On July 5, right after wrapping up our 4th of July fun, Casey and I dropped off the boys at his (very generous) parents' house. Then, he and I headed to the airport for our flights to St. Thomas, USVI. We had our honeymoon here, and traveled here with both of our families in 2004...the last time we'd been there. So, 10 years later, we were back.
I find it difficult to describe such a vacation. A true vacation...time away. But, honestly, I don't think it's even necessary to describe it further than...6 days, without kids, in the Caribbean, in a private villa. That doesn't require any more descriptors, does it?
My parents were also generous since we were staying at the villa with them and my brother and sister-in-law. We stayed at the amazing villa, Star Garden. We actually arrived on Saturday night, late. When we woke (late) the next morning, we walked around to see what would be our home for the week.
![photo DX0A0168_zps8a79a49b.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0168_zps8a79a49b.jpg)
That morning, a lovely tropical rain had come through briefly. You can see the moody skies and the ground wet from the rain, but it doesn't take away from the breathtaking home or views. This is the front of the house.
![photo DX0A0173_zpsa6440802.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0173_zpsa6440802.jpg)
Just inside the gate and looking at the front porch and the path that takes you (to the right) around to the back of the house.
![photo DX0A0127_zps416de586.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0127_zps416de586.jpg)
Looking the other way at the front porch and front door to the house. The gardens were so green and colorful.
![photo DX0A0124_zpsd39b8145.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0124_zpsd39b8145.jpg)
Inside the main building there was the kitchen...
![photo DX0A0141_zps85a1bba0.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0141_zps85a1bba0.jpg)
And a living space with TV...
![photo DX0A0142_zps2ca55945.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0142_zps2ca55945.jpg)
And an enormous dining room. These were the common rooms of the villa. There was also a bathroom off the living area. Then, the bedrooms were housed in two separate buildings to the right and to the left of this main one.
![photo DX0A0145_zps3de954e5.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0145_zps3de954e5.jpg)
Here you can see the living room and kitchen and how they flow into each other. The dining room is just off the kitchen to the left.
![photo DX0A0164_zps65b584a4.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0164_zps65b584a4.jpg)
Back outside, this is the path on the right of the house that leads to the back and one of the guest room buildings.
![photo DX0A0123_zpsb8c28b23.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0123_zpsb8c28b23.jpg)
Those Adirondack chairs conveniently face the east so you can watch the sun rise from that vantage point.
![photo DX0A0116_zpsddc73fe7.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0116_zpsddc73fe7.jpg)
This is facing back toward the front of the house again and those doors lead straight to the living room.
![photo DX0A0112_zpsdcc165d9.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0112_zpsdcc165d9.jpg)
Then, at the back of the house, there's the entrance to the guest room buildings, the back porch, and the pool area.
![photo DX0A0155_zps2b7a3227.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0155_zps2b7a3227.jpg)
That staircase led up to our room upstairs on the left.
![photo DX0A0153_zps3493ad44.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0153_zps3493ad44.jpg)
The back porch and back of the house...
![photo DX0A0156_zpsb935ca29.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0156_zpsb935ca29.jpg)
And the view from the back of the house. Stunning...and you can't even see all of it from this photo.
![photo DX0A0149_zps3663e48d.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0149_zps3663e48d.jpg)
![photo DX0A0175_zps1a4a1d7a.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0175_zps1a4a1d7a.jpg)
This is the view out toward the ocean. And the direction from which we watched several beautiful sunsets...pictured later.
![photo DX0A0180_zps524dae57.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0180_zps524dae57.jpg)
![photo DX0A0183_zps061a2959.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0183_zps061a2959.jpg)
That balcony up there is ours.
![photo DX0A0191_zpsda7aa331.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0191_zpsda7aa331.jpg)
This is what our room looked like inside.
![photo DX0A0085_zpsc7edbbb9.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0085_zpsc7edbbb9.jpg)
![photo DX0A0088_zps22b83077.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0088_zps22b83077.jpg)
And of course, our amazing view of Magen's and beyond.
![photo DX0A0097_zpsee3e0d87.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0097_zpsee3e0d87.jpg)
This is the view from our balcony of the pool area and Magen's beach beyond that.
![photo DX0A0101_zpsd1adc1bf.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0101_zpsd1adc1bf.jpg)
![photo DX0A0186_zpsf1440d62.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0186_zpsf1440d62.jpg)
![photo DX0A0188_zps87085d6d.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0188_zps87085d6d.jpg)
Looks like paradise, right?
![photo DX0A0192_zpsdeb0121f.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0192_zpsdeb0121f.jpg)
And it was. I parked myself in one of those lounger chairs (that are sitting in the water) with my Kindle and stayed there practically ALL of the first day we were there.
![photo DX0A0210_zps372c040d.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0210_zps372c040d.jpg)
![photo DX0A0220_zpsa1574e4c.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0220_zpsa1574e4c.jpg)
I did some of this too...
![photo DX0A0231_zpsc4d74856.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0231_zpsc4d74856.jpg)
So, basically the best day ever.
![photo DX0A0241_zps4b5191a2.jpg](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Main%20Blog%20Photos/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202/Main%20Blog%20Photos%202038/DX0A0241_zps4b5191a2.jpg)
![](http://i160.photobucket.com/albums/t181/rdc98h/Digitals/Winter2010Signaturecopy.jpg)
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