USVI-On-Line

"have electricity?"
"Of course it does."

Although, for this one, I may be at fault. I like to over play the rusticity of the island to people at work. "Oh yea...I'm going way the hell off the grid. A house nailed to the side of a hill with water and electricity most of the time. Email? Oh Lord no...they have none of that down those parts"

"have TV?"
"Yes...they have TV, the house will have TV, and they may even have a satellite dish. You won't miss iCarly"

"have a computer store?"
"Umm...I don't know. I know there's a repair place, but I think if you need to buy a computer, you're best off using someone else's to order one or to go to St Thomas"
"OK...is Miss Ruth on Facebook?"
"Yes"
"Does she have a computer?"
"Yes...that's how one uses Facebook...with a computer"
"Where does Miss Ruth work" (She's obsessed lately)
"St John Spice"
"Oh...that's a store?"
"Yes...you've seen all the little baggies and jars"
"Oh...yea. Will we go to the store"
"Every day"

This has been going on for a good month+ at this point. It's getting "worse" this week.

This what she looks forward to the most:
Drunk Bay
The flight home (we're flying 1st class)

First trip with the child...and a very inquisitive 8 year old at that. It's gonna be OK...it's gonna be OK. It's not gonna rain 24x7...

We went camping a month ago with another couple and their 6 year old son.
It rained like crazy. The mom was freaking out before the kid did. "He is going to melt down if we don't find him something to do, etc."

It was a warm rain, so he and I put on our suits and went for a walk, with no umbrella or rain coat or even shoes.
We stomped in puddles and splashed and laughed our heads off and had the best time. He was laughing so hard, I had to calm him down to catch his breath.

Kids are a lot more adaptable to things then most adults think...play in the rain, it was a blast and I can't wait to do it again.


Worse comes to worse, go visit Miss Ruth, she can call me and you can yell at me!

She's gonna love It. Go buy one thing though. Go get a minnow net. I don't care if it doesn't fit in your luggage. They have smallish ones at outdoor world and I am sure at other stores. My youngest spent countless hours chasing fish. Never got any but who cares...it will be the best $10 you ever spent.

Also pack her swim goggles. If snorkeling doesn't work out she can do that with fins. My 9 year old prefers to go that way.

I'm with X on this. The little shmoops will be in heaven because it's a whole new adventure. Plus, she doesn't have to share time with her baby sister. SHE gets to go to an exotic island, not BABY sister!!! (This will play out for years, and years. Trust me, we have 4 kids.)

Anyway, rain, sun, who cares? It's a new house to explore, a new shower, new kitchen, new refrigerator (with all kinds of junk food I'm sure you'll fill it with because it's vacation!)...birds, iguanas, chickens (a special gift from Ruth), geckos...the fun never ends. And, a little break for all of you, from hot swim meets with screaming parents.

You guys will have a great time. Enjoy!!

lol djmom, my son loves those nets too, didn't catch anythng on stj either, but caught bunches in the surf at emerald isle.

pip, don't kids ask the funniest things? last week he asked me
"mama are we on the top of the earth or the bottom?"
"ask your daddy."

Aren't those questions great? I think our son was most concerned about if we were taking a shoes-on boat (like Dohms) or a shoes-off boat (MYCB) to STJ.

djmom wrote:She's gonna love It. Go buy one thing though. Go get a minnow net. I don't care if it doesn't fit in your luggage. They have smallish ones at outdoor world and I am sure at other stores. My youngest spent countless hours chasing fish. Never got any but who cares...it will be the best $10 you ever spent.

Yes! I took along these little dive fishies that came with a net to "catch" them. Little PA snorkelled his butt off, paddling all over the place with the net.

(Before anyone freaks out and starts in on fish safety or harming of NP fish, trust me - there was no way he was going to actually catch a fish)

Our 10 year old's biggest dilemna is how to cram 50 of her stuffed animals in to her carry-on.

I know it will be OK...in the end, it will be what it is. It's a different experience in terms of planning and everything.

I just need to get there and start enjoying myself.

She's an unlimited resource of oddball questions.

Gigi wrote:Our 10 year old's biggest dilemna is how to cram 50 of her stuffed animals in to her carry-on.

We handle that problem by asking her what if she loses one of them. Then she doesn't want to bring any!

pipanale wrote:I know it will be OK...in the end, it will be what it is. It's a different experience in terms of planning and everything.

I just need to get there and start enjoying myself.

She's an unlimited resource of oddball questions.

ps- the best thing about that age is that they don't really clue in if Mommy or Daddy gets a little tipsy...now for us with a near 13 year old...nothing is going to get by her!

Oh, another awesome diversion for the little ones at the villa- nude swimming! (the children of course)

Pip, I didn't realize she's never been down there with you before. This will be an amazing trip for all of you, rain or shine! She's going to keep you entertained constantly finding things you've never noticed before! It will be a completely different kind of trip, for sure!

She will LOVE it! My two girls, ages 9 and 6, have been going for about 3-4 years now- and they love every second- rain or shine (and yes, playing and swimming in the rain (sans lightening) is a highlight)! If she's a shopper be careful of Skinny's. My youngest has had a few epic meltdowns there when I won't buy her the little green stuffed turtle because she laready has 4 of them at home

They never get bored though. At home, they watch way too much TV and are on little electronic devices far more than I would like. There, they barely even look at the TV and devices never come out of the bag.

If ya'll head over to Jost, Taboo, the big black lab at Foxy's, is always a huge highlight. The girls love to play fetch with him in the surf. Sweet dog.

Yea- less than 2 weeks for us and we'll be doing all of that- meltdowns at Skinny's and all!! Have a great time.

Enjoy those questions!
Soon it will be. . .
"Do we have time for me to straighten my hair before we go to the beach?"
"You expect me to take a 5 minute shower?"
"Why don't they make a waterproof phone so I can text while snorkeling?"