Haul out the Holly!

Ok - I've had the music out for a couple of months already, but now I can be official about it - last Saturday, after the kids piano recital (which went really well), we went out to get our tree.

Over the town line and through the woods to find our Christmas tree . . .Becca asked the Christmas tree farm lady, "Where are the tall, fat ones?" She was so excited and then sooooooo cold that before we even found the right one, she started begging to get back in the car. Garrett, Kathryn and Alaina all found their own 'perfect' tree, but eventually we all agreed on one and brought it home to decorate. Aren't they cute all freezing and posing?

It's really pretty - in spite of the unpainted wall behind it!
That's my January project - I'd hoped to have it done by Christmas, but it just didn't happen.

My favorite Christmas present over the last couple of years . . .

Our Stockings - I made Gregg's the year we were married, mine the next, and Kathryn's when she was born, Garrett's when he was, Alaina's when she was, and Becca still has the stocking I got on my mission from my companion.

I like that memory, but she needs her own. I'll make it this year. Now that it's in black and white I'll have to make it true huh?

Merry Christmas!!!!!

More St John

Grey Parrot at the Westin Resort - He could whistle the Andy Griffith Show Theme Song
Along the beach at the resort
More Resort

Flowers on St. Thomas

Solomon Bay (sometimes spelled Salomon) My favorite! So pretty, not busy, and so clear. We swam and snorkeled around the rocks over to Honeymoon bay -

saw lots of fish, coral and some jelly fish . . .

This is the ruins of a sugar plantation windmill on peace hill - There are beautiful views from here of Trunk Bay and Jumbie Bay.

Someone left a rosary in one of the crevises of the tower- another one had a beehive in it.

View of Trunk Bay from the tower, notice the catus - it was all over the island - weird!

View of Jumbie Bay from the tower

Beautiful - wish you were here! (as Meg Ryan said in French Kiss)

We saw hundreds of Hermit Crabs on the rock walls and ruins on one of our hikes. We hiked to a point where we could snorkel out to Watermelon Cay - beautiful coral reefs - and at the beach, Leinster bay - I saw a REAL SEA TURTLE. So amazing! He was just swimming there with me - didn't seem to mind or notice me at all. I felt like I was swimming in a tank at Mystic Aquarium.

Another view of Trunk Bay from Peace Hill

Honeymoon Bay

View from the top of Bordeaux Mountain - the highest point on St. John. This is from the tourist view point. We tried to drive up to the peak, but it's all rual residential and trees are everywhere blocking any view there might be.

On the ferry to Virgin Gorda where there are huge rocks that look like they were tossed there by Giants playing some kind of game.

One nice earthquake and they would all come tumbling down, but for now we the tourists get to climb through them while the waves crash through the gaps.

We had to snorkle in, and my camera isn't waterproof, so I don't have photos - but Rob does.
This is from the ferry ride too - after Virgin Gorda, we went to the Caves, on St Norman I think. There were three caves on the rock face where pirates hid their treasure. It is close to Tortula where Blackbeard used to hide his ships and attack the ships sailing by, then hide the treasure in the island caves underwater so they could still dock their ships in ports. The caves had the best fish, snokeling yet - clear waters, lots of fish, squid, cool stuff.

Trunk Bay - great snorkeling, we saw an octopus here . . .

Colorful buildings at the Mountain view point

Iguanas galore outside our hotel. Garrett wanted us to bring one home. When we got home he searched our stuff - apparently he was serious - can you imagine?

This pelican was so fun to watch. He would fly up and watch the schools of little fish that were close to the surface (we'd swim through them snorkeling and looking for bigger fish) - then the pelican would dive bomb, surface, shake the water out of his pouch and swallow. I always thought pelicans would skim the surface, never thought they could dive like that.

Flying to good fishing waters - Just so amazing

We had so much fun - and then we were so happy to be back home too :)

Life is good is an understatement.

St John, Part II

More rainy first morning. We drove around until the clouds broke up and then went snorkeling on two beaches - both beautiful. Saw lots of fun stuff.
Jumbie Bay

Gregg taking a breath before putting on the snorkel gear :) He'll be so pleased I posted this photo . . . .

Our sooooo COOL, island loving friends . . . and the jeep