Peppermint on a Shelf~ 2012

Last year I wanted to do the Elf on a Shelf with Blake but being in Guam I remembered to late to get one here in time so I waited ever so patiently for this year!  He arrived right on time and made his presence known to a little boy in our house.  At first this little one was not so sure and hated the idea of someone watching him until he figured out it was a game!  So here is what Peppermint has been up to so far.

 Just hangin' out

On Blake's Christmas tree in his room

Eating marshmallows

 Taking a ride

We made cookies and Blake saved him one "just in case he gets hungry again"!

He obviously enjoyed them :)

The stache'

Swingin'

Blake has had a lot of fun with him.  So happy I remembered this year :)

Diving

I know I am very very behind on my post and you'll have to forgive me b/c I am not going to back track but start fresh :)  

So today we were invited to go down to one of the bee-u-tiful beaches and go diving with a few of our friends.  So this AM we woke up and got ready packing the cooler, our dive gear, sand toys, and a few other things and we were on the road.  We stopped by and rented an umbrella with picnic tables, then went by the dive shop to get our tanks... we were set!  

Here are some pictures from both of our dives at GabGab 1 that we have been on!

My babe

 

Us in our SEXY suits!!

Our spot for the day! (not sure who the girl is)

Blake and 1, yes 1, of his girls

I was crossing my fingers and toes that my sinuses would cooperate with me for today.  I started getting very congested on Halloween night and it is STILL here but I was able to knock a few (okay maybe more than a few) Ibuprofen and Decongestants.  Even when getting into the water I wasn't 100% sure I would be able to do it but after getting out and down I was okay and could clear my ears!  I did however have lots of pressure in my head but I was good (oh and I came up with a bloody nose).  Once we turned around and was heading back (I had 1500 psi left in my tank) I was getting very light and started to float upward (not a good thing when you are 67 ft down).   My dive buddies had to hold onto me to keep me from ascending (thank Lisa and Aaron)... so lesson learned I need more weight... like double it probably!  I am also oh so happy that we invested in wetsuits since last weekend.  I would have froze my butt off today. 

We had a blast and will hopefully make this a regular thing!  We normally have our neighbor watch Blake but we really like having him around but obviously we can't both dive and have him so this was perfect we had 3 families down there so we broke up into 2 groups and went out separately since there were 4 small kids and 2 older kids between all of us.  Blake was beyond ready for bed tonight since had had been playing with his girls all day long! 

Anywho, Lisa (one of my dive buddies for today) and I are going diving on Wednesday this week!  I can't wait!!     

Tomorrow we are going to the Hyatt for a day at the pool!  Lisa's crew may be coming to hang with us... again (we haven't seen each other in ages :)

Well TTFN

Playing Catch-Up

Sorry about the delay in writing!  When we got home our house was full of all of our outside stuff, to the point where I couldn't cook in the kitchen.  I had to put the tarp back up before I put everything back outside which took some days since it was rainy.  Then we had Blake's end of school year stuff going on and then to top it all off we have been under the weather for a few weeks so needless to say we have been busy and when I'm not I just want to relax. 

So anyways, our trip to Japan was awesome.  I didn't really know if it was going to be worth it to go see Aaron and all that since he was going to be coming home 3 weeks later but to see the look on Blake's face at the airport was priceless and made it ALL worth it.  We were all happy to be a family again :) 

The first and last day in Japan we went to Miyajima Island and it was awesome.  It's an island that people live on, shop at, eat at, site see, etc.  There is also deer that wander around the island and you can pet and they try to steal your food... I think they plot their attack :)  There is also many shrines, temples, parks and an aquarium.  I took a ton of pictures but here are a few...

On the train

 

Blake petting a deer

Temple

You can see the all the pictures from day 1 here and from day 6 here.

Day 2 we went to the Kintai Bridge and to the Iwakuni Castle.  Not much to talk about here it was just gorgeous so I'll let the pictures do the talkin' :)

Kintai Bridge

Cable car to the top of the very tall, steep mountain and the castle

View from the castle

You can see the whole album here.

