yet another misc post

I've been busy working on finishing my Okinawan memory quilt square (twenty of the same square). It's been a huge project! We also went to Bios on the Hill, but I forgot my camera so I don't have any pictures of that. Rob has been busy getting his Woodbadge for Boy Scouts (it's some sort of leadership training that took two three-day weekends). Here he is leaving for this past weekend:

Doesn't he look like that "Wilderness Explorer" kid from the movie "Up?" I love this guy! Here are some more random pics from around the house. My aunt made this sweater for Kate and I just had to show her a picture of it. Too cute!



Noah got a new bike for Christmas and it's finally his size. Yeah! He loves riding around the cul-de-sac and I wish we had more space for him to explore without the traffic.

He even jumps the curbs.

Ben got a razor scooter for Christmas and is happy that we are no longer bugging him to learn how to ride a bike. Although, the offer is still on the table if he will try we will give him a dollar.


You may notice that Ben is wearing a rather heavy jacket and Noah is wearing a sweatshirt. We've had a few days where the high was only 60 degrees. Issy has a coat (below) that came with a hat and scarf and insists on wearing it all. The other day we left the house very early in the morning and we could actually see our breath! All the neighbor kids were blowing air just to see the breath. What a novelty here in Okinawa. Had to take a picture of that.

These cool trees are all over Okinawa. This one is outside Kadena's Outdoor Rec.

I've heard that the weekly flea markets are an event not to be missed, at least once, while stationed here. The Americans basically have a garage sale out of their cars and the Japanese are allowed on base to buy our stuff. The will buy used bottles of lotion, clothes....anything! I don't quite get it because it's not like they are a third world country or anything, but it's chaos. Here's my loot.

Everyone waiting for the gates to open.

Open season on the flea market!


This guy was selling some sort of scallion pancake outside the gate and I gave it a go. It wasn't bad, but it's crazy that he was selling this and some soba out of the back of his van.

I haven't taken any bath pics in a while so here are some pics of our less than frequent bathtimes.





Issy can be seen many afternoons playing with her friend (and our neighbor), Kaia. She's in kindergarten, but they love playing everything from dress up to house and can do it for HOURS!