Trip to SLC

It was a very quick trip but it was well worth it!  My parents were headed up to SLC and I decided to jump in with the girls to go and see Great Grandma Oakeson and also Grandma and Grandpa Palmer.  It was SOOOO good to see them all and have a quick visit!

Here is our 4 generations.  Kimber, me, my mom, and Grandma.

Holdyn also loved visiting with "Grandma Great!"

Here are a couple of cute pictures of Holdyn with Cousin Emmie.

Holdyn played with Alec almost the entire day we were in Syracuse visiting Charlton's family.  It was a great day to spend with family that we love!

Here is Grandma and Grandpa Palmer with two of their cute grand-daughters!

They both did pretty well traveling... they've gone quite a few miles in the last two weeks!

Anyway, it was GREAT to see everyone!

Home and loving it!

Well, we made it!  Our adventures on St. Maaten are officially over!  It was sad to say good bye! But we are definitely ready for the next chapter of life!  Here is a picture of Kimber and Holdyn... at the hotel before we ventured home.  They were exhausted before we even began the day of traveling.
Holdyn was a champ!  She pulled her luggage along beside us and really did well on the planes!

Here we are in Puerto Rico on the way home.  After 13 hours in the air we finally arrived in Las Vegas and drove 2 hours to our new home!

We have a full sz bed for Holdyn but she doesn't want anything to do with it! I blew up this little swimming pool the other day for her to play in and I turned around and she had her blankets in it.  So it is officially her new bed... for now!

Ben and I bought this truck the day after we arrived.  It is SOOO nice to have room in the vehicle again.  We've been scrunched in our little island getz we forgotten how nice it can be to stretch out!  We got such a great deal on it we couldn't turn it down. It is a 2006 F-150 Lariat.  We LOVE it!  Sadly Ben only got to enjoy it for a couple of days. He had to fly off to Dallas, TX for a review course before he takes the USMLE Step #1.  I dropped him off in Las Vegas on Sunday and we are sure missing him!  Hopefully the next 7 weeks fly by :)

Holdyn LOVES her Aunt Mindy.  (I'm sure Mindy won't be happy about this picture But oh well :)  We went to lunch today and Holdyn was being her little shadow.  Copying everything she said and did.  It is great!

Here is little Holdyn in her new Tennis shoes. She can run faster, jump higher and scream louder with them on.

Here is an evening in the back yard.  We had some of my brothers and sisters over with their kids for an evening. Holdyn isn't sure how to act around all these kids!  She is the little one standing in the center of the picture watching the swings and trampoline.  She just stood there and watched all the excitement around her and she wasn't sure what to do.

We got to visit Great Grandma and Grandpa Carr.  

We also spent an afternoon at Ben's sister's camp on Cedar Mountain.  Holdyn LOVES the dirt and the mountains!

Here we are at the camp.  You can sort of see my new hair/cut/color.  We sure have missed the mountain air!  

Anyway, we're here and doing well...but sure missing Ben!  This weekend I am traveling up to Salt Lake City to visit my Grandma and also the Palmer's (Charlton's family).  It should be a good trip.  I'll try to remember to keep taking pictures :)

Saying Goodbye's

Well, we're checked out of our apt and checked into a hotel. Ben is taking his FINAL exam here on SXM. I'm picking him up at 4 and that'll be his last time inside AUC for a LOOONG while. We've had a VERY busy week and here are some pics of the good-bye's we've had to say.
Here is Rachel on our hotel room balcony. It now feels like we are on vacation! (not for Ben of course, he's in the middle of the 8 hour exam)

Here is Rachel and Kimber down by the pool...oh how we are going to miss her!
Holdyn with the noodle.
Holdyn playing chess...or her version, which is organizing the pieces in a straight line.

We sold ALL of the rest of the stuff at the 5th semesteer sale. Heather and Erica brought by some life saving cookies and drinks to say good-bye. Thanks girls!!
You know you've neglected your 2 year old long enough when her diaper falls apart from pee... yes, I'm a bad parent!

Here is Kimber chillin by the pool at Arbor Estates. We had a last farewell dinner with a bunch of friends.
Here is Cesar teaching Holdyn how to swim.

Candace and Natalie.... we will sure miss you two!

Holdyn (Again) in the water.
We were in charge of the Navajo Taco's... they went great and we had enough to feed an army!

Rachel, Me, and Ashley C. with Kimber @ the Pineapple Pete's Farewell Lunch.
Me with Ashley R. and Kimber saying out sad good-bye's

Here is The midwife... we had one last appt and I had to get a picture of her with Kimber. She was Great!! We will definitely remember that birthing experience forever!
Finally, here are the other gals from AUC's Spouses Club who are leaving. We sure have had a great experience here on SXM and will remember it always! Thanks to you all who we have been able to cross paths with. Good-bye for now!

Then and Now

Here are some pictures of the first week we moved to St. Maarten and now.  Just for fun:)

Then...

Now...

Then.....

Now....

Then....

Now....

AUC 5th Semester Party

Thanks to Rachel and Cody (AGAIN!!!) Ben and I were able to attend his 5th semester party.  They held it at the Sonesta Hotel in Great Bay.  We got a room and were able to take it easy!  It was soo nice!  Plus it was fun to be with some great friends.   We sure did enjoy ourselves! 

This is Ben and I on our balcony.  We did have a great ocean view this time!The view of Great Bay from our room.

Here I am with Candace... one of the many fantastic friends we've made.  We've already got plans to meet up with her and her husband Richie in a few years :)
Ben and I at the 5th Semester Party.  Just before the dinner there was a Champagne toast.  We of course, had Coke and Sprite :)

Here is Ben with another fantastic friend, Caesar. 

It was SOOO nice to be able to enjoy an evening with Ben.  Especially since right after we get home Ben flies to Texas for a 7 week review course before he takes the USMLE.  It is hard to believe this chapter on St. Maarten is coming to a close in just 9 days!

A Good week!

I don't know where Holdyn gets her "It's all about me attitude."  She has been soo much fun these last few days.  I don't think she knows that her life, as she knows it, is about to be turned completely upside down.  From Beaches to Desert, from tile to carpet in just another 10 DAYS!!!!!!

Our neighbors have gone home for the break already so we had to say good bye to them.  Here is Holdyn with McKenzie and Sidney.  Holdyn LOVED these girls and so did I. They would come over and help me just about every day!  They would always ask if I had any cleaning or packing or just anything for them to help me with.  They played with Holdyn and were great babysitters! They  were a HUGE help the last months of pregnancy and since we've had the baby.  We will miss you guys!!!

We went and visited a few families from church.  We've been packing up and getting rid of a lot of clothes and other things and the people here really appreciate and need.  So we visited the Singh family (Above) and below is a picture of the neighborhood of another member. Many local people live in poverty.  It is sad to see, and it has made us appreciate what we've been blessed with!

We went to Mason's birthday party.  Ben was outside with Kimber and 'the guys' at the grill making the hotdogs.  Below is Holdyn sitting patiently while I made her plate for dinner.  She is just chillin with the boys! We had a great time!

We went fishing in Marigot as a family and we caught two little fish.... one is on the line in the picture... yep, I said they were little fish.  But while we were there a HUGE manta stingray swam underneath us.  It was at least 10 feet wide!  We both about wet our pants! We didn't know what it was until we got home and did some research.  They get up to 22 ft wide!!!!  

Yep, it is Bedtime and Holdyn is hiding.