Happy New Year's From Antigua

Okay, so this picture was posed a little before New Year's, but we would not have had these smiles if we had waited another 5 hours to take the picture. We got all of the hats and stuff fom the Club and got to take the picture...the boys were really happy to blow their noise makers...GREAT! Happy New Years to all of you and your families, and we hope that yours is Blessed.

We could not post a "Winter Holiday" photo without having a picture of our "winter" activities. As nice as this weather looked, Vonnie couldn't really get in the water because there was no sun...78-degree weather without sun, and a pretty good breeze may not sound all that bad, but it really is pretty chilly...ecspecially when the rain is barrelling in on us as you can see in the background. We had to try pretty hard for this picture as it was about the only 1-hr of sun we had in the last two days of trying to get to a beach without rain. Hopefully tomorrow we will be able to ring in the new year at Prickley Pear island...a trip we were going to make today if it hadn't rained.

In an attempt to clean up our little ones after going to the beach...we always rush them into the shower to get the sand off of the surface. We know we will be picking it out of their noses, ears, etc... for months after they actually leave the island. As you can tell, Seth was starting to get a little tired of just having a shower, so he made himself a bathtub...maybe a little small, but still gets the job done.

A Little Taste of Home!!!

Cookies...they have to be one of the better parts of the Holiday Season. In the States, they are around every corner and around every bend. The only cookies we have seen are the cookies that they serve in the dining hall every meal...and the cookies that we baked for the contractors (we were only able to snitch a couple). There were no holiday cookies to be found on the island, that is until today!! Again, mail day brought us much happiness!! These cookies were made from scratch...packaged perfectly and sent to us with lots of love all the way from Oregon. After spending about four days in the mail, and at least a week in the Patrick AFB mail room...plus a couple of days somewhere due to a broken down plane, they arrived in their entirety - along with a tub of frosting and a couple of jars of sprinkles. They are delicious! We are so happy to have a little taste of home come our way! Thanks Mom!!!

Boy's Day out with Dad

Today, for the sake of not having an all out civil war we decided it was best to separate Zach and Seth for a while. Because Vonnie doesn't have a car, and wouldn't want to drive on the island if she did, this meant that Dad got to take each of them out to the beach by himself...Seth got Sandals (where the rich people go) and Zach got Jolly Harbor (where the not so rich, but still well off people go).

Seth got first shift to baby sit dad, so he put on his backpack and we headed off...


Seth posing next to the "limbo" poles as Vonnie called them. I think they were actually just little "Altars" for newlyweds or the filthy rich to stand beside. So I put my little guy beside it ant took a picture. By this time, he was almost to the end of his rope and asking me if we could go home...he had only tried to drown himself a couple of times...it is amazing how few "sand man jails" we build now that the boys really like the water.

Seth saw a "Pirate" ship and wanted to make sure I pointed it out. I actually just took this picture in case anyone needed to know how many divers were on the boat. About 4 months ago the Sandals dive boat went out with 2 more divers than they came back with...they eventually found both other divers, one was 6 miles from the island hanging onto a buoy in a shipping lane. Eerily similar to that one movie...only this one had a happy ending.

Zach got the afternoon shift to watch dad. And while we really enjoy Jolly Harbor, we really only chose it because it is the closest beach to a supermarket where we could pick up diapers for Seth and Zach at the Bargain price of $24 for 26 diapers. This was only necessary because our airplane has been delayed by 1 1/2 days, and hopefully will come in then.

Dad hanging out with Zach after we had been in the water and before we went digging in the sand for almost an hour. As you might have noticed, it is hard to get a picture of him without him showing you his "guns". Jolly Beach has really become one of our favorites.

On our way out, we walked by this gazebo that was actually abuzz with a wedding going on. There were only about 10 people involved...it was very pretty, and I am sure they were having a nice "Christmas" wedding. May it last forever...

Our First Visitors...Boxing Day...

If you're British or Canadian...or Antiguan - today was a holiday - - Boxing Day. Since neither Justin nor I had ever heard of Boxing Day I did a little research about the holiday...here's what I found:


"Boxing Day is a traditional celebration, dating back to the Middle Ages, and consists of the practice of giving out gifts to employees, the poor, or to people in a lower social class. In England many years ago, it was common practice for the servants to carry boxes to their employers when they arrived for their day's work on the day after Christmas. Their employers would then put coins in the boxes as special end-of-year gifts. This can be compared with the modern day concept of Christmas bonuses. The servants carried boxes for the coins, hence the name Boxing Day. " - Wikepedia


For us...today was a special day, not because it was a holiday, but because we had our first visitors. Joel and Nancy are some dear friends of ours. Justin has known Joel for over 10 years, he is currently serving a one year tour in Kuwait (his third tour of duty in the middle east). On his mid-tour break, he and his wife Nancy are on a cruise, which happened to port here in Antigua for the day. We met them this morning and spend the entire day sight-seeing on the island! It was wonderful...

