St. Croix Vacation!

Wow can't believe we went to St. Croix and are back already! It started when Dad was in Ohio visiting and we met him at Coccia House for dinner on Monday May 10th and he mentioned their renter was gone till September but if family wanted to come and stay in the apartment they could........that's all it took for Josh to decide we are going! So we booked our tickets for May 29th-June 1oth. We found out that those dates were when Jeannette was going to be in Ohio but it didn't suit us to come down later in June and I didn't want to go in July or August. This was my third trip, Josh's 2nd and Avery's 1st! Josh and I haven't been to St. Croix since Nov. 2004.





We could stay at hotel in Cleveland and park there cheaper then just parking at the airport. Which suited us fine since our flight was leaving at 6:35 am. Avery is a creature of habit and was a bit unsettled at bedtime, she wanted to go home, so Josh made up the pull out bed and that really helped that she had her own bed.



Avery's first plane ride. She was SO excited and did awesome on all flights, although she was a little mad that it wasn't going fast enough...lol!




St. Croix is the southernmost of the 3 US Virgin Islands, located b/t the Caribbean Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean, east of Puerto Rico. It is 80 sq. miles or about the size of a little more then 38,000 football fields. Being a US island (St. Croix is a US territory) with Christiansted as their Capital, the US dollar is the legal tender and they have NO sales tax, English is the official language however they do drive on the LEFT side and no the steering wheel is on the same side as we are used to so that is an adjustment!





This is part of the North Shore road (where Dad lives). I think it's pretty cool the vines or maybe they are roots that are hanging down.



Dad & J live on Jumbie (BUMPY ;) Lane.



My Blue Heaven is the name they gave their house. They started building it in 2001/2002, Jeannette moved in Sept. 2005 and Dad after finishing his work contract moved in January 2007.

The Pool.

We were SO hungry when we got to St. Croix so we stopped at our favorite place Off the Wall (which is also very close to D & J's House).

Avery HAD to go put her feet in the water plus it was SOOOO hot and humid!



This is our sleeping arrangements for 12 nights but usually Avery ended up in bed with me towards the end of our stay.

The Saharan Dust! It stayed out in the Caribbean and lasted several days and we also had no trade winds either so it was VERY hot! This is a view from Dad & J's deck.

Ahhhh the dust is leaving and finally some blue skies. Another view from Dad & J's house.

Love the sky in this picture.

Now this is the view we are used to seeing! Taken same time and place as the one above with the Sarahan Dust!

One of two pineapple's Dad is growing.

He cut us some banana's (they are a cross b/t a banana and plantain) and wouldn't you know it they NEVER did ripen until we left then they ripened like crazy...figures!

Dad and Jeannette's pretty flowers/plants at their house:

They do have a flamboyant tree but this picture was taken elsewhere.

The "Wild Life" at the Crilow's:

Alice the persnickety cat!

Every afternoon like clock work the deer would come into Dad's yard. There was a buck, doe and a baby.

A Heron....Dad thinks it's a Juvenile Yellow Crowned Night Heron.

An Egert bird - I forget the name and Dad will have to help me.

Ahh millipedes or as the locals called them Gongola's (they can get really big and fat!). It was their season and they were everywhere. They don't hurt you unless they get on you and pressure is applied then they will burn ya!

Gecko's everywhere but they were afraid of you.

This one was sooooo little!

Thoughtful Jeannette even though she was in Ohio had a birthday gift waiting for Avery.

Avery has NO clue who Hannah Montana is but was SO excited about the pillow b/c it had pink on it :)

Having a dance party in our apartment!

A nightly must was popcorn with Daddy I didn't think Daddy would want his picture on here in his undies NOR do I think you would want to see it ;)

What? Who me?!

She was SO excited on her new doggie jammies. I left her open all her clothes (for her Bday) before we left for vacation.

She said and I quote: "Mama I look so stylish huh?!" and yes baby you do! :)

Gpa and Avery bonding :)

We gave D & J's pool a workout while we were there!

