Sail Away to the British Virgin Islands

This month we ventured to the British Virgin Islands with some of our friends, Jeff and Leann Allen. We went on a sailboat, something we have never done before. What an adventure, especially when it rained and the wind blew hard! Here's probably too many pics of our trip.

The first few days we spent on the island of Tortola and did some scuba diving. Our first day we spent diving the Royal Mail Steamship Rhone: a ship that sunk in 1867. It was 310 feet long and 40 feet wide. It took us 2 dives to see the entire ship in about 80 feet of water.
Above is a picture of some of the steel beams on the ocean floor.

Here's Gayle diving through floor planking that is now standing up on end. There were lots of sponges and corals attached throughout the wreck.

On our way up from our first dive, I came across this octupus just sitting on part of the ship. He let us observe him quite a while...he was about 2 1/2 feet wide.

This is the mast of the ship.

This is Dave diving up to the floor beams of the Rhone.

One passenger survived the shipwreck, and he was from room #26. This is porthole 26 and Dave is rubbing his hand around the brass casing for goodluck.

Gayle getting ready to do a back roll on our third dive at the Indians off Norman Island.

Jeff and Leann Allen and Gayle and Dave on the dive boat from UBS divers with The Indians in the background. Christopher Columbus named this formation because he thought it looked like the feathers in a headdress.

A pic of the Flamingo Tongue snails. They were plentiful and attached themselves mostly to seafans.

On our dive at the Indians, parrotfish were everywhere. Here is a Queen Parrotfish.

Female Spotlight Parrotfish.

OOps, same picture.

Gayle posing in front of a large seafan.

Banded butterfly fish.

Four-spot butteflyfish.

Gayle and Leann in front of The Caves on Norman Island.

Our sailboat, Keuka Breeze moored in The Bight at Norman Island.

Here's Gayle tightening the jib with the winch. We learned a lot about sailing on this trip.

View of the beautiful water from Pirate's Bight beach on Norman island.

Sailboats docked at Jost Van Dyke Island.

A lovely little island and white sandy beach off of Jost Van Dyke. We think this was Green Cay.

Dave and I in the bubbly pool on Jost Van Dyke Island. It was fun and refreshing, but I got about 100 mosquito bites on our hike back to the boat, I even counted them!

Dave and Jeff hooking the mooring ball.

A scenic view of rock formations at The baths on Virgin Gorda. This was a beautiful place, with lots of rocks piled on top of each other, with pools of water, crevices and waves to explore.

Dave and Gayle in The Baths.

The Allens and Lamberts in paradise at The Baths on Virgin Gorda.

We even went diving off Norman Island at Angelfish reef without a dive master. We rented tanks and used them on our own. Here is a large pompano hovering near a large barrel sponge.

Toward our last dive, we came across this curious seaturtle.

On our hike on Norman Island, we came across these flowers. We couldn't find out what they are.

All of us atop Norman Island. The views were spectacular.

We saw these soldier crabs all over Norman Island.

We saw this square-masted sailship on our way back to Tortola.

On our way back home, we stopped at St. Thomas and walked the streets of Charlotte Amalie.

A local vendor selling punkky. Lots of pics, lots of fun!

Christmas Day 2009

Christmas Day was a bit different for us this year. We didn't celebrate until late afternoon when Crae, Lachelle, and Adam, Noelle and Brynnley could come over to open gifts.

We spent a few hours opening presents, visiting and enjoying an afternoon Christmas dinner.

It was kinda quiet, but we were grateful for the time we had together and enjoyed watching Brynnley open and play with her new toys.

Crae and his girlfriend, Lachelle Jacobsen, came over and spent Christmas afternoon with us.

Brynnley loves stuffed animals and baby dolls. She filled up the chair as full as she could get it.
< Merry Christmas Allens!

Brynnley was amused with the tree ornaments almost as much as the presents.

Brynnley kissing the Cabbage Patch doll that Grandma and Papa gave her.

Donut Tradition

Ever since the kids were little, we have made homemade donuts during the holidays. Since we moved to Utah, we have expanded the tradition a bit, and now have family living around, we have large quantities of chili, breads, salads, and donuts of course.

Noelle was able to participate this year since she was visiting here in Highland for the holidays. It was Brynnley's first Christmas donuts, and at first she wasn't sure, but after the first bite, she was hooked.

While in VA during Thanksgiving, Sean wouldn't let us go without doing a donut night also, so I did it twice this year. Gotta love those Spudnuts!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Here's Sean helping me in his kitchen frying the donuts. Everyone else was playing Rockband Wii in the family room. I don't even know how many donuts we ate that night.
Noelle and me, as well as Aunt Karen, Tyson and Jenn, all helped to make over 50 donuts on December 21. We even tried an orange glaze which was a great success. Yummmm.

Brynnley wasn't sure she wanted to eat a donut hole, but after the first bite, she was hooked!

Mom was a good sport, letting grandma feed Brynnley some sugar. Thanks, Noelle. I promise I won't do that often.

Donuts and grandma make for a happy combination. At least I think so.

Brynnley's new makeup....donut frosting.

Some of the Lambert clan on donut night. It was great to have Great Grandma June there. Noelle and Brynn don't get to see her very often.

It was fun watching all the cousins play together. From left to right is Halle Lambert, Brynnley Allen, and Morgan Neilson. These 3 will have fun together for years more!!!!!!

June Lambert relaxing after a few too any donuts. She loves as much as everyone else, I think.

Our Visit to Virginia in November 2009

In November 2009, Dave and I went to Virginia to visit Sean and his family to celebrate Mcrae's 2nd birthday and Thanksgiving. Here's a few pics of the highlites of our trip. It sure is fun to spoil the grandchildren...hope the parents don't mind!


Here is Mcrae eating his birthday cake that mom made.

Sean's family posing in front of the "CARS" cake that JinHee made. Isn't it darling? Tasted good too.

Sean frying donuts. A family tradition.

Kyo goofing around at the dinner table. It sure is hard to teach them manners when you are laughing at them all the time.

Mcrae undecorating the tree. His version of Christmas cheer!

One evening Kyo wasn't feeling well, so he fell asleep on the floor in the family room. Mcrae comes to lay by him and wake him. Kyo wasn't going for it, and he continued to sleep through all the laughing.