Pineapple Park

This weekend was beautiful and we decided not to waste it seeing that the previous weekends it had been nothing but rain!!! We decided to check out this place called Pineapple Park. It's up north and it took about 40 minutes to get to, but it was really neat. We decided to take the expressway there and it was awesome to see the spedometer go past 60!!! (which is more like 40 mph). I went all the way up to 100kmp (although the speed limit was 80kmp) and the Japanese were still zipping right on by me!!! I was good and didn't speed too much since Joe and I hear all the stories about people getting speeding tickets and getting the picture and ticket in the mail (just like in Germany!).

Anyway, when we got there, the park was so much cooler than we expected! We first got to go on this automated trolley/car thing (which was so mind boggling because it drove by itself on the road and there weren't any rails on the ground or anything!) that drove us around where they grow their pineapples! They had a recorded tape that explained everything we saw throughout the drive. I guess I'm not sure how I thought pineapples grew, but I never knew they came out of the ground and started out so tiny!!!

After the tour, we walked through a random seashell collection room, and then off to the taste-testing portion!!! We got to try several different pineapple wines, juices, cakes, cookies, candies, and of course several different types of pineapples! Anything you could think up they made it out of pineapple! We had so much fun taste testing everything! We ended up buying a few bottles of wine and can't wait to share them with friends and family- how unique!

My heart goes out to her...

Just yesterday I found out the devastating news that my Big Sister's (from my sorority in college) husband passed away from a F-16 crash on Monday. I am deeply saddened for her loss and I honestly have no words to express my feelings. I remember going to her and George's wedding back in 2004. It was a beautiful wedding, so many of her sisters were there, and I know she has a great support system of sisters around the world who are praying for her.

All of us who are spouses of pilots know the reality check we all get everytime we hear of events such as these. My heart hurts for her and I cannot imagine what she must be going through at such a difficult time. It's times like this that make me step back and appreciate everything that I have, not to take things for granted, and not to much such a fuss about the little things in life.

I hope God brings Josie the strength to carry on and to make it through this time with lots of love and support from her friends and family.

This is a photo Josie and George's wedding from 2004. So many of her Pi Phi sisters were there to celebrate with her. Our hearts are breaking for her and send all our love her way...

A little overdue...

Okay it's been a little since I last posted. My apologies :) I'll try to catch everyone up, but honestly, nothing majorily exciting has occurred! I'm still at my dreaded job... it's getting a little better, but I still have days where I continuously tell myself "This is it! I'm going to quit today!" when moments later something good will happen and make me change my mind. A constant battle, but I have to remind myself, it's only for the summer!

Joe's been taking it easy. Since he has accumulated many more flying hours than a lot of the other co-pilots in the squadron, he's has some free time on his hands. It's kind of funny, the days he doesn't have to fly he basically gets to hang out at home!! So now that I'm working 8 hours a day, I leave a "honey do" list for him to take care of since I can't do it all myself anymore.

Let's see... last weekend we went to the Captain's Party. I only recently found out that when you get promoted to captain, you donate your entire month's raise toward the party! That's like $800!!!! So I guess this time next year, I won't get to see a dime of that first month's raise... instead it will be going to food, alcohol and other party related items for everyone else to enjoy. Bitter sweet I suppose.

In our spare time (which is rare these days now), we play Dr. Mario (thanks to our dear friends Jay & Susan). We downloaded it to our Wii and it's SO addicting. It also doesn't help Joe and I are both EXTREMLEY competitive! He takes losing better than me (hehe, good thing too because I dominate in that game!). Because it rained for literally two weeks straight, we didn't get out much. It finally started to clear up this last weekend, however the forecast is still calling for more never-ending thunderstorms. Oh, and as of June 1 we're in a constant stateof TCCORR4. It's means withint 72-hours we could have winds over 50pmh. Pretty much, be prepared for a typhoon to come within 72-hour notice. You'd think that would motivate Joe and I to complete our typhoon kit, but sadly enough we only have a few gallons of water, flashlights, extra batteries... and that's about it. We'll do it this weekend!!! (That's what we ALWAYS say though!).

In other news, I finally got my first paycheck! We've been saying that we were going to buy a new kitchen table, but we were going to wait until I started working. We went out to this store owned by Americans that sell all Ashley Furniture stuff and immediately found the perfect table for us!!! It's that pub style (higher table), dark sturdy brown wood, with 8 chairs. We debated between 6 or 8 but figured more is better! We get it delivered next weekend and we can't wait to have friends over to test it out!!

I know this month I haven't posted a new picture of my toes, but it's because I haven't gone yet!!! There's a groups of girls who want to go, we just now have to figure out when we will actually go. I always get so excited to go to CoCok's!!!

If you're wondering why this blog is so long, it's because I'm home sick today from work. Over the weekend I started developing a nasty little cold... sore throat, body aches, fever, nasal congestion... the works. Anyway, must be all the nasty little germs all the kiddies carry at work. Dang! I was doing well and hadn't been sick in quite some time too. Anyway, I'm just taking it easy, watching the "I'm a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here" marathon (it was more amusing before Heidi & Spencer left... for real) and waiting for Joe to come home from work. Hope all is well and all you daddy's out there had a great Father's Day!!! And no one likes a post without some pictures... so here are some random photos I've taken lately:

This is a picture our friend Susan took of Brody! It's my all-time favorite picture of him!

Joe and I at Torii Beach at the Captain's Party. Right after the sun had just set.