Avery loved having her Daddy around all the time and well me too since I do work part time.

"Look I can float and do tricks"

Dad treated us to dinner at Angry Nat's in Christiansted on the pier. Yummy food! I tried cavair and raw tuna for the 1st time, as did Avery, and a local fish called wahoo - very mild and yummy.

I can honestly say on my 3rd trip to St. Croix I spent the most time in the Caribbean! Normally we are running around trying to see and do everything but being my 3rd visit and Josh's 2nd plus having Avery we took it easy and went swimming a lot. The water was SO warm even at 9 or 10am and very calm and oh so clear! Avery's hook bracelet got caught on Daddy's swim trunks and came off and fell to the bottom of the ocean floor and I could see it clear as day...thank goodness!

This is Cane Bay Beach right down from D & J's house.

Mommy and Avery way out there.

The water was oh so pretty! Truely is paradise!

This was Avery's first day on the beach and check out her hands (for those who know her) getting ready to twist and ring them :) she was so excited!

Testing out her new Bday gifts!

She was SO sandy and even laid in the sand - took days to get it out of her hair! The water pressure in St. Croix is nothing like we have back home.

Hi everyone!

My favorite palm tree. It got blown down from Hugo in Sept. 1989.

Love this picture!

On wkends a couple sets up a food stand along the beach.

This is a view of Off the Wall from Cane Bay Beach.

Again at Off the Wall and the heat index was over 100 degrees!

Our little Island girl. Jeannette got her this dress/shirt last year for her bday.

View from Off the Wall.

This restaurant was right across from the beach and a hop skip and jump from D & J's House. We ate there one night.

Me and my Dad! It was SO hot!

Yes it's true Josh does have wings despite what some of you think! ;) This was taken at Dad's house.

Having drinks at Off the Wall with Larry (Dad and J's old renter) and our friend I met in 2000 and Josh met in 2004, Big Keith Nelson.

Again at Off the Wall for drinks before heading to dinner. Yes you get the routine? Pretty bad when we left Dad's and Avery would ask "Are we going for drinks guys?!" She just loved their hammock and hermit crabs!

This is a view of Gentle Winds where Jeannette works. We spent 3 days hanging out at that beach and Avery loved their pool!

I loved this set up b/c I spent a lot of time in the shade!

I mean look how clear this water is!!

Dad busted out his snorkle gear for the 1st time this year and saw some fish. We saw some too but I'm sure not as many as he did.

This is the pool, it was VERY nice!

Miss A is getting braver as the week goes on.

They also had a beach snack shack and Karen made lunch for us 2 times and it was YUMMY! Dad, Avery and Josh are sitting up on the chairs.

This is Karen and Avery. Karen liked to spoil Avery with suckers and other stuff.

This is the life!

Love this picture too!

Dinner at Rowdy Joe's.

The waiter gave us a sample of Edamame. It was an editable soy bean. I'm not a fan of beans at all - only like grean beans but these were yummy we all loved the sauce they put on them!

I had their fresh mahi-mahi fish taco's with asian noodles....again yum! We never had a bad meal...ever! Which is pretty amazing with a picky eater ;)

I feel the need to come here every trip and this time was no different. If you can't read it says: "Pt. Udall, Easternmost point of the United States of America". I hear the sunrises are amazing but we'd probably have to leave Dad's house at like 4 or 4:30am to get to see one....maybe someday.

Views from Pt Udall.

This is Buck Island and I was there in 2000.....it's amazing and SO beautiful. If Avery was older we would have gone there.

Then we stopped at Cheeseburger's in America's Paradise for lunch.

Josh and I love this sugar mill.

A little bit of history for ya!

Obviously with Avery we don't stay out late but they were having live music at Off the Wall one night so we went down. I thought it was 11 or so when we got home...it was 9:45 ;) hahaha! It gets dark there by 6:30-7 so by 9 you feel like it's 12am or so!

Avery spied this HUGE hermit crab a mile away!

