Rocking and Rolling!

Here is our latest headlines:




Caribbean Hit by Earthquake Felt as Far as Venezuela (Update1)
By Kelly Riddell and Steven Bodzin

Nov. 29 (Bloomberg) -- The most powerful earthquake to rock the eastern Caribbean in 33 years struck near the island of Martinique, sending shock waves felt from Puerto Rico to Venezuela. Minor damage and injuries were reported, the Associated Press said.

The magnitude-7.4 temblor occurred at 3 p.m. local time (2 p.m. New York time) 14 miles (23 kilometers) north-northwest of Saint-Pierre, Martinique, in the Windward Islands, the U.S. Geological Survey said on its Web site. The center was about 90 miles deep, the agency said. No tsunami alert was issued.

``The quake was felt widely throughout northern South America,'' Geological Survey seismologist Rafael Abreu said in an interview. ``We're getting tremor reports from Venezuela to San Juan, Puerto Rico.''



Heck yes we felt it! The tile floor beneath our feet moved in a wave motion and the walls of our concrete apt did a little rumbling. We were just hoping the pool above wouldn't crack and flood us out of our place.... luckily it didn't.... I guess we should stop praying for water... we might just get it hee hee!

You never know what is going to happen in a day on St Maarten!!!!!!

Where did all the Water go??

AARG! We've had the water on and off the last few days.... mostly off! This is the first article in St. Maarten's "Daily Herald" Newspaper this morning!!!!

"Water shortage
plagues island


~ Water to be bought from French side ~
PHILIPSBURG--Residents in several areas across the Dutch side woke up yesterday to a slow trickle of water and in some cases no water at all, prompting the Island Government to consider alternative sources of providing water."

So they are supposedly "working on it." We will see..... for those of you in the good old USA... be thankful that when you turn the water on it comes...... and when you switch the light switch.... you get light! We've never had so many power/water outages in all our lives!! But, hey, one more reason to be greatful for where we are from!

Hope you all enjoy your showers today... take an extra long one for Ben, Holdyn and me!

Thanksgiving.... Caribbean Style

Here are Ben and Justin getting the final things done before the feast!
This is Tangra, going after the leg... YUMMY!!! Holdyn is enjoying her Thanksgiving dinner... we ate upstairs from our apt. The view is great and it was a nice evening to be outside.
Ben and Holdyn enjoyed their after dinner swim.
We also celebrated little Noah's, Birthday. Hillary did a great job making these pirate cakes!!! Here is the view... As we sat relaxing after dinner we watched two cruise ships leave the island. It was a great time.

Holdyn's Thankful......

Tagged twice...

Okay, So we've been tagged and I need to catch up. The first one I am supposed to say 6 Random things about us and the second is a list of questions. Here it goes....

RANDOM 1
**I was a thumbsucker! I don't know how old I was when I finally stopped but I was old enough to know better. I remember going to sleepover's and being worried someone would see me sucking my thumb in my sleep. Now, Holdyn is also a thumbsucker. Hopefully she quits before she is as old as I was!
RANDOM 2
**Ben was born with two thumbs on his right hand. This is the thumb now... he had the second removed when he was 18 months old. In 6th grade he had surgery to straighten it out. Six months later, he had the splint taken off. Just one week after that he got in a fight... and messed it up again. It has been crooked ever since. It has also gotten him out of a few jams. In High School he got a "B" on an assignment. The teacher's remarks were "Your handwriting was soo horrible I couldn't read it." Ben told his mom and she talked to the professor and told him that Ben was unable to write neatly because he is "handicap." The next day the teacher came to Ben and apologized. He changed Ben's grade to an "A". This all because of his "Handicap." Thanks to....The Mutant thumb!

RANDOM 3
**Holdyn is named after a little girl I was lucky enough to meet on my mission. I hope our Holdyn turns out to be just like the one she is named after!

RANDOM 4
**I LOVE to eat Oatmeal cookie dough... I'd rather eat the dough than the cookies anyday!!

RANDOM 5
**Ben REALLY wants his brother Aaron to teach him to make his own bow and arrows so that someday he can go on an archery hunt and get a deer with his handmade weapeon! "Bring home the meat babe!"
RANDOM 6
**Holdyn was sleeping through the night at 6 weeks... at least she slept 6-8 hours straight! Which I am VERY GREATFUL for!!


Okay, now the next ones.....

