Sunday, August 6, 2017

St. Thomas, Virgin Islands

We jumped on a plane and headed to the Virgin Islands! Scott's sister, Macy lives in St. Thomas. So, we went to visit Macy, Drew and cousin Kinsley! It was the trip of a lifetime. We didn't bring any technology on the plane, not necessarily intentional, we just didn't think about it since the kids rarely play on technology. Well, it was a straight flight and they did lots of seat switching and playing I-spy! Haha! Maybe they are learning a lesson of boredom and self entertainment rather than gluing their face to a screen? Maybe?? Even though that is not a planned out parenting technique of ours, it seems to be a reoccurring lesson that they are learning, which I am okay with! Regardless, we landed and all eager to start our vacation! We went straight to the beach! Swam, ran, rock climbed and had dinner on the beach! Amazing start to the week!




The next day we headed to Coki beach. We got there early and set up under a tree that had hanging branches. Perfect place for nap time...where Faith Ann definitely took a long nap! The beach was gorgeous!!! The kids played all day. Built sand castles, made sand chairs to sit in, searched for shells and snorkeled. They fed the fish dog bones, which apparently fish love! Faith Ann wanted no part in that, ha! So, the boys had a blast while sis and I played in sand! I was SO excited to do the FLYboard! It is a rocket board that literally shoots you out of the water! Powerful jets of water shoot you up while you balance in the air. It was amazing fun! The higher you get, the harder you fall! Aside from the powerful falls, I could have done that for hours!



We headed back to Macy's to take super fast showers! They live "the way of life there." No A/C, a tank for water. So, they ration their water use. Which means, SUPER fast showers for our crew of 5. I would get in the shower and Scott would rotate the kids in...I would slap on shampoo and turn off the water while I scrubbed their hair and bodies. Then, water back on for a quick rinse! Made me appreciate our Houston showers a bit more, but what a great experience for the kids to understand the logic of water use. We went to Taco night at a local restaurant. Live music, fresh fish tacos, and the kids ran and danced until the sun set!

The next day was full of more glorious beaches! We started off at Sapphire Beach in the morning. It was breathtaking! I enjoyed the environment of it too! Very lively with the restaurant and bar, yet cozy! More snorkeling and some R&R for me! Faith Ann made a friend, and they played for hours. They didn't know each others name, so they just called each other "Susie!!!" haha! We then ate at a pizzeria and headed to Lindqist Beach. All the beaches are equally as beautiful but each one has a different "feel." I loved getting to explore them all! Afterwards, we headed to Drew's office to walk down to the marina for dinner.






The next day may have been my favorite! We rode the ferry to Saint John. Trent loved the ferry ride! Macy took us to a hiking trail...I just loved having her as our "tour guide!" She did an amazing job, thinking of everything! So, we hiked about 20 minutes...then the trail opened up to the MOST gorgeous beach I have ever seen! Solomon Beach!! The only way to get to it is by hiking or boat. So, it felt like a secluded gem!!! I could have stayed there for days! Hunter saw a stingray while snorkeling, Trent drank coconuts off the tree and Faith Ann jumped waves.




Then, we headed back to St. Thomas. Macy dropped us off at the pirate museum. The boys, especially Scott, LOVED this! The museum was filled with artifacts found off the beaches we were swimming in! There was even a real pirate roaming the museum for pictures, which the boys could not get over! Then, we rode the tram to Paradise Point for happy hour. The kids loved the tram ride, and the view from the top was to die for! The tops of trees, the endless ocean view! Wow! We enjoyed a drink then Drew picked us up on his way home from work. We enjoyed dinner on Macy's balcony, with the best view in town! It was so nice to visit and enjoy dinner while the kids got to absorb it all in!


The next day, Macy set up camp at Magens Beach. This was Scott's favorite beach of the trip!! Macy set up a hammock, tent, chairs, music...we were set for an unforgettable day! We paddle boarded and had lots of cuddle time! Faith Ann cuddled/slept with Macy while Scott and I took the boys and Kinsley paddle boarding. There is so much to see and explore! Trent wanted to paddle board ALL the way to an anchored yacht! So, over 20 minutes of paddling, I made it! The captain of the yacht joked that he may have to rescue us on my way back, lol! It was pretty far out there! But, we made our way to the side of the island where I could stand. So, Trent ventured up some rocks and found his "secret place" that he called "Trent rock." So we stood on "Trent Rock" and talked about how much fun we were having! The pictures from this day look like postcards! So clear and beautiful!




We took one last picture with "Monteverde" written in the sand! We WILL be back to that exact location...it was just too amazing! Then, that night, Macy was on kid duty while Scott and I celebrated our anniversary. Macy picked out the perfect restaurant!!! We saw sea planes land and a gorgeous sunset! We sat and ate for 2 hours! The power went out that night at Macy's, which apparently happens fairly often. Drew told stories to the kids on the balcony and they played games!  Boy, do those fans make a big difference! We were hot!!! But, still slept great because we were all pooped!

It was a trip we will never forget! It was a learning experience for kids and probably the most memorable part of their summer! It was perfection! I look forward to going back to visit again. As summer wraps up, I can confidently say that this trip takes the cake for summer 2017!!! We love St. Thomas!!!



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