Okinawa World

Today's adventure - Okinawa World!!

This place has a cave, habu museum (snakes), tropical gardens, eisa drumming shows and tons of tourist traps to walk through on the way out.

Lets start with the Habu museum which is a building with tons and tons of snakes.  There was a snake show while we were in the building so we speed through to get the show.  We walked in to no seating so we stood on the side of the room while the lady spoke super fast with a snake in a cage.  She then put 2 balloons down in the cage one with water and one without and antagonized the snake.  The snake was fine until the one with water got near and then it attacked and the balloon was gone - so moral of that lesson??  Don't have a water sound and bug snakes when you see one.   Next up was the muskrat vs. water snake - there were 2 tubes and the animals raced against each other to the opposite side.  The muskrat easily won and we found out they are the natural predator of the habu (venomous snake found all over the island).  Last part of the presentation was titled trainer vs. Cobra.  Let me just say Jon and I were not prepared for what would be happening since we were about 10 ft from the presentation and the only thing that really separated us was a 6 inch tall piece of glass.  The trainer started to insult the cobra and showing its weakness - blind spot behind its head.  She would put her foot in front of the cobra and it started to hiss then she would mess with it using the snake stick and then she would reach behind it and smack its head.  Seriously no joke slap so hard its head hit the ground - followed by some hisses.  That was followed by Jon picking up Riley me grabbing Molly and trying to figure out what we would do with Kelly in the stroller.  The trainer then slapped the cobra a few more times just to show how it really can't see behind its head but really I was good after the first time.  After the show they were bringing out a snake you could take a picture with but we decided to leave as fast as possible because really we were not so sure about that part.  While looking at the exhibit about snake bites a solider from Jon's unit came and we talked about the crazy snake show and they told us how we should have taken pictures with the snakes - it wasn't too bad.  But we were both good without getting that photo!!!!

Next up was the cave which was AWESOME!!  It has stalactites and stalagmites that were so great to see.  The girls have been reading Bernstein Bears and Spooky Cave and the girls loved seeing a cave in real life.  Luckily we were not as clumsy as Papa Bear and we made it through without falling.  It was amazing to see and it went on forever.  We took a few photos and enjoyed seeing the fish in the water.  Jon may or may not have taken money out of a jar for the girls to throw into the water for a wish.  He thought that was what it was there for but with the people behind us giggling we are pretty sure they money was to be left in the jug.  Oh well - you live a learn.

When we got out of the cave we stopped for some awesome pineapple juice and watched others drink coconut milk from a whole coconut.  While we were enjoying our rest a nice little old lady kept coming up to Kelly and rubbing her cheeks then she gave her chocolate and then I guess felt sorry for the other 2 and gave them candy also.  During this whole process about 20 people gathered around her to watch her and ogle her.  After that we managed to sneak away.

The next place - pottery barn.  I took Molly with me and we speed through that while Jon waited outside with the 2 who might have touched and broken many expensive things.  This was followed by the glass blowing area.  Next time I am going to make my own vase!! It was really interesting to watch a guy make one - with the help of the experts.  The final part of the day was an eisa drum show.  This is a very big thing here and getting to see one up close with pros and not the elementary kids we normally see at festivals was really interesting.  They drummed, sang, danced and there was even a dragon dance.  For the final song they let people come up and dance with them.  Holding Molly back was not an option - she had been jumping and dancing the whole time so we went up to the front and joined in.  Jon managed to fall asleep a few times through the show (he did run 20 miles this morning since he is training for a marathon). 

All in all the day was a success and everyone enjoyed themselves!  This will be on the short list of places we bring visitors (hint hint people).

 

Welcome to Okinawa World

The trainer vs cobra

did that seriously just happen??

snakes in a tank

In the cave

A family photo!

So cool!!

Needed a short break

The only bats we saw

shisa dolls!

Walking on stilts

Habu liquor
A treat here on the island for $6 a shot
NO THANKS!!

Fighter ship

Dinner at Café latte - smile Riley

Smile Kelly

Outside the officers club a fish pond.
All good until Kelly tried to jump in

Birthday Party, Ice Cream Dates and AWANA

What do you do on those days where you want to pick up a little so you can actually clean the floor where milk, juice and random other foods and been waiting to long to be mopped up??  You come up with a random adventure for your buddies like go under the couch and watch a episode of Doc Mcstuffins.  Riley has some sort of iPad sensor - no matter where I hide it she manages to find it and find a quiet spot to sit and play with it.  That being said she gets a lot more tech time than the others but the others don't seem to mind because they are playing together nicely without the antagonizer.

Every month we find something new and exciting about living here.  So we found out about Snow Lagoon which has ice cream specials on the 9,19 and 29 awhile ago - NOW we found Blue Seal which has BIG SCOOP night on the 10 &20!!  Big Scoop night you pay for one normal school and you get 2 (yes I said 2) small free scoops.  When they serve it to you it looks like Mickey Mouse with the head and 2 ears.  Molly thought she should have a whole one to herself but I reminded her that her mommy is a cheapskate so we would be buying 2 and sharing but she could put in her request for a big scoop.  They best part of the adventure??  No diaper bag and one person peed through their diaper and another sister decided it was time to deliver a large package - Jon and I only got a little frustrated.  But it was worth getting the ice cream- right? Well I am in the middle of my Whole 30 with Paleo so I don't actually  get to eat the ice cream but seeing the happy faces of little girls did make it worth it.

