Bora Bora

We are currently in Bora Bora and will be here for two days. I am so glad the ship is here for that extra time because this is the best island! We decided to spend our first day here in the water! Meaning tomorrow we will probably do an inland 4x4 tour, shop, and eat at the famous Bloody Mary’s.

We got off the ship first thing this morning and jumped onto a boat with an outrigger which was going to take us shark feeding, swimming with the stingrays, picnic on a private island, and then a sail around the island. And it was the BEST day!
Our outrigger




Yes, we started with the shark feeding early this morning. We actually did a shark feeding here in Bora Bora about 8 years ago and it was very organized and I felt very safe, so why not do it again (assuming it would be exactly like last time). Well, it was NOT exactly like last time. The outrigger anchored out near the reef drop and told us to jump in. Literally. And before we even got out into water, we could see the sharks gathering. Here is a picture of a couple of the sharks (believe me, these sharks were around 4 ft in length. They look small in this picture though)

I made Brent jump in first, so if the sharks were hungry they could fill up on him before I jumped in. They were black tip reef sharks, about 4-5 feet long. Once Brent jumped in and seemed at ease, I followed. I was very anxious and not too comfortable. The water was around 40 ft deep and we were free swimming (no life jacket). At one point we counted 25+ sharks in front of us, and that wasn’t counting what was behind us. Some of the sharks would get as close as a few feet from us in the water. That was very unnerving to me, and after one episode where a shark came swimming straight towards me and made eye contact with me for a good 30 seconds, I needed a break. I got out of the water and back into the boat. Now the shark swam away when he got within a few feet of me, but to see him swimming straight for me and making eye contact, I freaked. Brent said he was only studying me to see if I had food for him and when I didn’t he swam away. But still…..I hated that moment. But after about a 5 minute break in the boat, I jumped back in (trying to impress Brent, I guess). We swam with the sharks for about 45 minutes and we even had the chance to see three Lemon sharks skimming the ocean floor underneath us. They were much larger at around 10 feet long. Thankfully they stayed underneath us and never made any effort to get close to us floating above them. But that was a sight!!!

Next up was the stingray feeding. Now, I had a bad experience years ago at a similar feeding so I had a severe fear of these things. We anchored in water about 5 feet deep that was very calm. You could immediately see the stingrays gliding around the boat. We jumped in and they swam around us. They were not aggressive but did come up close and brush up against us occasionally. To add a little more excitement, there were also about 10 reef sharks who were also around the rays. All in all, it went ok and I was not as uncomfortable as I thought I would be. Here is the area where we swam with the sting rays

Sting Rays




We then proceeded on to the regular snorkel area. This was over a beautiful coral reef with lots of fish. As has become our custom, we took a few boxes of rice krispies which seem to be a breakfast favorite for the smaller fish. Brent would swim down about 10 feet and release a handful of cereal and hundreds of different kinds of fish would swarm around and devour it. We also released a little up at the surface around us and would find ourselves surrounded by lots of fish. I also was not too fond of small fish swimming near me before the trip but after many snorkeling adventures on this trip, I find myself much more comfortable.

We then proceeded on a boating trip in the lagoon circumferential around the island. This gave us a 360 degree perspective of the central mountains and also allowed us to see all the surrounding hotels and their over water bungalows on the islands surrounding the main island. We went by the hotel where we spent our honeymoon, as well as the resort where Carrie Underwood honeymooned, the resort where the show The Bachelor took place, and the resort where they filmed the movie Couples Retreat. Lots of beautiful places to stay.
The resort behind me is where The Bachelor was filmed


The final stop was a private motu (island) for a quick lunch of fresh fruits. We had a chance to walk the island. This just happened to present a perfect place for some amazing pictures with the island’s central mountains in the background. This was a perfect last stop to be able to take in this beautiful island. Here is Brent enjoying some fresh fruit


What a great day!

Raiatea and Tahaa

Hello from Raiatea!

