Going to Japan

Dear Tokyo,

I may be falling a little in love with you.  I wasn't sure that I was even going to like you when we stepped of the plane and were greeted by a swarm of mask wearing, hazmat suit clad, body scanning people. Next, when I got chastised by an unhappy immigration person because I couldn't seem to get fingerprinted correctly (You know it's bad when they actually have to STAND up and touch you to make it work.  Odds that my passport have been flagged- 100%), I wasn't feeling the love.  And then after that, I got trapped in the first bathroom that I attempted to use.  Don't get me wrong, I've been doing my research, I knew I was going to get to experience some funky pottys, but I wasn't ready to do it so soon.  First, I had to push a button just to open the vacuum sealed room, and then push another button to reseal the room.  When I walked in there were three toilets(?).  Well, there was a toilet, a bidet and something that looked like a dog washing station, but I'm pretty sure that wasn't what it was for.  Of course, I used the western-style toilet and all was well and good, until I couldn't find where to flush.  I thought it was maybe an automatic thing- nope.  All I could think about was everything I'd read about cleanliness, especially in the bathroom is so important to the Japanese culture.  And then I felt like I was going to be stuck in my space capsule of a bathroom forever out of shear embarrassment of being "that American" who couldn't even flush the toilet.  So, before I got kicked out of the country by the etiquette police, I decided to go for broke and push the buttons on the wall until I got a flush.  Luckily, the big silver button, which was nowhere near the toilet, was the magic button!  And I was able to escape the bathroom with my dignity (but not my humility) intact. So, my dear Tokyo, I was concerned that if the toilets were any indication of future flummoxing, we were not going to get along.

Once got on our shuttle to a hotel.   And as we drove into and through Tokyo, I began to feel intrigued.  Everything is so different here, especially compared to Guam.  It's clean, but it's not beautiful, but you can tell how important beauty is.  Because no, you may not look out of your window and think this is beautiful, as you walk around you see beauty every where.

We FINALLY got to our hotel and were very fortunate to attend brunch, even though we didn't have reservations.  It was nice not to go hunt down food in a foreign land so soon after arriving.  After brunch we attempted to take naps, and although all three of us were exhausted, only one of us (guess who? and it wasn't the 2 year old) was able to sleep.  So we decided to take a short walk around the hotel.  But we were so absorbed by what we saw, we walked for more than two hours.

It was on this walk that I saw the attention to beauty.  There isn't a lot of room to spread out here, but the space seems to be used efficiently.  In the neighborhood we're staying in there are small restaurants, patisseries and florists every few feet.  They are small, but beautiful in how a little can go a long way (I can't describe it, but I'll try to get brave and take pictures, it's just very clean in form and simple in presentation yet warm).  We haven't seen a restaurant yet that I would be scared to eat in, ok, I would but because I wouldn't know what I was eating, but not because they look dirty or scream out food poisoning.  And then in the midst of all these tiny modern, urban jewels there are ancient shrines, in the shadows of skyscrapers.

We're pretty sure this isn't actually a shrine, but someone's home and it may not be old.  But it is surrounded by skyscrapers.

And thank God for the parks.  We fell in love (other than with the construction, it appears that the waterways are being drained and cleaned) with this one at the Tokyo Library.  I loved it for it's charm, but mostly because it gave the little man a chance to run and climb and be a boy and burn off all the energy he had stored up after being confined all day in various modes of transport.

Tokyo, I'm pretty impressed with you so far.  You're making me want to live in a city again.  I'm excited to get to know you better over the next few days.

p.s.  I couldn't think of a good title for this post, but Price has been saying we're "going to Japan" for several months.  I'm not sure what he'll say when we're back home...

All Aboard the Potty Train

Shortly after finishing breakfast this morning, Price walked over to me, took off his diaper and said, "No diaper, I want underwear."   After picking my jaw up off the floor (because just yesterday I was telling a friend that Price was no where near ready to potty train), and being impressed with my son's ability to express his desires both verbally and through action, it hit me that I really might have to potty train my kid. Before he goes to college.

