Breakfast on the Beach & Geocaching

We are very lucky to have beautiful weather at least 6 months out of the year!  By that I mean 60's or 70's for temps.  We have also been fortunate the last two weekends to have Tommy home with us and no work on the weekends for him!  We have really needed this because between deployments and his work schedule we had really been missing him. Trying to soak it up as he will be leaving again soon!

Two weekends ago, we had a sunny nice day and very little on the agenda.  We wanted to head down south to Naha, the capital of Okinawa, but it was too far away since Tommy was still on standby for assistance with the disaster on mainland Japan.  So instead we decided to have breakfast on the beach at this YUMMY new place we had been hearing about and then go geocaching.

The restaurant was called Seaside Cafe and it sits nestled on a quiet little street that backs to the East China Sea.  It is quiet, quaint, and specializes in Wyatt's favorite - french toast!  The owner is a French chef and he married a local Okinawan and they moved here and opened the restaurant.  It. is. AMAZING!  Soooooo yummy.  And they serve lattes.  And they didn't even bat an eye when I spilled mine all over myself.  They just came, cleaned it up, and brought me another one.  So sweet!

The kids loved it because they could play on the seawall while waiting for our food.  After we ate we strolled back down to the sea wall and I snapped these photos.

Then we decided to give geocaching a shot.  We had heard about it and wanted to try it but just hadn't gotten around to it.  Basically, you sign up (for free) on a web site and plug in where you are at and it gives you a map and grid coordinates to plug into your GPS and you go looking for TREASURE!  The fun part is, you have only small hints and clues as to what you are looking for.  It is usually some sort of small container with a small booklet inside for you to "log" that you found it and a small token like a kid's coin or something.  You bring your GPS and the closer you get to it, the GPS will tell you (using the coordinates) how close you are.  It will get you to within about 10-20 feet and the rest is up to you to find the treasure!

It sounds easy, but some of the treasures are hidden well and are challenging!  They have to be sort of well hidden because you don't want "muggles" (random people) to find it and just walk off with it, not realizing it is part of a game.  The website rates them on a difficulty scale of 1-5.  The first one we tried was supposed to be at Pirate Ship Park, which the kids love, so we went there and Tommy & I tried to find the treasure while the kids played.  Umm.... harder than it sounds; we couldn't find it!!  So we went to another site, also at a park for the kids to play, but it was hidden in a thick vegitative area and again we could not find it!  I think it would have been much easier if the kiddos weren't with us (and really fun for them if they were older!) but it wasn't meant to be for us.  We will try it again some day though!

You should know that this is not just an Okinawa thing.  There are places all over the entire world with these treasures hidden - you should try it - it is super fun!!  Just google it if you are interested!

My Glamorous Life

So this week has been so glamorous in my life, I thought I'd tell you a little bit about it!  Please know that while my style of writing is definitely tongue-in-cheek, I actually really love these little moments with my kiddos because they provide comedic humor!

Tuesday night I went for pedicures and dinner with two friends.  Tommy came home from work early (umm... that would be 5:30 p.m....) to take charge of the kiddos so I could leave at 6:15.  I was making them dinner so they would not have to eat Spaghettios out of a can while I was gone.  It was chicken alfredo pasta with peas and Wyatt crossed his arms and said, "YUCK!" and baby girl ate it and smeared it all in her face, hair, clothes, the high chair...it was EVERYWHERE!  So T hauled the kids off to the bath while I ran around like a maniac trying to clean up before my friends got here.  I go upstairs to help him and he had let baby girl out of the tub and she was walking down the hallway.  She stopped, squatted, grunted, and a big turd fell out of her butt onto the floor.  Then she peed on it.

I told Tommy to just throw the whole rug away (it was old anyway) but the next morning I found it in the laundry room.  Or, should I say, I smelled something coming from the laundry room, and discovered what it was!!  Love that man.

So then yesterday I take the kids to the grocery store and about two aisles in, they both start acting up.  They are usually very good so I was sort of flustered, not knowing what to do with them acting a-fool.  We FINALLY get to the checkout lane. Wyatt is helping me load stuff onto the belt from the cart and baby girl is standing up in the cart trying to get out.  I lunge for her to grab her, and Wyatt was struggling trying to lift two jugs of what he calls Splash (it's really V8 Fusion) onto the belt and dropped them both.  There was a big CRACK and then a literal SPLASH all over my feet and legs.  The whole thing broke open and there was juice everywhere!  He felt so bad, I just laughed and told him it was okay...

