Keiko - Okinawa's Next Top Model

If they had the television show, Okinawa's Next Top Model, then I think Keiko would win hands down! The first four pictures are when we first got Keiko at 9 weeks old. She's a little supermodel, or, I like to call her a Diva.

"Look at the camera Keiko. Beautiful!"

"Look back at me Keiko. Fantastic!"

"Turn to your left side Keiko. Work it girl!"

"Turn to your right side Keiko. The camera loves you!"

Since we got Keiko, we tried to groom her ourselves ... using Joey's clippers. And note that we've never groomed any dog before. We did it two times before we took her to a professional groomer. She didn't look too bad when we did it ourselves, but I prefer the groomers from now on. Or at least until we buy better clippers and learn how to groom her properly.

We may have let her get too shaggy before taking her to the groomers.

Before ...

... and after.

We took her to the Vet today and currently, she's 17 weeks old, 4.8 lbs. and stands 10 inches tall (floor to the top of her back).

Keiko's getting so big now, well, "big" for a toy breed. She's big enough, that she learned how to jump on the couch this week. And I hope I don't jinx myself, but she's been holding in her pee and poop throughout the night for a few weeks now! Woohoo, no more waking up in the middle of the night to take her out or waking up to a soiled blanket!

She's got a lot of energy and is full of personality! She's so playful, loves attention, very friendly, and her favorite game is to play fetch.

Look at her little half-grin, so cute! Or maybe it's a, "Hurry with the pictures Mom, I want to get off here and play with Daddy!" kind of smile.

We love her so much!

Spooky Sites Tour

A week before Halloween, Joey and I joined our friends Charity and Chris on the Spooky Sites Tour of Okinawa. During the tour, our tour guide told us interesting Okinawan ghost stories. We live on a fairly small island, so I'm sure there are quite a few spirits or ghosts wandering around the island - especially after the Battle of Okinawa.

In fact, there are tombs everywhere on the island - practically every block. There are a couple just up the road from where I live. Okinawa doesn't have a cemetery, instead, families have family tombs to place their loved ones ashes. I admit, I was pretty spooked when I first arrived and would have to drive past some on the way home. I'm not so much scared now because I learned Okinawan's believe that their ancestors and their spirits will protect you.

If you want to hear some of the ghost stories that were told to us on the tour, ask me. Otherwise, I won't post them on here and you'll have to just find out by going on the tour yourself!

We visited three locations - Cape Zanpa, a haunted house on Kadena, and a park near the Goen Yakiniku in Yomitan. Yes, I was a scaredy cat at all of the locations. But I think that fact that it was raining and there was limited light in some of the locations attributed to me being scared.

Cape Zanpa

We've been to Cape Zanpa during the day a couple of times, being that it's really close to where we live. I have to say, I like it better when it's daylight.

The haunted house on Kadena AB.

Goen Park

It's weird that I'm a huge scaredy cat, but I still love to hear ghost stories and watch scary movies.

Murder Mystery Dinner

A few weeks ago, my friend Jess was kind enough to hold a Murder Mystery Dinner Party at her place. It was so much fun! Everyone dressed up accordingly, and some even acted with an accent.

Left to Right: Mandy (Father Al Fredo), Me (Mama Rosa), Laura (Marco Roni), Amy (Tara Misu), Charity (Rocco Scarfazzi) - note the chest hair, Jess (Bo Jalais), and Kellee (Angel Roni)

Joey and I tried to participate in one held at the Schilling Community Center on Kadena, but all the main characters were filled within the first day of sign-ups. So when I told Joey that it was a girls night and he wasn't invited, he was bummed. He really wanted to go, and even offered to take pictures and video tape us! Maybe next time we'll have another murder mystery dinner party for a larger group, where husbands are invited.

Jess ordered the kit on Amazon and the theme was called Pasta, Passion, and Pistols. Charity and Jess went all out in decorating the place to look like a murder scene in an Italian Restaurant - body outline on the floor, "caution" tape on the doors, pasta boxes on display, a candle lit table, background music, as well as making a yummy Italian dinner and desserts.

