on my last post, the weather has cooled slightly here in the desert. The nights and mornings are especially wonderful. There is no fall foliage or brisk breezes, as in other parts of the states, but compared to Dominica it's cool and Kyle and I are embracing it.

Our weekend started out with the Tour de Fat. It's a bike parade and beer festival held in Tempe by the Fat Tire Brewery. We borrowed my in-laws beach cruisers, since Russ is out of commission, and road our way, with some friends, through the streets of Tempe before parking and rewarding ourselves with a cold beer. This was our first year participating in this event and Kyle and I were both glad we did it. It may be a while before we're here to do it again. They do, however, have this Tour in many cities across the country. We'll have to look for it, wherever we may be.


I made more of an effort to embrace the spirit of the fall by making anything and everything with pumpkin. We started out football Sunday with some pumpkin spice pancakes, oh yummy, and finished the afternoon with some pumpkin butterscotch cookies. I got both these recipes from a cooking blog that I frequent, annies-eats.com, and Annie seems to have a love of pumpkin as much as I do. I'm even extending my pumpkin flavor to a main dish...pumpkin parmesan sauce with sausage and pasta (with fresh sage). We'll see how that goes. In other food news, some kind of wild rice dish is on the menu for the Minnesota vs. Chicago game on Monday.

It's Fall???

Fall is supposedly here, but it hasn't reached AZ. With temperatures in the triple digits, it's been hard to get in to the fall spirit. Since most of our summer clothes are still down in Dominica, Kyle and I are hoping for a quick change in the weather. We've been dreaming of long pants and sweaters for quite some time. Those things are unheard of in Dominica. The pure thought of wearing a sweater there makes me cringe.


This past weekend we stayed cool by hitting the ice. Our friends, Derek and Megan, are getting married and were thrown an engagement party. After the party we took a large party bus to an ice skating rink and played broom ball. It started our pretty chilly, but as we ran around on the ice in our tennis shoes trying to get the ball into the net with a broom with no bristles, it warmed up pretty quickly. After taking a few spills on the ice and running back and forth while trying to not fall, both Kyle and I were VERY sore. Are we getting old??? We sure feel like it. It was a lot of fun and worth the pain.

In keeping with our new Monday Night Football tradition, we made Cuban sandwiches and black bean soup as the Miami Dolphins faced the New England Patriots. No need to worry, we have plenty of meals in the works in honor of some of the teams in northeast. We just thought a little Cuban food would be fun this week.




Kyle is feeling better each and every day, but continues to have moments of his past illness... bad headaches and eye issues. It's a little frustrating. Just when we think he's a had a long run of feeling great, he'll have a day of feeling so-so. I'm just glad that these days, the good days out weigh the bad.


I'm subbing nearly every day. Some days I want to pull my hair out and other days I want to hug all the kiddos and transplant them to my own class. Some days I love the little ones and other days I think "boy are they needy". I guess this period of spending each day in a different class in a different grade will just let me know more about what I want when I have my own class, whenever that day will be.

All of our friends in Dominica took their first exam of the semester today. It made us miss the island and it really hit us that they are moving on without us. Going back in January is going to be quite the challenge. Until then, we'll soak up all the nice weather, whenever it comes, and time with family and friends. You can never have too much of that!

Football and Food

Like many other families across the country we have enjoyed the start of the football season. With Kyle and I being home, and him not studying for all hours of the day, he has been able to really enjoy both college and pro football games. It basically consumes the majority of our weekends and a few week nights here and there. Now, I enjoy watching a game or two, but I have my limits. I still don't understand why we have to watch the highlights of all the games we just watched live? Isn't that like watching a preview for a movie after you've seen the whole thing? Anyway, that's a whole other issue which I believe comes with the territory of being married. Now, to the point of this post...

We have started a new tradition with my mom and dad and I am very excited about it. In fact, it's something I hope we continue for many years to come. Starting last week, when the 49ers (Kyle's team) played the Saints, Kyle made the comment that clam chowder in a sourdough bread bowl sounded incredible for dinner. He thought it would be a nice way to honor his team too. I made the dinner and it was delicious, if I do say so myself. Well, his idea stuck and my dad and I have now planned for the whole season of Monday Night Football. Here's the bottom line: we cook a dinner on Monday nights that relate to one or both of the teams playing. I had so much fun putting the menus together. Tonight, as the Bears took on the Packers, I made Beer/Cheese soup (Russ's recipe) and Chicago Dogs. Yuuummmmmy!

If you were wondering, that's popcorn sprinkled on top. It adds a nice crunch.

You, Me, and a...Cactus?