We had a fantastic day in Raiatea! We disembarked the ship and went on a private snorkeling tour with 8 other people. This snorkeling tour actually took us to a different island named Tahaa. It was about a 45 minute boat ride from where we docked in Raiatea to Tahaa. Here is Brent on the boat to Tahaa

And me

On our way on the boat to Tahaa, you can see Bora Bora in the distance

Once we got to Tahaa, we noticed a beautiful resort full of overwater bungalows and we were informed that many celebrities visit this resort, including Nicole Kidman on her honeymoon with Tom Cruise (long time ago) We were told the bungalows on this resort run $1200/night. They were indeed beautiful and an amazing view.


Next to this resort is where we stopped to snorkel. We snorkeled in what they described as ‘a drift snorkel’. They anchor the boat and we get out and walk up the inlet. We then snorkel back down to the boat while ‘riding the drift’. There was quite the drift in this inlet and it was the best snorkeling we have ever experienced. You just laid on top of the water with your hands out and floated down the inlet. The water was only about 5ft deep but the coral rose almost to the surface in some areas, so you had to swim hard at times to move away from the coral you were about to drift into. Hitting the coral would have been a very bad thing that would leave you scraped, cut, bleeding and is painful. That part made me a little anxious and at some points the current was so fast that I almost had a collision or two with the coral (as well as everyone else), but I managed to dodge it with the exception of one cut on my ankle. Brent managed to dodge any collisions as well, although when we got back on land he did have a spot that was bleeding on his ankle too. Who knows how it got there?

After snorkeling, we swam up to the beach of a little village of about 10 locals. They gave us some fresh fruits right off the trees. Talk about fresh fruit! Delicious!

And we also drank fresh coconut water


The residents of the village also sat and gave us a little song and dance show. Such a special welcome they gave us!

It was just an overall beautiful day here in Raiatea and Tahaa. One of the best days yet on this trip!

Tonight we sail for Bora Bora and will be there two days. We have a shark and sting ray feeding planned, as well as lots of snorkeling and beach time.

On a side note, Brent had a birthday surprise waiting for me last night. A special dessert at dinner and Birthday balloons outside our room. So sweet!

Rangiroa

Hello from Rangiroa!

Yesterday we had a relaxing day at sea as we made our way towards Rangiroa. Finally, this morning around 8am, we anchored off the lagoon around Rangiroa. Let me just say, this island met our expectations and more. It’s a flat island, 2 blocks wide, 20 miles long, and filled with the most gorgeous palm trees! Rangiroa is one of the top 5 places in the world to scuba dive and that’s because the island encircles a lagoon. This lagoon is bigger than the size of the island of Tahiti. Needless to say, we couldn’t wait to get off the boat and begin snorkeling. (Brent is a diver, but I’m not….so he opted to snorkel with me instead of us separating for the day so he could scuba. But he already made it known to me that we will be back to Rangiroa in the next few years just so he can dive here)

With that being said, the snorkeling is amazing! We happened to get off the ship and some locals were at the dock with their little boat asking if anyone wanted to go snorkel in an area they call ‘the aquarium’. We jumped at the chance! Here is Brent on the boat headed to snorkel


And the name ‘aquarium’ is very appropriate for where we went to snorkel. It was like jumping into an exotic fish tank. Bright, colorful fish everywhere!


We were told there were black tip reef sharks in the area (about 4 ft in length) and to be sure to look for some of them. I personally had no desire to see a shark so I honestly wasn’t looking for one. I was more obsessed with all the big colorful fish around me. Then suddenly another snorkeler points out this eel. It was a morey eel around 40 lbs with a head bigger than mine. When I saw this eel I started to second guess what I was doing. I’ve snorkeled plenty of times in my life, but never with an eel of that size swimming with me. Brent, on the other hand, was in heaven. Remember, he’s a diver so he isn’t seeing anything he’s never seen before. Then as I get over my fear of that huge eel in the water someone yells out that they have spotted a black tip reef shark. Grand, just grand. I feel like making my way towards the boat. Brent starts swimming to where the shark was spotted because he’s nuts like that. As I swim closer to the boat, I look up and skim the top of the water, only to spot TEN shark fins on the water. That’s it. I’m done snorkeling.
Now I’ve done a shark feeding before and been in the water with the sharks but there was a LOCAL in the water handling the situation and maintaining safetly when I did that. It didn’t take me long to realize on this particular snorkel trip that the tourists were the only ones in the water. All the locals stayed on their boats AND each boat had a pole with a spear on the end, if trouble arose. Thankfully, no trouble did arise and honestly, we were in no trouble. The fish won’t hurt us. The eel won’t get near us unless we mess with him and he feels threatened. And those sharks, well, they weren’t going to hurt us. They were smaller than you so they leave you alone. Although, I guess if you catch one having a bad day and feeling bold, then you may have a problem on your hands….
But it was FUN, and adventurous. I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

