This picture is just funny!

Maddy wanted a picture on this hog, but a little Japanese guy was on it. She just kept looking at him until he got the hint. Then when she got on it the guy's friend got behind her and did a peace sign(the Okinawans always do that in pictures). She hasn't seen the picture yet, she will be appalled. Ha ha!!!!

Some of our Christmas cookies.

Okay so I cheated, we used the already made cookies from a tube. I am not good a baking cookies. I can bake cakes, pies, candy, but cookies no way. They always come out all flat or really fat and taste like flour. So we made both sugar and gingerbread cookies this year. Somehow I managed to forget to take more pictures of this event but I did manage to get this one. I liked making the ones with our names on them. They were of course my favorite. Maddy had fun with them too, but about half way through she was "bored" of it. I tell you that kid is much like her father. They both get bored easily and always have to have the TV going. I on the other hand could go the whole day without even turning one on. I think I may like the quite a little too much. LOL

She said my baby's fat!!

Here's her profile. That nose doesn't look pointed to me!!
She's looking right at the scanner, looks kind of like an alien. Just kidding!

So it seems my poor little baby is a little chunky. According to the ultrasound she weights over a pound. Her stomach is measuring a few weeks big. I asked the doctor it if was okay and she said it's just because she's fat. She asked me if I was eating extra food. "No, I am not, thankyouverymuch!!!" I actually lost 2 pounds from last weeks visit(I've only gained about 9 pounds total). I figure it's because I have been sick. But anyway, everything else is measuring right on target and everything with her is just perfect. I did get he doc to look at the sex of the baby once more. So the doc says well there's no male parts. So I asked if there were female parts. "Well, I don't really see any but let's go look again." I was so nervous at that point. However, when she looked again she pointed out to me where the girl parts were and said that yes she is definitely a girl. Talk about making someone sweat. I felt much better afterwards. But I will still be getting them to check it out for me at my 3D scan in January. Her heartbeat was 154 so that was good too. I love watching her on the ultrasound. It is so neat. I could see her little hands, arms, legs, and feet moving all around. It was so cute. Her face looks beautiful to me already. Oh that reminds me the doc also said she has a pointed nose, the nerve I swear!! No in all honesty I don't think my doctor was trying to be rude, she's really nice. She did irritate me a little because she wouldn't check out my cold for me. I told her that my ear has been clogged since Christmas Day and she said she didn't have the equipment to look at it for me. "Are you serious??" Now I have to wait until the 2nd to be seen. Apparently you have to have a terrible cold for three weeks before they will give you antibiotics around here. I really hope to be better by then so I can cancel that appointment but who knows? Wish me luck!

How was your Christmas?

Some Okinawan dancers.
A view from the top of the hill.
I am pretty sure this should have said "Plaza" of snow. I thought it was classic!!

Well mine was good, but being that I am under the weather, it had it's downfalls. I was all excited about the snow land that they were having at the zoo. We had plans to meet our friends there but had to take our dog, Tinkerbell, to the vet (she's okay has some inflammation in her lungs). So being that we were late, they went ahead without us. So after we were done we called them to see where we could meet and they told us how terrible it all was. I was like,"Seriously, you've got to be kidding me!!" ( We had already bought tickets and spent $36!!!) We almost decided not to go, but I am so glad we did go. No, the snow part wasn't that cool. There was a huge line to get to it, about 2 hours. However, Maddy did get to sneak up there to feel what snow feels like (she's never seen it before). But the lights and dancers there were pretty cool. They also had a laser light show that was cool to watch. It was funny because some songs were in English while others were in Japanese. They also played, "We are the World", kind of funny. We had a nice time so that was good.

On Christmas Eve we (along with our neighbors and other friends) went to the Botanical Gardens for the annual Christmas lights. Sadly, it was raining and it just got worse and worse. We were soaked before it was all over with. Luckily a man gave us some bags to put over our clothes so we didn't get as wet. The laser show was really cool, but I was sad that I didn't get more pictures. The rain put a bit of a damper on things. Being that half of the people we were with including Nick and myself were sick it made for an interesting night. But the lights were of course were beautiful. It's a our tradition to go there every Christmas Eve we are here. It's just that great!!

Look at Nick's face. Too funny! Everyone in the train! Aww how sweet they had a place for sweethearts. Don't you love my bag? Nick looks like he wet his pants!! LOL

This is the entrance to the park. It was so pretty. Don't you love that Nick and I match? He did!

