A Whole New World

Just enough time...

2011-11-11T05:20:00.000+09:00

To say, Kairi is doing well at school. Dani is doing well at day care. I'm still unemployed, but Jordan has had several interviews with two looking really good. Life is going well. More expensive than we anticipated, but well.

XOXO,
K

Oh and I got a ovarian cancer awareness tattoo and Kairi is on the wrestling team. :-)

First Day of School

2011-09-23T22:33:00.000+09:00

Ready to go, but already tired of Mommy taking pictures.

Kairi had her first day of American kindergarten recently. The day didn't start off so well. She had a 20 minute fit about the way I fixed her hair. But she finally calmed down and was ready to go. Her first week was unusual as it was Homecoming week AND Color week. So every day they were supposed to wear a different color and get up. Her first day was Hat day and Orange day. You would think being an Alumni from UTK I would have an orange hat, but I don't. As a matter of fact, we had to go get her a shirt with orange on it. :-) Her first day went well. She was very smiley when I picked her up.

Walking to school with Daddy.

However, on the second day, she made two kids cry. ::sigh:: The first one she said, "Oh, I thought you were a girl!" when he showed up in class (his name could go either way) and the second one has a speech delay, so she couldn't understand him, so she got frustrated with him and said, "UGH! I just can't understand you!" and made him cry. -_-# Talk about humiliating. However, we just had our first parent teacher conference and she is doing well academically considering she missed 7 of the first 9 weeks of school. Whew!

A little bit anxious...

A little smile.

However, the teacher said that she has some behavior problems and...well...there she stopped and Jordan said, "You're the teacher, do what you feel you must. Drop the hammer! We aren't the kind of parents that are going to be upset because you disciplined our child." and it's true...she's the professional and is the adult in charge of her class. You gotta keep kids in line in a class of 25, for safety, sanity, and academics. So I fully expect that Kairi will come home crying at some point, and that's okay with me. Call me mean if you must, but you obviously haven't met my child. She needs all the limits that can be enforced, otherwise she'd run all over the place unchecked.

Despite what you think, I'm very happy with the way the first two weeks have went. Now she's on fall break for two weeks. Yay! I hope she doesn't think this is how it always works! LOL...

Here's to a good school year...oh and "HAPPY FALL YA'LL!!"

We're home?

2011-09-02T22:57:00.000+09:00

Okay, we really are home. Home being Tennessee. GO BIG ORANGE!! But thinking of Tennessee as home again is well...weird...it wasn't in our plan to live here this early in life, but here we are!! Greatful for ALL OUR FRIENDS and FAMILY for letting us CRASH THEIR LIFES so we can ours together. Yes, that required random yelling.

Now I'm sitting in my sister's room, that's now my room, because she rocks and gave us the bigger room, talking about rearranging the house and my crazy kids. A month ago, I was getting stuff ready for Dani to start at Kairi's school in Japan, I had no idea I would be living in Tennesseen a month later.

I am jet lagged as hell, so are the girls, but we're off to do the shopping that needs to be done when setting up a new house. Well, sorta new house, old house that is new to me?

Ugh, jet lag.

Oops!

2011-07-26T18:51:00.001+09:00

Gracious, where did July go!? It's been over a month since I've updated! No excuses!

The reason the previous post with the "Robin Williams, Zelda Game" is so special is because Kairi's name also came from a video game.

There, it's out.

Yes, we are such big geeks we named our child after a video game character. (From the Kingdom Hearts series actually. So not only is it a video game, but a Disney name as well!)

Yes, it is a Japanese name, more typically used for boys, though I have seen a few Japanese girls named "Kairi" some with the same kanji. Her kanji means, "Nautical Mile" which we thought was fitting, considering her father is a Sailor. (It can also mean "Sea Side Home")

And I absolutely love it when people go, "Kairi? Kingdom Hearts Kairi? That's so cool!"

So there you go. We named our daughter after a video game and I'm not ashamed of it. As my awesome mother-in-law says, "That's why we each get our own."

And really, if you've ever met her, Kairi is the only name that fits.

I tried to wait...

2011-06-22T15:19:00.000+09:00

but I had to post a link to this video...It's so sweet and so geeky, and well, totally us...I was going to let Jordan explain why this video is so special to us, but he's got 100 other things to do. So I'll just put it up here now, and wait for him to explain later. In the mean time, you can feel free to guess why it's special in the comments. ;-)

(And no, I'm not pregnant.)

Two in June

2011-06-09T02:06:00.000+09:00

Dainca, 2 years old, June 2011

Kairi, 2 years old, June 2008

I was having trouble sleeping last night (well now) and I started looking through pictures when I came the one of Kairi above. I marveled at how young she still looked (she's still got some baby chub on her arms!). Despite having a fully formed and understandable English vocabulary and working on a Japanese one, she still looks like a baby! I look at it and I CANNOT believe how much she has grown since we first moved to Japan.

I then compared it to the picture I took of Danica this evening. Dani has lost almost all of her baby chub and her face is much more angular (our neighbor actually commented on her lack of baby belly last week). While her vocabulary (English and Japanese) is still hard to understand, what she does say, she means! She's also SO TALL (36 inches/ 91.4cm), I'm pretty sure she's at least 2-3 inches/2.5-5cm taller than Kairi at this age. If she keeps going at this rate, she's going to be TALL or at least, taller than her grandmothers. ;-) (Love you Nana and Grammy!)

Okay, I'm going to try to go to sleep now. It's 2am in Japan and I have a lot to do tomorrow and none of it involves napping!

What we've been up to!

2011-06-07T17:31:00.003+09:00

Wow, it's been a while since I posted...2 months. What have we been up to? A lot...

At the beginning of April, Jordan had to go back to TN for emergency leave, his maternal grandmother passed away. He was there two weeks, it was the first time he'd been home in 3 years. He got back to Japan 3 years to the day that we arrived. It was a bittersweet visit, but he was glad he got to go home.

Upon going back to work, he received some wonderfully shocking news. He was FINALLY going to have surgery that he had been waiting on since last Fall. The only catch...it was Thursday and we were leaving Wednesday. Not a lot of time to get things squared away for a three week trip, but we managed. Everyone only got 7 outfits, and that included two to take on the plane. We got our orders to go at 5pm the night before we were to leave at 9am (nothing like cutting it close), but off to Hawaii we went so Jordan could have his 2nd ACL surgery.

While most of the trip revolved around Jordan's surgery and subsequent physical therapy, we did get to take in a few sights. Here's basically a photo essay of our trip. I didn't take any pictures from Jordan's surgery, but suffice to say, his leg was bandaged from his ankle to mid-thigh and he has a brace that goes, again from his ankle to mid-thigh. I will say it was very helpful that almost every place we visited had awesome handicapped access and close parking. Not to mention, a military discount. :-)

(You can click on the pictures to enlarge them)

Kairi and Danica "doing dishes" on Mother's Day

USS Arizona Memorial

4 pounds (1.81 kilo) of pancakes with bacon, bananas and peanut butter @Mac's 24/7 restaurant.

Ko'Olina Beach

Winter Performances

2011-04-04T09:12:00.002+09:00

Here's a link to our YouTube page that now has the girl's winter performances.

Our YouTube Page

And a picture of the girls...

Heard around our house

2011-03-16T10:08:00.002+09:00

On the way to school:

Kairi: Mommy, please don't kiss me when you drop me off today.

Me: What?

Kairi: Mommy, pleeeeeaaaassseee don't kiss me when you drop me off today. It's embarrassing. Sensei see you kiss me.

Me: But...but...but...

Kairi: Mom, I don't want you to kiss me when you drop me off. It's embarrassing, okay?

Me: ::whimpering:: But you're my baby, and I like to give you kisses.

Kairi: ::crossing her arms and rolling her eyes:: Mom, I'm 5 years old and I don't want you to kiss me when you drop me off. It's embarrassing.

Me: Okay...

My text later to Jordan:

"Kairi said, "You can't kiss me when you drop me off at school any more, it's embarrassing"

BOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO!!! :'-("

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On the phone with a friend:

Me: So when I got to the clinic, the doctor said, "Mom it probably isn't as bad as you think it is. Princess is not even crying." I think they've got a file on me, "Mom is hemophobic, will bring children in for any amount of blood!" ::laughs::

Jordan (who was sitting beside me): No, I told them.

Me: What?

Jordan: I told them it wasn't exactly an emergency, but it defiantly needed to be looked at, and you were kinda freaking out about it.

Me: OH MY GOD, JORDAN!! They probably already think I'm a loon, and now you've just confirmed it for them!!

Jordan: No I didn't, I helped you out.

Me: How is telling them that I'm freaking out going to help me!?

Jordan: So they knew what they were dealing with.

Me: I can't believe you did that!

Jordan: You're taking way too much insult from this.

Friend on the Phone: I won't tell anyone if you kill him.

Me: Thanks, you're a good friend. 'Cause I just might.

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Dinner:

Dani: MINA! MINA!MINA!

Me: What do you want Dani?

Dani: MIIIIIINNNNNAAAAA!

Jordan: I got nothing.

Kairi: She wants a banana.

Dani: ::smiling at her sisiter:: Mina.

Me: Dani, it's "Ba-na-na"

Dani: Mi-na-NA!

Jordan: Buh-na-nuh

Dani: Mi-na-NA!

Me: ::slowly:: baaaa-naaaaa-naaaaah

Dani: ::very seriously and slowly:: baaaaa-naaaaaa-NA!

Me: Do you want a banana?

Dani: Mina, Meeese. (which translates to, "Banana, please.")

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On the way home from our anniversary dinner:

Me: Wow, looks like someone is welding.

Jordan: Well it is SSK (the local ship building yard)

::riding in silence for a bout 30 second::

Jordan:: THAT'S IT! I bet that's where they got the idea for artificial moonlight. The light from welding!

Me: What?

Jordan: You know in that episode where Vageta talks about Kakarot's father inventing artificial moonlight so they become Super Saiyens.

Me: Yeah.

Jordan: I bet watching someone weld gave the creators the idea! You do know I'm talking about Dragon Ball right?

Me: What else would you be talking about?

This is why we now have a page entitled, "Sukoshi Otaku". We'll have it up and running soon, with an explanation of what "Sukoshi Otaku" means.

We're okay

2011-03-11T20:16:00.000+09:00

Just so everyone knows, we are safe and sound down here on Kyushu. The earthquake/tsunami happened on Honshu, closer to Tokyo. We didn't even feel it. Please keep everyone there in your thoughts and prayers.

Now she's, 5...

2011-03-09T00:00:00.014+09:00

Kairi made Jordan and I and parents. She made us a family, not just a couple. She made us understand how serious, fun, and fleeting life is.