After the snorkeling, the guide boated us over to the small town. Really there is no town on Rangiroa. There are only 600 people who live on the island. But there was a small dock with a very small convenient store on it and they wanted us to buy a drink from them so we did. We got a 6pk of Hinano Tahiti Beer which cost us $20. Ugh. But it was good and refreshing and worth it. Here we are enjoying our beer


Afterward, we headed back to the beach where we spent the rest of the day. There was great snorkeling off the beach, as well, where we saw sting rays, tangs, parrot fish, butterfly fish, angelfish, etc…. There is one resort on this island and it was next to the beach we were using. The resort has actually been closed for two years due to remodeling, though. Here is a picture of the overwater bungelows from the resort.


What a great day in Rangiroa!! Amazing snorkeling, beautiful island, friendly locals, sunny weather (and yes, we are burned from today) and lots of adventure. I can’t wait to visit this island again one day!!!

We will leave Rangiroa shortly and sail tonight and all day tomorrow. Our next stop will be Raiatea on Sunday.

French Polynesian Islands

We are currently sailing French Polynesia, otherwise known as the Society Islands or Tahitian Islands.

I'll start off by saying we had a great flight and made it here safely! And a shout out to the stewardess of Tahiti Nui. They must have changed their clothes 2-3 times. From a nice blue suit to welcome us on the flight, to the bright floral dresses, etc.... They definitely get you excited about Tahiti before you even land!


Yesterday was spent in Papeete, Tahiti (where we embarked on the ship this past Monday). We spent the day either sleeping or shopping around the town. Really the only thing in the town was the open air market, which is actually very, very neat! They sold fresh fish, gifts, sarongs, carved wooden art, and flowers. The flowers they sold were amazing! So bright and colorful….never seen flowers so beautiful! So it was a great experience to walk around the market and we certainly enjoyed it.



We left Papeete on a sunny afternoon (Tuesday) and began our sail towards Huahine. Here is a picture of Papeete (the capital of Tahiti) as we were sailing away



I’ll tell you a little about our ship. It’s small. The smallest we’ve ever been on. We are typically on ships that hold 3,500-4,000 passengers. The ship we are on now holds 600. That’s a huge difference. And believe it or not, we love the small ship. It’s more intimate, you get to know other passengers quickly, and it’s incredibly laid back. It makes sense that only the smaller ships cruise the Tahitian Islands (also called the Society Islands) There is no way these islands could hold a cruise of 3,500 passengers in port at once. These islands are not big enough for that. And we love that fact!
*The only downside to a smaller ship….you feel every movement from the water



I’m convinced there isn’t a more beautiful place on this planet with 5 colors of blue, clear water than in French Polynesia. Hawaii and the Caribbean Islands just don’t compare at all. The islands of Tahiti are bright, bright green and full of life. And the waters are one of a kind. Several colors of blue, completely clear, clean, and the temperatures of the water are so comfortable! You can’t beat French Polynesia. The Polynesians are incredibly friendly, helpful, and excited to show you their island. It’s an all around wonderful experience and I am blessed enough to say this is my second time here (since we honeymooned here 8.5 years ago) I pray I come many, many more times. It’s that beautiful.
Here is the outrigger canoe they use to take you on tours around the islands




We sailed overnight to Huahine. We had to anchor a mile out from the shore because the waters are so shallow. So once we took a ‘rescue’ boat from the cruise ship to the shore, we were greeted by locals who were ready to take us to the other end of the island to some beautiful beaches. Here is Brent in front of the 'shuttle' that took us to the other side of the island


