Make Bottom Painting Fun!

Definitely my #1 - Favorite Boat Yard Thing!!

It was all GR's idea. We began this tradition years ago with our first boat, a  1981 42' Pearson in Daytona Beach, after we painted the bottom a royal blue he suggested we grab a can of white paint to decorate the keel so that when we were snorkeling and swimming in the amazingly clear waters of the Bahamas we could reflect on the fun we had working on our boat. It was a great project that we all had fun doing, we put paint on our hands and made hand prints, we wrote our names and drew little fishes.  These memories  allows those "blood, sweat and tears" moments associated with many bottom jobs fall by the wayside and replaces them with these magical memories of creating artwork with your family. It's like a visible time capsule!

So of course, this boat was no different. The more practical side this project is that we cover every thru hull and highlight every transducer and/or grounding plate and zinc, that way they are easy for a diver (or us) to locate. Tide and time dictated our splash time so I wasn't sure if Gia wanted to participate in this tradition since she was technically supposed to be in school. "Of course, I want to Mom!! It's a family tradition!!" She said and my heart welled up with joy because maybe, just maybe she still loved all this boating stuff after all!!

So with dirt under our nails and paint on our hands and knees we hunched under the belly of this beast and painted our little hearts out! We had a blast and we can't wait to swim under Felicity in the Bahamas sometime soon!!

The End. Thank you!!

Five Ways to Make it Through a Re-fit!

Taking a break is definitely on the list but what other ways do we stay sane during what has become the biggest re-fit of our cruising "career?"

Sundowners at sunset are absolutely THE best part of life on the water. (Miami, 2012)

I'm not sure who came up with the idea of a "Gratitude Journal" (Oprah, right?ha.) but I've got to tell you, it's magical. The theory is, of course, to write down at least one thing you are thankful for each day. The act of physically writing it down is probably the hardest part for me, I'm the type of person who is constantly in motion. I rarely keep a routine, unless otherwise forced, for example, work, library returns, showering daily. Whatever, routines are over rated. I'm a Gemini, remember, we hate monotony.


NEWSFLASH: Felicity is currently docked in a boat yard (her first time since we purchased) we've got to finish these decks and the paint job. While I try very hard to put on a good show (SMILE) inside I sometimes wonder if maybe we bit off more than we could chew. She misses resort style living very much, so does the rest of the crew, but in an attempt to keep up moral I've pledged to create a list of my  favorite boatyard things. (#favoriteboatyardthings) On Facebook, I've made it a point to share my thoughts with my friends and family so as to be held accountable by them not to forget my obligation. I'd like to share my list as it stands to date.

Day 1 - 1.) Looking At Boats! 
              2.) Meeting Incredible People 
              3.) Yard Days are Always Long (sh*t gets done!) 

Day 2 - 1.) Everyone has a story to tell.
              2.) We are all in the Redneck Yacht Club (like it or not!)
              3.) Every puddle of liquid on the ground is liquid death - One learns to be very nimble.

Day 3 - There's a bunch of boatyard kitties here, and one is so sweet.

Day 4 - I helped a boat limp in that lost it's steering, three guys struggled to help but I was able to pull them in and was cheered, " See it takes a woman!" by all the people on board!

Day 5 - Gia has made friends with a pair of sisters and they are serious fishergirls!

Day 6 - Did I mention we have a fully, functional, brand new ELECTRIC head!!!!! Swoon!

Day 7 - Coming home from work and always finding a parking spot in front (not many others here overnight)


I know many of our friends are in transition at the moment, in boat yards, awaiting parts in exotic locations, underway and even waiting on a potential buyer.

My question to you is, "How are you making it through?" Please share your thoughts, comments, suggestions and questions below.

Playing with Our Toys!

Two Kayaks, a Kneeboard & Two Livingston

It's taken me a week to even post this! We had great weather and friends visit from Daytona Beach during Spring Break and we took FULL advantage!! It seems like we have just been hunting and gathering all the toys, and not really using them so getting over to Lake Sylvia with the kids and towing them around was a BIG step in the direction of fun.

