Not a Griswold Family Vacation

It's Turks time!  Finally! At the end of March, my parents rented a beautiful home on Chalk Sound on the island of Providenciales in Turks and Caicos, and invited my band-of-wildlings sisters, our husbands, our Gracie, and a Schuette cousin to join them in paradise. I'm so excited to share these glorious photos and wonderful memories with you, my loyal readership. Before we get there, you should know that this post will function as a giant thank you to my parents for their generosity and accommodation.  We have all contributed some thoughts and a few favorite memories that wouldn't have been possible without the benevolence of Tami and Hanser, aka Mimi and Papa.  



Without further adieu, we're opening with the big guns, the photographer extraordinaire, my hunky hunk....ERIC:

It would be impossible to distill this trip down to one moment, but I'll try.  There are no direct flights to Turks.  And with a 1 year old, we chose to fly out of the nearest, local airport.  That meant 3 flights to get there.  With a 1 year old.  She was great.  But...

 




















You arrive in Turks on the tarmac.  It's basically a short highway and a control tower.  That's the airport.  And it's hot.  Oh so wonderfully hot.  But with jet fuel exhaust. There are 24,000 people on Provo.  And they all operate on "island time."  And there is a shortage of rental cars.  I swear, everyone at the rental counters were wearing this T-shirt.

So, Erin, Grace and I roll off the tarmac with suitcases, baby seats, strollers, cameras... We aren't getting a rental car and a taxi to our pad will cost $12,421.00 (all numbers approximate).  Then up drives HANS! in a clown car, er, red Chevy Sonic.  After squeezing us all in (an exquisite performance), we took the 15 minute drive to paradise.  Perfect day.  Perfect calm on the water.   We got out the toys (SUPs, Kayaks, floaties for Grace).  A few hours later, as the sun was setting, I was floating (salt content was high) in the Sound with my sisters and wife - Grace was up on the hot tub deck with Grandma and Grandpa.  I'll never forget that feeling of utter contentment.  Utter calm.  Perfect tranquility.  We were literally talking about it - how ridiculous that moment was - which is pretty odd in my experience, to recognize something that special in the moment it is happening.  And, as perfect as it was, it was even more perfect because we went through 3 flights, a blistering tarmac, and a tiny rental car to get there.  Most of the time in life it's the journey.  But sometimes, it's the journey AND the destination.

^ That's real.  We really saw that and stayed there.  Thanks for the memories Eric! Next up, ginger number 2, ALEXIS:

She's got the best teeth in the family. Aren't they great?  She's such a beauty.

My favorite memory from Turks would have to be the first day we arrived. We started out going to the local grocery store with Dad right after he picked us up from the airport. We bought a $20 6 pack of Coors light, Ragu and noodles for dinner, and 6 bags of chips that lasted until the next day. (I just need to interject here...we normally don't eat things like noodles with Ragu sauce, but pickin's were slim at the discount grocery store.  Very slim.)  We got to the house that was absolutely beautiful and were reunited with our family we hadn't seen since Christmas. The view was breathtaking, the house was magnificent, and knowing we were all going to be together for the next week without interruption felt so good. The weather and the Sound were absolutely perfect and the rest of the day was picture perfect. I'm so thankful for all my memories from vacation, but my favorite part is having my family experience them together.

Thanks Al, well done!  And thanks for letting Grace tie the arms of sweaters around your neck and drag you around like Georgia. That was a great game.  Up next, allow me to introduce you to my new baby brother -- Stuart J. R. Olson, everybody! We're glad to have you on board, sir!  STU'S favorite memories include:

I'm new here.

The late night out on the hot tub deck with just the kids...because I don't
get to spend very much time with you all, golfing with Hans and our initial trip to the grocery store where apparently you have a super loud dj playing music when there's a sale, (and apparently
$65 is a sale on Bacardi!)



The orchestra night when Karen was directing everyone and telling them when to sing, (but then taking all of the awesome parts herself!)...

Who me?

that same night, Eric swinging from the balcony for no apparent reason other than
he wanted to rage...

Who me?

and the fact that the kayak was filled up with water two times...by Eden both times I think?

Who me?

And Taylor Bay!
 

Well done, sir.

Well done.

Might I add the above photo was taken as Stu was jumping in the Sound to rescue a kayak that Eden and Alexis had sunk and then abandoned. Middle children.

Ed's turn.  Anna, you're on deck.  Anna? ANI? ANNA?
smh.
Sonja, you're on deck...

Ladies and gentlemen, the blonde bombshell, EDEN:

My favorite part of Turks was the way I felt each morning in my first few moments of waking up. My neck stung slightly from sunburn, my muscles ached slightly from cartwheels,
and my heart was full of happiness knowing I had a full day ahead of me on a glorious island with my favorite people in the world. Then I would roll over to see Anna in the next bed over, and hear the clinking of plates as the dishwasher was being unloaded and coffee being made in the kitchen - the best sounding alarm clock. In those first few moments I could reflect on all the fun that we'd had, and prepare myself for all the sun, rum, Cheeto puffs, Dora episodes, and endless laughter and love that was yet to come.

