"Start Spreading the News....I want to be a part of it! New York, New York!"

Leaving "The Island of Spice where everything is nice!" We love our Spice Island, as Hazyl calls it, but we were SO excited to see family and friends we have missed so much!

Before arriving in Utah we had a day layover in NYC and it. was. awesome! I had never been to NYC before so we decided to stay in Manhattan so we could see the city at night and then go out an explore with the kids during the day. We landed in NYC around 9pm and it felt so good to be in America! Just something about being in your homeland after being gone for so long... it just feels wonderful and familiar. I know it doesn't make sense since I'd never been to NYC, but it's the little things that are familiar. For instance while we were waiting for the ride to the hotel Cannon looks over and yells with excitement, "Mom!! Look!! Look!! A DRINKING FOUNTAIN!" He runs over and Hazyl, seeing his enthusiasm, follows him and excited asks, "Cannon! What is it?! What is it?!" (Hazyl and Ruby didn't even remember what a drinking fountain was!) So Cannon explained, "Hazyl! You push this button, water comes out here.. AND YOU CAN DRINK IT!" Needless to say the next 10 minutes were spent by said drinking fountain. Josh then walked down and got us all a donuts from Dunkin' Donuts. I'm not even that big of a donut fan, but all those carbs that I didn't have to make... Mmm... it was pretty amazing.

As we drove from JFK to Manhattan Hazyl kept asking, "Mom are we in man-hat yet?" or "Mom, is THAT the Lincoln Tunnel?" (As Josh and I packed earlier in the day, we let them watch the movie Elf, so they would be excited about going to NYC.) Our driver was very impressed that a 3 year old knew what the Lincoln Tunnel was. We did not go through the Lincoln Tunnel, much to the kids dismay, but we did take the Midtown Tunnel. Right before going into the tunnel we came up over a hill and then all of a sudden you could see it! MANHATTAN! I've seen it in pictures and movies, but seeing it in person is SO MUCH BETTER! It really is a jungle of skyscrapers and even late at night there were people about and energy everywhere! I knew right then and there that I would love Manhattan!

We made it to the hotel and everyone was SO nice!!! The hotel workers, the scary looking guy in the street.. everyone! Once we got to our room we were all starving for some food with sustenance, not just airplane snack food. We asked the kids what they wanted and they all yelled out "McDonalds!" ... 10 months without a Happy Meal... that's an eternity in a kid's life. So Josh and Cannon walked down the street and got us some food. (Because there just happened to be one less than a mile away.) Although I must say that once we got the food and started eating, Josh and I just kind of looked at each other and concurred that we felt like we were eating cardboard. The kids were SO excited that they got a TOY with their food that they played more than ate as well. After settling down and finally getting the kids to bed it was about 1am, which felt like 3am for our island time.

Our hotel room was so so so so nice!! Seriously, everything in America is SO nice!!!

Eating the crappy McDonalds... you can see the excitment in Josh's face... ;) 

The next morning was my Cannon's 7th BIRTHDAY!!!! (Still can't believe that I have a 7 year old!) I had brought a ribbon for him to wear around that said "Birthday Boy !" so everywhere we went people would know it was his birthday. It worked right off the bat as we went downstairs to eat breakfast at the hotel. One of the hotel guests brought him out a little baggie of goodies and little toys. We decided we would take the subway down to the 9/11 Memorial, then meet up with a friend from high school, that lives in Manhattan, in Times Square afterward.

I thought that riding the subway would be kind of scary, especially with 3 kids, but it wasn't bad at all. Overall NYC was nicer than I anticipated, cleaner and everyone was really nice. Not everyone was super talkative, but they weren't rude or anything. The kids thought the subway was so fun. (A train underground!) Then once you get back outside there are people just walking everywhere. I can totally understand why people who live there don't have a car. I wouldn't bother with one either if I lived there. I'm pretty sure that we were going faster just walking than everyone who was in a car.