Don't get me wrong, I'm not a fan of the diaper.  I don't like how much they cost, I am bothered by all the space they take up in landfills (I swear if we have more children, I'm doing cloth diapers), and the little absorption gel thingys creep me out.  Because I want to see exactly how much the gel thingys can actually absorb  am cheap and eco-conscious, I tend to be a little lax in my diaper changing frequency.  Not poopy diapers mind you, those come off as soon as the smell arrives, but the wet diapers- well, he's not a girl, they don't bother him and they hold a lot.  So, most days he often goes several (and by several there have been days when several could mean as many as four) hours without a new diaper.

Until today.  Today when he decides, that since he is now sleeping in a big boy bed, he must also wear big boy underwear.  Today, when I had a meeting and several errands to run.  Today,when we are just a few days away from leaving for a long awaited vacation to a foreign country where I may have some difficulty asking where a restroom is since I don't speak the language.

Thankfully (I think this is a good thing, except when she tells me stuff I know, but don't want to do), my mom is a potty training master.  She could (and should) write a book on the subject.  And thankfully she was home every time I called her today to ask if it was normal for my child to pee everywhere, except in the potty, every 20 minutes or so.  And she assured me that it was and I just need to, for the next few (overly scheduled) hundred million days or so, take him to the bathroom often and reward him whenever he tinkles on the potty.  Hence, the jar of M&M's on the back of the toilet.  Yes, candy in our bathroom-  I find it oddly disturbing and cheerful at the same time.

Once we finally got home after he made a giant puddle in the middle of the BX food court at lunch and I had changed him into his fifth pair of (hastily purchased because the three existing pair we already owned obviously weren't going to cut it) new underpants and fourth outfit and second pair of shoes and cleaned up tinkle in my kitchen, living room (yes, Don if you're reading this he pee'd on the couch-but not on the cushions because he took those off so he could jump on the springs down on to the cushions), laundry room and all around his potty chair for all the poor aiming- we actually made it 3 whole hours without an accident!  Thanks in large part to the kitchen timer going off every 15 minutes to remind me it was time to go tinkle.

I never thought I'd miss changing a diaper, and we haven't even started working on pooping yet!

A Mother's Day

Friday I had a list a mile long of things I needed to get done.  I needed to run several errands, do some stuff around the house.  I had an agenda, I was going cross these items off my list and head into the weekend with a clean house, a stocked pantry and diaper drawer and no need to do anything I didn't want to do.  Then I woke up.

And, the day got away from me.  But not in it's usual way- there was nothing on the dvr containing a certain high school glee club doing a mash up that had to be watched, there was no endless hitting of refresh to see the latest Facebook updates, no friends who had dropped in.  Nope, Friday it was all about this...

Life has been busy lately.  I know, I live on a little island where there isn't much to do and I only have one kid and I don't work outside of the home, but it just seems like we are always doing something (which is fine and a big preference to being at home all day, never leaving and doing nothing).  But even when we're home thanks to my dynamic time management skills it doesn't always seem like I spend good, quality time with Price.  I encourage him to play in his room while I clean the kitchen, or I let him watch 30 more minutes of TV so I can empty the fridge of the leftovers from Thanksgiving Christmas.  But we don't always do stuff together, and I sometimes (a lot) feel guilty that playing trains for hours on end isn't my favorite thing in the world and he ends up getting my very divided attention (perhaps this is good life training for him?).

Friday, when I was roused from bed before Reveille by my chirpy alarm clock saying repeatedly, "Hi Mommy!  Mommy hi! Hello!  Mommy pick you up."  I dragged myself out of bed and thought, "Well, at least we'll be able to get everything done today."  Then 7:00 rolled around and I had already put my two year old in time out once, and I thought, "This is going to be a very long day."  And I hadn't even figured out what to have for breakfast, but knew it couldn't be cereal, because that's what the kid got for dinner the night before.

