A visit with friends...

The time flew by... the last thing I remember is picking Talyn and Sherrie up at the airport and then all of the sudden, we were back there dropping them off ... where did the 9 days go?

Here is a brief recap!

The second day of their visit we were greeted with AMAZING weather. We hopped in the van (the Platypus as it has been named) and headed up north. Ocean Expo Park awaited us. Before we started checking things out, we stopped at a little Italian restaurant with a nice view.

Here are the girls in the fountains at the park. It was a lovely day!

Sherri and Talyn with a giant Shisa.

Little wet girls

We stopped in the "Traditional Okinawan Village" area of the park. It was great. The girls got to play some drums and we had tea, local brown sugar and learned how to play the sanshin (video to come)

Talyn's next career. Professional Sanshin player.

Outside a traditional Okinawan home

Check out these bamboo floors...

crooked tree

Banyan Tree

Outside of the aquarium - giant whale shark

We also went to Yomitan and the Village of Potters. It was a great way to spend the day and see some local art!

A little message on the wall of a restaurant in Yomitan (Pottery Village) about the Shisa.

This is the kiln for the village. It is traditionally built and the largest in the area.

Later on in the week we headed to Shuri Castle.

Heading into one of the gates (I can't remember the name)

Talyn and Sherrie outside of the main castle building

We stopped and had tea - it was great!

One night Talyn and I went out to dinner and Sherrie (our newest surrogate grandparent) watched the girls.

Here is Talyn with our groovy Sake pitchers. Warm Sake is yummy, and the pitchers were just super groovy.

I finally took a photo of what I eat EVERY time I go to Daisy's. THIS (above) is the fantastic Jasmine's Rice. Think Thai spicyness with a crazy egg on top (they put eggs on all kinds of things here). My favorite dish on the island. Served best with a cold Orion Beer.

Our airport visit. Sad to say goodbye to our friends - but we had OH so much fun!

I have so much more to show you...

This week has just been a blast, a blur and is already over! We had such a fantastic visit with Talyn and Sherrie. I will be posting some photos and descriptions of all of the great places we visited while they were here in the next couple of days. Until then, I will leave you with cute photos of my favorite subjects.

Dining Out...

This week has been a GREAT one! First off, school is back in session (woo hoo for mommy!) and the weather is amazing. I did spend most of one day this week parking myself on the beach and enjoying the fabulosity of it all. (I managed to also get a tad but burnt, but it was worth every moment!)

The other highlight this week is that we have visitors!! My good friend Talyn (from Oregon) and her mom Sherrie came to visit!! Now, I know you all probably like having visitors, but I have to say, that living WAY over here makes visitors extra special. I have more on our visit and things we have been doing, but am going to break it up into snippets (because I am sleepy).

Last night (Friday) Brad's work (here, not in Iraq) had a Dining Out. Spouse's had been invited to this fun event and the great command that we belong to invited those of us with deployed people to come along too. One of the other great things was that Talyn also got to go with me! Some photos of the ladies!


Mary, Kelly, Talyn and Amanda

All of the ladies that were left at the end of the evening, a lot of folks had already left.

Ursula and Mary

Carrie and Kelly (another fine lady whose hubby is also on and IA at the moment)

Happy Easter (and the secret beach)

HAPPY EASTER everyone!

We have had such a nice weekend so far, I thought I would put a post on while the girls were happily stuffing themselves full of candy from our in home Easter egg hunt.

I had to put this photo on the front of the page this morning. I don't know why the "Easter Bunny" was willing to allow the children to have candy at 6:30 this morning, but it makes for a cute photo. Happy Alessandra finding another egg (after making sure the M&M's in the first egg went down nice and smooth! - note her chocolaty face)

I would put a post on while the girls were happily stuffing themselves full of candy from our in home Easter egg hunt.

Yesterday we awoke to one of the most gorgeous days we have had in Okinawa this year. The weather was flawless, the sun shining, a nice ocean breeze.. ahhhhh. The highlight of the morning for me was sitting out on the porch, drinking a cup of coffee and my children happily playing.

We opened all of the doors and windows and I started a little bit of cleaning and organization (note: I have visitors later this week, so it helps to get started early in case you get sidetracked by fun having). The girls quickly donned their swimsuits (yes, it was THAT nice) and played happily in the water on the porch.

Our friends called a little later in the morning to see if we wanted to go to the beach with them. OF COURSE!

