The Durben Family

New Family Pictures! Yay!

2011-12-29T01:37:00.000-08:00

I have an eye for talent. Maybe that is my talent.... I can recognize and appreciate the amazing gifts and talents of others.
I feel guilty taking advantage of that, but I wouldn't have the amazing pictures of Japan that I do, if not for our friend and photographer extraordinaire Scott Pierce.
I lasted three years with the best family pictures in Washington by the amazing photographer Katie Trujillo....and now I've found another gem, Jessica Stoner. On a super casual Sunday afternoon she snapped some family shots for us.....and this is what I got in return!
Awesome! Of course any mother gets excited at super cute pictures of their kids.... but subjects aside, Jessica did a breathtaking job! Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Yokohama Lights and Ice!

2011-12-21T17:44:00.000-08:00

My goal was some Christmas lights! I miss the lights of Temple Square. If there was just one childhood tradition I could bring to my kids, that would be it. I loved bundling up and heading to Temple Square in Salt Lake City to see the thousands and thousands of lights surrounding the temple. Mark and I have been married for twelve years and we've been able to do this once. (These pictures were taken in 2007. I had forgotten how cold it was in Utah!)

I'm not complaining. We've had some amazing opportunities and the kids have had experiences I couldn't have imagined as a child. I just wish I could teleport our family to SLC for a couple of hours each year.

This year I was looking for something in the ballpark, not spiritually I guess, but at least with the lights. Yokohama City Center had an amazing display. Lights, lights and lights for sure, but more like Vegas lights....
not quite what I was hoping for, but fun in a different way.
In the Red Brick City Center, they had set up an outdoor Ice Skating Rink.

Can you believe it's the first time Mark has ever been Ice skating? He had so much fun!
He picked it up so quickly.... in another life he could have been quite the Hockey player I think.

It was Max and Lillian's first time too....

Lillian was a natural, and was practicing turns by the end of the afternoon. Max, always very cautious, hugged the walls, but still had a great time!

Tobias and his friend kept safe and busy on the sidelines.

Gingerbread and Zombie Attacks

2011-12-18T17:29:00.000-08:00

Certainly to the two go hand in hand when you add 10 year old boys to the mix.

Max and Lillian got together with the ultimate gingerbread crew and enjoyed a wonderful evening of sugar, sugar and more sugar!

They actually make candy lights!

The joy of making it snow!

At this age, they need to lay out a plan....... and agree on a vision.

Zombie House of Horrors it is!

Hot Chocolate Days

2011-12-15T17:33:00.000-08:00

Tobias has discovered the joys of hot chocolate this year.

It might have something to do with the marshmallows;0)

Tobias has exploded with conversation in the last few months. Once a toddler with
very specific sentences, he now shares his ideas all day long. He has lots of questions and ideas!
My favorite is how happy he wants everyone to be. Every morning he greats me with a big snugly hug and asks "Mommy are you happy?" He always follows with "I'm happy!" (He is always happy, but he exclaims it ever time with a tone of surprise).... "So we can be happy together! We're both happy!"
He then proceeds down his checklist, "Where is Daddy? Is he at work? What's daddy do? Is he happy?" then "Where is Max and Lillian, are they at their class?" "Do they like their class? Are they happy?" then he asks where is friends are.... and finally "Is my class ready?" .... "Not yet buddy" I say. (The base closed the preschool after the earthquake and only re opened one class, with a wait list of over 150 kids.....he's #41)

Then he's off......clicking the remote to see if he woke in time for Blues Clues.

All I Wants for Christmas Is.........

2011-12-13T16:18:00.001-08:00

Is my two front teeth!

A Little Random Catching-Up

2011-12-12T17:31:00.000-08:00

Is it mean to go to Disney Sea without your kids?

I kind of felt guilty the whole day about it, but it was kind of awesome too.

Mark and I took a 3 day 'Extended Date Trip' to Tokyo last month, and after having so much fun, I'm committing to making that happen for us at least once a year.
I'm not sure what happened to most of our downtown pictures.... maybe I only think I took some....not sure.
We spent the first day kicking around Shibya and Shinjuku. This is the famous Shibya Crossing 'as seen in almost any movie taking place in Tokyo'.
This area is known as one of the fashion centers of Japan, particularly for young people, and as a major nightlife area.
One of the most well-known stories concerning Shibuya is the story of Hachikō, a dog who waited on his late master at Shibuya Station every day from 1923 to 1935, eventually becoming a national celebrity for his loyalty.
A statue of Hachikō was built adjacent to the station, and the surrounding Hachikō Square is now the most popular meeting point in the area.

We have always steered clear of Shinjuku station when we have the kids in tow.

You can see why. This station is the busiest train station in the world. I think something like a million people transfer through everyday.
It's a pretty amazing how efficient these systems are. When we first arrived, I was a little intimidated.....but we found it to be super simple.

The second day we explored the Tokyo Imperial Palace. This is the main residence of the Emperor of Japan. It is a large park-like area located in the Chiyoda area of Tokyo close to Tokyo Station and contains several buildings including the main palace. You can't actually go near the palace..... this is about as close as you can get.
At first I was super disappointed. We crossed the street and decided to explore the shopping at the Marunouchi Building.
It was amazing and in general most definitely out of our price range. Lunch at the Pasta House was amazing.
After lunch we walked toward the Tokyo Museum of Modern art. On our way we found the entrance to the Imperial Palace East Gardens. (This is the area open to the public.)
If you packed a picnic lunch, you could spend the whole day here. It's enormous, and like Central Park in NY, a beautiful oasis in the middle of a hustling city. We walked throughout for an hour....but my feet were about finished for the day. As it started to get dark...I still pushed ahead for the museum.... only to discover it was closed for that week, while it underwent an exhibit change. Time to jump into a cab! We hadn't taken a taxi in Tokyo yet, and I figured our hotel wasn't that far...how much could it be..? We'll it was a little further than I thought...and it ended up costing close to $50.00, but I don't regret it. We drove through parts of Tokyo I had never seen (we're always traveling underground in the subways)....and it was a great driving tour. Tokyo is a pretty impressive city!

On day three, Mark was ready for his day! We decided to check out The Disney Sea Resort. (The Tower of Terror)
I had heard this park was more for older kids...and in general I would agree. Max doesn't like roller coasters, and Lillian and Tobias would have only been able to ride a handful of things. It was so much fun though, I still felt guilty. We'll have to take them to Tokyo Disneyland for sure.

Mark had a blast.... it was so cute to see the smile on his face all day! We'll have to do roller coasters more often ;0)

District Day of Service in Japan

2011-12-08T18:09:00.000-08:00

Mark recently had the opportunity to board a bus at 8:00pm and drive 10 hours through the night to northern Japan.
I have not updated our blog since the tragic and devastating tsunami... mostly because I didn't feel I could adequately express how sad I felt for the country of Japan.
Anything I could write, just didn't convey my feelings adequately.
And anything we continued to go through as a family seemed trivial.....and
either complaints, worries or any other events seemed inappropriate considering the circumstances.
We left Japan on March 21st and spent the next three months in Utah. I won't try to catch up on all the things that have happened since then. I'll consider it a mourning period, it felt and still feels that way. I still don't have adequate words for this.
When we returned in June, our church, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints began organizing bus trips to the north for anyone interested in helping with the clean up efforts. (Members of our church or not..everyone was welcome to free transportation and overnight accommodations) As the work was difficult, dirty and sometime dangerous, Mark felt he would participate for our family on an organized District Day of Service (when all members of our district specifically were invited to attend).

He was absolutely stunned at the overwhelming devastation in this area. He didn't take as many pictures as he later wished he had. This group was tasked with simply clearing a field of any remaining debris, so that
the local people could use it to plant summer vegetables. Mark said that there was at least an 8 foot depth of every possible random thing mixed with mud (and sewage) in that field. Although hundreds of people worked a 12 hour day on what at best was an acre of field.... it still wasn't quite ready for planting.
Mark was almost speechless. The cleanup effort in that area can seem hopelessly overwhelming. But everyday volunteers work along side the Japanese...clearing and cleaning a few square feet at a time. With small and simple steps, progress is being made.

Christmas Dancing in Yokosuka

2011-12-07T20:19:00.000-08:00

The last month has been a whirlwind of dance!
Last year I began teaching Tap,Jazz and Hip Hop Classes at the Yokosuka Community Center. It's a unique opportunity to be able to share my love of dance with Lillian and other little ones. This year we kicked off our Holiday Season with the annual Festival of Trees Recital. The kids had so much fun!...... Most Important Goal Accomplished!
Like I tell the dancers, "If your not having fun, it's not fun to watch."
As I was the teacher/director,
and Mark was the sound tech...
I turned the camera over to Max. He was our family photographer.
Action pictures are difficult.
242 pictures later....this is what we have.
No complaints.

Lillian was amazing!
One of the youngest in her classes, she was wonderful on stage.

This little guy stayed busy at the cookie table.

I'll post some video soon ;0)

Harajuku

2011-02-06T00:13:00.000-08:00

On the third day of our 'Better Know Your Tokyo' trip we set out to explore Harajuku.
It's considered the trendsetting district and not just in Japan.... for the international jet set this is the place to shop and see what's hot first!
I was so overwhelmed! It was 'cute, cute, cute overload'...... I wish I had known what to expect! Budget wise, I hadn't planned for mega shopping, so we just browsed like crazy and started filling up our wishlists. Next time around I could end up in serious trouble! They have five stories of H&M and five stories of Forever 21 right next to each other......and that just for starters....OH MY!

At first sight Takeshita-Dori looked like the crazy-funky-bizarre strip I had heard about, but once inside the shops......you could find wearable fun jewelry and clothes. As long as you didn't do a head-to-toe look in outrages pieces..... just kept it safe with one stand out piece.......

Max found his!
Too Much...?

It may depend on who your asking!

I tried to talk Mark into this bad boy......
he didn't think he had the right outfit for it.

Takenoko was our favorite.
It's the place to go when you need a 'show girl outfit' for that special night out. I haven't 'hit the clubs' yet while in Japan, but now I'm really curious.....
If it means I could pull off a couple of these numbers, I might just have to try it!

Turns out Max is quite the accessories guy..... he spent 30 minutes in a Gothic jewelry store looking for just the right ring, the kind he could wear when performing his magic tricks.
(I don't know if I've mentioned that he is a Magician in training.....not only does he spend countless hours on YouTube learning magic tricks, but he's ever on the lookout for wardrobe options) I encourage this..... he could make 'bank' at children's Birthday parties one day. ;0)

Another side note: Voodoo.
Max came home from school one afternoon and asked if Voodoo was satanic.
Apparently, it came up in class (somehow..?) That a Catholic priest got in trouble for saying that God had caused/sent the earthquake in Haiti because most of the people there practice Voodoo. Max had good questions about this...... but I have a better one........What kind of conversations are they having in class?

Anywhooooooo.............this leads up to his excitement when he found an entire wall full of multi-colored voodoo dolls! Cute voodoo dolls, but apparently "just what he's been wanting!"

Lillian was overwhelmed, but found a full rainbow range of hair extensions she "always wanted." There crazy! We'll have to do a full 'Harajuku look' to do them justice..... we'll post that later.

I think Tobias is developing a thing for Asian girls.
At the Child Development Center (where he goes for a couple of hours each week) he has an obvious crush on his very pretty Japanese teacher......
but then he saw HER......and she was just the right height!
(I'm not kidding, I didn't even ask him to pose for this picture, I just looked over and he was putting the moves on ;0)

We walked blocks and blocks and enjoyed the shops and shops. The Audi Building was a stand out....How cool is this?

Nike Town was pretty awesome too!

Towards the end of the afternoon we were scraping together our Yen for 'The Worlds Best Crepes'

What I'm finding is, that while I want to pack in the fun, my feet are FINISHED by 5:00pm.
I hate heading back to the hotel so early, but the kids are pretty done by then too.....time for the pool!
Did I mention Lillian lost her first tooth? (It dangled and twisted for two weeks, but she wouldn't pull it out. Then one bite into her banana and it was GONE! She swallowed it!) It didn't phase her.... she just wanted to know how she would get her money? You know how this story could end................ so I just gave her a dollar.

These trips are addictive...
I think I'll look at availability for March........;0)

KidZania!

