Ramblings of Insanity

Scrapbooking party

2009-07-01T23:25:00.000-07:00

So I went to a scrapbooking party the other day. I made 2 cards. I tried to get pictures of them but it was really hard to get a clear shot. You can see the basic idea of them, though.

This says "The best things in life are hand picked....like your friends!"

This one says "So glad we're friends!"

Beauty in an unlikely place

2009-06-12T03:54:00.000-07:00

We were at Donnie's warehouse so he could talk to his workers. From the car we could see these really pretty flowers over by an old, rusty road guard. So pretty and yet so out of place. As luck would have it, I had my camera in the car. I think they look like bells but I don't think they're bluebells. Anyone have any idea what they are??

What I saw from a distance.

The beauty up close.

Jacob's Pride Award

2009-06-12T03:42:00.001-07:00

Well Jacob got a PRIDE award. Donnie and I were both kind of shocked. We went for his assembly and boy was it a super long one since it was the end of the school year. We got a few pics but they are not the best. I think we are all glad that the school year is over.

Jacob bored during the assembly.

Jacob with his award for Enthusiasm.

Science Center pics

2009-06-12T03:26:00.000-07:00

As usual, I am a little late. Here are the pictures from our trip to the Science Center. It was a really fun day. We had a great time playing with all the cool things. I was really lucky because I had a great bunch of kids. Jacob was happy because his "crush" Rachelle was in our group. They were so good I even bought them all ice cream. I was wore out on the way home and fell asleep on the bus.

Jacob, Alex, Rachelle & Akane

Jacob playing with this wheel thing.

Jacob, Alex, Akane and Rachelle playing

in the building center.

Jacob and the cool block tower.

Alex and Jacob

Jacob using this space launcher

to hit targets.

Jacob feeling what space gravity

feels like.

Jacob exploring.

My friend is sick.

2009-06-05T18:06:00.000-07:00

A friend of mine is really sick. Her insides were filled with cancerous tumors that had to be removed. She starts chemo on the 15Th. I am very sad for her and her family. I haven't seen her in about 12 years. We were actually out of touch for several years and I only knew her for about 10 months when I first got married. But she was one of those people that when you get to know her you can't help but feel this deep connection with her. She is one of the nicest people I have ever met and this just seems so unfair to me. She hasn't had the best luck when it comes to relationships. And she has never had children even though she wanted them. They had to give her a hysterectomy. Please say a prayer for my friend Stacey and her family.

I love the Bazaar!!!

2009-05-31T17:15:00.001-07:00

Most of you know my love for antiques and good wooden furniture. I guess I get that from my parents. They always brought in old pieces that either my dad would refinish or have refurbished by a professional. My parents have a house filled with beautiful antiques. Whenever I have the opportunity to add unique pieces to my house I jump at the chance. Since I have been in Japan I have bought a few new pieces of Rosewood furniture that I love but I have also found an old antique tea cabinet. All pieces were found at the bazaar. Well I have now added 2 great new pieces. This antique vanity cabinet that you are supposed to sit at Japanese style while you put on your make up. So Geisha like. I was already looking for a full length mirror so it was perfect when I saw it. I also found some Geisha dress shoes and dress purse. It seemed like a perfect addition to the cabinet.

The next piece I found was this great Rosewood cabinet. It was on sale and it was too good of a bargain to pass up. Donnie saw it and when he showed me we both knew we were going to buy it. This is a picture of it we took in our hallway when we first got it home.

Vengesta's Science Center Trip

2009-05-31T16:51:00.000-07:00

Thursday the 28Th Donnie was a chaperon for Vengesta's class trip to the Science Center in Yokohama. They had a great time. Well, Donnie was a little frazzled from the kids being so bad. Hahaha. The joy of parenting. I will be going as a chaperon for Jacob's class tomorrow. I am not really looking forward to it. I know how bad the kids in his class are. In the meantime, enjoy some pictures from Vengesta's trip. Jacob's will be coming soon.

The 4 kids Donnie had to keep track of:

Lena, Xavier, Gage and Vengesta.

Vengesta and Xavier playing with an
electricity ball.

Vengesta enjoying the jet pack.

Vengesta

Vengesta and Lena as astronauts.

Xavier, Vengesta and Lena (she is just about 8

months older than Vengesta!!)

Vengesta

Vengesta building with blocks.

Freaky Flight

2009-05-21T18:41:00.000-07:00

So my flight was uneventful until I arrived in the Tokyo airport. When we arrived they told us to remain seated and pull all the shades down. Then after a few minutes a team of doctors came in dressed in hazmat suits. It looked like something from the movies. There was one who had an infrared camera to see if anyone was running a fever. They checked anyone who was questionable. We all had to fill out questionnaires about our travels and if we had any symptoms of Swine Flu. The guy behind me pulled out his video camera and started filming. I wanted to take a picture but I chickened out. I was afraid to get into trouble. Finally we got the all clear and were able to leave the plane. When we started coming out the corridor there were film crews and news photographers filming us like we were some kind of side show freaks. It was such a surreal experience. Come to find out, the flight the day before had actually gotten quarantined. What a crazy experience.

Vegas Baby!!

2009-05-21T18:06:00.000-07:00

Me and Angel

Tami, Jeremy and Me

Me making Donny feel me up. LOL.

Me and Kara

Me and my big brother Reggie

So the reunion in Vegas was a total blast. It was so great to see so many people I hadn't seen in years. And the weird thing is like we hadn't even been apart. We had our meet and greet on Friday evening and it was a load of fun. Everyone kind of went their own ways for dinner and then the majority of us went to the Voodoo Lounge. It was a lot of fun but the drinks were so expensive. We ended up getting a private area and ordering some bottles of alcohol (and they bring the mixers). Because we had a decent size group we were required to buy 4 bottles. First they tried to get us to pay $450 a bottle, then it was down to $300 in the end we paid $150 a bottle. I figure that since they also brought the mixers, it worked itself out price wise since drinks were $12 a piece.

On Saturday we had our dinner at Il Fornaio. It was a really good restaurant and the only good food I had the whole time I was in Vegas. The buffets sucked and were overpriced and the restaurant we ate at Friday night was absolutely so disgusting I didn't eat it. Anyways, the dinner was great and we had a fun time. We had awards for various things and class of 91 got all of them. Granted we also had the biggest turn out of any class. I even won for having travelled the farthest for the reunion. That night we went to the Nine Irishmen Pub. That was a lot less expensive and I think we may have had an even better time than we did at the Voodoo Lounge. They had a live band that was playing a kick ass selection of songs. We partied all night until it closed.