So, being of sound mind and I body, I thought biscuits would be good and P wanted to help me make them and I thought that would be fun.  Suddenly, it was after 9:00 and the biscuits were just coming out of the oven.  Where had the previous two hours gone??

We sat down for biscuits and I had some legitimate stuff to do on the computer and Price wanted to color.  Great, I can do my work while he makes art work.  When I looked up from what I was doing, I realized he wasn't coloring, he was peeling all of the paper off his Crayons.

Notice that getting dressed was not something that occurred in the mysterious two hour period

When I saw that mess, it reminded me of a craft we used to do all the time when I was young and had recently seen on a blog where they bumped it up a notch- melting broken Crayons together to form large multi-colored colors.  And I thought (once again, my AMAZING sense of timing rears its ugly head), that won't take long.

So we commenced to de-paper some crappy Crayons and break them into small pieces.  Of course, once the objective was to actually remove the paper, it was no longer fun and became my job. But it was fun for both of us to break the Crayons and place them in the molds (thank you $1 aisle at Target, and thanks to my mother-in-law for spotting them and sending them to us Target deprived folks).  It was a good counting and color identifying activity for Price.

Once all the molds were filled,

We placed them on a cookie sheet and put them in a 350 degree oven for about 10 minutes.  We (I) talked about how heat can changes things from hard to soft, and I let him peek in the oven about half way through so he could see the changes.

When all of the Crayons were melted,

We put them into the fridge for about an hour, and I explained how sometimes cold can change liquids to solids, but the whole concept was a little advanced.

And finally, we got this-

Multi-colored heart shaped colors, that work.  I forgot to take a picture of the art that ensued from drawing with a heart.  But somehow another hour and a half disappeared.  And then it was lunch time and then it was nap time and I just gave up on getting anything that I needed to get done done.

And then it hit me, that I actually did accomplish what I needed to.  I spent most of the day with Price, listening to him, talking with him, playing with him.  We hadn't had a day like that in so long and it was needed, but it's hard when to the rest of the world those accomplishments aren't tangible.  It wasn't on my to do list to spend quality time with my kiddo and maybe it should have been, so I could have checked it off and not felt like I was being unproductive.

And Then It Was 2011....

It's amazing how a stomach bug sweeping through the house, followed by a birthday, then Christmas, then recovering from all three followed by one of the best New Year's Eves (is that grammatically correct?) our little family has celebrated in a long time (actually the first one our family has actually celebrated since becoming a family of three) can get a girl off track and keep her away from blogging.  Well, there's all of that coupled with the fact that since I spent so many years in college, that my brain automatically goes on semester break this time of year. I promise to be better- I really do.

Notice I didn't say resolve.  I don't actually believe in New Year's resolutions.  The year is new for only so long, (and if the past week is any indication, the rest of it is going to speed by) so I don't quite get the whole I'm going to do this while the year is new and then more than likely let it just fall by the wayside.  That's why I save up all my self-bettering for Lent.  But that's another topic for another day.

2010 was a pretty good year.  I was almost sad to see it go, but I'm excited about what 2011 holds (Do you say twenty-eleven or do you say two thousand-eleven?  I don't know which is right, which do you prefer?).

Hope your New Year is off to a wonderful start!

Some Things You Need To Know About Why I'll Never Be Mistaken for Mrs. Fields

If you were driving by my house last night, you totally suck because you didn't stop by and say hi  you may have seen me cleaning out a can of condensed milk.  Perhaps I should be embarrassed by the fact that I was standing in front of my kitchen window licking the sweet nectar of Eagle Brand Condensed Milk directly out of the can (ok, I was actually licking it off a spatula, under the guise of cleaning it out to put in the recycling bin).  But I am not.  I may be embarrassed when none of my clothes fit in a few days from extra poundage, but not of those few minutes of my public display of affection for my culinary crack...

