Saturday, October 18, 2008

Thursday, October 09, 2008

Tokyo Pics!




Saturday, October 04, 2008

So annoying

Ok, disclaimer.  paul and I both used to smoke, never in the house or in front of the kids (not that makes it better).  Here's my annoyance of the day.

I am part of a forum based here in Yokosuka japan.  It's a place on the web where a bunch of women post different topics and reply.  I like it because if I have a question on this or that it is almost guaranteed that someone on the forum has an answer or knows where to go to get an answer. 

A woman posted a topic that her neighbors (she lives in a tower) smoke in their house and the smell is coming into her house, she and her husband are not smokers and they HATE this smell.  She wanted to know if she should complain to the housing office about it.
Most people replied, "Yes, complain".  While they have the right to smoke, you have the right to not smell it.  One woman replied that she smokes in her house and she won't quit for anyone, thank you very much.

This is the same woman (who by her own admission is obese) who complained when a doctor told her and her daughter that her daughter, at 14 and 5'3" and 165 lbs is morbidly obese.   And she smokes in her house... I don't know why I'm so perturbed by this lady but I am.  I know I am not the healthiest person out there, but this woman got seriously upset on hearing how unhealthy her daughter is.  I agree that the doctor's tone and manner were not the best (if her version is accurate) but come on.  Is this really a surprise?  You are obese and smoke in your home.  You obviously don't have the health of your daughter at the top of your list of important things.  Your wants and comfort are at the top.  

Sorry, I have to vent here, I know a lot of the people on the forum, and this is a really small community, everyone knows each other.  

Wednesday, October 01, 2008

TAGGED!

Ok, I've been tagged by Rachel....I'm not sure how to link to her or anyone else for that matter, but here you go.  

Rules:
1. Link to the person who tagged you.
2. Post the rules on your blog.
3. List 6 unspectacular quirks you have.
4. Tag 6 bloggers by linking them.
5. Leave a comment on each taggee's blog to let them know they've been tagged.

OK, I don't think I have 2 quirks, let alone 6, but I'll give it a shot.  Also, I don't know 6 people....:) And I definitely don't know 6 people with blogs!  

1.  I have always counted the lines that make up the numbers on a digital clock...the vertical lines and the horizontal ones are each one count, even if it is 2 dashes that make up the line.  for instance, the #3 has 3 horizontal lines and 2 vertical, so 3 counts as "4".  I do this for each number, the colon counts as 2,  and if it's an even, I am happy.  If it's odd, I wait until it's even.  Don't ask, I don't know why or how....it's my happy place, OK?

2.  I hate to be bare footed.  I have to wear socks in the house.  I hate to step on some piece of whatever....UGH!  And we don't have carpet, so it makes it worse.  Maybe if we did have carpet it wouldn't be a big deal.  

3.  I can't stand to be in the same place for too long.  I  love to move around.  I remember as a kid, I tried to get my mom to move from our house in Wisconsin, I needed the change.  Now that I'm getting older, I can see the pull of being in the same place for a long time.  The connections and friendships you make...but I still have this wanderlust that needs to be fulfilled.

4. I have a favorite child.  I KNOW!  I know that the official party line is "We have no favorite child, we love them all equally."  And I do love them both beyond reason, I do.  But there is one, that pulls a little more on my heart, that makes me smile a little more, that is just a little "more" that the other.  And I'm not telling which is which.

5.  I hate to color or draw. Megan and Cricket will color forever, I hate it.  And I feel bad about it, I know it's a good time to spend with Megan, we can talk and just be together, no pressure or agenda.  But it's a rare day I can bring myself to do it.  