Here's my favorite picture of the night. You can see all the rain on our jeans.

Christmas day was okay we just stayed home and watched movies and played a few games. Our friends came over for dinner. We all got some great gifts. My favorite was my pregnancy pillow that Nick got me. I was so surprised. I hadn't mentioned wanting one to him since the last time I was pregnant. It was the most thoughtful gift. I love it so much. It makes bed time so much better. The dogs liked it too!! Sadly these are the only pictures I took on Christmas day. I can't believe I forgot to take some when we were opening gifts. Silly me! I hope you all had a nice Christmas too!

The dogs and me enjoying my gift from Nick!

Santa left Maddy a scooter!!!

Waiting for next ultrasound

You know I had got to where I was okay with thinking the baby was a girl, I wasn't too worried about them being wrong, but this week has thrown me. First was my ultrasound with Dr. Cummings where he couldn't find either girl or boy parts, then my commander's wife (who always knows baby's genders) told me that I am unreadable, and finally my neighbor asked if I was sure it is a girl because I am carrying like it's a boy. To explain about my commanders wife. She is supposed to be a "good witch", not really sure what that means, but she says she has psychic abilities. She told my friend Laci that she has a girl on the way, but when she was trying to figure out for me she said that at first she got a girl vibe but then things got weird like maybe it's not a girl. I really am not sure how much I believe the whole psychic ability thing, but it weirded me out. I am hoping that my next ultrasound will give me better feelings. I am going to express my concerns with my doctor. I mean by now you should be able to see parts determining girl or boy. I know they don't want to give 100% but when you say you don't see either, I get a bit worried. I must go do something to calm myself, happy thoughts!!

Christmas Spirit Award!

A very long time ago, well back in November or so, I was awarded with a Christmas Spirit Award from my mother in law, Kari at just living large. I was thrilled with it, being that I do love Christmas. However, amongst my forgetfulness and my lack of computer skills I have failed to post about it. You see I don't know how to copy the little animated picture to my blog. Yes, she told me to ask her how to do it and that's where my forgetfulness kicks in. I always forget to ask her. So here I am only 5 days before Christmas telling myself to get my butt into gear. So I am going to post my thanks for the award without posting the cute little animated Santa with his sleigh. Thank you, Sissy, I love the award!! I feel very honored to have Christmas Spirit. Who wouldn't?? As a matter of fact starting this weekend that's all I will be doing, Christmas things. Saturday I have to layout my turkey. Maddy and I will start baking our Christmas cookies that night. I have both gingerbread and sugar cookies to make. I am so excited. I just love cutting them out and decorating them. Then on Sunday, I have to make my Rolo pretzels, a cheese ball, and start a veggie tray. We are having a few people over for Christmas Eve and I am serving finger foods, wassell, and hot chocolate. After we eat and play games we are all going to the Botanical Gardens light show. It is absolutely beautiful. We went last year and I loved it. Hopefully this year we will get to see the laser show, we missed it last year due to rain. I will be sure to post tons of pictures. Oh and another thing I hope we can do is go to the zoo where they are supposed to be making snow and igloos. I really hope we get to go. I just can't wait!! Merry Christmas everyone. I hope you all have a joyous time!!!!!

Sad news.....

Just recently a couple that we knew here on Okinawa split. They were high school sweethearts, married for about 11 years, with a two year old son. I had to write this blog because the news both saddened me and made me so thankful for my life. Sure it hasn't effected me nearly as much as it has them or their close family and friends, but it has made me think a lot. This time last year we were all hanging out. They were at our house for both Christmas Eve and Christmas day. Everything seemed so good between them. Sure I know the details of why the split somewhat, but that's not for me to be spreading all over the Internet. Nor am I going to mention their names. I am writing this for another reason. I am writing it because I feel sad for them. Maybe they are happier now, I am not sure, but I do know that it has to be terrible losing the person you have shared your life with so long. Another thing that upsets me is how hard it is on their son. He was at my house just a few weeks ago playing with Maddy. My neighbor asked him to go find Maddy (like they were playing hide and seek) but he misunderstood her and thought she said daddy. He began looking all over my house saying, "Daddy, daddy, where's daddy?" She told him that his daddy was at grandma's house that she was saying Maddy. It was so sad because he went over to my Christmas tree, bowed his little head, and started sniffling saying, "Daddy", it broke my heart. I know that sometimes couples don't work out but it stinks that the kids have to suffer because of it. I know first hand how it feel for your daddy to not be around anymore. Not that I believe you should stay with someone only for your kids, because that makes for more problems. The whole thing just broke my heart. I can't tell you the countless times I have lost sleep over it. I don't know why I let it get me so down. I guess it's because I have never known a couple to split that I was good friends with, after high school anyway. But overall it has made me so thankful for my life. Things with my husband and me are at an all time high and I couldn't be happier about that. I hope and pray that he and I will be one of the couples that make it. That our children will grow up in a home with two loving parents. Both Nick and I are children of divorce so it would be nice for our children to not have to deal with that. God willing.

