Updates on the littles

Welp, just trucking along here. Nothing has really happened. Another mugging in broad daylight, but it's all a day in the life. Haha, nothing really new. I thought I should kind of update a bit on my kiddos, since they are my absolute life now.




So Halle is obsessed with climbing trees right now. We go searching for trees with good branches daily. There is one that we climb in the parking lot of our complex but the security guards always tell us to stop. Good thing they are our friends so they usually let us play for a good 20 minutes before they have to tell us. Then there is one by our pool and one by this little green pad where Hal rides her scooter. The other day she was climbing on one without me outside and she fell off and got a bloody nose. I think the best part of it was our bar tender Denise who Halle is really good friends with was the first to get to Halle, even before me. She immediately ran over and wiped her off and held her. It's so great. Haha sometimes I find Halle up at the bar talking to Denise. :) I guess that's how we roll out here :) haha. No joke there is not a SINGLE playground on the island. They just don't have any out here. The kids group for the school took the kids to this mall playground indoor thing (kind of like a jump on it/chuck e cheeses). Halle loved it. She has tons of friends and super happy!

Dylan, holy crap is already 9 months,  is still the center of attention out here. I can't even stroll down the street with people asking about her. She smiles at everyone, including the stray dogs and cats. I swear she smiles at the rocks. Dork, haha. She is hilarious. She is sitting really well but not crawling. It's a little difficult out here because there is no carpet so she will always bang her head or whine with her knees on the tile. Basically I never really put her down. She is glued to my hip. No wonder she doesn't really want to crawl or walk. She is nursing really well still. She doesn't like baby food really. She eats puffs, tons of ritz, tons of bananas, yogurt, fruits, fish, and that's about it.

They are both pretty great. Taylor is awesome. He studies like crazy and has an awesome study group. I'm so so proud of him. He works so hard.

'Bout Friggin Time

I am so terrible at remembering to blog. Actually, I remember, I'm terrible at the actual doing part. Let's get right into it. I LOVE it here. It's beautiful, it's fun, it's warm, the people are friendly, happy, relaxed. Yes, there are lots of drawbacks. First one is there is no Target, haha just kidding family, of course you are the biggest drawback. I would really love nothing more than to have a classic Barrett barbecue here or go waterskiing out here with the Sudweeks. I miss you all dearly.

There are so many differences with life out here. I'm going to try to name a few:

1. You literally CANNOT get ready. No matter how hard you try. You can't wear pants because it's too hot. When you put make up on, it melts right off. You can't wear heels because of all the pot holes, sand, uneven gravel. You can't blow dry your hair because if you did, right after you'd need to take another shower from sweating so stinking much. This is completely serious! I haven't blow dried my hair since April!
2. Everyone says good morning, good afternoon, good evening. You ALWAYS do this. If it is a bum on a street, you tell him good morning. If you are passing in the grocery store, you say good morning. That's just how it is :). I love it.
3. No one is out here messing on their phones... except the americans really that are jacking up their data bills. Out here you use two different phones and you put minutes on them like pay as you go phones.
4. Speed limits are in kilometers but it's not really enforced because there are pot holes and speed bumps all over. If you want to blow a tire, sure, go ahead and go fast.
5. Tops are optional on the dutch side. Clothing is optional on the french side. I've seen my share of boobies. Ha. It's getting pretty normal now. I'm not as shocked anymore.
6. There is NO WHERE to get a fountain drink. Not a gas station, not a convenience store. No where.
7. Within minutes of putting ice in a glass it is melted. I never has to wait for the eggs or butter to be at room temperature when making cookies. I can get everything out and by the time I'm creaming the butter and sugar, it's already soft. It's insane.
8. The World Cup is HUGE out here. I'm SO pumped it is crazy. This island is a huge melting pot so I have seen brazil flags, france, netherlands, spain, ghana ... ha everything except usa actually :) I'm going to be rooting for my country, in another country. There is this amazing german bar that I'm going to go watch germany play at and eat a bratwurst. Then when France plays I'm going to the French side and I will be eating pastries and watching. I'm so excited just thinking about it. 
9. Church is the same, but a TON different. No nursing room, no comfortable chairs, no huge nursery with tons of toys for the kids. I think the whole building has seven rooms and one air conditioning window unit.
10. My life is simple. I clean, do laundry, drive Halle and Dylan to swim and hang with friends, cook and put the kids to bed. I wait for Taylor a lot, and cheer him on and bring him goodies at school. All in all, I'm very proud of him. He aced his first exams and I couldn't be prouder. I'm actually not really all that proud that he aced the tests, I'm more proud of him at his work ethic and how he is working so so hard and how he is just making such good friends out here and being just the loving, handsome, hard-working man that he is.
    

I haven't been able to convince anyone to come visit me yet, but we are still hoping we get a visitor! Tickets are around $600 round trip. You can do it! Think of all the memories! Come visit me! PLEASE! :)