The rest of our 2013 Adventure

Ok, so, I haven't made a post since April 2013, and here it is, February 2014! Whoops!  Well, obviously at lot has happened since April.  For starters, I got a job working at SteppingStones as a Staffing Coordinator working in their Immigration department.  I have been there for 9 months, and I am really loving it.  The lovely ladies I work with couldn't be better!

SteppingStones girls with the Cayman Islands Rugby team

Caleb is doing well with his swim school at CBAC.  Numbers are up, and the kids are really swimming well, which is awesome! He is also  getting to coach a little more and travel with the team which he is of course, loving!  He went to St. Pete,  Florida and Toronto, Canada last year, and is hoping to go to Florida, and maybe Jamaica this year!  He also got to go to the ASCA coaches clinic in New Orleans, which he really enjoyed! (Of course who wouldn't enjoy going to New Orleans?!)

We have had several guests since April 2013.  Our great friend from Richmond, VA, Gilbert came for a visit, we had a great time snorkeling, snorkeling, and oh yeah, snorkeling!  We also ate some great food, and of course, went to the turtle farm!  Then after Gilbert came, Caleb's brother Nate came down, and my good buddies Lindsay and Jessica! We really had a great time exploring the island with them. And yes, we went to the Turtle Farm!

Turtle Farm fun with Gilbert

Snorkeling with Gilbert

Snorkeling with Nate

Wine with the girls

Brothers...what can i say?

Turtle Farm with Linds and Jess

After their visit, my nephews Noah and Aaron came down for 3 weeks in July!  Yeah, tell me how lucky they are?!  When I was a teenager the most fun I had during the summer was going to Kings Dominion, but to go to the Cayman Islands for 3 weeks, wow! Must be nice! :-) We had a wonderful time with them.  As always we ate lots of good food, and guess what, we didn't go to the turtle farm! We did however go to Stingray City.  Wow was that cool! If you have never been to Stingray City, go, you will not be disappointed! It is such a unique experience.  We also enjoyed a trip to the East End and enjoyed Rum Point and Starfish Point.

Enjoying a day at Rum Point

The boys being silly on Seven Mile Beach

Stingray City

Then, in September, Caleb had to go to New Orleans for a week, and I didn't want to be alone, so my best bud Deb volunteered to come down and keep me company.  She is so nice isn't she!?  Deb and I went to the Turtle Farm, hung out by the beaches, ate lots of good food.  The one really awesome thing we did do when she was here was we did the Atlantic Submarine tour.  That was really cool!  If you do not like water, or can't scuba dive, take the submarine tour.  It takes you over 100 feet down and you get to see all the fish and turtles! Definitely a must do when you're here.

Deb and me on the boat about to go on the submarine

Turtles!!!

We didn't have anyone else come during the fall, which is sad, because November is a great month to come visit...hint hint!  Why, you might ask? Well, because of Pirates Week!  Great fun, great food, and did I mention great rum?!  Seriously, someone come see us for Pirates Week in 2014, so much fun!

ARRRRRGGGHHHH! (Yes, even Chloe is a pirate)

In December, my friends from RVA, Melinda and Jamie came down for their honeymoon, and we got to hand out with them at the Turtle Farm and went to Rackam's for dinner by the sea.  I hope they had as much fun as we did!

Turtle Farm fun 

We went back to VA for Christmas, and enjoyed a most relaxing (and cold) 10 days with the family!  I have to say it was probably one of the best Christmases in a long while.  We really enjoyed seeing all of our friends and family.  We were happy however to get back to Cayman and to the warm sun and beach!!

Love my Carol!

So glad we got to see these guys

After we got back from our holiday in VA our lovely friends Kim, John and Ashley Owen came down for a 10 day visit.  It was fantastic.  We really enjoyed spending time with them and showing them the beautiful island that is Grand Cayman.  We did a lot of snorkeling, went to the Turtle Farm (duh!) and brought in the New Year at Karoo in Camana Bay. We had a fantastic time.

Starfish Point with the Owens gang

Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

When we didn't have guests we were celebrating pirates week, going to galas with Olympians, going on boat cruises with NBA players, and dressing up for Halloween! Wow, we did a lot in 2013, what a year it was! And 2014 is already turning into another great year in Cayman.  My work permit was approved for 3 years, praise the Lord for that! So, who knows how long we will be here.  I guess for however long the good Lord wants us to be. But, I must say we are so blessed to be surrounded by some great friends in Cayman and I am so thankful for this experience!

