A few videos...

I thought I would put a few new videos on here since we are leaving for Okuma tomorrow. I just We will only be gone 2 nights but I thought this might help keep some of you from missing Grace so much ;-)

I just checked the weather and, of course, it looks like thunderstorms the entire time we are there. Oh, well... it happens every time we go. But at least there is a chance the weather forecast could be wrong! I think there is a chance of rain everyday here.

This is the horse Grace got for Christmas. She loves to ride on it and she always opens her mouth like that to copy her Daddy!

We decided that Grace needed to learn how to bang on pots and pans so we started with 1 pot and a wooden spoon.

She was singing and dancing to her music!

Playdough FUN!

While my Mom and I were out shopping one day she found a box of free things at one of the souvenir stores. She, of course, found something for Grace. It was a rolling pin and some cookie cutters, which I thought would go well with the play kitchen she is getting for Christmas (SHHH!!).

Well, while Maggie was over here playing she informed us that it was not for the kitchen, it was for PLAYDOUGH! Sometimes it takes a 2 year old to figure this stuff out.

So... we made playdough!!

And then after dinner we got to PLAY with it!

Evidently, I need to go back to art class because the balloon I made looked like A SQUID.

How does a 2 year old know what a squid looks like and I don't??? Maybe I should check out a book at the library on marine life!

Four little fishies

Do you realize how hard it is to take a good picture of a fish tank and 4 fish when one wants to hide? After about 10 tries I gave up so this is as good as it gets. We have two fish that are gold with a black spot near the tail and two that are green. The gold ones are named Mickey and Minnie because if you look close at their tail (see the second picture) the black spot looks like a Mickey Mouse head! In this first picture Mickey is swimming above Minnie. The other two are named Tom and Jerry because they are always playing chase. Actually, Tom is always picking on Jerry. Lately Jerry has been trying to hide so in this picture if Jerry is visible he will be around the filter and that is Tom over by the bubbles. Grace loves them! She could sit and look at them for a long time. She likes to talk to them too. Or maybe she is telling us about them?

Getting back to a routine...

We have enjoyed having my parents here for the past few weeks (my Mom was here 3 weeks and my Dad for 10 days). Grace really enjoyed having her Grandma and Grandpa here to play with her and spoil her rotten! I think we did more in the short time my Dad was here than we have done since we have been on this beautiful island. Grace took most of her naps in her carseat while we were driving from one place to another.

We started out by going to Okinawa World and Peace Prayer Park the first day. Day 2 we drove to a few other islands and saw some castle ruins. During the week while Dustin was working we did quite a bit of shopping and ventured to a few places like Shuri Castle and the Japanese Naval Underground. We had lunch at the Tea House, which is a neat little restaurant overlooking the golf course and flight line, a couple times and went to a Japanese Teppanyaki restaurant once.

The last weekend my parents were here was a 4-day for Dustin so we stayed busy! Friday we went to a beach so we could have family pictures taken for our Christmas cards then we headed up north. We stopped at Maeda point to see the wonderful scenery on our way to the Busena Resort Underwater Observatory. Grace loved it! We walked out to a building that had a winding staircase that took you underwater and there were several look-out windows where we could watch lots of pretty fish. Afterwards, we kept driving and went to the Pineapple park. This was our 4th time going and it is always a treat. Who doesn't love eating pineapple??

On Saturday we went to Naha and shopped at Kokusai street. We parked at the Jusco (shopping mall with free parking) and rode the monorail to one end of the street and took off walking. We bought Grace a cute little dress and we got some ice cream at Blue Seal. I have a new favorite - Caramel Machiato! On our way home we stopped by a flightline fest and saw lots of helicopters and airplanes. Grace got to ride a train and visit the duck pond and she even won a couple toys!

