A Series of Fortunate Events

Happy New Year!

2012-01-02T18:58:00.003-05:00

2011 was an extremely trying year for us. I would say the entire year was a wash if it weren't for the birth of our son Kai. Not to sound ungrateful for what we have now, but even his birth did not come without a nightmare for the first week of his life. Having to spend 3 days in a Japanese hospital where the doctors could not communicate with us due to a language barrier was awful. Also, the hospital was an hour away from our house. I could go on and on about that but I don't like revisiting that week. All that matters is that today he is plump, happy, healthy, and home with us.

We are very excited about 2012. Amazing things are in store for this year. For one, we finally get to move back to America. Having two children overseas has been challenging as I am very close to my mother and friends back in the states. I can't wait to have our children recognize people in real life as opposed to through my computer monitor via Skype.

Also, Pete starts his dental residency where he will gather all the tools he needs to be an even more amazing dentist than he already is.

We will probably get a puppy....something we have both wanted since we were just dating, but the timing was never right.

My best friend in the whole world will be having her first baby.

I just know 2012 will be amazing and hold great things.

Here is our first 2012 dinner...nothing special, just fun times :D

Merry Christmas!

2011-12-24T09:01:00.002-05:00

Santa is hard at work over here....

Hope you have a wonderful Christmas and don't forget what this holiday season is all about....the birth of our savior!!!! How blessed are we?

Although I have a lot I could complain about this year, all I can do right now is be thankful for this adorable family of mine. Through the tough times, I have become a stronger person with even more faith in God. Funny how that works.

hugs to all!

I'm not a pony

2011-12-22T00:07:00.003-05:00

Pumpkin wanted to write today's blog post:

"In case you are wondering, yes, she still tries to ride me. Every. Single. Day.

No place to hide.

Oh well, at least the new baby is really cute...hopefully he will understand the difference between a pony and a cat."

I know, Pumpkin isn't very witty and doesn't have too much to say, but we love her anyway.

Total Lunar Eclipse

2011-12-11T00:52:00.005-05:00

Last night Pete and I were able to be a part of something really neat and amazing....a total lunar eclipse!

We watched the lunar eclipse from the beginning until the shadow started moving off of the moon....it was so neat to see the shadow of Earth slowly creep over the bright full moon and eventually turn the moon completely red.

It was freezing cold outside, but that didn't stop us from checking out the sight! For the first time since the earthquake, I was truly thankful to be living in Japan. Thanks, God! It was greatly appreciated to see amazingly beautiful parts of nature as opposed to destructive nature.

There isn't supposed to be another total lunar eclipse until 2014, and I know the chances of living in the right place and having perfect clear weather is not likely when it does appear next. We are thankful that the stars were aligned for us to see such a sight!

We were without a tripod, so here are the best images we could capture...

...wasn't till the very end that Pete figured out how to get the stars in the shot and the awesome red color...wish we could turn back time to reshoot the eclipse with the stars surrounding the moon..it was so beautiful!

Cute Cupcake Lampshade

2011-12-04T08:00:00.009-05:00

I won some lamps at an auction for our Dental Squadron here at Misawa Air Force Base over Thanksgiving. They were really cute, except the lampshades were a little on the dull side.

I wanted to use one for Sabrina's room since it's SO HARD to find lamps around here in Misawa. Do Japanese people only use candles or something? ANYWAY...I scrounged around thinking about what I could do to jazz them up, even searched on Etsy for NEW lamp shades that were what I was looking for. Nothing really impressed me!

Then, it dawned on me.....CUPCAKE WRAPPERS! Don't ask me how...it just did. My brain is wired funny like that....

All you do to make it is get a lampshade, some glue (I used elmers), and some really awesome cupcake wrappers that match your room motif. Next...just glue away in a random fun way! First spread the wrappers out....but that is pretty obvious....

I doubled up some big cupcake liners under some mini cupcake liners. Get CRAZY with it! I'm excited to make some more of them...such a low calorie way to enjoy cupcakes!

I like the DIY projects that are REALLY easy and involve things you probably already have laying around the house :)

Here is the before....

And here is the after...

For better comparison at the extreme FUN that will adorn Sabrina's bedroom for years to come...

Total cost of this project for me....$6 (won lamps for $5, tiny tube of elmers, and gifted cupcake wrappers already on hand)

Quite Positively Certain

2011-12-04T07:09:00.007-05:00

I am quite positively certain that we own the two most uneventful cats in Japan.

Sabrina is always trying to ride the little calico one, Pumpkin, like a pony. But, for some reason, Pumpkin thinks that game is ridiculous and never wants anything to do with it.

This is why we are planning for a puppy in about 6 months....

Because everyone knows puppies LOVE to be ridden like a pony!

If you are wondering, yes, our 'kitty condo' we built has, in fact, made it THIS FAR!

little mister

2011-11-30T07:43:00.003-05:00

Here is an easy fun project for any of you with little misters out there!

I just used a piece of black vinyl leftover from my halloween decal materials...but you could use anything you want! Maybe some black foam or paper with a dab of glue? Fun!!

Komaki Onsen

2011-11-13T10:28:00.001-05:00

I'm doing a blog update from my iPad because of some issues with my browser on my Mac, so we'll see how this goes!! The photos are previewing pretty warped, hope it straightens out when they get published because I don't have time to fix it!

Time is flying by so fast ever since the arrival of sweet baby Kai. Suddenly it's mid November, the leaves are turning into burning shades of warmth, and we are digging out our winter clothes from the depths of our very neglected and messy closet.
I'm actually VERY excited it's already mid November, because while I have loved our time spent living in Japan, I am still scared to be here. You would think I would stop being so afraid of more earthquakes and things after so many months, but still, every night, I think about it as I tuck in for bed. I wish I were more brave and could spend less time worrying about things that might not even happen. What a waste of energy it is!
So, as for me, I am happy it is already mid November because that means we get to move away from here in just 5.5 more months. Can't wait to have more time spent with family. Sheesh, some of my family has yet to meet my amazing husband, let alone our two beautiful children.

The autumns in northern Japan sure are beautiful though, and will be missed! We had a chance to make an appearance at the Komaki Onsen in Misawa today to take some photos for the first time as a family of four. Thank you self timer!
A lot of prep work is involved in getting all of us presentable at the same time (and still the baby ends up mismatched in his jammies)! We are all a little mismatched but thats okay. Two under two...never a dull moment (except for right now when I should be sleeping)!

Here's daddy...looking for his youth...hahaha.. he turns THIRTY this month! Wowzers!

Professional baby wrangler!!

So much to do so much to see, little Sabrina is never ever bored (or standing still).

Many family photo attempts. Someone needs to work on her 'cheeeeeese'!

The Baby Bjorne has lost loads of popularity because of how it makes the legs dangle. I was thinking of switching to the Ergo carrier but ya know, if the baby is happy...why mess with a good thing?? Sabrina lived in it for the first year with no issues, and I have a feeling Kai will too...

Such a peaceful place. Im never worried about anything when we visit Komaki.

Wonder what this beautiful statue means. Do you know?

I would have brought our cats for the family portraits, but they probably would have gone crazy trying to catch all the koi fish in the lake! I promise kitty updates soon!!

the new Normal

2011-10-21T01:41:00.003-04:00

Awww...this clip just gave me warm fuzzies from the other side of the world!

This video clip is all about the town from whence I was born, raised, and graduated from college in (Illinois State University). In my opinion, Normal, Illinois is the best town in the world (and my opinion has clout considering I have lived in many towns all over this world)! If it weren't for those miserable, wretched, tortuously long & horrendous winters, I'd say Pete and I should raise our own family there. Who knows, maybe we will anyway...the future has not yet been written! I do miss those lightening bugs....

berry masher

2011-10-19T01:54:00.005-04:00

The other day on one of my 'sanity walks' with the kiddos, Sabrina stumbled upon something amazing. BERRIES! Tons of berries, all over the sidewalk...berry after berry of tiny little berriness for her to pick up and closely examine. If anyone knows Sabrina and her love to investigate intricate little things, you can only imagine how long we hung out in this berry land for.

