A Cherokee and his grandson....something to make you go hmmmmmm!

One evening a Cherokee told his grandson about a battle that goes on inside people. He said, "My son, the battle is between 2 wolves inside of us all. One is Evil. It is anger, envy, jealousy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. The other is Good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion and faith." The grandson thought about it for a minute and then asked his grandfather: "Which wolf wins?" The Cherokee simply replied, "The one you feed."

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Thursday activities...a whirlwind...but Very relaxing...

Kent-0 and his home-girls....staying up LATE and chatting...he he he...

Lovin' the chattin'!

Angie...me and lil' Sophia shopped a LOT yesterday....our Thursday...buying lil' knick knacks for Angie's worker people at her school...etc...we had a ball...had lunch...and then met up with Emily and her mama at a bath house...if you ever get to Japan...this one is a must!

It is a place where you pay about 1500Y...(15 dollars)...stay in as long as you like...they give you 3 towels...one small one for your hair...one hand towel and one towel to dry off with...and it is a bit intimidating your first time....walking in...you undress....wrap your hair with the lil' towel...and you have your hand towel to walk around with....so basically you are walking around in your birf-day suit (nude)....you walk into this room...and their are places you go and sit down...with a mirror in front and you wash....your hair...body...etc...they have shaving utensils...and toothbrushes with toothpaste already on them...all wrapped up in a lil package...ready to open....so you wash...then they have 2 huge saunas...on is a rock salt sauna that you rub salt all over to exfoliate....they have about 3 HUGE (think square Jacuzzis) baths full of HOT...medium Hot...and Warm...they have one that is EXTREMELY cold.....another one that is a sit down with jets of water massaging your back....one that you sit down and the water just pours over you in a jet stream that massages....the window are open...so if you get tooo hot you can mosey over to a window.....they also..which is my favorite...have one outside...a hot one...there is a HUGE wall so no one can see you.....so we got in and out and talked and chatted...and laughed...and chatted some more....I definitely couldn't take my camera in....but I hope I explained it in a way you got a visual of the set-up....we left feeling like 4 HUGE noodles....

(at this place you can also get an array of massages...and even put a robe on and have lunch at the lil' cafe there)

One side is designated for Women...and the other side for men....

VERY Relaxing after you get over being timid....;-)

then....

Angie and I met up with some friends at this AMAZING local Italian place....YUMMY...
We were about 40 minutes late...we thought the time to meet was at 8:00 pm...so we STROLLED up at 7:40...thinking we were EARLY....than we were told we were 40 minutes late....oh...soooooooo sorry...but we laughed b/c we were SO BLONDE about it...!!

Say cheese!

Nice presentation...Mahi Mahi...fresh and delicious...

Love Mintama's...and Lovin' Angie...;-)

We got home...ant it was 10:00 pm...and Angie went upstairs...and I could hear her disbelief that Sophia was still awake...she is a strong and stubborn soul....and I overheard Angie saying," Go to sleep...when you wake up..you can come into my bed!"...Sophia was giddy....Than when Angie and I got on the computer...Angie and I found Kai being awakened...and he was loving on Ang...

Sweeties....

Angie's signature move...POPPING toes...he he he...

We had such a busy day shopping...me watching Angie shop...Kent was so proud that I wasn't spending...he he he...

WE have a HUGE crowd going out tomorrow night...hopefully I'll get pic's...I usually don't like taking our big camera.....not wanting to lose it...but I'll be in charge of Ang's camera...he he he...and everyone else's...

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Every woman is sometimes in need of a pedicure and dinner with the girls!

Angie..."our" RockStar and all of her 11 backup singer's all got a pedicure...and then some of us

headed off to Mike's Tex-Mex for dinner....

Nothing better than pamperin', good conversation....and Mexican food!

Ole'!

Michelle..sMolly...and Ang...gonna get our toes pampered

(lovin' the orange shoes)
Waiting for all of our peeps to trickle in...

Me..Beffie..Nay Nay...H..K-dawg...Angelica...sMarti...Em..Me-chelle...sMolly...and C-dawg

(Mama Kathy...taking the pictures)

The ladies waiting for us to take our positions...

The finished product....

Gotta LOVE toe art!

Gotta love clean feet-ee's

Conversing...

Peace!

Waiting on our food...and a nice gentleman was kind enough to take our picture!