Sunday we had brunch and walked around. We passed Chris Daughtery, which I didn't even notice until my friends started freaking out. I got to meet up with my friend Angelica in the afternoon and spent the evening with her. Then I had to get back to my room and left on Monday morning. It was a pretty uneventful trip....until I got into Tokyo.

Ok, Ok, I confess

2009-05-18T15:40:00.000-07:00

Stevee, Journee and Skyee watching TV before bed

Journee, Dante, Stevee and Skyee acting crazy

My little Mario

Sweet Mario

Me and Mario

I've been so lazy since my return from my trip. I have lots of things I will be writing about over the next few days to catch you up on everything. Today I am just going to talk about my trip to Utah to see my brother and his family. I got to the airport early and had some time to kill so I walked around looking at all the shops. I ended up buying a geisha t-shirt for my sister. For lunch I had sushi at a little restaurant and it was quite expensive but since it was fresh and good I was okay with that. Until I left and went around the corner and found another sushi place that was a fraction of the cost. Oh well. Flight was uneventful. I finally arrived in Utah after a long flight and 2 smaller ones. I got to spend 9 days getting to know my nieces and nephews. The girls took a bit to get used to me but once they did, they were so much fun to play with. Baby Mario seemed to recognize me almost. I think he must have thought I looked like my mom. (Since she had spent a lot of time with him when he first came home from the hospital.) Had a great time bonding with the kids and my sister in law. Shopped...A LOT!!! It was a great visit. Here are a few pics from my trip.

Stressing

2009-04-17T05:09:00.000-07:00

I have so much to do between now and Wednesday when I leave for my trip. I have 2 PC parties this weekend. One on Saturday and one on Sunday. I am meeting CC for sushi after Saturday's PC party. I need to pack. I have no idea where to start. I also need to do the laundry so it is all done before I leave. I am really anal about how I like it done so I prefer to do it myself. And I am still working on Monday and Tuesday. No wonder I keep waking up earlier than I have to. I think I just have a lot on my mind. I think I am going to turn in early tonight!!

I think therefore I am

2009-04-16T16:05:00.000-07:00

Talked to the gym director today. I have to do a contract with the contracting office. I had a lot of decisions to make. Did I want to be paid by the class or by the number of participants?! I have complete confidence in my ability to teach a high energy, enjoyable step class. I know I can get a regular following once I start. And I know to change it up to keep it from getting boring. So since you make more if you end up with big classes, I opted for the option to be paid by the number of participants. I may not make as much at first but I am sure that once word get out, I will make more in the long run. So, I am a little nervous right now. I also need to go and get insurance. Which I think is kind of silly being as I am on a military base. I mean, military bases have a "no/can't sue" mentality so...but I will do it. This process has been wild but I am following my dream. I have wanted to do this for a while and this time I took the plunge and it paid off. Yay me!!

Woo hoo....

2009-04-13T04:47:00.001-07:00

For those of you who haven't heard yet, I passed my Group Exercise Certification through AFAA. I took the exam back on February 20th and just got the letter in the mail the middle of last week. So today I got to go in and give my notice for my job. That was hard because I am friends with my boss but I have to do what is right for me. I will start teaching aerobics in May when I get back from my trip to the states to see my brother and go to my high school reunion in VEGAS. (Yeah, I graduated from Italy but who is going to go back to Italy for a reunion??) Anyways, now that I have overloaded you with blogs, later gators!

Cherry Blossom Festival

2009-04-13T04:35:00.001-07:00

I had to work during the Cherry Blossom Festival so Donnie took the kids. I had the pleasure of maning the booths that sold chips, cookies, cakes, candies, salsa, nuts and drinks. The Japanese love the American foods and there was a super long line for them to buy this stuff. At one point we were almost out and then they had to get more. As I was trying to open boxes to price and put it out people were all trying to grab it from me. I had to close the box and tell them to back up. They got the message loud and clear and left me alone after that. Phew!

The kids at the Cherry Blossom Festival

The Japanese love meat on a stick

Vengesta eating some ice cream

This cool dragon shaped slide

Vengesta riding the carousel

A few pics from Easter

2009-04-13T04:18:00.001-07:00

We had a great Easter. We went to brunch with some friends and then had an Easter egg hunt at home for the kiddos. Fun times!

Vengesta and the bunny

The kids

Showa Park

2009-04-13T03:59:00.000-07:00

So on our spring break we took the kids to a park that is about an hour and a half away. This place was AWESOME. It was only $4 for adults and .80 for kids to get in and you could stay as long as you'd like. There were restaurants and vending machines inside or you could bring your own picnic lunch. There were a ton of things for the kids to do. Even paddle boats on a little lake. You could ride your bike on the paths or just walk around and take it all in. We didn't even see the whole park because it was so huge. Here are some of our pictures from that wonderful day. Enjoy!

Hubby and kids in a "cave"

Me and the kids as "flowers"

Some of the pretty flowers

A beautiful view of the park

Kids by the flowers

Vengesta in a cherry blossom tree

Donnie

Vengesta

Me not wanting my picture taken

Us on a dragon

Jacob sliding down the "jumping clouds"

The kids in the "misty forest"

My boys

Us girls

Help, we're being eaten by a snake!

Vengesta by the flowers

Omotenashi = Hospitality

2009-03-29T01:52:00.000-07:00

We had a great time at the Geisha Omotenashi experience. It was so much fun. And we got a lot of great pictures to share with you. We had a menu of traditional Japanese hors d'oeuvres. There was eel boiled in soy sauce which I didn't care for. Minced shark meat (great blue shark and bonito shark) which is then mixed with other ingredients and boiled. That was pretty good dipped in soy sauce. It kind of had a light marshmallow consistency. Then there were sweet little omelets. Those were okay. The "Sake" was really strong. I thought it tasted like a Japanese version of Tequila. This was definitely a once in a life time experience. Enjoy!

Our food
One of the Geisha The musicians

The Geishas dancing

The fan dance

Geisha playing a drum

Geisha playing a Shamisen

Fan Dance

Aki and I competing in a Geisha version of Rock, Paper, Scissors

instead it is Samurai, Tiger, Old lady(Samurai's mother)

Our group with 2 of the Geisha's

Donnie pouring the Geisha a cup of Sake

Donnie throwing up the a Japanese style pose with the Geisha

Me with 2 Geisha's

Aki with 2 of the Geisha's

Geisha serving Christine and I some Sake

Donnie competing in the fan game (he won)

Donnie and I with Geisha and apprentice

Train Station Fun

2009-03-29T01:43:00.000-07:00

There was some new Anime club opening and they had the girls advertising in the train station. Aki and I asked if we could get pics with them. The next thing we knew a ton of Japanese people were surrounding us taking our pictures. The picture on Aki's camera was better. Maybe I will post it later.