2011-01-31T17:23:00.000-08:00

Chatting with a fellow 'tag-a-long' mom on a field trip last year, she shared her list of hits and misses she had stumbled upon while in Japan. Hands down, she said, Kidzania was the best place ever! Ever since, it's been at the top of my list of must sees........... and we finally checked it out. I have to agree, it blew me away! If they don't have these in the states, they need to get some. It's like a Children's Museum times 100! Mark laughed, because it looked like a job fair for kids........ but it was so much more than that. Kidzania offers work experience in almost every field you can think of. Your kids take a walk around the city and consider what experiences they would like to try. Then, with their day planner, they sign up for an appointment time (when they can report for their shift), and in small groups they are taught all the details of that job. (Each session is about 30 minutes) We were there from 9:00am to 3:00 in the afternoon.........and they still had a long list they wanted to try. We'll have to go back at least two more times to fit it all in. As we began our walk around the city, Lillian spotted the Beauty Salon and wouldn't budge. This was it! Sign me up! When you arrive the kids are given $50 in 'KidKash' they can use for services or items in the shops. So at the salon you can either work there (and earn money) or you can use your KidKash and pay to have your make-up or nails done. (I took it as a good sign that my kids always wanted the work experience, they never opted to be a customer...;0 Luckily for us Tokyo is a very international city and almost every employee speaks some degree of English. It was very generous of them to teach in both Japanese and English. It seems, at a very young age, they stress the importance of being VERY respectful. And that there is no 'unimportant' task. They take extreme care and pride in every detail of what they do. Here, Lillian is learning to greet her customers with a respectful bow. Then another ten minutes for delicate preparation of the client.....gently draping, cleansing, moisturizing And then the make-up! She was in heaven. ...... Max, across town, never moved passed the building maintenance crew. It worked out that he jumped on this one early.........this was one of the most popular sites in town. This was one of the few options that you couldn't schedule for a later appointment and then leave until your turn. You had to wait in line the whole time. (I don't know if this is meant to discourage the faint at heart because over the course of the 45 minute wait, Max watched about 75% of the kids freeze on the wall and then burst into tears as they had to reach for the top.) To be honest, Mark and I were a little nervous for Max. He is scared to death of heights, and I was surprised he even wanted to try this. But he made it! He didn't hesitate at all!

This was a little less exciting for Tobias. It was like a big teaser...... bright colors, lots of kids in costume, firetrucks, ambulances, ice cream, colorful characters......... but he was too little to do anything besides eat, runaway and get to close to the emergency vehicles that the kid crews traveled in. We did find the toddler room though..... He loves play kitchens and puzzles, so he enjoyed himself safely in there. The rest of the time we kept him busy with toys, ice cream and french fries.
Speaking of Ice Cream! This one wasn't a hard sale......... who doesn't want to work in an ice cream parlor?

While Lillian was making treats, Max was backstage learning magic tricks and how important presentation is when your a Magician. Unfortunately Mark and I were waiting at the wrong theater for his show to start and a disappointed Max found us and wondered why we missed his performance........we were super bummed we didn't see it
:0( We did get to seem him as Security Consultant
(I think.?.....this one was a little vague....he had to gather numbers and submit a report and recommendation...? But this supervisor spoke very little english, so Max looked puzzled most of the time. I told him this was in fact a very good work experience because at least once in your life you will be hired for a job and it will be a little unclear what it is your suppose to do......and you might have a supervisor that is difficult to work with, for many reasons.....whether it be a language barrier or personality conflict, etc... ) Not surprisingly this job had NO wait time.... not a lot of takers...... so it was a good filler when waiting for the 'cooler' jobs to start.

Like Firefighting...
EMT! Go Tubby! (He kind of invited himself into this one) Airplane Crew

They even turn hamburger making into an artform.
Veterinary Medicine Lillian was excited about working in the Hospital Nursery And Max opted for Surgery (He looks pretty darn cute in scrubs ;0)

Tour Guide
and Personal Trainer were a little less popular. .......strange how even in 'kidland' the gym has inconsistent business

They had Fashion Design, which Lillian very much wanted to try....but she found the material selection for the work-ups overwhelming, so she backed out. They also followed this up with a runway show, were you could learn how to 'work it on the catwalk'.........I think this is what she was really after, but the wait for this experience was 120 minutes... go figure...;0)

Lillian did have the chance to create and publish her own 'Anime' comic book...
And Max got to join a race crew...
It was a super packed day! The sessions last six hours, which you think would be plenty of time..........but we'll be back!

Tokyo Mini Break

2011-01-29T17:49:00.000-08:00

I love the idea of taking mini-breaks in the post holiday season. It can be a dreary time, but we've turned it into our 'Better Know Your Tokyo'season.

For our Second Annual Tokyo exploration we set off fresh and excited.
Complete with fully equipped backseat drivers.
The kids were in interesting (and loud) form for the drive........ and a backseat video system never sounded so good......or maybe a sound proof glass partition (why hasn't that been invented yet?)
As a spur of the moment decision, prompted by not wanting to cart around our 'good' but bulky camera, we bought a shiny, sleek and POCKET SIZE point and shoot. I'm excited to give it a whirl on this trip. We'll see how it does.

Mark and I have finally turned into a functioning Pilot & Navigator team. It only took 11 years.....and with signs like these, we've both realized we have little choice. There is no glory in 'thinking' your right.

After checking into The New Sanno, our first stop was taking the kids to see the Tokyo Temple. It is probably one of the smallest in the world, but still amazing!

Across the way was a beautiful park to explore. It was chilly, but felt more like late fall than January so no complaints.
Part of what I love about Japanese parks is that the equipment is so fun, yet so obviously dangerous from a parents point-of-view. They seem to not worry about lawsuit potential. I was nervous with Max climbing on the old school monkey bars....... until we noticed this little guy (he looked about 4) swinging around in the top of a nearby tree...... not a parent in sight. He was literally shaking the tree all over the place.

Apparently this is still not the most dangerous thing you could do in the park....... what you really need to be careful about is throwing around the fish.

Do you want to see what a $12.00 hamburger looks like....
Zest Cantina has the best Mexican food and burgers we've had since......... .EVER! Expensive, but excellent.

After our awesome dinner we headed back to the hotel for some swim time..... the best part of the deal for the kids. Day 2 to be continued........

Ms. Super Awesome Citizen

2011-01-02T02:20:00.000-08:00

Yes she is!

Lillian has received "The Golden Book" award for the fourth time! It's a citizenship award given to outstanding students. She's a humble winner, squirming a little as the school counselor read her teachers report:

Lillian is a joy to have in our class! She is helpful, thoughtfully aware of her fellow students and a gifted peacemaker.

I've always known what a special girl she is, but it's sooooooooooo nice for her to hear that others notice as well. With the award, the selected students get to open the day on the School News Network in the AV studio. Each child introduces themselves and what class their in........... Lillian said "Hi, I'm Lillian and I'm in Mr Allen's Super Awesome First Grade Class!"

Then, in the main office, the students sign the "Golden Book" the grand record of all the Super Awesome Citizens!

A Homemade Christmas

2010-12-31T17:24:00.000-08:00

Durben Style! I bet your picturing knitted scarves or cutesy crafts.......but that just wouldn't really be us.
Max felt strongly about giving gifts this year, and in particular that they should be hand made. "It just makes it special" he said.
He spent a couple of days popping in and out of his room asking for paper, newspaper, and more and more tape......... He wanted it all to be a surprise.....but three rolls of tape later......I was starting to wonder.

Early Christmas morning, overflowing with excitement he ran to his closet to pull out the 'presents'...........

He had made Mark a gun. Out of paper.

He had made Lillian a Sword Set. Out of paper.

He had made a Bracelet for me. Out of Ninja Stars.

And a Skull Mask for Tobias. Out of paper.
I was very impressed! And proud that he had put so much thought and effort into each gift. It was a nine year old boys true expression of love for his family............. and weaponry.
(Linking the two must be a genetic trait from Mark ;0)

Happy Christmas!

2010-12-30T17:32:00.000-08:00

I've always liked the way that sounds. Sometimes, rushed with party pressures, gift buying and goodie baking......I can forget to focus on the Happiness of the season. (Mark has always been good about reminding me that a lot of my pressures are self-inflicited.........in the heat-of-the-moment, I might not always appreciated the reminder......but he has a point) Creating a blissful holiday season should be about enjoying the moments along the way. I really tried to do that this year. I also had to learn I can let go of ideas and plans.....and it would be okay (actually a HUGE relief).
Our Christmas season was pretty low-key this year..........and I liked it.
(I didn't like the weeks of flu and tummy bugs that kept us down, but it kept us close to home and family focused)

WOW! We need a new family picture! As I looked through my latest folders, I realized it's been almost two years. We were ruined by Katie. She did such an amazing job, I can't find a follow up. This is the best we have this month......

I guess it's time to break out the ol' tripod and head to the park.

Enoshima Island

2010-12-28T19:13:00.001-08:00

Tobias and I have turned into quite the little 'day trippers'! I may have mentioned.......... I love the spacing of my kids! Some of my favorite memories are of little adventures I've shared with each of them while the others were off in school.
In warmer days we explored Enoshima Island and it was beautiful!
The entry corridor is surrounded by restaurants and fresh markets. As a sample, this is what you have to choose from for lunch........

How is that for selection! My personal favorite is the extensive plastic food menus. (Somewhere there is a factory that makes this stuff....... I wonder if they have set items that restaurants choose from or if they send in pictures of a dish they need in plastic......what comes first the plastic or the food ;0)

Appetizing!

The main corridor is lined with shops full of unique charm and sea side trinkets.

Max is starting a collection of model ships and I've hit the mother load! The shops of overflowing with ships, shells, starfish and even giant blowfish. Anyone want me to send them a giant blowfish?

This beautiful Tori gate would make a wonderful backdrop for a family picture, but like most places around the city, you will never find a minute in the day when it's not full of people in the backdrop. At first confused, and only after Tobias threw in 200 yen and splashed in it for 10 minutes, we realized this stream was for 'washing' your money. For luck.

After hours of absorbing the beauty and views we found a yummy safe bet for lunch.......Yakisoba! Nummy!

Photo Post

2010-11-07T01:19:00.000-07:00

We've got a truckload of pictures to share. I'm not feelin' super bloggy, but we have such a backlog of cute picts, I don't want to keep the memories all to myself.......

Let me take you back to our First Day of School!
There was no way Max was going to actually stop and pose........

I think I was the most excited one. I looked over at one of my friends at the drop off and she was actually tearing up. (It was her first/oldest) I remember feeling that way when Max rode off on the Kindergarten bus......................but not anymore!

Lillian's B-Day!Lillian has gotten a little short changed having an August(summertime)birthday. All her friends are scattered, which makes a big party difficult. But back-to-school mode gave me some ideas. We've started a birthday/back-to-school tradition.
Can you say "Makeover"! Lillian can, it's one of her favorite words....... she is always asking if she can give me a makeover......(I'm not sure how I should take that)Anyway, that's what she wanted a complete Back-To-School Makeover!
Lillian was in heaven!

Happy #6 Lillian!

Later that day..............
(seriously, this was exactly minutes later) we took on the...
Raingutter Regatta! Max wanted to pysch out the competition with his skull design. (He is all about drawing skulls lately.....scary)
I think we have a future scout on our hands!

When we moved to Japan, I have to admit that the last thing I thought we would be doing was camping......... but I was wrong about that. As crowded as the cities are, there is a very beautiful and rustic side. (more pictures to come) We've also discovered the ease of cabin camping.......my preference!
Japanese mosquitoes are INSANE! We used a whole bottle of repellent in one night. (It might have had something to do with camping right next to the Japan's mosquito breeding pond......;0(who thought that would be a good idea?)

Happy Halloween!

Kamakura on My B Day

2010-09-26T18:04:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday To Me! I turned 'old' again this year....old, older...it's getting scary that I can't stop this train.
I'm trying to stay positive. If you haven't gotten me a gift, just post a comment and tell me how young I still look......... That will do!

The best present of the day was Mark's upbeat and smiley attitude about my sight-seeing plans. He's not much for daytrips...... "to just go look around at 'old stuff'", but because it was my birthday and it's what I wanted to do, he put on a smile and didn't complain once! Thank you sweetie.
This is the entry to the Hachiman-gu Shrine. Hachiman shrines are dedicated to the god of War. It was built in 1063.

The surrounding ponds and streams are overflowing Lotus leaves. I'm guessing people toss in their coins for luck or wishes.

Someone must really need a wish.
After closer inspection we realized this was the 'Holy Wall of Saki'. An homage.

Gankake-Ema, Wooden Prayer Tablets hanging outside the shrine.
Each has a unique stamp or picture and your suppose to write a prayer (or dream) and hang it at the temple or shrine. (But I'm keeping mine.......... this will be a fun collectable).

I finally went to see 'The Great Buddah'. It's Kamakura's most famous sight. Cast in 1252, the bronze statue of the Amida Buddha has survived tidal waves, earthquakes, fires and typhoons.

Sarushima Island

2010-09-17T03:37:00.000-07:00

As the brochure says:
Natural Wonder Island Sarushima
Let's go together to round an island!
I love Engrish. But what am I saying it's waaaaaaaaaaaaay better then my Japanglish.
We finally went and checked it out....what the locals call 'Monkey Island.' We've only been starring at it from our window for over a year. Please tell me we're not the only people out there that will travel an hour or two in either direction (or around the world) but completely ignore our own backyard.
Waiting for the ferry. It smelled like fish and beer.
It was worth the trip the kids had tons of fun. My children seem to understand the meaning of 'enjoy the journey'.
Getting there is always half the fun! (At least is Japan because it's walk, train or ferry. If their trapped in a car, not so much)

We discovered what Monkey Island is really about. It's a Saturday/Sunday afternoon location for groups to arrive via ferry with at least two coolers in tow. One with the meat and one with the beer. There is a rental shack that rents all you'll need to start the beach front grillin' fun. It was kind of funny really because hardly anyone gets in the water, so I guess it's about enjoying the view (and the beer). (Actually a beach picnic could be pretty fun........but this place was PACKED, standing room only)
I'd guess only about 20% of the people that arrive actually go and hike around the island. Which is beautiful. It has the remnants of a World War II fort with all the towers and tunnels.

Down some super steep stairs we found amazing tide pools full of little crabs.

