Sickness and rain in California

So since New Year's, Andrew got sick, which stinks because he was only here until the 3rd, and Conner may or may not have gotten sick Again. It was really weird. He threw up once in the middle of the night and then was fine after that, so I'm not sure what happened.  Andrew's family said a few of them got sick Again, so not sure what happened to Conner.

Then my parents, some of my siblings, and some of their kids got sick. I think we brought the sickness with us. I felt really bad :( but we all were able to recover from it.

Dylan got into my makeup! Good thing it was in CA though, it's Sooo hard to find the makeup I like here, in the Bahamas, and it's Way more expensive too!!

But it is Really hard to get mad at that face, lol...

We had a much needed doughnut day!!! 

And hanging out with family and friends is the Best part of coming home!! :) 

Ashley and her girls came down to visit!! It was So much fun catching up, hanging out, and seeing them!! 

Dylan and Fin got along Real well! Hahaha (we didn't even coach them on this) too Cute!

I wish I had gotten more pictures of all the cousins!! I Really need to be better at getting my camera out!! 

And then walking to my parents house from Katie's house, I was able to capture this... 

Melt my heart <3 nbsp="" p="">

Conner had some of the Best Smiles the whole time we were in the states! It was Soo worth every dime that we spent to get here. To hear my kids laugh and play, and be with friends, cousins, family, it was Seriously the BEST!!! 

New Year's with the Pitt's 2016-2017

We flew down from Idaho yesterday morning and a couple hours later took Dylan in to my mom's urgent care that she works at. Conner, Tyson and I have all been sick and Dylan last night was making me nervous with his fever and being really lethargic. We got it down, but he still wasn't feeling much better today, so we took him in. He is definitely sick, poor baby. We got him some medication and my mom said she hasn't been feeling super great, so she offered to stay home with him for New Year's while we went over to Katie's with the rest of the kids.

The only thing I captured from New Year's night was this video...

We were all dying!! This is a pretty funny game, and we got some Real good laughs!! I wish I had gotten more videos and pictures with everyone with the guards in our mouths!

All in all we had a pretty fun night, enjoying it with family and friends! 2017 I'm curious what you have in store for us, but I'm excited to see what happens :) Happy New Year's Everyone!!

Hurricane Matthew

And so it begins... Again.

The preparation for another hurricane.

Hurricane Matthew is on its way to us.
We've talked little about it, and then about 24 hours ago I got a text from Andrew saying they are recommending us/families to leave the island.
15 min later our flights are booked to leave Monday morning for Florida.

We've obviously started keeping a closer track on updates and the projection of the hurricane. It went from talking about it yesterday to a tropical storm, maybe a hurricane, category 1 to a cat. 2 and even going into a cat. 3. All families are being advised to leave the island.

This has never happened. To us. We've never been advised to book flights and leave. This is a first.

When Andrew first told me that he booked our flights, I was nervous to leave. This island, the island which has been our home for the last year and a half. This Beautiful place with luscious greenery everywhere. Bright blues and greens, a sort of turquoise ocean color you've never seen before. To leave our friends, the people on this island who won't or can't leave, who will be here to ride it out. And the people, they are some of the nicest and helpful people you'd meet. And happy. They don't have much, but they don't need much. They live within their means, cuz really that's all that they can afford.  They look after each other and take care of each other.  And I feel guilty leaving, leaving them behind in hopes that Hurricane Matthew doesn't ruin their homes and surroundings. Guilty because I Can afford to get off the island to some place that is safe and our family out of harms way, if this hurricane does in fact become something to fear.

I truly think everything will be alright, but it just puts things in perspective for me. How people live, it opens my eyes to a whole new level. My conversations have changed a little bit. I realize how much I don't "need" in life, and my priorities have also shifted a little. I know I won't live here forever, but I hope and pray the day that I leave, that I don't forget about Abaco, Bahamas, the people on Great Guana Cay. The humbleness I feel in every part of me, for living on this 7mile by not quite 2 mile island. It's Soo easy to slip back into those comfortable ways, to adjust to what you grew up with and around. Electricity everyday of every hour of your life. Walking outside and not being completely attacked by mosquitos and no-seums (mostly certain times of the day, hahaha). Water that doesn't come from the rain to support the way you live, what you drink, when to shower or use the laundry or even wash dishes. Fresh fruit and vegetables whenever you want. An inclosed car when it rains. (even though I laugh each time it happens, and I really actually Love it, it's still humbling) To not take things for granted. I don't want to do that. I want to forever remember this place and how it's changed a part of me.