March 2006

Now she is 5. I've been a parent for 5 years. I feel like I should be old hat at this, but I'm not. I'm still a young parent. She still does things that leave Jordan and I baffled. Everyone who have been parents longer assure us that we are doing fine, but I still feel clueless sometimes.

March 2007

Kairi loves to draw, paint, and color. She's gone through 4 sketch pads at school this year and is the only child I know that finishes coloring books. She also loves to play piano and will be starting lessons soon. She goes to swimming lessons begrudgingly. She wants to take ballet so bad, but just cannot focus well enough to do it.

March 2008

Oh, and she's smart, so smart. She's fluent in English and Japanese, and can read a bit in both. I wish I could take credit for the 2nd language, but that is all her Sensei (teachers). She's also doing simple addition. Most of this, she's learned with very little coaching, she's just figured it out. She's also figured out where babies, come from, or at least close enough to correct, that I don't feel the need to fill in the mechanical details.

March 2009

She asks us everyday if she can be, "17 yet!?" She understands that she doesn't understand everything, and thinks that 17 years old is the magic number for being "all knowing." She's got an attitude of a teenager, something Jordan and I are trying very hard to reel in. But she is stubborn and obstinate, so we have our work cut out for us.

March 2010

She's very loving and caring. She and Danica really get along. There are only few fights over toys, and only minimal yelling at each other. Usually over books and crayons. Kairi can often be heard saying, "Danica, we do it this way because it is safe." She's a good big sister. Yesterday, she knew Jordan's knee was hurting badly, so she went and found his rice sock and asked me to put it in the microwave for him, so he would feel better. All without being told.

March 2011

Happy Birthday, Kairi.

We love you so much,

Momma, Daddy, and Dani

ABCs of Parenting

2011-03-01T21:24:00.001+09:00

Everyone tries to tell you how tired you'll be after you have a baby, but you don't really don't know until the baby arrives. I think that this Catherine Tate sketch sums it up:

Look Who's Two!!

2011-02-27T21:09:00.001+09:00

Happy 2nd Birthday, Danica Akane!

It seems like only yesterday you turned one

and just the day before, you completed our little family.

We love you, Peanut, Dani Girl, Akane-Chan, Danica the Destroyer of Worlds, oh, and Sweet Pea.

Hugs,

Mama, Daddy, and Kai-Kai

New Camera

2011-02-23T14:00:00.004+09:00

In celebration of a new decade of life, Jordan bought me a camera for my 30th birthday (which still hasn't passed, but the camera was on sale and I was bemoaning my old one, so he got it for me, what a doll!). It's a Nikon D3000 and it takes AWESOME pictures. Here are just a few that I took on the first weekend.

Lost, Found, and Hashbrowns

2011-02-22T14:11:00.000+09:00

In January, Jordan ordered me an Zune (MP3 player). I was so excited to finally have one of my own, well, one that worked. As soon as I got it home, I loaded up all my favorite songs and podcasts and proceeded to have very productive day at home. The next morning was crazy and in the middle of it all I saw Danica walk by with my Zune, I reached to grab it, but was distracted by Kairi's squeal that I was pulling her hair, so I resolved to find the beautiful Cookie Monster Blue Zune later.

Later came, I turned the house upside down looking for my new beloved MP3 player. But since it is Cookie Monster Blue, I was sure it was blending in with the toys. I dumped every box of toys out, I cleaned under the couch (it was a great way to get things cleaned out) and still never found it. I cried, big, fat tears. I know it seems silly to cry about, but it was something that was mine and as a mom, you don't really have things that are just yours and I was mad at myself for not just grabbing from Dani when I saw her with it.

Fast forward two weeks. Jordan and I had given up ever finding my Zune thinking that Dani had helped us by throwing it in the trash (She is almost 2 after all). I had gone back to using my old Zune that works, but only when it wants. As I sighed and dealt with it, I longed for my Cookie Monster...then one evening, as I'm playing with my two and my friends two, chaos all around me (the oldest is almost 6 and the youngest is 18 months), Danica walks up and hands me my Zune!! I squealed and gave Dani a high five, Jordan looked over and his jaw dropped. We look into the play room to realize that little Miss. Danica had stashed my Zune in the little "hood" of her car. Had she not brought it to me, I never would have found it. I would say that she had forgotten, but the youngest friend had been playing with the car and Dani had "rediscovered" it. Now I will look there first. :-)
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Late one Sunday afternoon, I was preparing dinner. Danica was standing at my feet whining for food.

"Dani, hold on baby, dinner will be ready soon."

"Mama, hungee!"

"I know, hold on."

Jordan took her out of the kitchen and I finished the preparations and put the food own to stew. I ran upstairs to put away laundry only to have Jordan call me back down.

"Kelly, is Danica upstairs with you?"

"No, isn't she with you?"

"No and I can't find her."

I frantically run downstairs and check outside (we live about 6 steps from the main road), she's not there. Our downstairs isn't that big, so as I walk back in I hear Jordan say, "Danica Akane!" I kick off my shoes and take the 5 steps to my laundry room to see...Danica, who has gone into the laundry room, shut the door and has started stuffing her face with saltine crackers. She looks up at us as if to say, "Well, you weren't feeding me! I had to do something I was starving!" With much protest we took the crackers and put her in her high char and presented her with dinner. Which she never even touched.
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This morning in the car:

Kairi: Wow, my hair is all kinds of colors, not just brown. This is cool!
Jordan: When I still had hair, I had all kinds of colors in mine.
Kairi: Mommy, what color is my hair?
Me: Well, I would call it an, ahhhh, Ash Brown.
Kairi: HASH BROWN! My hair is the color of Hash browns. YUMMY!!!
Jordan: Not hash brown, ash brown.
Kairi: Hash brown. ::giggle::

Love at first sight...

2011-02-02T14:06:00.000+09:00

This is my Mom and Kairi meeting Danica for the first time. I love the expression on Mom's face, admiring her grandbabies; How Jordan's hovering in the corner, making sure Kairi is gentle, and how Kairi is kissing her sister as gentle as a almost three year-old can. Love.

2011-01-30T06:58:00.001+09:00

I found this on blog called All Things Kawaii. Kawaii means cute in Japanese. It can be said by young ladies at ridiculously high decibels. So high, that Jordan, who has high frequency hearing loss, can't even hear it. :-) But it's cute things, like this video below that even make me say, "KAWAII!"

Getting to Know Danica-2011 Edition!

2011-01-19T11:49:00.000+09:00

I did one of these for Kairi in 2009 so now I'm going to do the same one for Danica. Why? Why not?

1. What is your occupation right now? Pre-school student and destroyer of worlds.

2. What color are your socks right now? Khaki with orange flowers.

3. What are you listening to right now? Kairi and Daddy talking.

4. What was the last thing that you ate? Oatmeal, Milk and Bananas...my favorite!

5. Can you drive a stick shift? Uh, no.

6. Last person you spoke to on the phone? Hmmmm....probably Nana or Grammy, I'm not much of a phone talker.

7. Do you like the person who sent this to you? Well, Mom copied this from 2 years ago, but Aunt Cheryl sent it to her! :-D

8. How old are you today? 1 year, 10 months, 23 days
9. What is your favorite sport to watch on TV? Anpanman beating up Baikinman oh and Man vs Food.

10. What is your favorite drink? Milk

11. Have you ever dyed your hair ? Not yet, but Mommy and Daddy expect interesting teenage years.

13. What is the last movie you watched? My Neighbor Tororo (Mommy insists it's Totoro, but I don't believe her!)

14. Favorite day of the year? Any day I get to go to school.

15. How do you vent anger? SHRIEK!!!!!

16. What was your favorite toy as a child? Hmmmm...I'm one, so I'm going to go with...blocks, it may change by the time I'm 2. We'll see.

17. What is your favorite season? I defiantly don't like the middle of summer, too hot and rashy, but winter seems to be agreeing with me.

18. Cherries or Blueberries? Blueberries (though mandarin oranges are defiantly my favorite!)

19. Living arrangements? Mommy, Daddy, and Kairi.

20. When was the last time you cried? This morning when Sister tried to help me get my shoes on. I can do it myself!!

21. What is on the floor of your closet? Stuff Mommy needs to take to the Thrift Shop.

22. What did you do last night? Went to McDonalds and the Commissary.

23. What are you most afraid of? Definitely new people. I run and hide behind Mommy, but Kairi or Daddy will do in a pinch.

24. Plain, cheese, or spicy hamburgers? Cheese burgers!! The more ketchup the better!

25. Favorite dog breed? Fluffy ones.

26. Favorite day of the week? Any day that I get to go to school. I love school!

27. How many states have you lived in? Just 1, Nagasaki.

28. Diamonds or pearls? Hmmmmmm...flashy or classy...I'll let you know in a few years.

29. What is your favorite flower? Azaleas, but they make Mommy break out, so we look at a distance.

Ain't I cute?

Vacation

2011-01-19T10:47:00.002+09:00

In November we got a call from Jordan's friend, G. The conversation went a little like this,

"So, I just was just looking and I found tickets to Japan for $1,100 leaving New Year's Eve. Is that a good price?"

"BUY IT, BUY IT NOW!!" (Tickets can get much more expensive than that around New Year)

And so on New Year's Day 2011 (actually, it was Jan 2nd by the time J and G arrived home from the airport), G was in Japan. (Jordan got home at 2am and I left at 5am to go lucky bag shopping with friends...I'll post about that later.)

What did we do? Well...we went to several shrines in and around Sasebo. We ate at the Sushi Go-Round, Coco Curry , and Honke Kamadoya. We also ate lots and lots of onigiri. G also fell in love with melon pan, which, admittedly, is very tasty.

But the highlight of G's trip to Japan was our venture to Tokyo. We took the Shinkansen (bullet train) to Tokyo and from there stayed at the beautiful New Sanno Hotel. While in Tokyo, we took the subways and trains everywhere. Honestly, everything we saw was within Kairi walking distance* from mass transit.

My favorite part of the trip was visiting the Meiji Shrine. It was a beautiful walk and, despite being a major Japanese holiday on the day we visited, not terribly crowded. The shrine is located near the Shinjuku train station, I would say about a 45 minute to the actually shrine it's self, but it is a beautiful walk, even in the second week in January. The tree lined gravel path on the way to the shrine just emanates tranquility. It's just amazing to me that once you leave the Shrine Park, you're in the middle of Shinjuku and Harajuku, two of the most happening places for young people in Tokyo. Not tranquil at all. As a matter of fact, we had 2 vans pass by us blasting the music of some new pop singers as we were wondering around. Great advertising tactic, if a bit annoying (especially if you have a sleeping baby).

For the girls, I think the most exciting thing was visiting the Anpanman Children's Museum in Yokohama. Anpanman is a Japanese kids Super Hero...made of well anpan (bread with sweet bean paste in the middle). He's been around for a long time since, the 80's I think, but he and his friends have the market cornered on the Birth-6 year olds. He and his friends (and foes) are very cute (all food stuffs-for the most part), and every show has a good defeats evil story. If you're interested here's the wiki-link.

