It's Moving Time!

Well it's that time of year again.  PCS time!! This week we have four days of movers and three total moves.  Since I have only done the move from Kenya I don't think I had a true grasp on how big of a move this is.  It's not as simple as the movers come in and pack everything.  No there's a ton of decisions to be made.  What get's stored?  What is coming with us to Georgia?  What do we need right away?  What will we carry in our suitcases?  I'm exhausted just thinking about it!

We did a lot of work on the weekend and I underestimated how much we had actually got done.  There was still so much on my to do list that Josh and I were working until midnight last night.

But here we are at the end of day 1 and it's moving forward.  All of the unaccompanied baggage is already gone.  The household goods are boxed and sitting at the house ready to be picked up.  Tomorrow the storage movers come and most of our furniture goes away.

The house is looking super bare and it's only going to get worse. Thankfully Mara did amazing today.  She watched too much tv but we made it through give or take a SUPER late nap (ready almost four hours late).

Tonight we have a short break from the madness to spend some time with the unit to say good bye to the soldiers and welcome the new ones.  The to do list will still be there but I hope we can just relax and enjoy this night out!!

Ok I think I'm done rambling at this point.... :)

Mother's Day

Mother's day this year was pretty great.  Josh was around that weekend and we chose to celebrate on Saturday rather than Sunday.  I love when he surprises me and I honestly wasn't expecting anything this year.

The day started off pretty low key.  We had a big breakfast and then were just working on things around the house.  Around mid-day the door bell rang and low and behold there were flowers.  Flowers aren't a common thing around here so it was very sweet.

We again got busy with stuff around the house.  Before I knew it it was close to dinner and I was ready to start cooking when Josh said we had to leave to make our reservation.

Josh drove and I was pleasantly surprised when we pulled into Mash House Brewery.  We haven't eaten there in forever and man a nice steak sound good.  We indulged and then headed home.

Overall it was pretty low key but special.  It's always nice to feel appreciated and loved and Mara and Josh definitely did that.

My Thoughts on Moving

Well we're in full on moving mode here. It's that time of year again and we are off to our next adventure!  I know so many people wonder how military families do it.  How they pick up and move their lives every couple of years.  Heck I wonder the same thing before it became my life.

Of course it's hard.  You make friends, really good friends.  Military friends who get it.  Whose roots are also shallow but know how precious time is.  You dive in hard and don't look back.  You know that PCS time will be here before you know it.

You start to love the area.  You explore the beach and the mountains.  There's never enough time to see it all.  There is always going to be the one vacation you didn't get to.  That place you wanted to see.  Next time you'll tell yourself.

But then it's moving time.  A new adventure awaits and you're excited.  New things to see and do.  New people to meet.  In fact sometimes you secretly like the moving process.  You complain yes but there's a part of you that appreciates the fresh start.  It's a time to purge, rearrange and start again.

North Carolina has been great but we're starting to feel that itch again.  It's time to move on.  Sure we maybe back but for now it's time to leave.  I'm sure someday down the road I may feel different about moving but for now I enjoy it.

Last Dives and Home-Grand Cayman

On our last diving day in Grand Cayman we did two shore dives in the West Bay area.  Our first dive was at a mini wall at Cobalt Coast Resort.  We had a great dive.  There were a lot of small fish and even had a larger fish follow us for most of the dive.

The second dive was a bit harder as there was a large current.  This site was called the guardian and had a large Neptune statue at the beginning of the wall.  It was a pretty decent dive despite the current and we ended up staying down till we had used most of our air.

milkshakes for dinner!

That afternoon we headed to the beach and Mara got to enjoy the sand and ocean.  She loved splashing in her pool float and dug herself into the sand.  We basically had sand everywhere which is probably classified as a successful day.

Josh did a night dive in the evening and us girls went out to dinner at a local dinner called Eats Cafe.  It was just casual enough for a quick bite and then we headed back to the hotel.

Our last full day in Grand Cayman was pretty casual.  We headed to Georgetown to check out the craft market and some of the other stores.  The craft market wasn't what we thought it was going to be so we headed just out of town to another souvenir store called Pure Art.  This was a fun eclectic shop with lots of different things.  I ended up getting a necklace.

fountains with daddy

We headed to lunch at a great Asian place at Camana Bay and Mara slept through most of it.  She woke up afterwards and we let her run around in the fountains again.  She loved having her daddy run around with her!  We ended the afternoon with some time in a local bookstore where Mara was more interested in the toys than the books.

these two

For dinner we enjoyed a beach bbq.  There was hot dogs, hamburgers, chicken and ribs.  Mara quickly ate and then decided she enjoyed playing in the sand.  There were a few other children on the beach and Mara went over to play with them.  The three of them spent the rest of the time running around and burning off that extra energy.

my little maestro

On the day we had to leave we had a slow morning.  We went back to Eats Cafe for breakfast and then just drove around the island while Mara had her morning nap.  Then it was onto the plane and back to the states!