1. What time did you get up this morning? I woke up when Ben left at 5... then I got up at 7:30 w/Holdyn
2. Diamonds or pearls? I like seashells :)
3. What was the last film you saw at the movies? Ben took me to the 3rd Pirates of the Caribbean (How appropriate)
4. What is your favorite TV show? The Office... hands down, CSI (All versions) takes a close second
5. What do you usually have for breakfast? Strawberry/Peach smoothie w/toast.....OR a bowl of Life cereal with Powdered milk when I can choke it down.
6. What is your middle name? Hmmm.... I don't really have one BUT Ben's is Joseph.
7. What food do you dislike? I don't like muscles, octapus, squid, other chewy seafoods...OR Spaghetti and Lasagna
8. What is your favorite CD at the moment? hmmmmm, that's a good question, I listen to my itunes...all my fav songs :)
9. What kind of car do you drive? Ben's drives a SAWEET island scooter and I drive the Hyundai Accent
10. Favorite sandwich? Currently craving Charlie's Supreme..... the Charlie's special with, Swiss cheese on French Bread :)
11. What characteristics do you despise? hypocrocy!
12. Favorite item of clothing? Whatever is clean.... I'm not too happy with my clothes right now.... My favorite item on Ben is his Red Polo shirt :)
13. If you could go anywhere in the world for a vacation, where would you go? The good old USA.... God Bless America!!!
14. What color is your bathroom? White tile with a few random navy blue tile's thrown in.
15. Favorite brand of clothing? whatever is on sale :)
16. Where would you retire? hmmm..... somewhere out in the country... maybe Montana or Colorado
17. Most memorable birthday? probably my 16th... my friends woke me up early for breakfast at Denny's then made me wear a horrible shirt that said "I'm finally 16... I can date... my phone number is ...."
18. Favorite sport to watch? Basketball or Soccer
19. Furthest place you are sending this? My blog
20. Who do you expect to send this back to you? anyone who wants to
21. Person you expect to send it back first? no idea
22. Favorite saying? "Don't do whatever you like, Like whatever you do!" Ben says, "Give a man a fish, he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he eats for a lifetime."
23. When is your birthday? just when spring is turning to summer
24. Are you a morning person or a night person? Ben is a morning person.... I used to be a night person... but now I go to bed as early as I can.
25. What is your shoe size? 6 1/2
26. Pets? if you count the random animals running around we've got....rats, roaches, crabs, monkeys, lobsters, stray dogs/cats, iguana's, gecko's, hmmmm, that's a good start :)
27. What did you want to be when you were little? A Veterinarian
28. What are you today? A Mommy, and a Medical Student supporter.... GO BEN!!!
29. What is your favorite candy? Kit Kat or Peanut butter Twix, oh and I like Milky Way's, and 3 Musketeers, and Strawberry Mentos and tootsie rolls, and blow pops, and all the candy that I can't get here :)
30. Your favorite flower? Daisy's
31. What is a day on the calendar you are looking forward to? December 11.. that is Ben's last final.... then he has 3 weeks off!
32. What church/synagogue do you attend? The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Philipsburg Branch in Cole Bay.... WE LOVE IT THERE!!
33. What are you listening to right now? The baby monitor.... I'm listening for the neighbor kids to wake up from their nap, Hillary had to take Anabel to the dentist... AND Charlie Daniel's "The Devil went down to Georgia" on my itunes.
34. What was the last thing you ate? Beef flavored Ramen Noodles... how sad is that! I really like them, so I eat them when Ben is gone:)
35. Do you wish on stars? ALWAYS!
36. Do you believe in Angels? Charlton is our Angel
37. If you were a crayon, what color would you be? Hmmmm, Yellow I think
38. What is your pet peeve? People who LIE.... or make promises they don't/can't keep.
39. Last person you spoke to on the phone? My Grandma Oakeson
40. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Heck yes I do
41. Favorite soft drink? Diet Coke and Ginger Ale
42. Favorite restaurant? Hmm... this is a good one... I consider all those that I can't have my favorites at the moment AKA Tony Roma's, Red Lobster, Cafe Rio, Panda Express, Mandarin Buffet in Flagstaff, AZ, TGIFriday's, Le Bou, Strings, Arby's... okay I've got to stop, I'm getting hungary.. those Ramen Noodles don't quite measure up!
43. Hair Color? Currently is struggling!!! I've got brown with some blonde highlights that start about two inches from my scalp... HELP... Kandice where are you when I need you!
44. Siblings? Jill: 3 Brothers, 2 Sisters..... Ben 3 Sisters, 4 Brothers... all married so total Sis in laws=7, Bro in laws=5 and 39 neices and nephews!!!
45. Favorite day of the year? Hmmmm, anyday Ben can be with Holdyn and I ALL DAY is my favorite!
46. What was your favorite toy as a child? Do Blankies count? I also had a pogo ball that I ROCKED at LOL... My mom also made me a cabbage patch... I hope I still have it someplace!!
47. Summer or winter? Currently I'd love some Winter weather!!! It's not the holiday season when you want to go swimming or go to the beach to cool off!
48. Hugs or kisses? Both from Ben and Holdyn.... Hugs from everyone else :)
49. Chocolate or vanilla? Chocolate....YUM I'd go for a Wendy's Frosty about now!!!
50. Do you want your friends to e-mail you back? Sure if they are bored
51. When was the last time you cried? I'd rather not answer this one
52. What is under your bed? distgusting white tile and hopefully no cockroaches or crabs or any other creepy crawlies
53. Who is the friend you've had the longest? Do Sisters count? If not Kandice... who is now my Cousin!!! ROCK ON!
54. What did you do last night? I helped a lady in our branch with a slideshow of her pictures from a trip to the Santo Domingo Temple.... then watched "The Office" Ben was in the backroom studying... ALL NIGHT!
55. Favorite smell? clean babies, freshly dried sheets and towels, rain, Thanksgiving dinner cooking:)
56. What are you afraid of? Ben or Holdyn getting seriously hurt..... or drowning!
57. How many keys on your key ring? 1
58. How many years at your current job? I've been a bum for my whole life :)
59. Favorite day of the week? Sunday... We get to go to church and Ben takes the day off from studying
60. How many towns have you lived in? Draper, UT....Washington, UT..... St. George, UT..... Provo, UT..... Lodi, CA....Citrus Heights, CA...... Carmichael, CA........ Hurricane, UT....... Flagstaff, AZ..... Fredonia, AZ.... Cupecoy, St. Maarten..... Pelican Key, St. Maarten, N.A...... I guess that makes 12
61. Do you make friends easily? Sure
62. How many folks will you send this to? WHOEVER WANTS TO :)