For J and G, I'm not sure. I think it might have been the fact they got to spend the evening's in the bar, Akihabara, and hot tub child free, but I could be wrong. Jordan just said his favorite part was the Meiji Shrine, too and if I was guessing. For G, it was probably just getting to come to Japan (well and seeing us too. It's been almost 3 years since we saw each other last!).

All in all, it was wonderful trip, despite injuries (J), illness (J&D), and terrible ankle pain (Me and G from standing on the subways), we would do it again.

So, dear readers, I leave you with pictures from our last vacation for a looooonnnnnnggggg time. (Unless the vacation gods decide to grant us a wish. In that case, Kyoto, PLEASE!!)

*Kairi walking distance-the distance between walking on her own two feet to whining about not being able to ride in the stroller with Danica.

Random Story with a video

2010-12-20T21:53:00.003+09:00

If any of you didn't know, I worked at Toys R Us while I was in college, and a little after college too. Honestly, it was one of my favorite jobs. There were days I got paid to play with toys. Of course, there was the downsides to TRU too, namely, screaming children, but it was still fun.

If you've ever been to TRU you know that they ask for your phone number (well, they used too, it's been a while since I've been there). I remember late one Valentine's Day, I had two customer's in their early-mid twenties come through my line. One was carrying a large overly cute teddy bear, with a big goofy grin on his face, clearly he had a Valentine. The other had a Mountain Dew and a grimace.

"Phone number, please?" I asked sweetly, to Mountain Dew Guy.
"757-757-5555" he grinned and perked up a bit as I rang up his Mountain Dew.
"You total is $1.50. Have a great evening!"
"Thanks, you too!" His grimace was gone, and he now had a bit of spring to his step.

Next was his friend,
"Phone number, please?"
"757-575-7775"
I rang up the ridiculously large bear and handed it to his new owner.
"Thanks for shopping at Toys R Us!"

As they walked away I overheard this conversation,
"Dude, this is the best Valentine's Day ever! That girl asked me for my number!! Do you think she'll call me?"
"What?" Asked his friend.
"The pretty cashier, she asked me for my number! You're not going to be the only one with a date tonight!"
"Dude, she didn't ask for your number."
"Yes, she did!"
"Dude, she asks everyone for their phone number, it's part of her job. It's part of their marketing strategy."
Mountain Dew guys face fell, his heart shattered right there on the store floor. Had I not been engaged, I would have run right over there and gave him my number, just so he could have saved face in front of his friend. Alas, I had my sailor. I think of that guy every Valentine's day and hope he's since found the right number for him.

Now that I've got through the story, here's what made me think of it. Dani, Kairi, and Dancing Mickey, doing what only can be done with annoying animated toys:

This took precedence

2010-12-12T19:20:00.002+09:00

I was going to blog about our trip to see Santa Clause, but this took precedence.

Danica is just like her father.

I mean, we all know that she looks like him, but there are other things too. They're both very discerning about things they like and don't like, they both give great "go to hell" looks, they are both very (sometimes excruciatingly) meticulous, and they are both funny!

But this evening, I heard something I didn't expect to hear for at least 10 more years if ever,

"Good job, you just installed your first hard drive!!"

If you're thinking, "I'm sorry, what?" I thought the same thing, but seeing as I'm physically here and you all are reading from all over the world, this is what I walked into the living room to see:

So, I will not be leaving any screwdrivers within reach of my 21 month old for fear of a Rug Rats type escape. I shall also be keeping a very, very close eye on my electronics for fear that she might decide to pull a Pinky and the Brain on us. Gracious, gracious, she might just take over the world.

Oh and if any of you are wondering, why her hair looks greasy, it's because she found Vaseline yesterday during nap time. It was an eventful weekend at the Leslie house.

21 more things I'm thankful for

2010-12-07T14:57:00.000+09:00

No, I didn't forget, life happens and blogging goes to the back burner...so here it goes

1. Antibiotics- 2 of the 4 of us had a round (or in my case 2) in November
2. Central heat and air-we lack it and it's getting cold-so I'm thankful that it's been invented.
3. My children's teachers-They are wonderful ladies.
4. Friends
5. Therapists (all forms and types)
6. Time alone
7. Time alone with my husband
8. The on base movie theater (see a first run movie for cheap!)
9. My Dyson
10. Gardening
11. Fresh fruit and veggies
12. Online recipe guides
13. Patience
14. 100 Yen Stores
15. Mr.&Mrs. Potato Head
16. Being able to call my Mamaw and ask her off the wall family, gardening, and cooking questions.
17. My Country
18. My Children's Creativity
19. Digital Cameras
20. Thanksgiving Dinner that I didn't have to prepare. :-)
21. The US postal service

And just because it's been a while The Girls:

#9-Heated Carpets

2010-11-09T17:36:00.000+09:00

For those of you that don't know, most, if not all, homes in Japan are not equipped with central heat and air. Electricity is expensive here, so the luxury is not worth the expense. Instead we have wall mounted heaters and we only heat the rooms we are in. (That means we get showers when it's only 50* in the bathroom). So the 9th thing I'm thankful for is heated carpets. We put them down about this time of year so we can lower the thermostat and still keep our selves toasty warm by sitting our bums on the carpet.

Since I don't have a picture of my heated carpets, here's a link to some: Heated Carpets

Car Rides

2010-11-08T22:58:00.001+09:00

#8 Car Rides-I just like to get out and drive. That's how I've found lots of things in and around Sasebo. It's also a great time to get to know my kids better. Their musical preferences, their pod cast preferences. Don't get me wrong, we eat dinner together, but sometimes it's better when the audience is held captive by a 5 point restraint. It's also a great time to pass on knock-knock jokes:

Kairi: Knock-Knock
Me: Who's there?
Kairi: Bumblebee
Me: Bumblebee who?
Kairi: Bumblebee from Transformers! Pwwwwhhheeewwww! (that's supposed to be a missile sound)

Dani: Don-don, Mama, don-don*!
Me: Who's there?
Dani: Mama ::string of toddler gibberish::
Me: Mama ::string of toddler gibberish:: who?
Dani: Mama no ki ::string of toddler gibberish::

Dani's was actually pretty funny-that's the name of her nursery school.

These are just a few reasons I'm thankful for car rides.

Taking a nap

Buckle Up for Safety!! Always!!

*Don-don is knock knock in Japanese

**On a side note, Danica's first (ever) 2 word phrase was "Anpanman mi te!" Which is, "Look, Anpanman!" Her first English phrase, "Mamas Shoes!"

Being Thankful

2010-11-07T09:58:00.000+09:00

Our little family really has a blessed life. We have a roof over our heads, and plenty of food in our bellies. We have enough money for things we need, and even most things we want. We know we are blessed and we're thankful every day for it. So, for the month of November, I'm going to try to post every day about specific things I'm thankful for. Since I'm basically seven days into the month, I'm going to start with seven. Some things are big, some things are small, but really make a difference in life.

1)My husband-He's had a rough go of it lately, but he's come through stronger and with more grace than I ever could have.

2)Kairi-She made me a mother, something I always wanted to be. She's smart, challenging, and has a good heart.

3)Danica-She completed our family. She's funny, snuggly, and curious.

4)Our family-we've been gone almost 10 years, yet we still feel like we belong.

5)Chocolate. Maybe I should do a whole post on how thankful I am for chocolate. ;-)

6)Technology-without it, I would not been able to stay in contact with all the people I love, for close to free.

7)Education-without the opportunities I've been afforded in this category, I would not be where I am today.

Believe it or not, it was hard to come up with seven things I am specifically thankful for. I can't wait to come up with 23 more.

Happy Halloween 2010

2010-10-31T20:01:00.004+09:00

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

This Halloween weekend started out with me winning a almost 50lb pumpkin. I had no idea what do do with it, but Jordan did, so I sat and took pictures as Jordan created his masterpiece:

Since Jordan's knee has really been bothering him, we took it easy on the trick or treating, but the girls and I still got dressed up.

Danica and I decided to stick traditional and be a witch and a bat:

Kairi had to be a little different, so she was a hair dresser.

I used probably a tablespoon of glitter on her hair and lots of hair spray. I had a flashback from High School Color Guard. She had a blast and I couldn't stop giggling. I wonder if our damage deposit includes an invasion of purple glitter? Hmmmm....

(Side Note: My mom is still finding sequins from my high school days which ended....several years ago).

Over all it was a good Halloween and I got to entertain my neighbors with my display. I even carved a pumpkin that says, "Good Evening" in Japanese with a text message owl (0v0).

Konbanwa!

Happy Halloween, everyone. Don't let the goblins get ya'!

Sushi-go-'round

2010-10-11T09:53:00.000+09:00

We eat sushi about once a week. Yummy. Contrary to what a lot of people think, sushi just means "with rice" it doesn't necessarily have to have raw fish on it, it can have pretty much anything on the rice. Sushi also doesn't have to be formed shapes, there's also Chirashizhshi or "scattered sushi" which often doesn't have fish in it at all, just lots of other yummy stuff like veggies and eggs. That being said, here's one of or trips to our local sushi-go-'round.

The sushi going by, you just reach up and grab what you want, but once you touch it, you can't put it back. The spout in the foreground is hot water for green tea.

One of Jordan's choices, I can't remember what it was called right now, Jordan said it was "SUPER soft and very fishy!"

Danica enjoying her sweet omelet sushi. She can eat 4 pieces!

Jordan and Kairi enjoying their beer. Jordan's Kirin and Kairi's "kids beer", it tastes like a strong ginger ale. The of kids beer actually says, "A beer for everyone!" Hehehe....

The damage $40.18. Ah how I long for the one-to-one exchange rate.

Saturday Afternoon, in a bubble

2010-09-27T20:22:00.000+09:00

Yup, that pretty much sums it up. :-)

In which beer gets repeated several times...

2010-09-01T19:04:00.006+09:00

Separately, our families were blessed with the gift of gab, so my girls got a double dose. Which is why it never ceases to amaze me when Kairi says what she does. So here we go another round of, "What Kairi said today..."

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At the McDonald's drive thru:

"Mommy, why is the sky blue? Why is the grass green? Is it a school day? Why is Danica looking at me. Do we have to eat at McDonald's? Why do they paint the ships grey? MOMMY, I DON'T WANT HONEY MUSTARD WITH MY CHICKEN NUGGETS!!!"

::lady on th intercom:: "No, honey mustard?"

"Yes, honey mustard. Kairi, please, please stop talking. Please."

"Mommy, how can I stop talking? I have so many questions coming out of my mouth. Seriously, I do!"

With out any reply, I pick up my cell phone, speed dial Jordan, and hand Kairi the phone.

"Repeat what you just said to your Father."