Sabrina is just so full of love and wonder, no matter how crappy or tired I feel from frequent waking in the night to feed Kai (and he wakes a LOT), she always brings me back to that fun innocent little world of hers. It's almost therapeutic to hang out with her! Is that weird that I think that?

Kai is doing well, but he isn't all that much fun to hang out with as he mainly just likes to loaf around swaddled up all day. If I try to play with him he screams and cries in my face so I'm just like, "woah there buddy, okay have it your way". It's alright though because Sabrina was the same way as a newborn (worse, actually), so I know it will pass in a few months or even weeks. We still bring him on our walks anyway because although he doesn't contribute too much to the conversation, he sure is cute to look at!!

And YAY for fixing my internet issue that kept me from blogging!! We're BACK!!!! :)

sunny days

2011-10-08T02:00:00.006-04:00

Ever have those days (or weeks) when everything is just going your way? It's so refreshing when that happens, isn't it?

We have been having lots of happy moments around our house that lead us to take a step back and realize that dreams are being realized. We are so thankful for so many things!

One thing I am not thankful for, though, is that my Mac is being funny and not letting me load blogspot photos (or look at any on other blogs). I think it has something to do with our IP address...I'm not sure. Makes me sad though! Hope it fixes soon!!!

2 weeks in it!

2011-09-23T02:01:00.004-04:00

So here we are, two weeks into two kids under two!

Is it horrible and torturous? Heavens NO! Am I getting little sleep? Yes, but nothing out of the ordinary for nursing a newborn around the clock.

Sabrina has just been an amazing big sister. One thing I thought would happen was jealousy from Sabrina. Is it terrible that I was actually a little bit hopeful she would be jealous of Kai getting all of the attention? I thought maybe she would always want to be on my lap for once, competing for affection. Welp, turns out, nothing really has changed in that area. I think we just have to face the facts that Sabrina is just not a snuggler! She would much rather be on her feet, go go going!

Isn't Kai so sweet...here he is, already two weeks old, already dreaming away of being big and strong just like his daddy someday :)

baby brother!

2011-09-18T00:11:00.003-04:00

As if we needed any reassurance that having another baby was a good idea...She is seriously loving having a baby brother around, and she is so cute with him!

This is baby Kai, born September 8, 2011...and we are over the moon excited to have him home in our arms.

gee thanx love....

2011-09-04T03:24:00.006-04:00

Pete was really excited coming home after working at the Misawa Air Show today. He felt so accomplished, going on and on about how he brought me home a special treat...

I was so excited!!! Until.......he pulled out a stick with fried oreos on it....

I may be pregnant, but MAN OH MAN, that does NOT sound (or look) appealing! He, however, was in love with these fried delicacies on a stick....

It was a sweet gesture regardless, especially since I know they were calling (more like SCREAMING) his name the whole way home!

Fried oreos? Have you ever tried them?

first bow!

2011-09-03T07:52:00.004-04:00

Awww, doesn't she look cute in her first bow that I made for her? I have become a little bit obsessed lately with making bows....it's a great way to pass time through false labors!

I am just learning, so they look a little wonky so far, but practice always makes perfect!

Full Term!

2011-08-26T00:40:00.003-04:00

Wahoo! We made it to 37 weeks!!!

I thought for sure he was coming this morning. Had some pretty strong contractions but sure enough, after I was up and busy they stopped. Guess we have to wait a little bit longer to meet the lil' guy. We changed his name, but I'm not going to tell what it is (well, some people know, but not many) :) Gotta keep you on your toes!!!

We took some backyard maternity photos today, kind of an impromptu thing so they look a little cheeseball. That is par for the course at the Vande pad!

We only got about three good ones. Sabrina moves about so much she blurs up 90% of the photos. That's alright though, because she is the big sister, and she can do whatever she wants :)

Seriously, do they get any cuter than this? She has raised the bar pretty high for baby #2.

37 Weeks!

Here's his little room! All ready to go!

kitties and cupcakes

2011-08-24T20:47:00.007-04:00

What is it about making and decorating cupcakes that is just so much fun????

We are fully enjoying all of our spare time while it lasts.

36 weeks

2011-08-18T07:53:00.004-04:00

I just realized it has been a while since I have talked about the pregnancy and how it is going. The reason for this is just because I have been pretty busy with Sabrina, and I haven't really had much to complain about at all. I feel like this pregnancy is almost identical to my last one...feeling great in general.

I'm still walking and everything just like last time, except this time I do it in the 'mommy and toddler' room instead of the 'big kids' room at the gym.

I'm getting braxton-hicks contractions a lot, just like last time, but THIS time I use them as practice for actual labor. Now when I get them, I focus through them and do my deep breathing and 'hypnobirthing practice' just like I did when I labored naturally (until 8cm) with Sabrina.

I'm working on overcoming lingering labor fears, and preparing myself to be able to roll with the punches with flexibility, grace and dignity when the big day comes.

We haven't had many earthquakes here lately which brings me peace and hope that the worst of it is over.

In general, I am just slowly prepping myself into being a mommy of two children under two and I am so excited about it. I can't wait to see how everything unfolds, and see how this baby fits into our life. I can't wait to open my heart up to yet another child, another little angel.

Faux Air Conditioning

2011-08-15T02:27:00.008-04:00

As many of you know, we recently moved 'Case de Vande' from a coastal area to 'on base' because of my paranoia that perhaps we might have another big earthquake followed by irrational fears of a huge tsunami.

While I am indeed very happy that we made the move for many reasons, some things are NOT better here. For instance, we used to have Air Conditioning in our old house. NOW, we have THIS:

Misawa Air Base housing is not equipped for the Northern Japan heat. It gets well into the 90s, with over 60% humidity here, and you are not allowed to use air conditioning. Even before the energy shortage in Japan....air conditioning was not allowed. In fact, if you get caught using any kind of portable air conditioning, you can get in trouble. You are forced to suffer through long hot sweltering days and nights, tossing and turning in your sweaty bed.

You may even find yourself ending hugs with your spouse early because swapping sweat isn't always sexy....

Anyway, just wanted to share with the the world the sacrifices some military families make for the freedoms of our country. Is it worth it? YES. :)

This sweltering summer heat with no air conditioner while 35 weeks pregnant, coupled with the crazy apocalyptic events from earlier this year....we are going to party like it's 1999 this New Years eve, SO ready to say 'good riddance' to 2011!

ice cream treats!

2011-08-08T20:38:00.005-04:00

yesterday we went to celebrate a very special day with some yummy yummy ice cream treats! of course we brushed and flossed afterwords :)

just can't wait!

2011-08-03T08:16:00.005-04:00

We are all just too excited to finally meet baby David. 6 more weeks!!! 6 more weeks!! So ready right NOW! :)

hotokegaura and monkeys!

2011-07-17T23:39:00.013-04:00

Over the weekend we packed up the family and headed out on an adventure in search of breathtaking beauty in nature....and we sure found it!

The past few years we have not been taking many trips or doing much at all because we have been focusing all of our extra income on paying of ugly credit card debt. Recently, we realized our goal (more on that later) and took a celebratory trip! Also, it was my 'birthday week' and around here, whatever the birthday boy/girl wants, the birthday boy/girl gets....ALL WEEK :)

Anyways, we headed to a very remote location on the tippy top of northern Honshu to feast our eyes (and lens) upon 'the cliffs of the buddha'. I had seen photos of it on the web, but was not expecting it to be just as gorgeous in person. I thought maybe photos were edited to enhance beauty or whatever, but to my realization, the photos did not do the rock formations any justice!

There is so much mystery and wonder in this world, and I am so thankful that we are living in an era where so long as you have the money to get somewhere, you can go see anything from Machu Picchu to the Grand Canyon to some secret hidden cliffs in a remote part of Japan. Heck, pretty soon you can even travel to outer space for leisure if you can afford it! What a world...