It was my first murder mystery dinner and didn't know what to expect, but I ended up having a blast! I don't want to spoil the end and tell you who killed Pepi, just in case someone else does this same storyline.

For anyone looking to have one of these parties, it's so easy to host. The kit includes the music, the storylines/scripts, and the menu with recipes. For more about our storyline, read below.

Here's the plot: Guiseppe (Pepi) Roni served up a mean plate of pasta until someone did him in. Now there's big trouble in Little Italy because 4 days ago he was found murdered in the kitchen of his renowned New York City eatery, La Sperenza. Pepi had been shot in the back with his own pistol. We gather together to pay our respects and eat a feast of Italian food in his honor.

1. Rocco Scarfazzi: Pepi's twin brother, a tough-talking no-nonsense Italian business man. In addition to his vineyards and real estate holdings, it is rumored Rocco is in the 'laundering' business. He had no love for his brother Pepi but his reasons are his own.

2. Tara Misu: Rocco's vivacious young fiancé. She was just an upstairs maid in Rocco's villa until she swept him off his feet. Now Tara keeps a smile on his face and a firm grip on Rocco's assets. Tara is dressed to kill. She knows the effect she has on men and flaunts her charms shamelessly.

3. Mama Rosa: Pepi's grieving widow. For 25 years, Mama Rosa cooked the pasta while Pepi greeted La Sperenza's dinner guests. In all the years they were married, not once did they argue. Had something finally boiled over in Rosa's kitchen?

4. Marco Roni: Pepi and Mama Rosa's only son, Marco was expected to take over the restaurant after his parents retired. Marco hates waiting tables. His goal is to play on a World Cup soccer team but his papa has been keeping him permanently on the bench.

5. Bo Jalais: Cousin of a cousin of Rocco's, Bo manages the Scarfazzi vineyards. Bo comes from a long line of French wine-makers and no one knows 'ze' grape like Bo. An important man in the Scarfazzi organization .... what could Bo possibly have to whine about.

6. Angel Roni: Pepi and Rosa's beautiful daughter. It was Pepi's dream that his 'Angel' would marry a good Italian boy, have children and carry on the family traditions. Angel has a few fantasies of her own though and one of them is that hunk, Bo jalais. Mama-mia!The next two are optional, if we have more than 6:

7. Father Al Fredo: An Italian priest and long-time family friend of the Roni's and the Scarfazzi's. The good priest has heard their confessions and knows their sins.

8. Clair Voyant: Rosa's best friend and astrology advisor. Clair's talents include an ability to communicate with the spirit world and see into the future.

Military Spouse Rant

*Editor's Note: It's just one of those days where people leave me flabbergasted - in particular, military spouses, and I just need to rant.

I'm a fairly new military spouse and consider myself new to the military, despite that fact that my dad is retired Navy. Growing up, I never lived on-base, never moved base to base, and only went on base to go to the Exchange, commissary, or to the hospital. The military was never a major part of my life, until now.

There are a things about the military that I'm not fond about, but the benefits I've gained by being a dependent outweigh them by a lot. I've had excellent health care, a home, was able to get a great education all the way throughout college, and more recently, have got to move to a beautiful island.

So I don't understand why spouses complain about the military, when the military is a huge part of their life! I've heard spouses say that they weren't the ones who joined the military. True. But you decided to marry your husband (or wife) with full knowledge that they had intent to join or were already in the military. When you said yes, you said yes to the whole package - the military life and all. And if you still don't agree with the military life, then why did you agree for your spouse to reenlist?

You can dislike things about the military, but you can also make the best out of the situation and work around that obstacle. How does complaining about the situation help you or your family?

You can't complain about the roof over your head, the money in the bank, the food on the table, the education for your children, and the honor of being married to a serviceman. So think about that the next time you see or hear people without a home, no money, no food on the table, no education, and no pride.

Joey's Gets a Year Older

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday to you,

Happy birthday dear Joey,

Happy birthday to you!