6.  I can't think of a sixth quirk....I like the Black Eyed Peas and Megan knows the words to "My Humps".  But she also asked to pray last night....so maybe we're doing ok.  Maybe my last quirk is, I don't totally suck as a parent.  I don't beat them, I try to teach right from wrong.  I try to be a good mom and wife.  I try.  Ok, my #6 quirk is I DON'T SUCK.  Years of therapy and I can say it, I don't suck.  I'm not perfect, I'm not beautiful.  But I'm not ugly either, I'm funny (right?!) and I'm nice.  I don't suck. :)



So I'm going to let these people know they've been tagged, no all have blogs, but oh well.  
Jessica
Paul
Jason
Jennifer
Allison



Good News

I've been thinking about becoming an English Teacher.  I would teach English to Japanese.  I have "found" a student, Takayo, through a friend.  Since I have never done this before, my friend, Ashlee, let me practice on her student, Maki, today.  We were at Ashlee's, Maki and I were talking, I was asking a ton of questions and so on...  It turns out that Maki is a piano instructor and she has a three year old daughter, Ericka (not very Japanese I know).  Maki had a proposal -  she would come over to our house and teach piano to Megan if I "taught" English to Ericka.  And by teach she means to play with Ericka in English (colors, shapes, numbers, etc.)  while Maki and Megan are practicing piano.  

Not only am I earning money (a measly 2,500 yen a week I know, but better than nothing), there is a possibility that we won't have to pay for piano lessons anymore, and that is a BIG relief.  Of course, that depends on if Megan and Maki are a good fit.  Paul is pretty stuck on staying with Aiko, Megan's instructor now, because she has a lot of patience with Megan.  So I told him to make sure he is here when Maki comes, so he can see how nice and how great she is.  Keep your fingers crossed!  

Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Megan's First "Death"

Megan has never known anyone who has died.  I guess she's been a bit sheltered.  She wasn't even really sure what death was.  Today, all the parents from the school got an email stating that Mr. Taylor, the art/gym teacher, had died very unexpectedly this am.  
Mr. Taylor was LOVED by his students and you could tell he really loved them.  Since he was the art teacher, Megan really liked him.  She loves art and would come home this and last year talking about Mr. Taylor and what a good artist he was.  Since the school is going to tell the students tomorrow, we decided to tell Megan tonight so she wouldn't be blind-sided at school.  At first she thought we were playing a joke with her and she started to laugh and was smiling.  "But we just saw him at gym yesterday and after school" (there was an open house last night and he was there), was one of her reasonings why he couldn't be dead.  Another was, "but he's a really good artist."  That broke my heart... It took her about a half hour to finally get it, to finally process what we had told her.  She was in the tub when it hit her.  She said she wanted to pray to God for Mr. Taylor.  How did Paul and I raise a child like this?  It really opened my eyes, that's for sure.  
Right now, she and Paul are curled up in bed, watching Dancing with the Stars.  She's had a tough night.  Keep her and her school mates in your thoughts and prayers. 

Sunday, September 21, 2008

Friday, September 19, 2008

Am I a Christian?

I don't know...do I believe in Jesus Christ, Gods only son?  

Yes.

Do I believe he died for ME? To save my sorry butt?  

Most of the time.

But I also respect Muslims and Jews, they worship the same God we do....do I think they are wrong?  No....not really.  The Koran says to kill the non believers...Oh, that's soooo wrong.  But it's ok for us to stone adulterers?  Why?  Because the Bible said so....oh, really?  Which version?  Because they are all different.  What do you believe then?  What some backwoods preacher tells you to believe?  Am I less of a Christian because I don't wear weird dresses and use birth control?  Or because I can respect other peoples beliefs? 

I strongly believe that people who have these opinions are bigoted, and not Christian at all. Because I was baptized as an infant I'm not a "real" Christian?  Give me an f'ing break and get over yourself.  Isn't God a kind, loving god?  Where on earth do these people come from then?  Which Bible are you getting your information from?  The King James?  the NEW King James?  the NIV?  Or one of the many gospels that were left out?  


Ok, I'm done now...*whew*

Monday, September 08, 2008

We're moving to New Zealand.

http://www.navy.mil.nz/join-us/join-from-overseas/default.htm  

That's right...take a look at this link.  I'm going to talk Paul into it, once he retires from the US Navy, he's joining the New Zealand Navy.  :)

Monday, September 01, 2008

The day we didn't go to Tokyo or Kamakura.



This was a day when we were off our game.  We got "stuck" in the JR Zushi train station and then just went home....not one for the record books!