*I'm not saying this place is expensive to get to, it's not...all you really need is a tank full of gas and about 3000 yen for a boat ticket! Husband and I just really enjoy eating our way through trips at local restaurants and staying at comfy hotels, and thats where it gets pricey :)

Anyway, here are some of the highlights of our first trip in our new financially free life :)

As we were heading back to our hotel, we were driving along a very twisty windy mountain road through a lush wilderness. We were just chatting away when Pete yelled out "woah a monkey" and put the brakes on so we didn't turn the poor thing into road kill! We stopped, naturally, and then out of the forest came about 15 other monkeys! There were swinging around from branches, running across the road, making little "ooh ooh" sounds just like you would see in a movie! It was such an awesome experience!!! The misty fog added to the sense of amazement, just such a surreal experience. I tossed out some apple pieces at them, but I think they were pretty afraid of us. They kept their distance, and we kept ours.

drinkable pancakes

2011-07-12T18:26:00.007-04:00

Yes, it really exists, and yes, it is as amazing as you would imagine.

What more could you ask for out of life?

crazy legs

2011-06-21T20:13:00.006-04:00

I thought that since we had payed our dues with Sabrina's colic as an infant, that perhaps we would get a cool, calm and collected baby #2. The more this pregnancy goes on, the more I am losing hope in that happening. This kid moves seemingly non stop, much more than Sabrina ever did! I can't have anything sitting on my belly or he'll kick it off with all his might. Even just putting your hand there, he will wiggle and jiggle it away. I wouldn't be surprised if one day while walking down the street, he kicked so hard that it knocked me over!
He seems to LOVE being awake, and that is fine because at least we know how to handle it if he is anything like his big sister was as an infant.
He's even kicking me as I type this, as if to say, 'mom, get off your rear and go clean all of the boxes out of my nursery!'

Yes, I have a lot of work to do still after our move and everything.

About the move, boy are we glad we did it!! This neighborhood is so perfect for little Sabrina. We know tons of people on our street so getting a little help when David gets here should be pretty easy. At any given moment, there is always at least a few kids running around outside. On a good day, there are about 30 of them playing! It's really fun to watch :)

Here is a little picture of Sabrina playing in her new backyard. I have been so busy this is really the only photo I have so far!

You can barely see it, but through the trees there is a little neighborhood park. It's so cool to not have to get in the car and drive to a park. The only hard part is keeping her from climbing that hill there and running over to it. She loves to frolic in those trees like a little wood nymph, lol

In mid air

2011-06-13T23:17:00.001-04:00

I titled this post "in mid air" because that is exactly where Sabrina and I are right now! We are several thousand feet above the Pacific....again. I have been trying to figure out exactly how many times now that Sabrina has made this (torturous) flight. I think this is the 6th or 8th time.... it all kind of blurs together. Either way, we have become pros at this whole 'flying with babies' show. A few things I have learned:

*Ditch the stroller and opt for a backpack carrier so you can drag your luggage around easier if you are flying solo.

*Don't put the child on your lap on the flight ticket to save pennies, banking on the seat next to you magically being vacant. If it's a newborn-9 months, that's probably feasible, but any older and you are going to have a pretty uncomfortable trip. Chances of the seat next to you being open are super slim, and when you see that person buckle up next to you, you get depressed. Just fork out the money and buy the extra seat.

*Get the 'go go kidz' car seat stroller adapter thingamajiger (I've been using this word a lot lately for some reason). The car seat adapter is incredible, very easy to push around with just one hand, great for long flights where a car seat is totally necessary.

*Don't pack too many snacks. I never learn from my mistakes, hopping on the planes with a heavy purse full of treats that never get eaten. They mostly just get smashed, spilled on, and thrown away. Flight attendants and passengers next to me ALWAYS give Sabrina all sorts of extra treats. The strangest one we received was from a Laus woman sitting next to us who insisted Sabrina take her homemade sweet rice ball and a huge chunk of some sort of mystery jerky.

*Sabrina always has bad allergies on overseas flights that require Benedryl ; P

*Once kid is asleep, cover the seat with the flight blanket to keep it nice and dark. If you built as many sheet forts as a child as I did, this project would be especially fun for you.

*Plan for the worst. That way, if it's not so bad you are pleasantly surprised. But if it's like my trip today has been, you will be mentally prepared enough to not totally lose your marbles in public (or, that might happen anyway and that's perfectly alright).

*If you are traveling with baby solo, when people ask you for help, for goodness sake drop the pride and take it. Once I accepted the fact that I'm not super woman and yes, I do in fact need assistance, my life in transit became much easier. People WANT to help a damsel in distress. Men especially love lifting luggage for a lady. I think it makes them feel really tough...like a hero. Yes, there are still some yuppies that care more about themselves than others, but just ignore those old grumps! They are the ones clearly going on a tropical trip somewhere, that see you struggle and juggle, but cut in front of you anyway. Grrrrrrr!

*Do a practice run around your house the night before your trip. Whatcha getting snagged up on? Good thing you practiced because now there is plenty of time to fix it!!

*Just take the trip in baby steps. Even at the very beginning it may seem like it will never, ever end (like college), but just know that with each step you are getting closer to that arrival gate!

*Reward yourself and your toddler every step of the way. You deserve that brownie, and cookie, and ice cream....and when you are traveling alone with a kid for a long distance, the calories don't count!!!! How awesome is that?!

*Your child is screaming on the plane....so what! Do your best to stop it, apologize to those around you, but don't stress too much about it or you will just make the problem worse than it already is. They pick up on mommy and daddy's anxiety. Just keep calm and carry on. Shove a cookie in the kids mouth and hope for the best. If it doesn't get better, well, at least you had mentally prepared for that.

*Lastly, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, keep a healthy sense of humor!!!!!!! When your flight gets delayed 9 hours, just LAUGH and go with the flow (and get a milkshake as a reward). After all, no matter how long the delay or flight is, it's much faster than paddling overseas, or taking a horse drawn wagon across the USA.

silly zoo doodles

2011-06-08T20:08:00.003-04:00

I've been playing around with some doodles lately, always fun times!!! Fixin' to write a children's book one of these days, once I figure out my style and exactly where I want to go with it...
Have a feeling I won't be doodling as much when I get back to Misawa. As much as I love it, cuddling and hanging out with Pete is more enjoyable :)

From Silly Zoo

I'll post more silly zoo animals as they are created!

new "do"

2011-06-07T18:13:00.002-04:00

My squishy face means I can't decide if I love it or hate it.

My hair hasn't been this short in about 10 years! Would have loved to add some fun highlights, but chemicals and pregnancy are not friends...

home to hubby!

2011-06-07T13:01:00.010-04:00

Daddy parked Sabrina's brand new car, patiently awaiting her return to Japan this weekend! We can't wait to finally see "da da" again after 3 long months! Glad we waited out the Fukushima disaster from over here in glorious America...better safe than sorry, don't ya think?

(my car is the maroon "mom mobile", Pete's is the clunky looking silver and maroon thing next to it....no fancy cars in Misawa...well...98% of people don't have them. We got both of our cars together for a little over 5k, which is very typical for this base)

While Sabrina and I were hiding from aftershocks over here, Pete successfully moved us to a new house on base, on a hill, in a neighborhood surrounded by families with tiny tots.
Moving our house more inland a little extreme? Perhaps...but I am not going to deny that I am still scared of more big earthquakes off the coast that cause more tsunamis.

I mean, if it has happened before it can happen again, right? I know this fear of mine is slightly irrational, as are most phobias. I'm hoping that just facing it head on will help me manage and overcome it because living a life in fear is not something I am interested in. If anyone has tips on how to deal with it, please let me know!

I just hope the next 10-11 months goes by fast because I am SO ready to not live on a tiny island riddled with earthquakes and nuclear problems anymore. I'll make the most of it while I am there, but will be counting down the days till we get to move to more solid ground in Texas.
We definitely got the "worldly cultural experience" we were looking for when we put Misawa at the top of our list...lol

just my size

2011-05-06T22:35:00.004-04:00

'After traveling the world, I have finally found a town built just for me, right down the street from my Nana's!'

goose basketball

2011-05-03T20:20:00.001-04:00

Rainbow Warrior begins sampling off Fukushima | Greenpeace International

2011-05-03T17:16:00.000-04:00

Rainbow Warrior begins sampling off Fukushima | Greenpeace International

informative Fukushima fallout video

2011-05-03T11:11:00.002-04:00

Simply informative video posted below....and important to watch, especially if you live in the Northern Hemisphere (that includes you, America). Fukushima radiation is not limited just to Japan, watch and see so you can protect yourself and become proactive in getting radiation monitoring up and running around the world.

