Happy To Be Here!

Our Alaska kids have moved to the island! We couldn't be more pleased to have more family around, and especially to have a grandchild close by! Sorry for not posting about this earlier but, well, I was living in the moment with that little grand-daughter of mine. Priorities, you know.

Kerry bundled up against a cool evening, compared to Lori and Acacia who had just recently arrived when this was taken.

Lori and Dave and Acacia stayed with us for their first three months while looking for their own little piece of paradise. We opened up the dividing door between the guest house side and our own living area, all the easier to combine households somewhat. Lori and I took alternating nights for cooking dinner which we then ate all together. Acacia could come and go between us as she pleased which was totally fun for all involved. This gave Mama a break now and then, and made for some fantastic bonding time with Grammy.

Acacia has adapted well to the tropics, not bothering at all with clothes most of the time, and who can blame her after Alaska all her life? She's taken to the water like it was her long lost element, no matter whether pool or warm pond or ocean. She's even learning to swim just by being in the water so often!

As each new fruit comes into season, it is declared her favorite: banana, lychee, mango, guava...

We've had Easter egg hunts, beach days, several hikes and picnics, shopping days, and just hanging out at home... It's been a real treat for me to see this little girl develop and adapt and learn new things.

 

One of her absolute favorite pastimes is hunting for lizards and geckos, and we've spent many an hour wandering around the yard to see if we could find any of those elusive critters (elusive when a three-year-old is looking for them, anyway). Other often-requested activities include blowing bubbles, kicking balls, playing with blocks and animals. A rousing game of chase or hide and seek are perennial options to pass the time, and, once in a while, she'll even settle down for a book, or three, or six.

 

The kids are now settled into their own lovely home at a slightly higher elevation (think noticeably cooler temperatures). I think they have adapted well to island living. We still get together at least a couple times a week, and I get to babysit as often as I like. Some of you might be a little envious of that, but I definitely put in my time apart and I'm making the most of it!

(The first photo on this post and the one of me reading to Acacia are courtesy of Lori Hubbell Meeker. All others are mine.)