Home is Where Our Boat is

This scenario happens daily. Generally, after the introductions comes the "where are you from" or "where do you live" question.

"You live on a boat?!" they sigh dreamily. "Oh, I've always wanted to do that."

"Really?" I ask, as wrinkles appear on my forehead. "I'd never even heard of people living on boats!"

I'm from South Jersey and the only boats I'd ever been on were *rough* little Whalers. We'd catch crabs with chicken on a hand line. The only boats I'd seen that looked decent enough to live on were, well, tankers! I know, I know, how the heck did I end up living the "dream"? It's all HIS fault!

When I decided to leave my land life behind I had only been dating GR a little over 10 months. Yes, with toddler in tow, I sold what little I owned and told the landlord I was leaving! We had already purchased the boat together, cruised from South Carolina to Daytona Beach and done a shakedown sail to Abaco, Bahamas. I was sun-kissed and sold on the idea of life aboard with sun-downers at sunset!

Yes, my family and friends thought I was crazy. (not that they didn't already know) They had plenty of well meaning things to say, but I've never been one to listen to them. (this they also know) I always jump into things, especially when I'm in love. Full speed ahead, no regrets, just learning experiences. Fast forward seven years and we are still together AND we still live on a boat. Granted the boats have changed, we are on our 3rd if your counting, and I can't imagine life any other way.

It hasn't always been easy, or glamorous, but the sacrifices we make to live this way don't really feel like sacrifices anymore. I've learned more about different cultures and languages during our travels than I had in school. I became a part of an incredible community of men and women who live aboard.  Everything we own is floating around with us; our cats, our daughter, our precious few material items. We don't own anything else except this boat, our bikes, our car and the scooter. No land. No house. We have been living this way for the past 4 years. We pay for everything (almost) with cash. We try to keep our kitty (living expenses for "cruising") separate from our living expenses while attached to shore (jobs, school). Our plan with Felicity is to 1) fix her up 2) cruise the Bahamas for the full cruising permit time allotted and 3) come back to the US and cruise the East Coast.

Before I lived on a boat, I was not who I am today. Leaving behind the "known" for the "un-known" was the only way I found myself. My true self. I think we are all the best version of ourselves when we push each other to seek out our dreams. Sure, it was his dream to start out but it's our dream to continue.

Raft Up: No Man is an (I)sland!

My mother used to say that our family was like a mobile above a baby's crib, each of us connected. If one was "out of whack" the rest of us would be affected, maybe wiggle and jerk around. We were  encouraged to think about each decision we made and the impact it would have on the rest of our home.
John Donne's poem, " No Man is an Island" reminds us that we are in fact all one, connected and the impact is that much greater for cruisers due to the fact that we live in such close quarters!

There are quite a few other factors that make cruising and relationships more challenging than NOT.

• The biggest challenge being the lack of real space we have to separate ourselves from one another. Nothing makes the boat feel smaller than tension! We have instituted the 5 minute rule. Once a conflict has presented itself, the two parties have 5 minutes to resolve it. There is no room on board to continue with the typical silent treatment. Get all your issues out on the table, respect each others opinion, see things from the other parties point of view. Learn to agree OR learn to agree to disagree, period. The end. In the event that this just can't work, try a ride in the dinghy. Sometimes a change of scenery like quiet time on the bow or cockpit. These rules apply to all parties, regardless of age. How quickly things are put into perspective when suddenly the two of you have to work together to deal with a dragging anchor or drifting dinghy. You are then thrust into your familiar roles as team players and all the tension falls away!

• Time spent apart becomes less and less as you shed the financial responsibilities. With no job to report to, no school, no Grandma's down the street to babysit and no real schedule seems to leave everyone wondering what to do with themselves. It takes some time to learn to enjoy yourself, your hobbies or make plans with other cruisers. Fill up your days with boat projects, or home-school followed by an onshore play-date. Keep moving. It's easy to fall into a lazy pattern that can breed stress. As far as romancing your significant other, if you have been together long enough you know that you can make "things work" anywhere with very little noise and movement even while the children and/or guests are less than 20' away! Sometimes, that's all we really need to find relief! Believe me, somehow we always find a way, right?!