A night out with the girls tends to keep me sane....can I get an "Amen"!? ;-)

I'm loving that Angie is back home on the Rock!

So many people to see...

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*pfffffffffft*

(oh! excuse me...squeaky bum...pardon me!)

hehehehehehehehe

EARLY Sunday morning...and Monday with Angie...;-)

WhooopWhooop!

Angie has made it on island!

Did you hear the shriek of excitement....?! That was me!!

Kent-o went down to the airport to pick up sister Angie...while I finished getting things ready...

Ang's flight came in at 9:30...so Kent-o packed a lil' cooler with water some fruit and a soda...and headed down to Naha...

I was getting some veggie snacks ready...drying my last load of towels...when they strolled in...and we kept saying, "I can't believe you're really here!!"

We nibbled...and ate....and then at midnight...lil' Kai-bug came down gave her two huge hugs....and looked at the clock and he said, "It's twelve...I got to get to bed!" and he turned and went up to bed...

Ang and I proceeded to chat busily for 3 more hours....time flew!

Here is a pic of us before we climbed the stairs to go to bed!

Gotta LOVE girl time! ;-)

The wee hours of the morning...being happy!

(3:00 in the am!)

We met up with Em to have some rockin' curry by the sea wall....as we climbed the stairs to meet Em...she said the same thing, "I can't believe you're really here!" with tears in her eyes ....a sweet friendy moment!
(mind you...Sophia is stuck to Angie like GLUE all day can you tell?)


Posing...

Sisters and friends...praise the Good Lord for sisters and friends!

Gotta love us...;-)

After the end of day...we came home from visiting with Em...

her mama,-Kathy...Jason....Jackson...and baby Grace....

We came home to an ANXIOUS Kai...awatin' our arrival....we walked in to a VERY fragrant house...Daddy made his tasty pork medallions in a tangy mushroom sauce...with some healthy sides...and while I worked on the VERY VERY VERY garlic-ky bread....there was a serious game of UNO taking place!

We ate until we couldn't eat anymore....got the kids to bed...now bloggin'...real quick...and now headed down to visit with Ang and Kent-o....

G'night

Stayed tuned!

TtodahappyG

Angie is on "The Rock" and visiting...will be posting random pics this week!

Oh and we actually didn't get a sitter after all the other night....the Leggio's called and invited both Kai and Sophia over for a sleep over.....their first one...and they went together....and Daddy hit Hama Sushi's....went over to the Andrew's...a beer pub...bowling...then back home and did some wii action...VERY fun...and guess who got homesick?!?!?! ME of all people...early in the morning I was feeling VERY nostalgic for the lil' bugs....but the Leggio's took them to church and we met them there....The Leggio's hooked our kids up...they had curry and yummy pasta....for dinner...then pancakes and bacon for breakfast....YUM! Thank you LEGGIO's....for all what you did...and for the Christmas gifts....they gave us a cool game...Partini...and the kids have been coloring non-stop! You guys Rock! I'll post pic's when I get some from C-dawg (Christa)..she

said she got some good ones of the sleep over!

And I'll be posting random pic's from this week...since we have one of our BEST friends visiting...Angie!

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It's January...and boy where did I put my resolutions?!

2009 Resolutions

(now where did I put those?!)

...or something like that...with me you "really" don't know what'cha gettin'!

So...it is more than midway through January and I'm just now posting my resolutions...I really wanted to get them out on the information Highway no later than the 1st of January...and lo' and behold...life kept happenin'...left...right and sideways...(hmmm...does left + right = sideways?!)

I did one of my Loooooooooooooog runs last night...tryin' to catch my Okinawan 2009 marathon dream...and it got my wheels a spinnin'.....my legs on fire...my mind busy with so much filtered and un-filtered data...processing everything was not a problem...I had plenty of time to reflect on this past year...the ups and downs of 2008...things I wanted to remember...things I didn't...those pesky things kept sneaking in my thoughts...

as I climbed those f*%pp#*g endless hills of Kitinakagusuku...on up to Kadena-cho...I had a strategy on how I approached each hill...every time a hill would beat me down...I would think of the most rigid...powerful...strict...tough...indian I knew....my daddy-san...and I could for an instance see his face at the top...cheering me on...with the all the emotion he could muster...which is not a lot...inspired me none-the-less....and it goes on like that...anytime I get stuck in a pickle and I "NEED" to be tough...his face is almost tangible...almost...