We had a wonderful time at the beach, relaxing in the water, until a small rainstorm came over. It rains every day here for about 30 minutes-hour. You know it’s going to happen at some point every day so you just prepare for it. It’s not a thunderstorm, so as long as you have your belongings kept under somewhere dry, you can stay out in the waters and let the rain fall on you. That’s what I really enjoy. … relaxing in the ocean with Brent while the rain pours on us. Here is a picture of me on the way back to the ship via the 'rescue boat'. You can see our ship anchored in the distance.


We came back to the ship after the rain stopped. Some locals had come on to the ship for the afternoon to perform several shows showing off their native dances. The Polynesian women are so beautiful with their dark skin and long wavy thick black hair. They were beautiful to watch dance in their native step.




It’s been a lovely day for sure. We are about to nap before we shower and get ready for dinner. We are only 4 hours behind Dallas time, so the time change hasn’t affected us at all which is nice.

Tonight we begin sailing towards Rangiroa. We do not arrive there till Friday, so we will be at sea all day tomorrow. Brent has always wanted to visit Rangiroa, so he is most excited about seeing this particular island!

We hope to keep adding updates and pictures to the blog....but we are at the mercy of internet connection down here. Praying we continue to keep good connection...!!!!!

She Melts My Heart

I went outside on the back porch this evening to turn the grill on. As I walked past the patio table, I noticed an envelope on it.

At first, I thought the envelope was just trash..... But then I noticed what was written on it

Ashlan obviously wrote this letter and placed it outside for God to retrieve without me even knowing...
It contains a picture of her with a note that reads
"Dear God
You are good.
You made me.
I love my family.
Love, Ashlan"


My child melts my heart.

I am fortunate.

One of my good friends gave me this creative idea on how to give a fortune cookie!

All you will need is:
fortune cookies
white chocolate to melt
sprinkles

So I bought two boxes of fortune cookies

I melted a bag of white chocolate chips

Dip half the fortune cookie in the melted chocolate, then cover with sprinkles

Let the cookies dry on wax paper

Bag up a few with a tag that reads "I am fortunate for ________ "


We made a few bags for our neighbors that read "We are fortunate to have you as our neighbor!"
And I made a few bags for the girls at Brent's office that read "We are fortunate that you work with us!"

Such an EASY, creative way to express how you feel! Thanks for the idea, Hien!

'Sweet Heart' Cocktail

Nothing like a color coordinated drink to help you celebrate Valentine's Day! A little bit sweet, a little bit tart...the perfect signature drink for the night!

The Sweet-Heart

1/2 oz Amaretto
1 oz Vodka
3 oz Cranberry juice

Combine ingredients together in a shaker with ice, and shake or mix. Strain into a martini glass and garnish with a jelly candy. Cheers!

Unfortunately, though, we won't be doing a 'cheers' to this drink on Valentine's Day! Brent will be on first call. Therefore, no 'feel good' drinks.

Our toasting will be with this drink...


Don't be jealous.

Coconut Bread

One of my favorite things to taste - coconut. I love coconut. And the best part about living in this household and loving coconut - NO ONE else in this house likes it! So when I make something with coconut, buy something with coconut, or am gifted something with coconut, it is ALL MINE!

Here is a wonderful recipe for Coconut Bread!



Coconut Bread

1/2 C. canola oil
1/2 C. unsweetened coconut cream (or coconut milk)
2 eggs
1 t. vanilla extract
1 1/4 C. flour
3/4 C. sugar
1/4 t. baking soda
1/4 t. baking powder
1/4 t. salt
1/2 C sweetened flaked coconut

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease one 8 1/2 x 5 1/2 loaf pan.

In a small bowl, whisk canola oil, coconut cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until blended.

In large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt and flaked coconut and mix well. Add wet ingredients from small bowl, and mix just until combined - do not overmix.

Pour batter into prepared pan, and bake 45 minutes to 1 hour, until golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool on baking rack (I took mine out of the pan after 10 minutes). When completely cooled, cut into slices. Store in airtight container.