The more I learn and deeply research the subject (I spend around 2-3 hours daily during Sabrina's nap times) I realize that America, northwest coast in particular, is no safer than the Aomori prefecture in Japan. I wrote Fairwinds Associates last month pertaining to the safety of the areas of Japan hundreds of miles outside of the evacuation zone, seeking answers from independent experts on the subject. They never wrote back, but I feel like my question was addressed in this video. I would like to believe that "radiation weather alerts" are going to soon be a "new normal" in Japan.

The Japanese government is so darn stubborn, being so quiet and secretive, rejecting help from independent agencies to help out with the radiation monitoring. Please do your part, use your voice, to help make things happen! You only have one life, one world, with one giant delicate ecosystem, how much do you want to protect it?

Cry for help...

2011-05-02T12:21:00.005-04:00

Moms to Save Children from Radiation
Please read the linked site.

Cry for help....obviously the people of Japan, in Fukushima prefecture need much more than just food, shelter, and water....they need VOICES.

While I believe Aomori (the prefecture where Misawa AFB is located) is a safe enough distance away from Fukushima to not pose threat to children there, I am worried about other children in Japan, closer to Fukushima. Honestly, I'm pretty sickened that we have several bases in Japan, yet are not intervening about this. The women of Japan would have to be pretty upset to organize an uprising such as this. Their culture is not like ours in America, where revolt and rebellion is a common everyday occurrence.

In the article, they are asking with sincerity and desperation to spread the word because in their own media outlets it is suffocated. The least I can do for them is post a little blog about it that a few people may read.

The people of Japan are so respectful and polite. They deserve to be treated better than this.

It's a BOY!

2011-05-01T19:05:00.001-04:00

Halfway through...here we are around 20 weeks and a few days! We are so excited to have 'one of each' and meet little baby "David". The name "David" is a family name, after my brother and grandfather.

Woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Civilian world

2011-04-22T19:57:00.001-04:00

I met my new OB today! I honestly felt like I was at a spa as opposed to a hospital! I am looking forward to having our baby at Sutter Health in Roseville, and I LOVE my OB! She was even an OB in the Air Force in her past. With all that has been hard in our life lately, it's about time something goes right :) She was pretty adamant about keeping me here in America, at least until the baby is born.
I'm looking forward to the whole experience of having a baby in the luxurious civilian world...where a plea on bended knee for an epidural is never denied.

One more week until the big gender ultrasound, and you better believe we are going to find out! I think shopping for little pink or blue odds and ends is just the therapy I need right now.

ERD

2011-04-22T00:51:00.005-04:00

Welp, we found out we can't get Early Return of Dependents after all. I could go on and on about how unfair I think this entire situation is, but I will spare everyone those details.

Regardless of not having financial support to stay here, I am probably going to stay for a while longer anyway. I'm not really interested in having another baby in Misawa under these conditions, especially since my first delivery there was much less than ideal. Maybe I will change my mind (only because I am missing my husband ungodly amounts), maybe not, probably not, or maybe so. Welcome to my mind right now....as back and forth as a bipolar on speed on a trampoline.

Just when I think I can get over my fears of more aftershocks and tsunamis, I start thinking about all of Fukushima's radioactive guts slowly seeping into the fragile ecosystem of Northern Japan. That really creeps me out in such a haunting way!

A year is a very long time....especially when it's a BIG year. Can we please just fast forward to 2012?

I still don't have my camera, but here is a post a local photographer wrote about little Sabrina!

should I stay or should I go

2011-04-17T12:09:00.003-04:00

After evaluating all angles possible on whether or not I should return with little Sabrina to have the baby in Japan, we have decided to stay and take an option offered to us by the USAF called ERD. ERD means Early Return of Dependents. Basically, in a nut shell, I would get the same kind of financial care I would get if Peter was living here with me, except I get to pick where I am going to make a home. The condition is that I cannot go back to Japan if I suddenly get fed up and change my mind.

It's a horrible situation to be in, but I know our love will prevail through it and we will make it work. Hopefully, this will be the only time we have to be separated during his military career. I'm still praying that my decision to stay here will put transferring Peter early to San Antonio into serious consideration by the higher ups. Even a few months early would help immensely given our unique situation.

I have faith that God will provide me all the strength I need to continue to be an amazing mother for our babies, continuously making the right decisions even if it is not necessarily the easier thing to do.

Please pray to whatever God you pray to for strength for all of us who have chosen to stay in America to get through this hard time, and of course, also pray for the entire nation of Japan.

Looking forward to Spring of 2012 when we can be together again for good :)

From Dept. of State

2011-04-15T00:10:00.004-04:00

Our evacuation from Japan has been lifted, but would you risk it with a bun in the oven? Looking for thoughts, I've made up my mind but just curious to see what you would do in the situation.

Evacuation Lifted

I'm pretty sure this is the most difficult decision I have ever been faced with. Yes, even more difficult than deciding which vineyard to go to in Napa Valley.

Something to take into consideration:

Found my heart in San Francisco

2011-04-04T15:07:00.001-04:00

Took a little trip to San Francisco to try to get my mind off missing my hubby so darn much, and this crazy situation we have found ourselves in. It kind of had adverse affects though, I just missed him that much more because our love blossomed in that city, so memories of a more carefree time with my sweetheart were everywhere!

Sabrina sure had a blast (especially meeting my friend Jaya), checking out some of the cool San Francisco parks and sights! I think it was good to take a little trip, kind of an escape from reality. Thanks Jaya for being you, and being such a great positive person to be around ;)

Drops

2011-03-31T12:23:00.001-04:00

If this doesn't sell kids fluoride drops, nothing will! I may be biased because she is my daughter, but seriously, they don't get much cuter than this!
She loves her peach fluoride drops. She is holding them here with her 'time for drops?' hopeful expression. Taking them everyday (or some other source of ingestible flouride) is very important for the healthy development of teeth that have yet to come in!

My hubby could fill you in on the details...

Hello again, America

2011-03-26T04:47:00.001-04:00

Sabrina and I made it to California, with no hiccups aside from the typical sleep deprivation and jet lag that is standard for flying a tot across the vast Pacific. This is no vacation, as I want nothing more than to be with my husband right now. Especially since all of this happened amid nursery room planning and just general well being and happiness at home.

I haven't really been wanting to do much hanging out, or shopping or anything like that. No, I'm not depressed (the proof is in my uncontrollable bout of laughter earlier today). I'm still just trying to wrap my head around what the future may hold, and how I ended up back here, suddenly in America once again. Well, here we are! I guess now we just wait and see what happens.

Here's a picture of our very blissful future as she reaches for her yummy uncontaminated milk. Let's hope her generation learns from these mistakes, and they create a nuclear free, green world with no fears of radiation in the tap water.

A place on base...

2011-03-21T03:29:00.003-04:00

So I took gobs of photos of our new town home on north base! It is so pretty, next to a golf course with lots of gorgeous pines in the back yard, and a park too! Three bedrooms, 2.5 bath, just remodeled and renovated!

We excitedly went to our housing office to return the key as I was so happy to have a house I felt safe in and was better suited for our growing family needs to return to after our "evacuation". The housing agent said she just received a call saying they can't let us have it. She said they can't issue anyone a key. Why did they tell us all along it would be no problem to move once the power was on? Why did they give us a key to look at it?