Only in Japan

2009-03-26T16:04:00.001-07:00

OK, not really only in Japan but the title sounded nice. :) Yesterday morning it snowed. Yes, a spring snow. It wasn't sticking but regardless it was snowing. By about 11 the sun was shining and it warmed up A LOT!!! By the time I got off work at 2 I even had my jacket off. It has been such a mild winter I was shocked at the snow. I mean, it is technically spring now. The cherry blossoms are already starting to bloom. Hopefully it will warm up because we have our big cherry blossom festival on the 4Th. I will be uploading pictures so I am hoping there are a lot more blooms by then.
This Saturday Donnie and I are going to a Geisha house in Tokyo. It is a bit expensive but I think worth it. The Geisha's are going to perform fan dances and a tea ceremony. And then the Samurais will perform as well. I intend to take a ton of pictures so make sure you come back on Sunday to see the pictures.
Later gators!

One step closer baby

2009-03-22T00:56:00.000-07:00

So yesterday I had my CPR certification. I am one step closer to my Group Exercise Certification. Without the CPR they won't send me the certification. I should find out the first week of April. I can't wait to find out. I am so eager to start teaching. Woo hoo!

I'm a rockstar!

2009-03-18T03:22:00.000-07:00

So I went to the dentist today after about 8 years of not going. NO CAVITIES! :) Also, they said my teeth and gums were in great shape. Only a little tarter. I did have a small amount of calcification behind my bottom front teeth which they said was normal but I had less than most people. Then they told me to start using a junior size toothbrush because my mouth was small and the larger toothbrush was making me be a little too rough. I got my cleaning and went on my way. I so rock. And I don't even floss!!!!!

WTH??

2009-03-16T04:15:00.000-07:00

Why is it some days I eat too many calories and have to really watch it at night and others I am struggling to get enough in? Today I didn't realize how low my calories were until this evening. So I had to find things to eat that fit in with not only my caloric shortcomings but also my shortcomings of protein and fat. And oddly enough, I ALWAYS manage to consume enough carbs!!! Go figure. On a brighter note, I had a great work out today and am on cloud 9! AND... I am going to my highschool reunion in May. Woo hoo! I am glad that I am going to make it and get to see everyone!

I love SPARK PEOPLE!!!

2009-03-15T06:05:00.000-07:00

I have recently found a new FREE website that you can get good weight loss advice along with an exercise plan, diet plan and calorie tracker. I absolutely love it. I am on there a lot. It was a real eye opener to see how many calories some things have and how much easier it is to make good decisions when I have to track what I am eating. I have tried to food journal before but I just couldn't get into it. Since all the hard stuff is done, this is easier. If you are interested the website is www.sparkpeople.com just tell them I refered you and I get spark points. My screen name is christiec73. Later guys!

Masai Barefoot Technology

2009-03-11T05:36:00.000-07:00

I'm so happy this week. Both of my new MBT tennis shoes came in. :) I love those damn things. I ordered a plain white pair like the ones I used to have and then I ordered a white and blue pair. You can get them new on ebay for a lot cheaper than from the stores. Now there aren't many people splurging on shoes so I was able to get them for a good price. Donnie calls them Moon Boot Tennis shoes because they are so bulky. I love them because they are so comfy and they make me taller. LOL. I think I am going to get one more pair in white and hot pink. I swear they are the most comfortable shoes I have ever owned.

The Bowling Party Pics!

2009-03-09T05:18:00.000-07:00

As promised, here are some pictures from Jacob's party! Once again, I am so glad that these hyper kids were NOT in my house. Talk about ADHD! LOL!!! Now Vengesta is saying she wants her bday at the Bowling Alley too. And you know what....I'm all for it! :)

The Cake

Jacob was so happy with this Wii game.

He was chatting away while he opened presents.

A nice, messy gift....thanks Christine!!!

Vengesta looking crazy!

Jacob talking to his friend David.

The group bowling and acting crazy.

They were so hyper and this was BEFORE the cake

Happy, happy birthday Baby!

2009-03-08T17:39:00.000-07:00

We finally had Jacob's birthday party on Saturday and it was awesome. I had it at the bowling alley and it was the best money I ever spent on a party. It was so much more relaxing to not have to do anything other than pick the theme, send the invitations out and show up. The bowling alley provided the food, drinks, decorations, cake, goodie bags and did all the clean up. It was such a stress free experience. And let me tell you, after seeing how the kids were all spastic, I am so glad they were not in my house. It would have been like a heard of bulls in a china shop. Kids that age are so loud and clumsy. :) I think overall I spent about what I would have if I had had it at home but the difference is that it involved very little work on my part. And the kids had a great time too. I'll post pictures later.

Lada dee lada dah........

2009-02-21T05:36:00.000-08:00

Well I am finally done with all the studying and my course. I am pretty sure that I passed it but I won't know for 6 weeks. So in the mean time I am going to get my music and start working on my choreography. I just have to relax and prepare. I will be really surprised if I didn't pass because I knew all the answers. Every question I thought, "I know this!!" So, hopefully soon I will be able to post the good news that I am officially a certified group exercise instructor! :) I am going out tonight with the girls to reward myself. I will definitely be posting more pictures and more blogs soon so keep coming back! Love you guys. Later gators!

Cool food in Japan

2009-02-13T05:56:00.001-08:00

One cool thing about Japan is these restaurants with this meat that comes to you raw and you have to use your chopsticks to swirl it around the hot plate to cook it. It is so delicious and I am not one to eat meat that is not well done. It cooks really quickly and it is so tender. This picture is courtesy of our night out. We actually ate this for breakfast.

Flashback dinner

2009-02-13T05:45:00.000-08:00

Last weekend my ex-boyfriend Lee came over to dinner. He was in the area for work and we took this opportunity to see each other. It's been 15 years since the last time we saw each other. It was great catching up and exchanging stories of our weddings and children's births, etc. Lee got to meet my husband and kids and we had a really great time. I can't wait until I get to meet his family.

Vengesta got an award!

2009-02-13T05:38:00.000-08:00

Vengesta got a P.R.I.D.E. award for most improved in her class. Each class gives out 5 awards each quarter. Preparedness, Respectful of others, Improved, Dependable, Enthusiastic. I was very proud of her. She also was supposed to read 15 books for the entire year (she has to take a test on the computer and pass it to get credit) and she has already read 27 books!!!! She has adapted very well to American school.

Excuse Me!

2009-02-04T00:17:00.000-08:00

Ok. So admittedly I have been slacking with the blog but with good reason. I have been really busy in the gym and at home studying for my Group Exercise Certification. The course is on the 20th of February and I am going to have to really work hard to make sure I pass. So, if you don't hear from me, please forgive me.

