Hundred degree pumpkin picking

When we first moved to Virginia, I was looking forward to the things that the cooler weather brings.  Crisp fall days, warm apple cider, the falling leaves, and so much more.  I was very excited to bring my kids pumpkin picking, since there was no such thing in Okinawa.  This time of the year in Oki, the weather is just starting to cool a bit.  Not comparable to the east coast, but better it's cooler then the 110 degree days most of the summer gives.  I couldn't wait to pick a pumpkin in the cool weather.  

Guess I should've just stayed in Oki.  The weather heated up to a shocking 100 degrees.  I looked at Oki's weather forecast and it was only 82 degrees there!  What is going on mother nature?  

In any case, we had a great time.  It was sunny and bright, and I was shocked at how much I loved this farm.  I had very high hopes after visiting Jones tree farm in Connecticut.  I will not hesitate to say that this place far surpassed them.  They had rides, animals, food, entertainment (we missed the pig race), play areas for the kids. They had a pumpkin launcher that you could fling a pumpkin across a lake with.    Who wouldn't want to fling a pumpkin across a lake?  They truly had something for everyone.

The boys had a blast.  Eli stayed in his baby carrier backpack, while Z Step got to do all the toddler friendly activities they had.  We started out with the big "pillow."  This was basically a huge trampoline.  They allowed a few kids on at once, and luckily on Z's turn it was only him and another little girl.  He had a blast, as you can see in the photos.  The staff stopped in their tracks to laugh.  We were told that he made their day.  

Next was a barrel train.  I think this was tied with the pillow for his favorite part.  He was so excited.  He got to sit in it all by himself and ride around.  He was so proud.  Z Step kept turning around and waving to us and saying, "I'm going this way now.  Bye!"  

We next walked around a bit.  We watched the bumper cars, watched the rope swings, and saw the animals.  We even got to go through the corn maze.  We were dumb enough to let the 2 year old direct us.  Luckily, he got us through it.  It was the easy level one!

Last was of course the main event: the hayride to get our pumpkin.  Z Step is currently obsessed with big green tractors, so being pulled by one was a big deal for him.  We then got to the field and got to pick out the perfect pumpkins.  We picked a tall thin one, and a short fat one.  Can't wait to decorate them soon!  

To do this fall y'all!

Good Morning! Happy first day of fall!  If you have been reading my blog awhile, you have known that one of the things I missed over the past 4 years in Okinawa was the fall.  As much as I hate the cold weather, I love the changing season leading up to it.  The crisp air, cozy sweaters, changing leaves pumpkins, and of course cheap apples.  

When moving back to the east coast, I was very excited to once again see the beauty the changing seasons has to offer.  Last year I tried to make a fall to do list, but found that there was very little I could do on a tropical island.  Pumpkins were often almost sold out by mid october, and we spent our fall usually planning for christmas because of how fast things would sell out.  The air was never quite fall-like, and we had palm trees in our front yard, not a colorful oak or maple like I was used to.  

Virginia, like Connecticut gets some beautiful weather this time of year.  The feel of fall is almost identical, though nothing will beat Jones pumpkin patch, and apple picking up the road.  All the same, I've created a list of things to do this fall! I hope you all join me in doing some of these things.  Have a great fall!

The Thanksgiving Tree

Thanksgiving is a beautiful time of year.  The weather is starting to cool down (well, as cool as it gets in Okinawa!) and we are filled with some of my favorite fall foods.  It's very unfortunate then that turkey day seems to be skipped these days.  It seems that the stores go straight from halloween to christmas decor, skipping such a wonderful holiday over.  Thanksgiving has become a day for people to stuff their faces with unhealthy, fat and carb loaded foods to the point of stretchy pants!  Not for us.  As much as we do enjoy our healthier alternative on the thanksgiving feast, there is so much more to this holiday.  It's an important holiday to me because it's a time for us to reflect on just how lucky we are to be living the life we've been given.  Instead of worrying about the calorie rich foods that we could consume this thanksgiving, I instead chose to focus on the true meaning of thanksgiving- giving thanks!

It started with a bare tree hung in our kitchen.  Each day, someone in the family got to put a leaf up with what they are thankful on it.  We all got to give thanks for many of the things in our lives.  They could be anything, with a simple or deeper meaning.  It really made us all realize just how lucky we are.  Though my life came out very different then I envisioned, it takes looking at our beautiful fall tree to realize just how lucky I am.  Though it's not on our tree, I am very thankful for this holiday to get me to realize that.  

Here are the things we are thankful for, in no particular order:

Elijah: Today I'm thankful for walks in my Ergo carrier.

Zach: I'm thankful for all of my wonderful friends.

Daddy:  I'm thankful for the Marine Corps- past and present who fight for our country's freedom and values.  Semper Fi! (written on the Marine Corps birthday)

Mommy:  I'm thankful for sweet little boys who know how to make someone's day.  (A random little boy at the grocery told me I was beautiful that day)

Elijah: I'm thankful that my mommy feeds me so I can grow!

Zach: I'm thankful for my new squeaky shoes and my matchbox car!
Daddy:  I'm thankful for grilled turkey, friends, and my beautiful family on this holiday.  