Hello Lover

This is my new Wilton Cookie Imprint Cookie Sheet.

I am underwhelmed by it.  It doesn't produce cookies as much as it does muffins.  If  needed cute muffins, I'd be really happy with this cookie sheet.  But, alas, I need cute cookies. Lots and lots of them.  This pan was a total fail in that area.

Sometimes, when recipes call for dough to be chilled for two hours, what it really means put it in a freezer for 18 days.  Apparently, chilling dough in the fridge for 48 hours isn't enough.  And then you end up with a crazy mess like this...

OK, I admit, this carnage probably would have happened to some extent even without dough that pretended to be super glue, adhering itself to the counter, my hands, my clothes.  Initially, I was going to make 20 dozen cookies.  All for a good cause (every year all the young, unaccompanied airmen on base get a dozen cookies.  It's to help them have a happier holiday- can you imagine being as young as 18 and being so far from home during the holidays??).  Then the non-stop cheesefest, AKA Hallmark Channel Christmas movies life got in the way and I got realistic and cut that number in half.  The cookies started coming out of the oven looking like this...

There must be some law of physics explaining why the sprinkles don't disperse evenly when baking although the dough was rolled and covered in its entirety prior to baking.

These cookies are sugar cookies, yet they are the color of gingersnaps.

Can you guess what those shapes are?  Who knew that the Hunchback of Notre Dame and a fat Snork were somehow Christmas related?

All I know is, I muddled through it...

After producing racks and racks of cookies, I hope that this is one of those times where it's the thought that counts more than looks.  And as a reward to myself, I finished up the evening with my favorite Christmas time snack, a Hello Dolly and a glass of milk.

Christmas, It's In the Cards

How is it already December?  It seems like only yesterday there were 35 people at our house feasting on turkey and dressing and celebrating Thanksgiving.

Of course since we are in day 336 of summer here, there is absolutely nothing climatic to indicate that Christmas will be here in just a little over three weeks.  Good thing there is the un-decorated tree in the corner, the ever-growing list of presents to purchase and ship, the 20 dozen cookies that must be baked before Tuesday to remind me that December 25 will be here before I know it.  But this year, unlike last year, I'm already feeling Christmas-y.  It could be because our calendar is filling up with all kinds of Christmas activities, or maybe because even though our house isn't decorated yet, everyone else's is.  But probably, the reason I am more into Christmas this year is because of the little guy.  Any time he sees anything Christmas related he says, "Merry Christmas."  In the candy aisle, it's "Merry Christmas candy,"  it's not just a Christmas tree, but a "Merry Christmas tree."  He walks around singing Jingle Bell Rock.  And to prove that he really does listen to me, he also talks about Jesus.  In his mind and vocabulary (as I hope it always stays) Jesus is synonymous with Christmas, the latter is rarely mentioned without the former.

I really hope that I am able to capture P's excitement of the season.  He doesn't need the weather to be colder to be excited.  He can tell that it is a magical season.  I want to share this first year of understanding Christmas with our family and friends.  One of the ways I know I can do this is by sending out Christmas cards (ok, who am I kidding, we all know that IF they even get sent they will probably be more like New Years or Mardi Gras cards).  But thanks to Shutterfly, no matter when I get a picture or get ready to send out my cards, I will have so many great options to choose from.  They're actually being awesome and giving me 50 free cards for this post, but I'd give them props without the freebies!

Last year, I made calendars for several family members.  I know it was my mom's favorite gift and she has hinted no less than 1 million times that she wants one this year.  What I love about Shutterfly is how easy it is to use!  I made at least 5 calendars last year and each one was tailored to the person receiving it.  I was able to finish all 5 in one night and they were all delivered in time for Christmas.  I also sent some things to Don when he was deployed and one of the items didn't arrive, I contacted Shutterfly and they sent a replacement immediately, at no cost.  They also usually have great specials.  Right now, you can get free shipping on certain orders.

The only thing I don't like- there are too many great cards to select from!!!