Blah!

2009-01-25T00:52:00.000-08:00

Well the semester is over and the kids did really well again. Jacob had to do some make up work right at the end because he hadn't turned in some of his assignments so we were a bit pissed. But since he did get them in, his grades were all A's and B's again. He's lucky or he would have been grounded from all video games. This weekend Donnie had inventory so our schedules got a bit off. We spent the rest of the weekend being lazy. Not much is going on right now.

Random pics from our night out!

2009-01-18T00:15:00.001-08:00

Here are some pics from the start of our adventure.

The Tokyo Tower in the distance.

(Modeled after the Eifel Tower but it is taller!)
This sign is for "NONNO"!! :)

Me and Christine...Donnie was supposed to get a pic of us

but he only got our heads...arrrgh...men!!

The Karaoke Room

2009-01-17T23:56:00.000-08:00

After the club we spent an hour in a private Karaoke room. It was a lot of fun laughing at the guys singing. I couldn't participate bc when I stay up too late I lose my voice. And Christine and Frances were racked out on the couches. I apologize for getting the pics out of order but I am still figuring this blogger out. :)

Lamar looking for a song while Marcus sings.
Christine and Frances waking up.

Christine trying to wake up.

The guys getting in one last song.

Marcus waiting to sing.

Lamar, Christine and Frances

The guys singing.

Christine and Frances

Club Feria in Roppongi

2009-01-17T23:26:00.001-08:00

We went to this new club in Roppongi called Feria. It was pretty cool and there were a ton of people there. We got to sit in reserved seating. We saw the signs so we weren't going to sit down and then the waiter gave me and Frances the once over and said we could sit there. So we did. :) Anyways, we stayed there until 4. We liked it and would go again. Christine, Lamar, Marcus and Frances said it was the nicest club that they'd been to in Roppongi. Next time we go out Aki is going to take us to some other town that is supposed to have huge clubs. Here are a few pics of the night club.

Donnie, Christine and Lamar
The Club

Another Club Shot

Me and Christine

Marcus, Frances, Christine, Lamar

Marcus taking a shot

Lamar and Christine

Aki and Christine

Christine

Donnie, Christine and Lamar

Me and Donnie

Christine and Donnie

Lamar, Christine and Aki

Christine grabbing me!!!

Marcus, Frances, Christine, Lamar

Christine putting her booty in Lamar's face!Christine and I

Christine and her new Japanese friend

Christine and Frances

Aki, Me and Donnie

Christine, Aki and me

Christine and Aki

Aki and his American b!tches!

Christine, Aki and me Donnie and Aki

Aki, Me, Christine and Lamar by the ticket machines

Aki

Welcome Home Cafe

2009-01-17T23:19:00.000-08:00

We went to the "Welcome Home Cafe" which is a form of Harajuku. We barely made it in time for one drink and pictures with the girls. They don't allow you to take pictures but will take them for you and you pay $5. It was worth it. We want to go to one of the comic ones next. We were given membership cards as well. The girls wrote our names in Japanese and on the back of my membership card she wrote my name and "a lovely, young lady". Hahaha. You know I was older than her. lol. It was really fun and we laughed the whole time we were in there. Aki and I were fighting over the same waitress since you pick the one you want.

Vengesta

2009-01-14T21:38:00.000-08:00

So this morning I was packing up my daughters book bag and I looked to see if Donnie had signed her reading log. He hadn't and had forgotten to yesterday as well. I usually do it but was helping Jacob with math yesterday. Well my daughter saw I hadn't done it and she wrote the book title in and PRINTED MY NAME WHERE I AM SUPPOSED TO SIGN!!!!!!! I was shocked. She wasn't doing it to get away with something, she was just helping out...I guess. I had to tell her not to put my name and if that happens again to just tell the teacher that mommy forgot. It cracks me up that she did that. Too smart for her own good. The teacher circled it and put a question mark. It's obvious that Vengesta wrote it and not me!!!! And if it isn't obvious to the teacher, we have a problem now don't we??? Oh well. My baby is growing up.

<3 <3 This picture is for Brandon!!! <3 <3

2009-01-11T02:47:00.000-08:00

Because my nephew Brandon has loved cranes since he was a little baby I had to take this picture of the cranes for him. I love you Brandon!!!

Mushi, mushi....here's my sushi!!!!

2009-01-11T02:38:00.000-08:00

As you know, I recently tried sushi. And ever since then, I have wanted to go back. Thing is, my family will not eat it so I have to go with my friend Christine. So all week I have been telling her I wanted to go. I finally got my wish on Saturday night. Here is a picture of my scrumptious food! :)

See, I do have friends...okay one!!!

2009-01-11T02:07:00.001-08:00

Me and Christine at the park. We had to ask some Japanese lady to take our picture. She is the one who takes me to all the cool places!

Notice our cool shades?!

Awesome day at a local park!

2009-01-11T01:41:00.000-08:00

Today we took the kids to a local park that had all sorts of cool rope climbing things. We went with our friends and their kids. There was also a little tiny zoo there. I only got a few pictures of that because my battery died on my camera. This park was huge and there were a ton of people there playing, climbing, picnicing and flying their kites. We had a blast and can't wait to go again.

This little guy wanted out!!!

The lemurs must've been cold because they were huddled together!

Cute little kangaroo!

Vengesta on this bouncy thing!

Jacob in the tube!

Vengesta on her trapeeze! :)

Vengesta and her friend Alyssa!

Alyssa

Vengesta and a little Japanese girl!

Notice Donnie and Lamar on top???

Say hello to my little friend....

2009-01-09T04:05:00.000-08:00

So on the way to bingo last night we ran into a raccoon on this windy road nicknamed "snake road" because it is so windy and steep. There are woods on either side and we see raccoons going across all the time. They don't seem to be too afraid of people. This one stuck around long enough to let me fish out my camera and take a ton of pics in an attempt to get some that you could see him pretty good. Easier said than done as it was pitch black outside. He was a really cute little guy and looked hungry so we threw him some Doritos. He was happy to eat them as we looked on.

Here comes my little friend....

He is wondering if we have anything to eat...

So we had to throw him some Doritos!!!

Yippee!!!

2009-01-07T23:00:00.000-08:00

B-b-b-b-b bingo!!! So finally after 6 weeks of no bingo due to the holidays I get to go tonight. I have been feening for some bingo. How lame is that? I guess it is because I almost always win. I hesistated to go when my sister got me hooked in Italy. Now, I go every week. And it's not for blue haired old ladies anymore. Lots of young people go. Today at work I was excited and was talking to Emma about it. (She goes too.) So I made the joke that I had to practice yelling "bingo" for when I win tonight. So I yelled it and all the kids in the cafeteria were looking at me like I was crazy! LOL. And maybe I am a bit crazy. That's the beauty of me.