We had an amazing time in Grand Cayman and only wish we were able to stay longer!

Daddy this is my jam

Stingray City-Grand Cayman

On Thursday we decided to check out the famous Stingray city.  It's a sandbar off the coast where dozens of stingrays swim along your feet looking for squid.  The water is only waist high and you can hold and feed the rays.

Petting the sting ray

They made us do it

We were told that it would be a good trip for Mara and are so glad we took her.  She loved riding on the boat out to the spot and did great in the water.  We put her in her pool float and just let her hang out.  One of the guides did pull a ray out of the water for pictures.  I was super impressed that she wasn't scared just kind of confused.

holding the ray

The second stop of the trip was a snorkeling spot.  Here the water was a little deeper so Josh and I took turns holding onto Mara.  Again we just put her in her pool float and held on to her.  The water was super calm and she loved just floating.  The snorkeling spot was great and we saw a lot of small fish and another ray.

A sting ray massage

Mara was curious

For lunch I made brats and we all took a breather.  It was great to nap and just relax.  In the afternoon we decided to go to a distillery tour.  The Cayman Island Distillery makes Seven Fathoms Rum which is the only rum that is aged in barrels at 7 fathoms underwater.  We got to tour the factory and try all their flavored liqueurs.

ice cream break

Later that night we enjoyed sunset on the beach and Mara made a new friend.  Again she loved the sand and really enjoyed playing with her new friend's sand toys.

For dinner we splurged and made reservations at a fancy seafood restaurant, Royal Palms Hotel.  We got a cabana on the beach.  Mara loved being in the sand again and Josh and I loved the scenery.  We ordered the sea bass and lobster risotto and split it.  Amazing!

Daddy's pooped but Mara wants to play

Mara 18 Month Photos

Mara turned 18 months on March 30th and we were able to take some pictures a few weeks later.  Josh is amazing with his camera and got some great shots of our girl one Sunday afternoon.

More Diving-Grand Cayman

The next day Josh and I scheduled a babysitter in the morning so we could go diving again.  We decided to check out Devil's Grotto and Eden's Rock in Georgetown.  Both sites are super close to shore and easily accessible for diving.  This site even had a latter to enter via.

When we got to the dive center we quickly realized we had locked the keys in our rental car.  Just a little excitement to start the day!  After getting the car unlocked we got our gear and got in the water.
The dive was beautiful.  The instructors did a great job of giving us a pre-dive brief and we were easily able to follow their instructions.  Devil's Grotto is coral reef with three distinct swim throughs. It was fairly shallow so we were able to hang out down there for about an hour. (my longest dive to date!) We saw lobster and lots of small fishes.

she's obsessed with trying on hats

When we surfaced we decided to call it a day and head back to the hotel.  We stopped at this great food cart called Al La Kebab on the way home.  I have been wanting good Indian food forever and this calmed my craving...a little.  We had pitas and chicken tikka.  We even grabbed some hummus for Mara.

The rest of the day we spent exploring Georgetown.  We thought we would go when the cruise ships had cleared out.  Although it was calm most of the shops were closed.  Guess they really cater to the cruise ship crowd!

We didn't really worry about it and just enjoyed our afternoon.  We stopped into a local crepe shop and grabbed some smoothies and a nutella crepe.  Mara wasn't really interested in our treats and instead was focused on her coloring page the waiter gave her.

After leaving the crepe restaurant we walked around the open shops.  We stopped into the Guy Harvey shop.  Guy Harvey is a local marine biologist and artist.  The shop had a ton of his art work and we spent a good about of time admiring his work.

Our evening was rounded out by drinks at Paradise on the waterfront in Georgetown followed by dinner at the Sunset Grill, the restaurant in our hotel.  The Sunset Grill was great to have in our backyard.  They had amazing burgers and the best fish tacos.  Mara really enjoyed the free ice cream for dessert!

mmmm ice cream

A Tour Around the Island-Grand Cayman

For our third day we planned a road trip around the island. On the plane we had skimmed through a travel magazine that had a sample day trip and we were eager to give it a try.  We knew we would be spending a lot of our time in the Seven-Mile Beach and Georgetown area but wanted to see what the East End and North portions were like.

