Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa

                 

This recipe is PERFECT for the summer! No cooking inside required! It's already hot enough in the summer,  I don't like to turn on the oven or make a big mess over making a meal.  This requires just firing up the grill and a lil knife work.  Not to mention how light and refreshing this is.... this won't leave you feeling sluggish or heavy.

Fire up the grill.  Prep the salsa first, it will need some time to chill in the fridge.

Mango Salsa//

1 Mango; peeled, seeded and chopped

1 Red Bell pepper chopped

1/2 large Red Onion

2 tablespoons Cilantro chopped

1 Jalapeno chopped 

2 tablespoons Lime juice

1 tablespoon Lemon juice

salt to taste

In a bowl, mix mango, red bell pepper, red onion, cilantro, jalapeno, lime juice, and lemon juice.  Lastly add salt to taste. Cover, and chill in the fridge at least 30 minutes before serving.

Salmon//

2 salmon fillets {buy wild caught for flavor}

2 tablespoons Coconut oil

2 tablespoons Lemon juice 

Salt & Pepper to taste

 Drizzle coconut oil on fillets, front and back.  Add salt and pepper to taste and drizzle lemon juice.  When the grill is hot and ready cook the salmon.  Put them down skinless side first. The salmon will release itself from the grill when it's ready to flip. It will not be long,

It cooks pretty quickly.

Plate salmon first, then add salsa on top!  Super easy, flavorful, and a great summer dinner!

Summer Time Fun

Summer is well underway here in Okinawa!  We decided to make a list of fun stuff we wanted to do in the next 2 months.  Summer days can get long here and the intense heat can make them longer. Making this list with the kids keeps us from sitting on the couch all day and gets us doing fun activities. These are all really easy to do and don't cost a lot.  A lot of these remind me of my summers as a child.  Now I'm making the same memories with my kids!  Hoping to check these all off by the time school starts in late August!  

Schools out for the Summer!

I cannot believe the school year is over!  It really feels like I was JUST school shopping for the new year.  This year was the first year both of the kiddos were in school. Amelia in kindergarten and Nolan in preschool.  

::Amelia::

Amelia had an end of year performance celebrating what they learned in kindergarten and being ready for first grade.  It was super cute! Each class had a song and in the end all classes sang "first grade" to the tune of New York, New York.  Amelia also received an award for most bubbly,  of course my daughter has a bubbly personality!I have to admit,  I cried!  I'm seriously so emotional when it comes to the kids.  I just can't believe how much she has grown and learned in just the first year of kindergarten.  My girl is doing math and reading! In my day of school I don't remember doing that stuff in Kindergarten,  I remember colors and numbers!  Kids these days are so smart and learning so fast.  

::Nolan::

Nolan started preschool this year.  He was in the toddlers class {2-3 year olds} going in on MWF.  The end of year performance was for the whole school.  It was also the graduation for the adventures class {4-5 year olds} moving on to kindergarten.  Nolan's class is pretty young so they just did one dance and got awards.  I was really proud of Nolan!  He kept dancing and didn't cry.  A lot better from his Christmas performance! Lol He also got most improved award.  So awesome because I've seen so much improvement from him.  At the beginning of the year he was shy and quiet and now he is talkative and has lots of friends.  I was worried about putting him in preschool so young, but it's helped his speech and confidence so much that I know it was the right choice. 

They have grown so much! My babies aren't babies anymore!  Just looking at these pictures and writing this post makes me tear up.  

On a happy note, summer is here in full swing!!! We are slowly but surely working on our summer bucket list!  Much more fun to come!

Malasada Doughnuts

I have a MAJOR sweet tooth! I've said it before and I'll say it again,  I would totally eat sweets 3 times a day for my meals.  Buuuuut diabetes runs in my family and I have to set and example for my kids.  Hahaha

The first time I had malasada doughnuts was while I was on vacation in Hawaii at Leonard's .  They were amazing!! After my first one I went back almost everyday after.  Unfortunately I haven't been back to Hawaii since 2004!  

