Moment of the Week

Friday, December 29, 2006

New Years!!!



I cannot believe there are only 11 hours left in 2006!! The Year has flown by. We aren't doing much of anything today. We rented the Godfather Movies and are going to watch them. Since we don't have a Dick Clark countdown it wont be a big tada at midnight. But I am making a nice dinner. Cheesy Chili Chicken Breasts, and I made Maraschino Party cake for dessert!! We have a bottle of champagne and are looking forward to ringing in the New Year.
Tomorrow is more of the same. Nice meal but other wise low key. We are going to take the tree down and start cleaning up some of the decorations. Dave has to pack Monday and Tuesday also. SO nothing too fun but I am making a fun meal. I am making this really great French Onion Soup and a small roast to go with it, and we will have party cake leftover. Dave is really excited about having homemade cake. I am too.
Well, Hope everyone has a wonderful and safe New Years. Love you all!

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

Does this make me crazy??

Well, I feel really embarrassed but very excited about something. I am a little afraid to talk about it. Well, I left myspace. It was so annoying. I don't know, its just that I have 360 and I like it so much more that Myspace. SO I left myspace... But last night I joined a site that is almost the exact same concept of Myspace..... Only its for Dogs!! Does this make me a crazy dog owner?? My dogs now have pages on the Internet and they already have 8 friends!!!!! It is really fun for some reason. The site is called www.dogster.com Do any of you have a pet registered on the site??? If you want to check out Wendy's page check out the link below.
http://www.dogster.com/?447678.

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

Our 5th Anniversary


Yesterday was our anniversary. I spent the day feeling kind of crappy. But I had to clean the house because it was really trashed. I only got the kitchen and living room cleaned up before Dave came home early from work. It is nice to have him home but I cannot get anything done when he is here! And we couldn't even leave the house because Dave needed to wait for the guy he hit last week to call so they could get everything straightened out. SO we sat around watching The Sopranos. We finished the third season. Then we went to dinner at the steakhouse on base. It is a really nice restaurant. I had salmon and Dave got a steak. It was really good. We didn't get each other gifts. But Dave did buy 2 Waterford Crystal champagne flutes. They are really pretty. I had told him I wanted to get them for our anniversary. We got two of their Christmas collection, the two turtle doves. They are really pretty.
Jeesh that sounds like one run on sentence doesn't it. Guess I am not that excited today. I still have lots of cleaning to do. Booooo

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Deal or No Deal

Holy Moly we had a riot playing this game last night. I cannot believe how fun the home version is. Dave had a lot of fun too especially since he got the $1,000,000 . Well, the first round I picked and kept my case till the end I didn't take any of the deals. And my case had $500,000 in it!!! Then Dave's second turn he didn't take any of the deals and then switched cases when he got down to the last two. And the one he switched with had the mill! He went crazy he was so excited. Even though its just play money!!

We had a really nice evening and dinner was so good.

Tomorrow is our 5th Anniversary!!!!!!!

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Happy Christmas to US!



Last night we did our traditional thing. Every Christmas eve we order pizza and watch Christmas movies. This year we got to watch a bunch of movies. Elf was the best!!
We had a Great Christmas morning! We woke up, talked to Melissa on IM while we opened our stocking gifts. We had the Web Cam going. Then we ate breakfast. A really nice french toast, sausage Pattie, OJ, and special coffee breakfast. After breakfast we opened gifts and talked to family in the states.
We got so many gifts. We were given- a stack-able snowman gift box set full of candy, wedding crashers, memoirs of a Geisha, 40 yr old virgin, a really pretty tree box with candles set in it, a homemade cookie plate, and a photo album
Dave got Myth-busters season one, dirty jobs season one, King of Queens season six, Deadwood season two, 2 really nice sweaters, a Red Wings Hoodie, dress socks, cologne, Dart Board, Deal or No Deal Game, a drinking game, a watch, toblerone bar, Boxers and new pj pants.
I got a beer bread mix, 3 Christmas cookie trays, an electric leg shaver, a CD, season 3 of Roseanne, seasons 9 and 10 of Friends, a Celine Dion perfume set, Live perfume, While Hearts Can't be Broken, Down with Love, 3 pairs of really warm socks, Love Spell lotion, a journal set, Scrapbooking papers, a Rachel Ray cookbook, a pretty shelf with a Thomas Kinkade painting in it, 2 washcloths, and a set of three beautiful floral plates.
Wendy got, 3 plastic squeaky toys, 2 stuffed squeaky toys, and a package of chicken popcorn.
We are so SPOILED eh? I have the Ham in the oven and dinner is on its way. SO GREAT. You can see Wendy is beat. All the excitement. HAVE A MERRY CHRISTMAS!!!

Tuesday, December 19, 2006

We Are Excited About Christmas


We had a really great night last night. I made dinner early so we could make the 7 o'clock movie. Dinner was great. I made Rachel Ray's Honey Nut chicken tenders and french fries. It was good. Then we went to main base to go to the movie. We stopped at the Post Office and what did we get?!?!?! SEVEN Christmas cards and 3 boxes. The boxes were from my mom. There were lots of presents in them. Oh after we stopped at the PO we went to the movies and watched The Santa Clause 3. There were lots of little kids there because their break has started and Santa was in the lobby before the movie so lots of parents brought their kids to see the movie cause Santa was there. The movie was really cute. I like a cheesy Christmas Movie. After the movie we went home and opened the boxes and put all of the gifts under the tree. 

THEY HARDLY FIT!! 
I put them under the tree best I could but they were all just stacked on top of each other so I ended up moving the sofa over a foot so I could spread them out prettier. 
There are so many! 
We are really excited!!!

Monday, December 18, 2006

Booooo

Man what a strange and frustrating couple of days. We woke up on Monday to 3 or 4 inches of snow. I thought it was really nice until.... Dave came home from work and told me about a little accident he was in in our NEW CAR!! He was pulling into a parking spot and he slid on ice and ran into another car. Our previously beautiful new car that we just got TWO WEEKS ago has a bunch of scratches on the front passenger side. I am so upset and there is a big dent. I am so SO sad. Dave said the other guys vehicle was really bad and guess who gets to pay for the damages!!!! US. Isn't that so SUCKY!!!! Seems every time things start going well something shitty has to happen. So I am really looking forward to getting the estimate from the guy Dave hit. Then we also get to pay for our car to be fixed!! FUN We haven't even made our first car payment yet!!!