Fast forward a few hours later and we have friends over for dinner.  Tommy has to work on Wed. nights and so does Heather's so she and her two kids were here.  We are eating and the two older boys are at the kiddie table.  All of a sudden Wyatt falls out of his chair and his water cup goes flying, sending water splashing out onto my legs and feet.  I was cracking up because there he was laying on the floor and I was all wet again, for the SECOND time that day! 

The good news is, he can now wipe his own butt, so I only have one kid's butt to wipe now.  It's the little things in life!! :)

Planting Flowers

Wyatt loves to help me plant flowers.  It just so happened that I needed a few more plants to put in my little wagon that came with my Valentine's Day flowers from the husband, so the kids and I headed to Makeman after preschool to pick out some things.

I was really looking for some herbs, but they didn't have any that I recognized and the only English markings consisted of "Favorite Herb" with the rest in Japanese... problem being there were about 6 different kinds of Favorite Herbs so I didn't know what to get! :)  So I let Wyatt pick out some flowers, and then I spotted some cherry tomato plants.  They had a picture of the plant with tomatos on it, so I knew what it was.  I picked out a yellow and a red and we headed home to plant them.

Wyatt loves to plant flowers - well, actually, I think he just likes to play in the dirt and water.... but his only thing is, typical for an almost-four year old, he wants to do it NOW.  He doesn't want to wait for me to get it set up so he just starts ripping into the bag of potting soil...  which results in his sister EATING said potting soil!  She didn't really like the taste of it too much and started spitting everywhere.  I cleaned off her tongue but she still had these remnants around her mouth!

Olivia and Wyatt BOTH love to try to water the plants.  It worked out well because it was too heavy for Livy so she ended up dumping the water out all over, so Wyatt got to fill it back up with water, which involves his absolute favorite thing to do: play with the water hose!  But this, of course, resulted in his clothes getting all wet (as always) so then he took off his shirt and INSISTED on "hanging it out to dry."  I told him it was his responsibility to remember to get it and not leave it outside all night... we'll see how that one turns out!!

Now, I just need to research what to do with these tomato plants!  I have no idea, but it can't be too hard.  We shall see!

BUNCO!

Awhile back I mentioned that I joined a Bunco group that my friend Robin started.  BUNCO is a a super-fun dice game made even more fun by great ladies, a fun theme, prizes, and awesome food & drinks.  There are 12 of us who play together, and we have such a great time.  It has been a fun girls night with my friends and I've gotten to meet some new friends as well!


We play once a month and rotate houses.  Our theme this past Friday night was Kentucky Derby Bunco so we all dressed up Derby style.  The food was all Derby food (southern style recipes) as well and we had a great time admiring everyone's outfits and hats!

Last month it was Mardi Gras Bunco and we all had masks and beads and mardi gras food - the absolute BEST gumbo I've ever had - and we had such a great time!  My mom was here for this one and she had a good time playing with us!

I am hosting Bunco in June and I am still debating on my theme.  I can't think of a fun theme that has a dress-up component and special food & drinks that would go with the theme.  Since it's in June, I was thinking of hosting a Typhoon party (these are popular in Oki since we have so many typhoons) - which would mean candlelight instead of lights (no electricity during typhoons), and I could serve the Typhoon drink to go with, along with dressing up in pajamas... but can't think of food that would go with it - I don't want to serve Doritos!! :)  I'm also considering an 80's party (but again, the food is an issue) or a June "wedding" theme and having everyone wear their worst bridesmaid dress.  Which theme do you like?  Or - do you have another fun one I could use?

Things I Love

There's nothing like a good old smack in the face to make you count your blessings.  Done.

On that note, here are some of the many things I love about my life.

I love to put my kids to bed.  And not for the reason you might think; yes, the quiet is amazing but after we go through the motions of bathtime, tooth brushing, pajamas, books and all that jazz, my very favorite time of day is snuggling with Wyatt as he cozies up into bed. He almost always ends the routine with, "Mom, I had fun with you today..." which is all the reward I need after a long day.



Equally amazing is the actual act of watching him drift off to dreamland.  I usually leave the room before Wyatt falls asleep, but a few times a week I stay there with him, just watching his eyes get heavier and heavier until they finally give way to the darkness.  I love seeing that moment and watching him in peaceful slumber.