(please note..this is me being randomly random...as usual) :-)

Me..myself... and my inner Diva...seem to think too much...I'm a mom....a stay at home mom which in itself is the 8th wonder of the World...who is learning who she is everyday...and who she wished she was everyday... I'm strong...weak...smart..clueless...loveable...rigid...strict..silly...protective...worried...friendly...

sisterly... a stranger...useless...helpful...poingnant...

ghetto (me being ghetto below..he he he)

even if it is wanna-be ghetto...;-)...wine-o...fuddy-duddy...winner...2nd place-er (not loser *wink*)...indifferent...

Lover...wifey

mama...

Tritia

(which only rhymes with "militia"...who always had to correct her teacher on the pronunciation....blah..blah...blah...still bitter...he he he )



I want to learn how to play a guitar...I should just pick up the gee-tar....

I am always lookin' for a new hair-style...I should be glad to have hair...


I'm still lookin' for that "perfect" pair of shoes...I should be grateful for the 50ish pairs I have...

I want to become a master seamstress...but don't make the time...

You break it...I wanna fix it...even if you didn't ask

I want to help...but end up being bossy

Good intention's right?!

I've had shed many tears this past year...of frustration and regret...

I need to let go of the things said in anger...and even after the apology...not dwell...it only brings negative energy...

I want to take things as they come...and before I strike out in either direction...take what I have learned from my life so far...and apply it...in a "positive" energy...

I GIVE...not to receive...but just for the sheer happiness of "GIVING"...it makes me feel good!

By nature...I'm happy...and as I age...I feel "that certain" happiness can lose its luster....BUT as each year winds down...I gear up to make things re-gain the shiny glow of hope of what another year of wisdom will bring..and I put that in my pocket as a secret to share with whomever will listen...

I'm a feel-er...I "feel" that GoD has placed me in my particular life for a reason...to be compassionate...to care...to learn...to live...and to help...even if it is socially...

I root for the underdog in a fight...every time...

I want to give my earnings to the homeless...(but yeah...I'm a stay at home mom..no diner-o)

I want to find loving and healthy homes for the kids who are left behind...(my sister wants to house all of them..yeah...we're made from the same stock!)

I want to love on the un-loved...but sometimes too cautious...b/c life is like that...

I want to be a rebel... but I suppose I'll only be one in "theory"...

I make faces that aren't the prettiest...but the kids eat em' up!

I've always wanted green eyes...and God gave them to me in my Kent-O Bent-O...

I've always wanted Curly hair...and GoD gave them to me through my daughter....

I've always wanted to see how my father was as a tender child...and God gave me my son...

I've always wanted to travel...God blessed me with the Okinawan beaches...

(driving from Amarillo to San Antonio is not considered traveling *ha*..Ju-bee..you got my back on this one?!)

I spent my 2008 donning the expression below.....

A crinkled brow...so much so...lil' Sophia would mimic me and ask me why I was making this face....and that made me stop and think....and I crinkled my brow again...and said I don't know... I really don't need these extra wrinkles...I need to stop crinkling... I was using this expression when I was thinking....listening....pondering...driving w/o my sunglasses...using this face too much!

So I'm diligently trying not to use this face as much (the one above)....

And there is NO looking back...as the below picture shows....

I choose not to look back and see what I would of done differently...or what I should of said...blah...blah... blah...no more...I'll take things with ease...and MOVE on...GoD help me not to be a dweller...it's a lonely place...fo' sho'!

I want to be able to throw my head back in laughter as many times as I can....a new challenge...

to enjoy the littlest of things...without being in rush... just enjoy the silence...enjoy the clatter...enjoy the whisper...enjoy the scatter...enjoy the now...not the latter...just take time to inhale the good...and exhale the bad....

Just throw your head back and laugh like a giddy child...un-touched with life's realities...

Me throwing back my head...(showing my kidney beans...aka..my nostrils)

Belly laughing...

I want to embrace who I am...I want to build on the positive and put aside the negative....

I want to learn how to put down the heavy load and know that GOD is on my side....

I want to look at my husband and gather strength to do what is right...which is apologize when I'm wrong....

I want to see my children as children and not adults who should know better....I've told you a thousand times...they give me all the patience in the world...and I should reciprocate...I shall reciprocate...