Fast forward to 2013 when we moved to our new neighborhood {Yomitan},  I was driving down the main road and I saw a yellow signed that said malasada Doughnuts....I had to to try them!  They were as deliscious as I remember and right down the street!  When I first discovered them I went weekly!! It was bad.  My all time fave is the beni imo flavor.  Nolan and I love it! Amelia prefers the cinnamon sugar ones and Morgan usually eats whatever is left.  They have the core menu but they usually have specials with different flavors and toppings.  I love trying all the new ones, its a must when I go. Lol Now I've toned it down and get them maybe once every two months.  Its really hard since I drive by almost everyday!  

Directions// 

Go N on the 58

Turn Left onto the 6
It will be on your Left hand side, has yellow banners flying when open and almost directly across the street is a Hotto Motto

Yen only

Date Night {Military Life Style}

Everyone says it, every book, every article, every talk show, radio show, blog, etc. etc......

Everyone says you gotta have date night!

Sooooo easy to say, way harder to get done!  

Morgan and I have been married for 12 years, the first 6 years were childless. Easy peasy, every night out is date night! Lol  The last 6 years with child we have lived away from family and 5 of the six have been overseas. So date nights have been few and far between!

Just last week Morgan and I went on a date!  It was even last minute!  Something that never happens!  Most of our date nights are planned like a month in advance!  Come to think of it, I don't even remember when we had a date before that?! It's not that we don't have time it's that we can't really find a babysitter.  

For instance if we were in our hometown we would have an abundance of babysitters! Grandparents, uncles, aunts, and family friends.  But when you live far from your family that just isn't the case.  Sure we have friends that have offered,  but I feel kinda bad.  All our friends over here are in the same boat, away from family and husband is in the military.  Our husbands work a lot, some are deployed, some are TDY, and some are on duty.  So when they get home lots of the time spent is family time, I feel bad dropping off my kids on THEIR family time.    Sure they assure me it's not big deal,  but I just don't want to be a burden.  Amelia is no problem, but Nolan he is younger and needs more watching plus diaper changing! Sooooo he needs some supervision lol

Option 2, hire a babysitter.  Sure we can do that but first and foremost I'm scared to death leaving my kids with a stranger.  I wouldn't even know where to start with hiring a complete stranger. Well, we could hire a babysitter a friend recommends and uses.  Let's go with that scenario because it's more likely to happen.  The going rate on island is about $5 an hour per kid,  we have 2 so that is $10.  $10 an hour for date night can really get to be a pricey date night.  For example, Morgan and I get a sitter for dinner and a movie, movie starting at 8pm.  We have the sitter come  at 6pm.  We go to dinner before, let's says that's $60. Movie tickets, popcorn, and a drink, $30.  Get home 11pm, 5 hours of babysitting $50. So all together that's $140 for just dinner and a movie! If we want to go have some drinks and catch a cab home that could easily add another $100 { I also think I may be low balling the numbers a tad lol} We only have 1 paycheck for a family of 4 and $240 for one night on a regular basis is out of the question!  $140 would work maybe monthly....but then I just think of what a fun family date $140 could buy us.....or just putting that in our savings!  Hahaha it always comes down to that! 

Now a days we mostly do day dates!  That has been working for us.  We pick a day both kids are in school and Morgan takes a day of leave. He surely can't take a day off weekly or even monthly!  We try to fit it in when we can.  He's taken off our anniversary and a day here and there.   We go out to eat and do something,  it's nice and it gets the job done! Couples time during the day not a bad deal, no babysitter fee {not if you don't count the school tuition} , and way less crowded since it's daytime and most people are at work!

I know someone out there could totally refute me all day!  Give me a million ways to go on a date.  Give me a million reasons why we should go on dates.  The fact of the matter is, it's hard with young kids, being away from family, and being a military family.  So for now,  I'm happy with our day dates.  I'm happy with whatever night dates get get.  We will make it a regular thing when the kids are older and we live closer to family!  I can't wait for sleepovers at their grandparents house! Hahaha 

{on our date}

{some food pics from our date}

We tried Kami Sushi on our date.  We have heard a lot about it.  We weren't big fans of it.  We are so used to eating sashimi and nigiri that all the rolls here kinda seem "overdressed".  We have become sushi snobs! Actually Morgan was always like that,  he just pulled me over to the dark side! Haha