• Now that we have covered two main reasons for tension as a live aboard cruiser, Space & Time. Let's talk about how much fun it is to be ALONE!! I loooove me some alone time. AND I don't actually have to be alone to enjoy it.  I can hop into the head and spend an hour by myself plucking my eyebrows, painting my toenails or re-organizing our toiletries! I enjoy reading for hours in a hammock on the foredeck and can completely separate myself from what's happening on the boat even with the sound of the drill screaming in the background! A deserted island isn't often thought of as a dream come true but it seems to be all we keep searching for! As cruisers, by definition we are aiming to be different, to be separate from the rest. Savor your alone time, use it to enhance who you are and then spread your happiness out into the world that surrounds you, don't become a curmudgeon!!

Thanks for reading our thoughts on Relationships on Board! Please check out what our other bloggers had to say by clicking on the icon below.
Namaste.


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Kids4Sail - Where Cruising Kids Come First!

Site is actually now, Kids4Sail.ning.com

Raising kids on a boat is something I had absolutely no idea about until I had to do it! Even now, that I have done it, I consider myself no expert!
Plenty of people email and ask me questions like:

How did I plan?
What was it like homeschooling?
How did the kids respond to cruising?

My answer is this; with all the rum punches in between the whirlwind of cruising over 13 different countries, 3 different boats, 2 adopted cats and 4 school grades I don't know how it went but she turned out awesome so... I'd say it went pretty dang well!! My blogging has morphed quite a bit since we began this journey and unfortunately I have no old blogs to refer to our child rearing experiences aboard; only my memory holds the little tricks I learned along the way.

BUT if you are planning to raise your kids aboard someday have I got the website for YOU!! Kids4Sail is an incredible way to meet other cruising families. The website is a host for blogs, read their blog, photos, videos and even has a forum for kid related topics such as homeschooling and activities aboard! I "met" Erika Lelievre, the administrator/organizer of this site online through a mutual friend, a cruising mom, and joined the site as a way to keep in touch with the many children we've met while cruising. The best tool we've found is the "Member Map", it's been great for planning to arrive in an anchorage with some kids and scheduling play dates or home school dates! For you, it can be a veritable gold mine of information to help push you into (or out of) a pending decision.

Our little site has grown in leaps and bounds and we are hoping to gain at least 100 MORE cruising kids to our list so please, please, PLEASE JOIN or PASS the website onto a cruising family you know! Be sure to check out their Facebook page too!

**Seriously, though if you have specific questions about raising kids aboard or any topics for that matter, feel free to ask. I'll do my best to dust off the cobwebs from my memory!;)

Traditionally - Nontraditional

Yup, it's *REAL* and it smells soo good!

This year things are a bit different around here but then again every year has been kinda different. I mean that each year we have celebrated the holiday we have been in a unique location generally in the midst of gearing up our boat to head off cruising. We haven't really kept too many "traditions" of our own aside from the usual - wake up Christmas morning with presents from the Big Man and then eating an incredible breakfast. This year GR and I sitting back admiring our super-cozy, floating home all light up and sparkling and said to each other, " So what will we do for Christmas Eve this year?" I was literally speechless. Here in "the real world" we don't have an anchorage full of close friends planning a list of activities for us. We're going to have to come up with something on our own. (scoff) *Also, although we are in Florida, we are still about 4 hours from our "old hometown" full of  family and friends. (We may get the chance to sneak up there at some point but not Christmas week, driving and Christmas just don't sound fun.) So, this year, like many others will be traditionally nontraditional. We picked up a *real* tree, a real BIG, Douglas Fir at that (with the car). She's about 5' tall and smells heavenly. Gia picked the color scheme of our ornaments; silver, blue & white. Reminiscing about where we've been over the years was fun, here's a list of our crazy, mixed up Christmas's as liveaboard boaters.

