Surprising Fun Day

This Saturday, the only thing that Logan and me had planned was to go to the store to get toilet paper and check out a furniture store to see if they had any desks we liked. So we slept in, ate lunch and took care of our few errands. When we were done, Logan decided to try and "get lost". He didn't know where he was going but I knew where we were the whole time. haha.

After driving around for a little bit, Logan then decided he wanted to see the Pacific Ocean. You know, we see the East China Sea every day because we live on the west side of the island but it was overdue to see the east side of the island and the Pacific. So we headed that way.

As we were driving towards the coast we saw some castle ruins and decided to check them out! Turns out they were the Katsuren Castle ruins (a world heritage site) and they were free! Even though it was super windy, it had a beautiful view and was fun to hike around.

Look how thick the walls are! 

Stairs we had to go up. It was super scary because they slant down! These were not even the worst stairs we took. 

Up at the very top! There were three different levels we climbed up.

After checking the whole castle out, we headed back down the hill. Right next to the place we parked had a little ice cream shop so we ordered mango and sugar cane and then the little Japanese girl said they only had chocolate, vanilla and beni-imo. No problem, we are flexible. Chocolate and beni-imo it is then! (Beni-imo is the Japanese sweet potato flavor. Very unique and yummy!)

So what started to be a boring day turned out to be a fun adventure! I felt good all day and it was fun to get out and see some of our beautiful island!

Today just keeps getting better and better!

For our anniversary, Logan got to come home early and when he did, he brought me the most beautiful flowers! Bonus points for them being my favorite - these were the main flowers in my bouquet! Four ranunculus flowers for the four years that we have been married.

I was worried all day that I would be too sick to go out to eat. Baby is just barely letting me keep food down. Our plan was to eat at this fancy restaurant called Four Seasons (tepanyaki steak and lobster!) but if I wasn't quite feeling up to it we would go to a place similar but less pricy, and if that didn't sound good we were going to get pizza and if that was still too much our last option was to just stay home. Fortunately, I was feeling pretty good but didn't want to waste any money if I all the sudden started feeling crappy again (that happens a lot) so we choose the second option and went to a tepanyaki place called Capital.

It was really good and always fun to get to watch them cook your food right in front of you on the grill why didn't I take a picture of that! Oh, well, you will have to imagine our pottage soup, Japanese salads, and then made on the grill: toasted bread, grilled steak, potatoes and sautéed onions, bean sprouts and bock choy. It was all really really good! I was shocked that I even ate almost my normal amount! I guess its easier to eat more food when it is so yummy!

Even though we were full we still couldn't go home without dessert!! So we stopped at a local Japanese ice cream shop and got double scoops! Log got chocolate cookie swirl but my coconut and strawberry shortcake was way better! Just when life couldn't get any sweeter Logan surprised me again when we got home with TA-DA a brand new iMAC!!!!!!!!!!!!

OH MY!!! I am the luckiest girl ever! Yes it is technically "our" anniversary gift but it is really MINE!!! Logan and me have talked before about how when we got pregnant we would not get to travel for a while so we had kinda decided that we would use the travel fund to upgrade the computer or TV. Makes since if we are spending more time at home feeling morning sick or with a little newborn baby!

I never thought that I would be a apple gal but I have slowly turned. I've owned multiple iPods, we got the iPad two summers ago and then I got the new iPhone when we got out here so I guess it just makes since. Plus I really love how sleek and simple it looks. It connects to the internet wirelessly and it means that I can put it anywhere (the living room) without having to drag wires all over the house (we wanted to put the "office" downstairs and make that room upstairs the babies nursery). So happy :)

Happy 4 Year Anniversary!

I don't know how today could get any better! It is our 4 year anniversary, Earth Day and we are so excited to announce that we have a little baby on the way!! Baby Dixon is due to arrive on October 30th. I wasn't quite ready to make a formal Facebook announcement so consider it a bonus that anyone who cared enough to read my blog gets to hear about baby first! 

It truly is a blessing to finally be at this point. I have known so many great couples that have struggled when trying to grow their families; I never thought we would be one of those couples too. After several years, that have had some trying and sad times, I am so grateful that we have been able to conceive naturally and continue to carry this baby. After miscarrying our first baby, it was really hard for me to accept that this was actually going to happen but each day I am filled with more and more hope. 

