It ain't chicken without a good marathon

 So this is the week we've been waiting for for so long. Test Week. There are 4 tests one every day until Thursday. I like to think of it as Test Marathon week. Normally a good Marathon is so enjoyable. There's the race that you run and throw up during and after and can't walk for days later, or the weekend long viewing of some Tv Show and you just glue yourself to the couch with mass amounts of food. The later is what I prefer. To each his own. A test marathon week is pretty intense. You take a test and then study and take a test and so on. No time to breath this week at all. So My chore of the week was packing the barrel. I wasn't as good as I thought though. I was gonna get that barrel so full. but this thing called over-kill took over and I tried unsuccessfully to put our whole life in a barrel. I did ok though. I fit everything except Steve's dressy clothes. Now my only problem is trying to get everything else to let the lid close. I even sat on the barrel and tried to seal it. I think I might have have Steve sit on it and then close it. But I'm determined to make sure everything that is in there stays in there. So Thursday some hopefully very strong men are coming to get the barrel. It'll be just great watching them haul it from our 4th floor house.  Anyway long live the Tests of justice and mind numbing frustrations.

Secret Beach

This last week a bunch of us decided to visit Secret Beach. I'm going to assume that its called Secret Beach because you can only get there by water. But everyone should know I tend to make up stuff and am not always right so if that is incorrect, deal with it. Jacquelle convinced a guy with a boat to take a her and the kids out and a few others. And 4 of us rented kayaks. It was the most beautiful day for this trip. It was a bit cloudy so we didn't burn as is usual and the water was warm which is surprisingly rare. I led the Kayaks and we all went under the arch in this 1st picture on the way to the beach. it was really cool to see the crabs crawling up the sides. Crabs are so common here. My favorite part that day was that the sun reflected these golden flecks in the water. It was so so beautiful. 

We also did some snorkeling. I tend to get nervous in deep water so like the pansy I am I wore a life jacket while I snorkeled. I know what you're thinking. But it was either that or the little kids arm floaties. I weighed the ridicule possibilities and the life jacket seemed the friendliest candidate. There were thousands of fish down there. If they formed a union I would've been toast. I also saw a ton of sea urchins hanging out on the rocks they are not so friendly and very bad to step on. As soon as I noticed tons of them around me. I decided to snorkel elsewhere. But I have to say I've definitely decided I like snorkeling. "It's really a whole new world" "under the sea!" (Just wanted to keep this kid friendly with some disney quotes)

I love taking pictures of all the scenery but sometimes I forget to be in the pictures. I really feel the need to have proof that I've been to these crazy amazing places, otherwise in a few years I may be dilusional enough to think it really all was a dream and that I've never been to a Caribbean island let alone lived there.

When we got to Secret Beach all the Roy kids wanted to ride in the Kayaks. I really can't blame them. Kayaking is the best. I took the oldest boy with me and he even paddled. It was hard to get him to let me paddle. It wasn't so bad though. After a bit he really paddled pretty good. I let him ride back with me to Coconut beach, but I think I was doing the riding at least half the way. I think its about a 20 min. Kayak trip. Oh I love to Kayak. 

The Wayments came also and The dad was entertaining the kids with hermit crabs. He kept filling his hands with tons of them. Here are some of the cool ones they found.

Talk about "itty bitty living space" as the genie would say. This crab was so teeny.

Ben really really wanted to stay on the water so his mom took him out too.

Thats a heck a lot

Hey did I mention that Steve has 9 tests! Thats right 9. I think I would go crazy with that kinda pressure, but he keeps on trucking. They have finally brainwashed him to take it all in stride. He just keeps studying and its not a big deal. I think the whole moving to the Bahamas was a bigger deal to him. Anyway he is getting there. next week are most of the tests. he only has one left this week. And after that we get to pack and hike and play and by then hopefully we'll have an apartment to move to. Anyway I just wanted to mention the whole 9 test thing cause I think that is natural selection at work. they are cutting off the weakest link of the herd and luckily thats not Steve. It sucks to be the weakest link. You get eaten! I'll take the weirdest link. At least then I'm safe from the wolves. Oh man I can't wait to have a couch again. And this awesome house has balconies and all that jazz. Ok I've rambled enough.

Pumpkin Carving Weather

So whenever it gets super stormy and rains like crazy I always feel like its fall and time to carve pumpkins again. I love fall! It's the best season ever. You get good weather and stormy weather. The leaves change color and then there's crunchy leaves to walk on. And Halloween and Thanksgiving are just around the corner. And then best of all snowstorms! Yep I love storms. So the point to this is that today was one of those stormy days. It rained so hard this evening, so I walked up on top of our building and took some pictures. It was so beautiful. We have these amazing mountains surrounding us. It's like being in a movie.

This 1st picture is of this pretty tree in our neighbors yard.

It was crazy how much rain there is. It showed up so well in this picture.

