Oreo Day

Alan:  "Tomorrow is Memorial Day."

Adam: "Does that mean we eat Oreos?"

Alan: "No, Memorial Day is when we remember all the military folks who fought in wars and didn't make it."

Adam: "Do you think they'll want some Oreos?"

A Little Morning Story

Today, Alan and I woke up at about 6 a.m.  Not to babies crying, like usual, but to the sound of Adam's voice in his room (so we thought).  Alan got up to check it out.  Adam was not, in fact, in his room, but in the babies' room.  The big, bright, overhead light was on and he was reading them books.  And they were looking and listening with awe.  Then, Anaya saw Daddy and started fussing, which made Audie fuss, which meant it was time for everyone to get up.  We should have left well-enough alone when we figured out everyone was alive, and wallowed in the bliss.  We'll know better next time.  I hope it's a Saturday next time.

Snips and Snails

Well, it's been a busy one-of-those-Mondays around here, but I didn't forget about my Monster.  I'm barely making it, but it's still Monday.

Right now is the rainy season here on Okinawa (don't come visit me in May).  Apparently this means torrential downpours for a few weeks, then a transition into summer.  Boo for pouring rain everyday (although I'm guessing that it's responsible for the lushness of the place).  Yay for summer (and the beach!) being just around the corner!  Anyway, with the rain comes the emerging of anything that wants to live out of the grass and onto our patio or onto or into our homes.  Foot-long earth worms, cockroaches the size of my hand, millions of ants, and snails.  Dozens and dozens of snails.  Adam finds them fascinating, for some reason beyond my comprehension.  Why would a little boy that moves constantly at the speed of light be so enamored with a snail?  Maybe that's just it.  Maybe he doesn't understand how anything could move so slowly.  I mean, for Adam, crawling and walking were just stepping stones to running.  He only crawled for about two months before he walked and he only walked for about five minutes before he ran.  But, here he is, amazed.  He'll pull those snails off the wall and line them up to race.  A snail race!  What on earth could be more boring??  But he sits.  And he watches.  And he puts one back on track if it strays (that snail doesn't have a snowball's chance in hell of escaping).  So the other day he was on our patio, watching the snails, and he calls to me:  "Mommy!  You wanna come watch this snail with me?  It's about to move!"  "No, thanks!" I replied.  And I went about my "busy" day. 

But, you know what?  I should have gone and watched that snail get ready to move.  I should have stopped whatever it was I was doing and done that.  Because sometimes watching a snail almost move with your three year old is just what you need to do.  Rather, it's just what they need you to do.  Lately I've been a little caught up in what I need (haircut, pedicure, curtains for the living room, paint for the babies' room...) and I've failed to give my children everything they need.  I mean, I've covered the basics.  They're warm and fed and clothed and loved, but nothing extra.  And I sit and wonder why they aren't happy babies or why we're getting bad reports from Adam's preschool.  I wonder what I'm doing wrong.  It finally occurred to me that it's not what I am doing that's wrong - it's what I'm not doing. 

So the blogs may be less frequent, and will likely be posted at midnight, after babies are fed and back to bed and Adam's in bed and tomorrow's lunch is made.  And my facebook page might not have a new status update every hour.  But my babies will get plenty of tummy time and story time and stimulation.  And my Adam will teach me all about snail races and tell me what he did at school.  Tomorrow is Tuesday and Tuesdays are "Adam and Mommy" days, so I can't wait to see what's in store.

 
   

In Engrish, Prease

I could literally photograph 100 things a day over here that would make you laugh.  I guess it's a little bit wrong of me to make fun of them in some cases because they are trying and they're doing us a courtesy by trying to put it in English.  I mean, it is Japan, and maybe we should be able to read Japanese and speak Japanese, kind of like we expect people in America to speak English.  Still, it's damn funny.  You would think if they're going to put forth the effort, they might get someone to proof read it.  Just sayin'.  Here are some recent Engrish run-ins:

I've seen this sticker or one like it a thousand times - for some reason they LOVE these here, as if a American crappy driver is going to all of a sudden drive better because you have a baby in your car?  I never noticed the bottom line before.  Probably because I was passing you too fast.

This is a "drink bottle - for drinks," as stated on the tag.

The quote at the bottom reads: "It flows between feelings.  Let's spend a rich, happy time together"  What?  What flows?  What feelings?  I'm confused.

I didn't really need an egg slicer, but how could I pass up the package with confusing warnings and helpful illustrations for that person buying this but has no idea how to use it?

Who even knew it was best to wash rice before cooking it?  Not me!  But this rice paddle is "Useful for some more things" and "Available to a person who has long nails," so naturally, it was calling my name.

Peace out.  Oh, and always remember: