Award

Namine at The Clutter Box has given me a this s reward.

The rules:

This award is bestowed on to blogs that are exceedingly charming. These kind bloggers aim to find and be friends. They are not interested in self-aggrandizement (the act of making oneself more powerful, wealthy, etc.). Our hope is that when the ribbons of these prizes are cut, even more friendships are propagated (make widely known; publicize). Please give more attention to these writers. Deliver this award to eight bloggers who must choose eight more and include this cleverly-written text into the body of their award.

I gift this award to:

Christie O. at Baby Tea Leaves She inspires me to push beyond my comfort zones.

Lynette at My So Called Life is like a real older (not in age) sister to me. She reminds me there is so much to life than just breathing ( you gotta breath deep and sing out loud!!

Laural at Laural Out Loud is a dear real world friend of mine. Plus she blogs about the funniest stuff that really happens..I know I have seen some of it in person.

Mama Kat at Mama's Losin' It Inspires me to be a more fun mother to my children. Plus she got me to step out of my box with writing.

Septembermom at My Voice, My View Is just so damn nice. Her blog reminds me I am not alone in my feeling about this or that.

Jennifer at Rundpinne is funny and I really love to read her blog. She seems like that lady you see at the market and just want to stay there and talk to all day.

Michelle at Honest And Truly! is a nice lady trying to keep it all together Love her blog!

TattooedMinivanMom at The Scattered Mind of a Tattooed Minivan Mom is one cool lady. She is blunt and truthful. I love that.

Thank you all for posting such bloggy goodness! :-)

Organized Discipline: Mantra Monday

From my 100th post #36 I am trying to become self disciplined and more organized

PART ONE OF MY Mantra : get organized.

Any clear service in my home has papers, keys, receipts and anything else that I take out of my pockets when I get home.  I have been half A$$ed trying to put my home office ( and I use the therm office loosely)  in some kind of order.  

Being that I manage the home papers, bills, medical records, and accounts, I want to have a better organized system.  I want to be able to file and or access these materials quickly.  Now I spend a few minuets looking for paper that should be in some order and filed.

Another thing I want to organize is my children's days.  They need a schedule.  (and more nutritional meals)  

Last I need to organize my own days.  I want to have time to work out, cook for the family by 3pm, write or read, and have some day light for a craft or two ( knitting, painting or ever learning how to sew). Maybe even have a few moments to study the Japanese language.

PART TWO OF MY Mantra: get more self discipline.

I know they say if you want it bad enough you will push yourself. I want it. But I tend to let myself ease up to much. I need to want it more. I am so sick of people asking when is the baby due. However, that still seems not to be enough to make me work harder. 

I need a fire under my big butt.

So, I plan to learn how to push myself more

I made bread

June 27, 2009

My first try at making home made bread.  I used the egg bread recipe from Beth Hensperger's book "Bread Made Easy, a bakser's first bread book"

I didn't realize I didn't have any wax paper on hand until after the dough had risen twice.  By the time I got back form the store there was my bread rising again.  So it baked up a bit dense.  But the family liked it.  I will try a facatcha bread next.

I went to a Filipino cooking class and now I want to make Lumpia later this week.  

My 100th post

So, I have been reading that you revile 100 random facts about yourself for your 100th post. I will give you the random but not the 100. I don’t think I am all that interesting.

1. Favorite number is 3 (tie breaker)
2. I actually like doing the dishes, if I am alone with music playing.
3. I am a closet romance novel reader. They are mindless read that occupies me for a time
4. I have next to no rhythm.
5. As I child I wanted to be like Katharine. Hepburn when I grew up.
6. I don’t have a singing voice, and I still belt out the tunes in the car by my self.
7. I am a very moody Gemini
8. I have never seen “Lost, American Idol, 24, The Office, Dancing with the stars, Desperate House wives, or any of the reality housewives shows. Nothing against them, I just never got around to it or it was just not my thing.
9. I have a small tattoo on my tummy. A Gemini symbol
10. I want another tattoo. Only need to think of what to get
11. I love tea.
12.I can wiggle my ears slightly
13. I am very flexible
14.I love hand massages
15. I have only blushed once in my life. High school in front of a cute boy
16.I have a thing for colorful yarns(I need to make something with it)!!!
17. I love bags/ totes of any kind ( not designer handbags )
18.I hate being cold
19.I am not a fan of being to hot either
20. I studied ecology in Maine for a summer during high school
21.I wish I had an IPOD, but I am afraid of having to sift through all of my music at one time.
22. I like musicals
23. I love Anime (Robotech is the best ever)
24. I have a Bachelors of Science in Accounting
25. I think about opening a yarn shop here in Okinawa
26. When I was very very young I thought pepper was just dirt you could eat, same with cinnamon
27. I never tell my Husband…I think he looks so sexy in his uniforms.
28. My favorite time of day is dusk. Made it thought the day and then everything gets soft…colors and sound.
29. I wanted to paint like Georgia O'Keeffe when I was younger
30. I never lie about my age (I tend to for get but never lie)
31. I read and loved the Twilight series before it was popular.
32. I have a short fuse.
33. I am not very good a doing my own hair.
34. I tend to be a bit of a night owl.
35. I have given myself two weeks to try to bake homemade bread!(I did it this Saturday 6/27/09)
36. I am trying to become self disciplined and more organized.
37. I have stopped using the phrase “should” It is only I will or I won’t Should is no longer a word in my vocabulary.
38. I hope to pamper my self more often.
39. I don’t like going to new places by myself.
40. I would rather stay home than go out on the town. (I am trying to change that)
41.I have never gone commando
42. I can’t walk well in high heel shoes
43. I love Purple Hydrangeas
44. I love to give (even when I don’t have it)
45. I don’t keep grudges, but I do have a hard time letting things go.
46. I want to be a publish writer someday.
47. I am a very paranoid person
48. I loved unicorns as a child
49. I love all the CSI and Law and Order shows
50. I read the X-men comics
51. I love Hells kitchen
52. I want to learn how to braid my girls hair
53. My Real Name is Tira (pronounced tyra)

I can't think of anything more.

Strong: Mantra Monday

Happy Monday.  Christie O. @ Babytealeaves' Mantra Monday

She is having a challenge this week about strength. She  giving this away this week to a lucky commenter!! I it just happens to be one of her newest additions at her Etsy shop

Just leave a comment on BABYTEALEAVES telling her what you need strength for and she will randomly select the winner and announce it on Saturday. The contest closes Thursday night at 8 p.m. ET. You can earn another entry by "Following" her, and another entry if you post about the giveaway on your own blog and link to it. That's three chances! You must, however, leave a comment for each entry. Good luck! 

So I too will look to Strength as my mantra this coming week.

One of the definition of strength is  the quality or state of being strong : capacity for exertion or endurance.  

My mantra for this Monday is "to be strong".

My goal this week is to be strong enough to keep up with my  US Marine husband, with no complaints.  I want to be strong enough to keep on track.  It takes strength to keep at something that is hard to for you.   It is hard to overcome our weaknesses... It is even harder to maintain the strength to stay the course, work harder, do that one more crunch or run that one more mile.   I need strength to stick to my fitness goals.  No weekends off, No cake rewards for going to the gym like I should anyway. Here's to strength :-)   

It's My Birthday

Watching a box set of a law show we like.  My dear husband decide to take a break and do some dishes and clean up before bed.  Then I noticed the clock on the stove told me that it was 1:48Am.  "Hey, honey it's my Birthday!"  "Yes, I know."  He then when on to tell me I am to get my Birthday taps.  

OK, people that is 35 slaps on the bum from a very fit US Marine.  Plus one for good luck.  Luckily, we had so much going on with my girl's school program later today, my taps were forgotten.

Goals and dreams for the next year...

First, I want to spend you quality time with my girl.  I have discovered the habit of going to the movies has been nice.  With the boy still being so young, I have been having to protect him from her tantrums.  Life, has been a bit unfair for the girl.  He hits her and she can't hit back.  If she puts a toy down he can take it even if she had it first.  I really believe our girls only outings give her something she/we need.

2nd,  I would love to get some self-discipline in my fitness endeavors.  I know what I should be doing for  myself, but I don't put as much effort into it as I fell I should.

3rd, I want to to allow myself to spend more time on my creative outlets.   I vow to put at least an hour, at least twice a week aside.  Mind you this is the minimum.  I hope to "DO MORE"

Pictured cake are taken from the Spring 2008, InStyle Weddings Magazine (U.S. edition).  Seen on this page.  Come on its Chocolate.

PS I didn't get any cake.  Not because of any diet.  We kinda forgot.  Funny what you set as a priority once you just live.  This if the first Birthday, that I let go of the me me me feeling.  I basically had stuff to do today.  After the school program we all came home and took naps.  By the time I woke up it was early evening.  So I sit here kissing my birthday goodbye.  As, I do so, I feel happy to be were I am in my life.  I feel like my life's path is very open.

