Day 3 - North to Leland

We were up at 8:00a this morning for showers and breakfast... cereal and more bacon.  I sat outside on the back of the boat to do my morning devotions.  I love this so very much!

After I wrapped up, Scott and the kids had the kitchen cleaned up and we were ready to get underway.  The wind was significantly stronger today so we had some concerns that we would make it the next stop. 

We left the slip at 10:10a and had reached the end of the channel by 10:20a.  There were 3' rolling swells with chop mixed in.  Not too bad... considering what we had expected based on the winds.  We turned north and enjoyed a great trip up.  Because we were traveling with the wind, the waves didn't bother even as they grew larger on the way.  

We arrived just outside Leland around 11:45a but held short as the marina advised there was someone still in our slip.  The lake was quite calm here as its naturally protected so the kids and I sat up on the bow of the boat and relaxed in the sun while we waited.

 

Once the call on the radio came in, we proceeded to slip 7 at the Leland Township Marina.  Once we were secure, Jen responded to some project emails while Scott prepped our lunch sandwiches.

After lunch we walked into town to check out the shops and walk through Fishtown and visit the dam.  

I was thrilled to find a mercantile with a great supply of items we would regularly need.  So took a moment buy some groceries that weren't available last night in Frankfort.  As we continued our walk, we found the cutest book shop with a outdoor space set up for painting canvas, ceramics and other crafts.  Scott asked Sammy if she was interested, and boy was she!  She and I spent the next 2 hours meticulously painting a very sweet princess statue.  Clearly our girl had a vision... and it turned out great!  In the meantime, the boys finished a walking tour of town, bought some smoked fish and crackers and then headed back to the boat.

 

We have very slow internet and next to no cellular connection either.  Its amazing how much we rely on technology... even when walking around town or trying to meet up.  

When we all were back, I called on a restaurant Scott had suggested and the hostess said she could seat us immediately if we came right away but otherwise, they couldn't take a reservation for later.  So, quickly we all pulled our shoes back on, put the dog in her crate, and off we went again for dinner.  We ate at the Cove... burger, tenderloin, and a New Orleans fish & pasta plate that Scott raved about.  Then we took a short walk to find some ice cream and then headed back to the boat.

OK.  So this is an inside joke but Scott has this thing with big trees.  I think its simply being in awe of how old it must be and to imagine what the area was like when it was just planted.  I cannot tell you how many times he's insisted that the kids and I stand next to a big tree for a photo.  So, imagine our surprise when we heard another dad stop his kids to talk about a tree.  We turned around super quick only to see this beauty...  So big, they left the tree in tact and stopped the curb and road short of its roots.  Because of its sheer size we insisted that Scott be in the photo this time!  Enjoy it!

Sammy and Scott both took showers aboard and we just took it easy.  It looks like rain coming in overnight so we put on a movie and just cuddled in.  I love sleeping aboard when it rains!

Day 24 - Dad is Back!

Its here!  Its here!  Its finally here!  Today's the day Scott comes back down to join us.

We woke up a little later today but got right to work on dusting, vacuuming, and changing linens.    After we got everything cleaned up it was almost lunch time so the kids helped me in the kitchen.

We took a walk on the beach because the sun was out and gorgeous today!

We still had a list of errands to run.  Scott had 5 larger boxes that needed to be returned via UPS, so we wrangled them downstairs and brought them to the UPS store.  Check!  A few returns at Target and then Old Navy.  Check, Check!  And then a few items I needed to pick up from Office Max and PetCo.  Phew.  We filled up the gas tank and washed the car and headed back home for supper and school.

Sammy helped me in the kitchen and luckily we made it out on the balcony in time to see the gorgeous sky as the sun was setting.

We finished our school work just a few minutes before 10:00 pm which was exactly when we needed to leave for the airport, so off we went in comfy clothes and slippers.

By the time we got home, it was pushing 11:30 pm so it was bedtime for everyone.

So glad he's home!

Day 5

We woke up to another beautiful morning!  Honestly the view both to the west (sun rise over the ocean) and the east (sunsets over the bay) is breath-taking.

I took advantage of the late start and got caught up on some of my work for the Autism Family Network.  While I was handling a situation, Francis stopped by.  She wanted me to talk with Mike, the gentleman that would be taking us snorkeling.  In short, Mike shared that the rough conditions had shut down the port and that he wasn't sure we should go out tomorrow.  Instead he hoped we'd go on Monday.  Although I was unsure, we agreed to talk again tomorrow afternoon to re-assess the situation.

Disappointed about snorkeling and frustrated with my work, I set it all aside and we headed down for some sun.  This time, we decided to stay by the pool instead and played in the water doing flips and tricks while we listened to the DJ's variety of music.

After a few hours in the pool we decided to walk across the street to 19.5 again for lunch.  Still dripping, our entire crew made our way to the restaurant and sat down under the thatched roof.  We were the only customers in the place... and had unmatched service as we ate.  Another fabulous meal!  

I ran next door to grab some pop from the convenience store and then we all headed back to the condo to cool down.  The guys rested indoors.  I spent the afternoon reading and talking with Mary on the balcony.  It really is a great way to unwind!

Then I did some researching to find another activity for Sunday.  We found another ecological park that looked promising and lined up a driver to bring us tomorrow.

Because our lunch had been later in the afternoon, we decided to wait on a later supper.  We pulled together spaghetti, garlic bread and a salad... it really hit the spot.  

