Harker Family: Visitors: Nana & Papa Harker and Aunt Sara

We were so lucky to be able to have our family come visit us this Christmas... well some of our family (minus my dad and step mom, Logan, Scott and Melissa). Nana & Papa Harker and Aunt Sara came visited from December 10-26, then we will have Nana & Papa Yamamoto came and visited December 22- Janaury 3.

Harker’s were here for 17 days. So we wasted no time with doing all the island fun. Josh still had 2 days before finals were done when his family arrived, which was hard, but he still needed to study. So we didn’t do the real fun things till he was done (at least that's what we told him ;) )

The Harker’s stayed in the holiday house (The place that we stayed in until we had a place to live when we first arrived). It’s a house 4 doors down from our house, which is owned by a doctor. The doctor uses his place in January and June, then rents it’s out to friends the rest of the year. It was nice to have family close since we don’t have room to house everyone.

I don’t think the Harker’s thought parts of the island, or our gated complex would be as 'islandish' (not very Americanized) as they do. Don’t get me wrong they still really enjoyed their stay it’s just not like living back home in Canada. I think we give a skewed view of how living is here because we always post the nice pictures that we take. So its hard to see how bad it CAN be sometimes.

As I have said before we think it is cooler here for Caribbean weather in the winter. But with the Harker’s flying out at -30˚C and arrived with temp.s at +30-35˚C (at night it got down to 25˚C), this felt hot for them. I’m glad they still thought it was hot.

Lincoln was so excited to have his Nana & Papa and Aunt Sara here. But he was concerned that Uncle Scott and Aunt Melissa weren’t here. He made it clear at the airport that we was not happy about it.

Pictures I texted to Nana & Papa Harker and Aunt Sara for their count down to coming.

Day 1 (December 10): ARRIVAL DAY

Ever since our first visitors in Statia we have brought our white board sign to the airport to hold up as our welcome sign to visiting us. While we were waiting for the Harker’s a security guard told us we weren’t allowed to have our sign in the airport, and if we wanted to hold it up we would have to stand outside. Luckily we already got some pictures of Lincoln and Lacey beforehand. It made no sense to me as families all over the world do signs for when missionaries come home. Any who! Lets move on...

We had so much fun with the Harker’s here and showing then what we call our home. Our first night I was telling them how I made Pina Colada’s every night for my mom and Byron when they visited in Statia. I told them I could make them for them to each night, I think they thought I was crazy till I made them some. Then they wanted one every night. It’s the thing that fixes my craving for Slurpee’s in this hot weather. I miss my Slurpee’s.

Lincoln was so excited to give his gifts from us to Nana & Papa Harker and Aunt Sara. He helped me wrap them before they arrived. He told them to shake it and guess what the gifts were before they opened them. He said " Do you know what it is?" He told them "I think it sounds like crackers" (he wrapped it in a cracker box... so I thought it was pretty good)...Haha!!!! He is so cute. So since their gift were in cracker boxes it sounded like crackers. Love my kids. :)

Day 2 (December 11): EXPLORING THE ISLAND & SIMPSON BAY BEACH

Lincoln soaking up all the attention possible.

Day 3 (December 12): POOL & MAHO BEACH

Lincoln warming up in his towel after swimming as he was cold... Plus his is sporting his Canadian hooded-towel.

Time to cool off.

Lincoln and Nana Harker played with this pool noodle forever. Who knew that a pool noodle could be so much fun. The simple things in life! Enjoying time together!

3:00pm Josh was done writing his last shelf exam....SCHOOL IS DONE!!!!!!!!!! I don't know if Josh was more happy or the kids and I. Term 2 is done! So exciting. Now 3 weeks of fun. So we picked Josh up and headed to Maho Beach to watch the planes come in.

We've seen the planes on in quite a few times and it never gets boring. Way better the Lethbridge's Air Show (I think so anyways).