Here is Olivia at "the secret beach" It is so secret, even we don't know where we were! :) The tide was REALLY low and the shell hunting was fabulous.

I had to get a shot of Alessandra - this whole new "closing my eyes while mommy takes my photo" thing is getting old.

After we arrived, the clouds decided to make their debut and (literally) rain on our parade. The above shot is of the tide pools during low tide.

Here is Cooper explaining something to Alessandra. She loved checking out all of the shells and crabs.

And here is Alessandra, explaining something to Cooper.

Caden digging (at least we think that is what he was doing). There was some grand plan of sand construction going on with he and Olivia that we never did fully understand.

A bird shot for Ron (and Jennie and Robin, my bird loving friends)

And here we are on the way home. I think the fresh air tired out our beach bunnies.

What would Easter be without coloring eggs? After mommy (that's me) successfully crushed to of the eggs by dropping them, we happily dyed 10 gorgeous eggs.

Olivia was quite methodical about the whole process.

BRING ON EASTER! I gave the girls their present from Brad and I last night (cute monkey jammies). Alessandra modeling.

And Olivia this morning, bright and early at 6:15am hunting for eggs.

I had to put this photo on the front of the page this morning. I don't know why the "Easter Bunny" was willing to allow the children to have candy at 6:30 this morning, but it makes for a cute photo. Happy Alessandra finding another egg (after making sure the M&M's in the first egg went down nice and smooth! - note her chocolaty face)

mmmm. chocolate kisses. It's a good thing we just went to the dentist this week!

Enjoy your Easter.

Ice Cream and the Dentist

So, it's Spring Break week. What would Spring Break be without Ice Cream...
or a trip to the dentist? (ahh yes, I am a GREAT mom like that).

We hit the BIG DIP this week (Blue Seal Ice Cream here in Oki). We pass the Big Dip pretty much EVERY day and every day I tell them "no, not today" I had to finally say hello BIG DIP. mmmm. Olivia enjoying her Cookies and Cream

And of course Alessandra eating Chocolate (her flavor of choice). If you come here you can also choose from passion fruit, mango, sugar cane, beni-imo (Okinawan sweet potato), Goya (bitter melon) and some other interesting flavors. And you Ohio-ans, NO, it isn't a good as Graeter's, but it will just have to do...

SO, today we also took a little trip to the dentist. One of my most proud moments as a mom (or scary moments) is that both of my kids actually look forward to going to the dentist. Olivia has been a few times, but this was trip numero uno for little miss mighty.

Much to my surprise she didn't want to sit on my lap (as the offered her to do), but hopped right up in the big chair, pushed the little button to make it go back and laid down. The hygienist totally cracked up, but went with it. Gave her some groovy sunglasses and called in the dentist (the below photo). She did the exam and then Alessandra let her brush every last one of her little teeth. We also learned that she has a pretty good overbite AND will most definitely need braces down the line. Ahh, lucky genetics. The highlight for her was the bag of goodies at the end, complete with new toothbrush and a sticker. (although, she also tried to get them to let her keep the sunglasses).

And in room 2 we have Olivia who just totally took off with her hygienist to get her teeth cleaned with a big wave to mom. She got all polished a pretty and her hygienist told me that Olivia was exactly what she need to end her day "it is so great when a kid smiles at you after it’s over and says thank you."

Here are our two smile bugs gleaming with happy teeth health at 3rd Dental Battalion Okinawa. Ahhh, the fun we are having this Spring Break.

Soccer Camp - oh yes, and more sunset's too.

Welcome to our Spring Break! We have started off strong with Olivia partaking in Soccer Camp all week long. (Yes, I DID have to explain what a "camp" was, aside from the obvious "camping in a tent in the woods." She did assure me after I explained what a camp was and that when she is older that she could go away to overnight camp, that, she will not be doing that. EVER "because your mom and dad can't go, why would I want to do that." I think I may need to quote her on that later.

Here is our little soccer girl (and her smaller sister) this morning on Day 2 (crazy hair day, thus the 7 ponytails in her hair). Complete with 3 band-aids on her knees from a fall yesterday. (note: Alessandra's band-aid is just for sympathy- no real boo-boo).

And here is our sunset from 2 nights ago. Sorry to do this to all of my loyal readers (what are there, 3 of you??) I just can't help it. They amaze me (almost) daily and I am so thankful every night that I get to close my day with this as my evening.

At some point, photos of my sunsets may get old to you, but for me... sorry, they just won't.