For the love of Chocolate!

Whoever said that diamonds were a girl's best friend was surely mistaken, it's chocolate that is her best friend!! So it seems my little girl is like most women, she loves CHOCOLATE!! Yes the past month or so I find myself wanting Chocolate in all forms, ice cream, candy bars, cookies, and the best thing: FUDGE! Yes it's this time of year the I pack on a few extra pounds from nothing other than the mounds of fudge I eat. I have loved fudge since I was a child. My mom would always make it, among other Christmas treats every year. It was well known that the chocolate fudge was my favorite. This year I am already on my second batch, but this time I plan on sharing a little. Maddy was the only one, besides myself, that got any of the last 3 pound batch. Nick could have had some, but he doesn't like fudge. I know what a WEIRDO; his mother would be appalled. Yes, I still love cheese and peanut butter too. She can't get enough of it.

So anyway I went to another appointment on Monday, to see Bozo, but I have decided to change his name. He actually is shaping up so I will start referring to him by his real name, Dr. Cummings. All my blood work testing for Cystic Fibrosis, Down Syndrome, and various Trisonomies came back negative. I will admit I wasn't too terribly nervous about it, since Conner's were negative also, but there's always that chance. So anyway, he went to check the heartbeat and I go, "So no ultrasound today, huh?" (Nick had told me he wanted us to get one since he will be missing mine next week.) So he goes, "No, was I supposed to give you one?" I replied that I didn't know if he was supposed to or not. Then I hear him call to the nurse to bring the abdominal ultrasound in. Ha ha tricked him!! So we got one that didn't really clear anything up for us. He said he didn't see any boy parts but isn't really seeing girl parts either. So he also gave us a 90% chance of a girl. He was like, " yeah I will say it's more than likely a girl, but you never know!" AHHHHH! I know most people don't get 100% sure but, it still tends to make me nervous. He didn't' measure her so I am not sure how she's measuring, I will find out next week on the 27th. Her heartbeat is in the 150's to 160's. So that's good. Luckily she's still showing as a healthy baby and that's all that matters.

How quickly it comes and goes!

I can't believe that Christmas is in less than 2 weeks. It doesn't even seem like it to me. I think it has a lot to do with the weather. The day before yesterday was just plain ridiculous here. It was almost like summer weather. I so can't wait to be back in the states where it actually stays cool outside in the winter months. I know I complain about this a lot but dang. I have only one more Christmas to suffer through here, thank God. If only it was in arms reach of happening. Don't get me wrong I don't want to wish my life away. I know I have so much to look forward to in the time we have left on this island with the baby on the way and visitors we will be having. (My mom and step-dad will be here on Jan. 16th for two weeks). BUT sometimes it just seems so far away until we will be back in the US. I try not to get down about it. I think lately it has started to make me sad knowing that my daughter won't really know her family until she's about 2 years old. I know so many families do this, but is still stinks. I just want her to grow up knowing her grandparents, aunts, and uncles like I did. Family is so undervalued these days it seems. So before I go onto another tangent, the point I was trying to make is that it doesn't feel like Christmas here. Sure there's a nip in the air every once in a while and some people have lights up. But it's just hard to make things as festive here as they are in the states. I know I can't be the only person that feels this way about this place. For instance, this year they ran out of Christmas trees at the BX. Sadly it wasn't just last week, it was back in November, therefore several families on island will be celebrating without a tree. Yes, I know that the tree doesn't make the holiday or has anything to do with the meaning of Christmas but it's tradition. So many people are used to this, it's like putting on your shoes before going outside, not everyone does it but most people do. It makes me sad for those families. So to try to make myself feel better I am going to start some holiday baking tonight and hopefully get myself into the spirit. Nick's work is having their Children's Christmas party on Saturday so that should be fun. Then on Sunday I am holding a 12x12 Christmas scrapbook page workshop. I am hoping to have at least 3 people in attendance. Small and quaint. I will let you know how it goes. I hope that you are all in the spirit of Christmas, like I said it's gone before you know it.