Christmas over the Years 

2007 - Warderick Wells, Exuma, Bahamas -  Anchored out, dinghied into the park headquarters for a "Proper" potluck (Turkey, Ham, Potatoes, Pies all free) hosted by the park ranger. We had a construction paper tree taped to the bulkhead. Santa called us on the VHF and dropped Gia's Christmas presents on the deck of the boat from his sleigh. (Pearson 424, San San)

2008 - Ponce Inlet, Florida -  We moved back into our house in preparation for the final liquidation of our property. We bought a 12' tree from a guy on Craigslist and didn't have enough ornament to make it look quite right! We invited many family and friends over to celebrate with us while we had the "big" house one last year. Gia got a boombox for her room. (Recently boat-less and in the market)

2009 - Marathon, Florida, Boot Key Harbor -  On a mooring surrounded by totally cool liveaboards our cockpit donned LED, multi-colored lights and handmade decorations. Several friends got together on various boats for different gatherings, that community was the best, lots of kids around! We picked up a tiny, table-top tree and made most of our ornaments by hand. It was a cold, cold winter that year and we actually had to buy a heater! YES, in Florida! (36' Ericson, San San)

2010 -  Miami, Florida - On a mooring at Dinner Key Marina, we still had our table-top tree and our cockpit decorations with lights. This time, I worked ALOT and so did GR. We were so focused and had Guatemala on our minds! (36' Ericson, San San)

2011 - Miami, Florida - New boat for us, the start up with this one was hard since we sold everything we owned (yet, again) with San San . Thankfully pulled into the slip a few days before and grabbed a Rosemary tree from local market in between trips to and from work. New boat, new $kitty$! (50' Hatteras, Felicity)

2012 - Fort Lauderdale, Florida -  Docked, covered in lights, nice tree and working but not TOO much! All three of us are home together and will consider this one of many years that we are super blessed. Gia will make the cookies for Santa all by herself this year. (50' Hatteras, Felicity) 

It's fun to think back on all the places we have been and where we "think" we are heading but the truth of the matter is all that counts is where you are right now and loving every minute of it! Happy Holidays to you wherever you may be, from all of us on Felicity.

Home for the Holidays.....Or Not.

Happy Holidays!!

When was the last time YOU were home for the holidays? Cruisers, yachties and many others such as ourselves are often subject to spending the Thanksgiving, Christmas, and even New Years in unique locations surrounded by *new* faces. It can be fun and exciting to dine "potluck" style and to be introduced to new traditions but it can also be hard for families to cope without their loved ones.
 
Being in the yachting industry (or any service industry for that matter), holidays and weekends just aren't the same. Typically, we ("yachties") work every weekend and every holiday; it's just expected. It just comes with the territory. We work for people who work hard and want to play hard with their families aboard their *awesome* yachts, can you blame them?! Thankfully, owners' are using their boats. keeping us working and keeping us in the green. A recent study by The Triton, a local yacht crew publication shows crew perspective regarding working through this time of year. Some don't mind, some hate it but either way there's no getting around it.

Through the years we have found ways of getting around the separation.
You could celebrate at another time of the year when time off is more acceptable.
You could celebrate in unique ways like by using modern technology to be a part of your family party via Skype or Facetime.
Or you could just quit your job and go home! (At your own risk, of course)

Seriously, this year we are super thankful to both have great gigs that allow us more freedom during the holidays, meaning we will both be home on the "big" days. All three of us will go to sleep on Christmas Eve and wake up together to open presents, eat an incredible breakfast and spend the day playing with our new things and just plain enjoying ourselves. This year we are doing it right!