Sorry, Really got monologuing there.
Anyway, this storm... as of last night it went up to about a Cat. 5 and this morning, it's back down to a Cat. 4.
It's slowing down but strengthening.
We are prepping our house and getting it ready for the hurricane. Putting all our pink shutters up over the windows, bringing in all the outside furniture, things that could damage the house if caught up in the hurricane. And in case we can't get off the island, making sure we have stuff in the house to eat and get us through it. Andrew is helping prepare the homes in Baker's as well. I'm really not too worried, this is just what goes on for the prep before a hurricane comes. Last year all the hurricanes that projected to come our way, never did, so it's also a little hard for me to believe this could actually happen, here, to us and our home.

As of right now, this is what it looks like...

Kind of crazy. 

This is the first time I actually feel like this is real and our preparations show it. Tomorrow we will finish getting everything together before we head out the following day. 

If I'm good about keeping up on this blog like I had hoped I would start to do, I'll be posting again when we get back. Half of our friends and people here have already left the island to a safer place, the rest of us will soon be following or staying. 

Even though I believe everything will be alright, please keep us all in your prayers, especially those who are staying here. I Love the people here and pray that they will be kept safe. <3 nbsp="" p="">

Dylan's Mickey Birthday

Happy Birthday Dylan!! 

Right now you LOVE Mickey Mouse, so we gave you a Mickey themed birthday!!  

9.13.16 

Our friends on the island and I cut out all these circles & Mickeys and I sewed them in a straight line for a backdrop. 

Then I attempted to make Mickey Mouse cookies. I made one, but realized it was going to take too long to make a bunch of these without a cookie cutter, so the only one went to you, which you were excited about! :)

I also made a Mickey cake, which ended up ALL over you!! And even dyed your hair just a shade darker after washing it all out.  Hahaha My friends and I were just talking and admiring your toe-head of hair.

All your friends came to wish you a Happy Birthday! 

JR smashed the cake in your face :) Don't worry he was gentle and he asked me permission first, which you thought was funny and delicious. 

You gave Abi a cake kiss on her cheek, which we thought was the Cutest thing!! 

AJ let you put cake in his hair which you and him both thought was pretty funny. Amyaha loved watching it all :) 

Prez brought over his and Aj's bday card, which had a 2 doallr bill in it! 

Chris decorated these cookies and stitched your name on the felt Mickey I made so I could sew it on to the back of your Mickey blanket I made for you :) 

Cassy, Beth & Cristen helped me cut out all the decorations, that would have taken me Forever without their help!! And the rest of the gang brought cards, gifts and candy!!!

Everyone Loves you Sooo much!!! 

Oh and I made you a Mickey matching game (which we can't find one of the matches) & a Mickey blanket, which you Loved!! Yay!! 

Dylan you most likely won't remember much about living here in the Bahamas, but I wanted you to know how much everyone here Loves you and wanted to be with you to celebrate your birthday!! 

Some of the things you might want to know when you're older: 

~ You LOVE Mickey!! 

It's really the only show you'll watch. You will stop dead in your tracks, to sit and watch it. It constantly distracts you from anything else you are doing.  You Love to dance to the music and sing the song that you are now starting to pick up on, ("Mickey Mouse Clubhouse...") which is the Cutest thing!! And when we say "Roll call!!" You will start naming the characters in the exact order they do on the beginning of the show, and I Love it!!! 

~ You Love to run around and be tickeled!

We run around the kitchen island with Tyson while mom tries to get you and tickle you. It's your favorite game! When Conner is not at school, he joins in on the fun! ;) 

~You JUST started putting yourself to bed!!

 I never thought that would happen. It just started one night when dad asked you if you wanted to go to bed. You hurried up the stairs and climbed into your pack n play and went to sleep. And you've been doing that ever since... so far, ;) which has been about 2 weeks now. Haha

~You are Happy!! 

You make everyone around feel loved, with hugs and kisses and snuggles! You blow kisses and say Hi and Bye to everyone as they come and go. 

~ You Love to play with your brothers. 

You will wrestle with them, dance with them, sit with them and give them Big hugs when you see them! They are your Best Friends :) 

~ You Love your Dad!!

You are the first to run and give dad a Hug and say Hi to him as he walks in through the door, or to let us know he is home so someone can unlock the door, to let him in. You Love to go paddle boarding with your dad as he takes you around the Sea and shows you fish and water all around. 

~You Love your Mom!! 

You Love to snuggle with mom!! If anyone else is around you would usually rather be with your mom! I Love it!! :) I get Big hugs and full run to me, from you, whenever I am not home and get back!! I get the Biggest Smiles! 

