Monday, January 26, 2009

Beach!

Today Alli didn't go to school because she had pink eye. So we went to the beach! Of course I got sunburned. I brought my umbrella but it was too windy. We went to Torii Beach on the Army Base, Camp Torii. We finally caught the ocean at low tide. COOL!

Kids walking on the corral. (not sure how that is spelled)


The water was COLD!!!





















Friday, January 23, 2009

Key

Jeff and I have both managed to break our house keys since we've been here on Okinawa. The keys seriously are as old as the house, 40-50 years old.

So you are probably thinking to yourself, "No biggy, just go to the hardware store." Our thoughts exactly.

Our first stop, Makeman "the monkey store". They have everything for car, home, tools and garage. They also have plants and outdoor stuff. There are even fish, rabbits, dogs and ferrets. I take the key to the key counter. It was written in Japanese, so who knows what it's really called. The clerk looks at the key and then give me an "X" with her arms in front of her face. Yep, that means NO WAY CRAZY AMERICAN!


My next stop is the little concession mall on base that does plaques and keys. Guess what, THEY ARE ALL OUT OF THAT KEY!

After that stop I was done for the day. I'll give it a shot tomorrow.

From our house we can see a place called Sun Sai and have received recommendations to go there for the key. So I brave another place here in Japan. Jason and I walk in and I show the clerk my key, she points me to the back. We continue to the back where the beer is, yes beer in the hardware/housewares store that has toys and car parts. The lady looks at my key and points me to the back door. I'm thinking that she is kindly telling us to leave. We walk out the back door and there are plants and another building. It's almost like a bad dream.

We enter the other building which is full of all sorts of stuff. I show another clerk the key and she asks, with her finger of course, if I want 1. I put my hand up with all 5 fingers. She takes my key. I am so relieved that I am finally getting my key!!!!

Jason and I are looking at all the fish and turtles and pet supplies. Five minutes later a guy walks up to me and gives me my key and shakes his head no. I think I'm gonna cry!!! We leave, convinced that we'll have to spend the next 2 1/2 years with one house key.

Maybe Colonel Sanders knows where to go.



Day 3: Gonna waste another day trying to find a stinking key! The colonel speaks to me and says, "Go to the housing office and ask them". After finally getting to ask someone, they tell me to go to the place that is out of the key. Then they tell me to go to Camp Foster and try the concession mall there. FINE.

Jason and I get there at about 9:40 a.m. and guess what..... They don't open until 10 a.m.!!!! So we walk to the BX and look around until they open. I try to be sure we are the first ones there but of course we're not.
Ok so there were only 2 people in front of me, but it sure felt like it was this many. 15 minutes later it's finally my turn! The clerk takes my key and is comparing it to all the keys that he has... ok... find the stinking key already... "Sorry we don't have that key here"

WHAT?!?!?!??!?! WHERE CAN I GET A KEY LIKE THIS?!?!?!?! "Ma'am, you could try Jusco."

By this time I'm numb with the thought of trying to find the key place in Jusco.
Jusco is basically a huge mall. I don't even know the first place to look here!

Why can't I just find a little place like this, I'd surely know that he made keys here.

We walk into Jusco and BAM, there is a key guy with more keys than I have ever seen in my entire life! I give him my key, he gives me the face of how many, I say 5. He types up on his calculator that it's going to cost 3750 yen, which is like $40. WHATEVER I DON'T CARE! He types in his calculator 20, I'm assuming minutes. We come back and they are done. AND THEY WORK!!!!!!!!!!!

So, if you are ever in Japan and need a key made, I highly recommend Jusco be the first place that YOU GO!

Sunday, January 18, 2009

Better than nothing

Well this week wasn't completely reaching my goals, though it was certainly better than nothing.

We get into habits and routines and it's always difficult to change back. I mean in order to start the habit of smoking, you have to smoke a cigarette no matter how much it hurts. You keep forcing your flesh to do it and then it's a habit. Quiting that habit is just as painful for the flesh. It took time to get the bad habit, it'll take time to get rid of the bad habit.




The flesh is dumb! It doesn't know what it needs, it only knows what it wants or feels. We have to keep telling the flesh to be quiet and that the mind and spirit truly know what is best.



Do you think that this pink lady grew up wanting to look like a hot air balloon?!?!?!?!? I doubt it. Now her flesh has completely taken all control over from her mind and spirit. She's a slave to it. Her flesh has trapped her within it.


And this lady... I mean do you think that she thought that she would be a very very big lady eating cake on the Internet?!?!?!?!?! Doubt it, or at least i hope not. She probably feels to far away from a healthy body that she just does what the flesh wants. Keep the flesh happy and it'll leave you alone. Keep the flesh happy and it won't make it hard on you.

This journey to health isn't easy to say the least. I know that I want to be all that God has planned for me to be. So far, everything I have read in the bible certainly points toward taking care of our bodies, not let your body do whatever it wants.