Ahhh, the Book Exchange

A lot of people ask what we do with "all that time" on our hands when we are cruising, well, I read. I read - a lot! Before we left Miami I stocked up on all those classic authors I never had time for like Ernest Hemingway, Herman Hesse, Charles Dickens & Ayn Rand. When we were sailing long, slow days I dove head first into tales that needed my full attention. Something, I couldn't do when I was caught up in the ho-hum of the daily grind(much like I am now). The first thing I did when we'd get to a new spot was find the book exchange! Packing up my good reads in a canvas bag and unloading & then re-loading with new titles and a BIG grin on my face! Free, Free, FREE! It seems nothing in life is free, except book exchanges!;)

Most every marina office or cruiser lounge has one, sometimes even the local marine shop. Personally, I feel a book exchange is a great courtesy that creates an intellectual space; allowing people to share fiction and non-fiction in a way that is old fashioned, friendly and leaves a warm feeling in my heart. When Gia was a baby, I got books for her that had names inscribed in the covers, sometimes paint stained the torn pages. They were once another child's books and for me that meant something. I have a thing for hand-me-downs. Gia, too, has left several books for other children to enjoy all over the places we have traveled. Once, in the tiny island of Nevis, we donated a few books to the local library and months later when we returned home there was a letter addressed to a 5 year old Gia, thanking her for her donation. I think I shed a tear of happiness. Books are powerful instruments that teach, encourage imagination and inspire us everyday.

Have you found your local book exchange? What are you reading these days?

“Books are a uniquely portable magic.”
― Stephen King, On Writing

 

Give a Little Bit

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With the holiday season *rapidly* approaching many people are in search of the perfect gift. What better than a gift that gives back?! Our favorite non profit, Casa Guatemala, just released their new 2013 Wall Calendar now available for purchase on Ebay! Check it out! If your into photos, travel, smiling children or Guatemala this calendar will bring a smile to your face AND theirs! The calendar is priced right and benefits the beautiful children you see pictured throughout the pages.

Along with their everyday needs, our contact Heather let me know that the Casa needs a new (to them) VHF radio. The VHF radio is used to communicate to over 800+ boats along the Rio Dulce and without one they are unable to promote themselves. Announcements like the Especial De Dia from Hotel Backpackers Restaurant (Casa Guatemala's main financial support) and  also letting cruisers know when the delivery boat will be passing by selling fresh, baked breads and the fresh meats and cheeses that Casa Guatemala makes! If you are able to help in some way to provide Casa Guatemala with a new VHF radio, please be in touch! You see, although Casa Guatemala seeks support from people like you and me they also support themselves from within by growing fresh fruits and vegetables, teaching farming techniques and running the Hotel Backpackers Hotel & Restaurant!

If you are able to contribute in some way or are preparing a trip to Guatemala's Rio Dulce please consider practicing some "Karma Yoga" and give a little bit of yourself to them. You won't regret it!

Happy One Year of Felicity!

"If you don't know where you are going, any road will get you there." 

Lewis Carroll

This morning as we threw a few slices of egg soaked  potato bread onto our seasoned cast-iron skillet we realized that this time last year we had sold San San (along with almost all of our tools, charts, guidebooks, & crockery)  and were making plans for another boat! (or RV, or a piece of land out West) Truth be told, at that time, we weren't really sure what was going to happen next but, we knew "next" was coming regardless. We knew everything we owned was able to fit into a couple of plastic tubs and together we could go anywhere. (quite happily as well.) Owning less material possessions can be sooooooo liberating! (Third time's really easy!) I encourage all of you to someday just downsize, give yourself a healthy purge and let go of all that baggage!;)

This past year with Felicity has flown by. I never thought when this journey began (2006) that someday I'd sit on a big, ol' beast of a power boat like this, reminiscing about the 2 sailboats we owned previously. Each one unique and serving purpose for our lives at that specific time. Remembering all those cool islands and folks along that way that made it incredible! What's in store for us, we don't quite know. We have now to be grateful and keeping tinkering on our projects. Happy 1 year, Felicity! Your a great girl! We look forward to many more years with you!