My second favorite time of day is when my littles wake up in the morning and I get my morning hugs.  They are both so warm and cuddly in the morning when they are still shaking off the sleepies.

Another daily favorite is when my Marine walks through the door.  I have to hand him credit that no matter how many hours he has worked or how tired he is, he always brings his A Game home if he knows the kids have been waiting for him.  I love sitting down to dinner to talk about our day and I miss this little family ritual when he's not here to share it with us.

And finally, I absolutely love how my kids never cease to put a smile on my face and make me laugh.  The other night during bathtime, I was dumping water over Wyatt's head to get the shampoo out.  Olivia quickly caught on and grabbed another bucket, filled it with water, and tried so hard to dump it over her brother's head, but she wasn't strong enough to tip the heavy bucket over.  All three of us dissolved into laughter as she got mad and pushed the bucket into his chest instead!  I love that I can count on raspberry kisses, tickle games, pillow burials and the like to lighten the mood whenever we feel the need.

I love my life!

Funk-y, Funk-y

Things around here seem to be in a funk of some sort.  I can't quite put my finger on what it is, though.

All week I have been trying to think of something to post.  Fleeting thoughts come and go, but nothing seems "noteworthy."

Maybe it's the weather - gloomy, dreary, chilly.  It's that time of year where we all just want spring to pop up and lick us in the face, but even here in Okinawa we seem to have regressed back into our "winter" days.

Possibly it is this week's events that have me upset.  I went through a gate on one of the bases that I've never used before, got lost, and then while I was trying to figure out where I was at, got pulled over for speeding.  In a school zone.  A school zone I had no idea I was in because I was lost. Regardless, this is a major offense here and I am in jeopardy of losing my license.  We shall see come traffic court time, but I have been upset all week about it because I know how bad it looks for Tommy (in the world of the Marine Corps) and it is embarassing to me as well.

Or perhaps it is that in the wake of our host nation's crisis, most everything else seems to pale in comparison.  The devastation to the people of Japan - the people we've grown very fond of - and its cities, the stories we've heard from friends serving there, and the pending radiation scare is sort of overwhelming when it seems as though you personally can do nothing more than sit by and watch.

Anyway, there is a definite funk in the air, and I'm hoping it disappears soon!  Help me out.  What things have been going on in YOUR worlds that are noteworthy?  I need some good news, people!

Thought of the Day

Sometimes, like when my husband tells me that they have sent our Marines equipped with Iodine pills for fear of exposure to high radioactivity levels on mainland Japan (following Friday's national disaster), it occurs to me that we do not lead a normal life.

How messed up is THAT!?!?

Honestly, I don't even know... my radar for what is considered "normal" is sort of out of whack lately.

Ah... it could always be worse, though.  Counting my blessings that we are all safe, happy, and free of radioactivity for the time being.

Have a great week!

Life Really Is A Box of Chocolates

Never have these words been less cliche than this week!  What a week. 

Just a quick post to let everyone know that we are all okay here in Okinawa.  Okinawa is far south of mainland where the earthquake hit, and we haven't experienced any of the aftershocks, at least not yet.  We were, of course, under a tsunami warning and so we did have to evacuate our bunker based on where we live... we live in a low-lying area so that is always a concern.  This happened one other time a year ago (when Olivia was only a week old!) so I was familiar with the drill, although this came on more suddenly.  Tommy was still at work when all of this occurred (remember the time difference) so I got the kids and some things packed up and was two blocks away when I saw a family loading their dogs in their car... so back I went to get the cats.  Getting the cats in their carriers proved to be more difficult than getting the kids out of the house so honestly that was the most challenging part of the whole ordeal!!

Anyway.  We went to my friend Robyn's and it was like a big old party.  She had another friend there too and our kids were all playing.  Robyn cooked us all dinner.  Tommy eventually arrived and we eventually go to head home and put the kids to bed.  So sorry I didn't update my Facebook page earlier, I know that some of you were concerned... honestly we were just exhausted and went to bed and didn't think about the time change that many of you would just be waking up to the news of what happened.

We are still under tsunami warning and there was earlier talk of another evacuation but we are hoping we're clear for now.  Tommy has been at work all day (today is Saturday) and they are trying to figure out who/what/when/how to get Marines to mainland to help with disaster relief, so please keep all of our Marines in your thoughts and prayers as they get plans set in motion and arrive to help the people of Japan.

