Kit Kat Purse

My husband had a work trip to Hong Kong and came home with a KitKat purse for me! I haven't used it yet...haven't quite found the right occasion, but I'm thinking about it for this weekend. :) 

Burger King Japan & Windows 7's Whopper of a Marketing Campaign

Windows 7 Whopper with 7 burger patties available for 7 days for a cost of ¥777.

Microsoft celebrated the release of Windows 7 here in Japan with a Burger King promotion for the Windows 7 Whopper. It was supposed to be during the week of October 22-28th, but it was extended until Friday, November 6^th.

Measuring 5.1" (13 cm) in diameter, the Amerikanbanzu ("American sized buns" in English) Windows 7 Whopper has seven ¼ lb (113 grams) beef patties totaling 1 ¾ pounds.

Keanna didn’t have school on Thursday but Sydney did, so she and I went for a walk off base to the newly opened Burger King in Yokosuka. There was no way I was going to pass this up after seeing it on their website. Yes it’s just a whopper, but it’s another unique thing that Japan has to offer.

Bob and I talked about it and I told him I wanted to at least get a picture of it, so after we got it [to go] Keanna wanted to send him a picture. I took a picture of her holding it with my cell phone and emailed it to him with the subject "Hungry?" He wrote back immediately (this surface ship thing is still amazing to me, if he were on a submarine I'd hear back from him in a month or two, and I wouldn't have been able to send him a picture in the first place) with the response, “Have friends to help eat it?”

We headed back to Sydney’s school, picked her up, headed home and dug in. Did we manage to eat it? Less than a third between the three of us.

In the spirit of it all this will post on the 7^th at 0707 JST.

Happy Halloween from Tokyo

Happy Halloween a little early! Since Bob's still out to sea, the girls and I ventured up to The New Sanno Hotel yesterday in Tokyo for their annual costume contest. We went last year, click here to see pictures, and wanted to go again this year since it was so much fun. Keanna and Sydney both won prizes last year, so I was also anxious to see if we could again; I made their costumes last year and did again this year. Another bonus last year was that Jon Voight was standing in the lobby shaking hands with military members and their families. He picked up Sydney and was swinging her around...she loved him! I was hoping he'd be back since the Tokyo Film Festival was going on through the weekend, but alas, no such luck.

Anyway, getting back to it, I made their costumes again this year; Keanna's wearing a spaghetti and meatballs costume and Sydney's costume is a bubble bath. People asked me where I got the idea for Keanna's costume. It came from the Food Network television show, "Ace of Cakes," but it's known at our house as "The Cake Makin' Show." It airs on AFN (Armed Forces Network) and in one episode they made a cake for a family like likes to travel. I don't remember the exact details since it was from a while ago, but they made a cake of spaghetti & meatballs and placed it on top of the northern hemisphere of the globe. At that moment it clicked and ideas started popping into my head. Big time thanks to Charm City Cakes in Baltimore for the inspiration!

We enjoyed the Sunday brunch and kept our fingers crossed when it came time for the costume contest. When we were getting our ticket and walking in two of the women, at the exact same time said, "It's the popcorn girl!" Keanna proudly said, "I was popcorn last year, this year I'm spaghetti and meatballs with bread and cheese." It was flattering!

Last year they had about 55-60 kids compete and this year over 95 were dressed up! Keanna & Sydney's numbers were 48 and 49, right smack in the middle, so I had a couple of minutes to get them dressed and ready before being called.

Each of the four judge chose two winners. The prizes included a children's digital camera, two tickets to Disneyland Tokyo, an iPod Shuffle and a Nintendo Wii. They didn't have first, second and third place winners, they just announced the judge, where he/she was from, and what prize they were giving for their choice. When the judge from FOX TV Japan was announced she said her prize was a Nintendo Wii. Keanna immediately perked and when she heard her name she jumped with excitement, headed to the stage and collected her prize. To FOX TV, on behalf of Keanna and myself, domo arigato gozaimasu for your generosity.

After the contest ended they had trick-or-treating in some areas of the hotel. We walked around the lobby and to the shops, salon and pool on the second floor. The girls were constantly stopped asking for pictures and they didn't think anything of it! Some people even asked me to take pictures of them with the girls using their cameras. A Japanese woman who's English was nearly perfect asked if she could take pictures of Sydney's costume. She took at least 10 pictures from all sides and angles and asked if I minded her attempting it next year.

Sydney didn't win, and that's okay. On the drive up there we talked about how it wasn't important...which it isn't. Don't get me wrong, I'm competitive and was hopeful, but my parents raised me to believe that it doesn't matter whether you win or lose, it's how you play the game...right Dad?! Keanna, Sydney and I all worked together to make their costumes. They did everything but use the glue gun, and it was a huge help to me. We had fun, talked and sang while we worked on the floor in the living room for the four or five days it took.

Hope you have a Spooktacular Halloween and leave a comment sharing what you, your children or loved one is dressing up as this year!

