Joe's Run

My birthday on Sat. was uneventful. We didn't do anything special. Actually, I got Joe to hang up the outside lights for me and the kids and I decorated the inside. It feels like Christmas here but I am missing a few things...like snow and my Christmas village. No, sadly, the village didn't make the trip overseas but I will be collecting pieces here to bring back. On Sunday we went to a race for Joe. He was part of a team and he did the run portion of the triathlon. The race was by camp ground owned by the Air Force so after the race we went there and hung out for the day. It will be an early to bed time for the boys since we had to get them up at 5:30 am for the race. Next week should be back to normal around here or as close as we get to normal!

Hunter's Birthday

Well, it is official....we have a 7 year old who knows everything!!! Hunter celebrated his seventh birthday on Friday. He took some friends bowling and we had cake after. It wasn't an official party kind of a last minute thing but it was fun. At one point, one of the kids threw the ball down the lane and it went it on the lane next to us. Another kid actually threw the ball so Joe had to show him how to roll it. He got a lot of nice gifts and has played with them all day. He got to choose his birthday meal so we feasted on Mac n' Cheese and Hot Dogs! (good thing this day is only once a year!)

Big Week Next Week

It will be a big week for our family next week. There will be lots to post after Thanksgiving. We are going to a neighbors for Thanksgiving on THursday, Hunter's birthday is Friday and my birthday is Saturday. For all of you wondering, yes we will each get our own cake. I think after that week we will have to ban desserts from our house. For all of you wondering, no I am not going out the day after Thanksgiving to go shopping ( I have been doing it every year for a long time....I get to the stores to stand in line at 4:30!!) I know that in my absence, my family (Whitmyers and GAlvins) will be carrying on the traditions for me!! Happy Thanksgiving!

Fireman Brody

Brody's class went to the fire station on base for a field trip. As soon as we got there, the alarm went off and the firemen were running to get dressed. Most of the kids were pretty quiet, some cried, others just did what normal 3,4 and 5 year olds do....yell. Brody had fun and was very excited because this was his first field trip of the year. If you ever talk to Brody on the phone, ask him about it, he will go on forever. He does call his classes, "gay-3, gay-4, and gay-5" He tells me that is what Miss Tita calls them. I figured out that due to her accent, she is actually saying, "K-3,K-4 and K-5" But Brody tells me otherwise!!

This week we went to a local park and took our pictures for the Christmas card. Our neighbor came with us and took the pictures. It was alot of fun once we got there. The boys were complaining that they didn't want to wear the same outfit and that it was too hot outside to take pictures (it was in the 70's- I know the Midwest people are really feeling their pain). So a few tears were shed and then they got dressed. I did let them pick out their own shoes, thinking that it wouldn't be in the picture, but I was wrong. Anyway, it was an adventure and I hope you all enjoy the photos

Have you ever seen a child do something and ask yourself why? Well, we do that a lot around here with Brody and since coined the phase "Brody World". No one has ever entered Brody World except Brody. Only he knows why he does what he does. Well, this past weekend he was playing in his room, taking everything out, and he found a clip on tie. No one in our family has worn the tie (Joe and I forgot we even had it) but Brody wanted to wear it. He wore that tie the entire weekend, with a t-shirt (can you say redneck!!) He decided on Monday that he would wear the tie to school. Joe was able to talk him into wearing a dress shirt with it. He was so proud of himself. He was saluting everyone, his teacher, his classmates, and anyone else that he saw. Miss Tita asked me why he was wearing the tie and all I said was "Welcome to Brody World". She laughed and asked no more questions. He kept the tie on all day but did take it off to go to bed. He did find a hook in his bedroom to hang his tie on so it wouldn't get lost!

Hunter lost his fourth tooth this week. Once again his mother came through and pulled it out. When he lost his first tooth in Japan, he asked me what tooth fairy would be coming. Apparently, there are two tooth fairies, an American and a Japanese. The American tooth fairy gives dollars and the Japanese tooth fairy gives yen! I was not aware that there was a yen tooth fairy so the American one brought the prize. Now that Hunter has been loosing teeth, Brody is certain that his teeth are loose and about to come out to.

We decided to try blogging to keep everyone updated on your life in Okinawa. This way I don't forget anyone when I send out an email....it is up to you to check us out!! I will try to update the site weekly, usually Sunday night (that would be Sat. for all of you) but as you know that having 2 active boys the time flies away from you. I have to thank my friend from California, Sandy Price, for giving me the idea. Hopefully this works. Here is the cake from the Marine Corps Ball that we attended. They asked me to make so I just wiped this up at the last minute!! Joe was in the ceremony that presents the cake and the guest of honor. Overall, it was a fun night. The only down side was that it was a school night and I had to go on a field trip the next day at 7:30 in the morning! The boys were tired the next day but everyone survived. Okay, so I am new at this. This post was suppose to be the first one you read but it posts in the most recent one that was written. Sorry, next time it will be in order.