I almost cried. I'm so confused about what is happening to our base! It's totally not normal to deny people a house on base in a foreign country when there are entire empty towers and tons of open town homes on base. Pete said he is going to work really hard when I am gone to get that place, pray he finds the right strings to pull!

one more day

2011-03-20T20:06:00.002-04:00

The first plane arrives tomorrow around 3pm. Of course, it is subject to change. I am pretty sure Sabrina and I will be on that flight, as well as most of the toddlers on this base. NOBODY is going to sleep on that flight, I have a feeling it will seem like we are on a playground the whole trip. That's alright, I can never sleep on planes anyway! :)
I'm pretty sure everyone is dreading the flight, but as parents we have to do what is best for our little ones, even if it means severe sleep deprivation. Mentally preparing myself today and going to bed VERY early!

Flight update

2011-03-20T04:00:00.002-04:00

Or lack thereof....

It could be any minute now to a few days. We are told to be ready at a moments notice. Back at home now to make room for the mass amounts of search and rescue workers that could use our room at the inn. Just waiting and waiting for a call.

Packing the toothbrush, unpacking it, and repeat.

Still waiting

2011-03-19T19:40:00.002-04:00

We were told all day yesterday and into this morning that there is still no word of when planes will arrive. Thankfully, hubby is allowed to stay with me until I leave. He has been working long hours, being called in seven days a week. Poor guy!

Sweet despite the sour

2011-03-19T02:19:00.004-04:00

I had to run to the baby store off base today to grab something for the flight. As I drove around town I had this overwhelming feeling of guilt....especially as I drove my car with 3/4 tank of gas past the Japanese gas station that was clearly marked to be out of fuel. I went to my shop, walked through the isles and was shocked to find almost all of the diapers and baby food cleared from the shelves. I don't think I have ever felt such a mixture of gratefulness and greediness all at once. I felt like a fat intruder, hogging up their supplies and rubbing it in their face that my country doesn't have these problems, but I'm going to shop here anyway. I had to leave.

Of course, despite the supply shortage off base here, each local I encountered swooned over Sabrina and said " konichiwa" to me. So polite, so kind, even in the worst of times, struggling to care for their children and keep them fat, healthy and warm. It's simply incredible.

Kitties

2011-03-18T18:41:00.003-04:00

We can bring 2 pets free of charge, but we decided it would be too difficult to travel with a crate. If base ends up doing mandatory evac, I bet they would let him bring them. Better yet, things will be great and safe in a month and I can just see the kitties when we return. Lots of people are bringing pets, over 400 are signed up already!

Animals are part of family too.

Oh, and how lovely that Sabrina has a cold now....lol

Ready, set....

2011-03-18T03:28:00.003-04:00

We found out a few more details today of the voluntary evacuations after listening to the commander speak. The layover rumor is true, we will stop either in Korea, Guam, Hawaii, or Alaska for a while and then proceed to the home of residence. I don't know about anyone else, but I felt a slight nudge for families to think about going. The commander himself stated that even his own family is on the fence about it, because of the obvious risk you take by staying and the resources we are using up by just living here..

Needless to say, after watching him go on about all of the uncertainty surrounding the future, I am completely 100% confident in this decision. If I didn't have children it would probably weigh much different on my heart...we could just pitch a tent on a hill and live like vagabonds.

He still could not give an exact time of departure, but I do know I'm ahead of the game as an expecting mother with a child. I think it is safe to assume this is the last night I will spend in Misawa though...we'll see. I'm just assuming. Still no word on bringing pets...

If anyone else out there is on the fence and incredibly torn, just know that you can just come back in a month or so after the area is cleared to be safe, just like he stated. We are military spouses, we are a strong breed, built to withstand separation from our spouses and have faith that ultimately God will provide all of the love that our hearts need to get through tough times.

What is going on?

2011-03-17T21:54:00.007-04:00

As of right now, those of us feeling the need to leave are still just waiting for answers. We have no more information today than we had yesterday, other than what circulates through the community rumor mill. Some of these rumors suggest we will be going to a "safe haven" for a while before we go to our final destination. Looking further into the rumor, some suspect Korea or other parts of Asia. This is all rumor though....nobody but the ones in charge really know. The town hall meeting set for today has been postponed until tomorrow, so I am assuming there will be no flights out tonight.

In the meantime, we have a sunny day here in northern Japan which is very comforting. As of right now the earth is calm and have had no noticeable earthquakes. Even though it is sunny, the earth seems steady, and distance supposedly protects us from radiation, I still feel the need to remove myself and Sabrina from this island. I'm worthless when it comes to town cleanup as I would never risk my unborn child being exposed to any kinds of spilled chemicals or disease along the coast. Since I can't really volunteer too much with the little ones, I am beginning to feel like this big fat waste of resources here.

We only have so much fuel as we are on strict fuel restrictions here, so much water, and so much energy. Off base the locals are suffering with no idea of when they will be able to refill kerosene tanks to heat their houses and water. Why stick around when in America we have all of these things in abundance in our home country? I just feel guilty, kind of like an intruder since all I can do is raise my family and not much else.

A lot of spouses here need prayers to help them make a decision on whether to stay or go. I still feel torn about it, but the pregnancy hormones in me whisper gently that if there is a bigger safer hospital somewhere else, that is where I need to have the baby. You can't
exactly argue with hormones - every woman knows that ;)

Oh, and if this base shrinks in size, Pete won't follow close behind...

As of right now, i have decided Bloomington Normal, Illinois is the best place for me to be as it is a huge hub for my closest family and friends and I already have an OB ready there. Who knows when I will actually arrive, but of course you will all be kept up to date!

Voluntary Evacuation

2011-03-17T07:45:00.008-04:00

Our commander has issued a voluntary evacuation and though spending time away from Peter is going to be miserable, I am just not strong enough to live with this worry, with Sabrina and a bun in the oven...

Peter is a tough man and says he will be alright. Obviously nobody can predict the outcome of all of this and maybe Peter will follow closely behind me if there isn't as much of a need for lots of dentists if lots of people leave, so as a precaution I'm even taking the kitties (if they allow it) so he won't have to deal with it.....and they remind me of "home". Yes, I am aware that was a giant run on sentence.

I don't know where we are even headed....I guess California?

We have no details on when we they start evacuations but should know more tomorrow after the town hall meetings.

the luck of the Irish

2011-03-16T20:06:00.001-04:00

Oh look at that...It's St Patricks Day. Instead of hoping for green beer this year, i'm just hoping for a calm earth and surprise tickets to somewhere relaxing.

THE GIRL FROM DUMFRIES IN JAPAN: Japan Earthquake Update: God is Able

2011-03-15T19:56:00.001-04:00

I started following this blog after the first 7.2 quake we had. I was very worried she was gone! I love her view on everything, she does a very good job describing what most of us are going through right now.

THE GIRL FROM DUMFRIES IN JAPAN: Japan Earthquake Update: God is Able

Living Situation

2011-03-15T07:06:00.002-04:00

Hey friends and family!

So I just wanted to give an update because for the past few days I have kind of fallen out of touch with everyone. The reason is because we have been staying here at the little hotel on our base and we didn't have an internet connection in our room until just now. It's not because anything terrible happened to our house or anything like that...it is mainly because in the wake of all of the disaster it has left me a little unsettling to be at home. It's probably just because of my pregnancy hormones, my personal situation and feeling I had during the unfolding of events, or maybe just because I am a big ole wuss. Regardless, I feel like I have no choice but to just go where I feel safest, which is here on base in the safe strong arms of the Air Force.
So...to wrap it up, I can't control mother nature, but I can control things like not being so far from base if something were to happen again. So, we are currently awaiting a key to a new place in the "North Base" area here at Misawa AB where we will be moving for the remainder of our short time left here. Our base is currently being run on generators and that power is reserved only for the essentials, so it will be a while before the housing office is up and running again. They couldn't really even give us a fair time frame, but please pray it is sooner than later as we are getting the "boot" from our hotel room after tonight to make room for the onslaught of relief workers who are coming in to help in Sendai.

Maybe I jinxed myself in that last "bump update" when I said they would be boring this year.....I think this year will be anything but boring! I think Japan as a whole probably misses "boredom" right now....

My heart goes out to this great nation, and yes, I do get weepy when I look at pictures and see footage of the tsunami. I was talking with a friend and she pointed out that if you don't get weepy when you realize all of the devastation that took place in this wonderful country, there is probably something wrong with your heart.