USS Los Angeles Visits Yokosuka

Bob was the Weapons Officer on the USS Los Angeles (SSN 688) from June 2006 to January 2008. He was out to sea almost 10 months during the 2007 calendar year, and when they got back from WestPac (western Pacific deployment) in November 2007 his detailer called (the guy that assigns jobs) and said, "You're being split toured to Yokosuka and will go to this certain job at this certain command on this certain ship." A month later we packed out our house in Hawaii, Bob had to go to some schools in San Diego and shortly after we arrived here and started to get acquainted with the Surface Navy. Wow, completely different!

Anyway, the USS Los Angeles pulled in here last week on a port call, and Bob was disappointed about missing them. He told me a few of the guys would call, and when they did I would need to tell them I've got meat, beer and internet. Sure enough the phone rang, an email showed up and messages on Facebook arrived too. Three of the guys from the wardroom came over and hung out for about five hours. They grilled, I made sides and a salad, they relaxed, slept on the couch, used my computer, watched TV, called home and got a break from the boat for a little while.

When we went on base to pick them up I tried explaining to the girls who they were, how dad worked with them on the submarine and that they have met these guys before. Heck, they remembered the wife of one of them....Sarah, big shout out to you!

Keanna and Sydney loved the extra attention and Bob was able to call and talk to them for a while...he enjoyed it, and I know he really missed being able to see the guys.

Suica & the Narita Express Train Fare Discount

Here's a great tip that we can thank Bob for discovering in March when coming back from a work trip to South Korea. When he landed at Narita Airport in Tokyo (NRT) he had a few hours to wait until the Narita Shuttle (a shuttle bus to/from the airport to the Yokosuka Naval Base) was scheduled to leave. He decided to take the train instead of waiting, and when he got to the station (in the basement of the airport) he saw a sign advertising a special for foreigners to Japan.

This is a big FYI for anyone stationed at Yokosuka, Atsugi, Zama, etc. We can use it since we hold our U.S. passports, and so can anyone visiting us from home. We can sign up our family members for the Narita Shuttle at PSD, but since it's space available and they're at the lowest priority, having a back-up plan for transportation is a must.

It's called the Suica & N'EX package, and for ¥3500 (about $35 depending on the yen rate) lets you save ¥1610 (about $16.10 depending on the yen rate). This is cheaper and will come in very handy if you plan on taking the trains in and around Tokyo.

It consists of:
-a one way trip from Narita Airport to Tokyo, Yokohama, Yokosuka, etc by Narita Express

-a Suica card worth ¥2000 (¥500 refundable deposit plus ¥1500 worth of train fares)

Suica is a prepaid card that we use instead of having to buy a ticket at every train station, and there are machines at every station where we can recharge the card when the balance gets low. Until this offer Narita Express ticket (N'EX) cost ¥3110 for a one-way trip from the airport to the Tokyo area. I've heard that the money on the card doesn't expire for 10 years, so you can keep your card and use it if you visit again, or give it to someone. I use my Suica card to pay at convenience stores and at vending machines too, so it comes in handy for more than just the train. The one I have is green and gray with the penguin on it, but I've since started using/recharging the one Bob got...the one I'm holding in the picture above. It's a special edition card and is much prettier than the one I had!

The Suica & NEX package is only available at Narita Airport and only for travelers who hold a non-Japanese passport; the Narita Express train leaves once per hour. All the info, including price charts, FAQs and more can be found at this website.

Introducing for the First Time in Public

LCDR Bob!

He was promoted to LCDR (Lieutenant Commander) today (Friday)! The girls and I were able to go and put his new collar devices (pins) on. The last time I did this was on May 26, 1999 when he was commissioned at the U.S. Naval Academy. My mother-in-law put one Ensign board on and I did the other. When he made LTJG and LT he was out to sea, so the CO did the pinnings.

My friend, Julie, took some pictures for me, and here are some highlights...

The Admiral's on the far right and the guy next to Bob was also getting promoted; the Admiral was administering the Officer Oath...Keanna and Sydney joined in.

Bob took off his LT bars and Keanna and I took turns replacing them with the oak leaves.

Afterward he signed the FIRST ENDORSEMENT (at least that was the subject on the paper), accepting the appointment.

The Admiral got a little chatty asking the girls where they'd like to move to next. Keanna said something about a new house and a swing set at our old house. He was very personable and was nice to take time to talk to us. He even gave me a command coin! After Bob was done (took about 10 mins from start to finish), we had to stay for the awards and speeches. The girls were quiet and behaved very well...Sydney was especially quiet towards the end...

I Have a Husband Home and Here's Proof He Really Does Exist

We went to the top floor of Fleet Rec to get a picture of the ship before heading to the pier. Bob said he'd be off at a certain time, but we ended up standing there for almost 45 minutes waiting for him in the gusty winds. As you'll see in the video below, none of that mattered once we were able to hug him. Julie took a picture of us while we were waiting. It's great to know that he'll be home for a little while this time...unlike in September when they were only here for a week!

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A Little Something from Bob

Haven't posted too much about Bob lately...he had a port call a couple of weeks ago and was able to do some SCUBA diving and spent some time with our friends Terri and Bill. He's doing well and is enjoying his job, but is anxious to get back home too. At least with the surface fleet we can talk on the phone and email pictures back and forth. Earlier this week I got these from him. Not exactly sure why he was flying, but they're neat pictures nonetheless.

