Beach, Please: On Playing Goldilocks, Island Style

It never ceases to amaze me how far away we can feel from it all on this island. Despite being a pretty primo travel destination with hundreds of thousands of people flocking here every year, the island remains deceivingly underdeveloped. We are big enough to get a decent haircut or a meal, but not too big that our streets are lined with big box stores or restaurant chains. This delicate balance of maintaining island "authenticity" and halting over-development is something that is pretty unique to the British Virgin Islands and is largely >>> why we chose this island <<< to settle on. Case in point: we can venture to to any number of absolutely pristine beaches - I'm talking jaw-droppingly beautiful shorelines that are the stuff magazine ads are made of - and more often than not we will find ourselves alone or with no more than a few others on a massive stretch of sand. No need to stake out a spot, pay for an umbrella and put down your blanket. The threat of anyone stealing your valuables while you swim is slim to none. And, no, you will not hear the Macarena blasting over a large speaker here... It's just you, me, and the sea, baby...

A Mother's Day Mini-Vacation in Maho Bay and a Nostalgic Awakening

"What do you want for mother's day?" Scott asked me while looking up from his computer. I was making breakfast, the girls were being their usual boisterous selves, and it took me about .02 seconds to reply, "Go to St. John for a night and have brunch in Cruz Bay!" St. John, while part of the United States Virgin Islands (USVI), is a short sail from where we are, and with the blissful haze of our last >>>quick getaway<<< fresh on my mind I was thirsty for more...so thirsty, apparently, that one night away turned into four...

Twas the Night Before Christmas: Nautical Style

It's Christmas Eve!! I have SO much to write about and SO much to share, but time has not allowed...so those things will have to wait - suffice it to say that life has been insanely hectic (we have a new boat and moved aboard three days before Christmas!) and amazing (we have a new boat and it's Christmas!) I am prepping for a weekend of festivities so cannot give you all the details just yet but for now, we want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas and share this oldie but goodie re-write of an old classic I wrote a few years back...

Twas the night before Christmas and all through the boat, 

not a creature was stirring, not even a roach.

The dry bags were hung on the davits with care, 

in hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there.

The children were nestled all snug in their berth, 

while visions of snorkeling filled them with mirth.

And mama in her ponytail and I in my headlamp, 

had just dropped the 'hook in a new harbor "camp".

When out on the deck there arose such a clatter, 

I sprang from the nav station to see what was the matter.

To the aft cabin I flew like a flash, 

grabbed my machete and opened the hatch.

The full moonlight sparkled and danced on the ocean, 

while our boat gently rocked with a side to side motion.

When what to my sun-tired eyes should appear, 

but a flying pirogue pulled by eight tiny deer.

With a laughing old helmsman singin' a Caribbean shtick, 

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than dolphins, his coursers they came, 

and he whistled and shouted and called them by name:

"Now Dasher! Now Dancer! 

Now Prancer! Now Vixen!

On Comet! On Cupid!

On Donner! On Blitzen!

From the top of the mast all the way to the clew!

Now dash away! Dash away! Dash away you!"

As sea birds before a wild hurricane fly, 

when met with an obstacle, take to the sky.

Over twinkling anchor lights 'round the harbor they flew

with a boat full of parts and St. Nicholas, too. 

When suddenly I heard on the cabin-top roof 

the prancing and pawing of each tiny hoof.

As I clicked off my headlamp and was turning around, 

down the companionway stairs came St. Nick with a bound!

Hawaiian shirt, bermuda shorts and waternut in hand,

his feet and his face were all covered in sand.

A sack full of provisions he had slung on his hub

and he looked like a man just returned from Sam's Club.

His eyes, how they sparkled!  His wrinkles, how cheery!

His cheeks were all sunburned, his nose was all peely!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a sail, 

the ends of his beard housed a braid, like a tail.

The stump of his Cuban cast a faint yellow glow,

but the Old Salt, he knew better than to smoke down below.

His face was all weathered, and he had a big tum, 

from a lifetime of rays and plenty of fun. 

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old Salt

and I knew right away this was not an assault.

A wink of his eye and a swig of his rum, 

soon gave me to know he was nothing but fun.

He spoke not a word, but got to work down below

And serviced our systems with the speed of a pro!

He cleaned up our terminals and replaced an old hose, 

After halving my "to-do" list, up the companionway he rose.

He jumped into his boat, to his team gave a whistle,

and away they all went like a nautical missile.

But I heard him exclaim as he sailed through the night

"Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!"