"Am I in trouble?"

"No, but I am"

::ring-ring::

"Hi Daddy! Mommy, just told me to be quiet, and I told her I seriously had lots of questions coming out of my mouth so I couldn't be quiet. Then she said she's in trouble. Is she in trouble?"

::thunderous laughter from Jordan::

10 seconds later

::thunderous laughter from Jordan's shop::

"Okay, Daddy. Mommy, Daddy says he loves you and you're both in trouble."

"Thanks, babe, we know."

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A conversation between the Corpsman and Kairi at Dani's 18 month Well-Baby check up. (Who's a little monster? Dani at 24.5 lbs and 33.5 inches! Holy COW someone grew!)

"What does it sound like when you listen to Danica's lungs with the stethsoscope?"

"It sounds like the wooshing sound when you blow over the top of a bottle."

"What kind of bottle?"

"Any kind of bottle?"

"Oh, you mean like a beer bottle? Because my Daddy does that all time!"

::me face palm::

"Yup, a beer bottle works just as nicely. Let me go get the Doc!"

Turning to Jordan, "Well, at least they know our parenting skills are up to par."

Jordan, "You can't deny the power of beer."

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"Daddy this is a great dinner, thank you so much!"

"You're welcome. Come on, DG*, eat"

"If Dani is DG, and I'm KG then you have to have a nick name too."

"Okay, I'm Daddy."

"Okay, then you're King Daddy. No, wait, you're King Beer! Because you like beer soooo much!"

"That's right, I'm the King of Beer."

"Honey, I'm pretty sure Budweiser would not look highly on that copy right infringement. Even if you were crowned by the self proclaimed Princess of the World, there."

"Don't hate."

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*DG is short for, "Dani Girl." Our friend Wendy started singing "Oh Danny Boy" to Danica when she was born, but changed the words to "Oh Dani Girl" and Dani Girl stuck. Being the digital age and military, we shorten everything, so DG has become one of her nicknames.

Summer Treats

2010-08-22T11:37:00.004+09:00

I know my last post was about keeping cool, but here's another. :-)

One of our favorite Japanese Summer Time treats is shaved ice. Yes, you can get shaved ice in the States, but Japanese shaved ice is so much better than a slushi. :0)

After a quick trip to our local aquarium we took a moment on the way to the car to get cooled off. I'm telling you, shaved ice is the quickest and easiest way to cool off, barring jumping in a pool.

Stay Cool, Minasan! Fall is just around the corner!

Popsicles

2010-07-24T16:59:00.003+09:00

It's been hot (okay, not as hot as Tennessee or Moscow), but it's still hot. So to cool us off, Kairi picked out Popsicles for snack. Mmmmmm...

Soon, the heat grumps melted away and replaced by the summer feel goods. I'd forgot how well Popsicles can improve a mood.

For my Mamaw

2010-07-13T12:47:00.004+09:00

For those unfamiliar with the term "Mamaw" it means "Grandmother". This is what I call my Mom's mom. She's my Mamaw Ruby. My raven haired, brown eyed beauty. She still has a garden the size of my house and makes the best food ever! (Even if she did try to sabotage my curry-though, her expertise did make it better!). She has 3 kids, 9 grandkids, and 7 great grand kids and only ONE has brown eyes. Who is that? Miss. Danica...

Finally genetics prevailed.

Evening bath time

2010-07-08T10:07:00.002+09:00

“My kingdom, oh, my kingdom! Why, Dani, why!!???”

Came the wails of Bath Tub Queen Kairi.

“Nooooooo!!!” Says Kingdom Wrecker Dani

“JORDAN!!!” Yells Overwhelmed Mommy

Unknowing Daddy walks into the bathroom:

“Yes?”

“My KINGDOM!! My Kingdom!! It’s destroyed. Dani destroyed it…why?”

“MAMA! NOOOO!”

“Girls , zip it, we’re getting out of the tub!”

“What’s going on?”

“My kingdom! Dani pooped on my kingdom! Whhhhhyyyyyyy!???”

“Mama! No?”

“Please. I’ll love you forever. Please, can you clean up the bathtub?”

“Of course.”

“Is it bedtime?”

“Uh-un”

“Yes, it’s bedtime. Up the stairs.”

“Good night girls”

“Night-night, Daddy!”

“Daaaaaadyyyyyyy!”

“Thanks, I love you a million times over and a million times again.”

::smiles::

CARROTS!

2010-06-15T16:06:00.004+09:00

Oiishi, ne? (Aren't they delicious!)

Today...

2010-06-06T20:59:00.006+09:00

Kairi took a longer nap than Dani..

We took a trip to our local zoo...

We took pictures in the green house...

And 10 minutes after this Kairi "helped" Dani obtain a bloody mouth and a road rashed face.

After dinner with Daddy on the ship, we enjoyed a nice sunset over the 99 islands, then we were off to bed...

Enjoy the start of summer, everyone!

Night Night

2010-05-27T13:27:00.003+09:00

Havin' a Bad Day?

2010-05-17T19:25:00.003+09:00

Then go to these sites and smile:

Cake Wrecks

There I Fixed It

Some things just don't translate well

I'm so afraid I'm going to see some one I know on here...

If you don't have kids, this is your warning.

Wise words

Warning: Some of these sites use vulgar language...

Avatar?

2010-05-04T21:43:00.002+09:00

It's important to note that Danica, DID NOT DO THIS TO HERSELF! Who did it? I'll give you one 4 year old guess. Yup Kairi...::shaking head:: Kairi, Kairi, Kairi...

A few Fridays ago, I placed the girls at the dining room table with snacks, in hopes I could get a few things done while they were occupied. Jordan called me from outside to bring him a drink. I grabbed him a drink, walked the 20 feet across my house, out the front door, and walked back the 20 feet, I was not gone more than 2 minutes and this is how I found Danica. The conversation with Kairi went as follows:

"Oh my goodness! Kairi did you give Dani a marker!?"

"No."

::taking a good look at Dani::

"Kairi, did you write on your sister?"

"Yes."

"KAIRI! You DO NOT write on your sister! Danica..."

::Danica looks at me with the face in the third shot::

"Dani, love, you don't let your sister write on you either."

::Dani takes a bite of toast::

"Mommy, I'm sorry I wrote on her. I was just trying to make her look like Avatar."

::sigh:: "Which one, Avatar Ang (Nickelodeon) or Blue Avatar (James Cameron)?"

"Avatar Ang, I really like him."

"Regardless of which one it was, they're both blue, you colored sister red. Go to your room, no markers for a week."

"Sorry, Mommy."

And up the stairs she went without any complaint.

When I called Jordan in, he asked the same question, "Which Avatar?"

"Ang"

"But they're both blue, why did she color her red."

Aren't you all glad we've got our parenting priorities in order. ;-)

Kelly, Kelly, how does your garden grow

2010-04-10T21:13:00.004+09:00

With: tomatoes, lettuce, corn, edamame, cucumbers, carrots, peppers, kabocha, and watermelon;

sunflowers, snap dragons, cosmos, babys breath, pansies, and sweet peas.

Whew! I must say, I enjoy gardening! It sure beats the heck out of what I had to do in Sigonella. But I did enjoy that too.

Here's a picture of the dirt, but I promise, there are plants a growin'!

Hello, it's been a while

2010-04-02T10:06:00.004+09:00

Admittedly, it's been a very long time since I posted, but it's been very busy 'round here. Jordan left in January and the girls and I went back to the States for a visit.

For me, I'm getting into a new routine. April starts Japan's new school year, so off Dani goes to nursery school and Kairi moves up a grade at pre-school. We won't know until next week what color class Kairi will be in, but we already know Dani is in Mame class (seedling class). I'm back at my office 2 days a week, hoorrraaayyyy!! Got to get those practicum hours in!

Now we're just waiting for Jordan to come home and join in the fray that is our life. I will posting more regularly now that I'm back in a routine.

Hooray for routines!

Conversations with Kai...

2010-02-06T11:09:00.006+09:00

"Mommy?"

"Yes, Kai?"

"I don't want you to be my mommy any more?"

"Okay, I'll give you to the next mommy that walks by."

"No, No, No! I just want you to be my friend. That way you'll let me have candy after dinner."

"Even if I was your friend, Kairi, I wouldn't leat you have candy after dinner."

"Then can you be my mommy?"

"Absolutly! Kai, I love you."

"I love you, too, bunny."

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"You know, before we go to Tennessee, we have to make sure to go to the bathroom. Because, you know, they don't have toliets in Tennessee."

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Reviewing her Chain of Command (Ahh...my military brat!)

Mommy is in charge of the house, and I’m in charge of keeping Danica occupied. But Mommy is in charge of both of us and Danica is in charge of growing.” I said, “Well, what about Daddy?” She said, “Oh, he’s just in charge of making the money.”

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She did it! She DANCED!

2010-01-24T17:15:00.006+09:00

Again, refer to the June 09 post about the ballet recital and you can see why I am so excited that today went so, super-duper, well! Here's the link to the video. HORRAY KAIRI!!

http://www.youtube.com/user/kelehale

PS. I will be posting most of the videos there from now on. Seeing as I'm having a difficult time getting them on here.

Simple Joys

2010-01-20T20:43:00.005+09:00

I am thankful, that we have a roof over our heads, food in our stomachs and the time to enjoy life. I'm thankful for the simple joys life provides and the fortune to see them happen.

Happy New Year!

2010-01-04T11:37:00.009+09:00

This last decade marks MANY, MANY changes for everyone, including our little family. Several cross country/world moves, two kids, and several jobs.

This is the first decade I have spent as a full fledged adult. I can imagine "growing up" at any other time. So many things have changed and I've been able to witness them all with a perspective that I now appreciate in my own parents.

So welcome 2010! Please be a little more gentile than the previous decade. It was exciting, but I think we're ready for a break!

Ice Skating

2009-12-28T07:58:00.004+09:00

Well, not really on the ice; more like plastic with REALLY slick stuff spread on top, but was okay to walk on with crocs. Anyway. We went to Huis Ten Bosch yesterday and one of the winter attactions is ice skaing, so off Kairi went. She LOVED IT and was pretty good at it too, for her first time. I'm sure she's sore this morning though, she fell...a lot. Later Jordan and Kairi had this conversation:

"Daddy, was I good at ice skating?"

"Yes, you were VERY good at it!"

"But I fell down a lot..." (looking very sad)

"Kairi, that's how you become good at things. You have to fall down a lot in order to become good at something! Do you understand?"

"Yes, Daddy. I really like ice skating."

"I'm glad."

Kairi has a TON of energy and loves to dance. Ballet was a flop (refer to June 09 post), so we thought maybe gymnastics, but according to Kairi, she doesn't really like it. Who would have thought that she would have liked ice skating SO MUCH!? Wow....