Mornings like the one today happen once in a while. The best part about today is we didn't plan around this benchmark date, it just kind of crept up on us, knocked on the door of our conscious and said, "Today is special." We had a sleepover last night and the boat was full of children, blankets, pillows, and canteens. Several times in the span of the day, I took a step back, inhaled and thanked the universe for all our blessings. We have a beautiful, happy family, a beautiful home, an awesome view, more work than we can handle and others to share it all with.



Namaste.

Donations Sent to The Casa!!

Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed people can change the world.  Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has.  ~Margaret Meade

For those of you who have been following along for a while you know that we are all about Guatemala! And at every chance we get, we talk about our favorite non profit, Casa Guatemala! Our karma yoga is to promote and support them in any way we can. For those of you who'd lie more information, check out these posts; Casa Guatemala & Hotel Backpackers.

About a month ago we received 3 boxes totaling about 42lbs from some *great people* who collected donations through their office. We had hoped to hand deliver them but instead ended up storing them until a volunteer appeared! Since they are school supplies and the best thing to do is to get them to the kids as soon as possible; we are happy to know they are well on their way! The beautiful kids of the orphanage oat Casa Guatemala will soon be receiving crayons, pencils, notebooks, markers, band-aids and tooth brushes & toothpaste! We can't think of a better way for them to start off the new school year!

So the first group of people collected the goodies, then we stored them. Then I found a volunteer heading to Guatemala to work with Casa Guatemala in Florida He went ahead and paid the extra charge to carry a whole suitcase full of stuff. Then I bummed a ride (since we don't drive or own a car) from a friend who took me and all the supplies to the nearest Fed Ex and we shipped it to the Volunteer who leaves Monday morning for Guatemala City! PHEW! I tell ya, it really does take a village. But again, thanks to just a handful of committed people we made it happen!

It makes us so happy to know that "Together Everyone Achieves More" and we worked together as a T.E.A.M. and got the supplies to the kids with very little expense and within very little time!! Want to help? Email us @ MVFelicity (@) Gmail.com .

Don't forget to support Casa Guatemala by checking out their Facebook page.

-Or-

Make a donation by clicking here.

Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!

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If it's meant to be...

One week has past and the dust has settled down allowing us acclimate to our new surroundings. 

As I reflect back on the events of the week, I see how all my anxieties about the move have been wiped away. I am flabbergasted at the complete happiness we are feeling right now. We go through this life (cruising) with so many uncertainties, but today we are content. We worry about the future sometimes and forget to be present. We have to learn to take life as it comes, take the good with the bad and be happy while it all happens! While we plan for the unexpected we need to remember this little mantra.

If it is meant to be, it will be.

I got a "new" kind of feeling!

May 1st, new day, new month, new location, so much newness in the air...

Mother's Day stickers plastered tiny, wrapped chocolates and perfume jars, lotions and teas shouting a guilt laden spiel to children of all ages! I thought to myself quickly, "Did I get something for our moms?" forgetting that I had.

Pictured here with "new" duds and her budding morning glorys.

Gia and I walked around the local "fancy", cluster of shops on Sunrise Blvd. We were bombarded with material possessions on display. We buzzed in and out with a new backpack for Gia's debut at the new-to-her school; a bright blue VANS job did the trick. The next day she picked out a new helmet for the commute. There is quite a bit more traffic moving on these roads compared with that of Coconut Grove. We painted her nails with a new, blue nail polish.

She is growing in leaps and bounds.  I never thought nine years would seem so short. Can you believe it's been six months since Felicity? May is a busy month for me. First, my youngest sister has her birthday, then Mother's Day, then GR's birthday, then my own day of birth celebration! It's also the last month of school for Gia until fourth grade! Seriously folks, I wasn't kidding.

Welcome May. I got a "new" kind of feeling, how about you?

Wishing you your own felicity,
Jessica, GR & Gia

Did I tell you I'm into DIY?

So it's not news that I'm into Do-It-Yourself (DIY) Projects. I come from a long line of yard sale shoppers, trash pickers, crafters and do it yourself lovers. Living on a boat has also taught me how to scrimp and save money while reusing items that in another life I may have just thrown away. During my DIY hunt online for an alternative to those chemically enhanced plastic Glade Air Fresheners I stumbled upon Smashed Peas & Carrots. This awesome "Mommy Blog" offers up a clever alternative idea that I just had to try.