© original adaptation written by Brittany Meyers, property of Windtraveler.net

A Foot in Both Worlds

As our time back on land comes to a close (how did two months go by that fast?) I am constantly asked the question, "Aren't you *so* glad to leave and go back?" It's hard to answer that because - for the last four years or so - Scott and I have remained, more or less, tethered to land. After a year and a half of solo cruising, we came home to have Isla and moved to Florida for six months after that to refit our boat. We then set sail only to return home a little over a year later to give birth to our (surprise!) twins. Two infants at once, as you can probably imagine, was a real game changer and we lived with my parents for a year while we adjusted to live as an insta-family of five. We were, for all intents and purposes, land-lubbers and, for us, it was the only way to be during that (incredibly difficult) season of our lives. We then began the process of buying a business on Tortola which dictated that we move off island for six months while the deal went through, and from now forward, as official "expats", we plan to come back for visits at least once a year to see family and friends and "get off the rock", as it were.

Land life is simply part of our life, and we are grateful for it.

So am I glad to leave? No. This visit has been amazing. Scott and I got away - alone, together - for the first time in four years to attend one of my best friend's weddings in Santa Barbara where (cough cough) Gweneth Paltrow (among others!!) was a fellow guest (my friend is a very successful Hollywood writer and, no, I did not meet her but could have touched her a couple times!), Scott got to spend some quality time with his brother on a motorcycle trip riding "the tail of the dragon" in Tennessee, we spent a positively beautiful week in Northern Michigan with most of Scott's family, the girls and I had countless playdates with wonderful neighborhood kids and kindred spirit mom friends, we got to see all of my immediate family and their families'...there were bonfires, play parks, museum visits and sleepovers...dinners out, talks over wine and spirit-lifting hang-outs with old friends...the list goes on. It was wonderful and went by too fast, and it's precisely why we keep coming back - because there is so very much here for us.

So, no, I'm not "glad" to leave ( though I am happy to be escaping winter!) - it is, in fact, a bit sad. We have a wonderful life up here filled with family, friends and - oh man - the general convenience of the 'burbs cannot be beat. But are we happy to go back to our little boat and little island? You betcha.

***

You see, by having one foot in both worlds, we are offered a unique perspective and one that helps us to appreciate the other world. I've always been one to caution the notion that there is any one single way to live that is better than another (i.e. land life vs. island life vs. cruising) because the fact of the matter is this: it's completely subjective and while many people love the above lifestyles, just as many do not. My best friend in the whole wide world came to visit us last season and one night, as we were sipping rum cocktails gazing out as the sun set over the water she said, "Britt...I totally get why you live here. This place is amazing and it is so totally you. You are clearly in your element. But me? No. This wouldn't work for me." It was not an insult and I was in no way offended.  I completely agreed with her because a) I know her better than I know anybody and, no, it is definitely not her jam and b) I know that our slightly alternative lifestyle is not a one size fits all kind of existence.

On the flip side, how she feels about island/live-aboard life is precisely how I feel about a more traditional, suburban/city life. I appreciate the convenience, the plethora of things to do, the accessibility to great restaurants and shows and of course the proximity to friends and family...but for now, it's just not for us.

And yet, we have an amazing thing up here. We have my family here and Scott's family just day's drive over in Michigan (seriously, the most underrated state in the lower 50 in my opinion. So. Damn. Beautiful.) and we get to spend time with them when we visit, exploring the woods, the shores of fresh water lakes, and - in general - living our days outside in the fresh air. Our girls have a slew of aunts and uncles who adore them and cousins on both sides whom they consider their best friends - these kinds of bonds are the very reason we keep a tether to shore. I have an incredible group of friends - some of whom I have known since I was five - who, despite our distance and once-a-year visits, are truly some of the most incredible people in the world and fill my life, heart and soul with love and joy...My girls adore their grandparents, they love our neighbors, and the relationships they have with these people are important to us. It's a pleasure to be here, not a burden.

We have the same level of appreciation, however, for our little island life. While the roots we have planted are new, we have begun to develop a great and very fulfilling existence. Our business is thriving and exciting to us. We absolutely love our "neighborhood" and cross-cultural community at Nanny Cay, the seeds for great friendships have been planted and are being sowed, the girls thrive like the wild little (often naked) bush children they are and I really love the slower and simpler pace of day to day living. Everything feels a little less rushed, everyone has a little more time and I like that. Our choices for everything from what to do to what to eat are most definitely limited compared to what is available up here, but what we do get is constant and close access to jaw-dropping, awe-inspiring natural beauty day in and day out and that, to me, is priceless. The water, specifically, is truly a salve to my soul and, man, I'm excited to get back and dip my toes into it. I need it..

