Finals & Expecting Friends

Not much to report on the home island. Next week is Eric's last week of class, then a week to study, then finals! He will have Pathology I, Pharmacology I, Virology, & Bacteriology exams. Sounds like a blast, right? Tonight will probably be Eric's last night to relax at a friend's BBQ. Starting tomorrow, he will be married to his vet books until his last final is over! Three weeks from today we will be heading north for the sweet American border.

In other news, I am happy to announce that my good friend Anne, who was also a work colleague at St. Josephs (and is an awesome physical therapist), is also having a baby! Our due dates are only a few days apart in early January. Eric and I are so excited that Anne and Davy will be having a little one the same time as us. I can already see it (and Eric is already planning it!)...9 years from now our kiddos will be in the cattle show rings together. Davy will be videoing (check out cattleinmotion.com), Eric will be fitting, and Anne & I will be checking out the cowgirl bling accessories at the vendor booths! :) Anne was originally due on Jan. 6, my b-day, but it has been pushed back a few days. As of now, I am still due Jan. 3. Maybe our babies will decide to debut on the same day! I am so glad to have a friend going through this pregnancy process with me and excited to be reunited with her in 4 weeks! I have now coined us as Pregnancy Pardners...she just doesn't know it yet!

Anne & Me on my last day of work back in 2009.

Keys Beach

Yesterday I went with Kevin and Daisy to Keys Beach. Kevin and I were on a quest to find sea glass. I sent a whole bag of sea glass home with my mom over break, so it was time for me to collect more. I had not been to this beach yet and found it to be beautiful! As you can see from the photos below, this beach is mostly covered with black sand from long ago lava flow & lava rocks. This is also a place where some students come to surf. We were the only ones on this beach for miles. I love the serenity and solitude of the beaches in St. Kitts!

Black Sand

The Atlantic Ocean

Landscape of Keys Beach when your back is to the water.

Beautiful Mountainside

My Sea Glass Discoveries

Beach Volleyball!

Friday and Saturday, Eric played with the VIPERs in the end of semester volleyball tournament. This of course was the team I was on the last two semesters, but had to sit out due to pregnancy. The VIPERs won their game Friday night. After leaving the beach, we headed home to get ready for Island Idol at Bobsys. The theme was 80's and all the performers had to sing songs from that decade. Some of the costumes were WILD. Wish I would have taken pictures.

Saturday, the VIPERs started up tournament play around 10 am. They went on to play 4 games Saturday, making for a long and extremely HOT day! They ended up winning 3rd place overall. I am so glad Eric got to play with this team. Here are some pictures from the tourney.

Eric, serving it up.

My Handsome

Rain Rain Go Away!

So there is not much to report about this week. It has been raining for days straight. The island is now in the rainy season. Monday night at 11 pm our power went out because of the storm that came through (you know, the one that has now turned into a tropical depression and expected to hit Florida, Miss, Alabama, Louisiana this weekend?!) I think Bonnie is her name. Our power did not come back on until around 7 pm the next night. Yes, it was a very miserable day without AC, cable, internet, phone, stove/oven, etc. I told Eric that we are very spoiled if we can't make it 24 hours without electricity. In our defense, he explains to me that it is not our fault because it is what we are used to! Damn right...in America you call the electric company and they bend over backwards to try and help you get your power back. Here, they hang the phone up on you. Customer service is non-existent on this island. So see, we are not spoiled, we are just accustomed to the American way...and we sure as hell miss it! :)

FOUR weeks from today we will be on a plane. We will be moving into a new apartment when we are back in September that offers more square footage to make room for Baby Metteauer. I am now 4 months and 3 days pregnant. I have felt our little avocado (that is what babycenter.com compares its size to right now) move a few times! My health is good (knock on wood) and I now have more energy to move about the island. Good things are yet to come! Take care my friends and we will see you all REAL soon!

Because I have not taken any pictures this week, I want to post pics of my Mom, Aunt Nita, Macey, & Torey Teal. They will be visiting us in St. Kitts in October, and flying home with me when I come back for my third trimester. I am so excited they will all be here! These are the only pics I could find of them at the moment! Love you gals!

My 2 Moms, Aunt Nita & Geri

My Sista, Macey Dee

And Macey's precious little girl, Torey Teal!

Jeremiah Thomas Weaver

Four blogs, 4 days in a row! I must be butter, cuz I'm on a roll!

