"We like to parrty. With two r's"

Christmas came early this year for the estrogen tank in St. Martin. As I mentioned in my last post, my niece Andi who JUST turned 14 (WOOT WOOT) went home for medical tests and was diagnosed with Lupus. With a brave face and confidence from her doctor, she decided to return to us on the island to continue her school year as normal and get her regular teenage life back. We missed the little nugget, and were so excited to have her back, and just in time for her birthday which I'll write about in a little bit. She came bearing gifts like the three wisemen, all gifts coming from a store only found in the U.S. Yay for Yankee Candles, Target jewelry, new soft couch covers and apple products. 

Cari and Piper's sign for Andi's homecoming

Anxiously awaiting Andi to come out of customs

Piper is so glad to have her big sister home


A couple of times each semester at Cari's school they have a group called "ICAN" if you asked me what that stood for I'd just stare at you with my eyes glazed over. I have no idea. But basically this group volunteers around the island. We went to the breakfast at the school and then there are sign ups for different things you can do. We chose to go to the community center to organize a couple hours of games for some kids, and it was SO fun. We drove into town and literally drove around for half an hour trying to find a parking spot. The one public parking lot was completely overtaken by fire trucks and police cars, they had some sort of fire awareness demo going on that day. So after half an hour of circling blocks, we decided maybe we should just try and park in the community center parking lot. GENIUS!

When we walked in we heard this man yelling orders at kids (not like in a child abuse kind of way, just in a stern "follow my orders" kind of way) we learned that he was their drum line instructor and that the kids have an awesome talent for drums due to their discipline and many many hours of practice. They were all assembled in rows practicing rhythm with their wooden sticks. Totally made me nostalgic for elementary school when we'd march around banging those wooden sticks and singing songs. I wonder what my elementary school music teacher is up to these days.

After their finished rehearsal, the AUC students explained what we'd be playing today. It was a game called Crab Soccer. Which is, as you may have guessed, soccer played like a crab. This means you have to do it in the crab walk position with still no hands like regular soccer. The kids were way excited, they got into groups, thought of names, and started playing different heats against each other. 

WHO'S EXCITED TO VOLUNTEER?!!?!

This is how they were assembled when we came in. WHY SO SERIOUS?

Their instructors hair was so awesome. 

Putting away all of their equipment getting ready for the game

What I can only imagine is a terrifying conversation

Cari and her team thinking up a name

Team Strategizing

Pile of people trying to get the ball

Goal scored-victory high five

I was baffled that nobody was kicked in the face during the game.

 After a very successful and fun hour of crab soccer, the kids took a much needed snack break. We were introduced to a juice called "maba" which is made from the bark of a tree. YUM? It tasted like carbonated sugar cane kind of, and I was apprehensive about drinking it because I didn't totally believe it wasn't alcohol, it looked just like beer. Maba is supposedly good for intestinal health and a great cure for constipation, so if anybody needs some of it-hit me up, we'll mail you some. Or just go find a tree and eat the bark, that'll probably do. If anybody actually does that, don't tell me, there our friendship will end. 

The kids told us they wanted to show us their drum skills, so we all went outside and listened to them play. They were amazing. Their hard work completely paid off and I was blown away, and so were some cars due to all of the car alarms that were going off due to how loud their drums were. Our car was one of them. Cari was running around trying to figure out who kept breaking into our car, "uhh...I think its just from all the drumming."

Drum Team Line Up

These kids practice for a few hours every single day

This boy was my favorite, the sound of his cowbell added such an awesome effect.

Piper's playgroup last week was at this place called Kid's World, which I didn't even know existed. We picked Andi up from school, brought her a change of clothes so she wouldn't have to wear her wretched uniform to Kid's Place, and head on our way. AUC paid for all of the kids to go in so it was entirely free for us which was awesome. I was so impressed by the place. It had tons of slides, trampolines, little cars to drive on, ball pens, arcade games, giant legos. But the outside was the coolest part, they had pedal go karts. I had a catastrophe this morning. When I uploaded all the pics from my memory card onto the computer, I thought I had saved all of the pics and then removed all the pictures from my memory card since it was full anyways. Then I realized I had deleted all of the go kart pictures. I'm so mad! We'll have to go back and take more. But the go karts were awesome and I was pushing Piper around on them and then Piper would chase Andi and I while we drove around on them. 

Our only beef with Kid's World is that it was SO hot. The indoor section wasn't air conditioned at all and had nothing but a few ceiling fans which I thought was crazy considering kids were running around playing in it, so we were working up quite a sweat running around with Piper. 

This was Piper's boyfriend for the day, a little French boy who was loving Piper. He kept filling her car up with gas and speaking to her in French. Each time he'd fill her car with gas he would say, "She needs to say Merci!" Merci in French means "Thank You"

Making sure Piper is safe with a helmet

"Shell, I'm all sweaty."

She was so excited to see a trampoline. She's been itching to bounce on one ever since this summer when we were at my moms house and she never got off the trampoline in our backyard.

Haha Raleigh's face = priceless

Adi and Raleigh

All done playing, time to be held.

 The morning of Andi's birthday (26th) we all woke up early so we'd have enough time to make Andi's birthday breakfast and make sure we had enough time for her to open her presents.

Piper is NOT a fan of early mornings. 

Andi's loot pile

Birthday girl, fresh out of bed.

Piper's present to Andi, a framed picture of them together

Her new watch

Her new Fossil bag. Cari and I spent at least half an hour mulling over the bags and deciding which one we think she'd like. Cari thinks this purse is ugly, but I loved it and thought Andi would, too. I was right. WINNING.