Candy Canes

2009-12-22T17:08:00.002+09:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

On my very first Christmas, my parents decided to refinish the wood floors in their home. Why? They weren't getting any sleep, so they decided to be productive and do something while they were awake. :-) To keep my occupied, Dad gave me the biggest candy cane he could find. It's his favorite story to tell and to honor this memory, he sends my girls gigantic candy canes every year. So, Dad, here you go. Merry Christmas.

PS. My carpet now has red stains where Dani threw the candy cane when she was done. How you gonna fix that, Dad? :-D

Let the Season Begin!

2009-12-07T10:39:00.005+09:00

Our photos with Santa

Then Kairi had her turn...(Finally, she's smiling with Santa!)Then Danica had her turn and it didn't go so well...there's always next year, right?

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving

2009-11-28T08:42:00.004+09:00

Not very many babies can say they had their very first Thanksgiving abord a US Naval Ship, but Danica can. Due to the way things work, Jordan had to be on the ship on Thanksgiving. The Galley provided a beautiful spread for everyone and even made Kairi her own plate of fruit. It may have not been a traditional Thanksgiving, but I can't think of how much more American it could have been.

Our family is so blessed and we are very Thankful fo each and every blessing that has been sent our way. Even for the blessings we didn't know were blessings till much later.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

I Could Have Taken the High Road

2009-11-09T19:09:00.003+09:00

But instead, I decided to take a video of Danica falling asleep while eating dinner. Go ahead, nominate me for Mother of the Year. I deserve it!

She doesn't want to be a baby

2009-11-06T09:04:00.000+09:00

Meet Danica,

She's 8 months old, but is ready to be 3 already. She doesn't want to eat baby food, crawl, or play with baby toys. She's ready to eat steak (without teeth), walk, and color with crayons and gets INCREDIBLY frustrated when those things do not happen. I keep telling her, "No, stop, be my baby!" To which she replies, "Ma, ma, MA, MA, ma, ma!" Which I've learned to mean, "Yea, that's great. Now hand me the dark green crayon, this tree I'm coloring needs a little something."

Happy Halloween

2009-11-01T19:52:00.002+09:00

Make a Smilebox greeting

Hello Kitty Says...

2009-10-22T20:01:00.001+09:00

Don't Drink and Drive!

Do you see that?

2009-10-15T22:01:00.003+09:00

Yea, that would be Danica standing up all on her own. She sidled from the left side of the purple pole to the right. When I got home, I put her little push cart together, it was supposed to be for Christmas, but, um, yea, she probably won't need it by then.

And Kairi says...

2009-10-12T13:47:00.004+09:00

"Momma, what is this?" ::holds up a "Yenny":: (A Japanese Penny)

"It's 1 yen"

"If I take this 1 yen to McDonalds, what will it buy me?"

"Nothing, love, that isn't enough to buy anything."

"Yuh, huh, Momma. It will buy me one french fry."

"Right..."

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"Momma, we're going to the fire truck parade?"

"Yes we are."

"And we're going to get candy there."

"When have you ever got candy at a parade?"

::slience from Kairi::

"I'm going to get candy at the fire truck parade."

"I doubt it."

10 minutes later...

"Told you I was going to get candy."

"Well, at least we don't have to go Trick-or-Treating now..."

Ooooohhhhhh!!!!

2009-10-07T12:57:00.002+09:00

Kairi-October 2007

Yup, I'm one of those moms...

2009-10-02T12:12:00.006+09:00

You know what I'm talking about. You're at the store, and you see a little girl running around in her princess dress, wearing striped tights, a hard hat, and rain boots, and you think, "What was that mother thinking, letting her girl come to the store like that!?" I'll tell you what she's thinking, "What the hell?"

No joke, that's what I think. If my child wants to wear rain books on a clear day, who is it going to hurt? If she wants to wear her princess dress, really, why argue? My only rule. You have to wear something that covers everything and if you're going to take a baby with us, it's your responsibility, if you loose it, I don't want to hear it. (Normally, she leaves her baby in the car so she can take a nap).

So yes, I'm one of "those moms" I let my kids dress themselves and if you don't like it...::blows raspberry::

Here we go again...on our own...

2009-09-24T19:57:00.005+09:00

The Leslie Family at 0630

Jordan is gone again. ::sigh:: He was away for four months-home for three weeks-and now he's gone again. He'll be back quicker, this time though. :-) (Sorry, no dates, OPSEC!) Anyway, here's our first real family photo, courtesy of Wendy's Mom.

How a hard workin' man should spend his time...

2009-09-18T08:37:00.006+09:00

Remember back in May I posted a picture of Jordan dismantling a couch the day before he went on a four month deployment? Yea, that was a great way to spend his last day at home...well this time (because he is leaving again soon) we've been trying to take it easy. And this is how a hard workin man should spend his time:

Please, don't squeeze the Charmin!

2009-09-13T13:40:00.005+09:00

I'm glad I'm not scared of lizards. Otherwise we'd had another bat episode. Jordan wanted to catch it, but our beetles just died and I'm pretty sure that samonella is a possiblity with lizards. So we let him go outside. ::sigh:: I love Japan, but I hate all the critters.

Let's get lost....

2009-09-11T08:22:00.002+09:00

Thank you, Mom and Dad, for teaching me how to have fun and save money at the same time.

One of my fondest memories from growing up is playing, "Let's get lost". Mom and Dad would load me and my sibblings in the car and drive. We would find a road sign that looked intresting and we would drive till we found what it described. We ended up in places like, Ducktown, Tennessee and next to the Chattahoochie river-where we got to watch them prepare for the White Water Rafting part of the 1996 Olympic games. I remember driving one day and we came upon a truck FULL (I mean FULL) of watermelons. There was a sign in the window that read, "God is watching, please leave the money on the seat." The window of the truck was cracked, Daddy slipped in $5 and we left with a delicious Sugar Baby Watermelon.

These experiences, unbeknost to everyone, left me with a sense of wonderlust. A sense that NO ONE expected out of me, but yet, it remains today. Which is why, at any given moment, I'll load up the girls, get in the car and drive. That is how I found: the angry god statue, Ryuumon Dam, Kunimi overlook, Tabira Plains, and lots of other small places in and around Sasebo. I may never see the places listed in 1000 Places You Must See Before You Die. But I'll have seen a thousand places I have discovered on my own.

Since we don't have boys

2009-09-10T19:44:00.004+09:00

Jordan shares his love for all guy things with the girls. Including his love for Transformers. I think Kairi's picked up on it. :-D

6 months old

2009-08-30T06:11:00.005+09:00

Danica Akane,

You are now 6 months old. Half way through your first year of life. You weigh 15.13lbs and you are 26inches long. You are still my happy, smiley, easy-going baby. You can now get anywhere you want to go, as long as it's backwards, and you roll everywhere else. You LOVE the jump-a-roo and would probably stay in there all day if I let you. You're nursing about 8 times a day and eating 3-4oz jars of solids, 3 times a day. You would eat more if I let you. You're a hungry-mungry. You're physical development left the doctor stunned (you can hold on to something and stand if we put you there) and he predicts that you will walk early (His prediction 10 months), but he doesn't see any signs of teeth. :-)

At you're 6 month check up we learned that you needed to have a lead screening because you're at higher risk for being exposed to lead because Daddy is a welder. Mommy got the unfortunate surprise of an actually blood draw and not a heel prick. The Nurse and Corpsmen wrapped you up like a burrito and I held you down and sang all you're favorite lullabies. They only stuck you once, with out any luck. We have to do it again at 9 months. I'm sorry, love.

Keep growing Dani, you're doing a great job.

Love,
Momma

Presentation

2009-08-25T13:10:00.005+09:00

I gave a presentation today. The first I've given in almost a year. I was nervous and excited. But once I found my groove, I was good to go. I spoke for almost an hour about all the types of insurance one needs throughout life. When I was finished I was exhilarated! I love presenting, I love learning! I can't wait to get back to work! Then I looked over and saw Danica's empty stroller (the organizer had offered to hold her while I was giving the presentation-well in advance, I didn't just pounce it on her) and, suddenly, I really missed her. I dismissed the class and went searching for Danica, when I peeked my head out of the classroom they were walking down the hallway. When Danica saw me, her face lit up and she started kicking her feet. My heart melted. I lied, I'm not ready. I'm ready to get back to volunteering, I need a break now and then, but to be away from Danica as long as a full time job requires. Nope, not ready yet at all.

And really, who can blame me when you've got kids as cute as mine? :-)

Mike and Sully

2009-08-23T09:21:00.003+09:00

Why are they on opposite sides of the cage with their own food (and they look like they're sulking)? Because they were fighting over the food. I mean a knock-down-drag-out beetle knocking over beetle fight. I taped on the terrarium and said, "Knock it off-stupid beetles." They of course kept going. It took me a minute of watching to figure out what was going on. I had only put one thing of food in the cage. So, against my better judgement, I opened the top and placed a second jelly in the opposite corner. As I slammed the lid closed and latched it, the beetles came to a truce and Mike (or Sully) crawled over to his side of the cage to eat his lunch.

Stupid beetles.

Benny is rude, Mom.

2009-08-18T08:36:00.003+09:00

Kairi just ran up to me and said, "Mommy, Benny the Bull is eating ice cream and walking! That is rude!" (It's rude to eat and walk in Japan) I grined and said, "Well, honey, Benny is in America and it's okay to walk and eat ice cream at the same time." She looked at me, a bit confused and replied, "Well, when we move back to America it'll be okay to eat and walk at the same time, but right now it's RUDE!"

That's right, Benny, learn some manners.

The Tourture Goes Both Ways

2009-08-13T18:02:00.004+09:00

Usually Kairi is bouncing off Danica in some way. Recently, Danica gained control of her hands and is GREAT at grabbing things. I've told Kairi a hundered times that Danica will pull her hair and if she doesn't want her hair pulled, to stay out of reach. She didn't listen...oh well.

Critters

2009-08-11T20:01:00.006+09:00

I've been trying since Saturday to figure out how to write this post so here it goes...this is what the post is about...

Mike and Sully-the Japanese Rhinoceroses Beetles

Meet Mike and Sully, the newest additions to the Leslie Family-Japan Contingent. This is how Mike and Sully came to live at our home...

Kairi playing a, "Catch The Beetle Game"

Saturday was the Summer Festival at Kairi's Nursery School. Lots of fun and games. What we didn't realize when we played this game was that the beetles were the prize. Imagine the look on my face when I realized that these guys were coming home with me.

I googled, "How to take care of Rhinoceroses Beetles." Only to find, "Check Japanese Wikipedia-it's a popular hobby in Japan." Duh-I already knew that, and my Japanese is scoshi (a little) at best. So I went with what I'd seen Kairi's sensei use at school. A terrarium, dirt, and beetle jellies, all of which can be purchased at a 100 Yen store (Think Dollar General).