Today I went to my spouse meeting. It was rather upsetting. Lots of info about upcoming stuff. Unsettling really. I came home and drank two martinis just to calm down. I spent the hour and a half meeting feeling like I could barf. I don't think they needed to tell us the stuff they did. I think I will no longer attend the spouse meetings. I am much better off not knowing thank you very much.

Friday, December 15, 2006

Cookies

Only one week until CHRISTMAS!!!
We went to the squadron Christmas Party last night. The food was really good and it was nice to go out. We won a DVD player! I am still shocked. WE usually never win anything!!
Yesterday before the party we made cookie dough. Well I made it and Dave was hanging around the kitchen. For the first time I attempted the Stevens Sour Cream Cookie recipe. I made a double batch and my Kitchen Aid was trashed afterwards. It took my awhile to clean up the mess.
Dave had to work today so I made and decorated the cookies alone. It took me a hella long time to bake them all because I only have three cookie sheets. Luckily right when I was getting ready to frost them my sister called and we talked for awhile while I decorated so it made the time more enjoyable. I have tasted the cookies and they taste just like the ones his Grandma sent us last year so I think I succeeded! Dave will be impressed.
I am so excited about Christmas!!! Better go gotta start dinner I am roasting a chicken tonight. YUM!

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Our Story

 

. Awhile ago one of my friends posted her and her husband's 'story'. I thought it was a really great idea. SO because we are only a couple weeks away from our 5th wedding anniversary I thought I would post ours!
Dave and I met in High School. I didn't really know him until junior year. We had assigned seating in Ms. Skupin's math class and we sat next to each other. I thought he was really nice especially since he let me copy his homework sometimes. Dave told me once we started dating that he wanted to ask me to Snowcoming that year but I had a boyfriend at the time.
Senior year we had Chemistry II together. We didn't talk much though. We did occasionally chat on the bus to Vo-Tech though. By the end of the year we started talking more and more. I had already been broken up from my old boyfriend at that point. The last couple weeks of senior year we were flirting a lot and my feelings for him had changed. We decided to sign up to walk together at graduation. Then I really started thinking about him a lot. He had told me that his parents were out of town and he was having a few people over and that Gus and I should stop by. SO we did. It was fun. We didn't drink with them but we watched movies and had a fun night.
All of our friends knew we liked each other and were just waiting for him to ask me out. He had told our friend Josh he was going to ask me out to the movies but he kept chickening out. Finally my friend Gus told him he better do it quick before we drove her bonkers. SO he finally did!
He asked me to the movies and we set our date for the last day of school. It was Friday the 25th of May. He picked me up in the Rabbit that evening and we went to see Pearl Harbor. When we got out of the movie it was raining and his Rabbit's sunroof leaked. It wasn't terrible, but everytime he turned a corner water streamed down him shirt. It was really funny. Dave dropped me off at my house. I told him he didn't need to walk me to the door because it was raining really hard. He later told me he thought I had a terrible time beacause of the drive home. But I had fun!
We spend the weeks after that dating and falling in love. We really enjoyed spending time together and it was so comfortable. We just really enjoy each other's company. Dave would come over in the evening after I got out of work and we would watch tv and talk about everything.
Dave left for Boot Camp on July 2nd. It was really hard to say goodbye to him. I knew we loved eachother but I didnt know how he would feel about me after being apart for so long. I remember the first time he called from boot camp. He had been gone for a week or so I think. I was just getting home and the phone was ringing. When I realized it was him I was shocked. I didn't expect him to call. We didnt talk long cause he wanted to call him mom and check in with her then he would call me back if he had enough time. When I hung up with him and got ready to wait for the call back I lost it. I starting sobbing. Just cause I missed him and I was so glad to hear from him.
We wrote eachother and he was able to call a couple times in the 6 weeks he was in Basic. I bought a plane ticket to San Antonio to be there for his graduation. His mom and I went with the wife of Dave's friend who was graduating with Dave. It was nice. We had a great weekend. Dave and I didn't get any alone time to talk much but we had a few minutes and we talked about how serous we were and how much we loved each other.
Dave went to tech school in Wichita Falls and we talked every night on the phone. I mean EVERY night for HOURS. We talked about so many things and we got to know each other really well. We decided I would fly down to visit him for Thanksgiving.
I did and we had a really great weekend. It had been over three months since we had seen each other. We ate Thanksgiving dinner at Denny's It was really great and we have a lot of great memories from that weekend. Most importantly that weekend Dave asked me to marry him. I sorta figured it was coming but, it was really wonderful.
We didn't really know when we would get married. WE weren't sure Dave would be able to come home that Christmas until two weeks before. When we got word he was coming home we decided to get married. My mom didn't want us to get married at the court house though. I am really glad we ended up having a church wedding. It was really amazing how things came together. We planned the entire wedding in two weeks. Dave and I paid for almost all of it ourselves. We were married on a Thursday and we told our aunts and uncles about the wedding on Christmas! ( two days notice.. Nice eh?) It turned out to be a really wonderful day. A few days after we were married Dave and I went to Toronto for a 4 day honeymoon. It was really great. Ahhhhh.... Memories!!


Friday, December 8, 2006

Corn Soup from a pop machine??

You know there are some things the Japanese got right.  Yesterday Dave and I were shopping for a bed for Melissa, and we found the strangest thing!  We were getting a pop out of a vending machine outside one of the stores and what do we see??  Corn soup in a can sold in the pop machine!  Well, actually most pop machines also have cans of coffee.  A lot of times they have both warm and cold cans for sale.  It is really nice to grab a hot coffee on a chilly day.  But Corn soup??  We got it and tried it and man, it was the most wonderful thing ever.  It was the exact right temperature and it was creamy and wonderful but still had a few kernels of corn in it.  It was delightful!! 