Daddy, Conner, Tyson and Mommy LOVE you Sooo much!! You make us happy and make us laugh all the time!! You are growing up Way too fast, but I am trying to take in as much as I can before you get too big!!  We are Soo excited to see & watch you this next year! It's such a fun age as you learn and talk more and discover new things!! 

We Love you Dylan!! Happy 2nd Birthday little Dude!! 

1st Grade in Abaco, Bahamas

It's crazy to think our oldest is now entering Grade School! I was curious how he was going to do.  We had an Open House on Friday and he was pretty shy and quiet, so I wasn't sure how his first day of school would go, and I'm still curious how the rest of this week is going to go.  His teacher isn't going to be in until next week.  Hopefully, that doesn't throw everything off next week, but I totally understand why she isn't here.  She is taking her child to college.  I can't even imagine when that day will come for us. Stay little Conner, Please!  I'm grateful we aren't at that stage of life yet.  :)

He already seems Soo much bigger than last year!!

We kept asking him if he was excited for school and he always nodded his head yes, so that gave me comfort, though, he was quiet on the ferry ride over, hardly saying a word.

As soon as the ferry was docked Conner was up and heading off the boat, then as soon as he saw his taxi driver from last year, Ms. MaryAnn, he ran towards the van!! I had to stop him from getting in the car so I could take a picture of him and Ms. MaryAnn.  I got one picture and then I was out of space, go figure. Hahaha At least I got this one!!  :)

We Love Ms. MaryAnn!! I don't know what we would do without her!! It is a blessing and a tender mercy to have her! Another familiar face for Conner to recognize, and she takes Such Good care of Conner for us!! 

We drove to the school and met Conner there, and waited for Ms. MaryAnn to drop him off, so we could walk with him to class.  Yes, it's an interesting way to "take" him to school ourselves, but that's how it's been since we got here. We walked him to his class, which no one was there. We noticed a bunch of kids lined up outside the chapel, we found his class, and he got in line.  

As soon as I gave him my first hug goodbye, I saw him trying not to cry.  He was being Soo brave.  I just wanted to hug him and comfort him, but the more I did, the worse it got.  I didn't want to leave him. I thought I heard one of his classmates, Alayna, ask if he was crying, in which he replied, defensively, "No."  I felt instantly bad for him and knew we had to leave. 

We had to fill out a form inside the school office so we did, when we came back outside, I saw a family friend, Abi, lined up with her classmates. She's older, but I could tell she was having a hard time too.  This was her first time going to school here in the Bahamas.  She was also being Soo brave.  I ran up and gave her a hug and told her I couldn't wait to hear all about her first day of school.  I wasn't sure how to comfort her, but I hope that helped.  As we waited in the car for Abi's mom, we saw Conner coming out of the chapel with his class, he seemed to have a little skip in his step and I was again Soo grateful for that little tender mercy for me to see him happier than we had just left him moments before.  It put a much needed smile on my face  :)

Dropping Conner off at school didn't take long at all, and we had an hour and a half to kill before we would leave on the next ferry, so we ran some errands around town. Some which were successful and some that well, weren't.  Hahaha But that's how it is here, you just learn to roll with it.  Lol!! 

When we were waiting for the ferry to arrive at the dock, I looked at the kids and me and realized, that it's now just the 3 of us at home everyday until 4 when we leave to pick up Conner at the ferry dock. 

It took awhile to get home today, when we got off the dock.  We realized our golf cart was parked at the other dock, the Town Ferry, which is Not a short walk, and especially not one we would do in the heat of the day, & with kids. We had to borrow a cart to get our cart, and then drop it back off again, not a big deal, but all in all it took about an hour to finally get home. 

We ate some lunch, Andrew headed into work, Dylan took a nap, and Tyson and I had a pretty chill day, which was nice for the first day. (Tomorrow I'll have to actually get some things done. Hahaha). Dylan didn't wake up from his nap until it was time to pick up Conner at the dock.  Pretty sure that was a record for him! Hahaha 

The anticipation while waiting for Conner to get home today from his first day of school was not just in me alone.  I could feel all the moms and dads everywhere waiting and watching for the ferry to arrive to hear how their kids did.  I knew it was a Good day at school when Conner wasn't running to see me.  It doesn't mean he had a bad day at school if he does, I just know he missed us, but today he just strolled on over with a cup of ice in his hand, very nonchalant.  I'm pretty sure I was more excited to see him than he was to see me.  

He said school was good! The power went out for a little bit, and they could hear thunder.  The day didn't seem long.  He sits next to Sadie and Alayna.  He played "Follow the leader" with his teacher.  Which he mistakes the tune for "Follow the Prophet" Hahaha Yes, the children's song from church. 