Next up, SONJA, the Schuette cousin who has lived with my parents this past year to establish residency in our great state. 

 

 

I realize it’s hard to say just one memory, therefore, I will share my top 3 in no specific order.  Lets start with dinner times.  The reason I like dinner so much was because we were all together eating delicious food, drinking our tasty beverages, and recalling our favorite moments of that day. 

 

Up next, I would say the dance party. I don’t know what there was not to like about that night. The memory of Karen directing us on who’s turn it was to sing and dance, and Nycz dancing to “Put a Ring on it” and “Shakira” will be memories I will never forget.  

And lastly, I would say the beaches.  I have never seen water so blue and sand so white and soft before.  In addition, I enjoyed walking along the beach, seeing Grace experience sand, Cheetos, Eden doing round-offs, watching the many games of Pro Kadima, cocktails, making sand creatures, and everyone just goofing off and enjoying their vacation.  This was a trip of a lifetime, and even though I was sick for pretty much all of it, I had a wonderful time and created memories I will take with me the rest of my life.

Baby Ging, you can't hide. Your turn, ANNA:

I don't know what to write because my words will fall short of all the fun we had in Turks. Thanks for the memories. I ❤️ Turks. Let's go back.... Tomorrow.  

(Thanks for the brevity, Anna, now I can share more photos :)

 

 And let's not forget our littlest sweetie, GRACE: 

"Gracie, do you remember going to the beach with Mimi and Papa?"

"Yeah."  

"What was your favorite part?" 

"Mimi."

 

"Did you like anything else, honey?"

"Dora."

She's signing "more."  While watching Dora.

I hope, at the end of my days, the thing people will remember about me is how much I love my family.  I hope it is apparent to you, my family, how much I LOVE you.  I thank God, I thank the wonder of the vast universe, I thank my lucky stars that we were paired together as a tribe. I love spending any time I can with you, and I understand how lucky we are that we have the means to take any vacation together, much less a vacation to paradise.

The things I'll always remember about Turks?  The boys.  We didn't grow up with boys.  It's still an adjustment.  But I like it  :)

Hans, if you've made it this far in the blog post, I hope you know how thankful I am, for everything about this trip.  I'm also struck by the fact that you got a griller and a golfer -- both cigar smokers and wine connoisseurs.  You're welcome.



Oh, and thank you for still amusing me by doing things like this:

I'll never forget the first time Grace reluctantly put her toes in the sand, and with great caution, approached the ocean...only to throw that caution to the wind only seconds later and literally jump right in.  I'll never forget her desire to be outside, to get back to the sand, the water...because that's like me.  I'll never forget because this is the first time I realized we have something specific in common.

Me and Grace?  We love the beach.

I'll never forget the subtle "click, click, click" of the camera shutter and being so excited and so confident that Eric was catching all the right moments from his unique point of view.  Eric's camera has become another member of our family.  (A member that took I awhile to adjust to...remember the days when that camera was RIGHT UP IN OUR FACES?)  Now, it's like a reliable friend, a steady companion, a constant force who remembers the moments we might otherwise forget.  I can't tell you, Eric, how happy it makes me that you love to document our life through your beautiful photography. You nail it. Every. Single. Time.

Except this time when Eden nailed it.

I'll never forget the moment it dawned on me that I'm getting to know and love my siblings as adults. 

These two.  I love them.  They're the sporty ones--playing pro kadima, throwing a Frisbee, getting in the ocean, never stopping for a photo because they're always in motion. They're movers and shakers.  Stuart--I'll never ever forget playing cards with you, bundled up in that ridiculous windbreaker and sunglasses, chewing a piece of gum...priceless.  Welcome to the club.

Awkward family photos called.  They want their picture back.  Lol we staged this, don't worry.

And this one.  The baby.  Who is so, so strong. Literally and figuratively. 
Get it girl. Keep marching to that drummer.  She's fierce.

guys, she's so strong. we call her hard hands.

This one.  Who was my constant last year, when my life felt like it was in pieces, who makes me LAUGH. Not just like, haha.  LIKE BAHAHAHAHAAA!  Ed, the lemoncello called.  It wants you to drink it.

just not the champage. K thanks.

Big hair, big smiles, big glass of lemoncello.

Life goals: to always have my sisters beside me.

And to always look this good in bikinis, let's be real.

And, this girl.  Who is a friend, a great cousin, a super babysitter...and now, a part of our family forever :)

These two.  Mom and Dad.

Dad, I'll never forget the time, in downtown Providenciales, when you convinced the shop owner to throw in a free bottle of rum if you bought a box of Cubans.  On a Sunday.  In a dry county.

Mom.

Seriously.  You make everything magical.  Growing up was like living in magic land.  Thanks for recreating it for Gracie.  Thanks for always bringing it to Turks.  Thanks for working on Dad for spring break 2016.

She calls it magic land? I call it happy hour! (jk mom)

Mom and Dad,  you've done a lot of things right.  I'm humbled and awed by your love for us, your love and respect for each other, and your desire to spread light and love in this world. Thank you for a truly memorable family vacation!

The originals.