Wednesday, December 6, 2006

I LOVE our new car

Holy Moly!!  I can hardly contain my excitement.  We LOVE our new car.  We went to pick it up today and it is so nice.  We weren't able to test drive it because the car lot is a mess of cars that are parked really close together and are unable to pull out.  I really wonder how long it took them to get it out.  There were 5 cars in front of it that would have all had to be moved. 

It drives so nice and it is so smooth.  It is so quite compared to the Diesel Surf.  I am so glad we bought the car.   It is so clean it makes me want to squeal.  The surf was always dirty even when I cleaned it it was dirty.  WAHOOOOOOOO!!

Tuesday, December 5, 2006

Entry for December 06, 2006

So many exciting things going on. 



  • We go pick up our new car today.  I am really geeked. 
  • Melissa is coming to visit in January!! eeeeee
  • I am half done with the quilt top I started last winter!  I think it looks really nice so far
  • I started Visions of Sugar Plums by Janet Evanovich.. Its  a hoot so far
  • Our tree is up and the house is pretty and I have all of my Christmas shopping done.

That's really it but it feels like a lot of good things.  I am really excited about Melissa's visit.  We were starting to think maybe no one was going to come to Japan to visit us. ( I know Sandy and Sean came to visit but they didn't have to go very far)  I really hope i can get this quilt finished before Melissa comes to visit.  Her favorite color happens to be purple and it would look really pretty at the end of her bed.... Well we don't actually have a bed for her to sleep in yet, but you know what I mean.  We will probably go shopping for a fold-away bed very soon.  Dave will be leaving on the 2nd or 3rdof January for his Vegas TDY so he will be back just before Melissa flies in.  I am sure the three weeks he is gone I will get the quilt finished. 


I have started scrapbooking 2006.  I am to July 4th so far.  I have been going really slow and taking my time.  LOL I only do a two page layout every few days.  The book is turning out really swell so far.  I like it a lot!! 


Well, think that's it. I just really wanted to post a picture of the half of a quilt top I have finished.  What do you think?? 


Sunday, December 3, 2006

Have to get a new car

Well, what a day this turned out to be!! Image Here is what happened. 


In Japan every two years you have to renew the Japanese Compulsory Insurance.( we also pay a Liability insurance every 3 months)  They inspect the vehicle with a fine tooth comb and anything that is wrong with it must be fixed to renew the insurance.Image That means any rusted doohickeys under the car must be replaced.  It is a bit of a hassle because the insurance is expensive about 500 bucks but the real cost ends up being the repairs.  The man that sold us the Surf paid 900 in  repairs.  We have had a few troubles with the Surf and Dave knows our exhaust has problems so we figured we'll probably need some repairs.  We thought we had a month until the insurance was due however today Dave dug out the paper work and it turns out it is due next week.  ImageThat gives us zero time to get it looked at to decide if the repairs will be worth it.  So, its to the junkyard the Surf will go. Image We probably would have junked it anyways so I don't feel bad.  At least we are saving the 90 bucks for the initial inspections up at the auto shop. Image Since there wasn't much at the Lemon Lot on base we went to Lucky's Car Sales off base.  We picked out a really cute 4 door sedan.  It is a Nissan  Primera.  We have to put $500 down tomorrow then we make payments interest free for the next 10 months.  I am actually really excited. Image It will be so much nicer to have a car to drive around because the Surf can be tricky to get into 'parking lots' and around narrow streets.   Since Jackie is going to come out to visit next summer while Dave is in Iraq it will be a lot easier for me to drive her around.   We should have all of the paperwork done on Thursday.  AND Lucky's is going to junk the Surf for us!!Image That is a lot of hassle we can skip!!! Yippie!


Well, I am still working on laundry.  Hopefully I can get it done while I watch TV tonight.  Pretty much Monday is the only night with good shows on.  Amazing Race is on in 9 minutes eeeee I am excited even thought I peeked on www.cbs.com to see who got the boot.( I can't handle the suspense!Image)    


Saturday, December 2, 2006

Hey its Monday already!!

Well,  it is the beginning of another week.  I didn't post our menu last week because I just threw a bunch of stuff together.  It just seems I am not in the mood to try new recipes lately.  So we are going to enjoy our favorites.  This is what I have planned...

Monday- Leftovers like always

Tuesday-Ham and Cheese Omelet Bake( nothing wrong with breakfast for dinner)

Wednesday- Chili

Thursday- Chicken Fried Rice

Friday- Pizza Skillet hot Dsh

Saturday- Dinner out

Sunday- Spinach and Beef Enchiladas

I am going to clean the house up a little this afternoon.  I have a few loads of laundry to do.  I am really enjoying the change in weather here.  It has been snowing and the few inches we got Saturday night are still on the ground.   It is really pretty outside.  We took Wendy for walk last night, it was really fun to bundle up and watch her enjoy the snow. 

I started a new book called Mr. Ives Christmas.  I am not very far into it yet though. 

Well, I have stuff to do.  Take care!

Friday, December 1, 2006

Entry for December 02, 2006

We its nearly my bedtime but I thought I would post a picture of our tree.  We went and picked one out this afternoon.  The Boy Scouts had some sort of confusion so we had to wait nearly 2 hours for them so show up.  It wasn't terrible though.   When we got home we started decorating it.  It was a lot of fun.  We decided to decorate it different this year.  We used multicolored lights.  The last two years our tree looked the exact same way.  This year it is totally different and we are both really excited about it.  After we were done decorating it we noticed it had started snowing again.  Yippee it feels like winter!!

I made beans tonight for dinner.  They were really yummy.  I made a bunch of casseroles this week.  It just felt nice to make easy hot meals that leave us with plenty of leftovers for Dave's lunches.  I also finished my Christmas shopping this week, and I mailed out my cards. OH, I almost forgot... I read 6 books in November.  They were all really good.  I might write about them later but  I don't have enough time tonight.  But I started reading Janette Oke books.  I read the first two... Love Comes Softly and Love's Enduring Promise.  They are really nice wholesome books about a family living on the prairie.  I think you would like them a lot Elizabeth.  They are really nice.  I am excited to read another one soon. 

Well, I hope everyone has a really wonderful weekend.  Take care.

Friday, November 24, 2006

The stuffing is all gone!

