November: Welcome back, family!

November was wonderful month in Cayman: We finished out the hurricane season (quietly, thank God), the breezes picked up again, and the island started getting into holiday mode. We also got our first public holiday after a long "holiday desert" stretch during the summer and fall, and a three-day weekend in lovely November was enough to tempt my parents to visit the island again.

Traveling all the way from sunny Southwest Florida (and leaving behind their beloved Golden Retriever) afforded me the treat of one-on-one time with Mom and Dad!

They arrived just before the weekend, so we introduced them to Nate's Friday afternoon ritual of a sunset Spikeball session.

The boys played while the visiting parents compared notes on their expat kids.

My mom + Kelly's mom. Plus Dex.

Former Pennsylvanians meet Michiganians.

Other beach-goers included our favorite little person.

Just look at that pout! Irresistible.

This kid is quickly learning to mobilize, and her balance on shifting sands is noteworthy!

Mom and Dad's first visit was over four years ago, and we didn't get the chance to take them to all our favorite island spots, so I decided that Monday's day off would be the perfect opportunity to drive them to Rum Point - the long way. Driving through the eastern districts is one of my favorite ways to relax and "get away" without jumping on a plane. The island's natural beauty speaks for itself and never ceases to impress the visitor and resident alike. If you're keen to give it a try, I recommend putting your car on South Church Street in George Town and following the "beach road" all the way through South Sound, Prospect, Bodden Town, East End, Gun Bay, and North Side, keeping the coast on your right.

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The sea views you'll see on this 45-minute drive will take your breath away.

Shot two years ago on an annual trip to EE for Maya's birthday.

Arriving at Rum Point, we found some shady chairs away from the hubbub of splashing kids and incoming boats for a nice afternoon of total relaxation.

I was distracted only by the vibrant Caribbean colors surrounding us.

Mom and Dad's long weekend visit ended all too quickly, but since they are just a short flight away now, I have a feeling we'll be seeing them in Cayman more than once every four years.

Oh, and do yourself a favor: Go back to the blog post of their first visit and scroll to the bottom where I shared a video of my sister and her thoughtful approach to dog-sitting in M&D's absence. I just die.

Also visiting in November: Nate's childhood best friend and his lovely (pregnant!) wife. That's right: Phil and Lindsey joined us for their third visit to Cayman!

Once again, Spikeball reigned supreme during a lovely Friday sunset.

And while the boys displayed random acts of creatively flinging themselves on the sand in pursuit of a rubber ball, Lindsey and I compared baby bumps.

For those of you who haven't heard the news, Nate and I are expecting our first child in June 2016! What makes it all the more exciting is that Phil & Lindsey are just 10 weeks ahead of us! I foresee two new little people who are about to become long-distance best friends.

More on that to come, I am sure.

Taking advantage of the November weather and wind, the four of us went up to Barkers on the weekend to join the kite crew. Nate had to dust off his kite after a long break, but it was great to see him back on the water!

And since being outside and on the beach is what "winter" is all about around here, on another occasion we introduced P&L to Baby R while she discovered a waterfall of sand on the beach with her mom.

She really did think it was a waterfall and kept trying to stick her face into the stream to get what she was convinced would be a refreshing drink. Hilarious and unbelievably adorable!

All that sand had to come off at some point, and Jeremy was ready to give his little girl a cleansing dip in the Caribbean Sea. This kid is definitely an island baby!

We are so glad that our family (blood and otherwise) were able to visit us this November. I'm pretty sure that 2016 is going to be a busy, non-stop year, so we're clinging to our freestyle life as long as we can. Phil & Lindsey, you're going to be super duper parents, and we're going to be taking copious notes for our adventure that will begin right after yours! xoxo