My mom just sent me a few photos of our nephew, Jeremiah Thomas, son of my bro and sis-in-law, Tyler & Courtney. He was born in December of 2009, when we were home on break. He is now nearing 7 months and these pictures were just too cute not to add to our blog. Jeremiah and Courtney are about to spend 3 weeks with her family in Boston. We can't wait to see him again in August! Pretty soon, Jeremiah will have a baby cousin to play with. They will be close to 1 year apart. As my Aunt Sheila would say, "Luv-a-baby"!

Jeremiah, demonstrating his belly laugh in his bumbo chair.

GG, JT, & Big Daddy

Having fun at GG & Big Daddy's house.

What a ham!

Jeremiah swimming at GG's.

Only in St. Kitts...

I thought I would add a little mix to our blog posts today. Yes, we do live in paradise, on a tropical island, with beautiful beaches, volcanic topography, lush mountains/hills & rain forests, snorkeling/scuba diving, catamaran trips, monkeys & more. And while these key-point attractions bring in tourists from all over the world, you definitely come to know St. Kitts in a whole new light when opting to live here for 28 months. St. Kitts is by no means a 3rd world country, but their government & way of thinking, planning, processing, & executing ideas/policies/construction/development...let me see how to put it...are a little contrasting to "our" way of thinking. Students of Ross have a running FB page of hilarious occurrences that they have experienced or witnessed while living here on the island. It is entitled, "Only in St. Kitts"...check it out if you get a chance, to see why (a famous Aggie saying comes to mind!) "from the outside looking in you can't understand it, and from the inside looking out you can't explain it." Maybe some of these photos that I will be posting here on occasion will help to "explain" the sometimes-not-so-pleasant, but interesting incidents we must encounter as "foreigners".

I got a few Only in St. Kitts (OISK) anthems from the FB page to share with you, as well as the picture I took the other day at Port Zante.

~This is one Eric & I experienced personally...OISK can you get passed up by a taxi van while slowing down to go over a speed bump.

~OISK can you have your mechanic take your car to "work on it" and keep it for a year without any intentions of ever returning it.

~OISK is it legal to drink & drive, but you can't drive drunk.

~OISK can you be studying at school and have a monkey run up and steal your coffee.

~OISK can you go into Kentucky Fried Chicken, only to be told that they have no chicken?!?

And here is the photo I took the other day while shopping with friends...it needs no explanation.

ONLY IN ST. KITTS! :)

Shopping, Lunch & A History Lesson

A few days ago me and a 4 other lady spouses met up for shopping and lunch. We gathered in downtown Basseterre, the capital of St. Kitts. (Sidenote: Basseterre was founded in 1627 by the French. Basseterre is a French word that translates to "low land" in English. Surrounded by lush green hills and mountains, Basseterre is low, flat land and is on the lee of winds of the island, making it safe anchorage.)

We browsed through the local shops that outlined the town square, entitled Independence Square. This particular area of town is inundated with cultural history dating back to the slave trade. At first, it was the administrative center of the island, as well as the place where slaves were bought and sold for labor on the many sugar plantations that surrounded the island. Some of the buildings where they were kept in grim cellars, notably the Georgian House, are still standing. Originally known as Pall Mall Square, it was renamed as Independence Square in 1983 to mark the island's independence from British colonial rule.

The north side of Independence Square

Independence Square

The Georgian House, where slaves were stored in cellars/underground tunnels until they were escorted to the square to be bought/sold.

Me & Jasmine, in front of the elegant Victorian architecture of the Catholic Church

The Catholic Church at Close Range.

This is a local art shop, where Kittitians make Caribbean influenced pottery and glass designs. The building is a typical structure for many homes and businesses in St. Kitts.

Jasmine, me & Jessie posing in the phone booth along the square.

After shopping, we had a nice lunch at Caribe Cafe. This place offers a cool balcony to dine upon, overlooking the Caribbean Sea and Sister Island, Nevis. Unfortunately, I do not have any pictures to share of this Cafe. We had a great day of food, fun & fellowship while our spouses were in class. Thank goodness for friends to keep one occupied!

36 days with an Island Dog

While we are still enjoying our home away from home, that is not to say we aren't counting down the days until our return to The Lone Star State. And while some students have counted down the hours and minutes, I prefer simple math...meaning, THIRTY-SIX days until we are back in the states for break! Eric has four more weeks of class left and then a week of finals. Yee-Haw!