The 9/11 Memorial was beautiful. Where the two towers were there are two HUGE fountains that go down toward the ground. Then the names of all the victims are engraved along the outside. It's right in the middle of the city but there is a special spirit that is there. People are very quiet and you can't hear the city noise there like you can everywhere else. It reminded me of that awful day and how I felt... it's something I will NEVER forget. We had a moment of silence (because with 3 kids that's the only silence you can get anyway), then went back to the subway to head to Times Square.

Times Square was just as busy as I imagined it would be, maybe even a little more! People from everywhere were everywhere! So many lights and stores everywhere you look! We spotted a Disney Store and HAD to go in! You would have thought the kids were actually AT DisneyLAND. It's a two-story store and Disney just knows kids. The workers noticed Cannon's birthday ribbon and gave him another one and had the whole store give him three cheers of "hip hip hooray!" for his birthday. Hazyl was in full princess mode, especially in front of the magic mirrors where you could see different Disney characters. Each of the kids got a souvenir and then we met up with our friend from high school, Allison! Allison is an angel and took time out of her schedule to meet up with us, walking with her 3 year old AND being 8 months pregnant! She showed us a super YUMMY Mediterranean place to eat for lunch and it was SO yummy! It was a tiny little place and the line was out the door, but we only waited about 20 minutes to order than 10 more to get our food! I have forgotten how amazing customer service is in America! I'm sure that the locals in Grenada think we are demanding and impatient when it comes to customer service, but fast, efficient service is just what we are used to. Everyone in Grenada is just SUPER chill and goes at one pace, even if there is a line of 50 people waiting. Don't plan on anyone picking up their pace... nope... same. slow. pace. Once you learn to take a chill pill and relax you get used to it... kind of. ;) Anyway, we then took our food to a charming park with a little merry go-round. It was the perfect way to end our quick stop in NYC. We then had to go check out at the hotel and then head back to the airport.

We even saw the Naked Cowboy... in all his glory in Times Square. The finest of Times Square available... ;) 

The kids LOVED it! As you can see Cannon was super excited about all the Star Wars items, and Hazyl was in her natural habitat being called "Princess" by all the workers and shopping in a castle! Ruby, on the other hand, slept the day away in her stroller... it was a much needed nap after such a late night. 

It was SO much fun seeing Allison! She was such a gracious host and her little girl is DARLING!! We love the opportunity to see people we know if different places around the world! 

Tree Frogs

Tree frogs are everywhere here! You never seen them during the day but at night they come out. We hear them EVERY. SINGLE. NIGHT. They start doing a chirp around 6:30pm and continue until about 6:00am. At first it seemed SO loud and Cannon even complained about it. But we are now used to it and I don't even notice it much anymore. To hear what it sounds like click here. They are little guys but make quite a lot of noise for how small they are. Up until tonight we have HEARD them every night, but had yet to see them! I went outside to grab the forgotten laundry off the line and I saw small shadows of things jumping over my feet. I automatically assumed they were cockroaches, but as soon as I turned on my flashlight I was pleasantly surprised by seeing the little frogs everywhere! I showed Josh and he came outside and caught one to show the kids. They, of course, loved it! We were worried for a moment when it hopped under the oven, but he soon hopped back out! (Phew! Didn't want to have to worry about the smell of a dead frog under the stove.) After the kids played with it for a while we took it back outside. Little Hazyl has NO fear when it comes to living creatures. She is always the first one right there ready to hold whatever Daddy is showing them. Cannon is more jumpy, like me; but Hazyl especially loves anything small that is in "cute" form. This was one creature I actually did think was cute!

On a side note, we finally saw fireflies!! It was the coolest thing ever! After getting home from beach Friday, it was dark and they were flying just above our grapefruit tree. At first the kids thought they were stars but then we saw them moving and upon closer examination realized what they were. It was such a small thing, but it was SO neat to actually see them!!

Let the Exploring Begin!

