Can you tell me how to get to sesame street?

Sesame street.  I remember watching it in the mornings with my brother before preschool.  I distinctly remember playing with play doh while learning my colors, letters, and numbers.  Little did I know then that the show would still be around when I had my own child.  Last year the show only played 2 times on base, and many of my friends didn't even get in.  Luckily, this time it played many times and there were many free seats!

Waiting on the show to start.  Zach was getting really tired

Then Elmo came on stage!  he stopped in his tracks and was glued to the stage!

The best thing about this show was it had a beautiful message behind it.  As military families, we move around-a LOT.  While this gives us some great opportunities, like seeing new places and meeting new friends, it can be extremely hard for kids.  This show was all about moving and how kids can look at the bright side of moving.  They can keep in contact with their friends back home, and can look forward to meeting new friends at their new duty station.  

At the end of the show he started to get tired again

My wonderful family

After the show we went home so Zach could nap.  After his nap,we made our way to the playground down the hill.  

Mom, just let me play...

Even Neko came.  He really wanted to play on the playground with his little brother.

He was trying so hard to climb up!

We had a great family day today.  I am truly lucky to have such great boys in my life.  This is a mom's life... I wouldn't have it any other way!

Halloween parties continue...

Tonight we were lucky enough to go to a halloween party over on Kadena.  Unfortunately, we never get the chance to go out anymore, as Zach is in bed by 6pm.  Last year, Dima was deployed so I went to this party with the Coats family.  Luckily, this year Dima got to be here for halloween, making this the first time EVER that we have gotten to be together for this holiday!  Finally!
As you can see, Tracy LOVES this holiday and goes all out for it.  Her decor is wild and crazy and really helps get me into the spirit of halloween!

This reminded me of the pumpkins my brother and I used to carve together.  Only we always put beer bottles next to ours!

London chomping down on his sandwich.  

Ozzy and peter pan.  A sight worth seeing!

My sumo man and I

Ozzy put on quite the show!

this was my favorite costume.  This guy was a trooper, he stayed in it all night!

no words

Dima and Sharon Oz

Fat and buff...

Chewy was Jaba's son.  Too cute

great decor!

Sumo wrestler  passed out

I LOVED Cannon's costume... a Kindle because he reads so much!  Great job Cannon!

Sharon, Ozzy, and Wendell

Ozzy jamming

mummy cupcakes!

Ogre's ahead!

My how time flies.  It seems like just yesterday Louise was at my front door informing me that my dear neighbor, Ann Marie had her baby 6 weeks early.  Amazingly enough, that was 1 year ago today.  Ann Marie has been planning Juderman's 1st birthday party for about 3 months now, collecting boxes for a castle way back in July!  Today was the big day and her hard work paid off.

turkey bacon "tongues"

pizza "eyes"

ice cream ogres!

Jude's smash cake

Claire came in case there were a fire!

5 minutes into the party and my little shrek is OUT!

prince charming!

kind of like a pin the tail on the donkey game

The onion carriage!

tapioca shrek slime!

Feed the ogre!

Dima helped with the onion carriage rides.  All I could think of the whole time is "it's a dad's life." and how much his life has changed over the past year!

The birthday boy!

he wasn't too thrilled about this!

my ogre husband

My favorite ogre of them all...

Pumpkin Banana oatmeal

We like food in this house.  Dima can eat 5 1/2 hot dogs in one sitting before going out to dinner (as I once learned at ikea in Virginia).  I love to cook.  I am constantly scouring the internet for interesting and different HEALTHY recipes for us to eat. Health is one thing that I will be insisting be a part of my child's life.  So I am constantly coming up with something new to cook for my little man.  This morning I decided to do some experimenting with some of the foods i already know Zach likes.  My boy is a big fan of pumpkin (good thing, because I've purchased about 10 cans, as the commissary tends to run low this time of year) and enjoys sharing a banana with mommy in the mornings.  I was not at all surprised at his liking this oatmeal this morning. I told myself I'd start writing down these recipes so I will not lose them.  So here it is.  Like I said, I did this on a whim and didn't measure anything.  I just created the cereal/oatmeal to the consistency Zach likes then added in some banana and pumpkin puree.

Pumpkin Banana Oatmeal

Baby rice cereal/oatmeal (whatever your little one prefers or you have on hand)
Breastmilk/formula
1 Tablespoon pumpkin
1/2 banana, (pureed or in small chunks, depending on baby's age)
dash of cinnamon

Zach loved this.  I think breakfast is his favorite meal of the day.  He rarely makes a face at me while eating!

OkiOktoberFest Part 1

It wasn't until I moved to Japan that I realized just how much I enjoyed the fall.  I think back of going on hikes with my mom and brother and viewing the beautiful Fall foliage in my hometown, and remember the weather getting cool enough to wear cute sweaters without needing a huge snow jacket overtop!  

Even if we can't experience these traditions here, we all try our hardest to make due.  This year, we decided to put together the first annual Lester Heights OkiOktoberFest here on the hill.  It was basically a Fall fest only with an Okinawian spin on it.  The fest included a number of games followed by a Chili cookoff and beers by the bonfire.  Unfortunately, the weather was a bit wet out so our games had to be post poned for another week, but we did get to do our chili cookoff and bon fire.  

This event was just another reminder of how much I love my Okinawa family.  I keep realizing just how lucky we are and how much I'm going to miss everyone when we move.  It will certainly be a shock when we eventually move back to America (if that's where we move that is).  It may be hard to be away from our families while over here with a baby, but boy do we have a great family here!

 Ann Marie's awesome caramel apples.  Another thing I miss from the states- Apples! (They cost an arm and a leg here!!!)

 Suzy made these yummy looking cupcakes.

Louise always with something creative- red velvet cupcakes with peppermint bats!

 Dima put on a few pounds from the chili cook off

 Pie eating contest

 London was Hiccup from How to Train a Dragon

 Don't be fooled- this girl has lived here before we even got  here!  She is constantly away though!  Here is Alicia judging some chili

 Dima's chili shelf

 Pie eating contest... Joe won!

Even though the contest was over, Steve continued to eat his pie because they were that good!

 Emmy and Ben were country dancing while the adults hung out

 Louise and her favorite second born, London.  Love these two!

Ben and Emmy slow dancing.  After Emmy decided not to dance with Ben anymore, I stepped in.

We had a great time and cannot wait to continue the events next weekend...

My sumo man and I