So it is Sunday already!  I can't believe the weekend is already over. Our Thanksgiving went really well.  Everything turned out perfect and we really enjoyed sharing Thanksgviving with the couple that came over.  She brought a cake for dessert and it was really good.  For some reason this year the Sweet Potato Casserole was so good.  Last year I didn't really care for it, but this year I tasted it and it knocked my socks off!   Dave and I have been eating leftovers all weekend and still aren't sick of them yet.  I did make Turkey Soup last night though so that mixed things up a little.  Last night after dinner we went to see a movie.  Deja vu with Denzel Washington.  Boy, was that a good movie.  It was almost too much suspense for my tastes but I made it through OK. 

Other than that not much has been happening here.  We went to the big sales all this weekend.  The BX has had some cool stuff on sale every day. Plus they give you a coupon for the next day so you gotta go back and use it.  Hehe.   Dave was really excited about his 20% off coupon yesterday and when we went to the store he wouldn't let me shop near him.  I am guessing it has something to do with our 5 year anniversary next month since he was heading in the direction of the jewelry counter.   When we haven't been shopping we have been watching the Sopranos.  Dave's friend lent us the first three seasons on DVD and we are hooked!  We love the show already.

Dave and I decorated our backyard a little while ago.  We put lights along the fence and I put up a few bows on a couple of the fence posts.  It looks really cute.  We even had enough to decorate Wendy's dog house.  I cannot wait until tonight to see them all lit up!! Eeeeee I am so excited about Christmas!! Aren't you??

Tuesday, November 21, 2006

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!  I can hardly believe it is already Thanksgiving.  I am really excited.  I have my bird in the oven and I everything is running smoothly.  WE are really looking forward to dinner.  this is what we are having:



Turkey  *  Stuffing * Mashed Potatoes * Gravy *  The Damn Red Stuff  * Sweet Potato Casserole * Corn * Rolls * Relish Tray * And a desert of some sort( Ruth is bringing a dessert) * 



We are really geeked.  Hope you all have a GREAT Thanksgiving!!  We are going to the Friday Sales I'll let you know how it goes.  We have our eye on a laptop the BX is going to have really cheap.



Tuesday, November 14, 2006

I was just thinking

I was just thinking how strange my life has turned out to be.  You know in sch0ol when you have to think of where you think you'll be in 5 years and 10 years??  I never in my life would have seen myself here.  It is Wednesday and I am changing the sheets like I do every Wednesday, but tonight I am listening to the info on TV about a tsunami warning.  I am listening to warnings for people on the coast to evacuate and they are talking about tidal waves.  How strange.  And what is stranger is that even though I live like 5 minutes from the Ocean I am not worried and I go about making the bed like normal. 

Here is a list of strange things that seem 'normal' to me:


  • earthquakes
  • fish on a stick ( i don't eat them)
  • LOTS of orange earplugs in Dave's pockets
  • Holiday Dinners for two
  • fish markets in the malls
  • emptying my ice into a special drain at McDonald's before throwing away my cup
  • using chopsticks
  • spending weeks at a time apart from Dave
  • seeing my family once a year
  • lots of male cross-dressers on TV
  • eating rice without soy sauce (its so good on its own)
  • Stopping for a jet crossing on my way to the Post Office
  • Getting five thousand yen from the ATM ( the minimum allowed for withdrawal)

I know there are so many other things that I can't think of right now.  I guess it doesn't matter how "strange" my life seems at times.  I have so many things to be grateful for.

Wednesday, November 8, 2006

So glad its Friday

Boy o boy am I glad its finally Friday.  We had a pretty eventful week. First with the sink problem on Tuesday then on Wednesday we had more trouble.  I was running a load of laundry and the washer drain was clogged!!  I couldn't believe our terrible luck.  Dave went into the Kitchen and it was flooded!!  There was over an inch of water on the kitchen floor.  We called housing and while they were on their way  Dave and I pulled up 5 buckets of water off the floor.  Two guys came and snaked the drain and it was fixed.  But I still had to mop the floor again!!!!  Hey but the good news is that we pulled out the appliances in the kitchen to clean up the water underneath them and they are all clean now. If anything else happens I am going to really be upset. 

Dave has today off.  Not sure what we are going to do today.  He wants to go to a gun store with his friend so I will probably just do some shopping for scrapbooking supplies I need for my next book.   Maybe later after he gets back I will take some Christmas gifts to Pack n Wrap to get boxed up for shipping.  I have ALL of our Christmas shopping done and everything wrapped!!  I am so excited. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend!!

Monday, November 6, 2006

You win some you lose some I guess

It is Tuesday night and what a day I've had!! 

Everything started fine.  I woke up got my daily dose of Roseanne and Dr. Phil, then I headed to the grocery store.  First I went to the BX to buy Dave' some pajama pants.  I buy him pajama pants every year for Christmas and he is down to one pair now so I wanted to make sure I got him a nice new pair.  THEY DIDN'T HAVE ANY!!  I couldn't believe it!  I guess all of the men in Misawa sleep naked or something.  I was really disappointed.   I will have to look online to find a pair. 

So, I went to the commissary only needing a few things this week.  I was rolling down the pop/ snack food aisle not wanting to buy anything..... and what do I see??  VERNORS!!  Oh my goodness. I was so excited.  Dave and I talk about how much we miss Vernor's all the time!!  They finally got it in here.  There was a man in the aisle and he was startled when I let out a loud 'oh my gosh'  Then I realized I probably look liked a crazy person.  I told him that they finally have Vernors and asked him if he had ever tried it.  He laughed at me a little.  I don't care how crazy I looked I was so excited.  

On my way home I stopped at the Post Office and I got a package!!  I ordered a ton of pictures the other day and they came super quick! There were 312 prints I purchased.  I am looking to start scrapbooking 2006 after the new year.  I was so happy they arrived so fast.

