Christmas party

Tuesday night was the squadron Christmas party. It was so fun to get to meet all of the other families and wives finally! Glenn started his Christmas leave yesterday as well so he has been home all day which is nice. We spent most of yesterday running around trying to get things done on base like getting the car inspected and registered. Some of the offices were closed on Wednesday afternoons so we have finish that up today.
We also went to MWR to look in to some trips around the area while Glenn is on leave. We signed up for a sake brewery tour for Sunday and we're going to go to Tokyo on Tuesday we decided. The Imperial Palace is only open to the public 2 days a year- Dec. 23rd the Emperor's Bday and January 2nd- New Years so we are going to go on Tuesday. I'll post pictures when we get back!

For those of you that sent boxes and packages for Christmas, we got them all yesterday, good thing we have a car now, we had 6 boxes! Merry Christmas!

We bought a car!

Glenn did get his license yesterday and we bought a car! A 1998 Mazda Demio. This isn't the one we bought but it looks just like this:

We couldn't drive it home yesterday cause we have to take the title to get the liability insurance on base, then we have to get temporary tags so we can drive it to the Autoport on base to have it inspected then take it back to the dealership to show it passed inspection and get our Y plates. Phew! It's going to take us awhile to get all that done. Also buying a car in Japan is the fastest thing in the world! You pay cash, get a receipt and a title and you are done! It took us longer to get all the cash out of the ATM!

Since we were already off base last night, Glenn and I also went and had sushi for the first time since we've been in Japan. We went to a sushi-go-round where the sushi is put on small plates that go on a conveyor belt around the whole restaurant. Each colored plate is a different price and you just take what you want and stack them up! Then when you want to pay they just come write down what you had. Glenn and I weren't entirely sure what we were doing, but everywhere we go is a new adventure!

Tonight is the squadron Christmas party so I"ll post some pics tomorrow!

Coming along...

Things at our new house are coming along. Glenn and I decorated our Christmas tree last night and hung up curtains in the living room. I'm so glad I bought things for a house I had never seen (like the curtains) cause I love them! I bought a few things based on the pictures of the housing that I had seen. I figured I might need them.
We still don't have a driver's license or a car yet so Glenn and I did a lot of walking around base yesterday from the O Club for brunch to the commissary to the NEX to the Home Store, but we managed to find most of the stuff we needed including twist nuts so I could hang up my new IKEAchandelier that I have had for over a year and never hung up. Also, I am obsessed with IKEA if you didn't know that already.
We just need to find a floor lamp cause the living room has no overhead light and we only have one floor lamp. We are also planning for the Japanese furniture we will eventually buy like a console table by the front door.
Glenn had an early flight this morning so I'm hoping that means he'll have time this afternoon to run to the Safety office and get his driver's license. We looked at cars on Saturday and found a couple we like, but we obviously can't get one without a license and we have to get the liability insurance from some office on base. Hopefully tonight we will have bought a car though!Stella looks a little creepy in this picture cause she was mesmorized by the blinking light on the self-timer. Merry Christmas!

Also, in case you didn't know, our Vonage is up and working fantastic. Our number is 507-316-0980!

Tuesday 10 on Friday

** Update: I thought of a 10th item on Saturday morning at 8 am...you'll see...

Everything is Japan is going well so far. I even slept til 6 am today which is better than the last two nights. I still don't have my luggage yet, which has my Vonage adapter in it so I haven't had a chance to call anyone yet. It was suppose to get here yesterday, which it didn't, so I'm going to call today when they open. I've met some of our neighbors and I am still getting the rest of the boxes unpacked and adjusted to being a housewife. I even made dinner last night.

This week's Tuesday 10... 10 things it is going to take awhile to get used to around our new house.

1. The plug in the bathroom has a cover. Random.
2. We don't really have a backyard since we live upstairs, we have a sideyard. It is fenced in, but you have to go out the front door, down the steps and around the corner. This is the unit behind us, you can see their side yard. I don't really know what I'm suppose to do with a sideyard. Also, it looks more like a cage than a yard.
3. All the floors are linoleum. We brought 2 big pieces of carpet for the living room and bedroom. The bedroom looks like it has wall to wall carpet now and the living room has a large area rug, but the rest is linoleum. Stella is not a huge fan quite yet.
4. These are our house keys and storage room keys. They look like big dog tags.
5. The keys go in a slot where the arrow is on the round knob. You turn the back half of this knob and it turns the deadbolt. Apparently they keys are magnetized and that is how each key is unique.
6. 3 phones. We have 3 separate phones now. Glenn has a cell phone. We have a DSN number for onbase and local Japan calls and we have our vonage phone (well we will soon) for calls to and from the states. I guess it will be 4 when/if I get a cell phone too.

