Neighborhood Fun

This is really a great neighborhood for the kids. Kids around to play with, room to run, but lots of great spots to walk for solitude as well.

We bought and filled a pinata for Arielle's birthday. I thought she'd enjoy doing it with the kids. We waited for a day without rain, and a day when all were home. This a.m. fit the bill. Fun times.

Michael really had as much fun as the kids! 

Modeling fine dandelion jewelry crafted by Stacia

Only in our neighborhood would THIS be a common sight!

Pirates in Japan!

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Shew....Just the Facts

• Levothyroxin induced insomnia. I'm SO tempted to quit taking me meds, but Michael reminded me this a.m. that I need to take them for the full six weeks so they can get a true number...AND...if I quit taking them I'll be a zombie again. ::snort::  
• Finally fell asleep at 4:30 a.m. (and YES I do go to bed and lay there - after two hours I get up). Up at 9:00 a.m. I found humor in the fact that I now know how to get Michael and I on the same wake up schedule. LOL 
• Lots of ministry emails - compiling quarterly numbers (Admin Hat) as well as a roster of all exec board members in our region and why they can't attend training (Training Coordinator Hat) and just chatting with my gals (President Hat). 
• Trying to create a cool banner - maybe it will arrive in time for WILD Training. 
• Lots of neighborhood fun today. 
• Trip to Swan Park with Jared and Michael. We were looking for ducks, but found crows. "That'll Preach."
• Trip to ocean with Michael. Still looking for birds to feed. 

• Dinner with four kids and Michael and then trip to Sport's Authority - looking for inline skates. 

• Blogging and crashing! Looks like I have 3 - 4 blog posts in the day. LOL 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Loving Friday

I started the day with a great time with God in the word, worship and prayer. 


I planned to drive to base for a one hour regional telephone conference, run to the commissary and come home to play with kids. 


I actually spent the afternoon working on regional PWOC projects, and the kids were happy to enjoy the warm weather with their neighborhood friends.

I broke for dinner. When Michael was in the hospital and unable to eat for 80+ hours (he can edit this to the right number), I promised him a T-bone steak when he was well enough to eat again. Tonight I delivered. Friday night is pizza night and I wanted to try making individual pizza's on the grill with the sourdough English muffin recipe for dough. I hadn't made my pizza sauce since we moved to Japan (yes, THREE YEARS) and it was yummy.  Everyone was happy......Michael had his steak....the kids made their own pizzas....

Yuuki got the T-bone bone...and tried to hide it in my planter and then bring it inside. 

I had hung two loads of laundry before I went to base. Arielle brought them in and hung a third load. Wow - it's finally warm enough to dry 3 loads in a day. Just last week it took all day to do one load and I had to finish in the dryer. It's the small joys that make life spicy.

Arielle took the day to totally re-organize my pantry and several kitchen cupboards. I love it!

We watched a movie. I fell asleep. I woke up and no one else was up. I answered ministry emails, downloaded several videos for use at an upcoming training conference, and created an excel to chart info requested by our Regional Chaplain.  It's 03:13 on Saturday - I think it's time to try to sleep.

I look forward to the day when my thyroid is regulated and I don't bounce between rabid insomnia or a comatose state...meanwhile I make the most of my awake hours. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Yuuki's Grand Day

The kids have been teaching Yuuki "tricks". Most are tricks Susi told us she knew before....so she now sits, stays, shakes, rolls over and gives high fives....but when we headed to the beach and I discovered her in my seat.....

Tired after her road trip. LOL 

She LOVES to dig holes in the sand and roll around.

At the end of Akikosan Lessons...Yuuki is exhausted...she does this to herself. 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Love, Bikes, Beaches and Language Lessons

• Reminded yesterday and this a.m. again as I read e100 (I Cor 13 and 2 Cor 5:14-15) that it's all about love...and that has always been my vision and will be my vision and I don't need anything fancier. ::snort::  The love of Christ controls, constrains, motivates, compels, captivates my life...or should. 
• Bike ride with Stacia to the produce market

• Simply can't take another moment shut up in here working on regional Admin stuff - heading to the beach

Not sure WHY they added these after the tsunami
They're great to lay on in the sun

• STUNNINGLY beautiful day - can see the mountains, warm breeze at beach - good call
• Need to create a new map....wish I was more techie
• Created a new "go to" dinner using rice, organic red lentil soup, spices and some veggies - curry rice casserole! It cooked while we played at the beach. 
• Fun lesson with Akikosan. I sure wish we could take her with us back to America. LOL 

Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Morning Bike Ride

I discovered my bike has had a rough winter. The handlebars are twisted, the speedometer and bell are missing, the basket holder is missing. I know it sounds like an old lady bike but it makes me happy. The speedometer and bell are useful for work outs. The basket is great for going to the market and putting produce in to bring home. Oh well......The debate will be - do I buy a Japanese bike or wait a year until we're in the states and leave this one here. Probably the latter. 


This morning was beautiful for a bike ride.  Stacia was happy to go with me and my lopsided bike.

This road can get busy

Most of the roads are rural 

See the mountains! 

I love all the early morning greetings we get as we ride by our neighbors and through the fields.  This is a great time of year to simply observe.

Newly flooded field of rice

This field has dried out enough to be mud. LOL 

After a rather harrowing sharing of our narrow lane with trucks and such...we made it to the smaller produce market. I bought spinach, bananas, apples and an onion.....filled my back pack (since the basket is out of commission).  Stacia bought....

Chocolette icesu creamu.....as Stacia gets a bit steadier in the traffic....we'll attempt to ride to the big produce market by us - the foot onsen/organic restaurant/strawberry field market! 

Choosing Joy!

©2012 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~

Living all of life before the face of God...

Curry Rice Casserole

I'd never had curry until I moved to Japan - but I like. Kobiashisan told me that curry is "Japanese fast food" like mac and cheese.  I put this together and it's good - though I know Michael won't eat it. I think Michael used to like curry or at least tolerate it until his last deployment. They ate curry every single day. Now he doesn't eat it....I don't blame him...but we like it. LOL  Today I created this go to  dinner.  I'll make a big salad and fish for Michael. 

The commissary began carrying these "all natural soups".  Arielle and I like this one. 

Ingredients - to make a big crock pot

2 containers of Curried Red Lentil Soup
a big onion - chopped
4 - 6 garlic cloves, minced
2  - 3 potatoes (yes, that IS the size of them here and they are EXPENSIVE)
handful of carrots
2 - 4 T of Curry powder
1 - 2 tsp of chili powder
leftover cooked rice - 4 cups

Heat up soup and mix curry and chili with it. Taste. Do you like? If not add more.

Put cooked rice, chopped onion, garlic, carrots and potatoes in crock pot. Pour seasoned soup over all. Turn crock pot on High for about 3 hours. Adjust as needed.

I needed to write this down before I forget what I did.....and I'm going to find a good curry recipe that doesn't use "mixes".


Choosing Joy!
©2012 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...