First day back to school!

2009-01-05T01:51:00.000-08:00

It's back to school and back to doing homework. I went back to work today as well. And oddly enough, I was kind of glad to be back. I think it was just the getting out of the house. The kids got up and got ready this morning without too much yelling on my part. :) Here are some pictures of the kids getting back to the grind.

Donnie and the kids doing homework.

Donnie and Jacob

Vengesta getting her spelling homework done.

Cupcakes for Leech!

2009-01-05T00:56:00.000-08:00

So my sister Lisa likes all things with cupcakes on them. She likes to make them as well. The other day when I was shopping I found these cute little washcloths packaged like little cupcakes. Naturally I had to buy a couple for my sister. I think they are too cute. I am adding a front and top view of them. Enjoy!

Ode to the Japanese Toilet!

2009-01-02T22:25:00.000-08:00

The Japanese are a funny people. I've seen so many things since I have been in Japan that are different than the US and Europe. They are so quiet and polite. They dress like cartoon characters. Lots of things that we would never dream of wearing together. They love to say yes or "hai" and love to bow to you as a sign of politeness and respect. But the thing that always makes me smile is their fancy toilets. Not all places have them but a lot do. They are like super toilets. They are warmed for you in the winter and not in that icky someone was sitting on it before you way. They can squirt warm water at your tush if you pooped. If you are pooping and you need to have some indiscretion, they will play music or make flushing sounds. :) They make using the toilet like an uplifting experience. I did see the "super toilets" polar opposite. It was similar to a bomb site (hole in the ground toilets that you see in Europe) but it was higher up and kind of looked like a toilet with no lid. It was a bit intimidating to use. I was afraid I would touch the porcelain bc the bathroom was tiny and you felt like you were in a closet. So I had to hold the door handle to make sure I didn't fall back. I so prefer the fancy toilets. I think that Japanese have it right with those. I would love that in my own home!!! :D

New Year, new experiences!!!

2009-01-02T03:34:00.000-08:00

So the last 2 days have been wonderful. My friend Christine has been taking me to a bunch of cool places downtown and I am so freaking thankful for that. I am in love with some of the cool places we went to. We hit a "recycle" shop. Basically a thrift store but there are a lot of new things there that are odds and ends from stores that still have the tags on them. I found some great stuff there. Then we went to a restaurant that brings your food out on a hot sizzling plate and you basically have to cook the little pieces of meat by moving it around on your plate with the chopsticks. Very good. And this awesome coffee shop that had the best homemade desserts. So light and fluffy. :p Today we went to a mall and the 100 yen store. Basically a $1 store but with better stuff. For lunch I did something I NEVER thought I would. I tried sushi. And I went with the safer choices but I LOVED it and would definitely do it again. It was so cool because it had the carousel thing that went around with the dishes. I ate salmon and tuna and shrimp. I couldn't bring myself to try any of the other raw fish. And I am pretty sure that the salmon was in some kind of vinegar or something so not really raw. The shrimp was kind of like in shrimp cocktail but it was absolutely delicious. Next time I go I am going to have to remember to bring my camera. I have no idea how to download from my cell phone camera.

How will you be spending you New Year's Eve???

2008-12-29T04:16:00.000-08:00

So, New Year's Eve is upon us once again. And the neverending dillema of how the evening will be spent is here again. There is a part of me that just wants to spend it at home relaxing with my family and maybe a few friends playing games and hanging out. Then there is the side of me that would rather go out and party it up. But the thought of drinking too much is not high on my list of things I want to do. So my friends and I are debating which we would rather do. I kind of feel like the whole New Year's Eve thing is overrated anymore. Everything is so overpriced. It used to be that you could go out and have a great evening for a moderate price. Anymore you have to spend an arm and a leg to have an enjoyable evening. How will you guys be spending your evening? I'm still not sure but I will be sure to post some pictures of it. Later gaters.

I just had to share

2008-12-27T17:07:00.000-08:00

So a friend sent this to me in an email and I just had to share it. It is so freaking cute. :) But it made me miss my dogs terribly. I think Donnie is going to go back and get them in late January or early February. We left them behind because we thought we would be in the hotel for at least 2 months and they would have to be kenneled which is not ideal. Especially because Macho does not like strangers if we are not around. Chacha is more loveable. But being little chihuahuas I would hate to see them in a big kennel. So, we left them in Italy with my parents. Kicker is, our sponsor had the hook up and got us a house a week after we got here. If we had known that, we would have brought them right away. So, now we are missing them. :(

We wish you a Merry Christmas

2008-12-26T18:58:00.000-08:00

Here are a few of the kids on the big day. I hope you and your family all had a wonderful Christmas. Merry Christmas from our family to yours! I know they all look similar but what do you expect when kids are tearing through some wrapping paper?? :)

Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus....

2008-12-23T22:34:00.000-08:00

So FINALLY I got Donnie to upload the picture of Vengesta with Santa. Here it is. Enjoy!! :)

Lazy, tired day

2008-12-20T04:49:00.000-08:00

Aaagh. I am so freaking tired. The past few days have been so busy. With baking, goody bags, pot lucks and such. And today I would have loved to just veg out but my hubby and kids wanted to drive to Yokota to do some shopping. So, after my Wii fit workout, I jumped in the shower and afterwards we headed out. We got back around 5ish so my day was shot. And now I just feel lazy even though I have stuff to do. On the plus side, I did find some good stuff for Jacob. That boy is growing so fast it is hard to find clothes for him. And the selection at our base sucks. Also, we got to get Vengesta's picture taken with Santa. And this was digital so we got to choose the picture we wanted and then they printed it. She looked so cute. I am going to have Donnie scan it for me tomorrow. Jacob didn't want his picture taken. My baby boy is growing up. :( I knew it would happen eventually but I guess I wasn't ready. Only a few days left before Christmas and I am getting excited.

Sign me up for another addiction!!

2008-12-16T03:18:00.000-08:00

So my hubby bought me a Wii Fit a while back but due to the move and getting settled in, I hadn't even opened the box. Well, last night I finally got a hair up my butt and cracked it open. Initially it's a bit awkward, yet still fun. Then the next thing you know, you don't want to stop. It is really cool because it weighs you, tells you your BMI and what you fall into (underweight, average, overweight, obese) and you can set goals for yourself. It also tells you how your posture is by measuring how evenly you distribute your weight. There are all sorts of yoga, strength training, aerobics and balance games and as you play them, they continue to unlock new games. It is so much fun. I played for 2 hours today and my calves are sore!!! I am looking forward to playing again tomorrow. :) Yippee!!! Crackalicious!!! I highly recommend it. It was so much fun it didn't feel like I was working out.