After some hiking and a break for ice cream we hit the beach! Lillian and Max rushed the water but Tobias held back.........the whole time.

He just kind of drew this little line in the sand and stayed put. His little face had a 'Why are we still standing here?....Is this suppose to be fun?....cause it's not' look.
He's not a fan of the water.
We collected about 25 pounds of seashells instead! Now my living room is overflowing with Monkey Island treasure.

Pioneers In Japan

2010-09-16T02:37:00.000-07:00

I've always thought the Activities Committee would be the best calling....... and I was right! It is! (I think I've said that about every calling I've had though)
A few months ago I became the Activity Committee. It's been awesome. A lot of work, but awesome. Our first big event was a Pioneer Day Celebration on the 24th of July.....because...........why not?
It was my favorite when I was little and it still is.

We had Navajo Tacos (Indian Fry Bread), Watermelon and Lemonade. We drank root beer floats and listen to some banjo. The kids played stick pull and tug-o-war and we had fun, fun, fun. It was RIDICULOUSLY HOT.

We incorporated a pool. That's were the kids stayed.

The Penny Candy Store was the best...... The kids LOVED IT! The chocolate covered pretzels turned into chocolate coated everything......

but I didn't hear any complaints.

Birthday Boys 2 & 3!

2010-09-09T00:35:00.000-07:00

May is the Birthday month, and although I won't try to play catch-up (overwhelming), I did want to share Tubby's number 2! What kind of mom would I be if I kept these cute picts to myself.
Max presented a masterpiece to be enjoyed for approximately 45 seconds, at which point Tobias decided in needed a whole lot more color. (Luckily I got a shot of the original, Thanks Max!)

There seems to be something about 9 that translates into all kinds of bizarre picture faces.
Tobias and Lillian love each other soooooo much! (Most of the time)

Tubby absolutely had to have his bike! I've never seen him so proud of himself.

Oh, and then it was Marks birthday two days later.
Poor Mark, Tubby has stolen all the thunder from his birthday.
But everyday is Mark appreciation day. We're so happy he was born... Thanks Lori!

My Favorite Commercial

2010-09-08T05:46:00.000-07:00

Birthday Boy #1

2010-05-02T17:05:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Max!
Max turned the big NINE this year and is enjoying the last of the single digits.... (Can you believe I have a NINE year old...........say you can't)
He already felt he was 'too old' for a party. "It would be kind of childish" he said....

But he wasn't too old to enjoy a 'Birthday Wishes' balloon release, he loved it !

(I guess your never too old to enjoy balloons...;o)

His Birthday Wish this year.....

A special dinner out.
Pizza of course!
(We even scored a live Jazz band)
A bike!
(I've been holding off on this one for years...... )

And a cake! He wanted to decorate it himself. Kids are sooooo easy! I think this will become a new Durben tradition!

I love this picture. These moments make all the craziness worth it!
Happy Birthday Max! He can make me soooooo crazy with his chatter and then melt my heart with his sweetness all in the same two minutes! We Love Our Max!

My Science Project

2010-04-28T23:47:00.000-07:00

......look at the little stinker trying to take credit.

This is the year I've heard so much about. The warning that "Kids just get harder as they get older".... now has applicable meaning. I HATE HOMEWORK! (that, and all the sass & backtalk) Anywhoooo, Max has a teacher that loves research projects this year, and in general advises "just look online..;0)..." which is a big no go at our house. This is the third grade! Weekly we're a project team and let me tell you.........it's not easy...... Max is very chatty and particular, have you met him?

He was excited about this Science Project and knew just what he wanted to do..... Make Crystals! All kinds of Crystals, sugar, salt, alum, any other chemicals mom? After heaping on the laundry list of supplies needed......he was done. His contribution was made. It was a painful next six hours with the follow through.

I have to say, when it was all pulled together is turned out pretty neat.

And I think secretly this was the part he was really after.

New Tokyo Excites Me...

2010-04-27T18:46:00.000-07:00

I'm not much for Buddhist temples and shrines. Sure..... we'll check out a palace or two while we're here....but generally the old stuff can be kind of snoozy.

Architecture has always excited me, and in Europe I was in heaven..... but for some reason I haven't had the same emotional connection here.
However.... I love new Tokyo! Some of the buildings are mind blowing. I have a list of must sees..... First stop

The Tokyo International Forum(designed by Rafael Vinoly in 1996)
This was built as a convention center of sorts but it full of shops, cafes and restaurants. We stumbled upon the Children's Rice Museum on the bottom floor which is worth checking out. The kids learned about all the different varieties of rice, how they are planted and grown. Then there is the harvest and how rice is processed and shipped all over the world. (I don't know what happened to all my pictures of this...?) They even had a chopstick classroom, explaining all the different shapes and sizes and exercises to fine tune your chopstick skills. (the kids loved this part)
What I found most interesting was the Japanese food pyramid. It was flipped upside down with rice making up at least 75% of their daily diet.....then soup, an egg or two and maybe a piece of fish. Actually very little vegetables, and fruit is treated as a sweat treat to have occasionally. Crazy. But they must be doing something right....everyone is tiny.

What I thought would be just a quick 'go see' ended up filling half our day.

The kids were worn out by the end..... and ready for the pool.

Tokyo 360

2010-04-25T16:44:00.000-07:00

My blogging dry spell might seem like we haven't been up to much, but the opposite is true. We've been getting out on little adventures more than ever.... I just haven't been great about bringing the camera along. (We need a smaller one, the big Rebel is great for important things, but to bulky for buzzing around town)
Sidenote: Isn't it ironic that I don't want to snap pictures when I'm in Japan... like it would be weird to bring my camera everywhere?

Did you know Combi is a Japanese brand? I didn't..... I guess I never gave it much thought..... I always thought of it as Scandinavian (like Ikea), I'm not sure where I got that impression......
Anywho... my point is that it is a Japanese company and their expanding into baby clothes. Tobias was called to audition for the catalog shoot, but it would be in Tokyo (about an hour by train). I figured if we were going to travel for it.......we should take advantage and make a day trip....maybe two. So we did!
The actual audition was a zoo! There must have been over a hundred little babies coming and going in a little tiny office building. At least 59% were screaming the whole time and I started to feel a little sleazy for being part of something that seemed a little stage-mom-ish. Tobias was a great........... but he didn't get it.
Oh well, I'm sooooooo glad we had planned a trip around it, otherwise I would have been really disappointed. As it was... this was just the beginning of our Tokyo adventure.
First we checked out the Kabuki-za Theater. This is one of the oldest surviving buildings in Japan it originally opened in 1889. (It's style is old, but it was actually rebuilt in 1951 after it was destroyed in bombings during World War II).

Kabuki Theater seems like a fun little novelty experience.......so later when Mark and I were in Tokyo alone, we tried to give it a go. We showed up at the ticket window on a Wednesday at about 10:30am for a one act show........SOLD OUT! I was amazed...who goes to this?.......I thought it was a touristy thing....... apparently not. This is still a very popular form of entertainment in Japan.

After checking out the Sony Showroom
and exploring Ginza (shopping, shopping, shopping) the kids were over it and desperate for something that was actually fun.
Most of the major department stores have a kids zone, and we found this one on a rooftop. It was chilly, but the kids had a blast...they had it all to themselves.

We spent the night at the The New Sanno (Loved it! And it has a pool, hot tub and American food so the kids were in heaven).

The next day Kids choice was the Tokyo Tower......

Here is the 360 view of Tokyo

I was happily surprised at how much there was to do there. We discovered a kidszone on the bottom floor.... so we ended up spending another couple of hours.

Here is Max moping because he is now officially too big for 'Bouncy Land'.

The trick in Japan is being able to anticipate how much Yen you'll need. In Tokyo most of the major stores will take a debit/credit card......but otherwise it's cash only, which is tricky because you can't always find an ATM that works with American cards either. After all the unexpected spendy fun at the Tokyo Tower we were almost out of Yen....and lunch was looking a little meager.... we found a really inexpensive place that served rice and a simple curry. It was delicious!

Mark doesn't like to feel restricted when it comes to meals so after lunch we set out to find an ATM (and more food). While Mark went inside a bank the kids and I waited outside. While waiting, this little gem pulled up and set up shop. Genius!

Talk about creative spaces!

Part Two later.........

We're Still Alive......

2010-04-24T17:28:00.000-07:00

I've taken such a long break from blogging, it feels a little awkward to start. I'm not really sure if I should try to play catch up...... or just hit the ground running.
When I look over the last year posted I feel sooooo sad that I didn't keep up the effort. (If for no one else, I love to read about our memories).... but for some reason I just haven't been feelin' it.... and kind of dropped of the face of the virtual universe.
But it has been brought to my attention (that's a shout out to Grandma D) that people still care and are interested in what we're doing and want to know if we're still alive..... so here we go.

I finally pulled the house together! Sort of....
It's a work in progress, check back in a few weeks and I'll probably have rearranged the furniture, again.
I'm sooooooo super happy for all of you with your super cute, beautiful, brand new square footage.....etc... (truthfully, I'm jealous......maybe even frustrated)
I was over base housing years ago! But considering this is as good as it gets in Japan, we're making do. Let me take you on a little walking tour of our fabulous new digs....

Step inside and Oh! Here is the Living/Family/Game/Rec Room

Take a glance to your left and now you've entered our Dining/Study/Music/Craft Room

And now if you'll follow me three steps to your left.... This is our fabulous Kitchen!

I think we're talking about 950 square feet? Sometimes I like to pretend we live in Manhattan and feel satisfied knowing that this little place would be worth at least a million.....but then I wake up.
This has been an excellent lesson in learning how little space you need and how to edit your belongings.
Lesson learned........now I'll doubly appreciate a normal size house!

The kids are great! Max and Lillian are still a good age for small spaces. They prefer to be together most of the time rather than alone, so it works out....

Tobias is a handful!...
He is part of the reason that sitting in front of the computer hasn't been tempting this year. He is very busy and doesn't have any patience for me tuning him out. We have a great time though and he pushes me out the door every morning.... he loves to get out and Do Stuff!

Stuff To Do In Japan.....Part 2

2009-10-26T15:55:00.000-07:00

Give back to the community!
This last Saturday the young women in our branch, Max and I joined the American Redcross in 'Make a Difference Day'. The Main Gate of the Yokosuka Base has several walkways, elevators, and stairways that link the intersection. For some reason, it has been left unclear who is responsible for keeping it clean.........so it has gotten pretty darn nasty. We spent are Saturday scrubbing, scrubbing, scrubbing and we had a lot of fun in the process. (Except for the gum scraping, that was gross..... but an important lesson for Max.... he will never just through his gum on the ground after that.)

The best part of the day...?... As we got home, Max says "I feel really clean now..."
"Oh?" I said, "Is it because your hands got really wet and you were scrubbing things all day?"
"No" he says, "I feel clean, like I did something really good."

Stuff To Do In Japan.....Part 1

2009-10-24T23:42:00.000-07:00

Put your kids on the market!
We've jumped on the modeling bandwagon and decided to see if we can get Tobias 'discovered'. I strutted him around the Modeling Fair and so far the reviews are good. We've already been asked for more pictures..!

Wish him luck!

Elizabeth the Elaborate

2009-10-11T16:59:00.000-07:00

My slideshow seemed to be cut in half.......so I wasn't even in it. I was the one running around snapping pictures, so there is only one picture of my costume.

I love an excuse to play dress up.......the world needs more of these occasions.

A Knight of Murder

2009-10-10T01:53:00.002-07:00

We had the chance to attend 'A Knight of Murder' last weekend. It was a blast! I had a Project Runway moment by pulling together a costume in one afternoon. It rocked and I totally impressed myself with my 'mad skillz'..... not bad for someone that can't sew!

2009-10-10T01:53:00.001-07:00

A Shiner and The First Day

2009-09-14T02:05:00.000-07:00

So I guess this is substance for two separate posts...and at the rate I've been going I should take advantage of that and stretch it out....but thinking better of it, it's more likely that I wouldn't post 'First Day of School' pictures until well into October........so I'll lump these all together.
First off, I'm proud to say Tobias has given himself his first official Shiner! Well, not proud of my mom neglect (I was in another room and not totally sure of what happened...something involving falling off the couch)....but proud that he lived through it and my mom response has now transformed into a "...well that will teach you not to do that again." Strange how unfazed you can be with your third child.
Something tells me this won't be the last time....and in fact, with the way he has embraced his climbing skills, we might be posting pictures of a cast soon.

He wasn't upset about his eye. He wasn't in pain at all...... He saw the camera...

He wanted the camera.....
He didn't get the camera.........

and here we go.......

Part Two. Lillian Had Here First Day of School! (I would have liked to have a picture of Max and Lillian together, but apparently I was too slow with the camera and Max took off running, not wanting to be walked to school by his mother. I guess that's appropriate for the third grade. I'll settle for his sneaky hugs, that he still calls me 'Mommy' and that when no one is looking, he'll let me kiss him goodbye.) Anyway, back to Lillian......
she was excited, but as she does, she gets really quiet when she's nervous. She lined up with all the other kids and waited for bell to ring. When the bell rang and the door swung open, she gave a little wave.....and that was it. See ya Mom!

Can I just say............YES!!! Two down, one to go! The last few days have been so QUIET! It takes having three to enjoy how easy one can be!

Lillian's Birthday Day!