Pretty much the only thing I will miss about living in my house off base is the Hardings, my tulips, and my heated floor and toilet seats....oh and of course, Swan Park.

POWER UPDATE

2011-03-12T23:56:00.003-05:00

**My Japanese local friend said that we are on temporary power, but it will not be shut off unless the system is overloaded. Go easy on your electric and we should have no worries of cold toes tonight**

Temporary off base power.....our power (and the rest of misawa city as rumor has it) is only an experiment and will be turned off at some point - just not sure when. On the Japanese intercom system they are announcing this message and saying to heat the house as much as possible while you can.

Obligatory bump photo...

2011-03-09T22:30:00.011-05:00

Many of you may be wondering if I am going to post weekly "bump" updates during this pregnancy. The answer is no way!!! Monthly? Sure! Much too busy this time around with the tot schedule, and also, it's number two guys!!! Pretty much all of my worries and mystery of what is to come is gone. We are settled in our home and aren't moving again for quite a while, so, that would make for some pretty boring bump updates....
Last time around sure was a whirlwind now that I think about it!! Holy shnikeys how did we even handle it all? Oh, that is right...the grace of GOD! He can move mountains I tell ya!

Anway, I am also not nearly as svelte as I was back in '09 before I turned into a mommy. Definitely not looking as good as I did LAST time I was in my 12th week! Well, one more day to week 13, but you get the idea. Don't get me wrong, I am still working out daily (SO important to exercise when growing a baby), I just can't spend all of the time I want doing it because of an adorable little obligation named Sabrina who so conveniently happens to despise the toddler room at the gym ;)
Because the weather has been bitter cold, and getting to the gym has been stressful to say the least, I have found Summer Sanders' prenatal workout to be a nice solution.

I am totally rambling on and on .....here is the darn photo already!!!!

(I know what you are thinking 'what a hot mamma!!!!')

Not much of a bump, eh? Well, the way my jeans fit would say otherwise...grow baby grow!!

Oh, and names will definitely not be a challenge. We already have boy & a girl name picked!!!

Announcement!

2011-03-03T20:33:00.003-05:00

Well, I made the announcement on Facebook, so I guess I better make it here too!!!

Is there any secret in the world harder to keep than news of a baby??? No!!!

I successfully waited the 3 months...and boy oh boy does it feel good to get it out!!! We are SO incredibly excited about our new addition!

Due September 16, 2011!

Chia Shrek

2011-03-03T00:26:00.009-05:00

How did our Chia Shrek end up with a big bald spot on his head? He looks like Papa (my totally awesome grandpa) with just hair on the sides of his head. Maybe I need to fashion Chia Shrek a cool hat?

This is what was supposed to happen to Shrek.

Maybe somebody gave us joke seeds? Regardless, it is fun to grow. Thanks for the Chia Head, Mom! How did you know I always wanted one?

Have you noticed a decline in photos and blogs recently? I've been SO nauseous...so much that every time I look through my camera it makes me dizzy!!!! Finally, the nausea is dissipating a little bit, so here I am, back behind my camera tinkering around.

konichiwa!

all terrain

2011-02-21T03:49:00.006-05:00

This weekend we headed to "Swan Park" once again in search of fun times. We did a little sledding (on ice) and wound up with scraped up knuckles and some pulled neck muscles.....or maybe the pulled neck muscles were from doing somersaults in the living room. Hard to say. Maybe a combo of both? Either way, despite my feeling a little under the weather, we had fun!

Sabrina was trudging through the melting ice and swampy grass like she had been doing it for years. I can't wait to play at the park this summer with Sabrina and walk along the trails with her introducing her to all of the butterflies and flowers!

oh hi!

2011-02-17T20:07:00.004-05:00

Feeling kind of upside down today, maybe we picked up a bug at the gym. Nothing a little Bieber can't fix though! Yes, I am admitting that I have Beiber fever!!

Happy Valentines Day!

2011-02-14T00:23:00.004-05:00

I am one very spoiled wifey.

I woke up to about 15 clues (that were all decorated very pretty) leading me on a wild goose chase around our house that eventually led to this big romantical surprise. Yes, I know romantical is not a word, but I think it should be one to describe days like today.

Take note, fellas!!! This is how you treat your woman!

no, I'm not having an emergency!

2011-02-09T19:13:00.002-05:00

My email and Facebook accounts were hacked into. Lovely.

Apparently they are saying I am stuck in Europe in some kind of dire emergency after being robbed by hoodlums. This is 100% false. They are cyber-criminals trying to make a buck the easy way.

I am super annoyed and so bitter towards these people for hacking into my personal information and pretending like they are me, having conversations with my friends and family.

I have no idea how they got into my accounts. I do a lot of online shopping because of where we live for little odds and ends you can't get here, maybe that has something to do with it? Maybe it is just bad luck? At least those jerks didn't get into my precious blog.....

Display Idea

2011-02-03T02:36:00.003-05:00

After my beach trip looking for sea glass, I had some inspiration to make some new displays....here is one of my favorites! I love the funky plant on top...I couldn't even tell you what kind of plant it is. I bought it at a little nursery last spring, and it has been thriving! It was about the size of a quarter when I brought it home! Are those bananas it is growing???

Baby Elephant Walk

2011-01-30T23:46:00.004-05:00

Sabrina is taking such a long nap today, allowing me to put together a compilation of our fun morning...

She is growing up so fast, twirling around like a ballerina like she has been walking forever!

diamonds in the rough

2011-01-30T06:46:00.007-05:00

Do you know when the best time to treasure hunt at the beach is? WINTER! Yes, it's true. It all began about a month ago when I headed to the beach in hopes of catching some great "marshmallow beach" photos for my friends back home.

It was during that time that I realized how unexplored the beach had been, not a single footprint in the snow along the whole coast as far as I could see. As I wandered closer to the waters edge, to my surprise there was an abundance of shells, sea glass, and other lost ocean treasures. Not having been picked over by the beachcombers of summer, I was in treasure hunting heaven (usually the beach by my house is pretty uneventful in the treasure hunting department)!

I went back with my camera in hopes of snapping some photos of sea glass as I found it. It just washes up onto the coast, all pretty and colorful, shining in the sun after being tossed around in the ocean sands for a century.

I love the green ones, though, these are probably not as old as others, because colored glass has not been around for all that long...

This looks like a creature you would find in a Pixar movie!

Fibonacci

Kitties and Crayons

2011-01-28T01:41:00.016-05:00

Two of the best things in life, kitties and crayons....oh, and don't forget little people too!

Today was fun, the kitties were being extra friendly, and Sabrina had her first crayon experience. It went just as I had anticipated...more crayon ended up in her mouth than on her Cinnamoroll coloring book.

Just lounging around in the sunshine...

'Oh hi, I'm Pumpkin, remember me? She used to like to take photos of me before she had a baby. Am I offended? No, I never really liked being in the lime light anyway. Okay, maybe I did like it...I'm a terrible liar'

'yah, what's up with that Pumpkin? Why doesn't she ever take our photo anymore? I miss this snazzy camera! I wonder how close I get get my nose to it!'

'I get so lonely because she never pays attention to us anymore. At least she still remembers to feed us and keep us fat.'

'okay, i guess this kid isn't so bad. She is learning to feed me treats, she is going to be my new best friend! You can stay'

Where are my snacks?

2011-01-27T04:36:00.004-05:00

Are they under here???

No.

Maybe they are in here....

Sabrina's first escape!

2011-01-21T05:58:00.002-05:00

Peter here...

I made a baby gate for our living room entry as the other gates we found were too short. I thought it would last a bit longer than this....

Sabrina's Escape from Stephanie Vandewalker on Vimeo.

Sabrina's first escape attempt is a great success

Tiny Horses

2011-01-12T01:38:00.008-05:00

Having fun photographing miniature horses. Aren't they so magical?

Peek-a-boo!

Sweet Angel Baby

2011-01-12T00:46:00.002-05:00

Am I even allowed to call my child a baby anymore? She is suddenly approaching 13 months! She is such a BIG girl now, eating pretty much anything we eat, walking about, chatting up a storm with everyone she meets.....where is my tiny little newborn?