We used:

Mason Jar
Baking Soda
Essential Oil
Scissors
Safety Pin

If you already have some of these items around it makes it that much cheaper! I purchased three 8 oz. mason jars from Shell Lumber for .99 cents each.  I already had lavender oil & baking soda on hand so, my initial investment (ha ha ha) was very small.

Fill the jar half way with baking soda, add about 10 drops of essential oil. Cut the paper to fit the inside of the lid, fit onto the top of the jar and place lid over the paper tightening down on the jar. Then poke holes in the paper with a sewing needle or safety pin. Gently shake it up and allow the sweet scent to fill the rooms! We put one in each head but the scent filled the whole boat, making it feel calm and clean.

This project is truly one that will last a long time, whenever you want to release more of the scent just give the jar a little shake. You can also add a few drops of oil to prolong use.

If you give this a try, please let me know what you think!

Stopping to make our mark

Gia is growing so fast...

The saying goes, "growing like a weed" but I venture to say Gia is growing "like a tree", strong and tall! We walk past this park everyday in a bit of a hurry on our way to get home and throw down our bags and our cares from the day . Yesterday, something inside me made me just stop and throw my bag down right there at the park. "Let's just hang here," I said.

We sat in the park and chatted about the events of the day. We reflected on the way time flies and the beautiful sea grape tree leaves that surrounded us. We talked about what it must be like to be a tree, having seen so much change happen around you. At that, I told Gia how much I loved her and that many things in life will change but that will not. In this crazy, busy, uncertain life we lead our impact on the world around us is like that of falling leaves. Someone will see the leaves we have left behind and gauge who we are as a person by them. What kind of leaves are we leaving behind?

We decided to make our mark on some ofthe leaves that surrounded us. Gia took a moment to leave her mark on some leaves.

Sign Says

Sign reads: Welcome! My shop is nicely priced and you will find cool stuff! Warning, I do not have change so bring the right amount! Love, Gia

Parent to Parent

"I prayed God would give me an awesome life; I think he just made me famous!" - Gia

Okay so, after yesterday's post and comments I have to say that not only is Gia awesome, (I mean I am a little biased) but all boat kids are awesome. I got to thinking and every single one of our best friends live on boats. There's Sebastian on Jamoco, Maya & Finn on Tranquility, Arias on Necesse, Jade & Marc Antoine on L'Eau Dace 4, Storm on Cat and many many others I forgot to mention. We keep in touch with these kids through an awesome website, kids4sail.org run by an incredible boat mom as a way to foster play dates and get the kids to keep in touch with their friends even after they sail away!

Kids that live on boats have more responsibilities, they are more aware of their surroundings and learn nautical language as well as boat handling skills on top of their every day studies. Since the sailing lifestyle includes a lot of travel they are able to adapt to change and make friends quickly helping them to fit in anywhere. I'm so happy that we were able to share our lifestyle and education choices with the South Florida region through WSVN Channel 7 and hopefully even further by sharing the link with our sailing friends from all over the world!

Please take a minute and view the video. If you' d like to share it with someone that is interested in learning more about alternative education or sailing with children please do.

Click here

Kudos for Gia!

Gia has been looking forward to being in public school for a long time. She remembers what school days are like; frolicking on the playground, eating lunch with her peers  and even spelling tests. Since 2006 we have been combining a bit of home-schooling with a bit of public schooling while we continued to "live the dream" and cruise on our boat. Popping into a town long enough to register into a public school but not long enough to complete a grade; kind of like 6 months public, 6 months home-school. I think it's been the experience of a lifetime but to Gia, it's just life. She sees us leaving her friends at school and missing social engagements although she knows how much she loves to snorkel and hike and meet new friends in other countries.