When I got home I put away groceries and I cleaned a few things out of the fridge.  I filled the sink with a little water to wash a few things and when I ran a trickle of water in the other sink to rinse with I noticed it was starting to gather.  I haven't noticed it running slow so I figured there must be something in the disposal.  I flipped the switch and holy moly the other sink's plug flew out and water started flying out of the drain.  I have never seen anything like that before in my life!!  I was a little confused and after letting the water 'drain' I noticed some pretty funny stuff coming up in the sinks.  I ended up getting a decent amount of chunky water in both sinks just sitting there, so I figured I better just leave it for Dave to fix when he woke up.  Well, Dave was so excited about the Vernors he hardly minded plunging the sink for 30 minutes.  Nothing good was happening and now there was that pond scum looking water gathering in the dishwasher too!!  Now I figured things were pretty serous.  I called Housing and they sent someone out.  Dave had to leave for work before they arrived and I was so nervous.  Dave gave me a long lecture about the disposal.  I guess rice isn't good???  And he said I shouldn't put sweet and sour Pork or Chicken strips down there anymore.   Like I knew that!!!  The only understanding I have about disposals is what I learned on the Flintstones.  (remember they had that pig looking thing under their sink.. He ate everything.) 

When the guy arrived from housing he went at the sink with the two plunger method ..... No luck.  Then he got a shop vac and some other thing that sprayed water down the drain.  Now by this point he said it wasn't the pipes under the sink he said it was something further down the line....... Just a build up over time... So I am thinking this Isn't my fault after all.   SO after awhile he gave up and went back to the shop for  the 'bigger guns' and another guy to help him.  Now I didn't even try to watch what was going on, because I knew I could smell something a little too funky for my enjoyment, so i just stayed in the living room.

After about 45 minutes they announced success and packed their stuff.  Before they left they gave me a lecture about rice also.  Theirs was a lot nicer than Dave's.  So the floor is a mess and the sinks look like a magic cleaner infomercial before picture.( Like when they start to clean something that is so nasty you think yeah but nothing is ever that gross! Well this is!)  It is really nasty.  I have soft scrub with bleach working on the sink and I just finished mopping the floor with bleach water.  I emptied the dishwasher and am running it empty then I will rewash the dishes that were in there when the water started coming up.  Guess this will keep me from leaving clean dishes in the dishwasher from now on.

Not a terrible day I guess.... I think I'll go have a Vernors!!!

Thursday, November 2, 2006

It's the Weekend Already!!!

Jeez, I cannot believe it is already Saturday!  This week I have been waking up early and I guess the change has made time go by super fast!!!!  I know I got a lot of things done this week but I cannot figure out how I got to sat already.   We don't have anything planned this weekend.  Dave  might go gun shopping with his friend today.  IF he does, I think I will catch up on some reading. ha ha

I've had such a great week now that I am awake during the day!!  I was sleeping on Dave's schedule which really stunk.  I would stay up until 3 or 4 in the morning waiting for him to get home from work then wake up at noon or 1.  It was really terrible especially since it is dark by 5 now.  He was working really late last week and we weren't getting up until 2 or 3 in the afternoon and by the time we finished breakfast the sun was nearly gone.  I was feeling behind and a bit gloomy.  SO this week I decided to wake my behind up earlier so I can get a day's worth of sunlight.  It feels really great. Plus, I am up in time to watch Rachel Ray which starts my day of on a high note!!  I really love her show.  After Rachel Ray they air two episodes of Roseanne.  That makes me happy also.  I watch while I am dusting and picking up the house. 

We got word from my Mom about our storage unit.  Dave's tools were taken along with his golf clubs,  his bow and a few other things.  Poor Dave.  He is really bummed about his tools and his clubs.  They didn't steal any of my stuff, I didn't have anything interesting in there.  I feel really bad for Dave.  He will enjoy shopping for another tool set when we move back to the states. 

  

Sunday, October 29, 2006

October Books

I just finished a book and when I went to write it down in my little notebook I realized that I read 5 books this month!! I had no clue.  This month was a little strange.  Melissa fell behind last month and wasn't able to read the Sept books... So the beginning of this month I read  books on my own while waiting for her to catch up.  It worked out pretty well I guess... We were able to start the October book choices a little over a week ago.  So here we go.....

The Jinx by Jennifer Sturman-  I really enjoyed this book.  I did not know that is was the sequel until I was nearly done with it.  Oops... but even though it is a sequel I didn't feel like I was lost. The story is about a New York business women on a trip to Boston where she is stuck trying to solve a 'who done it'.  Even though at times I was screaming at her to catch up .. "like hurry up and put two and two together already!!!"  (That always makes me a little upset.  I like to feel like they are  smarter than me.  Hehe.) The book is completely cute and a I really liked it.  I am planning one day to go back and read the first book. ( after I finish the million I have on my stack)

Three to Get Deadly by Janet Evanovich-  Another absolutely delightful Stephanie Plum book.  These adventures are so fun.  I can't put them down.  I don't know how many times I can describe these books as side splitting funny, but what else can I say?  This book isn't a good book if you are trying to calm down before bed.  I found myself in bed laughing so hard I began to cry.  Gets ya all riled up some of the things she does. In this book it seems everyone she knows ends up dead.  Yikes.  It was so entertaining.

Four to Score by Janet Evanovich-  Thank goodness Janet Evanovich knew we couldn't take any more Joe Morelli teasing.  After three books I couldn't handle it anymore!!  Thankfully Joe and Stephanie finally get more serous in Four to Score.  I have decided that if by #7 they aren't married that I will not read any more of the Plum books.  Stephanie might not be a good bounty hunter yet but I have so much fun watching her screw up.    Her grandma is a riot and I feel like I know these people now.  Thank goodness Stephanie is able to avoid the numerous attempts to take her life in this book.  And thank goodness Rex the hamster survived.  I have never been teary eyes over a pretend hamster before.  I guess that is just how good Janet Evanovich is!!

Widow of the South by Robert Hicks-  I have to admit I wasn't geeked about reading this book.  It is about the Civil War which I have never been interested in quite honestly.  I could barely get through the textbook reading I had to do in school.. How was I going to get through a book about the subject if no one was forcing me to??  Well, it didn't take me too long to get hooked.  By page 100 I was trying to figure out when I should take a trip to Franklin, TN to visit the battleground.  This book is full of history and the rest is filled in with a great story!!  The McGavock's home is taken over as a hospital for the wounded men fighting in town not very far away.  Carrie McGavock is already dealing with death.. The deaths of three of her children.  Strangely she is brought back to life when she is forced to take care of the dying and the injured.  One soldier in particular.....  This book is so wonderful.  I highly recommend it!!    ( and I will let you know if I ever visit Franklin.)