What did I learn from this experience................I'm learning how to take care of beetles.

I hate bugs.

Swimming Lessons

2009-08-04T20:39:00.006+09:00

When Kairi was 15 months old, she tried to jump into Loch Ness. No, I'm not making that up.

Kairi at Loch Ness

In 2007, we took a whirl-wind trip to Scotland and while visiting Loch Ness, Kairi managed to escape us and start running, as fast as her baby-legs could carry her, toward the Loch. Thank goodness we stood 5.5 feet taller than her-making our strides twice hers, otherwise, she'd probably gone in head first. Then we'd been on every 24 hour news station: "American Baby Falls Into Loch Ness-Should the Loch Be Fenced In?" There would have been public outrage at the fact our poor daughter fell into the Loch, someone would have demanded a fence be erected around the loch, taxes would be raised to do so and we would never be welcomed in Scotland again. (Not to mention Nessie would have been TICKED if she couldn't get out for her weekly trip to Tesco)

Loch Ness-Unfenced

Of course, I'm exaggerating (*i think*) about the ramifications if she had made it, but she really did try to jump in.

In this photo Kairi is saying,"My attempts at an international incident have been foiled!!"

Jump forward two years and Kairi is still unafraid of the water. Which freaks me out to no end. I'm terrified of her in the water. I almost had a break down last week when her Nursery School said they were going to the pool. I'm sure her sensei thought I was crazy, but I asked very detailed questions about ratios, life guards and CPR. Turns out, they were going to an indoor pool owned by one of the local preschools that was 2.5 feet deep, there were going to be 3 sensei (one of whom is a lifeguard), and only 8 children. "Okay, then, she can go," I say. The sensei looked worried (about me), I've never acted like this before and the concern shows on their faces. I decided then and there I needed to get Kairi into swimming lessons.

Today was Kairi's first swimming lesson and it turns out, she's a natural. Though completely and totally unafraid. Her teacher said, "She has no fear, she let go of me several times and would just randomly jump of the step."

I know, hence the paralyzing fear of Kairi and water.

The good news is, Kairi is actually a pretty good swimmer for a 3 year old. The teacher said they'd worked through several skills, that usually take s a while to master, in no time. They've already started learning how to take breaths to the side, like you do with front crawl. I'm so proud. The instructor gives us homework for next week, and we're off.

I know it's going to take me a while to get over the paralyzing fear of the kids and water, but seeing Kairi's face light up when she realizes she's doing a great job, makes it all worth it.

When Crocodiles Attack...

2009-08-02T13:01:00.004+09:00

“Mommy, save me from the crocodile!!”

Despite never have seeing a crocodile or the Crocodile Hunter, my oldest daughter is obsessed with them.

“Crocodiles go away, leave Kairi alone, she’s not your lunch.”

“Mommy, they’re still after me!!”

“You silly crocodiles, Kairi’s not a watermelon, her shirt just has a watermelon on it! GO AWAY!”

Darn crocodiles, the dishes are done, the baby is asleep and I need to earn some practicum hours and YOU SHOW UP!

“Mommy!! Help me!!”

She’s now on the back of the couch her sister is asleep on.

“Kairi, seriously, I scared them all off. Now be quiet you’re sister is sleeping!”

Kairi looks down.

“Not anymore.”

::sigh::

Not long ‘til Jordan’s home, not long ‘til Jordan’s home….

Really, Cosmo?

2009-07-23T21:25:00.005+09:00

We go to the library once a week and every week, Kairi picks up a Cosmo to look at while we're checking out books.

Really, Cosmo? I hardly put on chap stick on in the morning and I'm SO not fashionable. So why, exactly, is she so girly? Okay, I know why. :-)

Tonight the girlieness was very apparent when we went to the gym for family PE night (my friend ran with Kairi and her son, while I watched our two babies) and Kairi asked both of us, "Why are we doing this? I thought we were going to put on makeup."

I asked her last week why she like that magazine so much and she said, "There's makeup and pretty clothes."

I really think if Cosmo published a, "Cosmo Toddler" she'd find it and read it. OMG, I can hear it now, "But Mommy...Suri Cruise is wearing it!" Yea, well Suri Cruise's parents make in a hour what your Daddy makes in a year, can it sister. :-)

My Little Leftie

2009-07-17T20:52:00.006+09:00

Jordan's left-handed, I'm right. So it stands to reason that our children have the chance of being left handed. So Kairi enters the world, and it was obvious from about 12 months that she was going to be left handed. Her teachers argued that she couldn't be left handed, it was too young to tell. Her sensei have looked confused, evidently being left handed in Japan is VERY unusual-less than the 10% of the US population. But yet, Kairi is very left handed. I tried to get her to color right handed, just to see, and it wasn't pretty. Hand her a pen in the left, and all is good. So it begins, I've bought left-handed scissors for her and I've found a "lefties" store online. In the mean time, we tear out the pages in her work books and I adjust how I teach her to hold her paper. Now, I just can't wait till the genetic origin of this trait comes home to help her learn how to write!

And Now for Something Amusing

2009-07-11T22:33:00.003+09:00

DANI WITH A PIG ON HER HEAD!!!

This is another, "She's going to kill me for this when she's 14" moment.
Doesn't she look just like Jordan!?

Scotch Tape

2009-07-09T20:59:00.007+09:00

Mid way through June, I twisted my knee. It kept bothering me, and after one of my friends said, "Um, yea, that's not normal, you should probably go to the doctor." After I almost fell over holding Danica, I decided to go.

How, you may be asking yourself, did I injure myself?

Well, it all started one day when I decided that sky diving was for me, so I took the girls to day care and went off on a day trip to Fukuoka to learn to sky dive. After I practiced all morning, they took me up, hooked me onto the instructor and I took my first tandem jump. WOW! I can't even begin to describe the view of Japan from the air, it's just beautiful. The problem is, I wasn't expecting the landing to be quiet as rough as it was and when I hit my knees buckled a bit, the instructor bumped into me, and we both went tumbling to the ground. Fortunately, the instructor landed on top, because I probably would have squished him.

Hands who believed that? If you did, you've probably not known me very long at all. I'm the BIGGEST chicken when it comes to heights. As a matter of fact, one time I was on a roller coaster, I started screaming once we went down the first hill and only stopped to catch my breath, when I did, a friend that was with me said, "Kelly, I thought you had died."

No one believes the story of a black eye and everyone will laugh when they read how I actually did it.

Danica was having an fit like no other while driving home from picking Kairi up at school. Kairi, who usually blocks Danica's crying out was saying (over and over), "Can't you slow her down, Mom?" No honey, she's going as fast as we are. ::smile:: So when we got to the next red light. I leaned back to give Dani her passie. Well, I couldn't reach the darn thing, so I pressed down on the break, turned, reached all the way to the back seat and got the passie. Evidently knees don't like retrieving passies at that angle, and I said ouch. Now I'm here:

It turns out, that my knee isn't just twisted, I'm injured. The doctor doesn't think anything is torn, but I go next week to have a consult for an MRI. The swelling I do have isn't receding, despite large amounts of Vitamin M (Motrin-the Navy wonder drug). The medicine is in conjunction with being off of it as much as a single mom of two small children, can be.

Sometimes I feel like I'm holding everything together with old scotch tape. It works for the time being, but one more stresser, and it all falls apart.

Today, one word did make it fall apart, Mukade(google it-there was one in my house), but my friends patched me back together with some of their old scotch tape. Once all our husbands are back, I'm totally taking us all out to a place where,only mothers of small children, who've been left alone for months on end, can go without husbands or children.

Wonder if the Japanese have Chip&Dale Dancers?

4th of July

2009-07-06T07:18:00.007+09:00

Happy Belated Fourth of July!

We hope you all had a wonderful holiday weekend. We were able to go watch the fireworks on base and had the best seat in the house! Kairi wasn't as happy with our vantage point. She was actually scared. Hence this pose:

She looks like she's bracing for impact. My friend and I tried to distract her with, "Look, Kairi, a pink one!" Which would distract her from the noise for about 2 minutes then she would resume freaking out.

Danica was fine, she just needed to be held. (And wouldn't you if you were 4 months old with huge explosions happening all around?) Once I got her out of the stroller, she was fine and enjoyed watching Kairi freak out. (Kairi, after all, is the most fascinating thing in Danica's world.)

I was able to talk to Jordan after the fireworks. He spent the evening fixing a steam leak somewhere on the ship. He's doing fine, but is ready to come home. We're ready for him to come home, too, but we've still got a while before that's going to happen. So if you didn't have a beer this weekend, or even if you did, please have one for my husband.

The Post Man Always Rings Twice-Unless Kairi Answers.

2009-07-01T22:44:00.002+09:00

I grew up in a house that is on a main thoroughfare through the city, so it’s fitting that the first time I actually get to choose where I live, I choose a house that is on a main road. This is great in some respects and bad in others. Sometimes, especially when you are not a native to the country you live in, it can just end up funny. As the following examples show;

Unfortunately for me, Kairi loves to answer the door. It doesn’t matter what state of dress anyone in the house is in, Kairi dashes to answer the door if the door bell rings. (Since writing this, we’ve rectified this behavior). On this particular day, everyone was dressed, but Kairi still made it to the door before me. Coming out of the living room, I see Kairi talking to some man, he’s asking her a question, and she answers. I reach and open the door and say, “Hello.” The man looks up and JUMPS BACKWARDS! I don’t mean he took a step backwards; this man took a visible leap back about two feet when I opened the door the rest of the way. He takes a good look at Kairi and myself, looks at the licenses plate on my van (which gives us away as Americans) and stands there in bewilderment.
“Good evening, can I help you?”
“Sumimasen (excuse me), you are not Imotoda-san.”
“No, I’m not, is there anything I can help you with?”
“No, I’m sorry I bothered you. I’m the commissioner of this cho (neighborhood) and had some questions for Imotoda-san.”
“That’s okay, I’m sorry I couldn’t help you. Have a good night.”
He bows, leaves, still with a bewildered look on his face. The man was OBVIOSLY not expecting me to come to the door. The only thing I can figure out is that he probably asked Kairi (in Japanese) where is your mom (Okasan, doko des ka?) To which she would have replied, “Koko” (here). My entrance way is dark and Kairi, if you were expecting a Japanese family to answer, could pass for half Japanese and since she understood him, more so (I guess). So when my huge American self answered the door, I scared him. I scared a full grown man, just by being, me.