2009-08-16T18:11:00.000-07:00

Do you have those days when your just touched by how sweet and easy your kids can be.....?
Well I don't have many of those days....... but when they happen, I enjoy every second.
Lillian has always been my sweet angel child (until she's not)....and when she awoke on her Birthday I asked her what she wanted to do?
No big plans.......no big presents......she just wanted to make her Birthday cake, all by herself. So she did.

and she loved it!

Tobias....
he's just here for the marshmallows.

Max's Baptism!

2009-08-09T23:11:00.001-07:00

It shows my serious blog neglect when I can barely remember my password. It's horrible......but I'm back!
We've been crazy busy with summer camps, house decorating, ballet, church activities, trips out and about, etc, etc, etc...... yawn....I know everyone has a full summer, not a great excuse not to blog......
Anywhoooo......we're back with big news .....
Max had his Baptism this last weekend and it was so touchingly wonderful. I teared up when we sang the opening song "Families Can Be Together Forever", (we sang this at Mark's baptism too) it was just too much.....and on came the water works....
Our Branch meets in a tiny building off base, so we used The Chapel of Hope on base for his big day. We had extended an invitation to all branch members and after sitting and facing forward for a couple of minutes while we got started, I turned back around to see just about every single branch member there....filling up the room. It was so special and such a testimony builder to see how much love surrounds us here.

Max kept saying "Wow! I didn't know I had that many friends. I have so many friends, there were a lot of people that came to my Baptism." It makes me tear up again just thinking about it. It meant a lot to him too. It is such a special occasion, one that is usually shared with family......but it was so special. We've been so blessed that way.

Mark was super nervous, but I've learned that he always does a wonderful job......so I wasn't nervous at all. I just glowed with happiness that two of my favorite men were sharing something so important. (Tobias is a favorite too, but he was busy poking at an unplugged DVD player and fighting off adoring fans....so he'll share the experience through pictures).

Max designed his CTR cake, because the Durben family always has to celebrate with cake! (Did I mention one of Max's favorite shows is The Cake Boss.... loves it!)
Program details aside, I just have to say that I am so proud of Max and his enthusiasm to begin his journey back to Heavenly Father and taking these first steps...and I'm so proud of Mark for all the work that he's gone through to make my dreams come true.

Talk About TEAM Work!

2009-06-24T05:45:00.001-07:00

How many Japanese workers does it take to fix a loose shelf in your refrigerator?

4 or sometimes 5.

Nope this isn't a joke and I in no way mean to sound like I'm making fun. To see Japanese work ethic in action is actually pretty Awe Inspiring.

When we moved in, Mark had done the walk around with the building inspector, checking off any existing damage, etc....
The Inspector then said he would be back in 10 days to see if we noticed anything else.
Yesterday at 0800 (SHARP) he was back. The only thing we came up with was..... a floppy refrigerator shelf.

HE WAS ON IT! This morning at 0800 (SHARP) I had a maintenance team knocking on the door. They had with them at least five replacement shelves and a large tool box. Upon an inspection...and a group huddle conference, they concluded that the entire fridge would need to be replaced....
BACK IN FIVE MINUTES (seriously)....I had a new fridge.
They took everything out (with extreme care and respect and gently placed each item on the counter......and then just as carefully restocked it into the new fridge)

I had to take a picture. (sneaky....cause it would have been weird)
I had heard stories of how almost everything done is collaborative....but to see these efficient teams in action was really something.

P.S. This is probably a lame thing to blog about....but until my house is set up, I'm not getting out much.

2009-06-20T18:31:00.001-07:00

How Lucky Are We?

2009-06-20T18:01:00.000-07:00

It's kind of a pouty day.....
The sky is overcast, Mark didn't get home from work until 0800am, Tobias was up all night throwing up......and the kids are making me CRAZY...and it's only 0900.
I'm looking at empty boxes (just sitting and taking up all our floor space....) everywhere. Our house is still a disaster, and with it being the first week of summer break....it's slow going trying to piece it together.
For half a sec... I try to feel sorry for myself.....but then I look out the window.
Ocean front property makes it impossible to frown........Seriously? How lucky are we?
It reminds me of the views we had in Greece (at our very first $200/per month apartment)...then it reminded me of the views we had in Naples..........oh wait, then it reminded me of the views I enjoyed in Hawaii too...
Indeed, a perk of the Navy I enjoy the most is the Ocean front property. (The kind of views most have to pay thousands for).
This isn't the best picture yet........that will come......but it still makes me so happy to be here, even if the house is CRAZY.

Move 'In' Day

2009-06-15T16:06:00.001-07:00

We should be sooooo excited, we've been counting down the days...... but for some reason I'm not feeling so excited today, I'm feeling OVERWHELMED.
Maybe it's because our living room looks like this
and the bedroom looks like this
and the dining room

I think I would rather just play with the kids.

In past moves I was soooooo ready to dive right in and full speed ahead unpack and organize the house. But maybe I'm getting older and change is getting harder..... or maybe because the kids are getting older and they make change harder, we're having a hard time getting things done. Real life continues and kid maintenance is a full time job, whether there is a house to unpack or not.
I guess I'll have to pace myself.........and enjoy the moment.
P.S. I really do love our new place. And the view we have of the Tokoyo Harbor is AWESOME! I'll post pictures when I have a lens that does it justice. And I'll also post the after pictures to these befores........ I'm bummed that the walls are 100% cement and the word is that shelves aren't possible.........but where there is a will there is a way and I REALLY LIKE MY SHELVES.... so it WILL happen.

Our Sweet Ride

2009-06-02T22:46:00.000-07:00

Our 'Sweet' ride! Yes! I feel like we are taking steps towards normalcy....step one...
I've convinced myself it doesn't look like a mini-van....more of a big sporty hatch back?
And even if it did....it doesn't really count if your out of the country, right? I mean we have limited options as far as seating and hauling goes....trunk space is a luxury here....and there is no way you can fit two car seats plus one more into a Cube......
(I think it's the rational that movie stars use when shooting commercials overseas, but contractually guarantee that they won't be aired in America....lest people see that they've sold out to Timex).

I may have temporarily crossed over to the ~~dark~~ mini-van side.....but when I saw the vanity stickers I felt it was meant to be.

See Mark......the previous owner Manned it up!

P.S.
Check out this bad boy....

Yah...that's right I'm legal (and I've lost some serious respect for the Licensing Office because I have no business behind the wheel right now.)
On my trial runs to the grocery store I have to block everything out and say "Keep to the LEFT, keep to the LEFT, keep to the LEFT")
and this just in the parking lot!

Language Collision (or Confusion)

2009-06-01T18:41:00.000-07:00

Check out Max......... He is signing along with a Spanish song while living in Japan! (No...I didn't misspell that....I meant sign language)

You can imagine my surprise upon realizing that he was placed in a Spanish Immersion classroom just three days after arrival. Normally I would have been excited by the challenge.....maybe at the beginning of the school year. But with just weeks to go....it's caused a bit of an ego blow for poor Max (who was honestly having enough trouble with English). And aside from the fact that Spanish in Japan wasn't making a lot of sense to me either...?
Oh well. On with the show! We attended the schools year end Spanish Celebration....

and again I get that Spanish is a very valuable language, but with the melting pot of ethnicity's at his school.....(mostly from Asian origins) Spanish may very well be one of the few languages not already spoken at home.... so are all the kids at an equal disadvantage? This is also the day I realized I need a new lens for my camera. The zoom capability is just not going to work.....I mean really..... I couldn't take years and years of pictures like this.
"Look Mom!....See that little dot right there...?..There I am!"

Keeping Lillian entertained was a chore... so as always, I break down and hand over the camera...

Join me on a tangent...
Am I the only one that over thinks this?
We are sitting in a very packed assembly room. And luckily we arrived early enough to get a chair. After five minutes or so....the place is packed and Lillian keeps hopping up and down...inching her way on the floor to all the other kids.
Leaving an open chair next to me. Some late straggler Dad claims it and sits down.........Fine.
But as I look around.... I'm thinking....Does it look like this guy is my husband? Probably. People that I don't know and have yet to meet will assume so.......And it bugged me!
I'm sure he's a nice enough guy, but I realized how much I enjoy it when Mark swoops in and my second half is introduced. Ya, Mark is crazy and loud and sometimes I shudder at what comes out of his mouth......but I do think he's awfully good-looking and has some serious muscles to appreciate......so call me shallow (or spoiled), but I get a little sensitive about just some random guy sitting so close. I married for love and looks I guess.

Rodeo Boy III And Other Random Oddities

2009-05-31T22:36:00.000-07:00

From the makers of Rodeo Boy I and Rodeo Boy II, they now bring to you.....

because every house needs some 'bucking fun'...?

Out and about with some girlfriends, we stumbled upon this little home entertainment gem. Right where it should be...next to the stair masters and home foot spas.

I've been enjoying myself, checking out all the local shops and malls and I've been trying to keep an open mind.... happy to try some new things...because you never know....?

Now I do.

This looked pretty good.....

...but it's not!
It's literally all chicken skin on a stick.

I thought these noodles would be a go.....
I even felt confident with the preschool picture directions...how can noodles be wrong?
Do you remember the 1980's, when perms were big? Do you remember how the salon smelled when the solution hit your hair and chemically burned your wave?

That's how this noodle sauce smelled.
And it tasted like it smelled.

'just cause I couldn't help it....it's so to the point.

And then I found the cutest little store, with what I assumed was all children's furniture...

Tobias loves this little table....we'll have to get it.
And I loved this for Max's room! It could be a little 'kid lounge'...and the price seemed to good to be true....only about $260.00

It was to good to be true .......$260 is how much the fabric cost, the actually sofa is $560.00, plus fabric......and it's actually for adults.....very little adults.

And my new favorite fast food joint. (With stroller parking out front because they don't fit inside....)
I think they put crack in their curry......it's ridiculously good. (And two days later your back for more.)

Happy 1st Birthday!

2009-05-26T00:34:00.000-07:00

Just sharing some pictures from Tobias's first birthday....can you believe it's been a year? I can't....!

They look awfully similar to Max's party picts...go figure.
Bummed about having a party in a hotel...but oh wellThe day after his birthday he decided that he could walk (maybe he was waiting for an official date to mark the transition).....and just started to....just like that!

2009-05-15T01:41:00.001-07:00

Our Waterfront Park Is Bigger Than Yours Is......

2009-05-15T01:10:00.000-07:00

We've spent some wonderful times down on the waterfront. Waterfront park in Silverdale was the backdrop for many a picnic or get together..... and offered a pretty nice visual for pictures too.
Pearl Harbor had a so-so spot, but when in Hawaii you just can't compete with Waikiki or Ko Olina anyway.
But check this baby out.......The Yokosuka Waterfront Park takes the Harbor theme very seriously and it's pretty darn nice.
We stumbled upon what seemed to be a food festival this last Saturday. There was booths organized just like you would find at any community festival, but most of the food seemed deceptive. What would look like the doughnut booth (and Max's hopes would flair) would turn out to be fried dough with a meat mixture inside. And what looked a little like funnel cakes.....fried squid. The visual and the smell didn't match up most of the time. Luckily, Ice-cream is Ice-cream! (And we had hit Taco Bell before we set off so we didn't have desperately hungry kids. (You might think that if they're hungry enough they'll eat anything, but we've found the opposite to be true....they just get frustrated and cry faster).
Did I mention it was a gorgeous day! I only wish I had taken pictures of all the waterfalls, streams and fountain pools. We were there during the day, but it looks like it lights up into a beautiful display after dark. We'll have to check it out again.

Embrace The Wind

2009-05-12T00:30:00.000-07:00

This crappy picture is relevant and important because:
A. I finally figured out how to take a picture with my fancy, new, and instructions still in Japanese cell phone! It's not great, but I was proud to stumble along and make it happen. (I've later since been able to change some of it to English.....Yes!)
Anyone want to call a Japanese cell phone? Try 090.4203.8222

B. I've learned to embrace my fine, thin, straight and very flat hair. I'm letting go of the fight against it and will accept that this is what it will look like for the next three years.........whether I spend 20 minutes fussing and fluffing...or not....IT WILL END UP LOOKING LIKE THIS the second I step outside.

C. Monsoon winds! The weather here is a strange mix. It's HOT, HUMID (worse than Hawaii....can you imagine?), but windy and stormy at the same time. It's tricky for your senses....you look outside and gear up with a coat, hood and umbrella.....only to find it's waaaaay to hot for a coat, the hood blows off and the umbrella gets flipped inside out. CRAZY.....glad I stored the patio furniture.

D. This is what I look like while waiting for the bus.....playing with my camera phone.........which I do a lot! Still no car.....

It's My Birthday?

