Guest Posting Elsewhere Today...

Over at Segullah!
(Which means I'm practically famous now!!!)
(...or not.)

I wrote the post for them about three weeks ago.  We've had at least 7 more sunny days since then!
(I'm getting betta!)


And speaking of guest posting, anyone want to write a guest post to be published HERE?  Let me know!

Living with Boys Means...

someone is always having to say...

"I'm sorry!"

(and it ain't me.)

Dear All of my Friends and Family,

Yeah, I know.  We're in a recession.  The job market is shaky.  Your 401K lost 93.2% of its worth.
But seriously.
Enough already.
Do you people know what you're missing by not coming to Japan?
Besides a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to stay with me in Japan???

Yeah, you're not only missing this...

(He's reproving you with his eyes!)

and this,

(I was 9 months pregnant...sue me.)

and these punks:

(who make cookies on demand...)

You're also missing the 100 Yen Store!!!

Where you can buy this...

("Life is not easy...but not too bad.")

and this...

(Training Chopsticks)

and this...

(Flower shaped "Vegetable cutters - small")

(Used for Bento boxes...and pottery.)

and these...

("Milk Tooth Box - Also as a trinket box!")

(Where you put your baby teeth, silly!)

for only 105 yen*!!!
(Honestly, you're losing money by not coming...)

So seriously.


Get your priorities in order people!
And get to Japan!!!

*Yes...technically it should be the 105 Yen store, but that doesn't have the same ring to it, now does it!?!?

That's My Boy!

All of my sons are NOT carbon copies of Doug (and each other) like some people believe.  

THIS boy is mine!

At the Mother's Day Tea put on by Sammy's Kindergarten class, 
May 14, 2010.

They sang two songs for us, presented us with flowers, and fed us cookies, bread 
and Lemonade or Iced Tea.  

I love my Sammy-boy!
(And his awesome teacher!)

Gabey's 3rd Birthday and an R2D2 Star Wars Cake

I mentioned that it was Gabriel's 3rd birthday the other day.

Well, we ended up celebrating a week late so Doug could go to the Cherry Blossom festival in Hirosaki.

But I don't think Gabey minded one bit...seeing as how he's three and not calendar savvy enough to know it was a week late.

He choose Star Wars for his theme, so I made him an R2D2 cake.  Since Doug told me I was NOT allowed to spend money on party favors, I printed some Star Wars coloring sheets, we played "destroy the meteor" and that was that.  A million kids came, a million balloons were popped, cake was eaten, presents were opened, messes were made, and a good time was had by all.  Which is all we ask around here.

Happy birthday cute boy!  
We sure love you!!!




Oh, and in case you're wondering about the cake, here's how I made it:

How to Make an R2D2 Cake
Use two boxes of Funfetti cake mix.
Get help from a three-year-old birthday boy...

 until he spills a gallon of oil.
Remove child from room.
Permanently.

Clean up oil spill.  Try not to think of environmental impact.

Divide cake batter between a Pyrex bowl and two round cake pans and bake.

Frost, decorate, and VOILA...

Easy as pie!!!

(Which isn't all that easy.)

More instructions HERE.

Video Should Work Now!

Sorry...Somehow it got set to private! Try again!

Baby Gray

Doug made a slide show of Baby Gray and posted it on his blog, but we couldn't figure out how to share the link. So I made it again in iMovie and changed it up a bit.

For example, I included video footage of myself giving birth. Very brave of me I think. So if you don't want to see a side view of my nekkid swollen leg, don't watch. (Don't worry too much. It only shows my leg. Nothing else.)

About the music: The song I used is called "Baby Don't You Cry (The Pie Song)" by Quincy Coleman and Andrew Hollander. It comes from the movie "The Waitress" and Gabe insists that I sing it to him every single night. It's definitely a family favorite in the lullaby department. (And in case you've lived your entire life under a rock, the second song is "What a Wonderful World" by Louis Armstrong)

Enjoy!!!

Jewelry Giveaway!

Want to win a beautiful, one-of-a-kind necklace?

Enter HERE!

Date Night

Last Friday night we went out and ate at a very yummy restaurant with a big group of friends.  

See?  Big.  And this wasn't even everyone.  There were a few more couples in another room.

This is Doug holding Gray.  Our first date since his arrival.

This is my O.B.  and his cutie new baby just two weeks older than Gray.

He ordered uterus.  

For realizes.

This is what uterus looks like cooking on a grill:

These are some of the friends who came over to look at, and sample, the uterus.

The purpose of this gathering, was, shockingly, not just to get together to eat uterus.

Nor was it to celebrate me putting on make-up and leaving the house.
(Although that is cause for celebration.)

All of these people got together to say good-bye to our friend Wes who's deploying for 4 or 5 months.  His second deployment since moving here.  One of many men (and women) who left last weekend.

It was a really fun night and the food was delicious.

(Doug's scallops, that he wanted to grill, came cooked in an omelet for some reason.)

But it was sad too.  Because deployments suck.  Bad.  (Pardon my language Mom and Aunt Jeannette.)

They suck for me and I'm not the one without a husband.  Just the friend of the wives-with-kids left behind.  (Only because I have to watch them suffer and it makes me teary and emotional.)

(Fortunately, Doug wont ever be deployed for which I am immensely grateful.)

Anyway, if you want to learn a little bit about what some women with deployed spouses go through, check out THIS article I found awhile ago.  It's worth the read!


Good luck Wes!  
Come home safe!  
We miss you already!!!

Cool New NieNie Video!

Items of Note/Notorious Items -- April and May edition.

• It was Gabey's 3rd birthday yesterday, but shhh!  Don't tell him that!  We're not celebrating until next weekend.

• Tomorrow Baby Gray will be 4 weeks old!  And incredibly, he's getting even CUTER every single day!  Unfortunately, he's not sleeping any better than he was as a newborn...  (Insert haggard looking frowny emoticon with under-eye bags here.)

• Sadly, apple season is over (the Fuji apples here are the best I've ever tasted!) but strawberry season has begun!  Yum!  (This tiny carton was so sweet and delicious it was almost worth the $4 it cost!!!)

• Doug went to the Hirosaki Cherry Blossom Festival with Max and some friends yesterday and said it was almost as beautiful as last year.  (See the movie of last years trip in the sidebar.)  (I stayed home because Gray hates his car seat and it's a two hour drive.)   

• Although he was in trouble for being gone about 9 hours longer than planned (slight exaggeration) he barely redeemed himself by buying me a really pretty little pot.

• The blossoms on base are just barely starting to come out and brave cold, windy, wet Misawa.  (Insert emoticon of me blowing a raspberry at the crappy, crappy weather we've been having here.)
• I am officially, unequivocally, and utterly ready for warm weather.

And THAT is all I'm going to say about THAT!

Good night!!