Give In

Sometimes when you fight against something for so long, you eventually just give in to it.
That's what happened this weekend. I.gave.in.

We bought our second major purchase as a married couple.
It comes in the form of 52 inches. Liquid Crystal Display. High Definition. Flat Screen.
It practically takes up a whole wall.
[& my eyes have yet to adjust to it massive-ness.]

It's really unnecessary. & The Hubby is in love with it.
It's TV-Movie-Gaming at it's best. I truly DO feel like I'm at the theater -(if I could only remember the steps it takes to change into cinema viewing.). And I hope my neighbor doesn't mind if the Hubby can experience actually BEING in a war (it sounds like we are ACTUALLY there now.).

If it was up to me, I would stick with our half ton, opposite of high definition, plain-jane, TV box. (Which we purchased for $30 - 2 years ago.)
I put up a good fight. I really did. For a long time. But, as the Hubby's TV fund grew and grew, I knew that if I didn't give in now, we would be buying even bigger! So I gave in on Valentine's day. As I passed the jewelry counter and coffee maker I've been fawning over - we made our way back to the Man's domain, Electronics. Here, I sat a stared at TV's and compared the viewing quality of at least 5 screens (that didn't look all that different to my inexperienced-HD-eyes). Finally, we had made a decision. I gulped down my shock at what we were paying. I stood by and watched some hard-earned money easily slip out of his hands & I reminded myself that he owes me big.time. He owes me chick-flicks on this TV.{since we will no longer be splurging on movie tickets.} He owes me design shows.{so that I can drool over the projects I won't be getting to for a while.} And he owes me life-time movies on a lazy Sunday. {just because.}

Did I lose a battle? Yea - I did. But:, the way I see it, he didn't need my permission. And I KNOW he has sucked up some trips to the mall. & He has gulped down some shock at receipts from crafting stores and clothing stores. So, I've decided to make the most of this purchase. I helped him switch TV's. I did my part moving our half-ton dinosaur & when I looked at his face, I couldn't help but love to see his eyes light up as he told me about our future movie nights. 

What did I get out of this? Well, the Hubby decided to move his gaming into the spare bedroom, now known as The Man's Room. Where he can retreat to - hide out, drink a beer, wind down, watch a game, play a game - w/e men do in The Man's room will.be.done.


What I took away from this is: It's OK to give in, once in a while (wink, wink).

Valentine For You!

I've fallen in love many times...always with you.

Randomness

I've gone and done it again. I've skipped a day of blogging that turned into too long (I know ya'll have been there)! Yikes!

I've been a bad blogger and a bad blogging friend.... 

There hasn't been a spare moment to log on a read all of your blogs - let alone type up some posts!!!

(but here I am again...)

So here is some randomness to fill you in:

First - let me just say, I wish you all had the ability to smell my apartment right now. I just made a fabulous potato soup (with corn, beans, grean beans, and cheese) which is curing my case of the blues - due to the fantastic gloomy-sleet-snowy weather we have going on Japan today.

• Not all mozzarella cheese is good for pizza. Some will turn it into a hot-soggy-mess.

• Pants that have a tag that warns against "bleeding" will turn your skin blue.

• Apparently, "fancy clothes" is a dead giveaway for a New Yorker. If only this 8 year old could see my hometown. [Not.so.fancy.]

• Even when you think you are on top of everything, there will always be something else do to.

• BSB (Backstreet Boys) are still hot and currently touring in Japan.

• Functioning on limited zzz's makes my fuse much (MUCH) shorter! [Watch Out!]

Now for some Awards!!

Heather @ Riding the Roller Coaster passed along these awards. It was WAY sweet - Thank you!!!

I'm going to pass them along to some blogs that I've recently started following:
1. Karie @ Wife of a Wounded Marine
2. Expat Girl @The Sand is Different Here
3. Kate @ The Adventrues of Katie and Josh
4. Jordan @ This Is My Now
5. Jessie @ What You Wish For

The next award is:

 

First of all:

Heather @ Riding the Roller Coaster gave it to me, so Thank you!!!!

Here are the 7 not-so interesting things about me:

1. I never ever buy clothes full price!
2. I like to experiment in the kitchen.  
(1/2 the stuff I make is not from a recipe..) 
((1/2 of that stuff actually tastes good...))
3. My favorite color is light blue. 
4. I love fashion. 
5. I ride my bike to work a.lot.
6. I have crazy-wild-lion-mane-quality hair that I tame every day.
7. I am married to my best friend. (he is the only person that knows everything about me and doesn't run the other way).

Promise to be a better blogger.

Also: a HUGE welcome a few new followers!