2009-05-11T17:16:00.000-07:00

With the move, a new school, a hotel for home and a serious lack of toys.....the kids have been surprisingly adjustable and upbeat. They seem to delight in the simplest things. Both were thrilled that
"Japan has a bowling alley and a pool?... just like Washington." "A soccer field and baseball field too..?...what more do we need?" When we took a trip up to Ikego and discovered all the little cabins for camping rentals.......they might as well have been in Disneyland.
Oh, did I mention that there are snack and drink machines everywhere.....I mean EVERYWHERE. At first I indulged the novelty.......but I'm over it. They still can't pass a snack machine without asking for something though.
Max struck up some friends from day one.......Lillian has been stuck making them on the fly (the one and only Preschool is totally booked).....but is happy with a couple of familiar faces here and there.
Soooo with all the newness going on, it wasn't a shock that Max had completely forgotten about his birthday. I think he had a vague idea it was coming up, but he had no idea what day it was.
We decided to show up at the school with cupcakes and balloons and surprise him.......and boy was he surprised. When he saw the whole family at the classroom door, he thought maybe something was wrong. We asked him if he had felt there was anything special about that day....? (actually they were having some kind of art festival that day and he had really enjoyed the Mimes....was that it?)
Lillian just couldn't wait anymore. "It's your Birthday Max! Happy Birthday!"
He loved it!
Later in our room we had his favorite dinner (Pizza from the pizza man.....cause it just tastes better than what Mom makes) and a small cake.
He also picked out some kind of magnetic roller-coaster contraption that took three hours for Mark and Max to build the next morning and Tobias about 30 seconds to destroy...."guess it will have to wait until you have your own room Bud."

2009-05-10T23:36:00.001-07:00

Bon Voyage Party (and serious blog catch-up)

2009-05-10T23:00:00.000-07:00

Falling behind on the blog, I'm sad.... because there are definitely tidbits I want to remember, so please bare with me while I play catch-up for a couple of posts.

The weekend before we packed up we hosted a 'Bon Voyage Open House', and it was a great send off! The kids were so excited about planning the party and helped brainstorm for themes and ideas.......ending up with all things Japanese. We also decided to share our new found appreciation for the art and beauty of sushi and decided to get creative with the veggie tray too. (The kids didn't seem to appreciate the food selection as much as the grown ups......go figure)

The Jannson's created a beautiful Syonara Durbens cake.......it was awesome! (The kids liked the cake part, and the endless fortune cookies, although I think those are technically Chinese) We had such a great time, and all the while I thought..."Having such great friends kind of sucks because I know how much we will miss them.......and that all these wonderful families will be a tough act to follow.......
So sad......I don't want to think about it................ I'll just focus on how happy I am we've gotten to know such great families! Love you guys!

Whirlwind of Settling

2009-04-28T19:38:00.000-07:00

Who would have thought 'settling in' would mean a whirlwind of activity........errand running, appointment making, class attending, registration, enrollment, SHOTS!, and walking, walking everywhere (because we don't have a car and if you read my previous blog.....I'm in no rush to tackle a Japanese Drivers license).
Anywhooooo, it's been so fun and I've gotten to know the Yokosuka base inside and out by now. I love to tackle the maps and then walk (or run) every square inch until it feels like home.
Max started school this morning (which helps with our 'hurry-up-and-get-out-of-the-hotel-room-for-the-day-before-you-kids-drive-me-crazy routine). He was such a trooper and looked just fine as I waved goodbye this morning (let me stress MORNING because school starts at 7:20AM....which is CRAZY!). He was happy to discover that there was two other boys that were new too.
Today has been quiet..............finally! And now I can start to blog...Yaay! I'll start posting pictures as soon as I find out what I can and cannot take pictures of on base......and when we finally get out on the scene. Thanks for all the comments guys...................I miss you all and love to hear from you!

Hooray! We've Made It!

2009-04-24T21:44:00.000-07:00

Yessssss! We've finally made it to Japan! After a groddy stopover hotel, five hours of hanging out in the Seatac airport (at 1:00am till 5:00am, wonderfully pleasant hours with small children), a 10 hour flight, a two hour bus ride and a very testy, tired and miserable baby............We're here! All in one piece and so happy to have the worst of it over!
We haven't seen to much up close (just cruising in the bus half delirious with exhaustion).....but the base is nice. Super neat and tidy. It's like 'tropical industrial' style. All the buildings look like heavy duty cement bunkers from the outside. (Mark says it's for good reason, we're right on the water and typhoon season is about to start, so we'll see why.)
The Fry family is picking us up for dinner tonight and I'm looking forward to seeing more of the local city..............check back soon for updates!

No Time for Picts

2009-04-15T07:56:00.000-07:00

If I were to have pictures right now, they wouldn't be pretty anyway....... but I've given up waiting for something cute to blog about, I'll just share an update on the ugly truth...
So the movers are packing (and no complaints on how carefully they are wrapping each and every individual piece.....but it's taking FOREVER.....and boy they use a lot of tape)......And why do they need to leave all the windows and doors of the house open? All day?
Anyways, this visual chaos wasn't enough to test my sanity sooooo........ after selling and sending our washer and dryer on their way..........Tobias decided to get sick (very sick) all over his clothes (10 outfits so far) and every last towel and clean sheet we had....
Lillian burst out in a ridiculously persistent rash that is now spreading up her legs...(Yikes...no more play dates for now)
And I seem to have the early symptoms of Mastitis starting again.....

Don't get me wrong, I'm not whining......just a little overwhelmed.

Guilty Flowers

2009-03-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

What do these lovely blooms

This sporty watch

and the Springfield M1A Standard Loaded Semi Automatic Rifle (CA Approved) MA9826CA, 308 Winchester, 22 in, Black Synthetic Stock, Stainless Steel Finish
have in common......?

Guilt, Mark's spendy guilt.

He's done it again.......completely worn down my resistance with his latest infatuation. He knows it's just a matter of time (and volume of constant droning..)
It's down to a science now, and although I'm on to him.......he still gets what he's after........

A new digital camera...........................check
A second new (better) digital camera...........check
The dream computer("for school, I swear")......check
All the graphics & gaming software.............check
Updated graphics card..........................check
Playstation 3..................................check
Ridiculously sized television..................check
The dream 1911 handgun.........................check
Four more handguns.............................check
A handmade leather holster.....................check
Two more holsters..............................check
A Shotgun......................................check

and now this.............
I'm not keeping track or anything.....I'm just saying that I'm paying attention to a trend here.
I won't disclose the price tag of this baby, but I will say that the sticker prices keep going up........(this little doozy costs more than our first car).

After his non-stop pitch for the last four weeks.......he has finally wore me down to a "whatever" stance. Meaning, I don't totally agree with the idea of it......but I'm done verbally resisting and this is the closest I can manage to a yes......"So pleeeaaase stop talking about it".

Unsure about how to end his 'marathon of convincing', he usually starts to feel a little guilty. (It was too easy...)

"Is there anything you've been really wanting?" he'll ask....

It's not that I never have wants.....I just have more interest in keeping our money............you know, just to keep it.
I was explaining this for the gazillionth time and offered my 10 year old Timex as an illustration. "Why buy a new one, this still works fine, it just needed a new battery". I had just gotten around to buying a new battery and was opening up the back to replace it. RATS........it was all corroded inside.

Later that day, on the dining room table, I found some flowers and the watch.
It was sweet........but I'm guessing it was the guilt.

Failure Can Be Funny

2009-03-29T08:39:00.000-07:00

...........but not until after you've finally passed.

Mark said I shouldn't tell anyone about this, that it's kind of embarrassing. But I'll own it........it is what I've been up to all week.

"Actually, this is kind of funny..." Mark offers. "You'll think so in a little while."I don't know that this is the best response when your wife is crying.

After a week full of checklists and errand running, we went buzzing by the DMV on Wednesday so I could renew my license. Shouldn't take long........"Oh, because it's expired I have to take a written test?".......that shouldn't be hard......."I have to take a driving test too?"........that's crazy.......but I've been driving for over 15 years, so why not..........no problemo!

BAM! I failed my written test on Wednesday!

When following behind another vehicle, you use your low beams when within:
A. 500 feet
B. 400 feet
C. 300 feet
D. 200 feet

Do you know this.....? (I was trying to figure out what low beams meant....parking lights?)

If you refuse to take a BAC test, you will lose your license for:
A. two years
B. one year
C. 90 days
D. 30 days

I guess I should have read the book....instead of glancing at it.
It was painfully humbling.

So I study all night. Quizzing Mark all along the way, hoping he will miss some too and then I won't feel so bad. (He got all my questions right, even when I didn't give him multiple choice options.....he just filled in the blank..... in case you wonder why he drives us everywhere......that's why)

My study night payed off and I breezed through the written test on Thursday! (Much easier test this time........"What does a red light mean?")

Now on to my driving test........
BAM! Failed!
Apparently I didn't even complete it, because we had to immediately return to the facility due a "Law violation"......I rolled through a stop sign.......jeez

As I walked away from the building, this is when I started to cry. Seriously? It wasn't supposed to be this hard........ and it definitely wasn't funny.

And Friday.....round two (and several parallel parking attempts later) I PASSED!
YaaaaaaaaY!

I'm waiting for this story to be funny! Maybe in a few weeks.......

Decorating Tobias

2009-03-27T17:42:00.000-07:00

Thought we'd give him some bling............ a little edge.

I Said A Bad Word

2009-03-20T08:44:00.001-07:00

I said a bad word the other day and Mark completely FREAKED OUT! .......the word was 'vegetarian' and the sentence I used it in was something like....."I think I want to start eating a vegetarian diet".
I might have well said I wanted to shoot hard drugs into myself as well as the children......it didn't go over well.
(A strange rookie mistake, if I know nothing else about Mark, I know being too direct gets me nowhere......he's very comfortable in battle mode.)

What I should have done is kept that little detail (the word) to myself and then just subtly proceeded to make delicious meals all week that happened to contain no meat...........lesson learned.

Like this:
My copy of the Mediterranean Chicken Pizza (I was sneaky and left off the chicken...you'll never miss it)

Pillsbury Pizza crust
Herb & Garlic blend (minced garlic)
2 TBS Olive oil
8 sliced sun dried tomatoes
1/2 cup feta cheese
1 cup mozzarella cheese
2 cups fresh baby spinach

Roll pizza dough onto a lightly greased cookie sheet and spread the combined olive oil and minced garlic blend over the dough. Sprinkle with feta and sun dried tomatoes. Bake for ten minutes, then add the spinach and mozzarella, bake for an additional eight minutes. Super Easy!

If you don't have pizza dough, garlic bread or toast works great too.

It's a crazy tasty snack or meal.

I know cheese is iffy when talking about a vegetarian diet.....but I think cheese should be defined as a food group unto itself. Not dairy.... I have no problem giving up milk, yogurt, ice cream......but cheese? I just couldn't do it!

Creepy In, Creepy Out

2009-03-17T21:12:00.000-07:00

Can you guess what this is? Do you even want to? ......In a creative mood, Max and Lillian hunched over the kitchen table and crafted away, producing this beauty.

I was busy with dishes as I listened to their chatter. “No she has to take out her eyes”…..”You need to sew buttons over her eyes!”
“She didn’t want to be dead....” “Yes but the evil mother said to....”

Not a great parenting moment. Let me tell you how badly I dropped the ball.

First, as a side note, Mark is the movie person of our family. Loves movies.....he’s always twitchy on Tuesdays, knowing its new release day and with genuine excitement watches trailer after trailer.....just cause.
I, on the other hand.....not so much. So when the kids want to see a movie, especially go to the theater for a really new one......It’s all Mark, that’s his thing.

Second, I’m sure you’ve heard of Coraline. And as a good parent you’ve probably looked into it, (or would) and read some reviews.......to discover that it’s inappropriate for young children.
I did not.
I didn’t look into it at all, didn’t have any idea what it was about, and in fact vaguely remembered even seeing a preview.....but that was the movie Lillian couldn’t stop talking about....”Coraline, Coraline, Coraline.....I want to see Coraline.”

Soooo, like the worst slacker mom, I had Mark take them........and it was completely inappropriate for young children.
Keeping it real, I totally dropped the good parent ball on that one.

(The only saving grace was that Lillian got tired and stopped paying attention half way through)......Max on the other hand came home a little shaken.

So now.........these are the conversations I overhear, and this is the art that comes after trauma. Hopefully it will be therapeutic.

P.S. Mark says the movie was actually pretty darn good.....if you’re over fourteen.

Daddy Torture

2009-03-16T21:20:00.000-07:00

Click, click, cloppity, click! Lillian is constantly trotting around the house in my heels.......the louder the better.
Her recent look, however, is an absolute torture for Mark.

As Lillian says of the shorty short and black leather combo..."It looks sooooo pretty"........Yikes!

Memories In Purple

2009-03-16T09:24:00.001-07:00

"I'm so over purple!" I think everyone has heard me say this over and over again.........for the past three years. I've said this and meant it, but faced with the moment of letting go, I'm not sure I'm ready and I'm not sure why.

We've been ho-humming about things to take, things to store, things to sale and things to give away in the next few weeks. Mark thinks it's the perfect time to kiss the purple sofas 'Goodbye', but I'm not sure. Is it because I want to be frugal and not buy a replacement just yet...? Or is it a sentimental attachment.
We bought this set the first year we were married, I liked the funky shape and color. Mark said, "whatever makes you happy." I found out later he never liked it.......but I always loved thinking about how he let me decide completely.

We brought our first little baby home to it, where I spent weeks helplessly holding Max all day, waiting for Mark to come home from work so I could take a shower......it didn't occur to me that I could actually put the baby down.

We went crazy decorating our first little place in Hawaii, so excited to have a space we could make our own.......complete with lavender walls. (P.S. it is much more difficult to find a rug to match a purple sofa than you might think)

And then onto Washington....where I think purple has finally run it's course. (As you've heard me whine for the last three years) It's a little to dark and heavy for Washington state.