We have also had many, many visits from other sales men and religious organizations. I’m too freakin’ polite to say, “No I’m good with God.” So I always take there pamphlets and listen to what they have to say, tell them good night, and close the door. This night particular took the cake on religious experiences.
Early one evening, before it got hot, I had the girls outside blowing bubbles. It started to threaten rain, so I took Danica inside, put her in the swing, and was rounding up Kairi and the toys when I heard someone say, “Excuse me?” I looked around, saw no one, then went back to what I was doing. When I walked back out my door, I almost ran into two pretty ladies standing on my front door step.
“Oh! Goodness! I thought I heard someone!”
“Sorry, yes, we walking around this area, talking to the English speaking families (again, our licenses plates give us away) about self-help.”
“Oookkaaayyy.” I say.
Now, you have to remember, there are two colleges very close to my house, so I’m thinking they’re college students sent out into the cho to practice their English with Americans. So I humor them.
“Do you read self help books?”
“Of course, I just finished one on financial management.” (Still thinking this is why there here.)
“Do you find them helpful?”
“Some of them, but others are rubbish.”
“Have you ever read the Bible?”
Uh oh…
“Yes I have.”
“Can I read you a bit of scripture?”
“Sure, but I really have to get this stuff inside, it is about to start raining.”
So as this young lady is reading me something from Peter, I believe, I’m lugging in my camp chair. Meanwhile, Kairi and Danica are in the living room. Kairi has seen the ladies then run into the house. She runs back out and says,
“Mommy, who are these people?”
“Honey they are here to talk about Baby Jesus!”
To which the lady says, “Oh you know Jesus?”
I just stand and stare, “Nope, I’m a heathen.” I think.
The ladies continue as I continue the next thing I know I hear a DRRAAGGGIN sound from my living room. Kairi has dragged Danica ACROSS the living room in her swing so the ladies can see the baby.

“KAIRI!! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?”
“This is a bad time. Maybe we’ll see you again.”
And I did, twice, and guess what, I’m always busy.
Since then, I had a very nice Japanese friend of mine make me a sign that says, “No Salesmen, DO NOT RING THE DOOR BELL!” But nicer and written in Japanese.
I must stress, it wasn’t the religious organizations that did me in. Because it wasn’t, it was having 5 salesmen in one Saturday that did me in. Sorry guys, my Japanese isn’t that good. So I know that you would love for me to buy solar panels, an IH stove, join the local Co-Op, give money to some organization, or buy your yogurt drink, but really, I have no idea what you’re saying and unless it’s, “I’ll mow your lawn for free!” I really don’t care. Also, if you aren’t careful, next time you ring my doorbell, it might be answered by a naked three year old. Then you will be the one with the awesome blog post!

Earthquakes-we're okay!

2009-06-30T01:46:00.003+09:00

Wow, it is 1:45 in the morning and I'm up blogging. I've entered the age of instant information.

Twenty minutes ago I was shaken awake by an earthquake. We had one on Sunday as well, but I was awake for it. I know I live in Japan and I should always expect earthquakes, but my goodness, experiencing them is something different entirely.

I think the girls and I are sleeping down stairs from now on.

Excuse the pun, but I'm a bit shook up and it was only a cat. 1 according to the website.

http://www.jma.go.jp/en/quake/ You may have to hit previous to get to the one I experienced. Then look to the left column, find Nagasaki, the middle column is the intensity, and in the right column find Sasebo and you'll see the intensity that we felt.

I'm going back to bed. Good night internet.

4 Months Old

2009-06-28T21:45:00.006+09:00

Danica,

I'm writing this the day after you turn 4 months old. I must say that today was a wonderful, weird, and tiresome day. Today a new life was brought into this world, we had an earthquake, and I've deicided, that unless the cosmos interceed, I'm a perfect mom of two. :-D

About you:

To celebrate your Fourth month of life, you decided to roll over from back to tummy three times!! You love being around people and I swear the highlights of your week are coming to work with Mommy. You're still a bit reserved with your laughs, but goodness, you talk up a storm and you blow the BIGGEST spit bubbles I've ever seen a baby blow. (Seriously, I should call the Guiness Record People!)

I should also mention that you can roll from tummy to back and did so the first time at our friend Rebecca's house, but for some reason, now that you can roll back to tummy, doing the reverse eludes you. I think that you are so shocked that you got in that position, that you forget how to get yourself back. Its a bit funny actually.

You are still nursing like a champ, which is a blessing and a curse. I would really like to go somewhere senza kids, but you REFUSE to take a bottle. I'm sure if you got hungry enough you would, but alas that hasn't happened yet and so you nurse. I love it, every minute of it, but every minute every hour and half-two hours during the day is getting old. But I'll keep doing it because I love you.

I can't believe how quickly time has passed. Danica, you've helped me realize how quickly things change and how I should slow down and enjoy the moment. Happiness is all the little moments adding up to one beautiful memory, and in just four short months, you've helped me realize how important they all are.

Keep growing, my sweet girl. I love you.

Love, Mommy

PS. You look more like your Daddy everyday. :-D

Becoming a SAHM

2009-06-22T14:37:00.005+09:00

Since we've moved to Japan, I've been jobless. I remember telling Jordan when we were dating. "Once we have children, if at all possible, I want to stay at home with them. I didn't have children to have someone else raise them." Boy, how 6 years make a difference. After Kairi was born, I was back at work within 3 weeks, it was only there a couple days a week, but I was there. I worked (went to school) and Kairi was in child care the whole time we were in Sicily. Just a few days after we moved to Japan, Kairi started school at Mamenoki, at Jordan's insistence. She loves it, she needs it. Kairi needs and enjoys all the socialization. Mommy (and Daddy) alone are not enough to keep her engaged all day. It was soon after Kairi started school that we found out I was pregnant with Danica. It was then, we accepted that I would not be working while we lived in Sasebo. Since then, I've been a Stay-At-Home-Mom. It came as a surprise to me, because while I said to Jordan, "I want to be a Stay-At-Home Mom." I never actually expected it to come to fruition.

A year later, it is still a learning process. I had it down until Danica was born and then I had to start all over again. Everyday, I have to learn something new and I wonder how I ever got anything done while I was working. I spend my days running errands, going shopping, playing with Danica, and keeping up (unsuccessfully) with housework. I'm a great Mom, but terrible housewife. On the days I've just had enough of my house, I pop into my office, with Danica in tow, help solve a few problems, train a few new volunteers, high-five my Director and head home feeling like I've helped society in more ways than one for the day.

The children I have today, are vastly different from those of yesterday (Ugh, what a day!), and tomorrow...goodness knows what that will bring. I have learn and accepted that it is a learning curve and that tomorrow, I will figure it out, just as I have for the last year. Becoming a Mom, working or staying at home, is a huge undertaking. I'm just hoping I can keep up. :-)

Ballet Recital, Part 2

2009-06-16T22:22:00.004+09:00

The part in which Kairi actually dances!

Things Not to Do

2009-06-16T22:11:00.002+09:00

Mark a whole bunch of sites as "Favorites" without putting them in categories. 'Cause when you go back to do them later, it takes FOR-EV-ER! (Name that movie!)

Kairi's 1st Dance Recital-Part 1

2009-06-15T06:17:00.006+09:00

In 12 years, she's going to kill me, but here it is Kairi's 1st Dance Recital. She's not dancing in this video and you can hear my friend Bryan say, "You're taking this aful well." To which I reply, "Don't you see the look on my face." I was smiling as broadly as I could, but my face was the color of a tomato. It was not a good moment, but I guess normal 3 year old behavior.

Working Hard

2009-06-13T21:23:00.007+09:00

Jordan works hard, REALLY HARD. He enjoys his work, for the most part. One of his favorite parts of his job is Fire Fighting. He's the type of guy that runs towards the danger while the rest of us are running away. Here is Jordan working hard and looking cool!

Inconvenience

2009-06-10T21:44:00.005+09:00

Over the weekend, my refrigerator died. Yup, it was working Saturday night, but Sunday morning, I reached in to get the milk, and it warm. I mean, warmer than the room I was standing in. Then I opened my freezer and you guessed it, everything was melty. Yumm...I just stood there staring at it thinking, "You've got to be kidding me!" One upside to being a military family overseas is that the Navy (in our case) provides you with appliances for your home, on or off base, the bad side...they don't do weekends. Yup, it was Tuesday before I had a new fridge. But it's cool and sleek with some pretty cool shelving, so I can't complain. OH! And it beeps if the doors left open too long. Pretty cool! Now, I just need to make a claim with my renters insurance to see if I can get reimbursed for the food I lost. (No, the Navy doesn't do that either. Reimburse for lost food, I mean).

This wouldn't have been so bad, but is was compounded by the fact that my upstairs toilet is broken and has been for THREE WEEKS! If this was last summer and I was preggers, this would be a huge problem, but now, its just an inconvenience. What I DO NOT understand is why this is taking so long to get fixed. I reported the problem a month ago (to my landlord), and my toilet has been unusable for THREE WEEKS! I would have expected this in Europe (sorry, but its true) but here, REALLY!? Its supposed to be finished on Saturday. Everyone cross your fingers. As I told my friends here, "At least I still have walls in my bathroom, so maybe it isn't *that* broken."

The good news is that now that they have revamped the big commissary that's about 45 minutes from my house (one way-on the toll road), it's actually worth driving out there once, maybe twice a month. Also, Kairi's sleeping in her bed again (for the most part) and Danica's sleeping through the night. I also got to shave my legs tonight. Which may not seem like a big accomplishment, but believe me, with the way things have been going so far. Its huge.

Enjoy the picture of Dani, it sure brightened my day! :-D
PS. I'm fine, just need a moment to vent, then life will be good again.

Just for Zia Julie

2009-06-04T20:48:00.003+09:00

Kairi is Oh So Goth(I'm sorry...it's EMO now)...

Except she just can't stop smiling!

New Pics Up

2009-06-02T18:53:00.002+09:00

I just posted new pics from May. The last bit are from one our usual, "Lets follow that sign!" trips. Enjoy!! (Click the link on the left)

3 months old

2009-05-28T13:25:00.004+09:00

Danica, Dani, Danikins, Akane-chan, Muffin,

Yesterday you turned 3 months old. You weigh 11lbs and since Mommy only has time to do the bare minimum of housekeeping, I cannot find the measuring tape, so we'll say you're this ::holding out hands to about 23 inches:: long.

In the last month you have become incredably social. You never meet a stranger and always have a smile at the ready. You must have a very selective sense of humor, because the only two people you have laughed for are your daddy and one of the chaplins on base. While you smile, smile, smile, your laugh is very reserved and that's okay. You have also discovered your hands. You love to suck on them, chew on them and just stare at them. I think you noticed your feet last night, but I'm not really sure, because about that time, we all got distracted by friends outside. You also love to suck on anyone elses hand that comes into contact with your mouth. A warning I have to give people before they hold you. That and, "She spits up." Which all babies do, but for some reason, you and Kairi take the cake on that.