It was Sooo Good to hear he had such a Good day!! It definitely makes this mama's heart happy and makes it a little easier to send him off to school tomorrow!! 

So another day, another year at Agape Christian School. Soo curious, nervous, and excited to see how this year unfolds.  

We Love you Conner!!  You are Soo Brave & Strong to make this daily trek to and from school given the hours of the day, and the situation in which you are in.  You are Sweet to everyone and always thinking of others.  I pray that you make Good friends and have a Wonderful and Memorable year!!  

First Loose Tooth

Conner came and told me that his tooth is loose and then I noticed 2 teeth are already growing in behind his 2 bottom teeth and neither of these baby teeth are real loose. The one he said is loose, is just barely wiggling. So we are wiggling it everyday and trying to get ahold of it to pull it out, but the teeth coming in behind, make it more difficult to get a good grip on his "loose" tooth.

You can't tell super well in this pic, but there is another tooth coming in right next to the that other one 

Hopefully, we can get both of these teeth out soon, so they can make their way to the front.  Wish us luck!!  :)

Mom and Dad come to the Bahamas!!

After my Beautiful sister's wedding and Christmas my parents came home with me to the Bahamas for a relaxing vacation.

We booked our flight a few months in advanced and the airlines ended up changing it on us to a redeye flight.  We got through it and made it to the Bahamas, but we were all pretty exhausted from that.  Tyson and Dylan didn't do that great on the flight which also made for a long trip back.  

MONDAY:  my dad and Andrew got invited to go on a fishing boat adventure for the day, while my mom, me and the kids explored where we live.  We were still pretty tired so it was a low-key kind of day.  And apparently a few of the bugs missed me over the past few weeks.  Hahaha

They caught a Mahi-Mahi 

The fish is pretty vibrant in colors, until it's out of the water too long, then the colors start to fade :(

Later that day my dad spotted a different kind of fish in the water, from our dock.  We watched it as it walked along the ground slowly.  It had 4 legs. 2 bigger ones in the front that it used for walking or it stuck straight out in front of its body when it wanted to swim, and then 2 smaller ones in the back. Then it had a tail like a fish and fins on the either side of it like a normal fish.  Our first thought was that it was a frog or pollywog of some sort in the transformation period.

 I decided we needed to get the GoPro out and video it. When my dad and I came back to the dock dressed and ready, my mom said it did something unusual.  It fanned out its side fins and it turned bright blue.  I definitely wanted to get this thing on video!!

Kind of cool huh!!!

We did some research on this crazy, cool fish and it's called a Flying Gurnard.  (It doesn't actually fly though Hahaha) 

Here are some links I found on this rare fish:  

Pictures of other Flying Gurnards

Flying Gurnard Info

It was Really fun to see a new kind of fish and a rare one at that.  Soo glad my dad spotted it!! 

All in all it was a pretty Great first day here on Guana exploring!!  It's Soo fun having family out here!! Excited for tomorrow's adventures!! :)

UPDATE: I forgot to post the rest of the days, so here is a quick run down:

TUESDAY: Took Conner to the dock and went with him over to Marsh.  He got in his taxi, and off to school he went. We went to a yummy bakery called "Da Bes Yet", but unfortunately it was closed.  So we headed over to Maxwell's, the main grocery store, and stocked up in our insulated bags for the 30 min ferry ride back.

WEDNESDAY: Meg was Soo sweet to let come over and Snorkel off her dock.  That was fun!!  I called my neighbor, Cassy, to watch the boys for me last min.  We were all at the dock, but Dylan wasn't cooperating so off to Cassy's we went. It was Soo nice of her to watch them for me last min.

THURSDAY:  went to Hopetown island.  Walked through the lighthouse, ate lunch at Abaco Inn, took Lots of pictures.  Came back to Great Guana Cay, went and looked for sea glass at Sea Glass Beach, relaxed, nightly ritual of going to the dock and looking for fish.  Ate wings at Sunsetter's tonight.  Wanted to show my parents our favorite restaurant to eat at.

FRIDAY:  took a tour of Baker's Bay, where Andrew works. Played a game called Qwixx, that I've been obsessing over ever since Andrew bought it for me.  Hahaha

SATURDAY: It's always hard to say Goodbye.  My parents had to get on the 9am ferry to make their 1pm flight.  Ya, that's the only ferry going over before their flight took off, besides the noon and that's too close to their departure time.  Their flight ended up being delayed until 3pm, such a bummer!!  We all wish we knew that ahead of time, we could have put them on the noon ferry.  These are the things that are hard to live by while living here.  We took a few selfies before they went inside.  I miss them!