***

There are also some very exciting changes on the horizon that if you follow our >>Facebook Page<< you already know... Scott was only back for a short while during this trip (we kept our business running year round this year) but his visit allowed us a quick trip to the East Coast to do some boat shopping. Yep, you read that correctly: boat shopping. Scott and I had a sort of "come to Jesus" type talk and decided that we needed a bigger boat sooner than later. Long story short: I am more than excited to announce that we are under contract with a 48 foot three cabin cutter-rigged monohull (more details soon, I promise!) and the boat goes to survey the day after the girls and I return to Tortola. To say we are excited about this new development is a massive understatement, but - like I said - the hows and why's of all this require a whole separate blog post and, until the boat passes survey (which it should) we aren't counting any chickens. Patience, please.

Another amazing change we will be coming back to is the fact that all three girls will attend a little pre-school three half-days a week. While I have been home with all of them as their major care-taker 24/7 for the last four and a half years, the time has come to give myself a little break - not to mention the fact the girls are literally begging me to send them to school. Again, there is a whole post here and I'll delve more into why we made this decision a little later. Suffice it to say, we did a lot of research, talked to a lot of people and decided that at this juncture of our lives - this will be best for everybody. We are all super stoked.

This trip home has been a fantastic "factory reset" - and while we are sad to say "goodbye" - there is so much to look forward to. While having a "foot in both worlds" might, to some, seem non-committal or even limiting, to us it feels like a huge gift and makes life a little sweeter.

Now if you'll excuse me, I have packing to do and lists to make! We are island bound in t-minus three days!

(and here is where I barrage you with a completely random assortment of photos of our visit! I tried as best I could to cut down from the 2K I took, but it was not easy!)

To all our friends and family who made this visit so great, we thank you! To those of you who we adore with all our hearts yet could not see this time around, we are sorry and we'll catch you next time! xoxo

Isla Turns Four: An Island Party fit for a Princess

Isla turned four on the last day of March. She reminds me daily of this fact and believes wholeheartedly that this magical number makes her a "big girl." I appease her, of course, because being proud of growing up is something I wish for her, but I silently cling to the toddler traits that linger; the dimply hands, the perfectly round tush, her sing-song bell of a voice, her chubby (but thinning) cheeks...so while she fancies herself something of a "big girl", I still look at her beautiful, brown, soulful eyes and see my little baby.

What can I say about our Isla? She is strong, smart, loving, kind, cautious, wise and brave. Her sense of humor is awesome and she lives to make people laugh. Her smile lights up a room. Her mind is a veritable sponge of wonder, curiosity and intrigue. She is absolutely brilliant, a total goof ball and full of personality. She shines bright with her giggles and makes friends wherever she goes. She is an amazing big sister to the twins (well, most of the time!) and makes our lives better in every conceivable way. She is full of joy and so. much. fun. Of course she can be stubborn, willful and possesses the persistence of a hungry used car salesman...after all, she is four. But these things go with the territory of raising a fiercely independent, strong female so I will take it. There are no words that can adequately relay the adoration we have for this little ray of sunshine, but we love her to the moon and back (a million times) and watching her grow is nothing short of a pleasure. Every single day I learn from this child, she has been my greatest teacher.

***

I put slightly more effort into her birthday party than I did for the twins. She is now at an age where a birthday matters, at least a little. And I wanted her to feel very special on her day. Of course a beach party was in order...while I did start 'planning' earlier, I stuck with my method of keeping it simple. We invited all her "neighborhood" friends, pre-ordered a couple extra-large trays of pizza, Scott arranged for a special "Elsa" princess cake and we staked out a picnic table on the beach. Of course the beach bar was slinging beers for the adults. What's a party without beverages for the adults, right?

Our very good friends from s/v Necesse made the trip over from St. Thomas to spend four days with us which was definitely a birthday highlight for both Isla and I. Not only is Genevieve one of my very best friends, but her youngest, Ellia, and Isla are only a week apart in age and shared their first birthday's together in the Bahamas. We've been crossing paths with them ever since and every time it is a pleasure to get our kids together (more so now because they fight so much less!) and continue making memories. We adore the Stolz's, and it was very special that they made the effort to come in to spend time with us. Thank you guys!

