Santa Comes to Okinawa

I took the kids down to the Christmas tree lighting at the hospital to welcome in the holiday season.  The parade was a little short - one middle school band and one firetruck with Santa riding in the bucket - but the kids enjoyed it.

And the face painting and games...

Doesn't Emmy look like she's about to bop Cannon with that lollipop?

And a visit with Santa...  Emmy requested a "Belle" doll, London some Pokemon, and Cannon the newest Bakugan Wii game.

Thanksgiving 2010

Cooked + Ate + Napped + Ate + Played = an awesome Thanksgiving with our good friends and neighbors!

Stevie using his surgical skills on the turkey.

The feast with Dima and Krimp.

Dreaming...

The neighborhood dessert party...before the rain!

Kelly's cute turkeys.

Liz's cherry pie cupcakes.

The first customers at the dessert table sneaking a turkey.

Hmmm...where did Emmy and Lydia go with their stolen goods?

The neighborhood get-together.  Too bad it started raining 15 minutes after it began!  We had to move it into our house instead.

Playing "Just Dance" on the Wii.  The men ended up playing Band Hero at our house while the ladies danced off their dinner at Liz's.

Marine Ball

Before we moved to Okinawa, I had no idea that the military had balls.  Hmmm...let me rephrase that, they have dance balls.  But one night last year I saw some of our neighbors going out in long flowing dresses and the guys in their dress blues.  It was at that time that I found out that there are oodles of balls that take place in the fall - Navy Ball, Air Force Ball, and the Marines, well they have 42 of them!  What girl doesn't want to be Cinderalla for a night?  So I made Stevie promise to take me to one.  He's managed to weazle his way out of lots of them until I finally nailed him down this fall when our neighbors, Liz and Don, invited us to one of the Marine Corps balls! 

Here's us looking pretty spiffy before we left...

With Liz and Don

The balls were all celebrating the Marine Corps 235th birthday so there was a cake...

Only part of the cake is real!

And everyone walked around saying "Happy Birthday"!

I loved all the pomp and circumstance of it, and I kept thinking of my Mom who would have just loved it (especially all the guys in their dress uniforms and the military band!) 

I had no idea there were so many uniforms and it was cool to see them all dressed up and shiny.  It was exciting to be a part of the traditions and to learn more about the Marines.  Like they always have two single tables set at the head of the room for their comrades who have fallen.  One table is set with a white cloth to represent the hope of the return of those missing and one is set with a black cloth to represent the grief for those killed.  There were lots of other symbolic things like salt on the plate to represent the tears of the families left behind and a slice of lemon for the bitterness.

Another tradition is that they always give the first pieces of cake to the oldest Marine in the room and the youngest Marine.  Here's the oldest (born in '53) having his piece.  The youngest, next to him, graduated from boot camp in April from Parris Island - he was born in '92!

Our neighbor, Don, on sword detail.

After the ceremony and a really funny speech by the Assistant Wing Commander (he'd be a real hoot around the troops when he was uncensured, I'm sure!) we had dinner and dancing.  We had an awesome time dancing the night away.  Had to laugh when they played the Village People's "In the Navy"!  Steve was one of the few Navy guys there!

With the color guard

Only at a Marine ball would there be spent 25 caliber shells as the center piece.

Liz and Don looking all dolled up!

Two wild and crazy gals!

Soccer

I don't know if I mentioned before, but Stevie and I have been coaching a soccer team this fall.  We signed London and Cannon up for fall soccer, but since London's team still didn't have a coach just a few days before the season began, we volunteered.

Well, after weeks of running practices and games with 9 seven and eight year olds who don't listen worth a darn, we had our last game on Saturday!  Yeah!!!  I think the boys had fun and Stevie learned he made the right career choice.  Me, I'm back to being just a mom instead of the team mom.



Bobble head trophies at the bowling alley party!

Coach Steve!

London (#10) with the assist.



There's Cannon going for the ball!

He really worked hard on his last game!

Preschool Play

No, I don't mean playing like with games and toys, I mean a play, like acting.  OK, so it wasn't even close to something you'd find on Broadway, or off-Broadway, or even the community theatre.  But there is something so dog gone cute about 4-year olds dressed up as pilgrims, Indians and turkeys! 

Since the notice only came home on Monday that Emmy needed a costume, I had to be as creative as possible coming up with a pilgrim dress.

Emmy's preschool Thanksgiving celebration was on Friday and all the families were invited to come to the play (really just a welcome and song by the kids) and the feast. 

I loved that the sign-up sheet for food included "turkey", "mashed potatoes", "pumpkin pie", and "Japanese food".

Hangin' in the 'hood

Just some funny moments from the kids playing outside lately...

Emmy and her friend, Lydia.  Emmy decided to sport her Blue Blankey as a cape and run around pushing her stroller (a favorite game with Lydia).  When Lydia saw her with her cape on she looked at me and said, "I wanna be Super too!"  She's cute as a button!

And one night when the kids were out box sledding and Stevie and I were relaxing in our front yard we looked up to see three Marines with big guns walking down the sidewalk.  Now that's a new level of "Neighborhood Watch"!  Nobody's going to be stealing your newspaper with that kind of patrol!  Stevie decided to have some fun with the kids and asked the Marines to sneak up on the kids and tell them they were in trouble.  The guys obliged and told them they had to take them in to the Brig for not wearing helmets. 

Cannon looked in shock, Emmy saluted, but London said, "Ok!" and took off running!

And, yes, it is that dark by 5:30 pm!!!

Cape Zampa

We've had some really beautiful weather lately, so I decided to drag the whole family out for a hike on Sunday.  Well, as much as I can get the family to hike.

We headed out to one of the peninsula's on the island where the lone lighthouse of Okinawa sits.  We've been to the lighthouse many times, but never on the paths behind.  I will never tire of the beautifuls water around here!

The return trip

We’re going to try to fly home today, called last night and was told there is one flight to Kadena at 3:30 pm. Called again at 8:45 this morning and told there is a flight to Kadena – roll call 9:00 am! Ahhh!!! Got kids dressed, packed and checked out of the hotel in 15 minutes. Returned rental car and begged a ride off a complete stranger at the gas station to the airport on base. Arrived at airport at 9:25 – flight delayed until 1:00. Breathe…

10:10 took shuttle bus to Exchange to kill some time and buy food. Told to be back at 11:30.

11:30 returned to airport.

12:30 told flight delayed until 1:30 – other people in uniform walking in… not good – they trump us.

2:00 on a flight headed for Okinawa! Yeah!!!! It’s not the one we were originally trying for, but it’s going our way. I felt like a hitch-hiker at the terminal trying to find out if anyone were flying to our little island and would take us there. We’re going on a little bitty airplane just us and one other passenger – what fun!

3:00 – on the plane flying high! I could get used to this Space A thing.

Here’s Emmy talking with the pilots.

And London and the luggage.

And Okinawa from the air.

5:00 - home safe and sound