So I craigslisted it last night (in an impulsive burst), and BAM, three offers as of 8:00am! I'm paralyzed..........is it really time to say goodbye to purple? Or should I be happy to share the Purple Love!

Eatin' Dirty

2009-03-14T16:10:00.000-07:00

Much to Grandpa's horror, I used to feed Max with toothpicks. (It was while I was still young enough for the danger of this to have seriously never occurred to me)
This wasn't about eating fancy or making it fun......it was a necessary solution to Max's unique personality.....He didn't like getting his hands dirty. At 10 months old he didn't want to touch anything wet or slimy, sticky or gooey..... pretty much anything that would leave a tactile residue. Mark thought something must be wrong with the boy. Having a touch of OCD about dirty hands myself, I figured he had inherited this from me and I totally understood. Therefore.......toothpicks.
The motor skills he should have been developing with hand to mouth feeding were still in play. He would stab each little ravioli, cube of cheese, diced apple ...and expertly guide it into his mouth and chomp away.
But this post isn't about Max, this is about how different a little brother can be.

Tobias is about 180 degrees in his eating style. He has absolutely NO PATIENCE for being fed......HE must do it! I can shovel exactly two bites in, when his quick little hand snatches the spoon away. I started feeding him with two spoons, one for distraction and one for input..... but he's on to me...... now he grabs the one with all the food on it.
This wouldn't be a problem if he had some teeth and was onto finger foods, but the little guys behind on the tooth curve, and barely has one and a half for chomping..........so as much as he fights it........ puree's are where it's at.
It's a good thing he doesn't mind gettin' dirty!

What We've Been Doin'

2009-03-12T09:36:00.001-07:00

Nothin'.........worse than nothin' actually.....we've been sick, sick, sick.
Whatever the tummy bug of the season is, it has made a cozy home in our house for the last four days....and it's been a doozy.
I think we've turned the recovery corner though, I can finally sit vertically today! Hooray!

It's Good That He's Away

2009-03-06T09:58:00.000-08:00

The only good thing about Mark's long duty stretches is the garlic. Lots of gaaaarlic. I love chips and salsa for lunch and dinner....a little salsa with my garlic. You could call this my twenty paces recipe because you really wouldn't want to be within twenty feet of me....but when Mark is away.... I can indulge.
Once upon a time I had a written recipe for this, but now it's down to memory and mood. It goes a little something like this:
In a food processor, chop:
1/2 bunch fresh Cilantro
4 cloves fresh garlic
1/4 cup red onion
1 can diced tomatoes
1 can Rotel tomatoes (Original)
1 Tsp Salt (to taste)
1 TBS Lemon or Lime juice

It's ridiculously addictive and delicious. If you have a solitary
day (or two) give it a whirl.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Doodle Dice and a Testimony

2009-03-04T14:38:00.000-08:00

Family Home Evening at the Durben House is often code for game night...... I'm not quite sure how this happened, but in an effort to reign it back towards a spiritual focus I had to get creative and combine the two. The game of choice for my kids is 'Doodle Dice', so I brainstormed for some symbolic parallels.
If you've never played (or heard of) it, it's a blast....and just as fun and challenging for an adult as a six year-old.
You have three rolls of (6)dice to create a picture (unless your lucky and score a Free Rolls card). The object is to accumulate one of each color. The first one that does this, wins. Hoping to teach a lesson on faith and how acting on our faith helps our Testimonies grow.....this is what I came up with. I hope you get it...

One Dice Picture
Faith in some things can be pretty obvious. Answers to questions like “Is there a God, or Heavenly Father? Did Jesus come to Earth and teach all of those things”? “Is there a reason why I’m alive and here on earth”? When we have a foundation of the gospel of Jesus Christ, then our testimony starts off pretty easy……like a one note picture.

Two Dice Picture
The next addition to our testimony could be pretty easy too. If you have had a witness of the spirit or the Holy Ghost, then we know that we are not alone. If you have felt that, then the next act of faith is to listen to the spirit, letting it be our guide, this could seem pretty simple too.

Three Dice Picture
This could be simple, or not. This is when a plan of action could be helpful. A testimony of the scriptures requires some thought and action. We cannot have a testimony of the scriptures unless we read them. Ponder and pray about them… It could be an easy step for some……but for others this requires effort and concentration.

Four Dice Picture
The stronger our testimony grows, the more we have to be careful not to get distracted from the next steps. Applying the gospel to our daily lives requires continued focus. This comes through daily prayer and letting the spirit be our guide. Our own plans can also be a distraction, if we loose sight of the bigger goal, then our plans can lead us off course.

Five Dice Picture
As things become more difficult, we will start to need additional help and support. This can come from extra efforts, like prayer and planning. This can also come from friends, family, and personal revelation. It may be new opportunities that we had not expected. If we have faith we will listen to the spirit and take advantage of chance opportunities that challenge us and help us grow.

Six Dice Picture Sometimes things become so difficult, it is impossible to go it alone. The only chance we have is to have faith in the hand of our Heavenly Father……he will bless our lives with golden opportunities that will allow us the growth and support we need. We have to pay attention and build upon the foundation of what we know is right and trust him to do the rest.

If we build on our foundations, and work to establish our testimonies, we just might win the game.

We found this game (at where else) The Learning Tree.......but if you're interested, I would be happy to loan it out.

My New Baby....

2009-03-03T19:42:00.000-08:00

Baby Number One

Baby Number Two

Baby Number Three

and Baby Number Four!

Ooooohhhhh she's nice.....

and again from this angle, sooooo pretty!

and just one more (you know how moms can get)

but Baby Number Three isn't having it.....he doesn't' like to share.

And he screams louder, so for now baby number four will just sit and look pretty.

Memories On Monday

2009-02-23T10:16:00.000-08:00

This was a strange phone call. This morning I was called from Bremerton Naval Hospital about our Overseas Screening. It seems that the paperwork (that I thought was finished and squared away), remained unsigned because I hadn't completed all the squares. I had left vacant the Occupation/Employer box for myself and the kids....... seriously?
I explained that I didn't work, so I got an "Oh, you just stay home then?" and then he proceeded to ask about the kids...........I had to explain "Yaaaa, they're seven, four, and nine months......so they are just doing the kids thing...."
I'm choosing to not take offense, or to think that this guy is majorly retarded......instead I'm going to think that after meeting me....he thought I was so cute......he must be trying to call, as often as possible (even with stupid questions), just for the chance to talk with me.......Ya that's the direction I'll go with it.

Anyways, the whole thing did make me think. I thought back to the last time I had an 'Official' title. It wasn't fancy, or a life-long dream being fulfilled (Library Technician), but it was a box filler. I remember half-heartedly convincing myself that after I had Max, I would for sure go back to that job.. it payed well, a quiet atmosphere, wasn't stressful.. ....... and I remember two minutes after having Max, I knew I could never leave him for eight hours a day.
I also remember trying to convince Mark to be excited about my choice to stay home.

Every single day, I am grateful that I had that choice. That within a month, Mark was excited about me being home, and that I have not missed a moment with my kids.
I do just stay at home, Thank goodness!

Photostory Friday.........on Saturday

2009-02-21T09:41:00.000-08:00

My Friday kinda ran away from me........ but I'm excited about the idea so I figured better late than never.
Photostory Friday (If you haven't checked out the link) is a little blogging idea, where you share a picture you've taken and the story behind it............you also post your blog address on the host site with other like minded folks and can read about their pictures.
I love the idea help.....sometimes when you can blog about anything......you've got nothing (stumped). So organizing specific themes on days of the week might be helpful. I think I'll do a 'Memories on Monday' too.
Anyways, for my first Photostory I chose this one......... and I'll tell you why.
First off I didn't take this picture, Mark did, so maybe it shouldn't count, but this picture was a big turning point in my family picture taking philosophy, and I felt it was important.
I really wanted to have some maternity pictures this last time around (these were taken almost exactly one year ago today), and because I hadn't allowed any photographs with the previous two........ there was always a huge gap in the nine month window.
The thing is though, when your pregnant, or at least when I'm pregnant.....I never felt like getting fixed up and just taking pictures, so waiting around for the mood to strike wasn't working. It came down to just getting it over with before my face got to puffy.
This particular day I just wasn't feelin it......in fact I was starting to get down right grouchy. Mark was trying his best, but every single angle he was going for, was unflattering and making me annoyed. I started to get snappy, itchy, uncomfortable, and mean.
You can't tell it from the pictures though........they turned out pretty cute.
But for me the behind the scenes story is ever tainted with my nasty attitude. I vowed NEVER AGAIN! What's the point of fun family pictures, if your memories attached to the pictures don't match up........so from this point forward if the picture taking isn't fun or becomes a negative distraction, then I'm just putting the camera away.

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

'Toe-dipping' Into Sushi

2009-02-17T10:46:00.000-08:00

Our kids aren't the most adventurous eaters.....you could say Max is a 'White Bread' kid. (Those that have seen him in action know what I'm talking about)
For family night out, Mark and I decided it might be a good idea to do some 'toe-dipping' into Japanese cuisine.
We had to keep it a surprise, so Max wouldn't start to panic in the car........"Do they have a kids menu? Do they have Macaroni & Cheese? What can I eat?..tears...lip quiver...tears....
They actually surprised us though....the idea of chopsticks won them over (I think Kung Fu Panda might have had something to do with it). They were up for the challenge.

A worried look crossed Max's face as he perused the menu.....he didn't recognize anything........couldn't find any white fish or chicken.....definitely no Mac & Cheese.

And when the Sushi sampler arrived the look of panic set in....."Are you going to make me eat this?"
They were happy to realize that 'Noodles' are about the same as 'Pasta' and veggies are the same everywhere.
Lillian rocked the chopsticks! She's awesome and so easy to take out.....

Max did find something he loved.....

White Rice!

Hot Magenta Girl!

2009-02-14T19:18:00.000-08:00

Every mother needs a little girl.....
a little girl that will pick out 'Hot Magenta' and want to go twinsies!

I love that crazy 'vegas style' girl of mine!

Photostory Fridays!

2009-02-14T17:19:00.000-08:00

So I got a little buzz on a fun blog idea...... for all my budding photography friends out there it's perfect....go check it out!
Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Forcin' The Love

2009-02-13T10:14:00.001-08:00

This experiement proves you can't force the moment.
So I had big plans for some cute valentines, a vision....an inspiration?
Why does the end product never match the dream? I know it's possible, just not with my kids.
After torturing Tobias with Angel wings (and a three foot distance from his mommy)...I gave up and figured a nine-month old is an unrealistic model.
But pinning any hope on the older two wasn't a better plan. Here is how that went..... Awkward... Ewwwwee
double ewwwwwwe
more awkward not cute
and I give up...it's time for school!
Turns out the only keeper shot was Tobias after all .......he is an angel!

Hosted by Cecily and MamaGeek

Cupid Came In May..........

2009-02-12T08:24:00.000-08:00

The little stinker fell straight from Heaven and made me fall in love with Him!

Mastering An Art

2009-02-11T11:20:00.000-08:00

Back when Max was two, (and he finally had enough hair to need one), I decided I could give him a haircut. I liked to idea of being self-sufficient....and really, a lifetime of haircuts would add up....so I should learn how to do it. How hard could it be....?

Without further instruction (and going with my instincts) I started chopping away....this is my interpretation of a 'bowl' cut...it was kind of an accidental style I settled on because I didn't have any idea how to fade gradually.
One of my ~~friends~~ neighbors dared to say "Oh poor Max and his homemade haircut....maybe I should take him to the Barber for you".

At the time, I had the nerve to be insulted. It didn't look that bad did it.....? Upon reflection, I realize she had a point. But luckily a two year old isn't going to hold the trial and error process against you.

I'm also leaving out the DRAMA.......the itchy complaints and misery...."ouuuuuch, ouuuuch, the clippers are hurting me.......and I'm soooooo itttttccchyyyyyy!
It only took seven years, but we've had a breakthrough.

Not only have I sorta mastered the fade......but no crying or screaming too...? I've got a happy customer at last! Now maybe Mark will let me touch him up....

Take a Listen.........

2009-02-09T11:26:00.000-08:00

So this is a strange thing to blog about, but I'm stumped.
I'm rockin' out to a new assortment of tunes Mark uploaded to my gym shuffle......and on pops this song. Is this about Jesus? I totally think it is! Mark says Finger Eleven isn't a Christian rock band.......but I've been listening to several other songs they sing and a whole lot of them sound like a guy struggling with his testimony. Am I imagining things? Crazy? Take a listen and tell me what you think......

A Pink Bundle of Cuteness!

2009-02-03T13:12:00.000-08:00

Do you have those nights, when you've tucked the kids into bed and turned out the lights............only to check back an hour later and find that there was a lot of action going on after the fact.
I'm not quite sure what the backstory was, or how this came about......but it was adorable.

What's Makin' Me Crazy.....

2009-01-30T13:39:00.000-08:00

This hole in the wall!

Out of fairness to the kids, check out how thin the drywall is, I've seen thicker poster board.

That our garage looks like this!
And most likely, we won't have a garage in Japan......so where is it all going?

The inside of our car looks like this!
Pride of ownership wains when you've only got months left with it.

Grubby, stubby, broken crayons everywhere! I feel like I'm keeping Crayola in business.

