Thanksgiving 2009

We had an amazing Okinawan Thanksgiving. A group of 7 families rented beach houses at Ourawan on Camp Schwab for 3 nights. My kitchen/porch overlooked the ocean while a playground sat right next door to entertain the kidlings. We even brought bikes and the kids could ride to their hearts content. No one drove down the little cul-de-sac we stayed in so it was super safe. We couldn't have asked for more perfect weather--mid 70's with a nice breeze. On Thanksgiving day itself, we played football while the kids flew kites. Then it was back to the houses to prep food. While the food was cooking we actually went swimming in the ocean. The waves were perfect for the kids to attack...not too big. We don't usually have waves at all on the beaches here so it was a fun surprise. We pigged out and couldn't even think about dessert until the kids were asleep. Another highlight was iChating with our good friends the Peterson's who moved to Spain 6 months ago. We had Thanksgiving at their house last year and we were all able to say hi via computer. Every night we stayed up chatting or playing games until late. Being away from family sure is easy when you've got such wonderfully awesome friends like we have. We feel very blessed to have such a strong network of friends.

My Girls

I bought these cute little bandana dresses/shirts for the girls from a stay-at-home mom who was selling them at a bazaar last month. I actually don't LOVE them on (no shape to them), but they are a cute idea and I like the colors. I had a little photo session. I can't really take a picture, but it's fun to get them on film anyway.

Issy's the brave one

Isabella started drawing faces this week (with actual eyes, nose and mouth type faces). Everything she draws is a cat, though. With whiskers. I think it's adorable.

We went to the Special Olympics on Kadena last weekend and Issy was the only one brave enough to take her pictures with the characters walking around. Personally I don't blame her, especially with how scary this Incredible Hulk looks.



Isabella has this pathetic little pout whenever she's sad or playing coy. I happened to catch it on camera. Sad little, thing, eh?

Dad taped a fort together for the kiddos. I'm not sure if it was a rocket ship, a pirate ship or just a hideout, but they loved it.

Kate's sitting up and eating!

Kate's been a busy little bugger lately. She put her hair into a ponytail for the first time

She tried rice cereal and ate like a champ. She still has a little head lag so it's kinda tricky to feed her when she always wants to put her chin to her chest, but she manages.

We had to see what she'd look like with an afro. She's cute with any ethnicity, I think.

Kate is sitting up now too. She still topples over, but she's catching herself and can sit up for several minutes before tumbling over. I love this stage.

Couldn't you just eat this face up?

Okinawa World

There is some picture overload going to happen here. We (finally) ventured out to Okinawa World on Veteran's Day. What a fun place! To start, we walked through this very large, very long cave with a million stalagmites/stalactites for about a 1/2 hour. Geologists in the States would have been freaking out at the anti-preservation that was going on here. It was very cool.



Next we walked through a mock traditional Okinawan village to a stage where we watched a show with some taiko drums and shanchins with dancing. Issy was oogled by the local Japanese school girls (not the fist time and I'm sure not the last either). She gives them her flirty eyes and with her blond hair they just eat it up.


After the show there was a giant albino Burmese python that you could have a photo op with. Noah was certainly intimidated, but decided to be brave since the rest of the family would be in the picture.

Don't ya love that Isabella is tickling the underside of it's mouth?

Next we went to the snake show. Our kids sat on the floor within striking distance of poisonous habu (native Okinawan snakes) and cobras while trainers tried to get the snakes to stand up (by poking and prodding them).

They used to let the mongoose (the habu's natural predator) and a habu fight to the death on this very stage. However they stopped doing that and now they have a race in the water.


Issy with the turtles.

Ben's putting a lizard on his friends' head.

Kate likes lizards.

Ben wasn't afraid of the snakes, but got kinda nervous when it started coiling itself around him (think squeezing it's prey?)

I was REALLY excited to hold the snakes (translation= nervous, but overcoming the fear).


Kate likes snakes too.

If anyone will COME VISIT US then we can take you here too. C'mon....we've only got 1.5 years left!