We started by heading south into Georgetown, the capital.  Two cruise ships were in port so it was pretty busy downtown.  (The ships were a daily experience for us and kept the small island busy!) We got out of the car for a quick walk along the dock and stopped to take a few pictures.  We then headed down to the fish market to check out the daily catch making sure to keep our noises plugged!

It was back in the car as we headed out of Georgetown along the coast.  The area is pretty residential here so the magazine recommended one spot where a bunch of locals had nailed flip flops to a tree.  They did this to bring attention to the amount of liter in the ocean and how much washes up on the beaches of Grand Cayman each year.  It was pretty neat but merely a picture opportunity so we moved on quickly.

the flip flop tree

As we drove on Mara fell asleep.  We let her stay that way as we stopped at the blowholes on the East End for lunch.  It was rather picturesque as we ate our sandwiches in the car by the sea.  The waves were crashing in every so often.  Once we had eaten we got out of the car to get a closer look.  The blowholes are a result of the waves forcing water in through underground caves.  The caves were filled in a little since a hurricane but it was still pretty neat.  Mara woke up from her nap in time to check it out and get a few photos in.

blow holes

From there we continued around the island to the wreck of ten sails.  The Cornelia had run aground on the East end of the island along with approximately 10 other of it's fleet.  The islanders worked hard to rescue the sailors and managed to save close to 400.  There wasn't much left of the monument but it was a great view out to sea.

at the wrek of 10 sails

We then headed to starfish point, a calm beach that was supposed to be great for kids.  Josh took Mara out into the water and I got a little me time on the beach.  We only saw two starfish but had a great time playing in the sand and water.  Mara was in her element sitting in the surf grabbing the sand.

catching a ride on daddy's sholders

On our way back to the hotel we swung into rum point to conclude our road trip.  We didn't stop but it's another great little beach on the North end with lots of water activities. That night we decided to do something a little nicer for dinner and headed to an Italian/Seafood place.  It was pretty good but honestly not my favorite place we ate on our trip.  It wasn't very family friendly (despite claims) and Mara spent most of it under the table. lol

Mara-19 Months

Wears:  You are still in 18 month clothes although your pants are getting a little short.  I tried 24 month pants on you the other day but they were way too long.  Good thing the weather is getting nice and you'll be in shorts soon!  With our upcoming move I'm wondering if I should box away your 24 month/2T clothing or pack it along.  I have no idea when you'll transition into it.

You wore size 3 disposable diapers on our vacation and you still are somewhere around 22 pounds.

Health:  Thankfully this month we didn't have any major illnesses to deal with.  You did great on vacation and have been super healthy since.

Says:  This month you added a few more animal sounds.  You now buzz like a bee and constantly do your monkey imitation.  You have also started to "talk" like Donald Duck when you watch Mickey Mouse.  It's super cute!

You still have your regular words (no, ut oh, I did it., mommy, da da, mickey, buddy, baby) and haven't added much.  You still understand everything we say to you.  Your daddy recently had a serious talk with you about how pacis are for babies and now you point to the paci and say baby every time you see it.  Crazy how you remember that!

You sort of have your more and eat sign mixed up.  You know both give you food so you do either when you're hungry.

Favorite Foods: This month some of your favorites include pasta, mushrooms, mashed potatoes, yogurt, strawberries, cheese, green beans, turkey, cherry tomatoes, hummus and triscits.

You're still pretty picky and super cautious when it comes to trying new things.

Sleep: You slept through the night this month!!!  It was only one night but it was awesome. We have also instigated a bedtime routine that you love.  You do really well when we say it's bedtime.  You pick up your toys, kiss daddy and then go with mommy for some cuddles.

You are still only waking once to nurse then you go back to sleep.  Recently it's becoming hard to lay you back down because you immediately spring up and cry.  I usually send daddy in after this and you tend to calm down much better for him.  I've seen you go through so many phases of this so I am hoping it only lasts a week or two.

You slept pretty good on vacation.  We put you in the front room of our suite and we slept in the back bedroom.  A few nights you woke twice but it was alright.  

Your naps are still ok.  I've given up on the crib and taken to laying you on the guest bedroom.  I didn't want to put you in our room because I didn't want you to get any ideas that you could sleep there at night.  You do well on the bed and usually sleep for about 2 hours around mid-day.  I'd be convinced you were ready for a big bed because of this if you didnt stand up at night in your crib.  I'm not ready to move you yet.