Home is where you hang your hat

So Steve and I have decided to get out of Dominica. We are moving to Freeport, Bahamas on April 30. I'm excited for the change. The Bahamas is so much more americanized than Dominica. Its only a few hours ferry ride from Florida. Maybe if we're lucky we'll make a trip and go to Disney World. I'm excited cause there are some really great members of the branch that are going to the Bahamas. I will miss some of the friends here but I think I'll find more to do in the Bahamas, so off we go. I'm excited because I found out they have 2 libraries in Freeport. I need reading material and I need it now :) Anyways The downside is packing and visa applications and finding a new home. But the apartments there are really really nice. We might live in a complex with a pool and tennis courts and a gym. It'll be great. And it'll be only 1.25 miles from campus. So Steve can get there pretty easily. He'll have to media site all his classes but half the students here do that anyway, because its faster. He can watch the lectures in half the time. It will hopefully be a great 2 semesters in Bahamas and then we'll most likely move to Miami for 5th Semester and than the crazy life of rotations. It's funny now that I think back to when I was a kid and always on the go. My dad was in the army and we lived in Europe for a few years. I never thought I would end up moving all over the place again. I thought I was stuck in Utah forever and now I'm kinda a drifter again. At least I'm used to it again. I think the next vacation should be backpacking through Europe. That would a wild adventure. Or Australia or Russia. I guess I kinda got that wandering spirit. Either way I'm glad we get new adventures. One for sure is Brazil in a few years. 

A Gassy Situation

So today I was in a cooking mood. Or it may have been a cookie mood. Anyways half way through the cookies I started dinner, and halfway through dinner we ran out of propane gas. Yippee. It just goes to show that you should always be humble. Just yesterday I was telling Jacquelle that we hadn't ran out yet and we probably wouldn't while we were here. Next time I will expect the worst possible scenario and of course we'll have all the propane we can stand. Anyways I packed all the food away and called Steve, and luckily Tina's grocery store had some. For the last month the island has had little to no gas at all. Thats because of the other islands being on strike and coming and taking all our gas. So whenever some one ran out it was a big deal. I mean That is how we cook everything so without we get to eat crackers and peanut butter for breakfast, lunch and dinner. So we were so so lucky and we got gas today and got to cook  dinner and maybe tomorrow I'll get to finishing the cookies, as long as I have some for now!

General Conference

This weekend we got to listen to conference. It was so amazing to here the prophets speak. We watched most of it at home but went in Sunday morning to the church so Steve could do some work for his calling. (I don't know if I ever mentioned that he''s the branch clerk.) Anyways it was so good. I think our favorite was Elder Holland's talk on Christ. It was very inspirational. It really is amazing that there is a prophet that can tell us exactly what the lord knows we need to hear. President Monson a great leader for our church. Anyways if anyone missed conference I would recommend listening to it, or reading it cause it really tells us so many things we need to be able to live in this crazy world. I love this church!

Photo Shoot

So my friend Geno is a photographer and she's building her portfolio, so she took a bunch of girls here and made us models for the day. I just wanted to show how good she is. I don't usually do well when the camera is just on me. I guess, me being friends with the photographer is helpful. Anyways I loved what she did so I thought I'd share it. Also if anyone needs pictures taken I might be able to hook you up with her. She really loves taking pictures and as you can see she has "The Vision" :) Anyways Thanks Geno you're the best!

Iguanas and Fishing

These guys came up in the pier while we were playing on the beach and I thought it was interesting. They were fishing and all they had was a bucket and fishline and a hook. They also brought their dog which couldn't figure out how to get on the pier so me and some of my friend Jaquelle's kids were trying to coax it up when the youngest starting yelling go dog, go go go! I was so surprised those are the first real words I'd ever heard from her mouth. I love kids. It was fun and the dog finally got to the first section of the pier and just stayed there.

It kind of reminded me of a wolf howling to the moon or when Pocahontus was standing on the cliff singing colors of the wind. Either way it was funny and I had to post it.

This is the clearest I've ever seen Guadalupe. Yet it's still kinda foggy. Oh well.

Yet another reminder of where we are! I still get a little jump start and chuckle when I see these kinds of things. The boy that came with her was still snorkeling in the sea when it started raining but I'm not sure he knew what he was doing. He kept circling around and then he was so close to the shore that he couldn't have seen anything cool. Ahh to each his own!

We caught some glimpses of the Iguanas that hang out at the front gate to Ross. They are kinda cool animals. I still think they're kinda freaky. They must be at least a little mean. I don't really know though. It's just what "Journey to the Center of the Earth" plugged in my mind with the giant iguanas. anyways. Do you think their legs get tired from just hanging on. Mine sure would. Or maybe this is their exercise. If you get closer you can hear a croaky voice rasping, "56 mississippi 57 mississippi..." Boy what a workout.

No More Anatomy

Yeah for Steve he doesn't have to do anatomy anymore! I'm really glad cause apparently his body is growing mold and that my friends is disgusting. It also makes his allergies worse. Boo Allergies. 

Ping Pong and its influence on pancake consumption

So Steve is doing Intramurals in Ping Pong also. I of course went to take pictures cause it's quite rare that he gets to be in any. He really likes playing. I play with him sometimes but I'm not amazing. I like to keep my reputation of being average except in the things I'm not! I feel as though Ping Pong and olympic pancake eating have a lot in common. For instance the other day I was thinking about things and it feels like fall in Dominica. The blasted rain won't leave us be. I thought it was going to start getting hot and so of course I mention that to others and then of course the rain has to come and make me look silly and a liar. Whatever. I so don't care. 

Did I ever tell about my phone here. At this moment it says that the date is January 20 and there is no way of changing that. It also has taken to a terrible sickness. every morning between 9 and 10 it buzzes at me making me think somebody is calling. I love getting calls. even if I suck at answering. But really to get my hopes up and end up just having some kind of mysterious fever is just mean. I do apologize if anyone here has been a victim of calling me and never getting answered. I never here my phone. It only buzzes when  I don't have calls  or texts. We'll just be happy it isn't  broken yet, which is the usual trend with small electronics I own. And I now  want the rambling to stop so I'm done. GO STEVE Ping pong them to the sky. Or whatever you cheer at people.