Further Explanation

we used to live at L- Camp McTureous we now live about a 1/4 of an inch next to to the Y-in Okinawa City right on a cliff with an ocean view. 

but you see how far it is from L to C (camp Hansen) where we went today, thats why i don't like the drive, its super long. like over an hour.  also never-mind the fact that it's only like 20 miles, the speed-limit here is so damn slow and traffic sucks on sundays. 

My Search Has Ended

For months(okay maybe a week or so) Paul and i have been searching for three things:

• Speakers for his computer 
• a new crock pot (3qt, because it's just the two of us)
• a magenta ink cartridge for the printer

none of the southern island PX's have had them, see thats the glory of owning/wanting american appliances and living on a small island with many americans who also own/want the same things and we only have one or two places to get them. and when the island finally gets what your looking for someone always beats you to it. this is the same reason we either have to all wear the same clothes, or order online. (on more than one occasion i've been at the same location as someone wearing the same PX bought shirt i was wearing.)

well today, aginst my wishes (i really dont like the drive) we went north to Hansen one of the two northern Marine bases, that dont have much to offer, small PX a food court, and thats about it. But Paul needed a hair cut and didnt want to wait for 3 hours at Foster ( a southern/central island base) which would be crowded on the weekend. So off to Hansen we headed. and guess what we found.

everything we always wanted, and more. Paul also got some body wash and i got a red mt. dew which is really the only soda besides orange fanta that i drink nowadays.

i'm gonna have to crock pot cook this week! i am so excited.

List's revisited

here's a little update I Love List's revisited

Things to do with Paul before deployment this summer

1. sometime around march i'd like to go to Tokyo and Disney Land  (may or may not happen, it's sort of doubtful though)
2. we really need to snorkel more (it's getting warmer, so soon)
3. scuba certification, even if we only get to scuba a few times (not gonna happen, but andrea and i are gonna when she comes out here)
4. go camping, at least once (going to try to do this still too)
5. go on a CREDO retreat (not going to happen)
6. Spend a day in Naha, on foot, exploring (it's been raining every weekend but this will happen!)
7. workout together, about once a week. (ummm... no)
8.  learn basic Japanese (yeah not this either)

Things to buy for new house

1. rugs (we are okay without these for now)
2. pantry cabinet (made everything fit without this, which rocks because we dont have room for one)
3. shoe cabinet (more of a shoe shelf, but i like it)
4. night stands (maybe, we just got new ones but i may use those as end tables in the new house) (sticking with the once we have)
5. bathroom stuff for my bath, i'm thinking white, crisp clean white  (bath looks good in white)
6. guest room provisions (we'll have to save up for this one) (not yet)
7. Craft room/Alana's office stuff (sewing machine, other crafty things) (this is coming together but not there yet)
8. Curtains house wide (i will actually probably have to make these since the windows are very small, but that way they can be exactly how i want.  (found curtains and they wern't too expensive either)

Rules for the new house (these are the hard ones)

1. dishes will be done immediately, no more waiting three days to do them (well they dont get done right away but they dont sit there for days either)
2. alana cant 'nest' (this is where i make a mess in one spot, of dishes, magazines, coke cans, blankets, i do this often) (i dont nest too much, just a little)
3. clean up after yourself (this sort of happens)
4. laundry will be hung up on clothes line unless its raining (i'm good at this)
5. laundry will be put away as soon as its dry (i'm pretty good at this)
6. no stocking up on food (it's one thing to be prepared, but i more than enough food to feed several armies in my pantry right now) (were pretty good at not buying too much food)
7. the dog cannot go out alone (she really doesnt, i usually watch her from the door)
8. the cat cannot go out at all (and he doesnt)

Rules for school

1. i will devote at least one hour a day to school work , per class, and not wait until bedtime for this hour (mmm... sort of)
2. i will not wait until the last minute to do my homework (pretty good at this)
3. i will study every day (almost every day)
4. i will not try to do homework in front of the TV (well we dont have tv anymore so not an issue here)
5. i will get at least B's because i can do it. (so far so good!)

