My husband and I have a 4 bedroom home on Water Island – www.flamingopointusvi.com – which we get to enjoy as often as possible when we don’t have vacation rental guests. My mom’s 75th birthday was April 8th and this year we extended an invitation for “Mothers & Daughters” to spend 5 days at our home. My Mom, sister, sister-in-law, 12 year old nephew, 7 year old niece, two of my mom’s sisters (my Aunts), their daughters (my 1st cousins, 3 women in their mid-40s/early 50s), one of my cousins' 5 year old daughter, and one of my cousins' 5 year old grandson. Some of our “crew” had never flown before. Some had never been out of the States. All from southern Indiana and flew out of Indianapolis. We have (2) 1-bedroom apartments on the lower level of the home. So, while having 12 extra people in the house was a stretch, everyone slept in a comfy bed and had plenty of room. Since their stay was VERY short (5 days), I needed to prioritize the activities, show them a little bit of the VI and be sure to include rest & relaxation.

Few notes about trip planning:
• I sent the crew my “housebook” which describes our home in detail as well as information regarding the Virgin Islands including Water Island & St. Thomas. It gave them an idea of what to expect, what to bring, shopping, airport, taxi, etc.
• Each ‘Mom/Daughters’ were going to host a dinner. Each brought a ‘hunk of meat’ in a cooler in their checked luggage of whatever they had chosen for the main entree. The ‘sides’ / rest of the groceries purchased locally except for the homegrown/garden Indiana corn which Aunt E2 brought down from her freezer........YUMMY! My husband and I prepared dinner on April 8, Mom & my sisters April 9, my Aunt E April 10th, Aunt E2 April 11th and a smorgasbord of leftovers April 12. We enjoyed WONDERFUL down-home Indiana cookin’ every evening ‘al fresco’ watching the sun set.
• I had a conference call with everyone a couple of weeks prior to the trip so that I could answer any questions, provide more information, and basically increase excitement – not that it was possible for ALL of us to be MORE excited.
• I sent the crew the Grocery Goddess blank shopping form. Each Mom/Daughter filled out their requirements, forwarded their grocery list to me which I compiled and submitted to Grocery Goddess extraordinaire, Julie. Big grateful shout out to JULIE!
• Only had One Rule: BE HAPPY! If you do that, the rest will take care of itself.
Following is a summary of a very heartwarming and memorable “Mother / Daughter” adventure:

April 8th – Didn’t want to spend one minute of precious time shopping for groceries so enlisted the help of http://www.grocerygoddesses.com/ . Julie did the shopping at Cost-U-Less. Sent txt message or called me on cell to ask if ‘x’ was ok or would ‘y’ be better….basically, EXCELLENT communications and I never had a doubt in my mind that everything was taken care of. Julie gave us a 30 minute heads up to give husband and I time to dinghy over to the dinghy dock/Crown Bay Marina to transfer groceries from her vehicle to the dinghy. (Julie absolutely would have transported the groceries on the Water Island Ferry……and hindsight, we probably should have done that.) By the time we had all the groceries loaded in the 12 ft dinghy, I was riding high on paper goods & cases of sodas and the Captain (my husband) barely had room to steer the boat. It was a wild (and wet) toad ride……where we NEVER achieved plane….. back to Water Island. ……I had planned on going to the airport to meet and greet the first landing party (Mom, my sister, sister-in-law, niece & nephew) but….well….after the dinghy ride, almost loosing some things (including my own self) out of the back of the truck on the way up the steep roads to the house (husband driver.....race car driver), ……..it was a funny and very eventful island morning!......I told my mom...... when she called from the airport wanting to know where I was at ...that my sister (who had her first trip to WI last year) would guide them and I’d meet them at Tickles.

Meanwhile, the rest of the crew had called DURING the wild & wet dinghy ride grocery adventure. They had taken a different/lower cost flight (THREE connections – Indy->Chicago->Atlanta->STT) than my mom and were supposed to arrive an hour later than the first party. Missed their connection in Atlanta. Faced getting in after dark and their 3-connection flight turned into a four connection (Indy->Chicago->Atlanta->Miami->STT)....with 2 small children and 3 adults who had never flown before in their lives. Were being re-routed thru Miami and then STT @ 8:00 and make haste to get their luggage and tired selves in a 'strange land' over to Tickles to catch the last ferry run (9:00 p.m.) to Water Island…..else these newbie travelers would be having ANOTHER new experience riding in a 12 ft dinghy from Crown Bay to Water Island…..in the dark…..multiple trips….with children and women who normally don’t get their hair wet until their regular beauty appmt every Friday, don’t swim, and have never been boating. Good thing for them - They made the last Ferry run (9:00) to Water Island.