Cupcakes & Sugar Cookies.

There are some things in life that are just too good.

And among those things are cupcakes & sugar cookies.

I'm not a baker (at all) but when 2 little girls look up at me and want to make them. I melt into a puddle & they get whatever they want (it helps that I can sugar them up and send them home!). 

Thursday night I spent my night with these chickies: 

Doing this: 

 

And this:

 

And this:

To make these: 

 

And these:

 

And this:

 

 These sweet-cupcake-cookie-making days are good to have.

I keep these days accessible - for times when I don't think life will be good again. Or times when I'm so overwhelmed I don't want to get out of bed. Or when I'm so confused about things I don't know what's right from left (Wanna know a secret? I really don't know my right from left). 

These are memories keep me grounded. They humble me & help me understand that happiness is found in the simplest of moments. 

Avoiding Farewells.

I'm a professional avoider. I've mastered this & I can detach myself from many emotional things in my life.
I've been able to hold everything in so far... but last night there was definite emotional spew-age (?) over something I've been able to avoid up to this point.

Being part of the military are you constantly saying good-bye to people (and the up-side? You get to say hello to some fab new people!). This is just a fact you live with. You meet some awesome people and before you know it (because time flies..) either you or your friends are packing out and moving on.

I've been hinting at the fact that we have a couple friends moving.
And I've been nonchalant about it, because I'm supposed to be used to it right?!
WRONG!

We have been blessed to have these people a part of our life & I know they always will be a part of it. There was a turning point when they became more than just friends, they are family. We spend holidays & countless weekends together. We've gotten drunk to celebrate and we've gotten drunk to commiserate.

These fant-abulous people are leaving Japan in a few days & I'm so sad it brings tears to my eyes to think of it. Even if you say hello and goodbye countless times as a military family - it doesn't make it any easier.
& last night we spent her last Friday out as a girls night. It was hard to ignore the looming departure date & we cried.

What I realize now, that I didn't know ever before - is there are some bonds that are made that are just unbreakable. There are some people in our lives that love you for who you are - the good, the bad, and the ugly. There are some people that can spit their gum in your hand & its okay. There are some that will help clean up the mess after you spill your guts (literally and figuratively). So - as the days before they leave come closer, there will be more tears. But - it's not a bad thing, it is a testament to the love that we have in this friendship. It is showcasing that despite thousands of miles and the time that will go by before we hang out again - we will be able to pick up right where we left off. And that, for me, is amazing.

 

 "Friend: one who knows all about you and 

loves you just the same."

-Elbert Hubbard

It can be done!

I can: 
Wake up & drop the hubby off to work (in the freezing cold).
Whip up some cookie batter for later that evening.
Put in a few hours of tutoring.
Run all the errands I need to during my lunch break.
Head back to work to cover for a teacher.
Run and pick up the girls to bake cookies with Ms. Kate (while their parents stay busy cleaning and moving).
Drop of a package @ the post office.
Bake and decorate 1 batch of sugar cookies.
Bake and decorate 2 dozen cupcakes.
Drive the kiddos back home & help out with the moving and packing.
Put together all the cupcakes for a going-away classroom party.
Finish a couple loads of laundry.
And leave the house only slightly more messier.

You can do it all.
You will just feel like you could fall asleep in your jeans. (because I definitely am in my jeans right now - and I don't know if I can make it into bed.. I might just crash right here on the couch...)

Good News? Tomorrow = Friday!!!  

Sake Factory

A little sake never hurt anyone.

I have been introduced to the world of sake (naturally - we are in Japan!) & I love it.

So...It isn't surprising that I enjoy an afternoon of sake tasting in the mountains with some great friends.

(two of which are leaving next weekend = sad face)

Here are the highlights:

 

Welcome to your next hangover! 

There were several to choose from. We ended up getting a few (or more) bottles to try. Some were super dry and some were very smooth. I settled on a fruity sake made with ume (plum).

The deal is: You go inside the tasting building, try out some of the delish sake, and get your sake cup as a souvenir. Then, head outside to purchase the bottles and drink away your sorrows while sitting next to a beautiful river and mountain landscape.

 

  

Of course - you don't want to do it alone. 

 

 

 & We munched on some yummy (some not-so-yummy) japanese snacks.

Opps... someone broke the chopstick!

Cheers!!! 

The Hubby didn't go, but he was awesome and picked us up at the train station after!

Yet another review of something amazing to do in Japan. 

[Note: All photos are courtesy of Not-Me.

Thank you to Bonnie and Chris...

they took all the pictures!

And Thank you for letting me 

steal them from your facebook 

to post on my blog!]