Military Housing

It was an unspoken agreement between Ticklebug and I that we would live in base housing while we were stationed in Hawaii. In the three years we've been together this will be the third time we've used base housing.  I'm just going to be a brat and say that this is the worst military housing we've ever been in.

The layout is awful.  It would be fine if the bathroom wasn't randomly put in the middle of the downstairs.  It makes the downstairs like a circle.  If the bathroom had been put in a corner then it could have been a somewhat open concept. 

All the toilets have issues.  Downstairs to make a complete flush you have to push down on the handle twice.  For all the toilets if you don't lift up the handle the toilet continues to run.  If I were a jerk I would just leave it running to say a big "eff you" to housing, since we don't pay a water bill, but I sadly care about the environment.  I have to constantly tell everyone (including my husband) to make sure the handle is down. 

Thankfully, there are things that I'm able to fix up.  For instance a nasty cream tone was the standard color throughout the house.  It gave off a really dreary feeling.  I fixed that thee night before we got our household goods.

1. Is our entry wall.  The color is a pretty blue.
2. The color on the right is more of a white/blue/gray tint.
3. Blue cocktails are what motivated me to get the painting done in just a few hours.  Since we didn't have our household goods I improvised and used a coffee cup. 

The kitchen has/had a random open empty nook.  It may have once been for a refrigerator, but yea, it's nothing now.  Since storage is nonexistent we converted it into a pantry (there isn't even a pantry!).

So glad Ticklebug took care of this.  It may not be much but at least it's something!

To make it feel more like home I've taken on some small home decorating projects.  I don't decorate so this is a big thing for me.  One of the first things I fixed was the ugly oven back drop.

Just some contact paper from Wal-Mart (yes, there is Wal-Mart in Hawaii.)  I actually fixed the backdrop after the picture was taken.  I extended the paper so that it went past the oven.

The serious lack of storage has forced us to downsize a lot.  We've honestly gotten rid of about 30 bags of things.  The majority of things are random times, old clothes, and bedding.  There is just no room.  It was a little heartbreaking to let go a few things because I'm a sentimental fool (maybe a little bit of a hoarder) but it was done.  I'm expecting around ten more bags to go before I'm completely satisfied. 

Even though I'm complaining hard core about this house I will have to admit that it's worth being here because of the awesome school the girls get to go to.  The teachers have been willing to work with them and give them extra attention to catch up.  Also, I'm willing to make some sacrifices to live in paradise. :) I hope to be spending a lot of time exploring, adventuring, and having so much fun that I will just be happy to have a home to come home to. :) <3 

Coffee Festival at the Kakaako Farmer's Market

Saturday morning Ticklebug, S, the little ladies and I woke up at the butt crack of dawn venture to the Kakaako Farmer's Market in downtown Honolulu to attend the 3rd annual Hawaiian Coffee Festival.

The festival consisted of around ten different coffee vendors, tucked between two buildings and covered with a tent (possibly due to the rain).  All the vendors had coffee related products that were for sale but sadly not all provided samples.  I personally don't understand why coffee vendors wouldn't provide coffee samples at a coffee festival.  It would have been such an easy way to promote products.

Providing samples for a dollar would have at least enticed people to be more interested, especially if there is something different about the coffee.  For example, the Kakako Kitchen table charged a dollar to test their coffee. 

We were all very willing to pay to try this unique little shot of happiness.  The cold shot of coffee was infused with nitrogen and gives the feeling of being jolted awake.  A feeling that I gladly welcomed at 9am.

One vendor didn't provide drinking coffee samples but had a table set up for people to test their soaps and scrubs.  I appreciated this because it gave something for my ladies to try out.  They thought it was fun but weren't thrilled to smell like coffee.

The festival ran from 8 - 12 with a guest chef providing samples that contained coffee as an ingredient every hour.  We were there for the first hour with Chef Bob McGee and whatever pork thing he made was delicious and so pretty.  S and I were going through the line and I told her, "I don't think I've ever seen meat presented so pretty."  Chef McGee got a laugh out of that. 

Although I wasn't thrilled with the festival I did enjoy walking around the farmer's market.  It was neat to see all the local food and items that are produced on the island. 

These little mermaid dolls were totally adorable!  The woman that makes them runs has her own doll shop.  Adorable!

I don't know if I'll return for the coffee festival next year, but I do think that I'll be returning for the market itself.  What better way to support local development than to eat locally. :)

Buying the Diva Cup

I've been thinking about making the switch to the diva cup.  If you don't know what that is, to put it bluntly, it's a silicone cup that is inserted into your vagina to collect all the blood. 

Size 2 for those of us with loose vaginas that have given birth.

If you want additional details you can click here.  The reason I've been considering the switch is just because I'm tired of having to remember to buy tampons and pads.  I'm also tired of dropping hundreds of dollar a year in disposable yuckiness. 

via

I decided just to go ahead and purchase it so that whenever the time comes if I wish to try it it's there, waiting for me.

I went with Ticklebug the first time to Target to find it with no luck.  He wasn't exactly patient and willing to help search the feminine hygiene section thoroughly.  I later went with S to pick it up along with some random beachy type things for the weekend.  Of course, S found it right away.

Walking around Target I was telling S how nervous I was to try out the diva cup.  She said, "Don't worry.  I'll walk you through it and hold your hand."  I retorted, "Oh, so you're going to be there when I insert the cup in my vagina?'  Without hesitation she said, "Sure!"  I honestly wouldn't be surprised if she was there lol.  She was with me the first time I got my va jay jay waxed.  