She still has that sweet little gaze that she has had since day one ;) A little bit of heaven shining right through her eyes and into my heart!

Siberian Swans

2011-01-08T19:28:00.003-05:00

The Siberian Swans are in full effect at Swan Park! If you live in Misawa and have never seen the sight, you should totally go before they leave! ....and bring some bread, they are very friendly and love to be fed!

Downtown Denver

2010-12-30T00:31:00.000-05:00

Is gorgeous this time of year....

Flag

2010-12-28T01:13:00.004-05:00

Meet Flag, the oldest cat I have ever met, somewhere around 25 years old, yet, still can strike a pose with the best of them!
Here are some favorites from our feline photo shoot!

Rincles

2010-12-14T18:45:00.006-05:00

Never have I ever welcomed a rincle.....till I moved to Japan and the word "wrinkle" took on a whole new meaning!

Pete picks up his mega sized (normal sized) drumsticks, and I get the adorable "pumpkin sized" ones. Why doesn't America take note of this concept of miniature treats? Sure, ice cream treats taste good, but do they need to be elephant sized? It's no wonder America is so unhealthy.

Sometimes we just want a lil' kitty sized nibble!

These treats my be tiny, but boy oh boy do they pack a load of flavor! MMMM....it's hard not to go back for a seconds, thirds, fourths, fifths, well, you get the idea.

Cream Puffs!

2010-12-12T20:07:00.021-05:00

Here are just some fun photos...just because it has been a while...

This is a 69000 yen school kid's backpack....in USD that would equal roughly $824. They really take their education seriously!
Pete was wondering if it does your homework for you...considering the price.

In America, you will find students slouching Jansports over their shoulders...maybe with some candy wrappers hanging out of it....but probably not as many books inside as what you would find in one of these. This style is standard for Japan, there are variations in color and material, but they all have this distinct shape.
We decided we are going to pick up one of these cute Japanese backpacks for Sabrina for when she starts school in San Antonio. No, not the $800 one, but a cute little pink cheaper one. Maybe it will start a trend?

This is just one of the many cute (or kawaii is the slang word for little/cute here) illustrations you find around Japan. Baby bunnies baking bread are "kawaii"...sounds like Hawaii but with a K. There, you learned something new!
Anyone who really knows me can imagine how much fun I am having living in a place with so much "kawaii" everywhere!

Peter's curiosity getting the best of him, finally trying the cream puffs at the mall....

Seriously? Beard Papa's Fresh'N Natural Cream Puffs....the name may be hilarious, but these magical puffs of cream were nothing to joke about....serious goodness going on. We devoured them so fast I didn't even get to snap a photo of their puffy creamy deliciousness!
If you live in Misawa...you gotta try these at the Shimoda mall. Especially the ones with the little crunchies on top.
Sabrina is reaching for the bag, hoping to get another morsel of cream puffy magicalness.

I thought that "beard papa's" was another Engrish mix up, and they meant to say "bread daddy" or something. When I saw the bag, I knew there was no mix up. That is one happy puffy pipe smokin' beard papa!

Pete was having a blast hanging out with the lil' girls at my favorite Japanese clothing store "ANY FAM". That is the name of the store...Any Fam....I am not sure if it was a mix up or something...was it supposed to be Any Family? I try not to think too hard about the Engrish mix ups....
He sure had the kiddos amused and giggling with his crazy UFO noises he was making playing with the bead tower!

Awww...my famiry....i rove them folevel.

2010 Highlights

2010-12-06T07:50:00.002-05:00

Top Ten Moments Christmas Card

Get custom photo Christmas cards online at Shutterfly.com.

View the entire collection of cards.

I don't particularly like posting things like this, but hey...they are giving me a $25 gift certificate for doing it!! I know I won't have any issues spending that on prints!

San Antonio Bound

2010-11-29T21:00:00.005-05:00

I am SO proud to announce the BIG news we just found out today! I know what you are thinking, and no, it's not another baby, although that would be warmly welcomed.

My exceptionally magnificent husband was accepted into a specialty dentistry program with the Air Force! I am thrilled for him! We leave Japan May of 2012. Seems so close yet so far away!

The best part is that I married a man who accomplishes his dreams. That is really all I hope and pray for out of my family.

My current dream: Being the best possible mother, sister, daughter, friend I can be....along with capturing emotionally loaded moments in time through photography and movie making ;)

Anyway, I am SO excited to move here for two years, and to watch my husband realize his dreams!

planning making me crazy!

2010-11-29T02:03:00.005-05:00

ALMOST finished planning the longest Christmas vacation ever....geeez, husband has far too many vacation days! I don't understand why more people don't join the Air Force, if not for that perk alone!

Glued to the News

2010-11-27T20:39:00.003-05:00

N. Korea is ruining my leisurely Sunday morning. I can't stop reading the news! Wondering how this will pan out, and if I should take my cute baby to a more peaceful part of the world, like New Zealand.

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

Maybe I am so nervous because of the proximity of the hostility...

Bring On The Water - Slightly Caulfield -

2010-11-22T02:34:00.002-05:00

My brother....I LOVE him sooooooooooooooooooooooo much

Myspaceミュージックで、 Slightly Caulfield に似ているアーティストをもっと探す

Baby Steps

2010-11-20T18:11:00.003-05:00

This is such an exciting time for us, with Sabrina learning how to walk and everything. There really is nothing in this life that I have enjoyed more than being her mommy (other than being married to my best friend).

That is probably pretty obvious considering ever since I found out she was in my belly, all I can ever seem to talk about and show pictures of is her. She has captivated my heart in every way possible.

I just hope those little legs don't ever take her too far away from me!
Here is a movie I have been working on, the epic tale of her journey to becoming bipedal. Enjoy!

Baby Steps from Stephanie Vandewalker on Vimeo.

Beach Baby Bunny Fairy?

2010-11-19T07:59:00.004-05:00

We are in the process of filming an epic tale of ones trials and tribulations as they learn to walk.

The setting, Northern Japan, 21st century. The actress in the film just so happens to be our daughter.

As it turns out, she was perfect for the part because she herself is coincidentally learning how to walk!

One of the most exciting scenes takes place at the beach, here are a few favorite stills from today's filming.

Nanbu Town ...again

2010-11-18T04:35:00.005-05:00

Have I ever mentioned how much I love Nanbu Town? We brought home some hand picked apples, and Sabrina can't wait to bake a yummy pie with them!

From A Series of Fortunate Events

Worldly Baby

2010-11-14T07:07:00.002-05:00

Coffee & Literature

2010-11-12T00:33:00.014-05:00

Why yes, I think I will lounge over this coffee...

...and perhaps I will read my new Happy Science magazine that I found in my mailbox this morning.
Does the cover remind you of this guy??

Riveting literature can be found inside, take a look!

I wonder what the alpaca and unicorn are discussing.

Oh, I see, they are talking about the alien invasion. Oh wait, WHAT!?? What is this weird magazine!?
Where is my Cosmo.....

under construction

2010-11-10T22:58:00.010-05:00

I'm working on blog design overhaul... bear with me while she looks a little outrageous for a day or three...or four...or twelve...

From A Series of Fortunate Events

Can I Tell You A Secret?

2010-11-10T18:51:00.007-05:00

From A Series of Fortunate Events

I love you!

....even though you get your cuddle furs all over Sabrina's socks.

From A Series of Fortunate Events

Play Date

2010-11-03T07:51:00.002-04:00

So Sabrina had a play date today with her new friend Michael. It went really well, can't you tell...

Hahaha...he calmed down after a while and then they had FUN! And LOTS OF IT!!!

Happy Halloween

2010-10-29T07:10:00.003-04:00

As my grandma used to always tell me "Have fun...and BE GOOD" :)

1st baby steps

2010-10-28T20:43:00.002-04:00

Sabrina took her first solo steps a few days ago!! Watch those little feet!!!

1st baby steps from Stephanie Vandewalker on Vimeo.

Where is your smile, little angel?

2010-10-27T00:06:00.004-04:00

Little miss serious....