For the past 3 months, Gia has been attending Coconut Grove Elementary and I have had nothing but glowing reports! She is definitely in her element now, all that practice we had done by ourselves in the comforts of our little sailboat are paying off for her in big ways! On Friday Gia competed in her first Spelling Bee. She gave an incredible effort and displayed confidence as she spelled out; garnish, butterflies, kitchen and twitter. Her first "real" report card came home with all A's & B's. She was given a free movie pass for completing the most Accelerated Reader comprehension tests of her class and I also received an email from the teacher acknowledging her hard work using an online component offered by the school for assignments in all subjects. It has been a great couple of months for Gia as most of her hard work and efforts are being recognized on such a bigger scale. We are so proud of her.

I meet many people that ask if I was afraid of home-schooling or the moving around that comes with our transient sailing lifestyle. I always respond with, "No I think it's a great experience." Gia has proven that she is resilient and can easily go with the flow of our ever changing lifestyle. She is able to pick up where she left off with friends and neighbors as well as the rigors of public school, uniforms and standardized testing. At a Christmas party in the Grove, a friend introduced us to her mother, Dr. Val. Dr. Val was taken by Gia's charms and amazed at her eloquent speech. She expressed a general interest into our boating lifestyle and alternative way of schooling Gia. She told me she had a TV show and her producers would be in touch. Sure, I thought. Well, 3 weeks later we had a producer and photographer out on Felicity interviewing Gia and me. Gia swore her life was changed forever and soon movie producers would be knocking down the door.

Tonight on Channel 7, WSVN will feature our segment on Parent to Parent between 5 and 5:30 pm. Soon after we will post the link and video so we can share it with you. I am so excited and proud of our little girl she has brought so much happiness and light into our lives and she really makes this lifestyle worthwhile. When we see the learning taking place and then applied in real life there is no better reward in parenting!

Hotel Backpackers

If you ever take a trip to Guatemala, go to Hotel Backpackers. Some of our readers are sailors, cruisers or just plain world travelers. So when I say if you ever get to Guatemala, I really mean when you get there!

Located on the Rio Dulce in El Relleno, Guatemala Hotel Backpackers is along the "Mayan Route" allowing visitors making their way through the popular spots to catch a glimpse of life on the river. This photo is taken at night just off the pier of the Hotel and captures the Restaurant lit up at night! Hotel Backpackers is the organization Casa Guatemala's way of supporting themselves by operating a beautiful restaurant with fantastic food at great prices and a hotel for, you guessed it, backpackers. Those are mainly people travelling through the country on a budget. Most times volunteers of Casa Guatemala stay at the hotel as well and ride in a launcha to the orphanage every morning. (Oh, how I miss the river.)

Heather @  Hotel Backpackers is a great voice on the river hosting the Cruiser's Net once a week. She has the most enthusiastic broadcast and announces specials & events the go on at the restaurant every day, even Sundays. My favorite was the Thai food, and Gia's was the Tortizza (mini pizza on a tortilla). The Casa also goes around to every marina on a launcha offering goods for sale, every Tuesday and Saturday. Now, this was a special treat! The boat would be filled with coolers carrying, delicious meats, cheeses and freshly baked breads! Boaters didn't even have to venture off the deck of their boat and you couldn't miss them because they would shout out, " Casa Guatemala" as they passed every boat at a slow drift!

Hotel Backpackers and Casa Guatemala are on Facebook, Like them!!

Casa Guatemala is a self funded organization so they get NO help from the government. Hotel Backpackers is solely run to support Casa Guatemala and often times the children that grow up at the Orphanage begin working at the Hotel and Restaurant as they come of age! Besides that only the help of supporters like you and me, and an extensive Canadian population as the founders of the Casa were originally from Canada.

I wrote last Sunday about Casa Guatemala and the good work that they do providing shelter, medical care and education for the desperately needy families in the surrounding areas. Several of you had more questions about Casa Guatemala and wanted more information. For more information email us @ MVFelicity at Gmail. Make a donation directly by clicking HERE.

Slideshow of the Hotel here.

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