Inside Play Park

Today was a rainy day, perfect for a trip to Monakids Jungle.  Our family calls it the "inside play park", but I can't remember why we named it that.  Howie and Erin were really young when we moved here, so it was probably something they came up with years ago.  This place is great.  You pay your entrance fee for 3 hours and the kids can just play, play, play.  I took a book and sat on the sidelines with Luke while Howie, Erin, and Jack had a grand old time.

The ball pit is a favorite, too bad they don't have these in the States anymore.

Erin

Howie

Here's a view of part of the play area.  Overall it has a roller slide, ball pits, rope walls, tight rope, zip line, mirror tunnels, tubes, soft rollers, and more that I can't quite think of right now.

On the way home we saw this Pikachu car on highway 58.  It even has ears that stick out from the top.  We've seen some crazy looking cars in Okinawa over the years.

I was lucky enough to have the car today.  In fact, I'll have it all week.  Howard got his first speeding ticket in about 7 years and he lost his licence for 7 days.  For those of you not familiar with the military, when you get a ticket on base they make up whatever punishment they want to give you.  On Kadena AB, they take away your licence for varying amounts of time depending on the severity of the infraction. Luckily we don't have to pay any fines.  I think the biggest deterrent for speeding would be the inconvenience of not having a licence.  At least it's only 7 days.  We've known some people who have lost their licence for 6-12 months!

Mihama American Village

Howard was working 12 hr shifts last week and so when he came home early Monday afternoon, we jumped at the chance to get some sightseeing checked off our list of "things we need to do before we leave"

The kids have been begging us forever to ride the ferris wheel.  It has been a a few years since the last time we went.  Maybe not the clearest view, but still pretty.  It was an overcast day.

Enjoying the ride!

Lit up at night.

There's a fun arcade/kiddie ride area near the entrance to the ferris wheel.  We gave each of the children 500 yen (about $5) to do with it what they pleased.  Jack LOVED the choo-choo train.  He went on it twice.

Here is a classic example of the poor translation that Americans have to put up with.   In case you can't read the picture, this is what it says...

"For customers with tickets, please it to the staff outside."

"Handling with cash. Please use the ticket vending machine for the ticket."

Just Not My Cup of Tea

This is one of the photos of Luke when he was 4 weeks old.  He was NOT a happy camper. Just wanted to share with everyone and also to give some free advertising to the photographer who took these.  For those of you on Okinawa, she is probably the most reasonably priced photographers and will bend over backwards to make it an enjoyable experience.  Click here if you want more info about her.

How I spend My Day

So this is the baby sling that I'm borrowing.  This is how I spend my days now.  There's a lot less crying and everyone is happier.  Luke gets cuddle time (all the time like he wants) and I have 2 free hands.  It's the best of both worlds. 

Here's my cutie pie as snug as a bug asleep. 

Shopping & Cleaning

While the boys were at day camp, I was home with the 3 little ones all day.  When Howard came home, I was ready for a break so I had some girl time with Erin. We went shopping and bought these...

...and these.  I've had my eye on this plate set for about a year now.  These are sushi plates, I bought a set of 4 for us.  I also bought 8 large square dinner plates to match.  Now that we are moving soon it's time to get everything that's on my "list".

Today (Saturday) I used the pressure washer that we checked out from self-help to clean our sidewalks.  Yuck!  I had Luke strapped to me in a baby sling (thanks Kara for letting me borrow it...it's a life saver!!) most of the day so that I could get my work done.  

FYI - Our sidewalks were this dirty when we moved here, but the new policy on base is that residents have to clean it before they move out.  This is probably 10 years of grime. GROSS!!!

Growing Up

Howard and Howie spent Friday and Saturday at the Cub Scouts Day Camp.  they did a lot of fun and exciting things and Howie learned a lot of new skills.

Good form, check out the serious face.

Howie brought home the paper he shot at, it was FULL of holes.  He did REALLY well for a first timer.  He's growing up so fast!

Gotta see this movie!!!

Howard and I just watched Seven Pounds.  It was one of the most moving films that I have ever seen.  I don't want to give anything away, but you have to see it.    

My Favorite

This is how I found Jack last night.  I think this might be my favorite sleeping position that I've found him in yet.  He's even on his tip toes.

I finally caught Luke smiling.  He just started really doing it this week, but it's still pretty infrequent and short lived.

About 5 minutes later....acting like his usual self.  

Today was one of those really hard days where it's very difficult to get anything done.  As you can tell by my fridge this morning...

...I really had to go to the store.  I was able to get that done thankfully, but not much else.  Howard has been working late all week, so I haven't had as much help as I'm used to.  I don't know how I'll manage this summer when he's gone.  We'll have lots of easy dinners and I'll make the kids wear sandals so I won't have to fold socks (I HATE folding socks!). 