Till mommy makes a yummy in my tummy homemade apple pie {tis the season}!!!

And then it is all smiles for everyone...even little miss serious....

creative spark

2010-10-25T00:15:00.016-04:00

Lately, I have been wanting to do little else than "make stuff". Making a painting, making a garden, making my house a home....

For the longest time I having been living in my house with this sad notion of "this is not a home, because it is only temporary". What a depressing way of thinking, especially when the walls are filled with with lots of love.
I think a lot of military families probably struggle with this mindset of a never ending, overwhelmingly constant feeling of temporary. Every time I meet someone new here in Misawa, the first thing that comes up is "so, how long have you been here" or "how much longer do you have in Misawa". Yes, we are going to be packing up this house into boxes in less than two years, but why not just take advantage of this brand spankin' new, amazing, four bedroom house {with heated toilet seats} while I still can? Just because it will soon be emptied of our scent doesn't mean I should treat it like it's already nothing more than a memory.

Anyway, I am totally off track! I really just wanted to post some pics of my miniature bonsais, and also of a revamped painting.

Living overseas has been challenging in regards to home decor, because Japanese and American decor is so completely different. While Japanese woodcuts and artwork is very gorgeous, it is also typically expensive, leaving me to buy decor online. In one instance, I ordered a painting on Amazon that I thought was really pretty on the website. When I received it in the mail, it was totally dull and lifeless. They must have messed with the saturation in the photo or something....

Anyway, I painted over it....

And here is the Stephy version of the painting. I think it is much more fitting.

The lil' button flowers are my favorite part.

It was a very easy, very simple abstract design that anyone can do!

Also, here are my first miniature bonsais.

I don't think this pretty lady is going to make it...
*Sniffles*

This girl looks much, much happier in her new little clay home.

In our next class, we are going to Hachinohe to a bonsai shop....I better start saving up my Yennies now!!!! So excited!

I know these do not look like traditional bonsai plants that everyone has a generic idea of in their minds. The truth is that any tree grown in a container is a bonsai. I mean, there is a whole lot more to it than that, but you get the idea. Sensai starts us off tiny, because he understands that for our first one, we will probably kill it. Sad but true....

gap in history

2010-10-23T06:09:00.012-04:00

Geez, it's been a while!

We have been really busy making Halloween decorations, putting long baby hair in pigtails, prepping the garden for the big winter that looms, and learning the art of bonsai (my new love affair). Pics to come when I find the time!!!

enjoy your world

2010-09-30T23:56:00.004-04:00

Sabrina's first trip to the river...the American river, near the north fork.

The water was just a tad chilly at first from the mountains, but she didn't seem to mind! She loved every moment,though, probably not as much as I did!

Triple S

2010-09-23T11:39:00.005-04:00

meaning...no Sleep for Stephy and Sabrina....I'm slightly delirious right now due to sleep deprivation, just typing away!
It was a very long flight to Sacramento from Japan, Sabrina slept for maybe 3 hours total the whole trip (it takes about 24 hours when you include Space A check in, airport layovers, etc.... I made the trip with Sabrina once before, five months ago, and it was five hundred times easier back then. She is so wiggly and excited about everything these days, not wanting to miss a beat of life, which leads to no sleep. She is refusing to adapt to the new time change...

I hope tonight we get some much needed rest, about three nights overdue!

Anyway, we finally got to meet Smokey and Bandit, moms latest additions to the Star Canyon Ranch. Smokey is kind of a jerk to Bandit, but Bandit doesn't seem to mind. Maybe Bandit is a masochist?

Nanbu Town

2010-09-18T21:40:00.012-04:00

So I have a new favorite place in Northern Japan. It is Nanbu Town!

We got a late start on our day trip, as usual. What can I say, we love our luxuriously lazy weekend mornings, cooking omelets heaping with fresh veggies, and having that second cup of coffee without a rush, wearing pajamas :)

The rest of the world can wait, right?

Anyway, we made several stops in Nanbu Town, a unique and quaint town nestled in the foothills. I think that is the only way to describe it, unique and quaint.

We picked apples & grapes, found a tree-house campground (that we will be camping out in upon our return from the states), a dangerously huge dragon jungle gym thing, awesome water park, and a ancient temple where we only had time to wave to some cordial koi.

The town is really pretty, and really close to home compared to other more popular places to visit around Misawa. It is right by Nango Town, which is just about 10 minutes outside of Hachinohe. At least it isn't too far for us, considering we live so far outside of Misawa that you can throw a stone at Shimoda Mall from our driveway.....

Anyway, here are a few highlights, definitely a cool place to check out, with gorgeous sights all around!

So pretty nestled in the foothills. I wish we could wake up to this everyday!

Good thing we brought our dinosaur repellent!

Treehouse camping!!!

Awesome fruit farm. We did not get the memo that it was on a huge slope, and we went on a rainy day, so wearing sandals was not the best idea. Muddy feet were had by all :)

Cutie Sabrina picking her first grapes!

Nestled in the foothills, can you see the tops of the treehouses down there?

Hi fishies!!!

waving to the koi from Stephanie Vandewalker on Vimeo.

Fisher ~ Beautiful Life

2010-09-09T05:04:00.002-04:00

Sabrina's first (of many) music video!

Beautiful Life from Stephanie Vandewalker on Vimeo.

Pajamaflage

2010-09-08T23:59:00.005-04:00

This n That

2010-09-06T03:16:00.009-04:00

The summer has kept us so busy, we have been slacking on Sabrina photos for the family!

Here are a few odds and ends from the last month....
I can't believe how BIG she is getting! I had to go clothing shopping for her because suddenly she is wearing 9-12 month sizes!
Suddenly she is crawling at lightening speed, and repeating noises like "mamamamamama" and "brrrrrrrrrbrrrrrrr" back to us. She stood yesterday for a whopping 10 seconds all by herself! WOW! Go Princess Chan Chan (Princess Chan Chan is her little nickname here in Japan)!!!!!

Anyway, here are a few little photos...

We seriously need to baby proof our media station...

Catmoflauge

2010-08-25T20:50:00.002-04:00

Is there any man out there more perfect for me? Thanks for letting me doodle on your face with my new face paints, handsome.

Frog Prince

2010-08-23T19:10:00.002-04:00

He has kind of a gimpy right hand, but that's okay. It just makes him all the more unique and special :)

A Series of Fortunate Events

Happy New Year!

Merry Christmas!

I'm not a pony

Total Lunar Eclipse

Cute Cupcake Lampshade

Quite Positively Certain

little mister

Komaki Onsen

the new Normal

berry masher

sunny days

2 weeks in it!

baby brother!

gee thanx love....

first bow!

Full Term!

kitties and cupcakes

36 weeks

Faux Air Conditioning

ice cream treats!

just can't wait!

hotokegaura and monkeys!

drinkable pancakes

crazy legs

In mid air

silly zoo doodles

new "do"

home to hubby!

just my size

goose basketball

Rainbow Warrior begins sampling off Fukushima | Greenpeace International

informative Fukushima fallout video

Cry for help...

It's a BOY!

Civilian world

ERD

should I stay or should I go

From Dept. of State

Found my heart in San Francisco

Drops

Hello again, America

A place on base...

one more day

Flight update

Still waiting

Sweet despite the sour

Kitties

Ready, set....

What is going on?

Voluntary Evacuation

the luck of the Irish

THE GIRL FROM DUMFRIES IN JAPAN: Japan Earthquake Update: God is Able

Living Situation

POWER *UPDATE*

Obligatory *bump* photo...

Announcement!

Chia Shrek

all terrain

oh hi!

Happy Valentines Day!

no, I'm not having an emergency!

Display Idea

Baby Elephant Walk

diamonds in the rough

Kitties and Crayons

Where are my snacks?

Sabrina's first escape!

Tiny Horses

Sweet Angel Baby

Siberian Swans

Downtown Denver

Flag

Rincles

Cream Puffs!

2010 Highlights

San Antonio Bound

planning making me crazy!

Glued to the News

Bring On The Water - Slightly Caulfield -

POWER UPDATE

Obligatory bump photo...