We spend an hour or so at Jolly Beach. Every time we have been there a woman carrying a case of jewelry on her head comes by. Nancy picked out a few hand-made pieces.

Justin and I, at what remains of a 1700's Moravian Church overlooking Carlisle Bay.

Fig Tree Drive runs through the Antiguan Rain Forest. There are several little stands like this one, where you can buy a Antiguan Black Pinneapple. They are a young pinneapple that doesn't have the hard core. Sliced up and served with toothpicks...very yummy!!

Nancy and the boys on Long Beach. The boys absolutely adore Joel and Nancy. Zach said this morning "Mom, I can't wait to see Mr. Joel and Mrs. Nancy!"

Joel and Nancy on Devil's Bridge

Christmas Day in Antigua!

CHRISTMAS DAY

While the buildup to today really didn't feel like Christmas (we have only been preparing for about 2 weeks...instead of 2+ months in the states) we had a WONDERFUL day. Vonnie really did not miss the last minute run to the store along with 40,000 other people to get milk. Here the hustle and bustle just wasn't there...man what a blessing.

Here is a little calendar Grandma Pam got the boys for Christmas...the boys really enjoyed putting the velcro days, months, numbers, etc... on the calendar. Zach kept saying, I will do it, but while some work weeks truly feel like they have 4 Mondays, it just wouldn't have looked right for the picture. They looked out the window to see what the weather was like, and came up with SUNNY and WINDY. When it came time to get the season, Zach says...SPRING. While it sure feels like Spring or Summer down here, we had to put the snowman on the calendar...

The boys trying to break one of the gifts we got them...who knew that HUNGRY HIPPOS could have so many steps to put the game together...and how long they would take when you have to reaccomplish each one 14 times, because of all the "help" Zach and Seth were giving me...Now I understand how you might have gotten frustrated dad some of those times I was helping... :)

Our Little ANGEL getting in on some "Holiday Cheer"...if this had been a picture of either of the other boys at that age, we would have had to turn the hat around so it said NAUGHTY. Eli sure has been a pleasure as a little guy...he hardly ever fusses and when he does it really throws us for a loop. Thanks Buddy, God really knew what we needed with me going to be gone for a lot of his first 9 months!

Christmas pictures in Antigua wouldn't be complete without pictures of the boys on the SANDALS beach. To get a room there for 1 night during this (HIGH) season would cost you upwards of $600-800...we just checked the internet. But we got to go and play in the same water and on the same beaches they do for free...but for some reason they kicked me out of the buffet line...oh well!

And a picture out in front of the room (Home for the boys) before we go off to a Christmas Dinner...that we didn't cook all day, didn't have to clean up after, and could eat as much of as we wanted...the only negative was no leftovers tonight or tomorrow...oh well the price you pay to be catered to!

Eli and I because we matched so well! :) We love you all and miss you very much this Christmas holiday...Love the Caribbean Mulkeys -- except Trevor who is apparently in St Thomas and we might get to see him in Feb - March.

Day #3 of our 5 day Christmas Vacation--

Christmas Eve Day!!!

As the boys would say, there is only one more LONG sleep until Christmas. Zach says, "Then the SNOW will be here!!" How do you tell a 4 year old that our "White Christmas" is going to only have white sand?? :) I guess as weird as that seems this year, it is not a bad problem to have! :)

Christmas Eve Day is just the start of the Christmas celebration. And what better way to begin than with breakfast at Coconut Grove. (Don't you just love that name?) We met our British friends for breakfast. With only 2 spilt glasses of Orange Juice (only one of which ended in a broken glass) we counted our breakfast a success. It has been a long time since we have all been out for a meal at a restaurant...it was a challenge - especially when time in Antigua is non-existent. Zach asked the waitress several times "Why is it taking so long?"
The sea was just a few yards from the patio; after breakfast the kids headed out to play in the sand and water. Seth continued on his trek towards water enjoyment. What a different boy we have on our hands now. His sudden lack of fear is actually dangerous as he just runs out into the water regardless of whether there is someone there to help him or not!!Mom, this next picture is for you....I'm not sure if you would have enjoyed the open air atmosphere of this place. There was a wandering dog...a couple of lizards...and then a few birds that enjoyed the leftovers at the table next to us.