Finally, thanks so much for your care and concern.  It was nice to know that so many people were thinking of us today!

Our Little Cyclone

My wonderful friend Robin sent Olivia a super-cute Iowa State Cyclones tutu and hair bow for her birthday, and I've anxiously been awaiting an opportunity to dress her up in it and take some pictures!

Today I finally had my chance.  Her hair is too fine for the hair bow, but the tutu was super cute!  Here are some of my favorites!

Visitors!!

I couldn't have been happier that our first visitors to our little island were my parents.  They arrived late at night on Feb. 17th, and the action started right away!

Olivia had been sick (vomit & diarrhea) for a day and a half when they arrived.  I put the kids to bed (Wyatt in mine, since Tommy was in Thailand, so that G&G could sleep in his bed) and had my neighbor, Ivette come over to hang out while I ran to the airport. A few minutes after my departure, Wyatt woke up and vomited all over himself, my bed, and finally the bathroom.  Ivette handled it like a pro and threw him in the tub, but Wyatt's crying woke Olivia up... I felt so bad for Ivette!  And nothing like a little vomit to welcome the Grandparents to town!

Anyway - Wyatt recovered very quickly but Olivia battled the diarrhea for a solid 10 days.  There was also another puking incident on a small Japanese road that involved us stripping her down naked while parked on what could be considered a sidewalk, while we cleaned up puke, changed out car seats, and dug through a trunk full of stuff to find clean clothes for her.  Fun times!

Now - on to the good stuff.  They arrived just in time for Olivia's 1st birthday, so we had a little birthday cupcake celebration for our little girl!

 We visited some of the gift shops on base and took them to our favorite restaurants.  We had a great time teaching mom how to use chop sticks and both mom & dad were great sports about trying sushi, sashimi, seafood salad, and all the other Japanese foods we threw in front of them! 

Tommy got home from Thailand just in time for a great dinner with Kyle & Jen at Sushi Zen... but apparently gave Jen the flu, which then led to the birth of beautiful baby Everett...sorry about that, Jen.

We headed up North and explored EXPO park a little bit.  It rained on us before we could get to the Tropical Dream Center, but we did get to see an old Japanese village and play at the two-story playground first.  Mom got to experience peeing in a Japanese "squatty potty" which she really loved and is thinking about installing at their home in Iowa. (Ok not really). 

Here are the boys who got ambitious and climbed up into this hut house thing at the top of a tree in the Japanese village!  For the life of me, I cannot get the picture to rotate correctly! Sorry.


Then we headed to our beach cabin on Oura Wan Bay for two days.  The weather was beautiful and we got a little sunburnt at the beach.  It was a nice couple days of relaxation!



Here we are at a random Japanese restaurant that was somehow French and Spanish.  Our original restaurant that we drove 30 minutes to for my birthday dinner had a sign posted in Japanese that they were closed 2/23 so we drove down the road and this is what we found.  My dad ordered the "fish of the day" and this is that is exactly what he was served... fish head and all!

We went down south to Naha (the capital of Okinawa) and tried really hard to find this amazing Thai restaurant that we had gone to one other time, but after driving around for two hours on top of and around a mountain, we gave up.  It was a beautiful drive with some breathtaking views, though, and all was not lost because we found Shuri Castle just fine. 

We toured the castle, which was the site of rule of the Chinese emporers a way long time ago, and a group of high school girls took pictures of Olivia for about 5 minutes, creating quite the commotion in the gift shop!  Dad made 'friends' with a Japanese guy during the traditional dance show.  He was filming some sort of documentary on Shuri Castle and was very interested in what Americans thought of the show, so dad got to be on film :)

I took my mom for pedicures at Cocok's by the sea wall and we got to have our toes painted in cute St. Patrick's Day designs!   She also came with me to Bunco night with my girlfriends where we drank quite a few Hurricanes during our Mardi Gras themed party.  After a fun night of dice, my friends now think my mom is quite 'cool.' :)

We continued to eat our way through Okinawa and ended their trip with brunch on Sunday at the Butler Officers' Club, which is always amazing.  It is quite the spread and it was a good way to wrap up their last full day on the island.

Many thanks to my parents for being such good sports about all the chaos that is our life, helping me with the kids, and flying half way around the world to see us.  Good times!