Molly got invited to one of her friends birthday parties and she was so excited.  It was a bowling party and she loved getting to bowl.  Riley had some unnatural fear of the bowling ball for the first 5 frames as she cried and screamed while we helped her get over her fear.  By the end she and Molly loved bowling together and could even carry their own 6 lb ball to the lane and didn't want our help.  Being that it was a spongebob birthday there was a yellow cake and Riley was so happy to get her big slice of the cake!  The mom even brought coloring sheets for the kids to color while they weren't bowling and the girls loved that.  It was so fun to see the girls get so excited to play with friends and have a fun party to be apart of. 

So since Sept 1 I have been doing the Whole 30 which is also called the caveman diet or clean eating.  I can eat meat, veggies and fruit and really nothing else.  Molly and I have had many discussions on why mommy is cooking different things and not eating the ice cream with the family or getting diet cokes.  After 3 rounds of diabetes with the girls I am trying to get healthy and thought this would be a good kick start.  I have learned you can replace rice with cauliflower for fried rice and mashed potatoes.  So far I do feel better but I must say I miss diet cokes!!  My mini paleo police won't even let me have pretend ones.  Yesterday while playing kitchen Molly asked what I would like and my response was diet coke.  She responded you can't have that it has sugar mom. 

 

 

iPad under the couch= 20 minutes of quiet time

mom of the year! Left Kelly with a black washable marker - BAD PLAN

So glad we brought the dune racer!

Trampolines are for strollers and dolls

Ice Cream misadventures

spongebob bowling party

learning to bowl

Really thought she should be able to play

yellow cake!

love cake

really wants to be a big girl

My cubby with the big purple bow

Paleo, Playing and a Date!

For the month of Sept I decided to try and do the Whole 30 (paleo/caveman) to kick start trying to get healthier.  One nice thing about living here is all the local markets with tons of veggies!  Jon however is training for a marathon so the meat/veggie/fruit doesn't work all the great for him.  So dinner is mostly paleo with a few extras for the rest of the family.  I have learned many new ways to cook veggies and some are actually good and a few are well we won't be doing those again!  Eggplant lasagna is one of those not going to happen again meals - not only did it not taste all that great but it had a very bad impact only the families digestive systems.  Diapers and paleo =NO FUN!

We have been taking time to play at the beaches and parks around town as the weather is getting "cooler." The girls love getting to do anything outdoors which is really nice. 

We went to the dentist for the little two and learned that there is no fluoride on the island so we have to supplement for the girls teeth - fun times! 

Well the screaming has picked up so blog time is over.

 

 

 

After school fun at the beach

Big girl bed

They love being together

rice or cauliflower??

She does love butter chicken and naan

every time we get eggs she wants her picture with this thing

she loves swinging

Molly dressed everyone for the day
Notice Hello Kitty??

 

Date night when your wife is eating paleo??
All you can eat meat and veggie place!

Best way to end a date - sunset on the beach

Everyday Fun

The girls and a I have been able to do some fun things with Jon and friends these past few weeks.  There are times I forget we are in a foreign country and then I take my awesome kids to the store/park/beach and it turns into touch fest with the locals and I then remember.  I am thankful that they love people and will interact with them even though none of us know what the other is saying, except the old man who kept making a hugging motion and saying cute while pointing at Kelly.  At the 5 month mark we have hit a nice rhythm with school, chapel and work.  Jon became the Family Life and Discipleship Pastor last week (children's pastor) at chapel.  They wanted chaplains to be in charge of certain ministries and since we were heavily involved it was a natural fit:) 

 

 

 

double cab truck in Okinawa

rub a dub dub 3 mcp's in a tub

school lunch for the big girls

Letting Riley be the driver

aun pan man - the bean filled donut man who is everywhere

Kelly getting to drive - cheap mommy wouldn't put money in it for her though

Molly got to feed the elephant

They both liked seeing them at a distance

Gotta love mom and dad:)

Kid sized toilets in the middle of the museum short enough you can watch them but not drag everyone in.
This place does kids well

Left Jon and Kelly watching football and played some free putt putt

Mexican food!!!

Keeping it classy!

Fireworks on the trampoline

Bounce house with balloons!!!

 

In her big girl bed with a Japanese bed rail. 
Put together with not being able to read a word!

Girls got to pick out 100 yen pottery

Living on an island has some perks!
Sunset at the beach then ice cream.

Couldn't stop from getting wet - but still willing to go get ice cream.

Molly was not a fan of the birds chasing her so she jumped on Kelly
NEO PARK

Riley - also not a fan so I put her on my back
NEO PARK

Lunch with the Lemurs

Somebody thinks she is a big girl

More go-carts!

She loves life - she just has a loud way of expressing it.

Kingdom Kids

Across the street from school is an awesome beach so I packed swimsuits and we played!
Potty training and the beach = ROUGH TIMES

Practicing hospitality - BONUS friends bring dessert!
 

They love sharing a room!!