Made my day...

This song came on my Pandora this morning and I decided to look up the music video and I couldn't help but smile...love it! Maybe because he calls her "baby girl" and that's what Robert calls me or maybe because it say's "i love you" a million times, maybe because the lyrics, "my momma told me don't lose you 'cause the best luck I had was you" make me think of Robert's mom setting us up, maybe because all the people in the video dance a hundred times better than I do...or maybe it's all those things! Enjoy...

Pretty Toes!

One of the many great things about Okinawa is the elaborate pedicures! They're amazing and last about 90 minutes. You drink some of the best iced tea I've ever had (if you're from Kaufman, it ranks up there with the Tea Room's lemonade tea). It's so relaxing and as you can see the nail art is out of this world! I always try my best not to move or laugh when they start with the detailed painting...you should see the amount of paint they have! I'm so looking forward to friends and family coming to visit and getting pedicures! Enjoy :D

Anchors Aweigh!

I said farewell to Robert early Tuesday morning. He's off to sail the high seas for the next 3-4 months. This is a fabulous opportunity for him, he's the team lead for the Combat Camera section on ship!

We had a fabulous last weekend together. We went to one of my favorite shopping areas here in Oki and on the way I had to take a picture of the 100 Yen Plaza, it's Japan's version of the US Dollar Store except they actually have some really cool stuff!

Driving in Okinawa traffic, there were protests going on Saturday, but luckily we missed most of the commotion. :D

Found these awesome mugs in Grace. We got quite a few funny looks and I think one lady took a picture of us with her cell phone...crazy Americans!

Yes we set the timer on the picture above...why not?!

Some of my favorite thing in Grace: Sushi Lunch Box, Chopstick Section, and Cow Coffee Maker

All that shopping made us hungry! Charmy's is basically like a snow cone but it's made from frozen milk instead of ice and topped with chocolate...hmmmmm!

Inside TodayOk! it's very similar to Ikea so much great stuff.

That's my new office chair from TodayOk! and my inventive husband, pretty sure a couple took his pic with their camera phone too...crazy Americans!

Lovely view while driving home from shopping.

We had dinner at Arin Karin before he left...he'd been dying to try it since we've moved here. This is the outside of the building...I'll be honest at first I didn't get the connection between the art on the wall and garlic and was slightly offended at first glance...ooops! I see it now :D

Dinner was fabulous! Garlic is AMAZING...we'll be taking all our visitors here for sure!

After dinner it was time for ice cream at Big Dip! They have the cut outs everywhere...I just love it!

This ice cream spurred on many "yo mama" jokes and no I didn't try it.

What's an ice cream parlor with out a creepy Marine officer with a Staff Sgt's rank?!

Leaving church on Sunday...love our church here and our Sunday School and Small group Bible Study, such a blessing!

Robert's last day here we went to lunch at one of our favorite little restaurants right outside base...yummm!

Thanks so much for all the phone calls, emails, facebook messages and prayers...they are greatly appreciated! I'll leave you with one of my favorite verses from Anchors Aweigh:

Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh.

Farewell to college joys, we sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay.

Through our last night on shore, drink to the foam,

Until we meet once more. Here's wishing you a happy voyage home.

Ella's Onesies

The picture above is what went in the scrap paper box from last week! I had so much fun making these for my friend's little girl's first birthday party! I just looked at pictures on Facebook of her party and it was incredible...her mom did a fabulous job of decorating and making treats, I've never seen anything so adorable.

This was a really easy project. I used tshirts, scrap fabric and buttons for everything. All the flowers and ruffles were made from 1-2'' circles of the tshirt material and I just folded them over twice, arranged them how I wanted and stitched them in to place.

Each one didn't take more than 30 minutes...small price to pay for such a cute result. I used heat 'n bond to secure the lace to the onesies. Everything else was stitched. You could use so many different combinations to make these.

All in all, this was a fun project that doesn't break the bank. Great for birthdays, any occasion or no occasion at all! :D

Enjoy!

a few of my FAVORITE things!

I received a box from my parents this week with lots of great surprises! I thought I'd share a few of my favorite things. Above is a close up of my new shower curtain, it's up in the guest bath and looks just lovely.

C.O. Bigelow Mentha Lip Shine from Bath & Body Works. It's lip shine and fresh breath all in one tube, what more do you need?

My absolute favorite Tazo tea...thanks dad! I heard you went to quite a few places to find this for me. It was sold out on Amazon and everywhere else.

Funny thing, the day I got this package I got an email from Amazon saying it was available again...haha, what timing?! I'll be heading over there to buy some in bulk.

And finally...Lea & Perrins Marinade for Chicken. Have you ever had this? It's amazing and it's the key ingredient in one of my favorite recipes, Jeff's Chicken and Rice. It's been a favorite since I can remember and now Robert's hooked on it too. This is one of those great comfort meals that always makes me feel happy when I eat it! Another reason this recipe is so close to my heart is that Jeff was taken from this earth much too soon, he was killed by a drunk driver several years ago. Every time I make this I think of him and usually hear the song Kokomo by the Beach Boys and I smile. I'm sure that seems kind of awkward but the first time I remembering hearing that song and falling in love with it was with Jeff at his parent's house when I was little bitty. I'll leave you with this quote from Jeff that was shared at his funeral and maybe I'll post the recipe later on this week :D

"You only get one shot at this life. don't waste it, it could be gone any day. travel. blow some money. go see some music. make some music. kiss someone on the mouth (preferably someone who won't sue you). read a book. write a book. whatever. just don't take it for granted. no one lies on their death bed wishing they had spent more time at the office. Grab Let It Be (preferably on vinyl) tonight, and sit back and enjoy yourself."
-Jeff Wilson (1974-2006)

Labor Day Weekend w/Fam

Yeah for company! We had a great time with the fam over the labor day weekend. My parents and grandmother (memom) came to visit us in SC and we had a great time. We went to Charleston and took a boat tour of the harbor, went to King Street and ate a cupcake from Cupcake and had Starbucks from the downtown store that was once a bank and is gorgeously restored. They also got a full cultural experience while in SC, they ate Thai food, Greek food and tried my homemade hummus...so proud. We went to Hilton Head and shopped in Bluffton. They even got to go to a Marine Corps graduation. We ended the weekend by a trip to Hunting Island and eating at our favorite place in Beaufort Dockside! Thanks to the fam for making the trip out here, we had such a great time hanging out.

Eating at Dockside....yummmmm!



Memom's first trip to the Atlantic Ocean


Me & Memom at the Beach on Hunting Island


Haha! Love this picture, she didn't know i was taking it :D


Mom & Dad


He was eyeballing my mint chocolate chip!


Eating Ice Cream outside of Southern Sweets in Downtown Beaufort


About to go on the boat tour of Charleston