Now that Josh is not in school and I'll have an extra set of hands helping with the kids we have the opportunity to explore our island! Before moving here when I learned that the island was roughly 22 miles from top to bottom and 13 miles across I thought "oh you can probably drive around the whole island in a matter of an hour or two." HA! Oh naive Harmony...you were thinking of American quality roads and speeds. Island roads are much more narrow, bumpy, windy and some are very steep! There is no such thing as a straight shot direction to anywhere on the island. Going somewhere 7 miles away takes about 25-30 minutes. So even though the island isn't that large with all the mountains and hills everywhere it's easy for me to forget I actually live on an island! I know, weird.

Today a bunch of our friends who are still on the island got together and drove to Annandale Falls. (Us, Geoff & Amy, Mallory & Garrett, Alix & Dave, Eli & Kylie) It's about a 45 minute drive up into the rain forest-y area, more toward the middle of the island. We happened to go on a day when a cruise ship was in, so it was VERY busy. (But this time of year there is almost at least one cruise ship in every day, so in all the touristy spots there will be crowds. They don't bother me.) Annandale is perfect for little kids. It's not even really a hike, more like a leisurely walk to a waterfall. The pathway is paved and there is a railing down to the water. You can just walk into the water to cool off, or you can jump in off a platform that is about 8-10 feet high. Cannon decided he wanted to jump in, and I was shocked when he actually did it! He loved it so much that he did it AGAIN! He wanted Josh to go with him, which I was ok with, but he was SO brave! I would have NEVER done that at his age. I absolutely LOVE that he is getting to experience all of these things in his childhood! I feel like moving to Grenada has reminded me to LIVE life! It's so easy to get wrapped up in the routine and monotony of each day. I have rediscovered my love of being in nature and EXPLORING! It's so fun to see all the beauty around us that Heavenly Father has provided for us. Especially here, I am daily astounded by the beauty I see. I think because it is all so new to me (the trees, flowers, caterpillars, beaches,). It's like I'm a kid discovering everything that is new, so it has helped me remember what it's like to be a kid and to discover!

Anyway, after Josh and Cannon jumped in a few of us Mama's jumped in as well! It was fun and cold, but not too cold. It felt refreshing in the heat.

 We then had a picnic by the water and headed back home. But of course there was a mona monkey there! It wasn't a wild one, we have yet to see a wild one but we have seen a lot of domestic ones. Monkey's are just awesome!

   

HE'S DONE!!!

Josh is DONE!!!!!! HAPPY DAY!!!! He finished his last exam and so we went up to Cannon's school to pick him up a little early. Cannon's school was having a party and they were playing so we let the girls play on the playground for a bit while Josh played football (or soccer) with Cannon and some of his buddies. Cannon was in heaven!! The principal, Jenelle, even came up to me and said that Josh is awesome and she is looking for a recess monitor so he is hired! ;) 

On Saturday to celebrate the end of the med school wife widow-ness, we had a BBQ on the beach with some awesome friends! (Magazine beach) We had never been to Magazine beach and it is AWESOME! The waves are definitely bigger than BBC or Grand Anse, but there is so much sea life! You can be only 3 feet into the water and there are fish swimming around you if you look in, but you would never notice unless you looked! After the beach we decided to head into the Caranage to get PIZZA HUT! Yes, you heard me there is a Pizza Hut here now! It just opened a few weeks ago and we've been wanting to go. We figured it would end our celebration day perfectly! (Just ignore how much it was! But that is in EC so it wasn't as bad as it looked! But still about $40 USD for two one-topping pizzas.)  It tasted AMAZING!!! We all downed it!! But I think we're not used to eating as much processed food anymore because afterward both me and Josh had the worst belly ache! Then we had a family pajama party and watched a movie. Best. Day. Ever!

I have seriously forgotten how WONDERFUL it is to have Josh around! I have gotten so used to doing everything myself! When we were getting ready for the beach and I got myself and the kids ready and came out and he had already packed the food to take to the beach! Best surprise ever! Then after we ate pizza hut, I got the kids in the shower and he cleaned up dinner! Ah-mazing!!!