I don't know...



I don't even know what to say about this girl!  We love her anyway! :)

Our toothless wonder



Megan lost her top front tooth and she looks funny!  

Saturday, August 23, 2008

Baby?

Ok, so Paul and I both agree that we are done with having babies.  We love all our kids, but we are done.  So sometimes I'll see a baby and be all like "AWWWWWW, I WANT ONE!"  But I don't REALLY mean it.  I just want one that doesn't cry or demand anything or produce dirty laundry.  So Paul is always like, "WE'LL NEVER HAVE ANOTHER KID AGIAN."  Ok, that's fine.  I NEED that voice of reason.  But the other day, Paul came home, he said he needed to get fixed because he had a "twinge".  That's right.  Big ole mister heart of stone had a TWINGE.  Over a baby.  He had an urge to have another baby!  After I smacked his face twice, I agreed.  Time to get fixed.  

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Guess what I saw

Driving back home this am from the big base, I saw a man by the mall.  He was peeing.  It was 10 am!  I actually turned a bit to see what he was doing and I saw HIS PENIS.  This is not the type of sightseeing I had in mind when I moved here.  I'm very disturbed.

Tuesday, August 12, 2008

Computer fun

This is why I don't work.  If I worked, we wouldn't have time for fun family together time.



Bon Odori

Last Saturday we went to a bon dance (bon odori).  This occurs during the obon festival and is a dance that welcomes the spirits of your ancestors.  The dance creates a welcoming atmosphere for the spirits, so they will want to visit during this time.  Obon is to give thanks to your ancestors, for all the sacrifices they made for the family.  Bon odori occurs at night when the spirits come to visit.






Kimonos are worn if you have them.  The dance was beautiful, like a very graceful Japanese line dance done in a circle.




The taiko (drum).  Mulitple people can play one drum, it was very interesting to see how they changed...they had a definite rhythm going.


Here are Dawn and her two girls, Mia and Madelyn.  They're our friends and neighbors.
  
Megan and Madelyn are in the same grade, but Megan is a full head taller than Madelyn.  They are BFF!!

Sunday, July 27, 2008

Darfur

http://www.savedarfur.org/pages/pending_legislation/   


I can't even pretend to understand everything that is happening over there.  But I do know that innocent people are being killed.  Please read what you can do and do it....think if we were in the same situation, you would want someone to react, right?  

Wednesday, July 23, 2008

Sharing the love

Poor Megan, she just wants to share the love.  Isn't that the saddest picture you've seen?

Send more baby books!

Cricket loves to read and get read to.  Most get read to.  She will sit and listen for an hour if you have the energy to read that long.  She will follow me around with a book in her hand screaming for me to read to her.  She finally gave up, sensing what a non-caring mom I was, and decided to read to her "baby" instead.  She's adopted Megan's doll, Josie, as her own and drags her all over the place.  



Birds of a feather.....

Eating the popcorn.
Kernels crunching in their mouth.
Greasy fingerprints. 

Saturday, June 28, 2008

Sisters



They love each other so much.  The other day when we dropped Cricket off at the daycare center, she was crying and as Megan and I got back in the car Megan said, "They better take care of her"

Nogeyama Zoo and Riding the Train




Whenever we ride the train, Cricket loves to get out of her stroller and hold on to the handles.  Most of the time there is no room for her to do this and she cries the whole way....this time we got lucky.  We went to Nogeyama Zoo up in Yokohama for Fathers Day.  We had a picnic at the Zoo and saw some monkeys get in a serious fight.  

Need I say anything about this picture?

Yes...she is a challenge.  But LOOK AT THOSE EYES!  And that SMILE!!!!

Megan vs Cricket



I just want you to notice how dark Cricket is compared to Megan.  And we use sun block on both of them.  Cricket is definitely from my Dad's side!


Saturday, June 07, 2008

Megan's Birthday Party










For Megan's birthday, we went up to Cosmo World in Yokohama.  We had lunch at Hard Rock Cafe'.  It was soooo much fun.  Sam, Shelby and Aunt Christie came along with us...