Garden Love

Pictures of flowers from the flower expo:

[daisy's (i bought some of these)]

[pretty purple]

[hibiscus]

my back yard/garden:

[my lovely garden]

Shrimp Bisque

Shrimp Bisque

via Closet Cooking

Amazing

very easy

so tasty, Paul and i ate almost the whole thing. 

the only thing i did was add extra lemon. 

Dear Faithful Readers

all 12 of you :)

i've been working lately, i dont even know if i posted but i got a job. i'm working on my time management right now, so as soon as i get in the grove of things i'll post more regularly. 

i'm off to work right now, but when i get home if i remember i'm going to post about another awesome recipe from Closet Cooking (actually two...) and tonight for dinner i'm going to make my own thing and if it turns out i'll share that recipe too.

Jennifer

i need your e-mail, i forgot it.

(reply removed because it had personal info and i got what i needed) 

thanks Jennifer

Flowers

i just got back from the nursery with this

it's a purple and red Hibiscus.

i'm so excited i could esplode (gir much?)

Pasta With Vodka Cream Sauce.

This week's meal can be found at Everybody Like's Sandwiches. i love pasta (and sandwiches) and i am always willing to try a new pasta.  Yesterday after a long day of work Paul and I went to the Commissary. I couldnt find half the things i wanted. but first lets jump to the food and then i'll discuss the day.

Pasta With Vodka Cream Sauce

with ingredients of Onion, Crushed Red Pepper, Vodka, Diced Tomatoes, cream and cheese, i whipped up a delicious pasta sauce (that was a bit spicy because i went overboard with the red pepper, cause i like it hot.)

It was incredible! Paul and i inhaled it, it made about 4 servings and we ate almost all of it. I strongly suggest not adding double (or triple) the red pepper though (and don't add your own chili oil either, that's just bad news)

the sauce had a hint of sweet to it, i think from the onions. I think Spinach, Shirmp, Mushrooms, or Sausage would all be great additions to this pasta. 

(i'll add pictures very soon, i just need to get my cable from upstairs)

just a little joy

i wanted to share my joy with you first thing in the morning

i've lost 18 pounds since i got to okinawa a year ago, about 12 of those pounds have been in the last 6 months, and about 3 of those are in the two weeks we've been in the new house! i'm so happy i could die! (well lets wait a few more pounds before i die, tha'd be more eco friendly i think, less of me to decompose...)

i put on a pair of pants today that i could wear a few years ago, but then i got all fat and couldnt wear them at all. so i put them on, and low and behold they fit again, with almost no muffin top (not noticeable unless you were scrutinizing my outfit)

i dont know what it is, maybe going up and down two flights of stairs a million times a day has something to do with it. 

why not wednesday

TODAYS WHY NOT:

WHY NOT PROCRASTINATE MY HOMEWORK A LITTLE MORE?

(shhh don't tell my mom)

i need to cook more, and i need to cook in smaller quantities or learn to eat leftovers.

i am going to start featuring some of my favorite recipes from my favorite food blogs once a week, probably thursdays, and i'll do the cooking wednesday night.  i love food blogs, and on my bloglines i am subscribed to over 2 dozen. 

i'll share a few of my favorites with you today (links are clickable):

 A Year of CrockPotting - crock pot ideas

 Closet Cooking  - this guy is great with smaller portions, and awesome stuff you'd never think of 

 Coconut & Lime  - classic American cooking at it's best (with lots of other cool stuff too)

 smitten kitchen  - a plethora of goodness

 $5 Dinners   - dinner on a dime

 La Fuji Mama  - great japanese recipes, and then some

updated

just as you may have expected.

i accomplished no homework this weekend.

but i had a bomb ass time at Courntey's 

and i had the hangover to prove it.

now i'm recovering still and about to start working on homework. 

poo