Running from the Law: Life's Good On Our Boat

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

Life's Good On Our Boat

Hello everyone!  Sorry for the disappearing act over the last couple weeks, I have a good excuse...I promise.  Remember how I said I hadn't done anything in preparation for Christmas this year?  Well, that's kinda true.  I didn't put up a tree...or deck the halls...or buy any presents.  Instead, I bought plane tickets to St. John, USVI and left town!  Christmas in the islands!

{Coral Bay}

The photo above was the view from our the front deck of our house in Coral Bay.  Not too shabby, huh?  Months ago we decided that we'd like to skip Christmas (again) and head somewhere warm and sunny.  Since this past summer was so miserably hot (and I was still recovering from birth and was delirious from sleep deprivation) we really didn't get to enjoy our summer or get out much.  In order to fill our sunshine quota for the year and maximize our Vitamin D intake, we decided to spend 10 glorious days in the Caribbean over the holidays.  We found a great house with a pool, hot tub and killer view, booked our flights, rented some baby gear, packed our bags and off we went!  Ryan's parents joined us, so we weren't entirely devoid of family and full-on Grinchy over the holidays.  It was great getting to spend time with them and so nice having a couple extra sets of hands to help with the baby.  

{Cruz Bay}

In the weeks leading up to our trip, I started to feel a bit guilty about leaving town and missing out on all the traditional Christmas activities.  We didn't put up a tree or hang any stockings.  We didn't get to play in the snow.  We didn't go driving around looking at Christmas lights.  We didn't get to be Santa for the first time after the baby had gone to bed Christmas Eve.  But we've got the rest of our lives to do all that, right?  Mac doesn't know any better and I think the best present we could ever give him is a sense of adventure, a passport and 10 days of uninterrupted quality time with his parents and grandparents. You can't put that in a stocking!  And fresh mahi fish tacos and mango daiquiris for Christmas dinner may be a new tradition in our household.

{Waterlemon Cay}

I do have to say that vacation with a baby is hard.  Very hard, actually.  That's probably a whole separate post/bitch-session.  I have quite a bit to say on that subject that no one prepared me for.  But the island was gorgeous, the weather was perfection and the beaches were ours for the taking.  


{Hawksnest}

Mac loved the water!  He loved splashing and kicking and watching the waves.  He also loved eating the sand and licking the salt off our shoulders!  I have a feeling he's going to be a beach-loving kid, just like his daddy.




{Leinster Bay}

{Lamasher Bay}





{Salt Pond}



It was so wonderful to get away, but this time it was just as nice to get back home and back to our schedule and our lives.  Traveling is hard on little dudes and just as hard on exhausted new parents.  We arrived home to snow and freezing temperatures, but were kept nice and warm in bed that first night by two dogs and a cat that were beyond excited to see us.  There's nothing like a pile of pets on top of you while you sleep to make you feel loved and missed.  



We got home just in time to watch the ball drop on TV and have a couple glasses of champagne before crashing from pure exhaustion.  We didn't have a lot of time to reflect on the past year that evening, but looking back, 2012 was a very good year for us.  We were blessed with the sweetest, happiest, funniest, cutest kid on the planet who makes every single day fun and exciting.  It was challenging and exhausting and wonderful all at the same time.  We became parents.  We grew up (kinda).  Our marriage matured (or at least survived).  Our hearts expanded.  I absolutely cannot wait to see what 2013 brings us.  So many more firsts to come, so many new places to go, so much to look forward to.  


For some reason, making goals and resolutions just doesn't feel right this year.  Lately I feel like I can barely keep my head above water, so I don't really want the added pressure that comes with making resolutions and forcing myself to stick with them.  I need to cut myself some slack.  So instead, I love the idea of choosing a word to apply to the year.  One Little Word that sums up what you hope to do and be this year.  I thought about this a lot and finally decided on the word EMBRACE.  This is not my year to push myself, or challenge myself, or over-extend myself.  I've had a few of those years and they're exhausting.  Instead, this is my year to embrace life - hold my family and my baby close, to accept myself as I am, to be more welcoming and open, to love unconditionally, to live life in the moment and cherish each second.  I'm excited about that.



So cheers to a new year, a new start, a fresh beginning!


I hope 2013 is absolutely freaking wonderful to you!



“Shells sink, dreams float. Life's good on our boat. ” 
― Jimmy Buffett

26 comments:

  1. Leaving for the Holidays sounds like a fantastic idea, I would love to not run around with my head cut off trying to get everywhere and see everyone! Looks like you had a fabulous time and your pictures are gorgeous! Traveling with a baby is a whole new adventure in itself, can't wait to hear your post on that! Also love your word for 2013 Embrace sounds like the perfect thing to live by:)

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  2. What a great way to spend Christmas! Glad you guys had a wonderful time!

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  3. awesomeness on the Christmas vacay.. I'm a little scared but looking forward to the travel with a baby post. We have a family trip to Mexico planned in June, Lucas will be 10 months old. Yikes.

    Cheers to embracing 2013!

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  4. I am all about tropical Christmas- one of my favorites was spending Christmas in Kauai with my family a few years back. Looks like you had a fantastic time. Cheers to 2013!

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  5. What a fabulous way to celebrate the holidays! We spent Christmas in 2010 in Spain to avoid the first holiday after my dad died and I truly loved it. The idea of being on a beach for Christmas sounds even better!

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  6. So glad you guys had a great trip! The pictures look beautiful! I couldn't agree more about "embracing" life in this new year! So much to be thankful for :)

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  7. ooh i've been waiting for your st. john post--looks like you guys had a wonderful time! such a great idea to escape to somewhere warm and sunny!

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  8. I've already messaged you about this but I can not wait for you to post about your experience traveling with baby. We're hoping to take a trip this spring and baby D will be at least 9 or 10 mos old. I'm too intimated to do anything other than domestic travel, but maybe your post will ease some fears? Or maybe not, and we should just go to Florida.

    LOVE your photos!

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  9. Goodness I'm jealous! And I stand up and clap for you for traveling so far with a baby! We drove the 12 hours to Florida with a 9 month old and it was certainly interesting...of course maybe just flying & renting would be so much easier than feeling like you had to pack everything!!!

    Your pictures are beautiful & while I can't imagine not being at home for Christmas, sounds like an amazing trip!

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  10. I'm so glad you had a fantastic time!!
    Where did you guys stay? I'm hoping to do a trip this next Winter with just the hubs. :)

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  11. Also - Mac's hair?? OMG, so cutteee

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  12. What an awesome way to spend the holiday. I think family time away is so important for reconnecting (at least it is for our fam). And I would agree that 'vacationing' with a baby is hard. We went away when A was 6 months and it literally screwed her sleep up for 2 months after that. Totally worth it to have those family memories, though.

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  13. Wow I am so jealous!! What a great way to spend the holidays- and do it before you have to do all the Santa stuff and stay home! I would love a post/bitch session on traveling with babies.

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  14. A trip sounds like such a good idea!!! I am so interested in your post about traveling with a baby cause we are trying to take a trip in march and my little one will only be 5months -- might not be such a great idea lol

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  15. That looks AMAZING. Our Christmas was exactly the same except we stayed home and both kids had the stomach flu, so I'm not at all jealous. :-) LOVE your word for the year, I may have to adopt that!

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  16. What a PERFECT way to spend Christmas - someday I must follow your example and escape

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  17. St John is my FAVORITE PLACE ON THE PLANET. I am so jealous!!!!!!! This has me thinking about doing this next Christmas....how amazing!!! I LOVE your pictures, too...ahhh...you just made my day! I am so glad you got away!

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  18. Eeep! We leave for St. Thomas/St. John TOMORROW!

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  19. Hi, I'm a new reader and St. John is also our favorite place! We have stayed in a private home and the Westin. If you ever go back with kids, the Westin is the way to go! I'm jealous you got to go over the the holidays. If you go back, I've got lots of tips and restaurant suggestions. :)

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  20. So am I the only one who noticed Ryan pretending to talk on the toy phone & Mac cracking up at it?? Love it. Also, I'll have to show this to my Mom - peacing-out for Christmas & spending a week in the Bahamas or somewhere similar has always been something my parents talk about. So cool!!

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  21. Looks like an amazing trip! What a fantastic idea, and perfect time to go while Mac is little. Great way to celebrate baby's first Christmas and truly relax... although, who are we kidding traveling with a baby might not be super relaxing, but I'm sure it was well worth it!! We are in the process of planning a trip now and I would LOVE to know where you guys stayed?!

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  22. That salt pond pic is GORGEOUS!!! Love this idea though -- how liberating and different!! How relaxing!!!

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  23. You're killing me here...I haven't been on a hot vacation in years and this makes me want to pack up and fly out TONIGHT. Can't wait for the 'traveling with baby' posts..especially with your writing style ;)

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  24. My friend Liz from Will There Be Cake directed me to your blog. She mentioned that you made a trip with your little one. We've made several trips with our son (who's now 2.5) and they weren't all that bad, but this last trip to Mexico when he was almost 2 was terrible. He wouldn't sleep in the crib and he wanted to be carried EVERYWHERE. And he got heat exhaustion. Vacations are just different now. I think we will always travel with my parents and sisters to have extra help!

    We're currently trying to find a weekend getaway destination for my 30th birthday. I'm pregnant again, so no booze and craziness. I just want rest and quiet.

    Where did you find the house to rent in the Virgin Islands? VRBO? We'd love to go there someday!

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    1. Yeah, traveling with a kid is SO different than it was just a few short months ago. :) Poor little guy was dealing with a time change, a climate change, separation anxiety and he got a cold while we were there, so he just wasn't himself. I have faith that our next trip with him will be better (otherwise we may never travel again!). Fingers crossed!

      Yes, we started with VBRO to find the place. But of course it's overwhelming and there are SO many options and the websites aren't updated as often as they should be, etc. One of the places we called about was run by a property management company on the island and she answered ALL our questions about what part of the island to pick, how to get around, what to bring, etc. It was nice having a contact there to help us. So we found a place through that company. Hope that helps! Happy early birthday! A relaxing 30th getaway sounds lovely!

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  25. I hear you on no resolutions. For the past two years, I've made those lists. They were awesome. I accomplished so much! Before that, I made 10 resolutions for many, many years. This year? I'm not into it at all. I set goals for myself all the time, not just at the beginning of the year, so maybe if I feel better about it later, I will set some goals, but I truly think you hit the nail on the head when you said that you're overwhelmed and that resolutions would just amplify that. I feel exactly the same way! In the immortal words of Sweet Brown, "Ain't nobody got time for that!" : )

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