I Heart Tooshies!

This week at i ♥ faces, they are changing it up a bit and featuring booties!! I don't mean the booties you wear on your feet when it's cold, I mean butts, aka "bum", aka "fanny", aka "derriere", aka "tooshie", aka "ba donk a donk", aka "junk in the trunk", aka "moneymaker", aka "glutemus maximus"...you get the point!

This pic is me showing off my mad skills and holding on for dear life at the same time. It's different, so I decided to use it! If you want to check out more "hindquarters"...head on over to:

Thanksgiving Line-up

It's hard to believe that Turkey Day has come and gone. I feel like the Time Traveler's Wife. All the holidays seem to run together these days and all the days I'm playing catch up to the next one. So let's spend a little more time on this fabulous Holiday, shall we? It's all about the food here (which I love) and unbuttoning your pants (in no particular order). I unbuttoned mine right after the mac and cheese. But, you can do this at any time really.

Speaking of mac and cheese....here is our line-up of the all-stars that made the menu list this year. Don't drool on your keyboard people...I don't do replacements or refunds.

The appetizers (or pre-game, if you will)...consisted of a relish tray, mexican dip, and a Fam Bam craze....bacon wrapped brown sugar smokies, YUMM!


Once that was over, it started with the Pie...Pumpkin to be exact...Mrs Smith's if you have to be nosy. That sucker needed to bake and get out of my way.


Next up to bat, Saige helped me make the Candied Yams. She's got mad peeling skills, but apparently doesn't want anyone to take her picture while she's doing it.


In Okinawa, they don't grow orange sweet potatoes I guess...because I never saw a ONE. They are into the Benimo, purple sweet potato. Apparently, it saved thousands of starving people when Okinawa was hit with a famine period hundreds of years ago. They make candy and ice cream out of it even (amongst other things). But, you can imagine my thrill when I finally got to make my traditional yam recipe! Sweeet!


Playing shortstop...the Corn Souffle. I think about my seester when I make this dish...because it is sprinkled with thyme and oh so delish!


Keeping it all together, the Down Home Macaroni and Cheese! You all know it, and love it...


Somehow, I managed to leave the Green Bean Casserole out of the photo list, but it was SO there! You can see it below somewhere, I'm sure.

Add a little Zucchini and Tomatoes (my total fave and everyone else's kryptonite, but since I was cooking...too bad, it's on the list).


And the cranberries and turkey skin to round out the outfield.


This year's MVP, the Turkey!! I did not cook my turkey this year (so I guess it is technically disqualified as MVP), we ordered it deep fried through the Officer's Club on Ramstein. With the miniature size oven space the Germans rock and the 220 voltage in my house, I thought it best to just order it this time and save myself the agony with trying to fight the turkey. It was awesome!!!


JD couldn't wait to get busy on that bird...

Ok, so here's the real MVP...my homemade rolls! They were the best thing on the plate...hands down. I'm making more tomorrow...


And that's the line-up...gravy and all.

It was a pretty intimate dinner and I'm so glad we got to eat together for our first one here. We went around the room and said out loud what we were thankful for...


JD said, "I'm thankful for all of us to be together and the Indiana Jones game I want for my birthday"

Saige said, "I'm thankful for my Family and our home."

Teage said, "I don't wanna..."

George said, "I'm thankful that we're done saying thankfuls so we can eat...ok, and for all of us being loud, healthy, and happy together."

Amen to that!


After we did "cheers" about ten times (Teage insisted and YES that is sparkling apple cider in the kids' glasses...only), we ate our dinner and laughed and continued to be the loud people we are. Who said Thanksgiving as to be all prim?...I think I spent at least 10 minutes trying stop Teage from pouring apple cider on his brother due to a sibling rivalry moment at the table.

It was perfect and totally in the Fam Bam tradition.


After dinner, we watched movies, talked to Family on the phone, and there was some Lego building involved. Next morning, George and I headed out to the BX about 6:30 (not in a line, just as regular customers) and picked up some things we had eyeballed in the ad...I'm so glad my hubby likes to shop with me. It makes the receipt total not seem as evil. Then we had a nice lunch and headed back home to the kids. A couple hours later, Saige and I headed back out and bought our movie tickets to see New Moon finally. It was good (personally, it was a little peak and valley to me)....but the ending left you wanting more which is always the point, I guess. While Saige and I were waiting for the movie to start, we went into the credit union to make the electric payment and they were doing a hourly gift card giveaway, so I entered for the following hour (to Saige's huge dismay "Mom, you're not gonna win"). So we went back by at the top of the hour just to see and I WON!! $30 Visa card to me....what can I say, I have good karma! Needless to say, Saige was in shock and said "That is so cool, I think you won because I was saying you wouldn't" Kids are so funny! I just shook my head and was like "Yeah I guess that's it, but next time how about we be more positive....cause your mom's a WIENER!!!" HA HA! Saturday...will consist of downtown, the Christmas Market, and more Fam fun. Until then....