Why oh Why...

...does this stuff happen while husbands are in the middle of the ocean? Monday morning Sydney turned on the TV only to find the image jumping, freezing and white, green and purple lines stretching horizontally and diagonally across the screen. I tried a different mode with the DVD player and then the Wii and the lines remained, so much to my dismay I realized it was the TV and not the cable having the problem.

Thankfully Bob's on a surface ship right now and not in a big metal tube under the water. On surface ships emails are usually sent and received within five minutes and attachments like pictures can be included. Not the case with submarines! Depending on what they're doing and where they are, emails can take weeks to be received, then once replied to it takes another week, or even a month, to get the response back. So basically having a one-way conversation with yourself. And no attachments can be sent with submarine email, no no! Bob would have to rely on my description of the problem, and wouldn't even find out about it until weeks after!

I tried turning it off and turning it back on, letting it sit untouched for 24 hours, checking all the connections, etc. You name it, I tried it. Then this morning I unplugged it for a couple of hours and when I plugged it back in and turned it on this is what I saw. Gee, swell. So no more diagonal or horizontal stripes, now just green vertical ones with some white in there.

After sending another email to Bob with this picture, I loaded the dishwasher and when I came back into the living room the stripes were gone. Keanna and Sydney were jumping and screaming saying "It's fixed, mom you fixed it." Yup, sure, sure I fixed it, whatever you say! Okay, I'll take the credit for it...after all, my husband has been home three weeks since we arrived here and I've dealt with a bunch of crap without his assistance...in a foreign country that doesn't speak English and drives on the other side of the road, so yup, I'm going to take credit for fixing the TV.

I emailed Bob and told him I fixed it by (and I quote): I read a lot last night and suspected failure of the 13v zener D812, this reduces pin 5 of IC801 below threshold voltage. And then this morning when I turned on the tv before stroller workout class and got the vertical lines that confirmed it. So I adjusted the R339 (1.2ohms 1w), C331, C336 (1uF, 50v) and C333 (100uF, 35v). That in turn led me to the 5v supply to the text panel. Gave that a quick turn to the right -remember, righty tighty, lefty loosy- put it back to together and it worked.

I copy and pasted jargon off of some help line website. I knew he wouldn't go for it, but it was good for a laugh...at least on my end. But it's fixed, at least for now, and that's what counts. Julie suggested I tell him I fixed it by creating a splitter with a bubble gum wrapper and hair elastic, you know, MacGyver style. I thought a nice touch would be to add a bobby-pin.

I have no idea what's wrong with it, what was wrong with it or why it did what it was doing. But I don't care and am happy to hear the kids say, "Yeah mom it's all better, go mom, mom you fixed it!" Aaaaah, music to my ears!

Japanese Shared Halloween with Us

Ever since our first Halloween in 2004 we've carved a pineapple along with our pumpkins. Bob was out to sea in 2007 and again this year for Halloween, so I continued on with the tradition he began. Julie came over shortly before we went out to trick-or-treat, and she carved one too.

The girls got their costumes on and we headed out. It was chilly, but not too cold. We were out for about an hour and had a really good time. I had to help Keanna up and down stairs, but overall she managed just fine walking around. They opened our housing base up to the Japanese and I was so happy about that...more kids, obviously, but also a great opportunity for pictures! We were asked to be in a lot of pictures with them, and a few of them asked for pictures of just the kids.

We got back to our house around 6 pm and started handing out candy. Keanna loved doing that while Sydney dug into her own candy. My neighbors said they had around 300-350 kids, and I had about 225...some people who have their husbands home went out with their kids while the other parent stayed home to give out candy. In the hour we were out we missed about 100 kids. The white sticker on the woman's shirt below is a pass allowing her on base.

Haze Gray and Underway

The USS George Washington left Wednesday after only six days here in Yokosuka. The guys worked too, only having one or two days off, and if duty fell on a weekend, then that was a loss of a day off. Okay, enough whining from me! They'll be gone for a little while, but at least we had some time with Bob. After dropping the kids off at school (my day to drive in the carpool is Wednesday), Sydney, Julie and I went to a spot on base to watch them on their way out. I wish I had my telephoto lens with me, but will be sure to bring it when they pull in. One of these days he'll be home long enough to enjoy Japan with us, and maybe even go on one of those ITT trips we've taken. We have one in a couple of weeks and I can't wait! But anyway, hopefully come winter time he'll be home for a longer stretch and we can sight-see and enjoy this wonderful country and culture as a family.

We had a really good time together as a family during our time together. He pulled in Thursday and that afternoon we went to Keanna's soccer practice. Sydney's not old enough to participate, but she plays on the sidelines and does the same things the older (3 and 4 year-olds) kids do.

On Friday the base hosted a party to welcome the carrier here. They had a petting zoo, pony rides, female Taiko drummers, free t-shirts, hats and food, and a band that was pretty good....the girls especially liked dancing, the balloon animals and Bob holding them upside down.

And of course, the pony rides ...


And a balloon daisy for Sydney, dog for Keanna and Taiko drummers.