We ended up having two dinner “calls” that evening with crews arriving at different times but we all had birthday cake and sang happy B-day to Mom and chatted and laughed like we were all teenagers again (even the Moms) on the porch that near-full moon night over looking the Caribbean sea.

April 9th – “We are NOT rushing ANYWHERE Day.” Honeymoon Beach/Water Island is our destination. All 13 of our ‘Butts in truck’ at 10:00 a.m……ok…..if you’ve ever tried to herd cats…..that’s what it’s like trying to get 13 women and children all pointed and moving in the same direction at the same time. So…..yeah…..I had to make some more rules and give very clear TIME where everyone’s butts had to be IN THE TRUCK at 10:00. Our truck has a “safari” in the back and a crew cab. So, plenty of room for all of us and all our stuff (ok……my husband and I don’t have children so….yeah…..I was expecting but nonetheless amazed at the amount of “stuff” you need to go to the beach with 9 women and 4 kids). Here’s another tip: Breakfast is YOYO (You’re On Your Own). I had discussed this with the crew during trip planning. People get up at different times, hungry right away, not hungry right away, want eggs, want pancakes, want cereal, no no just a piece of toast……WHATEVER…..Breakfast is YOYO. Everyone loved Honeymoon Beach. If you have non-swimmers, small children, family gathering…..Honeymoon Beach is perfect. Quiet, shaded, calm surf, picnic tables, bring sandwiches, drinks, or buy from Heidi Honeymoon Grill. All you need. We were on the beach from 10:10 a.m. until 3:00. The mothers aggravated the children with lathering them up with 50SPF sunscreen every 30-60 minutes. No one got sunburned….a little pink maybe but NOT sunburned. A lot more talking and laughing….and laughing. Oh, and, Injury #1: My sister’s foot got a little too close to a rock and she broke her toe. Don’t know when she did it exactly but a little duct tape fixed ‘er right up. And, after a lovely dinner and sunset, spent the rest of the evening on the porch mesmerized by the brilliant stars and full moon, listening to stories, reconnecting to family.....NEVER take for granted and ALWAYS enjoy life's gifts.

April 10th – “Go to Town Day” STT. Friday. NO ships in town. Perfect!! I had made arrangements with Lew who asked his friend, Mr. Clive Mills, to meet us at Tickles. On the 8:15 ferry to the city. "Butts in truck" at 8:00. Taxi ride to STT where we shopped and shopped for about 3 hours – girls can shop! Then, Mr. Mills had arranged for us a reservation at Hook, Line & Sinker (Frenchtown) for lunch. Hook, Line, Sinker had a separate room just for us, French doors opened up over looking the dock & water. Everyone had a great meal at a reasonable price with excellent service, wonderful view. Of special note: Aunt E2 had the grouper special which…..yeah…..she offered us all a bite of her lunch….we ARE family after all….and it was DELICIOUS. Then, after leisurely 1.5 hour lunch, Mr. Mills picked us up and gave us a tour around STT – past government house, Ft. Christian, all the usual stunning overlook/Kodak moment spots including Mountain Top, etc.. Dropped us all safe and sound at Tickles for our 4:15 back to Water Island. Dinner al fresco on the porch at sunset and more talking, laughing and yeah…..my husband thinks we’re all just a little bit crazy (smile).