Mommy: I'm thankful that my boys got to spend 4 wonderful days with their grandpa Steve!

Elijah: I'm thankful for being able to meet my grandpa Steve!

Zach:I'm thankful for Tylenol, Barney, and blankets to snuggle into when I'm sick.

Daddy:I'm thankful for my wife saying yes 4 years ago today.  (This was written on the anniversary of his proposal)

Mommy: I'm thankful for days I can workout.  I am a far better Mommy and Wife when I can workout!

Elijah: I'm thankful for generous friends who help soothe me!

Zach: I'm thankful for playtime at the park with Mommy and Eli

Daddy:I'm thankful for my friends turned family in Okinawa

Mommy: I'm thankful for long walks with my boys.

Elijah: I'm thankful for velcro swaddles

Zach: I'm thankful for Disney movies!

Mommy:  I'm thankful for the beautiful life I've been given.  It may not be what I expected it to be, but it's so much better!

Elijah: I'm thankful for my mommy, daddy, and big brother!

Zach: I'm thankful for the love that my family and friends give me

Daddy: I'm thankful for my healthy, happy, and wonderful family.  Even the Fur-ball!

As you can see, we have a lot to be thankful for this year.  We are truly a blessed family.  This crosses off the final thing on my fall five list- A thankful tree!  

What are you all thankful for?  I'd love to hear!  Spread some thanksgiving cheer!

Happy Halloween!

Halloween isn't my favorite holiday, but I still appreciate it just as much.  I love the cute little kids in their costumes, and the spirit of the fall.  It's even more fun when you have little ones of your own!  Zach especially was fun this year- as he's now old enough to enjoy it.

We didn't go crazy this year for halloween.  I just couldn't get into the spirit this year.  Buying old, awful looking pumpkins from the commissary doesn't exactly get you in the spirit!  But we did still do the basic halloween traditions!  We started out by carving pumpkins!  Unfortunately, very few pumpkins were brought to okinawa this year.  And those that were brought weren't in the best condition.  I bought what I thought were decent pumpkins, but turned out to not be so great after all.  We did what we could though.  And Zach had fun watching... for about 5 minutes.  

Pumpkin guts!!

Helping get the seeds and guts out!

And then Halloween came and we got to dress up!  I knew Zach would NEVER keep a hat on his head, so I settled on something simple for his costume.  As for Eli, I knew I'd be babywearing and decided it would be easier to just pop a hat on his head... so we went as...

The peanuts! 

Dima was Linus, Eli was woodstock, Zach was Charlie Brown, and I was Lucy.  Not the most creative costumes, but hey it worked!  Before going trick or treating we did a little science learning experiment.  We poured green vinegar into a pumpkin that was filled with baking soda.  I didn't add enough vinegar, but we did still see it foam at the mouth a bit!

My adorable little Charlie Brown!

Our Elmo pumpkin and puking pumpkin!

We spent our halloween drinking beers, eating pizza, and watching the neighbors scare kids.  Joe goes all out every year with his decorations and fog machine.  Zach was very confused about the holiday.  He "practiced" trick or treating inside with us, but when it came to being outside, he was too confused.  Too many people and crazy costumes threw him off.  But alas, we went to a handful of homes to get our candy.  It was a fun halloween, but I look even more forward to next year- when both boys are a bit older!

Time to get some candy!

One of the neighbors costume!  Zach was very confused!

Crouching warewolf, hidden fog machine!

Ready for action!

He was howling at the kids all night!

Fall Fun Five checkoff:

Carve Pumpkins!

Another farewell

In the almost 3 years we've lived in Okinawa, we've said goodbye to many of our best friends.  We are at the point now where we've said goodbye to almost all of our best friends- many of which have gotten here after us!  It's sad, but it's a part of military life.  Boy do I wish we knew when and where we were moving right about now!  

This weekend we threw a going away party for our friends, the Blenkush family.  Jon and Alicia are a dual military couple who are both stationed on Kadena.  In their 3 years here, they have barely spent much time together, let alone time in their house!  They have both deployed many times and have been sent on mission after mission.  Unfortunately in our three years here, we haven't gotten to spend as much time with them as we would have liked, because they were never home!  But now, Alicia is out processing from the Air Force, and they are packing out for their new duty station in Oklahoma.  We have been very lucky to have gotten to spent a lot of time with them both in the past few weeks before they fly out! 

Since it's the fall, an "Oktoberfest" type party was in order.  Grilled Turkey, smoked turkey legs, homemade pretzels, and lots of yummy foods awaited us, along with a few friends and a bon fire!  We had so much fun celebrating fall and fair-welling our great friends.  We are going to miss them so much!  Can't wait to see you guys again!  

Ann Marie Made this cute sign!

Mummies in a Blanket!

These were some of the yummiest fluffiest homemade pretzels!  Awesome!

I made this pumpkin hummus/veggie tray!

Ford was working on this thing for about 2 hours!

Stealing food

My little woodstock and I

He never stopped eating!

A horse, hanging out... drinking a beer!

Best costume ever!