Now I could dwell on the countdown of our return home for hours, but what fun would that be, considering we live on a tropical island? Over the past few days, we have enjoyed the beach, beach volleyball, & pool time (Eric of course in-between studying). In the evenings, when the temperature has cooled down, we enjoy taking Max to the beach to let him run around & get exercise. I know I have posted photos of Max & his beach in the past, but he has not been on the blog in so long. I took new pictures of him and thought I would pay tribute to our furry companion, as he only has 6 more weeks to enjoy St. Kitts. We will be bringing Max home in August and will leave him with my parents for the remainder of our stay on the island. We just thought it would be easier on him and us, as we will be adding a new child to the family early next year. And here he is, eager to show the world, once again, HIS beach! Enjoy!

Can Anything Be More Adorable?!? I think not!

Can you spot Max? Follow the paw prints.

Sea Turtles

St. Kitts sea turtle nesting period is about to end and the hatching season has already begun. In 2003, a sea turtle monitoring network was established in St. Kitts to monitor sea turtle activity in hopes of strengthening sea turtle protection laws. Many Ross students volunteer with this organization to walk the beaches at night to assist in research and assistance to the turtles when laying their eggs. They measure the turtles, tag them, relocate their eggs/nest if it is too close to the water, etc. The three types of sea turtles surrounding St. Kitts' waters are the green, hawksbill, and leatherbacks. The primary nesting here on Kitts is that of the endangered leatherbacks. If you are interested in learning more, here is the sea turtle monitoring link where I received my information.

www.stkittsturtles.com

Below is a picture of a sea turtle nest that is located right by our apartment. When Eric and I walk to the beach with Max, we are always hoping to see tiny sea turtles scurrying towards the water. There are about 4 or 5 nests that line the beach near our place.

Strawberry Cake Balls!

So, I must confess. These pregnancy hormones have me craving cake, cake, & more cake; morning, noon & night! I crave white cake, chocolate cake, yellow cake, coconut cream cake, german chocolate cake, strawberry cake, confetti cake, carrot cake, white icing, cream cheese icing, chocolate icing, strawberry icing (you get the picture) ....if it has cake in the title, I will probably want to devour it! Recently, I have heard of friends making "cake balls" and I, of course, had to google this tasty sounding phenomenon unbeknownst to me. As I was cake ball surfing the internet, I stumbled upon the most delectable, eye-appealing blog to satisfy the palate of cake lovers everywhere. After skimming through a blog entitled, Schweet -N- Savory, I found the recipe I was looking for! I decided to make a rookie attempt at assembling strawberry cake balls for our shark cookout (see previous posts for pictures of the shark..and btw, it tasted like chicken!). This event was hosted by our island friends, Kevin & Lindsey. The cake balls were a HUGE hit, and I will be baking these heaven-n-a-ball cakes again SOON. I mean, come on, I still have TWO whole trimesters left! :)

The cake balls were really fun to make and my sweet husband helped me every step of the way. Now that is what I call love people! I have included this fabulous recipe and pictures of the cake ball making process, because it would be rather inconsiderate of me to keep this delightful treat a secret from the people I love. Enjoy my friends and bon appetit!

Ingredients:

1 box Duncan Hines Strawberry Cake Mix

1 1/3 c. evaporated milk

1/3 c. strawberry jam

3 eggs

8 bittersweet, dark chocolate baking squares (I used 2 bags of semi-sweet chocolate chips, because I don't like the really dark chocolate)

Creamy Cream Cheese Icing (recipe follows)

Begin preheating your oven at 350*. In a large bowl, combine cake mix, evaporated milk, strawberry jam & 3 eggs. Mix well and pour into a greased 9X13 pan. Bake according to cake box instructions. Let cake cool.

Now, the fun part! Once the cake has cooled, take that pretty cake you just baked, and crumble it into a large bowl.

Insert creamy cream cheese icing here. To make, combine 2 8 oz packages of softened cream cheese, a stick of softened butter (1/2 cup), 2 cups confectioner/powder sugar, & 1 tsp. vanilla.

Once the icing is mixed, pour this creamy concoction into your

bowl of crumbled cake and mix together.

Then, take the hamburger-meat-looking hodgepodge (gotta love my verbiage this early in the morning) and roll cake into bite-size balls. I went a little overboard on mine and made them a smidgen too big for bite size. Place them on a cookie sheet covered with wax paper.

Place them in the freezer for ten minutes.

While the balls are hardening in the freezer, melt your chocolate in a bowl (I used the microwave). Now you are ready to dip each individual ball into the chocolate, copiously covering them. You can use a fork or toothpick to assist in dipping.