Best Moment:  Vacation!  Yep we went on vacation two months in a row!  This time we went to Grand Cayman and you loved it.  The sand.  The ocean.  Girl you were great!

Milestones: You blow dandelions.

You tell mama when you are wet.

You wave good bye and blow kisses when someone is leaving.

You play well with older kids.

You balance on one foot.

You climb on the sofa and have started crawling through objects to explore.

You try to ride buddy and give him hugs.

You blow on all food before eating it.

You knew exactly what to do when it was time to take your 19 month sticker picture.

Loves To:  You love to play outside.

You love the beach and the sand.

You love to have long conversations.

You love when your dada comes home and run to him first thing.

You love to try on hats.

Favorite Toys: books, mickey mouse, toy kitchen, paper plates and bowls, swing, tea set

Dislikes: when you don't get your way, when your diaper needs to be changed, when we have to go inside, when you can't be picked up immediately, when mommy tells you no nursing

Getting There-Grand Cayman

We were scheduled to leave on the 17th for Grand Cayman.  We had a super early flight out of Fayetteville (yikes 6am!) and after a little stress made it to Atlanta.  Once there we had to sort out some minor issues with Mara's ticket.  When you fly internationally with an infant in arms you still have to pay the tax on the ticket.  We knew this but there is literally no way to do that on Delta's website.

Helping mama take buddy to a friend's house

Anyways we got everything sorted and made our way to the gate expecting a smooth trip the rest of the way...wrong.  When we went to board the plane, Josh's passport was rejected due to it's poor condition.  We wouldn't be getting to Grand Cayman that day.

In Grand Cayman!

Slightly discouraged we made our way into Atlanta to the consulates office.  The rest of the day was spent getting everything needed to process an immediate replacement passport for Josh.  It wasn't all discouraging as Delta was amazing through it all.  They got us on a flight for the next day and provided us with a hotel room for the night all at no cost to us.  Only downside was they wouldn't release our bags so we were stuck with the clothes on our backs and our carry-ons for the night.

The next day things went smoothly getting to Grand Cayman.  The flight was slightly delayed but it worked out as Mara slept the entire way.

As we stepped off the plane we were hit with the heat and humidity.  We were on vacation!!  We got our bags and rented a car.  It was off to check into our hotel and get settled in for the night.  We had to arrange the babysitter for Mara for the next day and grab some staples at the grocery store before it closed for the weekend.

Enjoying the hotel pool

Having too much fun

Our second day in Cayman started early as we originally thought we would do some diving that morning.  Josh made a lot of calls and finally found us a boat going out to the USS Kittiwake that afternoon.

In the morning we took Mara and headed to a high end mall area called Camana Bay.  We went out on this small island and let her play in the sand and hammocks.  She also got to run through the water fountains which ended up being an activity we let her do again and again.  It took her a bit to warm up to the idea but she loved splashing through the water.

A little mickey in the morning

That afternoon the babysitter stayed with Mara while Josh and I headed out to dive.  We knew that later on in the week we wanted to do some shore dives but I wanted to go with a company for our first ones to get familiarized with my gear before we tried this on our own.

Relaxing at Camana Bay

Our first dive was a deep reef with three swim throughs.  This was my deepest dive to date as our max depth reached 102 ft!  The coral was beautiful and our dive master let us do about half of the dive on our own after showing us the layout.  This turned out to be extremely helpful in getting our feet wet in buddy team diving.

Playing in the fountain

More fountains

The second dive of the day was the USS Kittiwake.  In it's prime it was a sub mariner rescue vessel working a lot in the Caribbean.   It was sunk off the coast in 2011 in fairly shallow water which is really unusual for wrecks.  The first three levels are open to divers and they have even taken care to cut out large portions of the hull so that there is always easy access to open water.  I have never dived a wreck and it was pretty amazing to swim along side this one.

When we got back to the hotel we cleaned up and got ready for dinner.  We had made reservations at a local place and had planned on walking on the beach a little beforehand.  On our last vacation Mara hated the beach so we didn't have high expectations for this trip.  Surprisingly though she loved it (after a little warming up of course!)  We met another couple and their little girl on the beach and I think that was just the encouragement Mara needed to plunge right in.  Before we knew it she had sand everywhere.  She was grabbing handfuls and making piles.

When she gave in

Not wanting to leave

When it was time to go we brushed her off as best we could and headed to the restaurant.  The place was pretty casual and we ordered an appetizer to share along with a pizza.   Food was pretty expensive on the island so we tried not to go too overboard.