Tales from the Bed by Jenifer Estess-  This book was so moving.  It is a memoir. Jenifer at the age of 35 is diagnosed with ALS.  A lively active woman living in New York City is now dealing with a terrible disease.  She has to deal with so many scary things.  At the end of this book I was really affected.  The books is amusing though, her sense of humor is a relief even in the end.  I have 14 page markers in my book so when I talk to Melissa about this book I won't forget all of the things that were really funny or really touching. What an amazing person!! 

This month's book were really great!  Yippie Love it when that happens. hehe

Spinach and Beef Enchiladas

I made this dish last week.  Dave and I both really loved it.  Give it a try.

SPINACH AND BEEF ENCHILADAS

You will need:  * 1 lb. lean ground beef * 2 garlic cloves minced * 1 1/2 cups frozen cut leaf spinach ( from a 1 lb bag) * 4 oz. cream cheese * 1/2 teas. ground cumin * 1 can(4.5 oz) chopped green chiles * 2 cups shredded Mont jack cheese *  1 package flour tortillas for burritos, 8 inch( 8 tortillas)  *  1 can (8oz) tomato sauce * 1 cup thick n chunky salsa * 2 tbls chopped fresh cilantro if desired ( I used dried)*

Step 1- heat oven to 350. spray a 13x9 glass baking dish with Pam. In 12 inch skillet cook beef and garlic over med high heat about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally until beef is thoroughly cooked; drain.

Step 2- add spinach and cook till thawed stirring frequently.  Reduce heat to medium; stir in cream cheese, cumin, chilis and 1 1/2 cups of the cheese.  stir till combined.  spoon 1/3 cup of the beef mix into each tortilla.  Roll up; place seam side down in the dish.

Step 3- in med bowl combine the tomato sauce and salsa.  Spoon over the tortillas.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese. 

Step 4- Bake 20-25 minutes or till thoroughly heated.  sprinkle with cilantro.  EAT.  Enjoy!!

This is what we are having this week.......

Monday- Beef and creamy potato casserole

Tuesday- Sweet and Sour Pork with rice

Wednesday- Chicken Fried Rice

Thursday- Beef and Tortellini soup

Friday- Maple Sage Pork Roast

Saturday- Stuffed Shells

Sunday- Ham Steaks

Thursday, October 26, 2006

Yuck what a bad day

Well, it wasn't terribly terrible, but you know when your day starts out really crappy and the rest of the day your just in a bad mood?  My sister called and woke us up this morning at 7 am to tell us that our storage unit in Michigan was broken into!!  We had a lot of our things shipped to Michigan and put into storage when we moved to Japan.  I guess the cops didn't think much was missing. Looked like they went through our storage tubs.  I mostly had extra kitchen stuff in the tubs.... but we did have some really important stuff in there I hope they didn't break!!  All of Dave's childhood ornaments, my Christmas village, my Great Grandma's record player and records( which I have blogged about how important those memories are to me, but I guess its the memories that are important not the actual player. But I want to be able to play the record for my kids one day and tell them about her you know??)  The thing I am guessing is gone is Dave's big 373 piece Craftsman tool set that was setting right by the door.  I suppose his bow is gone too.  He had a box with some really delicate toys from his grandfather which would be broken if the thieves didn't take the utmost care going through the box.  I am guessing that if you were out to steal stuff from others you wouldn't waste time taking great care not to break things though. So probably should be prepared for a lot of broken stuff eh.

So after that I tried to go back to sleep.  When I woke back up we went about our day.  Nothing terrible happen just stupid stuff annoyed the crap out of me.  You know when your just in a bad mood???  Looking forward to a new day tomorrow!! 



Saturday is the Salmon Festival.  We already bought one ticket so Dave can catch a salmon with his bare hands!!  I'll be sure to take lots of pictures!! 

We had a really great day yesterday.  We drove to Aomori to see the Big Buddha.  The drive there was so beautiful.  All of the fall colors were amazing.  We had a really great time at the park.  It was so peaceful and beautiful.  I posted a photo album, check it out.

Sunday, October 22, 2006

This weeks dinners are very exciting

I am really excited about this week.  I am trying a whole bunch of new recipes.  FUN.  I might not end up cooking a lot though because Dave has wed, Thurs, Friday off and we have stuff planned.  Hoping to take a couple of day trips to explore around a bit so might not end up cooking those days.  We will see! 

Monday- Leftovers (like always)

Tuesday- Turkey Noodle Casserole with steamed broccoli. * This is a new recipe*

Wednesday- Spinach and Beef enchiladas * this is new recipe*

Thursday- Honey Nut Chick sticks roasted red potatoes Lima beans * the chicken is new recipe*

Friday- Beef and Creamy Potato casserole, salad and a side veggie. * this is new recipe*

Saturday- Bean Night

Sunday- Beef and Tortellini soup, bread sticks, salad

I think some of those recipes were from last week.  Sometimes I am busy and don't end up cooking but we always have leftovers in the fridge.  Last week was super hectic since the base was having a exercise.  YUCK.  Tomorrow I am going to the spouse coffee, then I will probably come home and try to finish Widow of the South.  I am crossing my fingers I can get it finished and start the next book... Tales From the Bed

Thursday, October 19, 2006

funny how things get interesting

I started a new book last week.  Widow of the South by Robert Hicks....I had a really tough time getting through the first 50 pages.  It is about the Civil War battle that took place at Franklin, TN.  I have never been a civil war buff.. but Melissa is and it was her pick for the month.  I only had to trudge through it a little further to get hooked.  I am about half finished now and I am really enjoying it.  I even find myself thinking I would really like to go tour this town.  (I looked it up on the net.. maybe next summer I'll go down there. lol)  Melissa is two books behind so she is catching up right now and hasn't started Widow yet.  I think she is getting antsy... I hope she can start it soon so she and I can chat about it in the evening.

I finished all of my cleaning on Wednesday.  Feels great to know everything is spic n span.  I am sure my spring cleaning will be a lot easier.  I made three loaves of banana bread last night and some banana muffin for Dave to take to work and share.  I love the feeling of a clean house and something yummy in the oven!!!