My favorite dress still doesn't fit!
Let me re-phrase that..... It fits, but I would be doing it a disservice by wearing it right now. I had big plans to wear it by Thanksgiving.....what happened? Sometimes, setting goals makes their failure a magnified disappointment.

What's Makin' Me Giggle....

Four year old 'Muffin Top'!

A sneaky monkey thrilled with the stairs.

Max's songwriting skills. He comes up with little diddys every other day...and is happy to perform. He wasn't ready for video yet... "It still needs more practice Mom."
(Good thing, cause I haven't figured out video feed yet)

My baby stalker! Tobias is so great at entertaining himself......as long as I'm within two feet. He gets a look of panic if I change location.

Mark's 'Buzz Lightyear' Chin!
It's great to have a dashing husband........he makes me all giggly.

Hypochondriac Or Couch Potato?

2009-01-29T19:32:00.000-08:00

"I think I need Mucinex mom." Max says "I've been coughing for over a week and all of those other things too." "We should get that for me."
It's true, he has had a persistent cough, but it has no substance, so I figured it would pass. Now I'm wondering....... have I been ignoring his health needs or is he a victim of cartoon advertising for adult products?
VOTE HERE

Click Here for Poll Survey Software
| Website Polls
| Email Marketing

| Innovation Management
View MicroPoll

Gung Hay Fat Choy!

2009-01-28T14:53:00.000-08:00

Max is a Snake! He came home from school on Monday greeting us with a "Happy Chinese New Year!" and "Guess what, I was born in the Year of the Snake, so I'm going to make lots of money." I love enthusiastic learning, and I liked the sound of that. (He earned a high five)......but I figured we might want to double check a couple of the facts he picked up.
He already enjoys Internet searching so here is a little of what we found:

Chinese New Year started January 26th and last 15 days. (2009 is the Year of the Ox, it's supposed to be a good year for Snakes)

How Your House Should Be Cleaned
The entire house should be cleaned before New Year's Day. On New Year's Eve, all brooms, brushes, dusters, dust pans and other cleaning equipment are put away. Sweeping or dusting should not be done on New Year's Day for fear that good fortune will be swept away. After New Year's Day, the floors may be swept. Beginning at the door, the dust and rubbish are swept to the middle of the parlor, then placed in the corners and not taken or thrown out until the fifth day. At no time should the rubbish in the corners be trampled upon. In sweeping, there is a superstition that if you sweep the dirt out over the threshold, you will sweep one of the family away. Also, to sweep the dust and dirt out of your house by the front entrance is to sweep away the good fortune of the family; it must always be swept inwards and then carried out, then no harm will follow. All dirt and rubbish must be taken out the back door. (Yikes, this is sooooo not gonna happen at our house)

Bringing In the New Year and Expelling the Old
Shooting off firecrackers on New Year's Eve is the Chinese way of sending out the old year and welcoming in the New Year. On the stroke of midnight on New Year's Eve, every door in the house, and even windows, have to be open to allow the old year to go out.
New Year Activities Set Precedent
All debts had to paid by this time. Nothing should be lent on this day, as anyone who does so will be lending all the year. Back when tinder and flint were used, no one would lend them on this day or give a light to others.

Everyone should refrain from using foul language and bad or unlucky words. Negative terms and the word "four" (Ssu), which sounds like the word for death, are not to be uttered. Death and dying are never mentioned and ghost stories are totally taboo. References to the past year are also avoided as everything should be turned toward the New Year and a new beginning.

If you cry on New Year's day, you will cry all through the year. Therefore, children are tolerated and are not spanked, even though they are mischievous.

Personal Appearance and Cleanliness
On New Year's Day, we are not suppose to wash our hair because it would mean we would have washed away good luck for the New Year. Red clothing is preferred during this festive occasion. Red is considered a bright, happy color, sure to bring the wearer a sunny and bright future. It is believed that appearance and attitude during New Year's sets the tone for the rest of the year. Children and unmarried friends, as well as close relatives are given lai see, little red envelopes with crisp one dollar bills inserted, for good fortune.

More New Year Superstitions
For those most superstitious, before leaving the house to call on others, the Almanac should be consulted to find the best time to leave the home and the direction which is most auspicious to head out.

The first person one meets and the first words heard are significant as to what the fortunes would be for the entire year. It is a lucky sign to see or hear songbirds or red-colored birds or swallows.

It is considered unlucky to greet anyone in their bedroom so that is why everyone, even the sick, should get dressed and sit in the living room.

Do not use knives or scissors on New Year's Day as this may cut off fortune.

While many Chinese people today may not believe in these do's and don'ts, these traditions and customs are still practiced. These traditions and customs are kept because most families realize that it is these very traditions, whether believed or not, that provide continuity with the past and provide the family with an identity.

The most interesting part for Max was the Chinese Zodiac
he wanted to find out what sign we each are, these are just the highlights:

The Snake

It turns out that Mark and Max were both born in the year of the Snake. Max is a Metal Snake and Mark a Fire Snake. (That might explain some differences)
People born in the year of the snake are considered sexy, romantic, enigmatic, mysterious, grand, wise, enchanting and mystical in their spirituality.Snakes react with delight to music. Although, persons born under this sign may seem sexually cold, when music is turned on, they writhe in delight and perform enchanting love and routines. The most celebrated singers, poets and rock stars are born under the sign of the snake. They belong on stage where they are distant, not dangerous, and their charms are enjoyed, and where they are least dangerous. Persons born under this sign have the power to move souls. Snakes are not created on this Earth for entertainment purposes or to work like the Ox; their responsibility in society is to keep the useless population in check, either to force them to be productive through fear of consequences, or to eliminate the counter-productive, destructive, parasitic ones from the skivving off the labor of the human social system. These people have a special talent that enables them to judge situations correctly. The only sign that can possibly overcome the snake is the mythical sign of the Dragon with its superhuman benevolence and love.
(Some of these came as a surprise, some did not. I have to say that Mark won me over on the dance floor........ for a big guy, he has some moves.)

The Dragon

Kate was born in the Year of the Dragon
The Dragon is omnipotent. They are flamboyant, attractive and full of vitality and strength. In China, the Dragon is the sign of the Emperor of China or the male element Yang. The Dragon is the symbol of power and wealth.

It would be right to say that people born in the year of the dragon have a natural charisma and are certainly gifted with power and luck. It is unlikely for them to escape unnoticed from a party or to take second place in a competition. The dragon person has an active mind and shows an unfeigned interest in the world around them
If a dragon's friend faces a problem or dilemma, they will be there to offer help, and when others leave the field of battle the dragon takes a step forward to solve the problem with authority and dignity. Dragons set a high standard of actions for themselves as well as for other people and are surprised when others cannot cope with a task; they are so carried away by the process that they fail to see other people's weaknesses.
Ideal jobs for dragons include kings, military officer, physician, politician.
(I kind of think I'm not living up to my potential)

The Monkey
Ms. Lillian is a Monkey and this is no surprise.
The Monkey is the most versatile sign of the Chinese zodiac. Such people are often inventors, plotters, entertainers and the creative geniuses behind anything ingenious, including mischief. They have natural quick-wittedness which enables them to understand what is happening and then make a right decision.Monkeys have flexible principles and serene self-confidence so they are completely content; but they usually manage to complicate the lives of others. After yet another plan or project has gone wrong, they are seldom there to help clean up the disorder and confusion that they leave in their wake. Monkeys can handle that too; with their charm and persuasiveness they can make people believe that just knowing them is a privilege. The monkey person is most compatible with all animals.
(Again, not a shocker)

The Rat
Tobias was born in The Year of the Rat
Being the first sign of the Chinese zodiac, rats are leaders, pioneers and conquerors. They are charming, passionate, determined, tenacious, intelligent, attractive, seductive, charismatic, practical and hardworking. Rat people are endowed with great leadership skills and are the most highly organized, meticulous, militaristic, and systematic of the twelve signs. Intelligent and cunning at the same time, rats are highly ambitious and strong-willed people who are keen and unapologetic promoters of their own agendas, which often include power, wealth, and status. Behind the smiles and charm, a strong sense of entitlement lurks deep within these people, and to go along with that, Rats can be arrogant and extremely deceptive and selfish. Rats at their worst are terribly Machiavellian, vindictive and power-hungry - always insisting on having things their way no matter what the cost. They are masters of mind games and can be very dangerous, calculative and downright cruel if the need arises. Quick-tempered and aggressive, they will not think twice about exacting revenge on those that hurt or impede them in any way and would gladly see them suffer. Rats need to learn to relax sometimes, as they can be quite obsessed with detail, intolerant and strict, demanding order, obedience, and perfection. (This one scares me a little)

Mark chimed in with a "You know none of this is true, it's just pretend Max."
Max, always quick with an argument said "But it's good things, and good things should be true......."

If your still reading this and interested in finding out what sign you were born under, click here Chinese Zodiac.

So this was fun, and due to some serious cut/copy/and pasting, it is now in fact, the worlds longest post.......... I promise to never do it again.

Gung Hay Fat Choy Everyone!

Love And Some KEVLAR Drywall

2009-01-28T08:48:00.000-08:00

When I say my prayers at night, I rarely ask for things. Most days, I feel overwhelmingly grateful for all that I have, maybe even guilty. So when I pray, it's full of giving thanks, and thoughts and hopes for others.
But there is one thing I consistently ask for, I ask "That I may have understanding with my husband. That I may see through to what he really means and needs, and that I can meet those needs with compassion and understanding."

And prayers are answered.........

Yesterday I had a revelation.........Mark really loves his family! I mean really, really, really, really, really loves us! So much so, that the idea of something bad ever happening to any of us......completely overwhelms him. So to feel that he has some control in the matter ......he fixates on safety and prevention. It comes to an equation something like this:
Mark x Love divided by (four days of FEMA training)= KEVLAR Drywall for his safe room. (Yes this does exist, so lots of husbands must demonstrate their love this way).

I usually tighten up a little when he starts talking about his "dream bomb shelter"....wondering about the first step we're skipping over, like the "dream house" in which to build this blast proof room.
And when I come home from a big ticket dental repair he only shakes his head sadly and says..."That's two guns I could have bought". Seriously.
(He doesn't deal in terms of dollars, it's terms of guns and ammo.)
These are moments when I need the extra help with patience and understanding. These are moments when I need to see through to what he really means.
And now I know.
If he can checklist all the Natural/Man-Made Disaster possibilities, and meet them with a ready plan, and if he can stockpile and train for the worst case scenario.......maybe, just maybe, he can sleep peacefully knowing his heart is safe.

I don't mean to air dirty laundry, but we actually got into an argument about whether or not you should be willing to standoff with the police if they try to confiscate your weapons................ anyone have these arguments?

He must really love us!

Here's a little gem....

2009-01-26T21:16:00.000-08:00

So I stumbled upon another little gem of a movie......if your in the mood for a movie that will make you smile, may I recommend...

Just some random evening........

2009-01-25T17:52:00.000-08:00

I feel guilty when I haven't blogged for week......I wouldn't want people to loose interest. (And a week turns into two, and then months go by.....Shannon!) But the truth is we haven't been up to much worth noting. I need to think outside the box and make the mundane seem interesting. So here we go....on some random night you can find..........
Me sorting through stacks of forms to fill out (for our move) or surfing for online forms to fill out, or websites we've been referred to for forms, reservations, location info..etc...etc... I've had a heads up for awhile, but now that we've gotten our orders it's full speed ahead, and the clock is ticking......... Oh by the way can I say a big CHA-CHING$$$$ for all the last minute expenses.
Mark

leading his team on SOCOM.........saving the world, galaxy, universe....??.......whatever.

Little Mr. Peabody chillin' Au Natural.

Tobias has decided he can stand up and maybe even walk........his balancing skills say otherwise. He also thinks everything is more fun when naked!
Here he is again, minding his own beeswax..........
and then in swoops the crazies... Max tries to pick him up every chance he gets. He loves to snuggle and love on his chubby wubby drooly little brother........ohhhhh the love!

And Lillian....
Lillian has watched 'Mamma Mia!' at least once a day, for the last two weeks........she LOVES it! and has decided life should be a musical!

Dinner With The Cousins

2009-01-17T16:15:00.000-08:00

Little Tobias hasn't met his cousins yet.....but he knows their faces very well. It just ended up that in our ~~cramped~~ cozy little house, the only place to park his highchair ended up eye level with this picture. The picture of all his little cousins. He is completely enthralled, three times a day.......it's as if he's seeing it for the first time, every time.
It's so cute how babies LOVE babies. He enjoys the company with dinner.

"I'm Moving On To Cubism"

2009-01-14T20:50:00.000-08:00

Max has declared himself a Cubist.......not the country, the style. It's his new favorite style. He was introduced to Picasso this last term and he LOVES IT! Max's previous work could be described as his 'Abstract Period', heavy on self portraits. (I kinda think all works done by six and under could be described that way). Abstract- was a word to give meaning and ummph to whatever he intended (especially when drawing with icing on a toaster struedel).
I was impressed when he gave this to Mark for Christmas........ I also loved his interpretation of 'Starry Night' by Van Gogh.....but I was most impressed when he knew about the rivalry between Picasso and Matisse.....the little guy is paying attention!

Happy Birthday Milly!

