Courageous Joy

Friday, February 12, 2010

I'm dreaming of exercise equipment again...

There was a GREAT machine at the gym in San Angelo. I told everyone it was HARDER than an elliptical, yet easier than an elliptical. It adjusted to your strength and stride....no buttons....just change your pace....awesome machine...great workouts....cross between a stepper and an elliptical and you could run on it as well....without hurting your knee.

Mike has been talking about a machine at the gym. It's the one above....very, very similar to the one I loved in TX.......and now I KNOW which machine I want to buy....trouble is, it's spendy - I've found it for $5,000.00 - $8,000.00 and no one will ship this puppy to Japan. ::snort::

BUT we've finally found a machine that both Mike (tall, long stride) and I (somewhat short) both would be happy to own.....in the meantime, now that I KNOW this wonder is at the base gym....when the ice goes away....maybe I'll drive all the way up there....once we get school well under way. LOL

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Thursday, February 11, 2010

What's a nice TEXAN girl doing in a predicament like this?????

What's a girl to do when she's over by the ponies, sledding down a hill, blocks from home and realizes she has to go potty....

From 2010-02-11

I heard her coming and ran to open the door....but the drama was over...."It went all out my leg," she told me.

I needed to wash another load of snow pants and coats anyway. ::snort::
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Tanjobi Omedeto Alexsan & Language Bloopers

Zander has decided that Japanese lessons aren't terrible after all. Akikosan won his heart with Valentine Chocolate.

From 2010-02-11

These are Japanese animated characters. The one on the left is a bread roll filled with adzuki bean paste. He's like superman. The other hero is the piece of bread. The chocolate was good.

From 2010-02-11

Today Zander turns 8! What a very long ways he has come in the last 4 - 5 years. We're proud of him. Akiko is now working on base. We've moved our lessons from afternoon to evening. Mike made it home right before Akiko arrived.....so we saved his Ice Cream Cake (icesu creamo keki - slaughtered that spelling LOL)to share.

From 2010-02-11

She seemed to really like the ice cream cake. Later this evening Jared remarked that we probably should have explained the pig hat so that she doesn't think it's an American tradition.

From 2010-02-11

Today's Japanese language humor is once again brought to you at my expense. I replied, "Watashi WA kokeshi doll" and it should have been "Watashi NO kokeshi doll". I said, "I am a Kokesihi doll," instead of "That's MY Kokeishi doll." Jared and Akiko realized my mistake at the same moment.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Ewwww EEEEE

From 2010-02-11

Ewwwww!

I haven't a clue what happened, but Jared nearly ran us all out of the house with a stinky science experiment. In fact, it brought on a migraine for me....but he discovered the DNA of an onion...so it was a success.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

Wardrobe Malfunctions

I shared on Support4HomeSchool, a large homeschool yahoo group that I co-own, that I was looking in the midst of a clothing malfunction. My favorite jeans were stolen last summer. I love LEE jeans...but the new ones I bought were stretchy.

I'd gotten used to having to have jeans that sit at the bikini line....though I was rather tired of having to hitch up my jeans, and pull down my shirts every time I chased a 4 yo. I could NOT get used to the new clingy, stretchy style. I wanted to be able to jump out of the van...without my jeans clinging to my ankles and various other unflattering body parts! Let's face it NO one looks really good with the mushroom look - unless they are about 18 and have never had a baby.
I tried on every pair at the BX in my budget. All STRETCHY, CLINGY and low cut. I asked for advice because I didn't want to buy jeans, ship them here and find out they were clingy. I shared that, "I want jeans that hang on my legs...not hug them, massage them, cling to them, creep up them."

I received 27 responses on the list and MANY private emails as well as chat comments. I wasn't ready to go with jean jumpers or denim skirts....but several sent links and photos. I decided to go with Lee.

The size chart said I needed to order an 18. WOWZER....I wore a 10 when I left TX. I couldn't believe it. I've never worn an 18. I bought 14....and I hoped.

I'm "somewhat short". They didn't have "short," but I hoped "medium" would work. Yep, just a bit long...."natural waist" obviously means "prepare for the mushroom look, and grab those pants when you think about leaning over"....but "real waist" evidently means, "jeans will encase you all the way up to the bust line." ::snort:: I think ordering short will take care of this issue. I'm happy......I'll get short if they have them next time. In the meantime...they aren't the most stylish jeans, but they hang, they don't reveal various frightening body parts that I'd rather not reveal in public, and the mushroom look is gone.

I'm losing weight again and so went ahead and ordered a size 12. LOL To all those who sent suggestions of jeans that were "normal," THANKS!

Stacia's View of Deployments

Well....well....well....our 4 year old is obviously processing.

She has taken to carrying her cabbage patch doll around. She tells all, "This is my daughter, Debbie." I'm getting used to this.

Yesterday, Debbie had to go to the airport (2nd time this week) and the chapel with us. Stacia marched right up to the sweetest, about-to-deploy, NCO mom and said, "This is my daughter, Debbie." Tabitha made the appropriate comments.

Stacia looked at Tabitha and said, "*I'D* NEVER leave my daughter alone." Stacia does NOT know that Tabitha is deploying. She does know Dad is leaving.

Wow. Poor Tabitha and Mike. It IS good that Stacia is processing her feelings about military life. At bedtime she asked me to read, "I'll love you forever....I'll like for you always" and we talked about how Daddy Bear says that to her and that her Mommy and Daddy will always love her and like her and "be here" for her.

Prayers appreciated.