Andi with the cupcakes her mom made for her class at school. Apparently it is still cool to bring treats on your birthday. 

Shortly after Cari and Andi left for school Piper passed out on the couch, she just wasn't ready to face the day.

After school we had a lot of plans. Andi wanted Chinese food for dinner so we got ready to go to a restaurant recommended to us by Pierre. After dinner there was a Halloween party at Learning Unlimited which is Andi's school and then we wanted to see a late showing of "Pitch Perfect" which is in theaters. Cecily, Andi and I had gone to see it the night before and were dying laughing with stomachaches by the time it was over. It was one of those movies that made me really sad when it was over. So we decided we had to take Cari to go see it. 

I did Andi's hair cute for her birthday evening, except afterwards I realized that with her up do and chandelier earrings she looked like she was getting married and it freaked me out. 

Check out that awesome "Happy Halloween" sign I found at ACE Hardware, also best store on the island.

Outside of the Chinese restaurant we went to. It looks sketchy, but the food was amazing and the service was awesome and fast. I love shanty looking places, they sometimes happen to be the best food on the island, and sometimes they give you food poisoning and it feels like your stomach mixed pop rocks and soda and you want to die. Luckily, this restaurant did not make us sick, but was just delicious.

This was posted on the first page of the menu to indicate each price on the menu is now 50 cents more. Haha!

Piper's first egg roll

My lemon chicken. Yummy.

I have super long fingers. They're creepy, but awesome for playing the piano.

This is all the food that was left AFTER we were done eating.

Quite content with full bellies.

 Halloween Party time :)

  

Piper as Little Red Riding Hood, this is the best picture I could get of her costume. She's been going through phases of being very camera shy. 

Pipes decorating her cupcake, notice her tongue sticking out  while she concentrates. Love it. Mini me,

The finished product. Pretty? Haha

....aaaand, that would be the principal of Andi's school. AWESOME

Trick or Treaters. There were so many kids there that barely came to my knees that were just swarming around us, it was starting to freak me out a little bit, they were coming from everywhere and we had no defense against them. 

Spiderman was break dancing.

Piper and mom dancing

Piper's candy basket. I looked like a total dummy carrying it around. Was definitely getting that face from people that says "aren't you a little old for trick or treating? A little basket? Really?"


 By the time we got home from the movie it was almost midnight and we were pooped and Piper and Andi were all sugared out from the Halloween party so we didn't even eat her cake yet. The next morning I got up early and Pierre took me to the doctor for my strep. My tonsils keep getting swollen and I have strep and its a serious bummer. After the doctor we came home and Cari was making Andi's favorite breakfast of orange rolls while Piper and Pierre built block beds for her dolls. It was quite adorable.

To avoid looking at the camera face on, Piper looks up.

Orange Rolls

Our church put on a Talent Show last night that we went to. It was so funny. Andi had to go a little early to help set up since the Young Women were in charge but then we all came afterwards. We thought it started at 5, but it apparently started at 530 so we were actually on time for something which was a miracle. 

Andi's contribution to the youths decorations, a drawn space shuttle for their night sky backdrop

Stage area decorated by the youth

Cecily singing Taylor Swift's "Say No" I hate Taylor Swift, but the song didn't make me shudder when Cecily sang it ;)

Brother and Sister Wright. Brother Wright displayed some pictures of things he has made himself, including their house, a grandfather clock, tables, and an airplane!

Robert modeling the finger cookies that Sister Wright makes. Creepy.

Leah and Patrick singing

Piper and Andi are exhausted by absorbing so many talents

Drive-thru rap

Hula Hoop action

Piper, Cari and Yevva danced to "Call me Maybe" Piper was pretty shy so she just buried her face in moms chest the whole time 

Andi drawing the beginning shape for doodle buddy

Matt & Ceciky dancing to PSY Gangnam Style

Robert and Trisha's opera song was so cute, even if it was in German and we didn't know the words.

Piper's loving her hedgehog cupcake

After the talent show we got to come home and FINALLY eat the cheesecake that Piper and I made for Andi's birthday. Happy 14th Birthday, Pan! I hope its a great year! 

 It seems like its been one big party since Andi came back and with her birthday and Halloween going on. I can't believe October is almost over. It was an awesome week, though. Jared Allen had yet another amazing game last Thursday. He got into a quarrel with a team from the Buccaneers and ended up getting a bloody nose from the opposing player knocking off his helmet, the very next play Jared got a sack. His victory dance has never looked so sweet. Jared's officially in my blog. This obsession just reached a whole new level.

I discovered this week that Piper is my pet. I literally teach her tricks. I caught myself twice this week saying, "Cari! Look what I taught Piper today" I taught her how to get down off of the counter by herself using the stools so that we don't always have to come get her down, considering she crawls up onto the counter like 3948348384 times per day. I also taught her how to open the cupboard door from the bottom since the handle is too tall for her. So I'm probably going to open a training school for children. New life goal. Just joking. 

We're excited for November. We have an awesome boat trip coming up in a couple weeks and Casey and Tanner are coming to the island for Thanksgiving. Plus i'm conspiring with some friends to get a jet ski trip planned, the nicer weather that's coming now with hurricane season almost gone makes me want to be outside all the time again. 

I'm hoping my strep/swollen tonsils don't come back again after i'm off antibiotics next week. Everyone pray the world can be spared from having to hear that tonsils man voice ever again. Not to mention it doesn't make me want to do anything but lay on the couch making whiny noises like a dying animal. Thanks to Cari for her help with meals and cleaning this week while i've been out of commission. 

52 days until I'm home for Christmas. Get ready ya'll. 

Until next blog, love and miss you, friends!!