This party knocks off one of our fall fun five!  

Fall Feast!

BOO!! Boo who....??

Halloween is just not quite the same holiday it was living in America.  We don't have pumpkin patches to go to with our kids to pick the perfect pumpkin, we don't get to see beautiful fall foliage, and we certainly don't get to go apple picking.  Instead, we buy our pumpkins at the grocery store (if there's enough left that is!), wear flip flops because it's too hot for shoes still, and dish out a whopping $3.50+ a pound for apples that don't even taste great.  It's not the same as in America, but we have learned to make due.  

One way us Okinawians make due is by "Booing" our neighbors.  What's "booing" you ask?  Booing involves leaving a little halloween themed gift on your neighbor's porch with a note asking them to do the same to two others.  The bag comes with a letter asking you to post a note on your door that you've already been booed.  We decided since nobody else started the chain up on our hill, we would!  We made two bags of goodies for some friends.  Candy, toys, coloring pages, and lots of fun goodies for the kids and adults in the families made their way to the door step of two families.  Dima snuck outside in the dark and did a ding dong ditch on the neighbor's door, leaving a special treat for them.  We were delighted that when one of the friends came outside he yelled, "HAPPY HALLOWEEN!" When he realized he'd been booed!  Gotta love the spirit of our friends!  

After the first boo had been sent, we began seeing "We've been booed!" signs pop up every day in our neighborhood.  What a great feeling it is to know you started a chain of random acts of kindness!  And a few days later, that act of kindness made its way back to us... we got booed!  Our booers brought us a bunch of great things to keep us (ok, Zach...) busy.  We got green chocolate and pretzels and a mold to make "mummy" shaped chocolate pretzels.  We got a great face mask that Zach was initially scared of but now he likes to wear.  We got a light up eyeball bouncy ball.  And we got a ghost that lights up.  Zach has been having a lot of fun playing with his new toys and It's getting me excited for Halloween in a few weeks!

Our boo basket!

Zach playing with the mask

Freaky!

Zach asked Daddy to wear it too

Booing was something on our "fall five."  The first we can cross off our list!  Even with two little ones, we're still accomplishing our to do lists! 

As a result of our "booing" I've decided to add something new this blog.  If there's one thing I love, it's doing something nice for others.  Whether that be someone I know, or a total stranger.  It's something that is very dear to me, and something I really want my boys to learn from me.  People today have too many wants and needs.  Gimmie this, Gimmie that.  I want my boys to learn to give, and to get satisfaction from giving.  And with that said, I'd like to start my "RAOK" or Random Act Of Kindness.  From here on, I will be randomly surprising people with kindness.  Because sometimes one little action can make someone's entire day turn right side up.  

End of summer/start of fall!

Wow, can you believe it's already the fall?  On Sept 22nd, we officially entered the beginning of fall.  That means that the Summer 60 is officially over!  Right before we approached the 22nd, we decided to cross one final thing off our list- the Aquarium!

The Okinawa aquarium is like no other.  It is the second largest aquarium in the world!  The best part of  the Okinawa aquarium of course is the whale sharks and manta rays.  You can sit and have lunch with them.  Zach loved watching the fishies swim by and devoured all of the food he was given!  We had a great time, probably our last trip there before the big move in a few months!

The mist here confused him at the entrance!

Who doesn't want a pair of shoes with tails??!!

Touching the sea snakes and sea stars!  He was more interested in splashing the water!

Fishy Fishy!

Shark Attack!

Daddy and Zach got swallowed by a shark!

Whale sharks

Manta Rays

Having lunch- he devoured his entire hot dog and pita, plus ate some of daddy & mommy's food!

Elijah being offered to the whale sharks

He wouldn't stop eating in the car!  

And so Stepanoff Summer 60 is officially over.  Unfortunately, we did not finish everything.  We did not play ladder golf (one of the neighborhood boys lost some of the balls awhile ago).  We did not get to do sidewalk body outlines (you try getting a toddler to sit still).  We also didn't get to make giant bubbles.  Can you believe they don't sell wire coat hangers here?  And not a single friend had any!  We didn't get to have a water gun fight.  None of the neighborhood boys wanted to share their guns and Zach hasn't exactly understood how to use a gun, not a bad thing.  So all in all, out of 60 things, we only missed four things!  Pretty impressive considering I was very pregnant all summer and have a toddler!

The beginning of fall is now upon us.  I celebrated by making some yummy grain free pumpkin muffins and began brainstorming what we will be doing this fall.  I'd love to set up something like the summer sixty, but decided it will have to be a shorter list. For one, okinawa does not exactly have the fall type activities that America has.  No pumpkin and apple picking when it's still 85 degrees out!   I also just had a baby so it may be hard to get as much done.  We will most likely be planning a very quick move in the next few months as well, so the timing of a lengthy list is just not in the cards right now.  Instead, I decided on a short list- the Fall Five.  

Fall Fun Five

Decorate for fall

Fall feast (fall themed foods and of course Oktoberfest)

Carve Pumpkins

Thankful tree

"Boo" a friend/neighbor

Here's to a fabulous fall!