My lights

2008-12-14T04:24:00.000-08:00

Pooo...I took pics of the lights but you can't see them that well because of the flash. At any rate, you get the idea. :)

Japanese party rooms!

2008-12-14T04:11:00.000-08:00

So we went to our end of year party on Saturday. It was tons of fun. We rented one of the Japanese party rooms, which I understand is the norm. We had an interesting array of foods. There was one dish that cracked me up, though. It was rice on the bottom, then some kind of sauce, lettuce, a big ol'meatball/hamburger patty thingy and then a fried egg on top. I took a pic but it is a bit blury. There was a lot of drinking and music. Many of the people play instruments so there was singing and playing and dancing. We had the room for just 2 hours so afterwards we went to another place. I call it the old basement because that is what it looked like even though it was on the 3rd floor. :) (Think tons of stuff everywhere.) There was already drums, guitars, a piano and microphones set up. It is a place where people who play go to hang out and play with friends while drinking. We ended up being the only people there but since there was 20 of us it was still a party. Overall a great night.

Moroccon Spice...saucy!

2008-12-14T03:01:00.000-08:00

Here are some pics of my living room.

Hackety hack!

2008-12-11T15:31:00.000-08:00

Ugh. I have been coughing so much at night that I get very little sleep. And my throat is killing me. Thank God I am not at work. Yesterday my hubby came home and we went shopping without the kids. Then we went to lunch. Oriental beef stir fry. YUM! :) Over all, yesterday was great because my hubby came home early (930am) and we had the whole day together without the rug rats. That doesn't happen too often. I am very excited because we are going out to a Japanese party this Saturday. We are going to go with our friends by train to the restaurant. Then I think we are going to a club. So today I am going to dye my hair and figure out what I am going to wear. More later.

The one time he did it right! :)

2008-12-11T15:27:00.000-08:00

So, as promised, here is a pic of the one painting that my husband had commissioned for me. I absolutely love it. On the bottom left is the house I grew up in and the church on the hill is where we got married. It was painted from an olden time view but it pretty much looks the same now but with paved roads. LOL. Enjoy.

Hi Ho, Hi Ho (part 2)

2008-12-09T16:21:00.000-08:00

It's home from work I go. I got to work and was sent home. My boss said that I still sounded sick so I should go ahead and go home and rest. She told me to come back on Monday. I am still sick but I figured that they would want me back. I am sure that the other girls did, but she told me to go home so I did. It is better that I don't get anyone else sick. I still feel bad for the other ladies who have to pick up the slack. They said Friday is supposed to be slow because of some school field trip. So, back to the television. Ho hum!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho....

2008-12-09T14:57:00.000-08:00

It's off to work I go. Today (wed) will be my first day back to work since I got this damn bug. I still have a little cough but with some cough drops I should be fine. Hopefully they will appreciate the fact that even though I could legitimately stay home I am choosing to go back to help them out. It rained all day yesterday but it is looking like the sun is going to come out today so that is good. I am eager to get out of the house. I haven't been out of the house since Saturday. Yikes. I feel so out of touch with the outside world. LOL. Later gaters!

Bah HumBUG!! ;)

2008-12-09T02:36:00.000-08:00

So I am FINALLY starting to feel a little better. I still have a cough and a bit of a sore throat but it is better than it was. I think I will go back to work tomorrow. I mean, I probably should stay home but I do feel bad for my co-workers. They are stuck doing extra work because I am gone. And I know how much that sucks, so out of commitment to my friends at work, I am going back tomorrow. Today I did feel well enough to wrap some Christmas presents, clean our closet under the stairs and do some laundry. Oh, and I even cooked dinner, so at least today wasn't a "lost" day.
I've gotten pretty stoked that Christmas is almost here. Not for me but for the kids. I have gotten to the point in my life that there isn't much I need or want. And when I do want something, I usually just buy it. So really, presents are not something I look forward to. Actually, I usually dread getting presents from my husband. He only gets me something good if I specifically tell him what I want. You'd think after 12 1/2 years of marriage he would know how to shop for me but....obviously so not the case. :) Oh, I lied, he did have an oil painting of the church we were married in commissioned for me one Christmas. That was the absolute BEST present in the world. It is my favorite of all our oil paintings. I will try and post a picture. (Oh, the artist painted it the way it looked in the old days but it is still awesome. And oddly enough, my parents house is in the bottom left cornor, which was a total coincidence that the artist chose to do it from the angle he did.)

Jump Girl Jump!

2008-12-08T01:37:00.000-08:00

So lucky me, I am still sick. And although the congestion seems to be getting better, now my throat and left ear hurt. It's like this flu just wants to linger. So, I most probably will be home again tomorrow as well. Being home alone can be great when you are healthy and can work on things that you've been meaning to get done. But when you are sick it is so boring to lie around and watch tv. So today felt almost like a lost day. That didn't stop dh from being a pain in my ass. He wanted me to look up some stuff online for our moving claim. I took a nap after he gave it to me and then to be honest, I forgot about it. So now he is mad that I didn't do it. Uh, it has been sitting in our car for at least a month and now I am supposed to jump because he passed the task onto me?? Seriously, it doesn't work that way. And, I know I am very head strong but when you act all pissy with me, it will definitely NOT get done. I don't know why people think that if they get the ass with you they will get results. Remember the old saying that you can attract more flies with honey than vinegar?? Well, there is a lot of truth in that. If you are all sour with me...you bet your ass I will not comply. When you say jump I will not say, "how high?". That is not me. It never has and it never will be. So I say bring out the honey or kiss my gritts!! :)

Vengesta's Camp Rock Karaoke 7th Birthday

2008-12-07T20:47:00.000-08:00

Vengesta's party was fun. It is so funny because the kids were all shy at first about getting on the microphone to sing. Yet, once they got going, they were fighting over who got to sing next. Hahaha. They started off with the Camp Rock album and worked their way through all the "girl pop" karaoke we had. A bunch of Britney and Christina's in the making. It was a lot of fun and a total success even though I was sick. Vengesta got a ton of great stuff. Especially all her favorite Camp Rock stuff.

Oh Christmas Tree, Part 2!!

2008-12-07T20:42:00.000-08:00

So I know that I have been saying I was going to upload pictures of my tree and we FINALLY found the cord. It was in the glove box with our other camera. Go Figure!!!! I hope you enjoy it. I think it is quite lovely. Although I think the picture does it no justice. It is so pretty in person. Pictures of the outside to come!!