I can't decide if I want to do a card that features the three of us.


Or if I prefer to just put Price by himself, after all we all know he's what everyone wants to see.



Do we rub it in acknowledge that we live on a tropical island and will probably hit the beach several times this month?



But no matter which one we go with, it may actually get sent before Mardi Gras.  Because Shutterfly will even stamp and mail the cards for me.  With that kind of service, I may not even ask for a Christmas present.

Full Disclosure Time:  I am being compensated by Shutterfly for writing this post.  I get 50 free cards for sharing my opinion about Shutterfly.  I have not been asked to write anything positive, but to share my opinion of Shutterfly and any past experiences that I've had.  If you're a blogger and want to get 50 free cards from Shutterfly, follow this link http://blog.shutterfly.com/5358/holiday2010-blog-submission-form/.

Totally Random

1.  Today, it rained.  Really, really hard.  But, I was on a quest for pumpkin and I would not let thunder, lightning or torrents of water from above or rushing through a parking lot deter me.  And I am now the proud new owner of 6 large cans of pumpkin.  And a new pair of jeans.  Because the ones I had on when I went to get the pumpkin got so wet, I couldn't walk around the store without sloshing water everywhere.

2.  I have never lived in a place where people loved to stand on the street and yell about things as much as they do here.  During campaign season, huge gaggles of supporters of various campaigns would line the main roads waving and shouting their support to passersby.  Last week, folks were out in force thanking veterans. Today was my favorite.  Today, I got to drive through the "Save the Shark" roadside rally.  Hundreds (or maybe tens) of people were lining the road drawing awareness to the plight of the shark and their allegedly tasteful fins.  If I were the type of blogger to use this forum as a soap box, this is when I would tell you that CBS says 73 MILLION sharks are killed each year to meet the demand for shark fin soup and that is leading several species of sharks towards extinction.  But since I'm not that type of blogger, I will just move on and tell you that it's when I'm driving down the main drag and see people standing shoulder to shoulder with someone dressed up like a shark and holding up signs that say, "cut class, not fins" are the times I really love this place.

3.  Other times I love this place are the times when I go to The Kmart and on my way out witness a fight breaking out.  Adults getting into a screaming match, while even more adults surround them to witness the action. I'm just not used to seeing fights break out anywhere other than hockey arenas or other sporting venues.

4.  I have FINALLY (at least for the past week) gotten to a good place with keeping peace housekeeping. About 6 months ago, I tried to get on track by following the Fly Lady. All I got out of that was a really clean sink.  But something seems to have clicked with me, and hopefully will stick with me.  I realized that if I stay on top of things, I don't get overwhelmed and it's much easier to spend about an hour everyday doing dishes, tidying up rooms, doing a load or two of laundry and concentrating on cleaning one room than it is to spend multiple hours during the weekend trying to make up for everything I let slip during the week.  I know this is probably pretty elementary to many of you and possibly hive inducing for several of you.  But what a difference a straight house can have on a marriage... if nothing else it (hopefully) eliminates any visions of me sitting at home eating bon-bons from Don's brain.

5.  Isn't he cute?

He's cute about 99% of the time, whether he's using his own vocabulary (Bear Poo= Pooh (as in Winnie the) Bear, Mr. Wheats Cereal= Frosted Mini Wheats, bacoose= caboose, coyboy boots= cowboy boots), crying for five seconds and then stopping to tell me what he's crying about, "cry go playground (even if it's nine o'clock at night and monsooning this kid wants to go to the playground), just playing in his room or saying his nightly prayers, even when God blessing all of his trains takes precedence over blessing any living, breathing member of his family- he's a cute kid.  Except for when he turns into the Poo Poo Picasso (PPP), like he has TWICE this week!!  We've overcome this problem at night by duct taping him into his pajamas, so PPP usually strikes at naptime when we forget to dress him in five layers of clothes.  I am soooo over this stage.  And sick of cleaning up his crap.