7. Every room has it's own thermostat so supposedly you only heat/cool the room you are in.

8. Often time when I open a website it looks like this. Fine for websites I have used in the past, but sometimes I have to wander around til I find the elusive "English" button.9. Trash. We have to separate our trash into two different cans. Burnable and Non-Burnable/Recyclable. I have a chart above our trashcan cause I can never seem to remember which goes where.

10. The music. At precisely 8 am everyday the National anthem is played followed by the Japanese national anthem. At sunset (I think), the revelry is played and at 10 pm, Taps is played. Or that might be vice versa, but either way. And when I mean played, I mean pumped through the loud speaker system base wide. During the anthems you are suppose to stop walking, pull over, etc for the duration.

Have a good weekend!

Time Zones

Adjusting to the new time zone has proved more difficult than I thought. I've gotten up around 4 am the last two mornings. Stellas is having an equally hard time. She wants to sleep all day and get up at 3 or 4 as well. Although this morning, she is still sleeping and I am awake.
Things are going well so far in Japan. Yesterday I took the driving class with Glenn. We sat through a presentation and then had to take a multiple choice test on the driving rules in Japan. I think it is going to take me awhile to get used to driving on the other side of the road and the other side of the car. We had to learn signs like this one, which is a Stop sign.

And this one which is No Parking, No Stopping:

After I complete a week long class about the area, I will be able to get my license. Hopefully Glenn will be able to get his on Friday and we can go buy a car this weekend!
Glenn and I are still unpacking the house and getting settled. Hopefully that will be done in the next few days. I'm trying not to just throw things up on the walls since we're going to be here for 3 years (speaking of which I found out that we will move back in September 2011), but after 4 houses, I kind of know where things go. I'll post some pictures once the house is put together!

We made it!

Stella and I made it to Tokyo (minus my suitcases) and met Glenn! I'm at our new home now in Atsugi. It's tiny, but cute. I'll post more soon!

Part way there!

Stella and I made it the first leg of our trip! We're in Norfolk tonight for less than 12 hours and leave at 6 am for Tokyo! The goodbyes and tears are over, now it's just time to see Glenn. I CANNOT wait! Tomorrow is going to be the longest day ever cause of all the traveling, but also knowing that I get to see Glenn when it is all over.
I'll post pics once we get there!

Tuesday 10...a day late

I'm kind of frustrated at the expense of moving a dog to Japan. So in case you are curious...10 things you are required to pay for to move a canine member of your family overseas...


1. Vet check up, booster shots, 6-months of drugs and a health certificate.... $254
2. Dog Microchip..... $89
3. Two rabies shots even though she already had a 3 year shot that was perfectly good.... $45 each
4. USDA appointment to sign/stamp her paperwork..... $24
5. Dog checked as cargo OR as hand luggate on a United international flight.... $200
6. Ticket as carry-on luggage for a dog on Delta flight to Norfolk.... $150
7. Ticket if you decided to check dog on Delta flight to Norfolk.... $275
8. Price to ship crate to Norfolk using 3-day UPS so that we didn't have to pay $275 but still possibly have her crate for the international flight.... $37
9. Price to now ship her crate from Norfolk to Japan since she is coming on the plane as hand luggage.... $25
10. Box of generic Benedryl to calm Stella during the flight.... $3.98
But Kara is right, having my puppy in Japan.... priceless.

It's a good thing we love her and she's our baby.

Thanksgiving

Thanksgiving in Ohio was wonderful this year. With all the craziness yesterday of getting tickets and things packed and shipped, I never even wrote about it. It was great to see Adam, Laura and Connor (my brother and his fam) one last time before I move. It's hard to believe that Connor may be in school next time I see him. Hopefully it won't be that long though. Christmas in Hawaii 2010 we're thinking!

One of the highlights of the weekend was probably my cousin Taylor's basketball tournament. As a surprise to her, the family decided to attend one of her games. We left some of the family at Grandma's house, but a few of us decided to go. We even made t-shirts that spelled G-O T-A-Y-L-O-R. In the end, ~50 of went! I think we filled half the stands.

Before the game, we had to get ready though, Dad and Grandma got really into it.

We also realized how much fun shirts with letters can be!

My family likes to have a good time! I'm going to miss them in Japan!

I have a ticket!

Departing out of Norfolk on Monday December 8th! Which means I have to fly back to Norfolk on Sunday...but at least it's a ticket. Although the Navy says they haven't "issued" me a ticket which makes no sense since I have seat number and confirmation codes. Could they delay this process any longer?? It looks like we're flying Norfolk to Chicago to San Fran to Tokyo. They tried to get me on the non-stop from Chicago to Tokyo, but that flight wouldn't let Stella on.
I'm in the process of booking a ticket to Norfolk for Stella and I, but it looks like we'll be there for less than 12 hours.
Could this week be any busier?!?! I think Glenn and I are both feeling the stress.
I'll keep you posted.