I want my house happy...fun...silly...mellow...lovey...safe...cozy...carefree...hyper...indulgent (to a point)...safe haven...lil' crypt of LOVE!

Where...daddy-san....Kai-san...Sophia-san...and Mama-san...like to gather and live like da' G' unit ought to live...

ME

The complex-it-tees...(is that a word...and boy did I make up a new spelling for it!) of me!

Me is me...is me... is me...and believe "me"...I'm still trying to figure out "me"....

(so be patient with me!)

I want to live "me" life as best as "me's" can...

So I am hoping 2009 is a blessed one for me and you...my family and friends!

I hope our love for each other grows...family and friendship...know that I think about you all...here and there...all the time...in snip-its...when a song comes on...when I'm running...when I'm driving...and know that I'm thinking only positive thoughts...about you!

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For those of you who have asked what I have on my I-pod for running music here goes:

Top 11 UP-BEAT song's on my I-pod right now:

1. Hot N Cold - Katy Perry

2. Live Your Life - T.I

3. Single Ladies - Beyonce

4. Human - The Killers

5. Beautiful- Akon

6. Love Lockdown- Kanye West

7. Sober - Pink

8. I'm Yours - Jason Mraz

9. American Boy -Estelle

10. Rhinestone Cowboy- Ingrid Lucia

11. Solsbury Hill - Peter Gabriel

Top 11 MELLOW songs...for those type of days...:

1. If I Were a Boy - Beyonce (and the one she sings with R. Kelly not out yet)

2. Gravity - John Mayer

3. Lucky - Jason Mraz

4. The Good Times are Killing Me- Modest Mouse

5. Burn one Down- Ben Harper

6. Play - Flunk

7. All of these things that I've done- The Killers

8. You're Beautiful - James Blunt

9. And You Give- Matthew Barber

10. You and Me- Matthew Barber

11. Gotta Have You- The Weepies

TtodaI-podlovin'G

The secret is in the Sauce....with some wanna-be cheerleaders...Go Thai (Curry) he's our guy...go fight win!

Sue had a bunch of girls over for some Thai Curry....and it was DIVINE!
I think the secret is good friends AND Coconut milk...(the secret is in the sauce)!
We had such a blast hanging out and showing off our retro- wanna-be...cheer leading skills...*ha*

Some "HOT" Tamles....sizzle sizzle...

We're "HOT" snot...who can't be stopped.......oh boy...don't get me started...;-)

Can you see which one of us is cross-eyed?!

Don't try this at home...these are TRAINED PROFESSIONAL YoGa babe's!

Liz's hat says it all....

I think the curry went to our heads...but these heads had a GREAT time!
Thank you Sue for inviting and cooking...you are a GREAT hostess!
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee!
TtodaweeeeeeeeeeeG

Ghost Town

Kent and I rented this movie...MAINLY...because...Jeff Hiller...below is a buddy who went to Texas Lutheran with us...and sang in the choir with Kent-o!

How exciting to see a fellow classmate get some screen time...we LOVED the movie...

My favorite part is when the main character, Mr. Pincus...goes back to see his doctor after his surgery...and confronts her about his surgery and if something strange happened....made me laugh so hard I was ALMOST gasping for air....so funny!

Totally a renter...we actually bought it!

Jeff Hiller is a STUD-MUFFIN...aka...Naked guy!

Jeff Hiller in Ghost Town.

Photo: Courtesy of DreamWorks

(http://nymag.com/daily/entertainment/2008/09/ghost_town_hey_what_happened_t.html)