 We should find out today if Dave got the few days off next week that we have been hoping for.   We really want to get out of Misawa and travel to Sapporo to check the city out.  I am crossing my fingers we will get the o.k.

Have a great weekend everyone!!! 



Sunday, October 15, 2006

More Cleaning

I got a lot done today.  Cleaned the bathroom big time.  I took everything out of the cabinets and wiped down the shelves, cleaned the walls from floor to ceiling, washed all the rugs, put up a new shower curtain. Took me long time but its done now and I am so happy.  I am really glad that last night I finished cleaning the spare bedroom.  It took me THREE DAYS to clean the spare room!!!!!  I knew it would be a real nightmare but I had no idea it would take three days! 

But the good news.. All the windows are clean, all the curtains are washed, the ceiling fans are done, and the ceilings have all been dusted!!!  Tomorrow I am going to clean the bedroom( flip mattress and everything!) and hopefully I will have time to clean all of the baseboards.  Wednesday I should be able to finish the kitchen and dining room.  WOOF!!!  The living room shouldn't need too much work, just some good dusting. 

Well, that's all I have been up to.   Take Care everyone!!!

Saturday, October 14, 2006

quick FFFB update

Well, I was just able to finish 5 more pages of the FFFB.  I am really excited.  Here is where I am at.......    



  • I have 31 of the 38 pages for my book done.   
  • I have 12 of the 19 pages for Melissa's book done. 
  • I have 16 of the 18 pages done for the book I am making for Chuck and Ruthann. 

eeeeee I am so happy I am getting so much closer.  Only waiting on 4 resposes now (7 for melissa's book).  yippie.    I have finished 59 of the 75 pages!!!!  More than three quarters of the way done!!! eeeeee


Friday, October 13, 2006

WOOF

Well... after I finished that super long survey I kick my behind in gear and have been working ever since.  I ended up cleaning the windows in the rear of our house.  What a chore to clean the outside and the inside of the windows and the tracks.  Our windows are double thick so instead of having 2 panes to clean I have 4!!  Plus I sort of have to hang out the window to clean the outside because out ladder wont reach from the outside.  After cleaning the windows I started unjunking our spare bedroom.  This afternoon I finally felt like I was making progress.  I had a ton of mail and stuff I needed to shred..... our shredder was crap so after struggling with it yesterday I decided to run out this morning and see if they carried a nice one at the BX.  Luckily they did.


I have had a pretty strange day today........ It started when I woke up this am.  I knew I had to wake up before Dave so I could run to the store before he had to work.  I got up, went to open the bedroom door and the knob came off!!  I was still groggy and i stood there staring at it for a few before  I realized what happened.  Then I went to main base to get the few things which as I was picking them out I decided it looked very strange.  I needed one butternut squash, Windex, and OJ.  That's all I bought.  Then I found the shredder at the BX and they had Christmas paper so I picked up a few rolls.  I stopped a the mailbox and they had stuffed three thick magazines in our tiny PO box!!  SO there I was struggling to get them out without destroying them.  It took me awhile.   I came home. Dave left for work. I finished the few panes I had left to clean since I ran out of Windex last night.  Then I finished my shredding. After that I started sorting out my saved stuff box.  I keep cards and letters and stuff and after awhile it seems too thick to be all save worthy.  SO I went through it.  I read a few letters from Dave which is good for our marriage.  His letters were always so sweet.  I am always cheery after I read his letter.  Then I finished wrapping Christmas  gifts.  Then I made dinner.  Watched Dancing with the stars. And now I am beat and I have a kink in my neck.  I think the tub is calling.   I am gonna listen to Nora Jones while I soak. I have been on a Nora Jones kick lately. 


This pic  I am posting is from my college id card!!  LOL I found it in my saved box.  LOL Ahhh.. to be 18 again!! Do you have a mementos box???


Tuesday, October 10, 2006

This is really great

I just got this link from Redbook for speed cleaning tips.  I think the tips are all really great.  Here they are!


In the kitchen:



Every night, take 5 minutes after dinner to:

â–  Wipe down counter and stovetop (2 minutes).

Run a damp cleanser-treated microfiber cloth across the counter using horizontal overlapping strokes, and spot-clean spills and grease on the stove (including under the burner rings) and in the microwave.

â–  Sweep the floor (3 minutes).

Look around: If you spot coffee grounds, cookie crumbs, or pet hair balls on the floor, grab a hand vacuum or flat Swiffer-style sweeper and give the floor a quick once-over, starting in the farthest corner and working out toward the door. Wipe wet spills with a dampened paper towel.



Every 2 weeks, take 13 minutes to:

â–  Dust walls and cupboards (4 minutes).

Use a half-damp microfiber cloth (Dellutri says H2O and microfiber are all you need to tackle 90 percent of household surfaces) to spot-dust walls and cupboards as well as door and window frames.

â–  Clean out the fridge (2 minutes).

Spot-clean mysterious spills on shelves and inside drawers with a damp microfiber cloth.

â–  Wipe down surfaces (3 minutes).

With a cleanser-treated cloth, wipe down the counter, sink, stove, and fridge (including handle) using overlapping horizontal strokes (no redundant circles!). A grout brush and lime-scale remover will nip grit and grime around the faucet.

â–  Clean baseboards and floors (4 minutes).

Sweep baseboards with a Swiffer or dry microfiber mop, then sweep the floor, starting in the farthest corner and working out of the room. Spray cleanser on the mop for an I've-been-mopping- all-day shine.


In the bathroom:


Every day, take 3 minutes after you shower to:

â–  Spray tub, tile, and shower curtain/doors (30 seconds).

Let a shower spray fight all-over scum while you get on with your day.

â–  Spruce up the sink (30 seconds).

Grab a paper towel from under the sink and run it across the vanity and sink bowl to clean up toothpaste, powder bronzer, or whatever you may have left behind.

â–  Wipe down the toilet (1 minute).

If the toilet is showing telltale signs of messy aim, use a disposable disinfecting wipe to give the throne a royal wiping-down.

â–  Spot-clean the floors (1 minute).

Use a paper towel or rag to wipe around the tub and toilet, and below the sink where dust and drips gather.