***

As it turns out, her birthday also coincided with the BVI Spring Regatta and Sailing Festival which is a week of partying and racing that happens each year here at Nanny Cay. I wasn't so sure how it was going to work out with our party merging on the beach with the after party, but as luck would have it - Isla's birthday celebration happened just before the race festivities started, and as we began to wrap up our party, the racer's bash commenced. This conveniently into our "after-party" as well. The "big kids" of the group lingered with the mamas, dancing wildly to the live band and enjoying the festive atmosphere into the night. It was an amazing day for an amazing little girl who is loved fiercely and completely.

But enough of that, I will let our party pictures tell the story...

Thank you to everyone who came out to make Isla's day special, you all know who you are and we are SO grateful. Here's to being FOUR!

The neighborhood kids gathered to decorate for her. Note: Horns and balloons will never cease to please kids, apparently.

One of her favorite "big boys"

Working our the finer points of birthday horn blowing.

So simple, yet so entertaining.

Our awesome friend Keanna brought markers and coloring books for Isla, which - in turn - became the hit of the party!!

Isla and two of her best pals. She refers to them as "her buddies" it's pretty adorable!

Keanna, coloring. Because adults coloring is all the rage these days!

Don't let the presence of beer in every single photo frighten you. It was for the adults, I swear.

Daddy arriving with her balloons (one of her birthday present wishes) and cake!

Isla opening a very special gift from her buddy, Stormer. Her very own jewelry box. She LOVES it. 

2 x 4 beach jenga blocks also double as construction blocks for beach kids! 

No beach party is complete without sand toys. Darcy and sweet baby Rio playing with Haven.

Making castles. 

Follow the yellow brick road, Haven!

V and A, two of our very awesome boat neighbor kids! Love them.

Haven enjoying her pizza. Side note: this is also usually the only time you don't hear her!  

These three dancing was absolutely adorable!

Isla and the beautiful hand-made wind chime made for her by her pal, Nico. She loves it and it hangs right by her bed.

The Elsa cake was a HUGE hit!

The party in full swing with all her pals around.

Isla and Ellia looking adorable, eating cake. "Shut your mouth, dear" ;)

Give this little sweet pea some balloons and she is good to go. Take them away and LOOK OUT!

Beautiful, goofy Arias!! I think she liked the cake! 

Haven, yelling as usual (she has almost no volume control!), and holding up FOUR for her sister.

This was the OTHER gift Isla asked mommy and daddy for, an Ariel dress. She was, obviously, pleased.  

"Mommy, don't I look beautiful!" You ALWAYS look beautiful honey, because your heart is beautiful!

This picture, though not the best in quality, sums up this wonderful, joyful child. Happy birthday Isla.

Haven and Mira Turn Two: Beach Party!

For someone who loves a good party, I'm not very good at planning them. So when it dawned on me that the twins were turning two in less than 48 hours and we had nothing planned (will I ever learn?), I scrambled to get something together. While, on the one hand, they were only turning two and really didn't know what all the fuss was about, on the other hand, they were turning two and a little party was in order. So, as one does when you live on the water, we hit the beach. One advantage of island life is the fact people aren't so over-scheduled and busy that finding attendants for a last minute, thrown together party isn't really a problem. Another factor in our favor was that their birthday fell on a Sunday, so most people had the day off and our neighborhood friends weren't in school. And finally, having the beach bar available to make drinks for the adults and pizzas for the kiddos didn't hurt. My parents had brought down the presents we ordered, and my dad had stocked up on birthday horns, hats and decor, so all we really needed was a venue and some guests. I sent out a few messages, grabbed some cake mixes and frosting and we called it a party. A party it was!

But before I delve into the festivities...a word on my twinkles. I cannot believe they are two. It seems only yesterday we had their first birthday party in St. John, and not that much longer before that we got the news that I was cooking two in my womb while in Grenada. Haven and Mira have been my greatest challenge to date, and as with all great challenges, have bestowed upon me the greatest lessons and rewards. Being a mom to twins has changed me in a million ways, but more than anything I am blown away by the love I have for these little fish and the immense amount of joy they bring me. I never thought it would be possible to love two little people - born minutes apart, yet polar opposites - equally (I mean, surely there must be a favorite, right?) But, no. My absolute adoration of each of them knows no bounds. They are also an interesting lesson in genetics as they share not a single feature down to their fingernail beds... But it's their spirits and personalities - also very different yet equally enticing - that have captivated me as of late...It's why I love toddlers so very much; this hyper awareness that these tiny people actually have their own minds, thoughts and desires and - despite what science might tell you - a lot of it is hard wired! Their curiosity, the way they look at the world, how joyful they are at the simplest things, watching their brains soak up the world around them like sponges...it's incredible. Being a mom to our three girls is my life's greatest joy. Sorry to get all mushy, but it really is.