As Mary got up to start clearing the dishes, she quickly drew our attention to the kitchen counter.  We were unaware that we had a dinner guest...  The cockroach was rather impressive in both size and speed.  Our husbands immediately stepped in to defend us!  It was a pretty funny scene that played out and I'm sure one we'll remember for some time.  But let's just say, the cockroach didn't stand a chance against these two!  

After the excited wore down, we enjoyed another evening on the balcony, sharing stories and good conversation.

Day 2

It was a beautiful morning.  We all took our time getting up this morning and once the majority of us were up, Scott and JC made us a breakfast of scrambled eggs and toast.  We spent a decent amount of time applying sunblock and then headed down to the beach.  Tyler JC and I spent some time talking to a man from New York who had adopted a stray dog from here in Mexico... She was very well-behaved and we asked lots of questions!  By the time we finished, Mary and Scott and chosen our spot on the beach.  The ocean was pretty rough today but we still had fun jumping the waves.  After a while of that, we all needed a break (it was quite a workout).  So a few of us headed up with the kids to the pool.

Overnight JC and Mary's AC unit had stopped working so we were waiting to hear back from the maintenance guy.  Once we knew he was on his way, we headed back to the condo.  After a quick 5 minutes, the maintenance man diagnosed the problem and left.  Once we were cleaned up, we decided to venture across the street again to 19.5 for lunch... but since we didn't have a return time from the maintenance guy, Mary, Tyler, and I decided to stay back and just sent JC, Scott and Sammy for lunch.  Mary taught Tyler to make a grilled cheese sandwich and then they enjoyed a DVD while I took a short nap.  (hey, cut me some slack... its vacation!)

Scott and JC headed out and quickly realized how difficult it might be to handle the heat as they waited for lunch.  So they made a quick stop at Starbucks to get a cold drink for Sammy.  While they were at the restaurant, they had a visitor which kept her entertained throughout the meal.

It didn't take long before they joined us again in the cool air conditioned comfort of our unit.  They brought us some amazing guacamole as well!  After that, we decided to spend the rest of the day on the patio... enjoying the sun and the company.  The kids and I even took a dip in our hot tub (set much cooler than most at home)

The guys spent the majority of their time watching some workers on the building next door.  They had lots of suggestions for how the men could improve their efficiency and performance and on more than one occasion would break out in laughter after narrating the perceived conversation.

Sometime around 4:00 pm, Francis arrived with Maria to cook our meal.  It took nearly two hours but they prepared us a feast.  (Literally we think there was enough for 4 meals for our group... at least)

After dinner we all agreed a little dessert sounded superb so we headed across the street to the OXXO convenience store to find something sweet.  We all selected an ice cream treat and hurried home before it melted.

We enjoyed the sunset as we wrapped up our day with stories in the living room and headed to bed around 9:00 pm (no typo... we were all in bed early)

It was shortly after I settled into a TV show in bed that I heard Tyler call out from down the hall.  I found him in the bathroom with a very loose molar ready to come out.  It took just over an hour of patient convincing but it finally came out... with a new tooth already in place.

For those who have read these blogs in the past... losing teeth is nothing new when we leave the US, but it sure is odd!

By the way, the elevator went out again today.  Seven flights of steps is an incredibly long climb when it feels like +90*  Ugh!

Another Day in Paradise - Day 6

After a great night's sleep and a relaxing morning on the veranda we headed out for breakfast.  It was rather late and Sammy was ready to start her day so I told her we could swim while we waited for the food.  So Mary and I inched into the pool as Sammy swam.  Eventually we went back for breakfast and then found our place by the beach.

We did the usual... swim, snorkel, beach ball, etc.  Then pool, loungers and snacks.

While in the pool, Sammy made a new friend named Rebekah.  She is 5 years old and lives in Santo Domingo.  She only speaks Spanish although her mother Corina helped her so the two could communicate.  Next year she will attend an "American" school which is basically an English immersion opportunity.  Corina shared their story... both of her older daughters earned scholarships to study in the United States.  Rebekah has two older sisters.  The oldest studied in Kalamazoo, MI and currently lives in Dubai.  The younger sister is 20 and is currently studying Communications at Michigan State in Lansing although she is in Rome for the semester.

The girls swam together for a bit while their mom's got to know each other.  Eventually their party found a spot on the beach, right next to ours so the kids could play in the sand together.  Tyler tried very hard to communicate with Rebekah... pointing and even drawing in the sand.  It was adorable!

It was very busy today at the beach and pool... Corina says its a religious holiday and so many families came for the day from Santo Domingo.  Since most of the units in this complex are second homes for people in the capital, it makes sense that they'd drive the 45 minutes to enjoy the beautiful weather.

We headed up to our condo a little after 2:00 pm noting that all of us were pretty red.  We were a bit surprised since we had all re-applied sun screen today.  The kids watched a movie and played with their iPads, Scott got some work done and JC, Mary and I relaxed on the veranda.  There was a party going on next door... locals who met at the vacant lot to enjoy the day off.  There was loud music which we all really enjoyed.  Next, it turned to karaoke, which was not so enjoyable.

We decided to eat here at the poolside restaurant and enjoy the sunset.

It was a fabulous meal!  JC ordered the Red Snapper and raved about it!  After handing out samples, we all agreed it was the best we'd ever had.  Scott ordered a seafood bisque.  We still aren't sure what some of the meats were but he really enjoyed it.  Although he did think it was odd at what he pulled out of the bowl.

We headed back for the night and rented the movie BoxTrolls.  We've all had a few applications of aloe vera and are drinking plenty of water.  It was a beautiful day today and we are all feeling blessed to be in the DR.