As you requested...

This post is for Aunt Sandi. She sent Maddy some money in her birthday card and when I told her Maddy bought a baby doll she just had to see her. Maddy told me she named the baby doll Michalaya (not sure how you spell it). The doll came with all kinds of things including clothes, a carrier, a bottle, rattle and some other things. It actually cries and says "mama". Maddy enjoys baby dolls. I think it has something to do with the baby being on the way, before she didn't really like them much. We got her a cabbage patch for Christmas that is named Kara but spelled with a C. I thought it would be cool for her. Thank you, Aunt Sandi for the gift. We appreciate it!!

Family Traditions

Well luckily my mother in law, Kari (at Just Living Large) remembered to post her family traditions, which means I too am going to do it. I have been meaning to do this one for a while. First, I will start with my parents traditions, it was always a magical time for me. We always had a real tree that my dad and I would go cut down from the woods next to our house. I know you could get arrested for that these days, but back then it wasn't that big of a deal. As far as I can remember we always went to a Christmas party on Christmas eve that my father's best friend, Brad, had at his house. I don't remember if it was at the party or at home but I was always allowed to open ONE gift that my mother chose. It was ALWAYS a pair of PJ's, that tradition stuck until I moved out of my mother's house. When we would leave the party it would be pretty late so I would just be starting out the window looking for Santa. I guess somewhere between our house and his there was a water tower with a red light on top. My dad convinced me that it was Rudolph's nose, so I better go to sleep so Santa didn't skip our house. When we got home we would sit out the cookies, milk, and carrots (for the reindeer of course). Then I would put on my new PJ's and go to bed. I was always so full of anticipation, which I am sure most kids are at the time. I would get up between 5 and 6 the next morning, my poor parents. I wasn't allowed to get out of bed until my parents were up so I would yell for them from my bedroom to let them know I was ready. Luckily they were just as excited as I was so it wasn't hard to get them up and going. Now comes the magical part. When I would get up I would go to the living room to the coolest things. The cookies would be mere crumbs, the milk would be gone, and the carrots would be gnawed on(they got my rabbits to do it the night before). Which reminds me of a movie I watched the other day that said reindeer don't gnaw on carrots they eat them whole. I am thankful I didn't watch that movie when I was a kid, it would have crushed me. Anyway, in the chair by the cookies would be glitter, where Santa had sat down. My dad even used his work boots to make glitter foot prints from the door to the chair. We didn't have a fireplace so they told me that Santa had a special key that let him into people's house who didn't have one. After looking at what Santa had left we would go outside to see the sleigh marks and reindeer hoof prints in the driveway, which was a dirt driveway(we were poor we couldn't afford cement). My dad was a hunter so he had saved a hoof from a deer he had killed to make the marks. Everything was so real to me. I didn't care when kids said Santa wasn't real, I knew otherwise. Why else would all these things be visible to me? Well, unfortunately my parents split when I was 9 years old. That Christmas I kept holding out that I would see the things that I was used to. It seems like my mom may have tried to do it the same but by the next year it didn't happen. I never even told her but that next year I went outside to look for the sleigh marks and hoof prints. I searched until I realized there weren't any. I was so heartbroken. I wanted Santa to be real, I wanted it to all be as magical as I had grown up thinking it was. I realize that most kids don't believe at the age of 10 but I still did up until that point.

Once my parents split we had some new traditions but they were mostly the same. We went to my Aunt Pat's house, which was next door, for Christmas Eve. My grandparents, aunt, uncle, and cousins were all there too. We would sit around eating candy and snacks and talk. We all exchanged gifts that night. So we got to open from our grandparents and aunts and uncles. When we got home my mom would then allow me to open my PJ's. I would go to bed and get up the next morning to my Santa clause gift being out unwrapped. As long as I lived in my mom's house I had a Santa clause gift. She knew I didn't believe anymore but she still did it. However, the things in my stocking were always wrapped; I tend to do this to now. After we opened all our gifts we would all go back to my Aunt Pat's house for Christmas dinner. It was a really good time. I miss those times with my family.