Boat trip fun

The guys with Jameer Nelson of Orlando Magic

Us with Ian Crocker, Olympic Gold Medalist in 100 Fly

Us with Megan Jendrick, Olympic Gold and Silver medalist

Happy Halloween!

On a different note, I am currently on a 10 day juice cleanse through Drink Fresh Juice.  I am on day 6 and feeling great...more on that to come next week, so stand by!

Looking forward to our guests who are coming this spring, my awesome cousin Robin, and her friend Karen are coming in March.  Caleb's aunt, uncle and cousin, Kim, Clarke and KC are coming at the end of March, and then my niece, Alora is coming down with my friends Brady and Heather!  The Spring is going to be busy, and I can't wait!

Until next time, cheers guys! 

The in-laws and a cousin come to da island!

Caleb and I just love having visitors.  In April we have had 2 sets of visitors!  First, Caleb's parents, Mark and Terri came down.  Then, 4 days after they left, our cousin Trina came down.  This is the tale of our adventures....

Mark and Terri's adventure started out like any other...we got them off the plane, and got lunch at Ala Kebob. (YUM!-best Gyro you will ever eat, I promise).  We then took the 15 mile drive to West Bay to our apartment.  We got them all settled in, and enjoyed the ocean front view from our patio.  Throughout their trip we went to several of the beaches, our favorite being Cemetery Beach, which we went to a few times.  We pretty much ate our way through the week as well enjoying some home cooked meals, but also, awesome meals at Tim Buc Tuu (ate breakfast there several times), Heritage Kitchen (ate there twice-best local food on the island, not kidding), Karma, Ortanique, Chimboco and The Greenhouse Cafe.  On Eater Sunday we enjoyed a home cooked meal of Cayman Chicken, roast pumpkin and potatoes, callaloo, deviled eggs, and pumpkin sufflee for dessert.  On Easter Sunday we also enjoyed the afternoon at Smith's Cove where we got to see the police being called on a group of Jamaicans that decided to drive their boat into the cove and anchor...BIG NO NO!  That was quite exciting.  We also enjoyed the beautiful water, and Caleb did some Kayaking.  During the week we also went to Rum Point/Starfish Point, and to the Botanic Garden, which was beautiful.  Lots of gorgeous flowers, and awesome Blue Iguanas!  And, of course we went to The Turtle Farm, which was awesome as always!  Who doesn't love playing with the little turtles! We also did some snorkeling at both Cemetery Beach and Eden Rock.  Of course, poor me, got stung by a Jelly Fish at Eden Rock and decided not to get in the water the rest of the trip (I have gotten over it now...)  We also enjoyed a casual visit or two to Hell, yes, Hell, Grand Cayman, there is such a place.  And, it just so happened to be as hot as Hell the day we went (near 90 and humid).  :-)

During their visit we enjoyed food, family and fun, oh, and Rum! We spent most of our nights just sitting on the porch talking and listening to the sounds of the sea crashing into the iron shore, while drinking some sort of rum concoction...ahhh paradise.  At the end of the stay we were sad to see them go, but we happy that they had a great time, and can't wait until they come back again!!!

 

 

 

 

After we said goodbye to the parents, we had 4 days to clean and get ready for cousin Trina!  Caleb has only met his cousin Trina once, about 10 years ago, and I have never met her, so we were really looking forward to spending time getting to know her, and boy did we have a blast!  We of course enjoyed the usual, beach and food!  We went to West Bay Beach, Governor's Beach and Rum Point/Starfish Point.  We enjoyed food from Tim Buc Tuu, Karma, Michael's, Margaritaville, and The Greenhouse Cafe. Trina also got to swim with the Dolphin Lucy and go horse back riding on the beach/in the water!!  How cool is that?!  We enjoyed our laid back nights relaxing and watching TV, or chatting on the porch getting to know each other better.  Trina and I also enjoyed chilling by the pool, and our shopping trip in George Town! We did a short snorkeling trip to Eden Rock which was a lot of fun, and while Trina and I were shopping, Caleb swam with about 2 dozen Tarpon!  And....of course, we went to the Turtle Farm!!!  (The Turtle Farm really should start paying us since we keep bringing people) :)  All in all we had a great time getting to Trina, and we hope she had just as fun getting to know us...now we just have to plan a trip to Seattle!!

 

 



P.S.-While Trina was here, I got a job working for Stepping Stones as a Staffing Consultant/Immigration Specialists! Yay! Work Hard, Play Hard! :-)

P.P.S.-Our next Visitor arrives at the end of next week, Gilbert!  Get ready to have fun Gilbert!!Che

Until next time...Cheers!