 Oh yeah..it's the start of spring break. 

I get to sleep in!

Pregnant Again!!!

I just had my 6 week postpartum check up last week and I found out I'm pregnant again. 

We'll keep you updated.

APRIL FOOLS!!!!

(I am so NOT pregnant)

Last night Howard and I did a switcharoo on the kids.  After Howie and Erin fell asleep we changed their pj's and put them in different beds.  It's amazing what you can do while the kids are sleeping (but we still had to be careful not to wake them up).

Erin in Howie's clothes and bed.

Howie in Erin's clothes and bed.

Here they are this morning having a good laugh from our April Fools prank.  

Last year was pretty funny also.  Howie woke up in the bathtub with his toenails painted, and Erin woke up in Jack's crib with a diaper on.  The kids look forward to April Fools day every year.  

Kindergarten

My Mom has been scanning in old photos and sending them to me.  I really like my kindergarten picture.  I'm wearing a "Cabbage Patch Kids" outfit. My sister Lisa had a matching outfit, but in pink.  I LOVED cabbage patch kids so much when I was little.  I still have my doll, baby Linda.  She's in storage right now and is pretty dirty.  I bought Erin a new cabbage patch doll when she was 2 and really into babies, but she didn't seem to love it as much as I did.  Oh well.  She'll probably buy her daughter a little Dora doll and think the same thing.

On a side note, Howard collected "Garbage Pail Kids" trading cards in the mid eighties.  I remember having a couple, but Howard was REALLY into it!  What a boy!

Say Cheese!

A generous friend from church is letting us borrow her camera for a little while to let us try it out and see how we like it.  It's a Canon XTi.  This afternoon I took about 100 pictures playing with it.  I know I'm not great at photography, but at least the picture quality is much better...now I just need to practice getting some good shots and learning about all the different settings. 

Lets see what the kids have to say...

"I'm too cool to smile for the camera.  I'm also working hard on developing my double chin."

"Looks like I'm too smart for speech therapy now.  I had my yearly evaluation today and services were terminated, effective today...good job for me!"

"I'm just being silly since Mom is taking my picture."

"I know I'm a stud."

Prayer Works!

I went in this afternoon for a root canal, but it turned out that I didn't need one after all.  After the dentist went into my tooth to drill out the decay she breathed a sigh of relief and asked me if I had prayed this morning that I wouldn't need a root canal.  I actually had...it worked!  All I needed was a regular filling.  Thank goodness!!!  She was VERY surprised, but cautioned me that I may need one at some point in my life (but maybe not).  

Easter Bunny

Ever since my children were babies when we introduced Santa and the Easter Bunny, I've always had the thought in my mind that at some point in the future I have to tell them the truth.  It also concerns me that we as parents outright lie to our children (and do so for many years), all the while trying to instill in them honesty and integrity.  Well...this morning Howie asked me if I could lay something special out on Easter morning for him next to what the Easter Bunny brings. In my mind I'm thinking, "yeah Howie, in case you didn't know it is all from us!"  I told him I would think about it and that I would have to talk with Howard.  I quickly go talk with Howard in private and told him what Howie said.  I thought it was a good time to break the news to Howie about the Easter Bunny.  Howard let me and so I told Howie the Easter Bunny was all pretend.  Howie didn't even flinch.  He said okay, smiled, and told me what he wanted special in his basket.  Apparently to him it doesn't matter who brings him presents, just as long as he gets them.  I did ask Howie if we could still pretend for the other children's sake and he completely agreed.  He even said that he was glad that he wasn't Erin finding out because he thinks she will be sad.  I'm glad the opportunity presented itself without having to make a big deal about it.

Tina's Cinnamon Rolls

Over the years I've fine tuned this recipe (actually 2 recipes combined and modified, thank you Becky Stutzman and MaryAnn Phipps). 

The finished batch.

Yummy yummy dessert!  I love cream cheese frosting, Howard prefers plain old powdered sugar icing...so I always make both to suit our tastes.  Great with a tall glass of milk.

Too bad, I was going to serve these at an Enrichment Board meeting in the morning here at my house, but it was just cancelled (sick kids, not mine).  Howard's happy...more for him!  I don't make them nearly as often as Howard would like, but he's never been on a diet so he doesn't care that there's a million calories in a single roll.

Shoe-shi and Stuff

For dinner tonight we made sushi rolls (Erin calls is shoe-shi) and yakisoba. Yum!

Howie enjoying his homemade sushi roll.

Erin enjoying her homemade shoe-shi roll (as she calls it).