Sunday was a little more relaxing but busy nonetheless. Since Grace loved watching the fish so much at the underwater observatory we bought her a fish tank! We picked it up on Saturday morning and then on Sunday my parents cleaned it up and showed us how to set it all up. After it was all ready we went to a pet store that is only about 5 minutes from our house and bought 4 little fish! They now have names - Mickey, Minnie, Tom, and Jerry. That afternoon we went to the 100 Yen Plaza near our house, then we went to the lighthouse on Cape Zanpa, and finally we went to dinner.

Monday might have been the longest but most exciting day. We drove up to Okuma (military recreation area) and went on a snorkel trip. Grace was not too fond of the life jacket she had to wear but she loved swimming in the ocean! Afterwards, we got back in the car and drove to the northern most part of the island - Cape Hedo. And then we went on a trail through some bushes and rocks to see a panoramic view. I don't think we will be doing that again! We decided to take the scenic route (aka: the longest route) back home. I think it took us over 3 hours! We have been that way twice and I hope there is never a 3rd. There is not a bathroom for the first 2 hours of the drive. I think this was discovered both times we took this route.

So now we are back to trying to get back into our routine. Grace is missing her grandparents pretty bad I think. She has been super clingy and won't let us out of her reach. I even had to lay down with her for her nap this afternoon and she would wake up if I even turned so I wasn't looking at her.

Anyways, here are some pictures from the last few weeks that my Mom took.

One evening we were able to watch fireworks from our balcony!

So cool!!

The Lighthouse

at Cape Zanpa

Cape Zanpa - it was very windy and the sun was right in our eyes

After her swim

She didn't want to get out!

The life jacket wasn't too comfy

Excited!!

The duck pond

On our way to the underwater observatory

Grace and Dustin at Okinawa World with the Shisa Dog

I left Grace at home with her Grandma. When I left she was napping. When I came home she had ate yogurt, made a big mess, and just HAD to go swimming to get clean :-)

She got a bunch of balls to put in her pool!

Look what I got!!!

Today I had a pretty pink package to pick up at the post office!! What could it be?? My taffy and rum cake from (Army)Wife She was even so sweet and sent some books that were a favorite of hers when she was little. One day when Grace is a little older we are going to read them to her! Oh, and can I just say that it was all DELICIOUS!! And yes, we still have some left.

Pretty pink box!

I caved in and tried some taffy as soon as I opened the box.

But I did save the rum cake for dessert

And of course Grace wanted to try too!! We let her taste some salt water taffy.

AND... that's not all! I was also given an award by JG @ Perpetual Newlyweds

I am going to work on answering the questions and pick a few people to tag so check back soon!

Weekend Recap in Pictures

My parents are visiting so we have been doing a lot of touristy stuff. We still have a lot more planned for the upcoming 4-day weekend! Here is what we have been up to in pictures (in no particular order)

Overlooking Okinawa Peace Memorial Park

Torpedoes in front of the museum at Okinawa Peace Memorial Park

Beautiful blue water

A monument at Okinawa Peace Memorial Park

A beach on one of the outer islands

Dustin on a very small, uninhabited island

Jellyfish!!

At Nakagusuku Castle Ruins

An old, haunted hotel

Nakagusuku Castle Ruins, overlooking the Pacific Ocean

Nakagusuku Castle Ruins

Nakagusuku Castle Ruins

Nakagusuku Castle Ruins

Murasaki Mura

She spent a lot of time in her stroller

She wasn't too fond of the Shisa dogs

Katsuren Castle Ruins

Dustin in front of the Katsuren Castle Ruins

8 Month Photos

Today Grace is 8 months old!! My how time has flown. We went to Amanda's @ Footsteps Photography today and used her studio so my Mom could take a few photos. We had a little unfortunate incident with Grace diving head first onto the floor and then again later while trying to do a push-up. We had a couple more outfits we wanted to try and we really wanted some of her standing but she was not in the mood to cooperate after getting a boo-boo. Maybe we will try again another day. But anyways, here are a few of the pictures we got!