Happy St. Maarten Day!!!

Sunday is St. Maarten's day so the University didn't hold classes on Friday. Hooray for a day off! Ben probably should have spent more time studying BUT.... he chose to take the day to have some fun! It started Thursday night with another Night Dive/Lobster hunting expedition. This is Ben, Matt, Chuck, and Justin just after the dive.
Here is Chuck making friends with the lobster just before throwing it into the boiling pot.Friday Morning, Holdyn was ready to go outside! She'd had breakfast and a bath and was ready for the day. I usually take her for a walk as soon as she is bathed and dressed.... so she thought it was time to go. She sat in front of the door and cried until we took her out. We decided to go to a nearby park. It is actually for a resort, but we sneak in too. Here she is with daddy... playing in one of the little houses.
When we got there Matt was there with his kids. So Holdyn followed Noah around for a while.
If you know Ben, you know he likes to do what he can to "fix" things. We got there and they have two little dolphin swings that were both broken. I played with Holdyn for awhile over on the slides etc and next thing we know Ben has used the ropes from both broken swings and made one of them swingable. Holdyn Loved it! Later Friday afternoon we met up with some friends and went to Baie Rouge for some GREAT snorkeling. We had to swim a little ways, but it was well worth it! We went through this arch and it was AWESOME!! The rock formations we were swimming through and around were beautiful! THere were also some great coral formations and very colorful fish. We'd been wanting to try the snorkeling here for a long time but hadn't had time to do it!
There was also this little private beach. We took a quick break there before going through the cave. It was beautiful! There was a villa high above us on the cliff that had this windy staircase leading down to the beach. It was soo neat to see!

Anyway, Ben spent all day today studying to catch up and tomorrow we are celebrating St. Maaten's day by taking it easy and going to church, and having some friends over for dinner. It's been a great few days!

More fun

Okay, so I don't know when Ben finds time to do stuff like this... but, yesterday he made an Excellent Apple pie. He'd been trying to get the recipe for quite awhile and as soon as he got it... he had to try it out. So I made a quick trip to try to find some apples and POOF.... here is his apple pie. It turned out delicious... and I don't even like pie!
Today Holdyn and I met up with some friends and ran around at the AUC Basketball court. It is a big, enclosed area where we can let the toddlers run like crazy! It worked out great!! They were all pooped by the time we left!
Here is Holdyn with one of her friends Jack. They were test driving the new car. He pushed her all over the court. Once they ran into the fence and they both started crying... they weren't sure what to do... so we had to go and turn the car around so they could keep going. Kids are great!

Fisher Price Saves the Day!!!

So Holdyn has been stealing/borrowing our neighbor's little rider toy for the last few months. He has been very nice to share, but enough is enough.
Since it is nearly impossible to find kids toys at a reasonable price here on the island, we've been watching for online deals... but then we have to add in shipping. Well, today while I was at the store they had a shelf stocked full of these little Fisher-Price Chatter Telephone cars. I saw it and it was comparable to the prices we could find online so we couldn't pass it up. She played with it in the shopping cart and in the car the whole way home. On the front is a little phone dial that rings when you turn it. Anyway, it's a hit!! She LOVES it!!