We've been in AZ for over 2 weeks now and strangely it feels so normal. Of course, this is home to both Kyle and I, but you would think it would take a little more adjusting after living on a Caribbean island for the past 9 months. I really should temporarily change the name of the blog to You Me and a Cactus considering there are no banana plants to be found around these parts, but for everyone's sanity we'll keep things as is. One change that has hit me is the change in climate. My beautiful, golden tan is flaking off faster than you can say "it's a dry heat".
Kyle is feeling better, but still not 100%. I wish I had more news and updates, but things are moving slowly when it comes to his recovery.
As I mentioned before I will start subbing next week. I am extremely excited about the thought of getting up for a purpose, other than to cook and deliver Kyle's meals, and I also look forward to actually getting ready. This includes doing my hair, makeup, and putting something on my body other than sunscreen, bug repellent, a bathing suit, or athletic wear. The whole slicked back ponytail is not really my thing and neither is no makeup, but when it's 90 degrees outside with humidity at about 1,000%, there's really no point. Any stitch of effort put into my appearance has melted right off my face and pooled onto the floor, along with my sweat, within seconds of leaving our apartment. No wonder Kyle has this frightened look on his face when I enter the study area to bring him his lunch. Can you blame him? Anyway, my other thoughts about starting subbing again involve the hours...I have to be at most schools around 7:30am! This does not coincide my Dominican schedule. Remember, I've been on "island time". I'm more of a wake up at 9am kind of person. I'm sure I will adjust, but I warned Kyle that I might be a bit of a grouch.
As I think about the changes over the last 2 weeks, it seems as though the roles have reversed. He will be at home trying to get better and maybe study a little or even play domestic diva, while I work and try to make some money. I don't mind this at all, in fact as I mentioned before I am really looking forward to it. I did have to chuckle when I received a call from Kyle, after being out with my mom for most of the day, that went a little something like this:
Kyle: Hey honey, how's your day going?
Me: Fine.
Kyle: Any idea when you'll be home? I've been sooooo bored and lonely all day and daytime television really stinks.
(There was a long pause of silence and then my jaw fell to the floor)
Me: Really? I never knew this.
(Another long pause of silence)
Kyle: Oh.....I guess this is how you feel when I'm away studying for 15 hours a day.
Me: Yes it is. I'll be home shortly. Love you.

It seems as though this bump in the road, period of change, whatever you want to call it, will be good for us. If nothing else, it looks likes we might gain a greater appreciation for each other.

Our New Normal

We are home, in AZ. I must start this post by saying thank you to all of you for the kind words of encouragement and prayers...we certainly need them. This has been a challenging time in our lives as we ask ourselves daily "what is going on and where are we going?" We both feel so discouraged and lost at times, but continue to push forward to create a "new normal". Here's the scoop, the abridged version:

Well, we've been home for almost 2 weeks and in that time we've been to the ER, spent a night in the hospital, and have learned about all the things Kyle doesn't have. He's had an MRI, CT scan, x-rays, lumbar puncture, angiogram, eye exam, and what seems like everything else in between. Poor fella'. You know, for someone who wants to be a doctor, he sure puts up quite a fight when it comes to dealing with them. First we were told it was migraines, now it seems like all the symptoms are unrelated. We're trying new medications and forms of therapy and we'll see how that goes.

In other news, my days of lounging around at the pool and being a Dominican housewife are over for now and I will be starting substitute teaching next week. It allows me the flexibility to take care of my sick boy and make some money to cover all the extra expenses we've been incurring. You don't even want to know (but if you want to make a donation to the "Kyle and Heidi Poor Fund"...let me know, haha). Kyle also hopes to pick up a few days of work once he's feeling a little better and that too will help us out.

We're back at my grandma's house, the one only a few houses down from my parents, and it feels like deja vu. We've, and I mean me, have been unpacking all of our stuff from storage that we'll be needing through December. It seems like we just did this 9 months ago. I'm sure my grandma thought she finally got rid of us, but we're baaaaaack! We really appreciate her taking us in.

That's all the news I have for now. You know, things could be a lot worse than spending time with friends and family for the next few months. The break from humidity isn't so bad either.

Barbados...Post 3 of 3

MONKEYS, MONKEYS, AND MORE MONKEYS!!!

We found the famous green monkey. They were everywhere! We had so much fun with these cute little animals and the whole time I couldn't help but think about how much my mom would love this. She is crazy about monkeys and all other animals for that matter. She really is Mrs. Doolittle.

We stopped for a roadside lunch at a small rum factory where they make the famous Malibu coconut rum. As we sat eating our lunch, this perfectly white beach was our view. It was hard to leave.

This was a small restaurant called the Surfers Cafe and we stopped here for a cocktail. We couldn't resist the views at sunset. The bench we're sitting on actually extended over the ocean and occasionally a big wave would tickle your ankles.

We left early Sunday morning for St. Lucia and we were both very sad to leave this beautiful island. I must say, we would both jump at the opportunity to go back. In fact, I think I hear those white sand beaches calling my name right now.