Christmas Eve!!!

There are so many things that come to mind when I think of Christmas Eve...a fresh tree trimmed with sentimental ornaments, a candle lit Christmas Eve service, snacks and treats next to the fire place shared with family, laughter, silence as we listen to the Christmas story...and finally the fun of opening our stockings and presents. Tonight, it is just about us...just the 5 of us....about being together...about being our own little family in our own little world. In a time that many families are spending Christmas miles apart...how blessed we are to be together!!


Merry Christmas...friends and family we miss you!!!

Day #2 of our 5 day Christmas Vacation...Prickley Pear Island

At dinner last night with Steve, Helen, Paul, and Bonnie they invited us to join them on a vacation from the island, to another little island. Thus the trip to Prickley Pear island. Here is a picture on the boat ride over from the mainland.

Here is a picture of the Mulkey family...well only half of Eli made this photo, but you could tell already that the boys are having a ball!! The boat ride was a great way to loosen them up a little bit.

Because little Eli didn't make the family photo, he deserved one of his own...man he looks cute all bundled up. Just give him a ski rope and he is ready to go.

This look from Seth is not only mischievious, but a fortelling of his plan to really throw mom, dad, and everyone who knows he doesn't like the water for a loop.

Here is Eli's laying on the sand and letting the water run up on him...he had already had his little body put into shock from being dipped in the "cold" water. By now, he was just in a "whatever" mood.

The evolution of Seth began by playing with a cup and geting it full of sand to drop in the water...this was only the beginning of the transition from Hating the water to FISH.

Step #2 involved Bonnie holding him up and letting him kick around a little bit...he was really digging this too, and almost took off right out of her hands...HE LOVED IT! Still only an interim stage on the journey to FISH.

Step #3...Strike a pose like a supermodel in those magazines; again...just a phase in the voyage to becoming a fish.

Step #4...get out in the water with the big kids, and chase after Paul...until I realize I can't touch the bottom with my feet, AND have my head below water. Good thing there were lots of big people encouraging me through this transition period....(and pulling my head above water...)

Step #5...This is where he sprouted gills. He laid down and walked on his knees for probably an hour. I asked him to come out of the water because he was shivering, and he said..."You and Me play rock throwing game in the water!" Finally, we had to pull him out of the water and dry him off...

When he realized he was no longer in the water, he was either very tired, or because he was now "a fish out of water", he might have been wasting away for lack of oxygen...

Zach hanging out in CRYSTAL clear water, looking up the his idol. Yes that was me!

A pretty cool picture of Justin and Eli...Again, Vonnie is toying with many of the features she has on her camera. It turns out the B/W feature also causes the lens to rotate by about 45 degrees...okay maybe not!


Hey there guys...Don't I look cute here?

Just a picture of all of the guys we went with...Hanging out and marveling at the amazing weather, and setting. It was a phenomenal day...and to think...I GET PAID TO BE HERE!

This is the picture of our private little beach...we will have to try and talk Steve and Helen into taking us out to Prickley Pear again...we went out in the boat anchored 2nd from left.

And if you thought the boys didn't have enough fun all day at the island...Steve let them drive the boat back...what an experience...as we have said many times before, these boys are going to be so callous to everything when they leave this island... :) I guess that is a good problem to have if you are 2 and 4!

Day 1 of our Five Day Vacation for Christmas!!

So we arrived at Jolly Harbor Beach with a flair of activity...you could tell that Eli was REALLY in to the whole deal...it turns out this beach scene is turning into a normal state of affairs for him. Our resident beach bum (Zach) has truly figured out how to enjoy the sun. He was just posing this picture, but he is starting to have a little bit of a tan line right at the top of his swim trunks...it is pretty cute, and safe to say he wouldn't have that at Christmas time in Colorado!

After he had gotten just the right amount of sun Zach decided it was time to take mommy out into the water and work on getting her more comfortable with being in the ocean. It turns out mommy is almost as nervous about the whole deal as Zach is...they swam out to a buoy and Zach made sure she got home safely
Eli starting to perk up a little bit. He is really starting to smile a lot. He even laughs occasionally when mommy gives him a little bit of a bucking bronco ride. Here he had just woken up and was very happy to have someone paying attention to him.

Time for our littlest man to get himself some sun...everyone else was getting in on the sunbathing, he figured it was only fair for him to get to try it!
Seth helping daddy keep Eli company while mommy and Zach were in the water...he was a big helper. Eli decided that he was feeling a little immodest and so he asked for a blanket to be put on him...we happily obliged.