How we spent our day

Howard - rode his bike to work, assembled and rolled the sushi, put the children to bed

Tina - used the car to run errands (BX, commissary, Kaptured by Kristi Photography, post office), organized the kids toys, Pilate's, and made sushi rice, yakisoba, and cinnamon rolls

Howie - after school completed homework and shot Nerf guns with the neighbors

Erin - after school completed homework and played with her Barbie swimming pool in the bathtub. FYI- Barbie and Ken got engaged this afternoon and are getting married on July 19th (Erin's birthday)

Jackson - He was VERY good while running errands, watched Kung Fu Panda, unorganized the toys that I just organized.

Luke - His crying was measured in hours today, not minutes.  Very unhappy that Mommy was busy.

Our Little One

Enjoy!

March 10th.  

  A girl by the name of Kristi took these fabulous pictures.  She has very reasonable rates and she's super sweet.  I'm going to squeeze in one last photo shoot before we move.  The top two pictures were modified by me, it was fun playing around with my Mac.  

Birth Announcement

Here is Luke's birth announcement that we ordered.  I was sent a digital copy online, but the actual cards are currently being processed.  I can't wait to get them.  I plan on sending them out in the mail as soon as I get them. 

So True

Scroll down and pause my playlist so that you can hear the Mom Song.

Too Cute

At least Jack was easy to find tonight!  Poor Howie...I'm sure he fell asleep before Jack crawled on top of him.

Random Pictures

Here are some pictures from the past few days...

Luke having some tummy time.  He doesn't get a lot of it since he's always in my arms lately. He has a slight cold right, so he's been needing extra cuddle time.

"I'm sick, grumpy, and NOT happy!"

TWINS!  My breakfast surprise on Saturday morning.

Erin working on her homework on Tuesday.

Please Help

Howard and I have decided after seeing so many quality photographs on OTHER people's blogs, that it is time for us to invest in a good SLR camera.  For those out there who have a good camera, please leave us a comment and give us some suggestions on what brand to buy (or NOT to buy), features that are important, extra lenses to buy, etc.  Even if you don't have a good camera, but have a friend that does...what do they use?  Our primary use for the camera will be indoor/outdoor family stuff (sleeping babies, kids swimming, family trips/sightseeing, kids playing, etc.) 

My Two Little Boys

I found Jack in the corner behind the rocking chair tonight.  Good thing I noticed him before I rocked Luke, Jack would have been squished. (FYI:Jack took off his own shirt.)

Earlier today Jack desperatly wanted to hold Luke during lunch, so we had a picnic on the couch.  Luke was wide awake when I gave him to Jack, but he fell right to sleep.  I guess Jack has the magic touch.

This is of Luke on March 10th.  He is 4 weeks old now and is starting to fit into his 0-3 month clothes finally.  He's my slowest at growing since he still mostly wears newborn sizes, but I think he'll out grow those clothes in a week.  He just outgrew his newborn size diapers and he's finally in a size 1.  Now that he's been around for a little while I have determined that he is NOT my easiest baby, but he is not my most dificult either.  He's a happy medium that I can handle.  He also gave Howard his first real smile (more like a smirk) today.  I didn't see it, but hopefully he'll show me soon.  I've only been able to see the sleep smiles (and hear a few giggles as well).

Step Tansu

Saturday was a very rainy day.  We started the day by attending a going away party at the bowling alley for a classmate of Howie's.  Afterwards we decided to head over to a bazaar that the USO was hosting.  I was hoping to get a Kokeshi doll or possibly an Obi as a souvenir.  We have a list of things that we want to buy before we leave here and we've barely started getting those items.  They didn't have what I was looking for, but they had something Howard has been wanting...a step tansu.  It's just the right size for us, not to big and not to small.  I love it!  I put the green runner on myself, but I still need to iron it.  

Where did he go this time?

I think I should just change the name of my blog to...

"Oh the Places We Will Go With Jack"  

I had just come upstairs last night and laid Luke down to sleep in his bassinet when I noticed Howard searching closets and under beds. I said, "looking for Jack" and Howard said "yes", so I joined in the search.  It took us a little longer than normal and this is what Howard found.

Jack under Luke's bassinet in our room.  I didn't even see Jack when I put Luke to bed!

Funny Thing

Today Erin had to go to school without her glass, we couldn't find them this morning.  Howard luckily found them this afternoon before the kids came home from school when he was cleaning out our loaner van.  Our car was done at the shop, so he had to go and switch back the vehicles. When Erin came home from school I gave her glasses back to her and she put them on.  About an hour later she noticed that our car was back and that Howard had returned the van.  All of a sudden her voice quivered and her eyes welled up with tears..."Daddy, did you take out my glasses from the van?"  My reply was "No, Daddy didn't."  Howard and I just stared at each other thinking, "is she serious?" , but then about 5 seconds later she touched her glasses on her face and her tears instantly turned into laughter.  She completely forgot that her glasses were on her face. We were all cracking up!