A face for the Toothfairy to Love

2008-12-07T20:39:00.000-08:00

Proud of her "accomplishment"!! :)

With a day left to spare!

2008-12-05T04:39:00.000-08:00

So my daughter FINALLY lost her first tooth. She lost her tooth yesterday on the 4th, just one day before her 7th birthday. Yes, 7!!! I know that is really old to be losing her first tooth. And now the tooth next to it is loose as well. She already has 2 of her lower teeth that have broken through and are growing in. I was starting to wonder if we were going to have to take her to the dentist to have them removed. I took a couple of pics but now I can't find my chord to my camera. (The other pics I actually had Donnie scan in for me.)
Today I was so sick I actually had to stay home from work. It was a crappy day, too, so I was really happy. There was a really big wind storm followed by some rain. It was so strong that it was blowing everything over. It even knocked over my big christmas tree outside which is protected by a wall by our front door. It was crazy. Especially because the rain came much later. So for a good hour it was just wind. Crazy, strong, loud, fierce wind. At that moment, I was happy to be snuggled up in my pj's.

Stuff and Nonsense

2008-12-04T02:41:00.000-08:00

Ugh. I am starting to get sick. I think it's the flu. I am hoping it will pass quickly but being that my daughter is having her birthday party on Saturday I am sure it won't. Lucky me. Today I am finally going to upload some pics to this blog. It is my kids school pics. It is funny because they are going through this goofy, "I don't know how to smile" phase. Both of them at the same time. Seriously, they say that. And when you tell them to smile for a pic they get this goofy look on their faces. Hopefully they will outgrow that soon. It is still not cold here. So weird to have up all the Christmas lights up and it still be relatively warm outside. It is cold in the mornings and evenings but during the middle of the day it is comfortable. I am ready for some snow. Everyone seems to think it is going to snow this year so I am kinda looking forward to it. Aviano had snow this year. Go figure. Wish I could have seen it. It always looks so pretty when the snow covers the old houses. Oh well. Enjoy the pics for now.

Why Crack is Bad! =D

2008-12-02T22:32:00.000-08:00

So as you know I am still at my present job which is at the high school cafeteria. The job itself is ok. You stay busy and I like my co-workers. The main reason I wanted to change is that it is intermittent. I work weekdays from 9-2, but I also have school closure days off. The main thing is that I don't earn any vacation or sick leave. So, really it is not the type of job that you feel any type of dedication to. So, as I mentioned earlier that one person quit last week so we are down a person. And yesterday someone needed a day off to go to some appointments so we were down 2 people. So, it was super busy but we managed. When it was time to clean up, my manager stayed in the office the whole time doing the paperwork. I know for a fact (bc I did all the manager duties while she was off last week) that it doesn't take the whole time to do it. So the 3 of us left worked our butts off to get everything done by 2. Well at 2 she comes out of her office and starts chopping veggies and prepping the stuff for the next day and the other 2 girls start helping her. I put my stuff away and said bye and left. I could see by the look on her face that she felt that I should have stayed but they DO NOT pay us for any time past 2. Crack really is bad people. My boss is paid until 5 because she is full time so naturally she could have prepped the stuff on her own. I REFUSE to stay and not get paid. And one of the other girls told me that she was chopping the veggies all hard and stuff. C'est la vie!

Blah!

2008-12-01T03:14:00.000-08:00

So, just to let everyone know, I didn't get that job. Whatever. Sooner or later something will come along. There is another job I applied for but they are not even sure when that is going to start so who knows when they will even do the interviews. Anyways, so someone quit at my job and her last day was on Wednesday (she had given her 2 weeks notice). Which is fine. She was super lazy. I asked my boss when they were going to hire a replacement for her. She said it was up to the human resources office and she didn't even know if they were going to hire anyone to replace her. (Which I think is actually her decision.) So now I am totally annoyed. We are fine with our staffing as long as no one is sick or takes a day off. Well, tommorrow one of the women I work with has some business to take care of and she will be taking the day off. So tomorrow we will be short handed and working our butts off and I am not looking forward to that. Mainly because I am starting to get a sore throat. I do know this, I will not be sticking around if they are not going to hire another employee. Why should I get paid the same amount to do way more work??? So, tonight I am feeling blah and way too lazy to get my camera and take the promised pics. I did buy a wireless printer so I can scan some pics that I have been wanting to upload. My other printer only works with my desktop and that is not hooked up right now. Ok, later gaters. I've got to watch some Supernatural!! Spooky!!!:)

Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree!

2008-11-29T03:13:00.000-08:00

We finally got our tree finished today. It looks so pretty. We went with a red and white Cardinals theme. Yes, my husband goes crazy for his Cardinals but this was actually my idea. There were some pretty ornaments with cardinals on them, a cardinal tree skirt and some cardinal bells that were cute. So I bought those and then added some other red and white ornaments and it just looks so very pretty. I am going to take some pictures of the tree and the front of the house tomorrow and add them on here. Tonight we got to have some alone time since our kids went to spend the night with my friends kids. We went out to dinner and did a little Christmas browsing. It was a really nice and relaxing evening. And on another note, I found some hair wax at Atsugi. I know that this sounds so uneventful but you have to understand that living here has made it hard to find lots of items. The commissary doesn't carry creamed spinach but carries several brands of regular spinach. And corn tortillas only come in every now and then. So when I do get to find items that have been hard for me to find, it is like a small victory. :)

Turkey Day Trimmings

2008-11-28T04:33:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving went off pretty smoothly. I had an epiphany while roasting my turkey. I decided to turn the whole thing over 1/2 way through so that the top was sitting in the juices. Then towards the end I flipped it back again to make sure the skin on top was nice and roasted. It worked out beautifully. The turkey was so moist. I mean, I have never had turkey that moist. I was so proud of my idea. :) We had 6 guests over (plus the 4 of us) so it was a small gathering but there was a lot of laughter and a ton of food. The Japanese women I work with enjoyed it all and took quite a bit home later. That night Donnie and I decorated the rest of the front of the house. We put up our big, inflatable snowman snow globe. It looked awesome. Then we snuggled up inside to watch some tv and have some family time. I have so much to be thankful for.