Love to you all.

Do Something

Here is to the first at babytealeaves, Mantra Monday. A community tool used to stimulate your drive. To be used as a reminder that you have goals and dreams. Personal affirmation to listen your own wants and needs.

As that I will be 35 this June, I have been spending quite a bit of time thinking on my personal growth. Also my health and mental happiness. I have three blogs to date.

1st: I blog about my life and family and my desire to write.
2nd: I blog about my weight and my ongoing battle to get fit.
3rd: I blog about my crafty creations. ( haven’t done much in the last two months)

On my first and third blogs have quotes that try to sum up my inspiration for the blogs. Mantras of a sort. But I have not been taking them to heart daily.
My second blog only has a weight tracker. Yes, I updated it for any weight change.

My first goal for this week is to touch on one aspect that drew me to my three blogs. Meaning I must (really need to) DO SOMETHING that I can show myself and my bloggy friends, that I have accomplished something! Or there is really no need to have blogs about things I don’t do.

writing assignment: uno tea set

I can't seem to get an assignment in on time. Remember I have had Thursday already. By the time Mr Linky is up I have gone to bed and it is Friday here in Okinawa. Better late than never.

Writing assignments from Mama's losin it Writer's Workshop. I have written on (4 of 5) of the prompts:

1.) If you could cut back on something in your life that takes up your time what would it be? And what would you prefer to spend that time doing?

I would cut back on my wasting of time. When ever I have a task or Idea I tend to spend more time setting up a space or looking up data for the project than I spend doing the project.

2.) Share a recent adventure you had with a friend.

Last night I taught my daughter how to pay UNO. It was a fun adventure. I just told her same same. Same color, and same picture. She got it. She even like it when she has to pull extra cards. She was 6 of our 7 games.

3.) Describe a memorable gift. Why was it important to you?

When I was very young still in pre-school, I got a tea set with white plastic tea cart. For the first time I felt girly. My step-mother at the time, would fill it with real ice tea and small peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

4.) If you could change career paths now and be anything you wanted to be...what would you be and why?

I would have studied to be a fine arts painter. My paintings would be in Museums. And handed down in a family for generations.

5.) Kim's email:

I don’t do death!

Movies

Each Military base that housed families has a move theater.

When we got on island back in November our theater was being remodeled.

It is open now.

I saw Wolverine origins. When I was younger I read x-men comics.

I had a crush on Wolverine. Hugh jackman is some hunk of wolverine!!! Crush crush

This Sunday I took the girl to her first movie. We saw Monsters versus Aliens,

She seemed to like it. She really loved the popcorn. We can't have popcorn at home because the boy is to young to eat it yet. Knowing that he wants whatever his sister is eating I can't give it to her at home.  I do send it with her snack bag to school on occasion.

Japanese cooking and Cultural Etiquette class

May 27 2009

The Ladies I have been working out with and I took this Japanese cooking and Cultural Etiquette class offered for Military Spouses. The class was taught by Japanese wives of some of our Military. We make four dishes.

Sushi ~ I rolled my own. I used cucumber carrot and shrimp.

Goya Champuru is one of the most common of champuru. Translated as bitter melon, goya has a green body and bitter taste. I will have to pass on this one. Bitter is not the word. However, it was and experience. I can say I tyred it.

Yakisoba is a kind of Japanese fried noodle as yaki means fried in Japanese. Soba indicates noodles. It is a delicious fast food and is a popular lunch menu in Japan. It great thing is that I can find the pack of noodles with a seasoning packet at the base commissary (super marted) All I have to do add meat and vegetables

Dango is a traditional Japanese confectionery whose primary ingredient is mochi (rice flour). The dango shown here are served on bamboo skewers, coated with anko, a sweet bean paste(right), and with a brown sauce made from sugar and soy sauce(left).

The Dango is boiled rice flour balls that are very chewy. We had honey and chocolate sauce. I find I like the bean paste. The sugared soy sauce was like Teriyaki sauce. The honey taste the best to me. I want to try to make it with something sweat in the flour.

In the etiquette part of the class we learned to proper way to sit used chopsticks and bowing. Bowing is very important in Japanese culture. It shows respect.

The whole time my friends and I squealed like little girls we were so excited to be doing something new. We had so much fun.

June is a Philippian cooking class.