Day 3 we took a $40 taxi ride each way to go to the Chicken Shack which was a FANTASTIC restaurant/store.  We were a little confused when we first got there b/c it was this open air place with tables put all over in no particular place and there were many kitchens.  So anyways we walked through while looking at our map and made our way back to the front and looked at the menu and well we can't write nor speak fluent Japanese so we had a little Japanese help with writing our order down... thanks friendly Japanese people!!  We went and sat down at a table with a great view and waited for our food to be brought to us we ordered 2 chicken havles, 2 rice, 2 gyoza, 1 udon soup!!  It was fantastic... I haven't had better food in a loooonnnggg time.  

When we pulled up

Cooking rice

view from table to the right

Another to the left

Here is the link to all the pictures.... enjoy!

Day 4 and 5 I wasn't feeling well and running a fever (Blake was sick on day 2 and gladly gave it to me).  Aaron worked half days these days and Blake and I just hung out on base and wen to play grounds.  Day 6 we went to Miyajima Island for the second time and the pictures are on the link with day 1.  

One of the days 4 or 5 we went a little Mexican place that a a mile from the base so we walked there and since I wasn't feeling well we got a taxi home.  Surprisingly it was pretty good... I know Mexican food in Japan weird but good!  We also went to Thai place one day that wasn't good at all.

We stayed in Japan for a week and were very sad to leave daddy.  We got on the plane and Blake turns to me with tears in his eyes and tells me he misses daddy :(  I knew he would but didn't expect him to vocalize it since he didn't really acknowledge him being gone for the past 5 1/2 months.  I felt horrible but told him daddy would be home in 3 1/2 weeks.  So, note to self never go see daddy during a deployment until the end.

Blake's last day of school was last Thursday and so there was a few of us moms that took the kids to Chuck E Cheese to celebrate :)  The kids had a fantastic time which is all that matters!

We are also awaiting the return of daddy.  He gets home on Tuesday and we are very excited :)  I will post pictures of his homecoming if I can get some!

Until next time...

TTFN

So Sorry

Sorry I haven't written a blog in a while.  Blake and I got back from Japan but we have been busy with the end of school year for Blake, yes you heard me right, my little man is growing up.  We also have been under the weather lately with allergies (my favorite).  So, I promise to write a blog here shortly of what's been going lately but to be honest I feel like crap so it'll have to wait!  I just thought I'd write a hello since I see I have had some of you checking in on me :)  

Till next time...

TTFN

Courtney's Visit

A friend from high school came to visit Blake and I this past week, the 9th-16th!  I think we both agree that it was a great time.  She arrived in the evening on...

~ Wednesday so we came home and it was bed time

~ Thursday we drove around the island and ate at Jeff's Pirate Cove

~ Friday was Tarague Beach day (on Andersen)

~ Saturday we waited for the cable guy then Courtney and I went shopping :)

~ Sunday we had Mother's Day brunch here on base with the neighbors (YUM) and hung around the    house for some much needed chill time

~ Monday we went to the Hyatt pool 

~ Tuesday we went out with a BANG and did the Atlantis Submarine tour and was really cool.  Well worth the $$$$

 ~ Wednesday we aren't there yet since it is only Tuesday evening but I am taking her to the airport a little after 9am for her 12 o'clock flight

Over all it was a great time and a great way to break up the time for Blake and I since daddy/Aaron is gone. 

On another note, Aaron made it to Iwakuni, Japan on Sunday so I bought mine and Blake's plane tickets to go for visit.  Although it was not as long as originally planned 7 days instead of 10 (no non stop flight home on the 27th) we will enjoy being with daddy/hubby for a while and being able to experience the area.  I will def. have my camera (it's already charged and ready to go) with me so I will post pictures during or after our trip.  

Aaron's new EDA is the 18th of June instead of the 15th that way they have more time off than just the weekend :) We are very excited for the end to be insight now... only 4 weeks now and 1 of those we will be with him :) 

I am posting a separate picture post b/c for some reason Blogger freezes when I try to post it.

Long Time No Talk

Yes I know it's been a while and I am slacking but we still haven't been up to much.  Our normal running around and shopping.  

We are getting ready for my friend Courtney to come for a visit, she gets here Wednesday (Tuesday for all of you stateside people).  We have some things in mind to do while she is here and I plan on making the most of it for her since this is her first BIG travel and it just so happens that she graduated FSU this past month!  Congrats... again :)  I think we are going to go do Atlantis Submarine, beaches, snorkel (if she feels up for it), food (her vacays revolve around trying new places to eat), the Hyatt pool, a possible Polynesian show and will probably walk around the exchanges and drive around the island to site see!  We will be busy but it'll be fun!!  My neighbor has offered to watch Blake so we can have adult time (this mommy NEEDS is, I have had a rough few weeks).

After Courtney leaves Blake and I are planning to go to Iwakuni, Japan for 10 days (The 17th or 18th-27th) to hang out with Aaron for a little while and explore that area of Japan... mind as well take advantage of being over here right!  We well be coming home around the 27th and then Aaron will get home on the 15th of July (well at least as of now).  So we are looking forward to that as well!

We were suppose to go to one of Blake's friends birthday party last Saturday and well we made it to the front door and friend of mine answered and Blake took off running to the car.  Needless to say we didn't end up staying for the party which look really fun if you were a girl, I mean Barbie even made an appearance :)

 If you are on Facebook you probably saw that one of my fur babies had to go to the vet.  She swallowed a piece of a jerky treat and acted a little funny afterwards, well we woke up on Saturday morning and she was in a lot of pain, she was moaning and wouldn't lay down, she didn't want to walk around, I felt terrible.  I called multiple ER vets... they were crap and it took FOREVER for them to get back to me.  Finally one called and told me to give her pepto pills and if it didn't get better to bring her to a vet.  Well, maybe it was me and I was over reacting but I honestly didn't think she was going to make it through the night.  I had both of the furry babies in my room just in case she made a noise or something, well it didn't last long and about 2 hrs later they were both put in their crate in the living room.  Monday came and she was still with me but still in pain so I called the vet on base with no luck.  No appts till Friday, so I called another and got her in that morning... thank goodness!    She came home a few hours later with an anti-inflamatory, a laxative, and pain meds, she had Dr.s order to poop before the next morning or she had to come back for IV treatment.  Before lunch we had a poop-er!!  So traumatic to say the least.

Well that's about it for now... I told we haven't been up to anything!

Till next time...

TTFN 

 

 

Around these parts

We haven't really been doing much of anything lately but for the sake of our stateside family I'll fill you in on what little we have been doing!

Well this week is spring break for Blake so I have been planning things for us to do while he is off.  We went to the base pool a few times last week with some of the Pre-k kids and moms.  Blake had a great time and met a few news friends :)  We are going to go Underwater World on Wednesday with one of his new friends and his little girl friends.  We plan on doing lunch and Gelato of course... I can't go down in Tumon without it ;)  

We are also going to go to the Hyatt and get an Annual Oasis Membership which is for the beach and pools they have there.  The pools on the bases are so strict that it's not even fun to go to really, I mean you walk and they blow their darn whistle at you, no joke!!  So I talked Aaron into getting it and we 20% off of the restaurants in the hotel which I have heard are awesome.

This weekend was Easter... duh, and we died some eggs on Saturday for the Easter bunny to hide for Sunday.  Well since daddy/Aaron isn't home it made hiding the eggs a little difficult hoping he wouldn't see me.  I was going to hide them Saturday evening but I didn't want something to eat them through the night and then Blake being heartbroken on Sunday morning.  So I had to hide them Sunday morning, after he woke up since beating him awake isn't gonna happen so I did it and he was able to still believe in the Easter Bunny :)  

I have snapped some pictures that last few days too so here are a few...

 He finally figured out how to swing himself

Playing with his action figure Transformers, such a boy!!

 

Ain't she cute :) 

Here is the Facebook link to most of them, except for the ones I just put on my computer.

Till Next Time...

TTFN

Day 2-9

Day 2- Colour

Day 3- Mail

Day 4- Someone Who Makes You Happy

Day 5- Tiny

Day 6- Lunch

I didn't eat lunch this day and forgot to take the picture on the days that followed.

Day 7- Shadow

Day 8- Inside Your Wallet

Day 9- Younger You (from 8th grade... I think)

Till next time...

TTFN