The End is Near!

It's finals week for Josh, we are SO close to the end of term 1 and we are so excited! Looking back on this term so many things have happened in the past four months, it's flown by but in the same sense it seems like an eternity. Things that have happened...

- Endured the HOTTEST weather. (Seriously... I thought I was going to DIE!)

- Played at the most amazing beaches at least once a week!

- Explored a foreign county with three kids, WITHOUT Josh. 

- Learned to accept the fact that a gallon of milk is $7.50 USD

- Been woken up by a millipede falling on my head.

- Watched my little Ruby get the WORST goose egg on her head and then fall numerous times in the 

   EXACT SAME SPOT.

- Watched a wave take out Ruby, she is still scared of the water at the beach from that one. Even though I        was right next to her and picked her up.

- Eaten many-a-burger Friday's burger at the Merry Baker in Port Louis giving me the opportunity to meet 

  people from all over the world who are sailing. I never realized that people will literally LIVE on a boat and 

  sail around from one place to another... for YEARS at a time. 

- Watched Cannon be SO brave and learn to understand the local's accent's after a couple of weeks at 

   school. 

- Given lessons in primary every week, then sometimes sharing time and singing time as well. Church sure 

   goes by VERY fast when you are doing something for the last two hours straight! 

- The local primary children taught me the song "I love you Jesus"

- Josh woke up to a cockroach crawling on his arm! (Ew!)

- Hazyl doesn't seem to mind the heat and continues to insist on taking her blanket everywhere, but then she 

   gets hot and is SO grumpy. She is FINALLY starting to believe me when I tell her she is hot.

- One night I walked into the kitchen with Ruby and the BIGGEST grasshopper jumped into my leg, causing 

   me to scream and run away, deserting my own child in the kitchen. Josh and the other two kids came 

   running out of their bedroom to see what was wrong. I know.... I know... a grasshopper, but it came out 

   of nowhere and it was huge!

- Learned to endure ants, ants, ants. (Ugh I HATE ants!)

- Had two A/C units break in two of our bedrooms.

- Dealt with a broken down car, stranded and with kids... on more than one occasion. 

- Had a centipede crawl on my FOOT!  

- Had as much as 75 mosquito bites at one time. Why do they love me?! 

- Hit a truck coming out of the church parking lot. It is the steepest driveway and completely blind coming 

   out of it. Luckily the only damage was to my car and just a broken headlight. 

- Learned to cook in a kitchen that is 90 degrees F, before turning the stove or oven on.

- While cooking pancakes on the stove a cockroach (about 2 inches big) crawled out of one of the burners I    was not using. (Ew!) Continued to finished making the pancakes then KILLED him! haha!

- Always see lizards and iguana's walking around the neighborhood and yard.

- Had crabs crawling in our yard, pretty good sized crabs!

- A cockroach lived in my bathroom sink for a few days before we could catch him. Nothing like brushing        your teeth and seeing the antennas poke out of the holes in the front of the sink! 

- Made MANY friends that are like family. It's so great to be part of such a wonderful community! 

- Had many many experiences knowing that the Lord knows about ME and my struggles and I have 

   witnessed so many tender mercies on my behalf, He knows me.... I know it. 

On the left Hazyl informed me that she is Ariel. On the right Hazyl handed me her stuffed puppy and informed me she wanted "boobs." I'm scared for her to grow up. 

We kept driving past this park on the way to Cannon's school. So today we went with our friend's (Lori, Parker, Jacob and Olivia) to check it out. It totally reminded me of the playgrounds I used to play on as a kid, and it probably has been around that long! There were rusted out holes in most of the fixtures. When we got there it was full of local kids and a little boy came up to me and said, "We never see the people white here!" I tried to be as friendly as we could but I think we still scared them all away. Only a few stayed and then I realized one was a boy from Primary! His name is Ryshlon (but he goes by Corey) and he played with us. We then heard a little ice cream truck pass by so we had to get some ice cream of course! The "strawberry" flavor tasted like pink cotton candy and was NASTY, but the vanilla was good and the kids liked it. You know you're in Grenada when there are goats and chickens at the playground with you! (Notice the goat in the background of the girl's picture.) 