Every 2 weeks, take 14 minutes to:

â–  Disinfect the toilet (1 minute).

Maximize the disinfectant in your multisurface spray by letting the cleanser fight germs and bacteria while you work the room. Spray the toilet â€Â” from the commode (don't forget the flusher) to the base.

â–  Clean the sink (2 minutes).

Again bucking the "spray your cloth" rule, spray sink fixtures and surfaces. Let the cleanser disinfect while you spray a microfiber cloth and clean the bathroom mirror using horizontal overlapping strokes to prevent streaks. Then, use the cloth to wipe down the sink.

â–  Shape up the shower (5 minutes).

Spray tile with multisurface cleanser. Let it eat away lingering soap scum while you quickly scrub the tub (target the sides and the floor) with a scrub pad and a dab of cream cleanser (like Soft Scrub). Wipe shower tiles with a clean, damp microfiber flat mop, then clean shower door with a microfiber cloth.

â–  Finish cleaning the toilet (3 minutes).

Sprinkle a mild powder cleanser inside the bowl. (Never mix cleansers in the bowl or on surfaces â€Â” this may cause noxious fumes.) Use a damp microfiber cloth to wipe away the cleanser and buildup on the surfaces you sprayed seven minutes ago. Now, grab your brush â€Â” the two minutes you spent shining up the john just shaved off half your scrubbing time.

â–  Sweep and mop floor (3 minutes).

Tackle dirt in hard-to-reach areas â€Â” behind the toilet, under the sink â€Â” with a microfiber cloth. On entire floor, do a dry, then a wet, once-over with a flat microfiber mop. No scrubbing necessary!


In the living room:


Every night, take 3 minutes before bed to:

â–  Clear away clutter (2 minutes).

Tie up newspapers for recycling; stash magazines and remotes.

â–  Spot-clean the floor (1 minute).

If the day brought tracks of debris through the room (leaves, pretzel crumbs), use a hand vac to get rid of messes.



Every 2 weeks, take 12 minutes to:

â–  Dust ceiling fans, bookshelves, walls, and windowsills (2 minutes).

Use a microfiber extendable duster or an ostrich-feather duster (ostrich feathers are dirt-trappers too) to dust ceiling fans, blinds, light fixtures, and bookshelves. Then swipe walls and windowsills with a damp microfiber cloth.

â–  Tidy the tables (5 minutes).

Swipe coffee tables and other surfaces with a damp microfiber cloth. (Keep a dusting cloth tucked away in a drawer in an entertainment center or an end table so it's easy to find.) Straighten surfaces as you go; whenever you pick up an item, dust the surface where it sat, then the spot that you're moving it to, before you set it down.

â–  Sweep baseboards; vacuum or sweep floor (5 minutes).

Run a dry microfiber mop along baseboards to remove dust and pet hair. Continue sweeping noncarpeted floors with the microfiber mop. For carpets, vacuum the room. Employ the golden cornrowing rule: Push the vacuum all the way up one side of the room, turn, and walk back down the next row â€Â” it covers more carpet area in less time.



In the bedroom:



Every day, follow basic living-room maintenance plus take less than 2 more minutes to:

â–  Make the bed (1 minute).

Pull up the covers and fluff the pillows.

â–  Unclutter the dresser or bureau (30 seconds).

Straighten up dresser top, then use a microfiber cloth to pick up any errant dust or hair.



Every 2 weeks, take 6 minutes to:

â–  Change the bedding (3 minutes).

Wash sheets in at least 130-degree water (set dial to "hot") or pour in a detergent additive (Dellutri recommends De-Mite Laundry Additive, $13.99, natlallergy.com) to kill invisible dust mites lurking in your linens.

â–  Vacuum or sweep the floor (3 minutes).


THE FIVE GOLDEN RULES OF SPEED CLEANING


1. Spend 5 minutes a day tidying the main rooms of your home. A day's worth of dirt is easier to tackle than a week's accumulated mess. Then, every two weeks, do a quick, deep clean.



2. Keep your cleaners handy and organized. Stash a set of tools and cleaners under the bathroom and kitchen sinks, so you don't have to lug them around for quick touch-ups.



3. Embrace microfiber technology. The intricately woven fibers trap fine dirt and liquid â€Â” rather than pushing it around like other cloths.



4. Work efficiently. Apply cleansers to your mop or cloth, rather than directly to floors or counters, so you don't spend more time cleaning up product than spills. And use long side-to-side strokes (cornrowing) with your mop, vacuum, or cloth on floors and surfaces to avoid repeat cleaning (which happens when you move in circles), says Dellutri.



5. Clean each room from top to bottom, dry to wet. Knock dust and dirt from high places down to low places. And always dust before mopping and drywipe before cleansing. (You'll just be moving debris around if you wet-clean first.)




The Redbook site is really neat.  There is always something fun to read about check it out...Redbook speedy cleaning tips


Woof What a DAY!

Today was a busy day for me.Image  We got the keys to our new outdoor shed today and I started right in moving our crap out there.  We have a storage room inside our building but it wasn't large enough to hold all of our stuff.Image  So now all the camping/fishing/gardening stuff is in the shed and I was able to move a bunch of my crafting stuff to our storage room.  It took me  5 HOURS! Image I did it all on my own (Dave was sleepingImage) and I must say that it looks pretty spiffy out there. Image  I have to move some junk around our spare bedroom closets now then our house will be much roomier!!  I had planned to start my Fall "Spring" cleaning tomorrow anyways so everything worked out perfect.  Image

After I finished with the storage room and shed I was inspired to clean our fans for some reason.  I cleaned our three ceiling fans, what a nasty job.Image   Then I cleaned out table top fans.  I took off the front grates and washed them in the tub.  Then I wiped the fan blades really well.  I didn't do that last fall and when we got the fans out this summer they were really gross.  Image  SO next summer I can look forward to already clean fans!!Image  How do they get so dusty and gross?? Image  Dave took a picture of me washing the fan grates.  Wendy was really interested in what was going on.  It was funny.  She is always amusing. Image

After all that work I am too tired to cook tonight.  I am going to have leftovers from last night.  Image Take care all!  Happy Hump Day!Image