Now we have to start our own traditions. We have only had Maddy for two Christmas mornings in 2003 and 2005. We set out her Santa gifts and her stocking of wrapped things. We did the cookies and milk but not the carrots. I do wish we could have done for her what was done for me but it would have confused her being that she spend some Christmas mornings with her mom too. So maybe we can do those things for Kara, or come up with our own thing. I just know I want her to experience the wonders of Christmases morning like I did as a child. Sure I was crushed when it was all over but the memory of it all will remain with me always. Those are memories that I cherish deeply.

Summer pictures

Pictured from left to right: April(my best friend), Caitlyn(her daughter), Gloria (April's mom) and me.
Maddy and me.
April's grandmother and me. She's like a grandma to me too.
And Maddy again. Love this pic!

I just got these pics in the mail from my BFF. We got them done at a professional photographers house. They are so pretty. I just love the brown background. I thought I would share them with you.

Christmas photo shoot

Everyone is in this one but our cat, Chloe and chipmunk, Leia. Maddy pointed out that Conner is in the picture too. Look on the tree in the middle of mine and Nick's heads his pic is in the superman ornament. How sweet?
If only Nick would smile.
This was my favorite one of us three together.
You can see my belly poking out in this one. My true love and me.
Here's my little Tinkerbell and me. She has a little red bow in her hair that Nick was so ready to get out of her hair. I thought it was precious.

Now this picture is just classic to me. A little girl all dressed up with her little dog. Melts my heart. Awww!!

18 weeks and counting.....

I meant to take a picture yesterday being that it was the start of my 18th week, but I lost the time in the day. I have been very tired the last three weeks. I thought this was supposed to be my energy period, but it seems I am more tired now than I was in the first trimester. Must be the weather, which is finally staying somewhat cool in the day. The sun still beams down and makes it warm, but it's bearable. I went on to the BX today and found this adorable little Oshkosh overall dress that I couldn't pass up. I know before it's all over she's going to have a million outfits, but it's a girl thing; we like our clothes.

This weekend we will be going to see Enchanted (Maddy's pick) and going to the bowling alley. I am sure it will be a good time, unfortunately Nick has to work on Sunday so we will be just hanging around the house the rest of the weekend. I hope you all have a lovely weekend.

Worst Christmas parade ever!!!

This is Maddy's look of disappointment, poor thing had to suffer through this like we did.

So you know how you look forward to things in life, which for me happens a lot in the Christmas season, and then you are totally let down? Well that was me yesterday. Our base has been advertising for the Christmas parade for a few weeks now and so I was kind of excited to see what it was like. The first problem I saw with it was that it was at noon. Who does a Christmas parade in daylight? Aren't you supposed to have it at night so all the lights show? Well, to my disappointment there were no lights, no floats, no band, no Christmas music or even carolers. It my friends was just a bunch of people walking, yes some were dressed in Santa hats and elf suits, but I was amazed at how AWFUL it was. The highlight of the whole things was that Santa and two elves rode on the firetruck at the end. I realize we are on a little island, but does that mean our creativeness has sunk to the bottom of the ocean? What happened to homemade floats? We have cars here and I know there has to be some kind of things that haul bigger things they could have used. I just don't get it. I was crushed after this event and then to make matters worse, their so called Tinsel Town, had not one Christmas thing to it. All it had was a bunch of vendors with food and games, none might I add that were Christmas like at all. There was no Christmas decor anywhere besides on the top of the Schilling center there are a few things they were to light up at 5pm, which again is not when it's dark here. What a total and utter waste of my time and hopes. But I have learned that here that is the norm, you get your hopes up and then they let them fall. Sorry to be complaining, it was just a HUGE let down for me. But on a brighter note I did fail to post the last few things I am thankful for.

November 27th- The Internet, for without it I couldn't blog or keep in touch with my old friends, being that I am in a far away land.

November 28th-Scrapbooking because it helps me preserve my pictures and has provided me with so much fun, I can't imagine life without it.

November 30th- Finally I guess I would have to say blessings, because they are so wonderful and make our lives so much better. I have been blessed in so many ways and for those things I give thanks to God.

Look at this cool tree....

yesterday after the Christmas parade we were walking to the car and found this cool tree. That was one of the first things I noticed about Okinawa, was the cool trees. They are so different here than in the US. This one we actually had to lift branches and go under to get to this part of the tree. And luckily I had my camera in hand.

Now that she's not bald....

here is my cat, Chloe after her hair cut that she really needed. I just couldn't embarrass her with a pic right after it was done. She was pink because she had hardly any hair. She looks much better now. Although we kept thinking her hair was fat and turns out she's just a big girl. My poor baby, but I assure you she's a much happier cat after her cut.