How did he die? Why was he naked when he died? Did they film a scene of Ricky Gervais delivering clothes to his naked widow that wound up on the cutting-room floor? The movie frustratingly leaves these questions unanswered. So we asked Naked Guy Ghost himself, who was played by UCBT favorite Jeff Hiller.
"The script barely mentions him," says Hiller, and writer-director David Koepp never offered Hiller any details, other than to stress that Naked Guy Ghost wears Hiller's own glasses. But that didn't stop Hiller from working his own backstory for Naked Guy Ghost! A trader with a Wall Street firm, Naked Guy died while naked hot-tubbing on a company trip in the Hamptons. "After extensive ribbing from his co-workers for being so uptight, he did something daring for the first time in his life," says Hiller. "He took off his bathing suit and hung it on a ficus tree and jumped in the hot tub. But one of the other traders stole the suit, and when he got out, he freaked, ran for cover on the wet deck, and slipped and fell on his head. The fall was fatal."
So what does Naked Guy Ghost need from Bertram Pincus, D.D.S.? "Naked Guy's mom thinks he was some kind of pervert. She thinks she didn't know her son at all. He needs Pincus to explain to his mom that he wasn't up to no good," Hiller says, solemnly. "It's more tragic than Shakespeare, right?"
Sadly, no redemptive ending was ever filmed for Naked Guy Ghost, but Hiller certainly got plenty of revealing scenes. "I was standing in what amounts to a flesh-colored G-string on Fifth Avenue and 95th Street," Hiller remembers. "Double-decker buses drove by, and people would yell, 'RICKY! I LOVE EXTR—' and then they would see my doughy white body. I feel both pride and humiliation."

"RENT IT!!

A MUST SEE...raves da' G Unit!"

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(I'm still gonna write our resolutions...crazy stuff happening here...at da' G Unit casa!)

;-)

This girl has personality... I LOVE IT...

This little one o' mine!

This girl of ours has personailty...I say...PERSONALITY....(and apparently our van does too...the ghetto curtain hanging by a thread....guess who caused that mis-hap?!) *ha*

I'm driving down the road after picking up lil' Phi Phi....listening to our tunes...catching up on her day events at pre school...then out of the blue...she says,'' Mama...look...look at me!"

I tell her, "I'm driving....I'll look in a second when I catch a red light."

(you know the safe thing to do)

(I just so happen to have my camera handy...I had taken some pics of a girlfriends new baby...)

So...we are stopped at the red light...I turn...and this is what I find....*ha*

She at one point had Kai's hat on top of her pink one...and then at another point she pulled down her hat over her face saying, "Can you see me?! Can you see me?!"

Yes, Bella, dear...I see you very clearly and what happiness you give my heart....silly girl...so playful you are....enjoy!

This is who Sophia Bella is....imaginative gangsta' ...hippie chick....free spirit....LuLu....

(Can you see Kai's glove on her head...she got a kick outta that!)

I hope Kent and I encourage her free spirit...and not crush it...by bellowing to "BEHAVE!"

TtodalovingmamaG

Birf-day party....bebe "L" celebrated the ripe ol' age of 1...those were the days...;-)

Some friends of ours....had a birf-day party for their son...

he turned "1"....Megan and Matt were so proud!

Cute lil' fella...party hat on and ready for his cupcake!

Proud mama, Megan...;-)

Kai and Sophia made a new friend...
The food was GREAT...they had bbq and the fixin's....



(I ALMOST look TOO posey...he he he)
All of us are in a book club...mama's club (doggies and cats count too!)...wine club...you name a club and.... we prolly have one...he he he.....we are obviously missing pertinent club members...(oh..and Megan's mama...who is dressed in a brilliant green...mother and daughter matching!)
TtodacreakyG
(had a Loooooooooooog run yesterday....every o = 1 mile)

Ferris Wheel and Driving Range (Golfing style)

I forgot to blog a couple of things...then I'll blog about our 2009 Resolution(s)

Ferris Wheel
Sophia's turn to ride on the Ferris wheel...Kai...Kent-o and Mimi rode this wild monster last Christmas...while PaPa...me...and Sophia sipped our Starbucks across the street...we told Sophia that when she turns 4 she would be able to ride it... so this Christmas...she knew to expect a ride on the big circle circle....
Daddy and baby girl went for a ride!

Not an everyday angle...but just as cute!

One happy lil' girl!

We went to a Chinese restaurant for lunch...then home for a late nappy-poo then per Kai's request...headed out to the driving range...

GOLF anyone?!

Kai-boy and Daddy-san

Pretty chilly day...pre-dusk...

Daddy giving some instructions

Whack!

Waiting patiently for her turn...

Listening intently...

Thwack!

Time to go home....
We're atta here!

This was part of us trying to do everything on our "To Do" list during the Christmas vacation...
so when we actually find our "To Do" list...we are gonna see which events we didn't do...the list has been missing in action for a while...so we think the trash ate it! *ha*
Gots to get ready for our Monday routine...
G'night!
TtotheyawningG