I thought because of the hard time we have had to get pregnant, I have always told myself it won't matter if I get sick, I won't care and I'll just be so happy.  Biggest lie I have ever told myself! haha! Being pregnant is really hard! All day sickness, lots of hospital visits, an ER visit, multiple rounds of antibiotics, hives and lots of other little things have made life pretty difficult. All that is why I haven't really done much and haven't been see outside my house for the last 6 weeks. Now that I'm going into my second trimester, I have started to feel better and that has been a huge blessing.

We are definitely excited for this new adventure! Ready or not! 

Happy Valentines Day!

So I really wanted to take Logan camping. We couldn't go because it was rainy but we did "camp" in our living room and Logan was very surprised! Here are some pics of our festivities!

Our Campsite! I had him change into something comfortable after work and then walked him in with his eyes closed. I had bird/forest sounds playing on the iPad and he said for a second he really thought we were outside! haha! But when he opened his eyes he was very excited and played along with me as we went on our camping adventure! Also, in the pic you probably can't see them but there are glow in the dark stars on the walls. 

Smore Dip! Very yummy! We liked it best with the Nutter Butters. And of course like when you are camping, your marshmallows always get a little "browner" then you want. 

Our fire pit.

 

Close up on the fire. Made out of felt and the logs are rolled up wood drawer liners. 

We got to camp by a beautiful pond but be careful. Snakes like to hide in the bushes. 

Sitting in our camp chairs with our feet in the "grass". 

Sitting around our picnic table. He is always happy when I make steak and mushrooms! And of course we had Martinelli in our camping mugs. (I had all the stuff for a dump cake in the dutch oven but we were way too full!)

For our activities, we sat around the campfire and ate yummy camping food, watched Meatballs - an old Bill Murray movie about being at camp - it was dumb but it made us laugh, we turned off the lights to look at the "stars" then got in the tent with a flashlight and I read a scary ghost story and we played some card games. It was a very fun and casual night and Logan said he thought it was very fun and creative! 

After all the activities,we stayed up late watching Downton Abby - we are now addicted. Then we were done camping and had a good nights rest in our own bed. I have to admit, I was a little disappointed that Log didn't want to sleep downstairs in the tent. 

Follow-up On My Hand

So I fell about a month and a half ago now. The outside of my hand has healed up pretty well but it still hurts a ton any time I push myself off the bed, pick up a pan in the kitchen or press it against the steering wheel. I scheduled an appointment and went in today.

I didn't like my Dr the fist time we met but this visit went much better (I've learned to ask more questions). She agreed that it is strange for it to still be hurting and said I was right to come in. She ordered x-rays of my finger and hand and said she thinks there could possibly be something in it.

I asked what would happen if there was something in it and she said I would have to get surgery at this point! Maybe I'm crazy, but I thought that sounded exciting! I'm glad it is my left hand so it wouldn't be as annoying and if there was a way to fix it so it stops hurting and could heal properly, I am all for it!

I will get the results on Thursday or so. Honestly, I doubt anything showing up on the x-rays though. My wrists hurt all the time but blood work and x-rays have never shown anything but I'm hopeful there will be something we can do to fix the problem.

Okinawa International Orchid Show

Today, I went with the girls to the Okinawa International Orchid Show. It was at the Ocean Expo Park Tropical Dream Center (right next to the Aquarium). The whole botanical garden was beautiful but the Orchids were especially so! I also had no clue there were so many types!

 Butterfly Orchids

 One of the most unique I saw was the cobra orchid. It has little tiny flowers up the stem!

Some more different orchids. 

The ruffled ones look like irises to me.

 Big orchids and little tiny ones! 

Drapey ones and black orchids. 

Competition Winners!

Around us are all real flowers! 

 After the seeing the orchids we walked through the gardens. I just love these trees! I like to call them pompom trees. I've seen them in white and red here. 

Here is my funny Japanese find for the day. It is called a Gargle...and it is used for just that! You turn it on and put some on the mouth wash in your mouth, gargle it, and then spit it out! I thought it was so funny!