Recipe Adapted from The Food Nanny Rescues Dinner, by Liz Edmunds

YUM YUM!

An Early Summer Do

For most of Kate's life, she has had short hair. But over the past year she's been letting it grow out. She had some long layers added awhile back and her hair was becoming exactly what she had been wanting.


Her mother took her in for a 'trim' this past week. Kate asked for a little more than a trim. She wanted it cut to where it fell right below her shoulders. I guess the hairstylist got carried away because, in the end, her cut was above the shoulder. Kate wasn't thrilled at all with this haircut. But we explained to her that it will grow back out. This situation has probably happened to every female at some point.
But for the record, I think her haircut looks darling on her! We consider it an 'Early Summer Do'. With that short hair, she is ready for the summer sun!


Kate has such gorgeous, healthy hair.....she can really pull off any hair-do!

Teacher's Valentine

We love to make gifts for the teachers on holidays to show our appreciation, and Valentine's Day is no exception. I found so many fun and creative Valentine gifts for teachers online, but I ended up doing something very simple this year.

At the beginning of the year, Ashlans teacher filled out her "List of Favorites" for all the parents. I love that the teachers fill out these lists because it helps SO much when deciding what to gift to the teacher. Two things I was interested in knowing from that list: favorite sweet treat, and favorite restaurant.

And the teacher's favorite treat was Peanut M&M's. So I grabbed a couple bags of Valentine colored peanut M&M's, poured them into a clear container, and added a tag that reads "Thank you for being so 'sweet' to me!"


The teacher's favorite restaurant is Uncle Julio's. So I bought her a gift card for there....


I found this cute basket at Hobby Lobby that I wanted to use somehow. So I ended up placing the candy jar and gift card inside it. Then wrapped the entire basket with clear wrap and some ribbon. Hope Mrs. B enjoys! She is one of the best!!

Frozen Banana Bites

I haven't actually made these yet, but I can guarantee you that I will VERY soon.....because I LOVE bananas, I LOVE chocolate, and I LOVE peanut butter!

This recipe is courtesy of Never HomeMaker

FROZEN BANANA BITES


What you'll need . . .
2 large bananas
1/4 to 1/3 cup chocolate chips
1/4 to 1/3 cup peanut butter
Unsweetened coconut flakes

Method . . .
-Set out a large plate or bowl with a piece of parchment or wax paper on it.
-Cut up the bananas into good-sized chunks. Each banana should give you around 5 to 6 pieces.
-Heat the peanut butter and chocolate chips in the microwave on high for about a minute. Then stir until smooth.
-Dip the banana pieces in the chocolate-peanut butter mixture. Lay them out leaving some space between them on the parchment/wax paper.
-Then when you've "covered" them all, use the remaining mixture to spoon over the tops (for even more chocolate-y goodness).
-Then sprinkle the unsweetened coconut flakes on top.
-Transfer to the freezer for about an hour until hardened.

**You can enjoy them like this (but they really aren't frozen yet -- and when they're frozen, the banana tastes like vanilla ice cream) . . . I suggest then covering with some plastic wrap (or really you can do all of this in some kind of Rubbermaid container) and let freeze overnight.

Valentine Pizza

Everyone loves pizza, right? If you think you'll have pizza between now and Valentine's Day, here are two cute ways to present the pizza with a little love....

Before you cook your frozen pizza, take the pepperoni's off and use a small heart cookie cutter to cut them into hearts (or just use scissors) Then place them back on the pizza and bake as instructed...


If you make your own pizza, try forming the pizza dough into a heart! So cute! FYI - several pizza places are offering heart pizza's until Valentine's Day! Make sure you ask when you order!!!

The Beauty of Snow

We had a nice little snowstorm early this morning around 3am. The heavens dropped about 5-8 inches of soft, beautiful snow!
It covered everything! Just beautiful!

The snow came right up to the front door

Playing in the snow


Our backyard.

Bismark enjoyed the snow!


You can't tell the yards from the streets

Ashlan is loving this weather!