We hope everyone's Holiday was just as much fun and full of laughter & memorable moments like ours. We miss all our Family and Peeps all over the world and want you to know that you are always with us no matter what Holiday or where we are. Love to you all...

Next up...my boy's birthday!!!

Love Ya ♥

Wednesday without Words

Low Key...

This past week was the first week in a while where things have been low key. No painting and I got to do some crafting and mess with the photos I sent off for in the mail. I also managed to start organizing my recipe box, or lack there of. I have so many recipes that I need to transfer onto cards...but, the most important thing was I found my corn souffle and candied yam recipe for this Thursday. WOO HOO! The hubby's gonna be kissing the ground I walk on...

Anyway, this past week...JD had a skate party at school. They were promoting healthy behavior...so why not free roller skating? He had a blast and by the end of the party, he was doing tricks on his skates (who does he think he is?). Anyway, he kept giving me this look as he rounded the corner by me...



Saige spent her time feeling the music and admiring all the "young kids"...I guess because she is so OLD? (again, who do my kids think they are?)


I started to have my fill of that whole scene about 15 minutes in and decided to leave their butts there and take Teage to the park across the way. No one was there and it is HUGE. I see a grandiose barbecue in my future there. I was fooling around trying to get him with some sun flare (see post below on sun flared photos). This was my second choice by the way...



The sun was just going down for the evening (it was only 4pm...so weird) so it was perfect light. I stalked him as he wielded his magic sword throughout the forest to get to the playground. He's so much fun...all the days!



During our forest adventure, we also scouted for some ideal marshmallow roasting sticks. This weekend, we finally put that fireplace to its best job...

I didn't have the graham crackers stocked for S'mores (Saige was peeved), but like I say..."You gotta crawl before you walk"...let's enjoy the marshmallow at its finest before we start adding frills! They thanked me later!!



All in all, I thoroughly enjoy a good low key week/weekend. I look forward to some more Fam Bam chill time with a little Turkey and dressing added to the plate, literally!

P.S. Why is it every time I pass the camera onto my husband, he manages to only take pictures that have my chest front and center? He's so predictable LOL!! I now have 5 or 5 photos of me roasting a marshmallow with no marshmallow in sight or my face for that matter...Dude!!

I Heart Sun Flared Faces!

Capturing sun flare in a photo it not as easy as it looks. I have gotten a few "lucky" shots when I wasn't trying...but, to try and capture a good flare involve many maneuvers (all of which I cannot mention here- hee hee)! At I ♥ Faces this week, the task was to capture not only a face, but a sun flare, oh so perfect. The funny thing is when I stopped trying to get a perfect shot...everything fell into place. I snapped at least four worthy pics when taking Teage to the park. It was just before the sun was going down while we were waiting for JD to finish his skate party across the street. I actually had to toy with choosing just one. Sun Flare Rocks....




If you want to check out other sun flared photos, or see a tutorial on how to catch sun flare...head on over to:

Foodie Friday

I have been slacking the foodie dept lately...and my only excuse is...well, I don't have one, but Fridays are the one day that my whole Family usually decides to have a meltdown about the upcoming weekend. The teenager wants to make all these "plans" with everyone she knows on the earth, the hubby tries to figure out how to squeeze in working at home without seeming like an unplugged parent, and the boys have only one thing on their mind...staying up LATE and causing a ruckus! My job is to make sure I blow the whistle on ruckus, plan my many taxi cab services, shield the hubby's makeshift workstation he has created using two TV trays and the WHOLE love-seat, and make sure everyone eats at the same time. Not a bad excuse, is it?

Speaking of eating...my foodie pic is a flashback. For me. I am reminiscing lately about the amazing variety of restaurants we had in Okinawa. There was just so much to choose from if you wanted to go out to eat. I miss it. Bad. For example, I was just thinking about this today...when George decided to tell some lady at work that I could whip up some Kahlua Pig, WTF? I have NEVER made that dish. Anyway, I miss Okinawa's Ona Kow Kow! This Hawaiian foodie spot is the diggity. Plastic leis, coconut boobie holders, flowered shirts, and paper umbrellas at every corner. What's not to like?


Of course the best part about it was the garlic mahi mahi, the garlic chicken, and the steak tips. Eat your heart out...and then say a prayer for me that I don't try to defy the odds and swim all the way back to that island.

Oh, and can someone please go to the Purple Flag Soba Shop for me and steal their recipe? I am now being told I need to re-create this magical soup...ho hum!

Craft Time

Getting my "craft on" is something I miss...and will be getting back into as soon as my craft table gets here from the states. I CAN'T WAIT! But that doesn't mean I can't keep channeling that desire through Teage's craft projects. The other day we did our first official Thanksgiving craft..woo hoo! I love turkeys...deep-fried preferably...sorry Mr Gobble! And I love a classic....so here's Teage's Turkey Tribute!

First we started with the old hand trace...he's looking thrilled already.


Then, it's time to cut it out and smear glue all over it (his favorite part).


Add some feathers, some legs made out of pipe cleaners, and a beak of course.


Admire your work intensely and...


Flash that winning smile!!


Next up, Christmas Ornaments...