She got brave and picked up a smaller one.

Having dinner at Bogey's. This is the place where Josh and I stayed in Nov. 2004.

Mmmmm lobster just wasn't big enough though :)

Daddy and Josh looking for crabs.

The sunsets just weren't happening for us!

We went to Off the Wall on the way home and she was so proud since she is holding another hermit crab but bigger one this time :)

This is one of Fredericksted's Beaches. Talk about calm waters!

This picture reminds me of a post card!

Karen recommended that we eat lunch at Turtles Deli. They had HUGE lunchmeat sandwhiches and again were very good!

This is the deli and they had homemade bread too!

Then it was into the rain forest and onto Norma's (Domino Club) home of the Beer Drinking Pigs!

You put an unopened can of non-alcoholic beer in it's mouth and it would chomp on it, drink it and spit the can on the floor! I made Josh put the can of beer in it's mouth since I did in 2004 and it scared me - that pig wasn't gentle like this one was!

Avery petted them.....eeeewww!

Video's were $3.00 but I snuck in a quick one since there were so many people in there with us.

Then up the road they had a "petting zoo" Avery LOVED LOVED LOVED these puppies!

She bawled when it was time to go!

Again, another disappointing sunset!

Us. We were hanging out at Dad's pool waiting on Avery to get up from her nap.

I spied a smahed crab in Dad's driveway and Avery had to pick it up right away.

We played B-I-N-G-O at Off the Wall. I was so close to winning $629.00 and so was Chip but we left empty handed! Avery did win me a free drink since she had the earliest Bday in June :)

She couldn't get enough of the hammock. The girl loves to swing!

Again another disappointing sunset.

Love this Church. It is a Episcopal Church. It's in Christiansted.

My favorite street in Christiansted, Strand Street.

This is Sonya's where our hook bracelet's are from. She is in the bottom very small place. Josh got a bracelet this trip so I guess you can say we are all officially hooked on St. Croix! :)

Cool bar on Christiansted pier.

This is Hotel on Cay in Christiansted. Very expensive to stay there.

We ate lunch at Rum Runner's (Christiansted pier) one day again so hot!

Avery spied this crab too while we were eating lunch.

She was whipped and fell asleep on the way home.

Jeannette made it back on Wed. afternoon. We went to the Brewery (Christiansted pier) for a beer....too bad they were warm!

Again another favorite picture!

We took Dad and Jeannette out for late Mother's Day and early Father's Day to the Bombay Club a MUST eat when in St. Croix. They have the best french onion soup and a/c!

Avery, Josh and I stopped at Off the Wall on our way home from dinner since it was our last night there.

Our last day. Our plane left at 2:30 so we had a few hours before we had to leave:

Look how far out we are and the water is still up to our waists!

One last jump in Gpa's pool!

This one if for you Dad :) One last shower at Gpa's.

Finished my bottle of Captain's just in time!

Jeannette had to go back to work so we stopped in and saw her.

We ate lunch at Off the Wall and had one last swing on the hammock!

So sad sitting in St. Croix airport.

But at same time SO happy to be going home!

Miss A strutting out to our plane and yes her hands were a going!

See you soon - I hope!

So this is 8:30 am THE NEXT DAY - we got into Atlanta early on Thurs. but do to thunderstorms we had to circle the airport for almost 2 hrs and were 8 in line to land so we missed our connecting flight - long story short after we got booked on a flight the next day and had to spend the night at our expense (airlines don't pay for hotels anymore do to Mother Nature -ahhh the joys of travel!) Anyway Avery wanted ice cream and since she did SO good with traveling and waiting forever at the airport I got her some.

We finally got our car, grab a quick lunch and headed home and she FINALLY crashed. We got home about 2pm on Friday June 11.

Dad thank you for sending me pictures of the sunset that alluded the 12 nights we were there~

Our footprints may disappear but the memories will remain for a long time! We had a great vacation and thank you again Dad and J for your apartment and use of your car!