Highlights

Yikes. It's been a while since my last post. I suppose that means that we have fallen into normalcy and our regular island life routine. Nonetheless, a lot has happened in a month. It is no surprise to hear that Austin's block exams have come and gone in that time and that he aced every test. What was a surprise was the new addition to St. Kitts: road lines. Can you believe it? We couldn't either. Driving just got a little easier. You'd think it would be a bit less scary too, but there is no hope for that. 

Early on in the semester, Austin, Eden, and I went with our friends to tour the Ross Veterinary Campus down the street from Austin's school. We were hoping our experience would be somewhat like going to a petting zoo. Alas, we saw one donkey, one lamb, 2 dogs, 4 birds in cages, and that was it. What we did get to see was a bunch of mosquitoes, flies, and other disease vectors under microscopes. As if we needed to be grossed out any more by the threats of St. Kitts, Austin seemed to enjoy it because he had already learned all about all that stuff in Microbiology, so it was seeing his studies in the physical. At one of our stops along the tour we got to look at a cross-section of a monkey's eye. I will admit that it was the first time that I have maybe ever looked under a microscope and understood what I was looking at. We had a double microscope that allowed me to look at the same thing as Austin as he maneuvered the slide and zoomed in on different areas. It was pretty neat. We weren't allowed to take pictures of anything past the front entrance, but this is us on that lovely rainy day before the tour. 

On the occasion that I go to the gym, Eden wants to workout with me. She is really good at the medicine ball, but is getting stronger by the day. This little thing has  BIG muscles! Eden loves playing on my iPad lately and is all too smart at knowing how it works. The other day, Eden turned on a workout video on YouTube and ran to get the 5 lb weights we have in the house. After straining to carry the weight to our bedroom where the video was playing, I watched her copy the instructors; she laid down and did a few bridges with her bum and then stood up to run in place. It was too cute watching her be like mom. 

There are new developments and things to tell each week with Eden. Lately, her new favorite thing is a two foot tall step that acts as a sort of ledge and border around our entire living room area. She loves climbing on it and flipping the light switches. She also found a love for the piano. I hope that one lasts. It made for a great distraction while we cleaned the church (That's what Eden is doing in the picture.) Lucky for me, we found an extra keyboard in the church closet that no one else is going to use, or knows how to use, so it came home with us today. I'm so excited to get to practice- especially now that I have been assigned to play in Sacrament Meeting every other week- and I'm glad Eden will have that to play on too.

We also loaded up on Mangoes as our reward for cleaning. Mmmm....

 It is getting hot enough that we miss the pool again. Poor Eden needed out of the house, too. We love the pool!

 The most exciting thing to have happen this month was having Grandpa and Grandma Gardenhire come to visit. Grandpa and Grandma to Eden, that is :)

We couldn't wait to see them and show them our island. Somehow, Austin got past the "Restricted Access" gate to see them come in. What a BIG boat, huh?

 Eden quickly took a liking to having Grandpa and Grandma here in person, as you can see. And that was BEFORE they showered Eden with Christmas x 2. That entire suitcase was full of goodies! We had a great time and not enough of it. The day was over all too quickly.

Now we get to look forward to the family coming in August. It's one great thing after another.