April 11th – “Chill Out Day”. Honeymoon Beach. Breakfast YOYO. Coffee on the porch until 10:00 or as long as there is any left in the carafe. Husband took my nephew (12 year old) out to the “Forbidden Island” (Saba)….makes it sound more exciting to a 12 year old when you call it “Forbidden Island”. First time in the dinghy for my nephew. Quite an exciting trip….smooth going out….nice find on Saba beach - a piece of heavy duty plastic the husband is going to rig up as a shield for grass cutting machine (protection from flying rocks and other foreign projectiles coming out of the back while you’re pushing it up the grassy mountain; for those who know what I’m saying…..not as good a find as the Big Bamboo we found last time….bamboo twice the length of the dinghy - hubby wanted to make….I dunno…something good out of....some day)……Saba->WI was teeth jarring/kidneys in your throat/beat your brains out…..it was rough out there that morning….boat ride coming back…..not a very long run (WISaba) but for a kid taking his first ride in a dinghy with rough seas…pucker factor of about 9. The men have returned! And it was ‘Butts in truck’ 10:00. Another wonderful day at the beach. Unique Event: Aunt E2 – she’s full of life and laughter. Her upper ‘plate’? that has 3 silver teeth were loose when she arrived so she had been really being careful. Aunt E2 not a swimmer but was enjoying the water to the fullest extent. She was on a raft in the shallow. Little wave….I mean…this is Honeymoon Beach so it was a LITTLE wave…..lost her balance a little, was falling off the raft and laughing really hard….with her mouth open…..and her plate fell out. We Mother/Daughter troop of 13 spent the next couple of hours trying (without success) to find her teeth in the surf. Couple people got dizzy and/or a little seasick from looking down at the constantly moving water and were forced to discontinue the search. Ah well…..not such a BAD thing to go home and tell your Dentist you lost your teeth in the Caribbean. At the end of the day, I loaded up ½ the crew and took them back to the house to take showers, get into dry clothes and begin preparations for dinner. Injury #2 – Mom lost her balance and fell out of the shower. We got her up off the bathroom floor – bless her heart. Immobilzed the arm, took a look at it. My husband quickly drove down to the beach to fetch the rest of the crew including Aunt E who is retired nurse. She thought maybe the arm was out of joint, wasn’t sure, but in any case, made decision to get her dressed, get all of her insurance info, get her list of medications she takes, call Lew/Taxi, and Mom & I catch the 5:30 to STT. Got to the hospital emergency room. The admitting nurse took us right in (thank you Lew for helping us!), Triage nurse saw us within 20 minutes, Dr. examined Mom’s arm, got Mom up to Xray, clean break at the “neck of the humoris” (sp?), PA put Mom’s arm in a sling & swath (giant ACE bandage around her upper torso) to keep that arm immobilized, gave Mom a couple of pain pills to go and a prescription for more and we caught the 9:00 p.m. ferry back to Water Island. Mom was a trooper. She wasn’t in much pain....so she said and maybe not since they medicated her at the hospital. I still can hardly STAND that it happened on “my watch” but…..accidents do happen and you just have to have a plan in your head in advance for emergencies.....just in case. (Have a PLAN!)

Everyone had dinner over and done with before Mom & I returned but they heated up the best chicken-n-dumplings you ever tasted and even Mom was hungry! Mom & I made the call to Dad…….neither one of us were looking forward to doing.

April 12th – “Travel Day for Mom” Mom slept pretty well thru the night. My sister was sharing a bed with her and I know she didn’t get much sleep worrying about Mom. I accompanied my Mom, sister-in-law, niece & nephew with Lew/Taxi to the airport. (Sister-in-Law, niece & nephew….this was now only the 2nd time they’d flown in an airplane….first time they flew in their life was Indy-STT…..and I felt bad that Sister-in-Law now had additional worry for injured Mom. None of them had EVER been through customs & Immigration and they were all very nervous about the unfamiliar process.) I asked for special assistance from the airline all the way through the flight. I secured a Porter to take their bags, explained to the Porter this was their first time ever, tipped him for his trouble….and the Porter helped make their first Customs & Immigration experience very smooth. Delta Airlines took special care of all of them the whole way thru (STT-NY/JFK-Indy).

April 13th – “Rest of the Crew Departure”…..I got up and fixed pancakes, scrambled eggs, toast, etc. for the crew. Big Travel day. FINAL “Butts in truck” at 8:00. Dropped my sister off at the top of the hill to Honeymoon Beach (Sis, leaving on the 12:15 wanted to get couple more hours of beach time before she left.) Got to the ferry landing, My husband and I waiting with them and helping them and their luggage get on the ferry. Unique Event: One of my cousins noticed her bag/luggage wasn’t there. Arrrrgh. (One thing you CAN depend on is the Water Island ferry ALWAYS runs ON TIME.) So, my husband and I hugged & kissed our crew goodbye, raced back to the house, found my cousins bag in the bedroom closet, loaded it up in the dinghy, wide open throttle to Lindbergh Bay/Park, put the bow on the beach, called Lew/Taxi to tell him where we were, Lew stopped along the road to the airport, husband threw the bag into the back of the taxi and off they all went laughing and laughing…..even tho all were facing a THREE connection flight home.....if they were lucky. Husband dropped me off on Honeymoon Beach, spent some alone time with my sister catchin some rays before we got her cleaned up and took her down to the ferry landing and waved goodbye. Sitting on the porch with cold drinks, husband and I watched my sister’s plane lift off the runway and across the sky heading North.

Everyone had a wonderful time – including me. My husband…..one lone man among all those women and children…..I “think” ….secretly…..he enjoyed every minute. I called the hospital on Tuesday and arranged for copies of xrays to be mailed to my Mom ($10.50 each and there were two xrays). She got them in the USPS first class mail on Friday with perfect time for her appointment with Specialist (Mom calls him the “Bone Doctor”). Not my first experience with Roy Lester Schneider Hospital (first time was for Brown Recluse spider bite on a friend of mine) but, one would hope, my LAST. I gotta say, they were all real professionals in there, did all the right things for my Mom and let me stay with my Mom throughout our entire “stay” at their facility. Big grateful shout out to Lew - a kind and caring taxi driver who took care of ALL my girls’ transportation needs.