Friday, September 21, 2012

Typhoon Party!?!?!

Living on a beautiful tropical island such as Okinawa is wonderful!  It also has it's drawbacks one HUGE drawback would be typhoons!  Growing up in San Diego I was not well versed in the 4 seasons, let alone adverse weather. I mean when we moved to Virgina and I got my first frozen windshield I didn't know what to do so I threw hot water on it!!! I KNOW...CRAZY.  Now I know better and have since got a scrapper and have never made that mistake again.  But a typhoon is quite a different story.

To be honest, it's really not that bad.  Since we've been here (2010 when we arrived) typhoon season each year has been pretty active.  Typhoon season is from June to October.  In September so far, we've had 2 to actually hit the island.  One most recently was last weekend.  Typhoon Sanba graced us with her presence super early on Sunday morning.  She was forecast to be a Super Typhoon, I'm not sure on the difference but it was supposed to be a bad one.  We were prepared since we just had another typhoon 2 weeks earlier.  We generally keep a good supply of canned food and water during the typhoon months. During typhoons its really windy and really rainy.  For the day leading up to a typhoon and during a typhoon we don't normally leave the house. Well we really can't, with all the wind and rain who would really want to? In preparation for the typhoon we really only stock up on snack foods and adult drinks. We already have all the emergency type stuff on hand.

Once the typhoon is near we just chill inside. We download lots of shows and movies to keep us occupied. With one of our first typhoons we actually took that time indoors to potty train Mills! It was great since we already had to be inside. For mills we play with her and have lots of snacks for her. It's a lot of family time, which I love. But being stuck in the house for 2-3 days is tiring. Cabin fever sets in and I feel like the house has been torn apart! I actually get a little anxiety once the typhoon starts to leave because I know how much cleaning needs to be done. Living in Japan we are in a small space and it can be a lil crazy trying to entertain 2 adults, 1 toddler , and an infant.

Usually once we get the all clear we get ready and get out of the house! I clean the bare minimum and take out the trash we have accumulated and head to the nearest restaurant. We also like to drive around the island to the sea wall and check out the huge waves. That's really it. I think it's really one of the best natural disasters. Okinawa gets hit every year and this island and the Okinawans are prepared. A few days off work (if the typhoon hits on a weekday), movie marathons, time with your family , and lazy days inside... Seriously typhoons are the natural disasters for families.

(Now, I do realize that there have been other places and even here that have been badly damaged by typhoons and would live to never see another one. I fortunately have never gone through a bad typhoon. This is just what I've experienced while living in Okinawa.)

Adult Typhoon Survival Kit
Nono and I Chillen
She is one Bad Mamma Jamma
Mills Playing While the Typhoon Kicks Up

Saturday, September 15, 2012

YOU DID WHAT??????

On Friday night we had the B fam over for dinner. Regular Friday, except Morgan wasn't playing basketball because he hurt his knee pretty bad the last time he played. {He claims that he is retiring from playing, haha yeah right}. The B fam came over a lil early and I wasn't done cooking dinner. I was finishing up on the rest of the fish fillets. So I was fully occupied cooking and Morgan was watching the kids {he was really just playing video games}. Then all of a sudden right when I'm done cooking and I'm getting everything on serving dishes Mills comes up to me with a pair of scissors, a handful of hair, and no bangs!!!!! OMG... She cut off her bangs! She knew she messed up because I immediately started panicking and checking if she hurt herself and if she cut more. Then I ran to her room to find more hair! Oh no, more hair she doesn't have more to give! But the hair wasn't hers, it was Lana's!!!! She cut her friend's hair too!!! Luckily Len was able to laugh about it, but I was mortified! I felt so bad! Mother of the year! Ugh it's totally mine and Morgan's fault it happened. At this point all I could do was laugh about it and take pictures. My poor Mills looked ridiculous with only half of her bangs. Hahaha. I ended up posting the pic on FB and I got an overload of comments from other friends whose girls did the same thing at Mills' age! Phew, I wasn't that terrible of a mom! Haha. For now I decided not to cut all her bangs to be even and I just comb them over. I also try to encourage wearing a hat but she isn't giving in. Oh well, it's hair it will grow back :(
Her Bangs on the floor :(
She was so proud of her haircut she actually posed!

Tuesday, September 11, 2012

Never Forget

Today marks the 11 year anniversary of September 11th. I can still remember that day so clearly. It was my senior year of high school and I was in my government class and after the planes hit the whole school was let out. I remember everything being closed. For the rest of the day Morgan and I hung out at my house and watched the news. All TV that day was covering the September 11th attacks. I remember feeling violated. I was no where near the attacks, I didn't know anyone that was directly hurt or affected by the attacks. But I was an American and I was hurt for all those who lost their lives. It was just such a surreal day. It felt like I was living in a movie.

Morgan joined the Navy the following August after the attacks. Being a Navy wife, this day every year hits home. I think of the thousands of people who lost their lives that day and the years after as a direct result of the attacks. Morgan has been to Iraq and I know others who have served in Iraq and Afghanistan once and several times. I'm proud to be an American and I am a proud Navy wife. I thank those who have given their lives to defend our country and our way of life. I remember those who died on this terrible day. Never Forget. 9.11.2001

Sunday, September 9, 2012

Sunday Fun Day

It's been awhile since we haven't HAD anything to do over the weekend.  Usually we have a birthday party, baby shower, or some sort of prior engagement to attend. Since those events take place on Saturdays usually our Sundays are spent running errands or getting ready for week.  However this Sunday we were able to use it for ourselves! 

