Wednesday Walkabout

I will use the opportunity to share with you my updated About Me section. Check it out, Enjoy. 

 

Evelyn: 23 weeks

someone has been sucking on her socks

New this week: 

almost sitting up unassisted! 

rolling all over the place

Macro Photography

I got a new lens last weekend

A Tamaron SP Di Macro

I love taking pictures with my Nikon D3000 but I really like taking pictures of the little things, the things that you don't notice when you pass something by. I've wanted a macro lens for a while, when we found a used one that was a great price last weekend, I couldn't pass it up, and the guy even showed me how to use it. 

I'm by no means a pro, in fact (and I am embarrassed to admit this) I didn't even know how to manually focus my camera until this last weekend. 

But I love taking pictures, and I want to learn more. 

I have been almost exclusively using the new lens all week and have taken over a hundred pictures of mostly shrubbery and weeds. 

I am hoping to sneak into my neighbors yard (with her permission) when the weather gets better, because she has a bounty of flowers, and flowers mean bugs. I really want to take pictures of bugs. 

I took some of a wolf spider I found in the house yesterday, but those pictures sort of give me the heebie-jeebies.

One thing I really like about the lens is it can be used for macro or portrait. I could be wrong in my explanation but I think the camera guy explained it that the camera will focus really close (macro) and to infinity for regular shots and because the f-stop is low (f/2.8) I can get that focused foreground and blurry background that looks so nice in pictures.    

shrubbery

Renji

Renji really close

Aiko

yumm beer

flower (maybe?) growing out front

more from the front yard

Okinawa wind chime 

lavender plant I bough last week

seed starters 

dandelion 

bottle caps

blurry baby

tiny flowers from out front 

they are about the size of a pencil eraser 

How I really feel about PCSing

I am totally excited to get out of Montana at the end of this year. Paul got web orders and we will be out of Montana by Thanksgiving. We will miss the Marine Corps Ball again this year, but our last PCS was the same time (the same day actually) and we don't mind. 

Shuri Castle

But I am still a little sad, not sad to leave Butte, but sad that we aren't leaving Butte to head to Okinawa. I really had my heart set on it. I was sure it would happen. It's what I wanted more than anything. We still hope to go back someday, maybe someday soon, but we'll likely go to California for at least a year before we are able to even think about heading back to Okinawa. 

Best Taco Rice EVER! and the very first place I ate upon arriving in Okinawa

I am excited about California though. I am looking forward to having sushi again, and going to Ikea, having mexican food, and the beach, oh I am looking forward to the beach. It will be nice to still be in the states as Evelyn starts to grow, so she can see family, without spending a small fortune on airfare. Plus it'll also be nice to be at a real military installation so if when we do get to go back to Okinawa, getting everything for us and the pets in order will be much easier. And I haven't been to Disneyland in about 10 or 11 years. I am also really looking forward to big city life for a while. 

But it's still not Okinawa. 

Pizza in the Sky (I think)

I sort of don't know what to do with myself now that we are going to California. Moving there isn't as big of a deal. We are pretty sure we'll move into base housing. We've already decided which housing, and submitted our application. There is no prep needed for the pets. We have gotten rid of a lot of stuff since moving, and have another huge pile set aside for a yard sale in the near future.
I do spend a lot of time wondering what California life will be like though.

My house, it was the second from the left

It's funny how I miss the things I used to hate, specifically the rain. I have been following the weather and rainy season is full force in Oki. It'll rain for the next month or so, a lot.
We just got about 1/2 and inch of rain this weekend and I loved it. It made me miss Okinawa even more.

Zakimi Castle

I don't think I'll stop wondering how long before we get a chance to run away to Okinawa. And planning in my head where I want to live, and what my first meal will be.  I'll still imagine meeting up with friends who have returned, or who are still there. I'll dream about taking my new little family back to all my favorite places, and adventuring over the little island.

looking into town from Shuri Castle

Me hanging out with some kids at the Naha Tug-o-War 

I wonder if someday I'll reminisce this way about Montana...

I have no idea where, Okinawa

Sorry this totally turned into a "I miss Okinawa so much sometimes I want to cry" post. 

Throwback Thursday... Everyday!

I am not sure where I discovered this iPhone app, but I love it. 

It's called TimeHop, and it's the shit. 

It goes back through your Facebook, Instagram, twitter, flickr and foursquare history and shows you what you posted in previous years on that date.  And if you'd like you can re-share them to Facebook or Twitter. 

Three years ago today Paul and I were exploring Northern Okinawa. 

and I was posting pictures of Moster Dogs

Here is what it looks like from the app: