too good not to share

We found these at a store here in Japan over the weekend

(excuse the awful commentary, I was in shock that this exists!)

female body image

I was really disturbed today by 2 statuses I saw on facebook.  One said something to the effect of  "oh VS fashion show how I love to watch you but you make me so jealous" and the other said something like "I think I'm going to have to work out 3 hours a day every day for the rest of my life after watching the VS fashion show".  Both of these comments came from women who could be body doubles for Jillian Michaels (I'd even say they both look better than her.  I almost copied and pasted photos off their facebook pages, but decided not to, so you just have to take my word for it)...don't know who Jillian Michaels is?  She's one of the trainers for Biggest Loser:

yeah.

I'm sorry but your self body image is completely distorted if you look anything remotely similar to the above photo and think you look inferior to some rail thin VS models.

UGH, it just makes me angry that this is how women are taught to think in our country!

****Stepping off my soap box****


On a happier note, the hubs and I have decided to spend an upcoming week in gorgeous Okinawa, Japan. (you remember, the place we originally thought we were going to be stationed?)  I can't wait to spend a week on a tropical island

 

(photo credit goes to Aviva Photography who, sadly, won't be around to take our photos while we're there)

I'm officially counting down the days until vacations!

Christmas wish list

Now that things are starting to look like fall around here

and the long weekend is over

and the turkey is all gone (or will be after I make turkey pot pies for dinner tonight)

it's time to move on to Christmas =)

we bought a Christmas tree that was almost longer than our car and received many strange looks from the locals (some children even pointed and laughed and grown adults almost got ran over/feel off their bikes because they were distracted by our strange American traditions...next year, I'm taking a video of all the gawkers!)

put out the few decorations we do have (the beautiful flowers were a hostess gift for Thanksgiving.  thanks Melissa!)

and purchased and wrapped all of our gifts to send back to the states =)

As for me, a few things I wouldn't mind seeing under my Christmas tree this year:

1. a paella pan

 

2. a panini press

3. a flash for my camera

4. this FABULOUS necklace (with the diamond moved to the lower left corner)

5. since my computer is on it's last leg, a MacBook

Thanksgiving Prep part 2

After driving all over creation this base and the near by Naval base looking for Vermouth (who knew it was a wine?!?!  definitely not me) for my husband the Martini drinker I finished up my prep work for Thanksgiving =)

I made the pies (my 1st time making pies from scratch.  I'm pretty proud of them but man they were a lot of work!  I doubt I'll be making many pies in my lifetime)

laid out all the bread so it get's "stale" for the "stuffing" (that's how grandma did it, so that's how I do it)

***edited to note we returned from dinner to find this:

the dog managed to eat about 10-12 slices of bread off the table...I was so not a happy mommy!  This means I have to go to the store and fight the crowd tomorrow...all that prep work to avoid this exact scenario and the dumb dog managed to ruin it all, ugh!***

 chopped all the veggies to stuff in the turkey, make appetizers, make the "stuffing" and make green bean casserole

and roasted garlic and made pita chips for the spinach artichoke dip

now I will have more time to enjoy with our guests on Thursday!  Only 2 more days until my favorite holiday!

And if you are the type of person that is OK starting the Christmas season a little early, I suggest you check out this ridiculously talented A capella group from Indiana.  I don't normally enjoy Christmas music except on Christmas and Christmas Eve, but I cannot turn these guys off!

Straight No Chaser

holiday bazaar

As I said yesterday, I can't show you most of what I picked up at the bazaar because they're gifts for people who read this blog, but I can show you what I got my brother (he'd never take time away from his games to read what his silly big sister has to say) and what I picked up for myself =)

My brother is a gamer.  Computer games, card games, board games, baseball games.  He loves them all, so he is getting this cool box to hold cards.

 and for me...I had the hardest time picking these out, but now I'm in love with the ones I chose!

 napkin rings for the girl who loves to host!

 with origami cranes!?!?!  YES PLEASE!

 I wanted every color that they had!!