This is called Dr. Fish. These little fish nibble at your feet, eating the dead skin, calluses (sp?), etc. I hear it's kind of weird, but that the fish can also spread germs. We opted just to watch and not partake. Very interesting!

Japanese books are read backwards. You start from the back, they read right to left, and up and down in columns. Very different!

We LOVE the broken English the Japanese use all over the place!! This was on the Sega Building (video game place). Too funny. Oh, if you're wondering why the second picture is blurry, it's because the humidity instantly fogged up my lens when I took if out of my purse!

YUMMY Korean BBQ restaurant!!! American's refer to this place as "The Communist Korean"... any guesses why? (We make up names for restaurants since no one can read Japanese.)

Changes

Well, it's been a little bit since I last blogged... but it's because I've been super busy lately!!! As many of you know, I took a job working at one of the Child Development Center's on base. It's my third week and I guess I'm liking it a little better than I was at first. The first week I was ready to quit without further question. They had me working in the kitchen, cleaning hundreds of nasty plates and cups, putting them all away, and then passing out all the new plates/cups/etc. for the next day. I was angry because firstly, I didn't go to college so I could clean dishes in a kitchen. Secondly, no where in the job description did it say anything about having to work in a kitchen. I signed up to work with kids, period. After venting to a friend who actually recently quit working at one of the CDCs and to Joe, I decided before just up and walking out, I would talk to my director. I told her my thoughts and she basically wrote me off saying "all the new people have to take turns, we're not going to disrupt the teachers from their classrooms." I left her officer probably angrier than I did before I went in. This was a Thursday and I thought for sure I was just going to quit at the end of the day. To my surprise, they changed the schedule and took me off kitchen duty. I was a little relieved, and happy she took what I had to say into consideration. Anyway, work is getting better. People aren't as rude, I'm not doing pointless errands and I get to work with some great kiddos.

It's been hectic this week. Monday Joe got alerted to fly a patient to San Diego. I didn't get to even say good-bye, but at least I had a heads-up before I came home from work. He's on the way back. They flew to San Diego, spent the night, next are flying to Hawaii and then back to Okinawa. He should be back tomorrow!!! I took full advantage of him being gone though. I've been exhausted working 40-hour work weeks and taking care of the dogs and the house and all the other errands on top of work by myself is draining. The past two nights I've gone to bed by 9pm and it was glorious!!! I'm pretty sure it's safe to say most people know I'm not much of a morning person, so waking up at 5 and 6am during the week is tough!

I had some other job interviews to teach ESL off-base but wasn't very interested in the jobs and what they had to offer. One job wanted me to sign a 1 year contract and pay a fine if I decided to break it. My plan is to tough it out at the CDC until the next school year starts up. If I'm not hired to teach in the schools by then, I'll just sub. I've been told it's the best way to get hired! So if I can tough it out and save up some money for grad school, life will be good!

Enough about jobs... I know most of you want to know about Japan!!! Well, it's HOT here now. It's only been in the 80's but the humidity is killer. When it's about to rain it gets extra humid outside and my sunglasses instantly fog up after walking out of the nicely cool AC in the house. The dehumidifiers are constantly running and the AC is constantly on as well. We're spoiled living on base and not having to worry about utilities, because we keep the house at 70 all day and then all the way down to 64 at night! It's amazing!

We're hoping to get scuba certified soon. I'm a little nervous about it... the idea of breathing underwater and not being able to talk freaks me out... but I'm going to try it out. It could be really neat! We've been to the beaches a lot lately and trying to check-out new ones. The pups are spending less and less time outside. Poor Brody really needs to get a hair-cut, but he needs his bordatella shot in order to get groomed. Of course the vet couldn't schedule him in for one measley little shot until July 1st! So he has to wait until then. I think we might shave him down (not too short) because he really is too hot!

We also got word we're going to be moving soon. Our house is due for rennovations and they'll be moving us (hopefully to a newly rennovated one) as soon as they can. I'm really excited to get a nicer house, but not looking forward to have to unpack again so soon!!! Oh well, I hope it'll be worth it not to have baby blue tiles in the bathrooms and kitchens, a walk-in closet,a dining room and some other perks as well! We hope to be fully settled before my parents come out to visit for Christmas!!! We'll keep everyone posted!

Oh Kella...

The last few days, Joe and I have come home to find this little surprise...

For those of you who don't know, Kella is part beagle which means, hound dog!!! She loooves to "nest" before she settles in for sleep. She's taken over the guest room bed as "her" bed and hates when other people are on it! She will bark at you as if she's saying "Get off my bed!" it's pretty funny. Anyway, I guess she's REALLY been into nesting lately because she knocks off the entire comforter and pillows to the ground! What a silly pup :)

Also Joe's been working a LOT lately. He's been flying long missions, and some of them have been on the weekends. For weeks Joe and I have been planning to complete the office and hang up all his plaques and awards but of course, he got called in this weekend. I took it upon myself to finish it. It was tougher than I thought because the dry-wall was hard to keep the screws from falling out. I had to buy special screws and it took a good amount of time to tidy everything up! I'm satisified with how it turned out. Funny thing is today we got the notice we'll be moving in November due to rennovations. No fear though because we'll move into a NEWLY rennovated house which are much much nicer than the ones we are currently in. Anyway, here's the office.

I've also started my new job which is another blog entry in itself... but needless to say suddenly working 40-hours a week is a big change! Joe's schedule has been crazy as usual, but it's nice because we're both working hard to keep the house clean and to check on the pups throughout the day!!! Let's say we really enjoy our days off :) That's all for now... I'll blog about the job later!