We were lucky and saw someone we knew, so we got a picture of the whole group.

Day 4 (December 13): FORT LOUIS, MARIGOT MARKET & DINNER ON THE BEACH

Fort Louis is one of my favorite places on St Maarten. It has an amazing view and it also fun for the kids to explore and rock climb.

Papa Harker and Lincoln

Lacey and mom

It's amazing how blue the ocean is. It's beautiful!

After the fort we head to Marigot markert. It wasn’t as busy has it normal is and not as many venues set up. We also stopped by the Coconut Man Hut and enjoyed a Pina Colada.

Quiet time fun- making a cardboard air plane Nana Harker brought for Lincoln. This plane is so neat, it came as a whole bunch of cardboard pieces that we all got to color and put together. He still uses it 4 weeks later.

Friday evening we had supper and movie on the beach at Bucaneer Bar (Simpson Bay Beach). Pizza was delicious and the kids had a blast playing on the beach and watching a movie. It was definitely a good way to spend a Friday night.

Day 5 (December 14): BIRTHDAY PARTY, SNORKELLING & CAROUSEL

Lincoln’s friends Liam turned 3 while our visitors were here and we could not miss the party. So Nana & Papa Harker, Aunt Sara and Josh hit the beach and snorkeled while we had some airplane party fun!

Coconut fun! Enjoying an island fruit. Once you finally get into it. Josh has it down now with a hammer and a chizel he gets em open pretty quick.

Sara found a interesting Christmas tree at ACE, She thinks they may have Christmas a little confused here in the Caribbean.

Lincoln showing Nana Harker and Aunt Sara the Carousel.

Day 6 (December 15): CHURCH, RELAXING AND WALK ALONG THE BEACH

Kay Bay, is a very natural beach, you don't see anyone here. it's beautiful to walk along this beach at night and look for sea shells.

Josh found a neat spot farther out in the water that was protected by some big rocks so that you could get pretty close to the big waves as they crashed into shore.

Day 7 (December 16): BOARDWALK & CHRISTMAS HOUSE

Today was quite overcast and sprinkling rain all day, but no one was complaining. Everytime we go to the boardwalk Lincoln and Lacey have to have a picture on this pirate. Here's one with aunt Sara.

Lincoln found this statue....He's modeling his new sunglasses he got. We shopped all day. Lacey was a trooper and kept going all day till 3:30. When we headed home then crashed in the car... That night we went to a local house called the Christmas House. It was decked out in Christmas Decorations from top to bottom, it was neat to see how they do christmas here.

Day 8 (December 17): MULLET BAY BEACH

Our favorite beach with the Harker’s here was mullet. It has it seemed had the clearest water for snorkeling that we have seen around the island and is pretty consistent. This time of year snorkeling is the best, not sure why that’s just what we have heard. Nana Harker really enjoyed the snorkelling. If we were at the beach she was most likely floating in the water looking for sea shells. People asked us a couple times if she was okay as she floated close to shore looking for shells. lol! we had a lot of fun.

These rocks are to the left of Mullet Beach. This is where some ruins of a old resort was, it was destroyed in the big hurricane they got in 1996.

Day 9 (December 18): DAY TRIP TO PINEL ISLAND

Pinel Island is a little gem just a short boat ride off French Cul-de-sac ( north part of the island). It's located in the heart of the Marine Park of St Martin. Regular ferries leave the dock at cul-de-sac starting at 10am with the last return ferry at 5pm. You can also paddle to Pinel within 15mn with kayaks or stand up paddle boards near by the dock with Caribbean Paddling. The boat ride is 5 mins. Ferries leave the dock from the french Cul de Sac every 1/2 hour from 10am to 5pm costing $10 seven days a week, weather permiting.

We all had a GREAT day in the SUN.

We were able to watch iguana eating their breakfast, it was pretty neat. There were a lot of them. Josh said it felt like we were in Jurassic Park or something.