We woke up a lil late, around 8ish.  He had a baby shower the night before and got home pretty late.We laid in bed for a while just hanging out with the kids, talking and drinking coffee.  After we decided that it was time to get up, we got ready and headed on base for the breakfast buffet. After stuffing our faces I didn't feel like going home so we decided to for a drive and see where the road took us.

Procrastinating on starting the day

All dressed and ready to go


 Being that we live on an island and it was Sunday we didn't go very far and we ended up at the 100 Y store.  The 100 Y store is like the Dollar Store in the states but 100 times better!  It really is a beast of it's own, you can find anything and everything you need at the 100 Y store and it's great quality unlike the similar stores in the states.  I don't think I've ever walked out of there without a full shopping cart.  The Japanese really know what they are doing when it comes to these stores.  We had a good time, filling the cart with snacks and nick-knacks. I always enjoy getting snacks I've never heard of and trying them, because Japanese have some unique snacks and flavor combos.
Japanese Snacks
Banana drink, not good :(

Mills found these "Power Rangers" rice toppings

 After the store we ended up just taking a drive, both the kids were sleeping and Morgan and I were chatting up a storm.  I always love times like those and just doing whatever.


Sleepy Head

Sunday driver   



On a Side Note>>>>

{Nolan has been drooling and chewing his hands, seems like teething is beyond the horizon}

{Mills is sick today, no school for her.  She is really sad about it}

{Decided to play Fantasy Football with my hubby's league this year, already sucking! Ugh!!}

Saturday, September 8, 2012

First Day of School

It was a crazy day for both of us. I think more crazy for myself then for Mills.  She had her first day of Pre-school!  Now I didn't realize that kids went to pre-school so early, I thought the going age was 4, but I guess now it's 3.  This whole pre-school business started May 2012, that is when open registration started.  Normally I wouldn't even think about signing up Mills for school in May when school starts in September, however there is only ONE pre-school on base in all of Okinawa.  To make matters worse, I found out that there were only 32 open spots for Mills age in that school.  This island is all about first come first serve and competition is stiff with about 55,000 families on island.  So 55,000 families, 1 pre-school on base, and 32 spots for 3 year olds, hmmmm the odds were stacking up.  So I decided that I would go super duper early to the school on the day of sign ups.  I heard horror stories of Moms waiting in line the night before to get their children into that school. Sign ups started at 7 am and unfortunately were happening when Morgan was out on an exercise.  So I enlisted my friend Len to watch Mills for me and I went to the school at 4 am, oh and I was 9 months pregnant!  Well, I was able to get her in and in the time slot that I wanted so it all ended up working out.

Fast forward to September and the first day of school.  It's not the first time Mills has been in a school setting or away from me for a few hours, so it didn't seem that big a deal to me.  I just figured I'd take a few pics, drop her off, run some errands and come pick her up.  But it totally hit me as I was driving away from her school after dropping her off, she is growing up.  *sigh* I mean she really isn't my baby girl anymore, she is a 3 year old, pre-school going, potty trained, big sister, and a little kid.  Now to her, I'm sure its just a fun couple of hours playing with friends but it's a big deal.  She shed no tears when I left and she seemed excited to be there.  All of which I am very happy for.  But now I know time is only going to fly by faster and before I know it she is going to be walking down the aisle to get her high school diploma.  I know its cliche to say, but kids grow up so fast.  Here is to a wonderful first year of pre-school.




Wednesday, September 5, 2012

MIA

So I've totally been MIA this whole summer.  With Nolan arriving and Mills taking a break from daycare, I've been a little busy.  Well not so much busy more tired. 
Mills Last day at Daycare and her Bday celebration with her teachers and classmates

Well its official, summer is over and done with.  Unfortunately we did not do as much as we had hoped to do.  I think we forgot how it was to have a newborn.  It's also excruciatingly hot and humid here in Okinawa, that taking out a newborn in this heat is just pure torture.  I really tried to limit my outings with him to few and far between.

This summer we had a number of Birthday parties that we attended.  Most notably we had Mills' 3rd birthday party!  Morgan picked out the theme this year.  He went with watermelons, its a great summer treat and her fave fruit.  He held the party at a multipurpose room at our friends apartment.  The party had a jumpy house, sugary treats, good food, games, and great people.  We had a blast and we know Mills had the time of her life.  I can't believe she is already 3.  Although she kills me every now and then, this age has been super fun and I wish I could just stop time.

Elijah's 2nd Bday
Party Games
July 26, 2012
Happy 3rd Birthday
Another great thing that happened this summer is Mills started gymnastics!  Being here on Oki, the extracurricular activities have super long waiting lists.  I had actually signed her up 4 months before she was able to start the class. I almost lost hope that she would get in a class, I actually signed her up for several classes mostly dance and this was the first class to have an opening.   I was really surprised how much stuff her coach was teaching her and how much she loved it. She is always asking about going to gymnastics and trying to do gymnastics in the house, we don't let her due to safety issues.  I'm glad she is so happy doing gymnastics, and who knows maybe we'll be in the 2024 Olympics :)


First Day of Gymnastics




 Most of our summer was spent lounging around the house or going out to eat and running errands here and there.  Since its been a few months now, I'm hoping that we get our routine going.  I'm a much better person when I've got a routine going.  Now it doesn't necessarily feel like fall, its still pretty warm and muggy out. It does cool down, so hopefully we'll do more now that the weather should be getting better.  Till the next post!



Breakfast on a Sunday morning

Nolan after a bath

Mills First haircut