Right now, Danica, you have several favorite activites. First, staring at you sister, which she likes, on occasion. The rest of the time it's, "Mommy, Danica's staring at me!" I think it's funny, but I'm sure I wont in a year. Your second favorite activity is being outside. You love to help Mommy water all her plants, and today, you loved just sitting in your seat and staring at the bright pink azaleas that grow in our back yard. Your third favorite thing is singing silly songs. You love, "Mary Had a Little Lamb" and "Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star". The latter you like in both English and Japanese, and you sister is happy to sing to you in both. You are a very happy, easy, and out going baby.

There are some realizations Mommy has come to in the last three months. The biggest one is,
"Why excatly did we buy a new couch?" I've made the decision I'm not buying new furniture until you are in college, maybe even out of college. Your Grammy is buying her first new bit of furniture sometime soon. I think this is the first new bit of furniture they have bought since I was 3 years old, that was 25 years ago. Everything else has been 2nd hand, and now I see why. My other realization is, My house does not have to be spotless. As long as everything is clean, its okay if every toy isnt' put away, and the laundry stays in baskets. Because the time I'm spending with you is priceless.

I cannot believe how fast these last three months have gone. I'm excited to see what you will do this month. But most of all, I love you Danica.

Love,

Mommy

Memorial Day

2009-05-26T07:32:00.003+09:00

Nothing extra special for us with out Jordan home. We went to the park with Ayden and Wendy and had McDonalds for dinner. Hope everyone had a good holiday weekend!

Here goes nothing...

2009-05-20T13:00:00.003+09:00

So if you read it on the internet it has to be true right? So here is my truth...

So far I've lost all the wieght I gained with Danica plus 4 lbs. HORRAH!!

Now where does that leave me? Basically where I was when I started Weight Watchers in 2004 (5 years ago-wow). So my goal, to be back at I was BEFORE Kairi, is to loose 40lbs.

There are a few things I'm already going to accecpt: A) No matter how much weight I loose, my boobs will never be as perky as they were before breastfeeding 2 children B)My hips are never going to be as small as they were before giving birth (one drug free birth) twice and C)This is going to be a huge challenge as the two children who are partially the reason for the aformentioned weight gain, require my attention 24/7. (Going potty by myself...yea, that never happens)

There are a few perks about doing this now. A) Hubby isn't home to tempt me with his wonderful cooking or "Hey babe, you wanna go to the sushi go round?" B) We aren't in Italy...where the food is heavenly. (When I die, I hope the food in Heaven is Italian-with sushi on fridays). C)I'm not working, so I have no excuses about not having time to excercise. (And I have a $400 jogging stroller that my girls love riding in-and my husband feels compelled for me to use it).

So please, friends, follow me on this journey. I'll blog about my progress when there's been enough progress to mention. I wish I was witty and wry enough to make this journey more fun for everyone, but alas, those brain cells were eaten by my children.

Pretty Kai

2009-05-17T21:49:00.004+09:00

For Mother's Day Jordan and the girls got me Digital Photography for Dummies. I love taking pictures, but never knew what all those extra buttons did, but now I do (despite not having a big fancy camera). Here's one of the best shots I've EVER taken:
It may not win any big awards, but I love it. :-)

Bet you've never had to do this...

2009-05-12T22:05:00.005+09:00

The day before Jordan left for his summer deployment, I made him take apart our old couch. Why you ask? We bought a new sleeper sofa in January and we were only able to have the new couch delivered and not the old one taken away. The old one has since been sitting in Kairi's playroom taking up space. I've been spring cleaning the past few weeks, and this couch was a thorn in my side. I couldn't get Kai's room orgainzed with it just sitting there. So I told Jordan it was either going upstairs in our spare room, or it was some how going in the trash. He took option 2. It took him 2 hours, a broke hatchet and a new saw to get the thing apart and stuffed in our van. Now , Kairi has the neatest room in the house and I'm happy with our downstaris. :-)

Happy Mother's Day

2009-05-10T06:32:00.003+09:00

To all the Mom's out there...Happy Mother's Day!!

When Jealously Rears its Ugly Head

2009-05-01T07:04:00.005+09:00

This video is supposed to be of Danica in the morning, but it is riddled with Kairi commentary...While Danica is cute, what Kairi's saying is just funny...We've made it 2 months and a week with out too much jealously, but it definitely shows here...

Daddy Takes Pics of Danica

2009-04-30T19:27:00.004+09:00

Jordan's got a cool new phone (HTC TouchPro) , it takes pretty cool pics, espically of Dani. BTW, Danica found her hands this week. Yay!

Growing, growing...

2009-04-22T21:23:00.006+09:00

Dancia had her 2 month well baby appointment today. She was 11.5lbs and 21.5 inches. Doc said she looks great. As a matter of fact, he was surprised that she was holding her head up so well, as the picture below shows:

Kairi's also growing fast. She's recently realized that words rhyme and will point them out to you when ever she notices that fact. She's also becoming more aware of other people's feelings. Sometimes, like today, it extends to inanimate objects. Tonight at Jordan's softball game she said,"Poor ball." I asked, "Why, 'Poor Ball'?" To which she replied, "Everyone is always chasing after it!" :-) She's also coming up with more sayings like "Woah, hunky-chunky!" Which Jordan and I are using in lieu of more colorful language. Even then she'll still say, "Wow, that's a freakin' huge bug!" every now and then. (Wonder where she heard that?). Her 2 favorite things to do are color and read. Here's one of her latest pieces of art work:

We are so lucky to have such happy, healthy kids.

Do you ever wonder...

2009-04-20T22:32:00.005+09:00

Who's vacation photos you end up in?

For example:

Taromina, Sicily-People enjoying the music on the Piazza-minding there own business!

Oops! It looks like we're interrupting something between Henry and Maude...

Yes, Cesar and the gladiator are expected to end up in vacation photos (if you pay them 10 Euro. ::rolls eyes::) But what about the guy buying postcards or the blond girl sunning herself.

Just remember next time you're at a tourist hot spot...don't pick your nose, someones probably taking a vacation photo, and you're going to be in it!! :-)

Things I Miss...

2009-04-15T21:50:00.003+09:00

We've been in Japan almost a year, yet there are still things I miss about Italy. Here's a list:

1) Gelato-Mmmmm...Sorry, but Cold Stone and Marble Slab have NOTHING on Italian Gelato.

2) Pasta-It's Itlay, do I really need to explain?

3) Vino-I don't care who says that Californian Wine's are the best, nothing beats a good Italian (or better yet Scicilan) Red.

4) The Sigonella Commissary-really, the both commissaires here in Sasebo SUCK!

5) The Dining Experience-Yes, I always complained about how late we had to eat, but it was an experience, you got 1 to umpteeth courses, the server came back asked if you needed anything else. It just doesn't quiet work like that here in Japan. You order your food, they bring you the food and your check...then you have to hunt them down to bring you some more water (for your 4 oz cup). You order, eat, and leave...

6) Being able to read-Yes, it was in Italian, but really, you could look it up in a dictionary. I've been in Japan a year and I can read a fair amount, but nothing close to literate and it DRIVES ME CRAZY!! But that's no one's fault but my own, I'll learn to read before I leave!

7) Taromina-One of the most beautiful places in the world!!

8) Mt. Etna-Yes, she spewed ash that drove our allergies crazy, but she is beautiful!

9) My Car-::sniff-sniff:: The Ion was the first big purchace that Jordan and I made together, we were able to take it to Italy, but we had to leave it in storage (in North Carolina I believe) before we moved to Japan. I miss my car. (I'm driving a mini-van here...ugh)

10) Our friends-Funny enough, most of our friends have since moved from Italy (some are actually here in Sasebo with us), but I miss them all. Moving, to me, is one of the best and worst things about the military. However, I can now say that I have friends all over the world.

So here are the 10 things we miss about Sicily. Would we go back? Probably not (unless lots of money was offered). Was it worth it? Absolutly.

In 3.5 years I will probably be making the same post about Sasebo at our new duty station. Who knows what I'll miss about Japan.

I know, I'll predict #1:

Sushi

Sakura-Cherry Blossoms

2009-04-04T16:56:00.004+09:00

The Japanese Cherry Blossoms have been blooming for about two weeks. They are absolutly beautiful. I now understand why the Japanese can just sit and stare at them. I've posted pictures of the Sakura and of the girls on our Shutterfly site. Just click the link to the left

First Smile!!

2009-04-01T10:13:00.004+09:00

Here's one of Danica's First Smiles!! Isn't she just beautiful!! (And chunky, can you believe that she's breastfed!? She's huge!!)

Passport

2009-03-29T12:12:00.005+09:00

Here are some pictures we took while trying to get the *perfect* picture for Danica's Passport. (Thank you ePassportPhoto.com-we wouldn't have been able to do it without you!)

Yeah,I'm cute!

I'm pretty sure it's one person per passport photo, Mom!

You mean the picture you get is going to be on my passport till I'm 10 years old!!!

Who's Who?

2009-03-23T20:05:00.004+09:00

Can you tell Kairi and Danica's baby pictures apart? (Mom-you cannot cheat-you may recognize the blankets...there's the hint for everyone else!)

A Whole New World

Just enough time...

First Day of School

We're home?

Oops!

I tried to wait...

Two in June

What we've been up to!

Winter Performances

Heard around our house

We're okay

Now she's, 5...

ABCs of Parenting

Look Who's Two!!

New Camera

Lost, Found, and Hashbrowns

Love at first sight...

Getting to Know Danica-2011 Edition!

Vacation

Random Story with a video

This took precedence

21 more things I'm thankful for

#9-Heated Carpets

Car Rides

Being Thankful

Happy Halloween 2010

Sushi-go-'round

Saturday Afternoon, in a bubble

In which beer gets repeated several times...

Summer Treats

Popsicles

For my Mamaw

Evening bath time

CARROTS!

Today...

Night Night

Havin' a Bad Day?

Avatar?

Kelly, Kelly, how does your garden grow

Hello, it's been a while

Conversations with Kai...

She did it! She DANCED!

Simple Joys

Happy New Year!

Ice Skating

Candy Canes

Let the Season Begin!

Happy (belated) Thanksgiving

I Could Have Taken the High Road

She doesn't want to be a baby

Happy Halloween

Hello Kitty Says...

Do you see that?

And Kairi says...

Ooooohhhhhh!!!!

Yup, I'm one of *those* moms...

Here we go again...on our own...

How a hard workin' man should spend his time...

Please, don't squeeze the Charmin!

Let's get lost....

Since we don't have boys

6 months old

Presentation

Mike and Sully

Benny is rude, Mom.

The Tourture Goes Both Ways

Critters

Swimming Lessons

When Crocodiles Attack...

Really, Cosmo?

My Little Leftie

And Now for Something Amusing

Scotch Tape

4th of July

The Post Man Always Rings Twice-Unless Kairi Answers.

Earthquakes-we're okay!

4 Months Old

Becoming a SAHM

Ballet Recital, Part 2

Things Not to Do

Yup, I'm one of those moms...