It was Joey's birthday last week! His birthday celebration started on Friday, which he took the day off because his TV arrived at the BX that day, finally! He's been waiting for his TV since Christmas last year and the BX finally got it here as a Special Buy. It's not the exact TV he wanted, but it's bigger, so it'll do.


Joey had the day off on his birthday as well, so we went out for breakfast at Jakkepoes. Yummy! Then spent the afternoon at home watching TV and talking to family back home. Later in the evening, the two of us went to Tonneau for dinner.


I made sure to order noodles, yakisoba, for Joey so he could have long life!

That plate was sizzling!

Afterward, we came back home to cake and a movie! It was a low-key birthday, just like he wanted. :)

Happy birthday baby, I love you!

Joey says, "Thank you" to everyone who greeted him a happy birthday!

Naha Tug of War 2009

This past Sunday, October 11, Joey and I participated in the Naha Tug of War. It's the largest tug of war event in the world that occurs annually, and it was crazy!

The event is to symbolize the battle between the East and West. I also read somewhere that the winning side symbolizes who would have the best luck in fishing for the year. Not sure if that's true or not, I'd have to recheck that.

Joey and I arrived down in Naha by 3pm, just in time for the main festivities to start. The rope is enormous!


That is just the front part of the rope, for one side! There's an identical one across the intersection, which is later joined together.

The total length of the main rope is 656 feet in length and weighs 44 tons!

The main rope has mini ropes that extend out for the people to pull on. Above is Joey's hand compared to the mini rope.

In the beginning of the tug of war main event, there's a parade with Eisa dancers and people marching and carrying large decorated poles like the one seen in the front of the picture shown above.

There were literally thousands of people! This pictures just captures one side of one half of the people ready to participate in the tug of war, not including the people just watching.

Here, the mini ropes are being handed out to the crowd.

The bald guy holding the umbrella, pretending to help out, was hilarious!

As I mentioned before, the main rope is split in the intersection of the road, therefore we had to pull the two ropes together, which was easy because they were hoisted on wheels. Once the two ropes were joined to form one large rope, these men used the sticks to hold the rope in place while other people pulled the wheels out from underneath.

Then, men dressed up as the Ryukyuan Kings of the East and West meet in the middle of the joined ropes and perform a ritual sword contest.

Once the Ryukyuan Kings are done, they leave, the gold ball in the sky opens up and releases confetti and balloons, and then the tug of war begins!

There were a few of these guys standing on the ropes, directing the pulling. They yelled "Ah-ee-yah" while we echoed and pulled.

The first side to pull 15 meters wins, otherwise, the pulling lasts for 30 minutes. 30 LONG MINUTES of pulling this enormous rope! It was not fun, not fun at all.

I should add that Joey and I were somehow pushed into the crowd and ended up near the front of the rope. Basically, we were forced into participating. We didn't mind, but we wish we were better prepared because we were wearing slippers. Think about it. Thousands of people + pulling + pushing + swaying = stepped on toes and a ruined pedicure.

At the end of the 30 minutes, a draw was declared and Joey walked away with two hand blisters! In the end, everyone cuts up a piece of the winning side to bring home for good fortune and luck for a year. Since it was a draw, Joey and I got a couple of pieces from the rope we were pulling on, and quickly left. We were tired, sweaty, hungry, and just wanted to get out of there!

I'm glad we got the experience. But next year, I think I'll stick to just watching the event!

Orion Beer Festival 2009

Two weekends ago, Joey and I met up with some friends and went to the Orion Beer Fest 2009, which was held in conjunction with the All Okinawa Eisa Dancer Festival to celebrate the end of Obon.

A brief summary for you - Obon is much like Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) that Mexicans celebrate and Orion is a beer that is brewed locally on the island, which makes sense that they would have their own beer festival!

I'm not much of a beer drinker, but in honor of the occasion I had a few.

We showed our support and wore out Orion t-shirts we bought at last year's beer festival.

And an Okinawan festival isn't complete without fireworks!

More good times, with great friends!