So here is 5 lbs of fat, doesn't that look GROSS!?!?!?!?!!??!

It shames me to post this week and not have reached my goals. The days that I wasn't doing what I knew I was supposed to, I would think, "I told everyone I was going to do this...." Hoping that that mentality will work this next week.

GOALS FOR JANUARY 19TH TO THE 25TH:

-Intervals for 35 minutes 3 x
-resistance training for 30 minutes 2x
-get those doggies out for a walk or 12

I pray that some blessing will come for those of you who are tortured to read my blog... LOL no seriously! Have a fantabulousoooooo week and I look forward to reporting, "Mission Accomplished" on the 25th!

Sunday, January 11, 2009

Quick info

I forgot to mention that I have joined www.sparkpeople.com . This is FREE and includes all the things that you would typically pay for. Check it out!

Exercise

I have survived my first week of exercise. I was doing very good until I broke my ankle last Fall. I prefer to recover and get back to it the next day instead of a few months. I have learned from that mistake.

I did intervals 3x and resistance 2x. Also did some walking.

So while I don't look like this crazy lady, I feel like I do.
All this brings me to ask, "How did I get here and how come I didn't take action before?" I truly think that it's just like watching your children grow. I mean you are aware that the kids are growing, but you see them everyday and don't really notice. That is certainly the same for me not growing up but growing out.

I do believe that the mind is more powerful than we give it credit. I never really really looked at myself until a few months ago. "This isn't me", I feel like the same person just have to buy bigger clothes. I don't feel "big", I feel like I did when I was in the military. Such deception has brought me to this point of realization.

I have held myself in a prison. While this subject isn't something that I am proud of, nor am I trying to make anyone feel bad or guilty or anything. I figured that if I am able to see the real me and share the real me, perhaps someone could be inspired.

Addiction is a terribly difficult disease. Some are addicted to smoking, drinking, drugs, lying, sex, killing people.... I think it's all the same and just as hard to quit.
My goals for the week:
~Intervals 3x
~Resistance 2x
~Walk dogs 5x
~Consume 1600-1800 calories a day
So here is my journey, take it for what its worth to you. Feel free to post your own goals for this week.

It is my goal to reach 2010 with a body much lighter, healthier and more efficient. What's your goal for this year?

Saturday, January 3, 2009

Monsters

I got this idea about a month ago or so, to have the kids design their own monsters. I gave them both a piece of paper and told them to draw a very friendly ugly monster. So here is what they drew.
Alli's is on the left and Jason's on the right.
So it took me a couple weeks and here is their new monsters.












The kids love them and I think they are rather cute myself.

Thursday, January 1, 2009

New Dog

We would like to introduce you to RITA. She's what they call an Okinawan Lab. She is 2 1/2 years old (Kelly is almost 2 1/2). She's about 10 pounds lighter than Kelly.
Rita is a very chill dog. At first she must have thought that Kelly was a dog on CRACK. It was too funny to watch her around Kelly at first. Now they play all the time and wear each other out.

We had the usual, "This is my food" or "This is my bed" issues but that didn't last long at all.

I have posted a few more pictures of Rita, Kelly and the kids. Some are blurry, but the silly dogs and kids are constantly in motion! LOL

























Let the fun begin!

My wonderful neighbor has been sending me her blog since we've moved in. I have enjoyed it and finally realized today that perhaps my people would enjoy it too. So I've spent my New Year morning working on it. It's all so new to me but I think I can handle it.

It's January 1st 2009 here in Okinawa. A new year of new adventure.

Last year this time, Jeff was in Korea... That's about all I remember, sad I know. This time next year, Alli will be in 2nd grade and Jason in Kindergarten. Who knows what I'll be up to. Who knows where Jeff will be.

Of course with the New Year comes new goals. It's a time to reflect on the last year and get amped up for the upcoming year. So I am going to share with you what is on my list of things I want to work on.

1~ I want to have a closer relationship with God.
2~ I want to exercise at least 3 times a week if not more. This will certainly mean getting up earlier. In case you didn't know, I am NOT a morning person.
3~ Try to be a morning person. I don't know why this is so difficult for me but it is.
4~ Take the kids someplace new at least once a month. Okinawa is so full of parks and things to do.
5~ Walk the dogs at least once a day. This wouldn't be so hard but the kids hate going for walks. Well I should rephrase that Jason hates to go for walks.
6~ Keep up with household chores. I WILL conquer MOUNT LAUNDRY!
7~ Teach the kids how to keep their rooms neat and do some chores.
8~ Find ways to save money so perhaps we can leave the island debt free.
9~ Have a date night once a month, even if that's just dinner at home, something child-free.
10~ Stay in touch with family in America.

So there you have it. My list. We'll see how it goes. Feel free to comment and leave your list if you like, I'd love to hear it!