I forgot to document the arrival of Bill, the elf on the shelf that comes to our family every Christmas season. He's not mischievous like other elves, but he sure does watch the kids closely and make sure they are trying to make the right choices. He even brought our stocking from home!!

Nothing is more American than corn dogs! You cannot buy them here anywhere, it's a good thing not long before moving here that I learned how to make homemade ones! I was finally able to get a thermometer to make some! They were a huge hit with the kids (and Josh) who ate one after getting home late. 

It's Beginning to Look a lot like Christmas...NOT really!

It's so weird to me that it's December. We have been listening to Christmas music for at least a month now and watching Christmas movies as well. But when it's 86 degrees outside it doesn't feel like Christmas at all. Christmas if my favorite Holiday out of the year, by far! I love everything about it! So I have been worried that I would get super homesick and down this holiday season. Now I know that Christmas is still a few weeks away, but so far so good. I think that EVERYTHING is so new that I don't really have anything to compare it to. PLUS my sister and her hubby are coming here for Christmas!! So I will have some extended family here for Christmas!! I really think that the Lord is strengthening me, and already HAS strengthened me to be able to handle/accomplish more than I ever thought I could as a mom. So even though there is no snow here and we are far away from family and family traditions, we are still feeling the Christmas spirit! 

Now speaking of accomplishing hard things.... Today I went downtown with a group of about 7 of us S.O.'s from the Branch down here. We each had at least one child and we were checking out the different shops downtown. Now downtown St. George's is hard to explain. I will have to get pictures sometime of the streets and shops and such. But the roads are narrow, people drive crazy here, and the sidewalks (if there ARE sidewalks) at narrow and inconsistent. So strollers are out of the question, so you carry your kids or they hold your hand as you walk. OR if you're like me with TWO littles, then you carry one AND hold the other's hand. Then you're walking around from little shop to little shop in the heat and after about 30 seconds you can feel the sweat start to drip... in quite literally places you didn't know was possible. Add to this the mamas that are still nursing and would have to stop and find a place to sit to nurse for a bit... I have met some SERIOUSLY AMAZING mama's! 

We were quite the spectacle in town. So many white girls and all in a group. There wasn't a cruise ship in today so we appeared to be tourists and kept getting asked if we needed a taxi and such. After a few inquiries as we walked by people kept say "SGU students. SGU students." haha We were laughing. 

When I took this picture the girls were beyond done (mostly Ruby), and Hazyl was a CHAMP and didn't complain once! Even after I had to basically throw her into the gutter to avoid a car from nearly hitting her! Let's just say that I will NEVER take for granted AMAZING sidewalks in America!! Or that MOST drivers will slow down when kids are near. 

Oh and of course there is marijuana everywhere.  We literally had to walk right by a group of men who had the biggest pile of weed I've ever seen and they were just rolling away. "Girls don't look as Mommy walks you by drugs!" :0 I've gotten used to smelling it more frequently than I would like. It is actually illegal here, but I'm not sure how strictly it's enforced. 

The BEST part about downtown are the smoothies!!! You can see the remains of what is my favorite, Chocolate, banana, peanut! Yum! Ruby enjoyed it as well! 

What's a better way to cool off after a hot day downtown?! Oh yeah Beach Friday! (Sigh) The beach just makes everything better! 

I think the kids enjoyed themselves as well! Seriously one of the best beaches ever! The sand here is so so soft! I love the color of the clear blue water, and it feels SO nice! 

It was so fun to end the day singing Christmas carols in the car on the way home from the beach, all in our swimsuits! The kids LOVED it!! 

Bill is Back!

Our elf Bill might have been a little later than normal but it's only because he brought our stockings all the way from Utah! The kids were so excited, I love seeing all of their faces fill with excitement and wonder in the magic of the Christmas season.