A Little Valentine's Day Fun

Yesterday was our 6th Valentine's Day together. 

Our 2nd married Valentine's Day. 

And our 1st Valentine's Day on a tropical island.

To answer many people's questions, YES, they do celebrate Valentine's Day in Grenada.  But by celebrate, I mean that the kids know what it is, IGA has one end of an aisle dedicated to Valentine's Day treats, and I found a V-Day card at the stationary store with an envelope that had grease stains on it.  This. Is. Grenada.

But ya know what?  I kinda like it better that way. 

No deliveries of generic overpriced red roses at work, no over the top displays of candies and cupids, just a special day to celebrate my husband without all the hullabaloo. 

I spent the morning at our SO "Spread The Love" bakesale where we sold a wide array of beautifully baked treats to raise money for Dorothy Hopkins Home for the Disabled.  We made $1,700 EC at the bakesale and it was our most successful bakesale to date.

Josh was busy in labs all morning but found some time to sneak over and buy me a beautiful bouquet of Birds of Paradise.  I could get used to flowers like this, forget the roses any day.

Only $25.00 EC which is $10.00 US dollars people.

After classes, Josh came home to study and I went over to Limes to celebrate Valentine's Day with all the kids.  We made paper heart Valentine's and passed out special V-Day treats.  Some of the kids glued grass to their Valentine's Day cards, while others ate the glue.  Ya know, just a typical day at the Limes field!

Looks up to no good doesn't he? :)

Baby Deanna has been coming to Limes lately.

Loving the cupcakes Miss Julie made for them all.

After Limes, I finally got to spend a little time with my Valentine.  I gave him my very appropriate Valentine's Day card.

...but you're the only catch for me!

And then we went to the Beach House Restaurant for dinner.  We had never been before but had been told that the food was delicious and the restaurant stunning.  It didn't disappoint.  The Beach House is located right on the water on a private beach.  We arrived just as the sun was setting and enjoyed a great meal and a bottle of wine.  Even though Josh has his first set of 5th term tests coming up, we spent a carefree evening discussing everything non-school related.  It was perfect.

I couldn't have asked for a better Valentine's Day and I definitely couldn't ask for a better Valentine.  I hope everyone enjoyed their day as much as we did!




Spring has arrived and so have the Douglas Men.

Well, it's official.  Spring has arrived. And. It. Is. Beautiful.  Being a Bakersfield, California girl, I am really only used to two different seasons, winter and summer.  We might get a few weeks some years where there is a hint of spring.  But it is nothing like what Josh and I are getting to experience here in Newcastle upon Tyne.  In the last couple of weeks, the sun has shown more than the clouds, the flowers are blooming bright yellows, purples, and reds, the bare naked branches of trees have sprouted leprechaun green leaves, the insects are buzzing from bush to bush, and the birds can be heard chirping their merry little tunes all day long.  I am in love with Spring.  I have always said that summer is my most favorite time of the year, but if I could have Springs like this in Bakersfield, I think I might change my mind.

These trees had NOTHING on them until about two weeks ago.

April hath put a spirit of youth in everything.

-William Shakespeare

Just last week, after coming home from the gym, I decided to take my lunch outside to our tiny front lawn for a picnic and some reading in the sunshine.  Oh happy day!

Josh sneakily took this photo from his "Man Cave" window.

And what perfect timing for Spring to arrive right when we are going to have more visitors!  Scott and Andrew arrived at Newcastle International Airport on Thursday evening and we were so glad to see them.  The most challenging part about living here (minus the whole medical school thing) is having our family so far away from us.  Luckily, we have had quite a few family members visit in the past 8 months.

Scott headed up to St. Andrew's golf course in Scotland yesterday (and he got to golf!) and so Josh and I took Andrew to Jesmond Dene for some football throwing.  Jesmond Dene is gorgeous all the time, but right now, when the breeze picks up and the sun is out, you see the little flower petals from the trees falling, and it is breathtaking.

Josh and his little bro Andrew.

Today, Mother Nature again provided us with another beautiful day and some fabulous sunshine.  I even went running for the first time outside post knee surgery!  Three miles baby!  Scott and Andrew traveled to the coast for the afternoon and when they got back, the four of us headed back to Jesmond Dene for more football.

Andrew, Scott, and Joshua

We are so happy to have them here and you can all look forward to more blog posts about their time spent here.  They are staying until Saturday. 

I know Spring can't last forever, so I am going to soak up as much of it as I can while it does last.  Especially since I have no idea when I will ever live in another place where I truly get to experience it. 

petting zoo MINUS the petting

On Friday morning, I ventured out down the street to Jesmond Dene with some of my fellow SGU SO's and their children.  It was a cold dreary morning, like most mornings in Newcastle, and we headed to the newly opened petting zoo.  Now, the petting zoo is really rather neat.  It's in the middle of beautiful Jesmond Dene, and there are lots of animals including bunnies, chickens, ducks, pigs, goats, and sheep.  However, the one thing this petting zoo is lacking is the petting part.  You can see all the animals, but they are all gated in and so you can't pet a single one.  It's really rather annoying.  I have never been to a place called a petting zoo where you can't actually pet the animals.  They should just call it a zoo!  Oh well, it was fun and it is free, so I guess I shouldn't complain. The kids enjoyed themselves a lot I think.  Here are some pictures of us that day.

Mr. Billy Goat Gruff

Luke and Evie watching the animals

Little Miss Evie and I

Julie and Evie taking a picture

The pigs (Peppa and George)

Look at this doll Krew

And Mr. Photogenic Benjamin

I don't think I'm lying when I say that these SO's in Newcastle have some of the most precious kids ever!

Julie and I

 They have the cutest thing in Jesmond Dene that I have ever seen. A pet cemetery! I thought it was the sweetest thing ever. If I lived here (Oh wait...I do! But you know what I mean.), I would want my dogs to have a headstone just like this.  How special!

The Pet Cemetery

After the petting zoo, we walked back to Alta and Krew's house to eat lunches that we had packed earlier in the day.  The kids had fun playing and the SO's got to know each other a little better.

There are some flowers that just popped up all of the sudden outside the park. I'm in love with them.  Just a little bit of color on these cold cloudy days is enough to make me smile. Don't you agree that they are beautiful!?!  I am hoping this means that spring is just around the corner. :)

This picture does not do the flowers justice!