Haven has developed into the feistiest little cutie you have ever seen, not that it's much of a surprise since she's been hell on wheels since day one. She is incredibly strong - in both will and body - and parenting her spirit has taken some adjusting. But as demanding as she can be, she is the easiest to make smile, her laugh is infectious and she will almost never say no to a big hug and kiss. Her little light shines so bright and, when she is happy, she is joy personified. She is so excited about everything and knows no fear. She is mischievous and precocious and so much fun. Her exuberance and energy are unmatched, and she is pure beauty and magic. Mira, more mellow and pensive, is equally as spirited, but in a more understated way. Incredibly pensive and bright, she flies under the radar. Everyone who meets her comments on how thoughtful she is, and how they can just see the wheels turning behind her gorgeous eyes. Her beautiful little face has a thousand expressions and every single day she shows me more sweetness and truth behind her complexity. She is a lover, and when she trusts you, you will be privy to the greatest cuddles you have ever gotten. Oftentimes when we are on the boat, Isla and Haven will be playing with their toys, while Mira and I lay on the settee, just snuggling away. She melts my heart a million times a day.

These two little creatures could not be more different, and yet - I love them equally. Each day I think I love them more, which seems impossible. People ask me all the time how I stay at home with them day in and day out, encourage me to get a nanny, to send them to daycare so I can get a break...and while I do have my bad days, and while I do long for more time to do the things I want (I am researching ways to get "me" breaks), I truly cherish this time with my girls. I love that we are a tight little family tribe and I adore watching the bond between them - three different dynamics in all - flourish. "It's only a short window of time that they are this young" I remind people. "This will go by in the blink of an eye." So, for now, I dedicate most of my hours and most of myself to them. And it's my pleasure.

Anyway...

I took a ton of pictures on their birthday (I treated myself to a new lens - 24mm pancake lens - and tried it out on this special day) and so I will let those tell the story....

Grandpa came over with Grandma bright and early with round one of birthday hats! Having them here was so special.

Haven was very excited by the dump trucks we got her to play with at the beach!

We all had breakfast at our favorite place, Gennekers, at Nanny Cay.

Claire - one of our fave waitresses - even treated the girls to cupcakes! But not until each one gave her a kiss!

After breakfast we took a hike up to Sage Mountain with my parents. More on this in another post! It was beautiful.

During naptime, I made cupcakes and cake, and Scott and our neighborhood friends decorated!

Look at all these sweet monkeys! They *really* enjoyed the leftover icing!!

These two sweeties made this awesome sign/card for the girls, which now stays in their room.

Each twin got her own Melissa & Doug sand baking set (believe me, getting two is much better than one when it comes to twins!)

Isla, of course, helped both of them open their present!

Our sweet boat kid neighbor made this awesome, healthy snack to bring to the party.

The party in full swing. It was laid back, casual, and pretty perfect if you ask me!

Mira was particularly adorable on this day. We LOVE our sport wagon , btw!

Despite getting her own sand toys for her birthday, Haven opted to play with those another kid brought. Typical.

Pizza party on the beach. What could be better?

Our sweet friend, Albertine (I met her and her lovely husband doing laundry one night), loving up little Mira.

My dad did all the decorating, how sweet was that? The theme (if you can call it that) was My Little Pony.

Adults and kiddos having fun.

The staff of the beach bar have all become like family to us, this is our buddy, Garth, slinging drinks for the party.

Isla and the newest neighborhood kid playing away. These two are pretty darn cute together!

Haven and her million dollar smile. This kid can turn on the charm like none other!

Daddy and Isla having a chat on the swings.

Every now and then someone notices that I am taking all the pics and snaps one of me. My beautiful friend and I!

The girls had SO much fun with their new Hello Kitty beach ball!

Having doing her best "monkey hug" on Grandpa.

These two together...sigh...it's amazing. The twin bond is really something. (when they are not fighting, of course!)

Face full of sand, dirt and cake. Life is good!

Wait..there's more cake? Time to sing!

The girls were excited for this part, but weren't really sure what it was all about. 

This, however, she is VERY sure about. Haven speaks fluent "cupcake". I think she had five on this day!

A little twin moment. Would love to know what they are saying to each other!

More cupcakes...well, why not!!

This cake turned more into a smash cake than anything.

Are you counting the cupcakes?!?

Haven trying to explain that, no, she will not share her cupcake with our good friend, Kevin.

The end of the night came fast and we had to get the cuties home, bathed and in bed. One final picture with her adoring grandma. A great day had by all!