10 Year Anniversary!

On August 26th, we celebrated our 10th Anniversary. It's a big thing. We had planned to go to Hawaii for a vacation in Summer, a very late Honeymoon as we didn't have the chance to go somewhere after our wedding. To be able to go to Hawaii as an Anniversary trip, sounded very good, and I had looked forward to that so very much.

But as it is with this military life of ours, something came up and we didn't go. This time, "something" was our move. As the military did make it difficult for us with the move to our house, the waiting and all the drama that we had with it, we couldn't go, as we were told that sometime during summer and the heavy PCS season, we should be getting a notice of a house. We would get two options to look at and if we didn't accept one of them within the two to three days, we would loose our chance to a house. Trying to tell them that we were on vacation didn't matter, as they don't care. "If you snooze you loose" kind of mentality. If we wouldn't be here to accept a house when they offered, they would give it to someone else and we would be on the bottom of the list again, meaning waiting for atleast another 3 months.

So, as we didn't dare to risk missing our offer, we skipped on vacation and anniversary trip....
Not a happy decision, but what else could we do? To get a house and get out of the tower apartment was just too important. Still, that didn't mean that I was very sad and upset about another chance of a trip gone.

Anyway, as a small comfort, I happened to see that a restaurant here would have a Hawaiian Luau with entertainment on the evening after our anniversary. So, I picked up tickets and Cassandra was baby sitting the kids and we were able to go on a date to this event as an anniversary dinner.

As this was a special event and a very special date night, I went dress shopping that same day! I don't wear dresses very often, and when I do it has to be something special, but I did find a dress that I liked very much, and got a few pictures of it  before we left!

 Cassandra also took a picture of us before we left!

 It was an outdoor buffet, which was all Hawaiian food and there was a lot of people. Unfortunately, I had thought that this would be a romantic dinner, but it turned out that they let kids in too, so it was like a family night buffet, with kids running around and long tables set up, so no small tables for a date night exactly. A bit of a bummer, as I had looked forward to this night.

 Selfie on the patio with the ocean in the background, here not to be seen in the picture.

 Dance/song program.

 Whole grilled pig - Hawaiian style BBQ.

 Performance.

 The kids were really cute and did a great job!

We didn't stay to the end, it was too loud, too noisy and not as romantic and quiet as we had hoped for. We went back home in time to put our kids to bed and watch a movie on the couch. 

10 years married to this man, a life that has brought us to many different places, moved across the world and now exploring adventures in Asia. I can't wait to see what the next 10 years will bring for adventures. 

Within those next 10 years, we will be out of the military, hopefully living in our forever home where we have finally settled down, hopefully in a State in the US where we feel happy and at home. I hope that we have settled down with jobs and hopefully have found a spot in a community where we have found friends.

Cassandra, our oldest, will be in and out of college already, and hopefully has started a happy carrier working with something that she love. Hopefully for this mom, not too far away in the world from her family!!

Maybe even the big love has crossed her path and who knows, engagement and marriage?

Our twins will be teenagers, hopefully successful in school and with all their sport activities and boyfriends/girlfriends and hopefully having a great group of friends.

With our lifestyle, it's not easy to see 10 years ahead. Some people have lived all their lives in the same house in the same town, we haven't and it's exciting, and scary!, not to know where life will take us. In only four years, we will have to make big life decisions on where to go. The first time in many years that we can decide on where we want to live! Exciting to say the least!!

 Happy Anniversary my love!

The Night Before First Grade

Going through the pictures that I haven't posted yet, I found these, which I have to share here too. It was the Sunday afternoon/night before school start. We had friends over for dinner, and we grilled up a few different things on the BBQ. It was a delicious meal, but our guests didn't stay late, as it was the night before the first day of school, therefore we had started grilling early afternoon instead.

After our friends had left, it was time for the kids to have a bath and early bedtime. They were excited to take out their special books that they had received from their sweet Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Hayden on their last day of school. They have saved the book to read just like it says on the title, "The Night Before First Grade"

Ringing In The School Year 2016/2017

The ringing in the school year is a tradition on Okinawa, and all the kids and staff stepped outside to stay in front of the school where the Principal held a speech and welcomed everyone back to school. My little ones were sitting with their class, but they spotted me in the crowd and we could exchange some smiles and blow some kisses before they went in to begin their first day in the classroom.

This picture I took of the twins sitting on the bench in front of the school where the kids that are walking to school are waiting to be picked up. Of course I was there before school was out to be sure to see them when they walked out. They were excited to tell me about their day, about the teacher and about all the new friends in their class on the way home.

This is Cassandra coming home from school on her first day, late with the activity bus that isn't back on our base until just before 6pm in the evening. She had her first day of tryouts of volleyball directly after school from 2pm-4.45pm and then the bus left at 5pm. Long day, but she was also happy and excited to tell us all about her day, and about practice and tryouts!!

First Day Of First Grade!!

I know, they have been in school since August 29th, but better late then never right!? Here are the pictures in the morning of my super excited First Graders!! They were up early and we got ready in time for me to be able to take a few pictures before leaving the house in the morning. More pictures to follow from arriving in school.

And after so many "good pictures" a little fun with some "silly pictures"!

Chris was down on Foster, the bigger base where he normally go for meetings every morning, but were able to rush home on the express way to be at home at 8am before we walked to school to see the kids and wish them a great first day. He couldn't come to school, as he was already late for another meeting at another base. They were excited to see him though and I was able to snap a quick picture!

A quick picture with mommy too!

Ready to walk to school, outside our front door!

Back to school! 

Living on an American base in Japan, 

means the American and the Japanese Flag is flying high outside installations like the schools!

Benjamin with his first Grade teacher Mrs. Brown-Johnson

Isabella with her first Grade teacher Mrs. Brown-Johnson

After kisses goodbye, this is where I left them, sitting on the carpet waiting for the day to begin. The parents that wanted to, could stay outside the school and watch the ceremony "Ringing in the school year". Which I of course did. Pictures in the next entry.