2009-01-14T09:03:00.000-08:00

So I had big plans for your birthday....a tribute, an homage.... but a few days past due it may have lost some thunder.
(funny how life gets in the way of blogging)

Any who.......I want to wish you a 'Super Happy Birthday' Milly! This year I felt especially sad, realizing I hadn't been able to share a big birthday bash with you or Michael in our adult years.....(we're always so far away). But I know the world is a better place for having you here because,

You are every ones Favorite Aunt! The kids can sense your genuine interest in them...and they love it. (plus you take them cool places... and I know you've taken Max to more movies than I have...)

Your 'livin the dream' as an artist. I love to talk about my sister the artist. You pursue your passions and it is such a wonderful example to all of us. Check her out here. MyArtSpace

Your fearless. You walk with confidence and intention....and although some of your stories scare me to death.... you never let anyone scare you away from what you want.

You are an animal lover and plant savior. If a magic 'green thumb' is possible...than I know you have it. I still marvel about the time you babysat my dinky houseplant (about three inches), and after two months you had nursed it to four feet....crazy.

Your the best kind of friend to have. I know that each and every time I talk with you, I'm getting 110% of you. Your genuine interest and attention is felt. It's a unique quality that is hard to find and must be felt to recognize.
And last but not least...............I'm super proud that your my sister.
For all the reasons above, and because if you weren't my sister I might not have been lucky enough to have met you as a friend....I'm so grateful that I have you in my life. You have taught me how sensitive people can be and how thoughtful. Your a color in my life, that I wouldn't have on my own........but need.
I love you and hope you had a great birthday.

OHHHYAAAA! You gotta know I'm gonna break out my favorite pic......that's right......we're rockin' the 80's! We make 86' look goooooood. (Go turquoise!)

Our Latest Family Pictures

2009-01-12T09:43:00.000-08:00

I don't mean to sound like I'm bragging .....but I think their fabulous! Thank you so much Amanda K. Photography (www.amandakphotography.net). Katie did such a wonderful job, and they turned out even better than I imagined!

He Has A Future In Crop Circles

2009-01-06T09:27:00.000-08:00

Let me start by saying I absolutely love 'The Learning Tree'. This might just end up sounding like a blogging commercial for 'The Learning Tree' (located next to Garlic Jims, off of Bucklin Hill Rd in Silverdale)
For Max this is 'The Toy Store', and his excitement for it stems back a few years, when he received a gift certificate as a Birthday present. The idea of a special certificate that allows the freedom to choose (almost anything he wants) and then pay for it all by himself....is magical to a six year old!
And when invited to a birthday party, this is where we go to find hidden treasures.
So, a few months ago.......fresh with the afterglow of a great Parent Teacher conference (IE: "Max is showing a great strength in Math) it didn't take much for him to talk me into a little something for himself while birthday gift shopping for a friend . And what really sealed the deal was the "This is what I want, these blocks are just like the ones my teacher uses in our classroom!"
And let me just tell you, of all toy purchases, these little unassuming geometrical blocks have been the biggest hit of all time! From day one, Max (and Lillian) will happily create ...for hours on end... these delightful little Crop Circle Art arrangements.

A strange precedent was set on day one though. With his initial excitement, I happily took a picture of his works.......but now..... upon completion of each masterpiece, Max still expects a picture to be taken (before it gets dismantled).
Soooooooooo ...... I have around 235 pictures of these.
Maybe I'll make a neat tile mosaic for his wall...............

Teething Solutions

2009-01-05T16:50:00.000-08:00

This is Mark's idea of a teething solution,

What's In A Name?

2009-01-04T09:42:00.002-08:00

Congratulations to my brother Brian! Last week he and Marina introduced their third little one into the world. (three under three.....Yikes)
From what I understand, it took a little while for name inspiration to hit. But you can now welcome...................................Deebo!
And you thought movies stars were the only ones with crazy names. When the Reed cousins get together at the family reunion it might sound a little something like this:

"Hey Max, What's up....ha, ha, I met a dog named Max" says Boston

"Ya whatever Boston! How you doin" says Max

"I'm alright, where's your bro Tobias."

"Tobias is hangin' over there with Diesel and Deebo."

(On a lighter note the girls all have beautiful names.....Lillian, Hannah, and Shaloh).

In 2009 I will......

2009-01-02T15:23:00.000-08:00

-Give up T.V. (with the exception of two movies a week).

-Teach each child something new, everyday.

-Give Mark a great big passionate kiss, everyday.

-Become more decisive. (meaning faced with non life-altering decisions, count to ten, decide, and move on)

-Give up the "Why distraction".
Over the years I've found it a strange habit to look at someone wonderful....something enviable, something I want for myself....and then get distracted with a "why not me, why didn't I, why couldn't I, why did I......" train of thought.
This has never accomplished anything.
I now have the firm belief that "Why" doesn't really matter. Even if we found out the reason, it will not change our Today.
What matters is "Now I'm going to, Now I will, Now I know.....etc.
This year I will pull out of neutral (maybe even reverse), and move towards who I want to be.

-Continue blogging, I love this outlet! It has finally given me a reason to put my brain into first and second gear.

-Stop taking pictures with us looking directly into the camera.

-Learn how to improve the quality of the pictures I take.

-Discover my personal style, and stick to it! Stop shopping on the clearance rack only. (An ugly shirt is still ugly....even if it's $6.00) I'll save money in the long run, by not coming to my senses later and chucking it.

-Try a new activity, place, game, restaurant, book, or experience with the family once a week.

Today I love.....

2009-01-01T20:59:00.000-08:00

that Mark went to the store for some computer cable and came back with a surprise lipgloss for me..... just because he remembered I was out of my favorite pink.

(I also love picturing him sorting through lipgloss bins)

I love that Lillian is such a goofball!

I love that while Tobias took a nap, Max decided to build him a surprise fort......
...."see, I put all his toys inside and some snacks too."

I love that Tobias is happy as long as he is within 2 1/2 feet from me.

Top 10 Favorite Memories of 2008!

2008-12-31T13:32:00.000-08:00

I had to put a limit on it.....otherwise I could be sitting here all day recapping the highlights. I feel so lucky to have that problem! 2008 was a great year for the Durbens, but my personal favorites were:
1. Max's Valentine/Writing Recognition Party.
This may seem like a day-to-day sort of one....but it was an emotional memory for me. First, the Valentines Party wasn't greatly advertised...... so not feeling particularly great that day and thinking it was a run-of-the-mill valentine exchange thing, I almost skipped it. But, then I went. And when I walked into his classroom that afternoon Max's whole face lit up with love and excitement. He was so happy that I had finally arrived, he proceeded to introduce me to his teacher (as if we hadn't met) and all the kids in the classroom. He gave me a walking tour of his classroom, desk, reading area, computer area, snack area, drinking fountain and then the hallway to the bathroom.
When we sat at his desk, Max pulled out a collection written works to read to me. He was thrilled to share this.
I CAN'T BELIEVE I ALMOST MISSED THIS!
As I left his classroom, he gave me the biggest hug and a big, loving puppy dog look. I teared up a little on the way back to the car. I don't know how long excitement for your mommy last in a little boy (I love that he still calls me Mommy), but I'm so happy I didn't miss this moment.

2. Tobias Is Born!
So this is an obvious choice. The little scamp really threw me on the date though. I had completely convinced myself he would be born on May 15th, so when the days, then weeks continued to pass.....I think I was doubly annoyed (and uncomfortable). It turned into a Happy Birthday present for Mark though. Tobias was born happy, healthy, and huge (9lbs) two days before Mark's birthday. My favorite memories of the day were:
Mark looking down at Tobias in the warmer, and Tobias looking right back at him.....they had the same profile. (I wish I had a picture of this moment).

The nursing staff were just in love with him....he was the rumored baby on the floor that was delivered in two hours of easy labor and hadn't fussed since. He didn't cry at all! (That has since changed)

Max and Lillian coming to visit that evening. They were so excited to see their new baby. Lillian started to cry when it was time to go home and she realized I was staying behind.....It was the first night she and I had ever been apart.

3. Taking Tobias and Lillian Into Seattle With Grandma Cecelia

This one is important to me because it was more than a day trip.... It was proof that I could manage.
With Max and Lillian...I had generally taken things super easy after having them....for about three months! Meaning I hardly left the house, and normal family outings went on hold.
When Tobias was about three weeks old, Grandma Cecelia came for a visit. She hadn't been to Seattle in years, so she was interested in checking out downtown. I hesitated at first...... but then decided 'Why Not'!
We did it. Had a great time. Tobias stayed cozy and asleep through most of day. "Why Not" had become a new and braver approach for me this year.....

4. Grandma & Grandpa Durben Came For A Visit
It was great to see them again, and it meant so much to us. They came to see Max when he was two months old (in Naples, Italy), they came just in time for Lillian's birth (in Hawaii), and now they were here for Tobias! It was Tobias's second trip to the top of the space needle too........
Oh, and we stumbled upon the Cheesecake Factories Anniversary special...all slices of Cheesecake just $1.50! YaaaY!

5. Lillian's 4th Birthday Party
As it turns out....because of moves and spacing, my kids have big parties maybe every few years. At age four and then seven. Lillian had been waiting so patiently throughout the year for HER party..... She was so excited to make the invitations, pass them out, put together goody bags, and order a special Fancy Nancy Dress. When the Birthday Party finally arrived, it was everything she hoped for....and I was excited about all the beautiful pictures that captured the moment.
But my favorite was the very funny, and painfully self-conscious look she had when all eyes turned to her at candle blowing time.
She had so badly wanted HER party..........but we discovered that she gets very squirmy and uncomfortable when she is the CENTER of attention.

6. Janet, Patty, Megan and Randy Visit From San Diego
The Sewell family was one of our best friends and right-next-door neighbors from Hawaii....and we love them! We had the chance to visit them in San Diego before our move to Washington, and we LOVE that they came to see us.
Max, Randy, Megan and Lillian picked up like they had never been apart. And I enjoyed a whole afternoon at the Farmers Market in Seattle with Janet and Patty. There is nothing better than a lunch of stuffed crepes and hitting all the shops with good friends that are enjoying it as much as I do.

7. Returning to Paradise
I've blogged about this already, but this trip was a lifetime highlight. When I was nineteen, back-packing around Portland and Washington with friends...I had completely fallen in love with Paradise (Mt Rainier). I envisioned a time when I would return...with my family (pictured three kids in tow, go figure) and hike around the hillside with them. This was a dream realized.

8. Taking A Spur-Of-The-Moment Chance And Booking A Cabin
If you don't know me well..........I'm not very impulsive. If you do know me well you know I over think everything.
Mulling over our tent camping experience with Tobias... I wasn't sure I was up for that again.... but with some sunny days left in the year, we still had the itch for camping fun. I stumbled upon a late cancellation of the Hamma Hamma Cabin and pounced on it. Out of character for me, but I'm so happy I did, the whole family had a blast!

9. My Birthday Brunch, Hosted By The Best Sisters Ever!
I don't usually fuss over my birthday....or mention it really, so when some of my best friends put together a brunch just for me....it was the greatest! The same group had put together a fabulous baby shower too (which I loved), but the Birthday Brunch was icing on the cake and then some........ (picture from the baby shower....I've gotten smaller since then I swear!)
You guys are the best and I love each and everyone of you! And the food was FAB-U-LOUS!

10. Falling In Love With Mark All Over Again I can't tell a little story or blurb, or even pin down a date, time, day or afternoon to illustrate this one. I just know that over this year I have had moments, when I looked at him and felt I was the luckiest lady in the world..... overcome with a new love for him.
I love that after nine years together, I still can feel madly in love with Mark.

Merry Christmas!

2008-12-26T18:51:00.000-08:00

Our Christmas was crazy this year.....crazy and fun! I think we were all making a special effort (or maybe it was just me), to really go all out. With our looming move to Japan in mind (and knowing that the holiday decorations will be stored away for years), I wanted to pack in some memories. Some ideas were a hit (loved the cookie party! snow meant snowmen, the kids made five including Mommy holding baby Tobias, Christmas party after Christmas party, sugar cookies and goodie plates galore) and some ideas seemed a little funny.

The Christmas Gift for Jesus.

So I read about this idea and loved it immediately. Under your Christmas tree, a specially wrapped gift for Jesus, on his Birthday. Inside, each family member adds a couple of special gifts just for him. Super cute........and a wonderful activity to help the kids focus on what Christmas is really about. So here we go.... at the Durben house we had some creative ideas......... Kate says "Commit to family home evening, scripture reading three times a week (I had to be realistic), and acts of service. Mark says "Take care of my body,he would want me to stay in shape." (seriously Mark) A positive attitude about family home evening...and I'll get back to you. Max says "Be nice to everyone......always!" yep that covers it. And Lillian says "Boy toys...., Jesus would like some boy toys, maybe legos.

It's a start.

Later Christmas day, I was overcome with memories of Christmas past.... it just seems amazing and delightful that seven years ago I had an identical little scamp on my lap. I had to dig through all the pictures to find what I was after. Maybe it shouldn't be such a big deal, but with Max and Tobias being born within weeks in May, they are almost the exact same age for their first Christmas. I just love it.

Max & Kate 2001

Tobias & Kate 2008

It's overwhelming how time has gone by so fast. It's been filled with wonderful friends and memories and I know that the next seven years will have more of the same... but I still linger a little with the sadness of how fast their childhood goes.