My son had his first fight

2008-11-26T02:18:00.000-08:00

My son is not a violent person. From the time he was a baby, he would give up his toys to other kids if they cried for them. He is sweet by nature. He is also very sensitive. Since we have been in Japan he has been teased by a couple of kids at school. He does have friends but it is still hard when you are teased. Well, I think everyone has a point where enough is enough. He was getting teased in class today so he punched the other kid. He was sent to the principal and had to call his father. My husband explained that he is not to hit and then told the principal that Jacob has been teased a lot since we arrived. One thing I love about this principal is that she doesn't put up with any BS. She told Jacob he has permission to leave his classes at any time if there is a problem with kids teasing him. I have a feeling that people are going to think twice about teasing him anymore. He is not a small boy and he showed Donnie how hard he punched the kid. Donnie said it hurt so I am sure the other boy felt it. Especially since Jacob hit him in anger. I hate to advocate violence but I am glad that my son stuck up for himself. I hate thinking of kids being mean to him. We all know how mean kids can be. Maybe now the meanies will think twice about doing it to my baby!!!

Ode to a Liar

2008-11-25T13:55:00.000-08:00

One of my biggest pet peeves is people who lie. I know that sounds so generic but it's true. I know that everyone thinks that there are valid times to lie. To spare someones feelings is one example. And to an extent I can see that point. White lies can seem so innocent. What I'm talking about is blatant lies. People who lie so often that they can't even remember what lies they've told. And it kills me because the more they lie the more they start to believe their own bs. They tell it so many times it becomes their reality. And what about when they get caught in a lie and instead of just coming clean they keep lying. Which only makes it worse and makes them lose all credibility. Furthermore, you get to the point where you just stop believing them, even in those rare moments that they are telling the truth. Their words become static in the background. Aaaarrrrgh! Liars suck!!

Loss of Life

2008-11-25T01:00:00.000-08:00

What a sad day. I just found out that a friend committed suicide. He had gotten into a situation that he felt he couldn't get out of. How horrible to feel that helpless that you take your own life. To feel you have nowhere to turn and noone to turn to. Is there anything that is ever really that bad that the only solution is to take your own life? Now we have lost all the great things he could have accomplished. And his family has lost a precious member. We have lost a friend. And the world of bodybuilding lost a champion. All because of some mistakes he made in his life. We have all made mistakes. All done things that we wish we could take back. Things that we regret. What makes some of us spiral downward to the path of suicide while some of us find that glimpse of hope that helps us pick ourselves up? Is there a fine line that we walk with any small thing that can make us fall to either side? On one side we perservere, we triumph, we choose life. On the other we can't take it anymore and we choose death. Do any of us ever really know how we would handle every possible situation that may come up? Do we ever really know what we would and wouldn't do? I hope we all choose life. We all realize that with choosing death we don't just kill ourselves but we kill our hopes, our dreams and our potential. We leave the ones we love with grief, sorrow, questions and loss. I hope we all remember to take that extra time to tell the ones we care about that we love them. Take that time to ask how they are doing and if there is anything we can do for them. I know that there are no guarantees but at least we know we did all we could do but they chose death anyways. To all of my family and friends....I love you and could not bear to lose you.

2008-11-24T03:10:00.000-08:00

Just realized that my posts show up behind since I am in Japan. My "Dreary Monday" post looks like it was written on Sunday but trust me....it has SO been a Monday today! LOL!!

2008-11-24T03:04:00.000-08:00

Ever have things that bug you to such an extreme that you continue to dwell on them in your head and they literally make you feel sick to your stomach. This can happen with any emotion that is attached to what is bugging you, good or bad. The thing is that no matter how you replay in your mind you can't stop feeling mad/sad/happy/disgusted/annoyed/worried etc. You can say you are done dwelling on it but you just can't put it out of your mind. I'm not saying that this happens with everything that happens in my life but there are times that I have such an emotional reaction to something that I just can't let it go. Anyone have any tricks to purge your brain so that you can get some rest instead of tossing and turning?? Trust me, I've tried meditating and after just a few moments my mind starts to wander. It's like there's a hamster on a wheel in there. UGH!!! I am so utterly frustrated tonight and it's driving me nuts!! So, although this didn't purge my brain, it did help a little bit. Good night!

Dreary Monday

2008-11-23T22:52:00.000-08:00

What a dreary day it was today. It started out cold but before long it was raining. It is amazing to think that yesterday we were enjoying the warm sun. As soon as I got off of work I raced home to jump into some nice, warm flannel pajamas. I know that the winter weather is inevitable but for some reason I am just not mentally prepared for it this year. Maybe I just need to go to the tanning bed and fake some warmth. :) And why is it that when you get all uglied up in your pj's and cozied up on the couch your husband will come in and want to go somewhere?? Granted I did tell him that we would go back to Atsugi today because the Christmas lights are WAY cheaper than they are at our PX, but seriuosly, it is so crapola out today. Blah. So, back upstairs to change and out in the rain to get to the car. We got the lights. 300 isicle lights for $7.99 when they wanted $19.99 here. Why is it that the NEX can sell some items for way cheaper than we do? Now I am back home and have dinner in the oven. I'm back in my snuggly pj's and cozied back up on the couch watching Dr Phil. Hopefully no more outings for tonight.

Sales and shopping are a beautiful thing!!!

2008-11-22T22:42:00.000-08:00

Today is a beautiful day here in Japan. We are actually comfortable outside in short sleeves. The sun is shining and it doesn't feel like Thanksgiving is just around the corner. It has been cold but it seems to keep throwing us a beautiful, warm day now and then. So, now Donnie is outside hanging Christmas lights and the kids are down the street at the park. I have the house to myself so I thought I would take a few minutes to type a few words. Earlier we decided to take a ride to Atsugi Naval Base to look for a few Thanksgiving decorations since we are having quite a few people over for Thanksgiving dinner. Well, they had some leftover Halloween stuff for 75% off so we decided to take a look. We got these cool flame lights for only 50 cents a box. Then we also bought some Thanksgiving table toppers, a couple of candle holders and a banner. They were also marked 75% off...I guess they don't know the difference from Halloween and Thanksgiving!! :) Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining. I got the 2 packs of lights, 4 table toppers, 2 candle holders and a banner for $9.98!! You can't beat that!!

Popping the Blog Cherry

2008-11-21T18:27:00.000-08:00

Well this is my first time starting a blog so a little patience is in order. I've always wondered what I would write if I had a blog. Always thought it would be too much effort to sound witty all the time. But after reading some of the other blogs around I realized that most of them are just innocent ramblings on the happenings in their lives so here goes...I had a job interview on Friday. I don't think I will get the job. I am more than qualified for the position but the interview lasted all of 5 minutes. (And I do really well in interview situations. I have never not gotten a position I applied for.) And to top it off, the interviewer didn't speak very good English. From what I understand, the other applicants were Japanese and I am assuming that the interviewer will be more comfortable with a Japanese employee but you never know. So, keep your fingers crossed for me. I should know something early this week, I think.