Next, place them into the refrigerator to allow the chocolate to harden. (Takes around 15-20 minutes).

This was the final product! They tasted just like a chocolate covered strawberrys! Deeelish!

Bratfest, Horse Racing & Shark Fishing, O MY!

WOW! What a weekend we just experienced! Eric finished up his 4th midterm last Friday, commencing our 3rd mid-semester break here on the island. I can't believe half the semester is gone, and we will be home for break in 8 weeks! Anyway, once Eric returned home from school on Friday, we headed to Timothy beach for volleyball and relaxation. Because I am "with child", I am no longer playing volleyball with the Vipers...insert tear here. The last few Fridays, Eric has taken my place on the team, and I must say, the boy can play some volleyball, considering he has never really played in his life. So, we had fun at volleyball and then I played DJ for Elvis while many Ross students danced the night away...there was a little bit of two stepping, cupid shuffling, and bump & grind.

On Saturday, we relaxed in the morning and then headed to the Royal St. Kitts for Eric's semester's pool party. We stayed for a few hours and then headed back to Timothy beach for Bratfest. Some friends from Wisconsin missed their annual Bratfest back home (and this isn't brat that rhymes with rat, rather ROT), so they decided to throw one here at Elvis'. They boiled over 100 brats in beer and onions overnight, then grilled them at Elvis' the next day. There was beach volleyball, cornhole, redneck golf, beer drinking (not me of course), and two-stepping going on as well. It was a lot of fun!

Hmm, let's see...on Sunday we cooked a late breakfast and then headed out with Kevin and Lindsey to the horse races. I am glad we got to go, because Eric has never been to the one here before. We bet on two races, and the horse I bet to win, WON! I won a whole dollar in EC as my prize. I definitely prefer the tables over horse racing when it comes to gambling. I have posted pictures below of the track.

Sunday night, at around 7 pm, we left Port Zante on a fishing boat for a night of SHARK fishing! Kevin organized this fun fiasco for his birthday, and kindly invited us to partake in the hunt for jaws. Let me tell you folks, this was the LONGEST fishing excursion for me to date (7 pm to 1:30 am..that is a long time on a rockin' boat for a pregnant lady). The captain kept us entertained with a plethora of dirty jokes, and of course he wanted us to share ours (No Mom & Dad, I had absolutely NONE to tell!). He said the more we told, the better luck at fishing we would have. I would share some of them with you, but I think this is the wrong blogging column for that! Gotta love Kittitians...and I digress.

We had two big lines out for sharks, and were also able to bottom fish while waiting for the big kahuna to take our bait. Overall, the whole crew caught around 20 squirrel fish. About three hours into our trip, we heard the sweetest sound ever!...the whirring of our rod and reel, letting us know that something underwater was running with our decoy! Yep, we caught us a 3 foot black tip shark! It took around 15-20 minutes to fight it and reel it in. Check out pictures below. About 30 minutes after this HUGE adrenaline rush, our other shark line starting WHIRRING! I never knew my heart rate could go from 80 to 180 beats in .5 seconds. So the captain, Eric, & Kevin fought the second shark (or at least that is what we think it was) for around 30 minutes, even having to drive the boat a ways toward the big, fat ornery fish. Needless to say, we thought we had another shark to pack in our cooler, but it broke loose after a 30 minute struggle. There is always next time to catch the tiger we were hoping for. (Did I just end a sentence with a preposition? O well...I have been out of school way too long!) I am always self-conscious that people who are reading our blog are continually critiquing my grammar. I have years of living with my mother to thank for that, who made sure that Tyler and I spoke correctly! Ain't that somethun?! :) I digress AGAIN!

Monday morning, Eric played a round of golf with some buds, and I recovered from the exhausting weekend. I think I could have slept all day! I am trying to cram as much activity into my life as I can right now, before I am at the beck and call of an infant (and don't get me wrong, I am so happy and excited about it!). I am starting to feel better, now that I am transitioning into my 2nd trimester. Hopefully I will be up for more adventure before I must head home to the states for lockdown of my 3rd trimester.

Whew I am out of breath, or should I say, "out of typing stamina" after telling about our weekend adventures. Eric and I had a fabulous, long weekend together, but now he is back to the books. The countdown has begun to our flight back to Tejas. 8 months has been way too long to be away from our home! 50 DAYS and counting!

Bratfest

Eric & Chris playing cornhole

At the Races!

This is the horse that I bet to win, & it won!

Black Tip Shark