While we were at the cash register we noticed the young man ringing up our items examining the box.  I felt a little awkward, and since I don't know how to handle awkward situations without being more awkward I said, "Yea, that's a cup for my vagina."  The man's eyes widened and said, "OH!  I thought it was a type of shot glass!"  To make it even worse I said, "Yup, shots out of the vagina cup with all our beach gear."  S chimes in, "And little fishy snacks!"  He laughed and thanked us for being his most fun customers of the night.  As we were walking away he yelled out to me, "Good luck with that cup thing!" 

As if that wasn't enough as we were leaving Target the sensor alert goes off.  S and I stood there waiting for someone to come, which no one did.  S said, "I bet it's your vagina cup that's going off.  There is a sensor on it so people don't steal them."  I said, "People want to steal that thing!?"  I guess it does make sense, the damn thing was $40.  It does seem expensive but in the long run it really isn't.  It pretty much pays for itself within a few months.

While S and I were driving home we talked about the cups and decided to give them names.  Hers is Fauna and mine is Merryweather, after the fairies in Sleeping Beauty, S's favorite Disney Princess.  We are currently searching for our third diva cup fairy sister, Flora.  Any takers?

Oh, if you want some entertainment, check out this beauty! Click me!  It's pretty much what I'm thinking about the cup and what I'll hopefully think after I use it.

First time paddleboarding

One of the first times I went to Hickam Beach S and I asked the lifeguard about renting paddleboards.  He inquired on if we had paddleboarded before and we said no.  He chuckled and said that he strongly recommended lessons before going out.  S and I thought nothing of it, how hard could it be, right?  A week later (when it was a different lifeguard) Ticklebug, S, and I went and rented the paddleboards.

Sadly, I didn't get any pictures of the event.  I keep going back and forth on if I want a waterproof camera or a waterproof case for my phone.  To make up for the lack of actual pictures I shall grace everyone with my paint drawings.  Don't worry, they are awesome.
  
The lifeguard told us that we could paddleboard to the left as close to the Honolulu Airport flight line as we liked, just make sure we don't go to the right towards Ahua Reef.  We thought we would be safe just going out straight.  We were wrong.  

Maneuvering the paddleboard was more challenging than we anticipated. S had never done any type of paddling before so she was pretty much learning on the spot.  At least she had an excuse though.  I had paddled before and would still go the opposite direction.  Of course Ticklebug got the hang of it the quickest.  

S and I had gotten the hang of paddling boarding on our knees (how you start off) so Ticklebug encouraged us to try it standing up, like him.  He fell a few times so S and I were both timid at trying it. We both tried it once but were too scared and went back to our knees.  Coming back down S couldn't manage the direction of her board at all.  I paddled over to her to try and help.  However, before I could get to her another paddleboarder started laughing.  I yelled to him, "Stop judging us!"  Then he pointed out that S was backwards on her board.  As in she was facing the tail end of it. 

That little fin means it's the back of the board.

When she had come down from standing she turned the wrong way.  LOL!  I was laughing so hard I almost fell off my board. 

In our attempts to get control of the paddleboard we had drifted out towards the right.  We heard over the loud speaker "Paddleboarders, you are too far to the right.  Please move to the left."  Ticklebug came over to help us and at one point we decided it would be easier if he just pulled S along behind him. 

Ticklebug pulling S by his ankle leash thingie.

 Again, I couldn't stop laughing and was doing it so hard that I almost lost my balance on the board.

We had gotten so far out that the waves were much higher and harder.  I started to panic at this point thinking things like, "There are sharks in this water.  They are going to come out and eat me." and "These waves are going to knock me over, I'm going to get knocked over and hit my head on the board.  Then a shark is going to eat me."  We must have looked pretty ridiculous because the rescue boat came out and asked us if we needed a ride back.  S was quick to jump in and I followed right after her.  Ticklebug had too much pride and said he would be paddling back. 

While we were in the boat the rescue lifeguard told us that we were his second rescue of the day and that a group before us had drifted towards the reef as well. We also heard the lifeguard that rented to us say over the radio, "I told them to stay to the left?  Why didn't they listen?"  Oops!

We all made it back to the beach safe and sound.  S and I hanging our heads a little bit in embarrassment lol.  Even though we had to be rescued we still have every intention to attempt paddleboarding again. 

Special thanks to S for letting me tell everyone how much I laughed at her.  Love you, S!

Interview with the Ladies - Two Weeks in Hawaii

For fun I did an interview with my ladies on what they think of their time in Hawaii thus far. 

Me: "What do you think of Hawaii after two weeks?"
A: "Good so far."
K: "This is how much fun I'm having..."  :: holds hands a small distance apart::

Me: "Bring me my coffee, please?"
A:  "Yea."

Me: "What's the most fun thing you've done so far?"
Both: "The beach."
A: "Being one with the waves."
K: "Being one with the waves had its consequences though."
A: "Yea, swimmer's ear."

Me: "What's something you want to do while we are here?"
A: "Swim with sharks."
K: "Scuba dive, but I'm not old enough."
Me: "You can do the bubble maker."
K: "That's not fun."
Ticklebug: "K, come here and look at this."  ::shows bubble maker info on phone::
K: "Ehhhhh"

Me: "If you could change one thing what would it be?"
A: "Less heat."
K: "I want E to be here."
Me: "At least there is no snow."
K: "Snow is fun though.  If we visit Maryland I want to be during the winter."

I do not wish to return during winter.  Neither do the dogs.

Me: "Are you ready for school?"
A: "Nope!"
K: "Eh."

Me: "What do you think about the new house?"
A: "It could be bigger, but it's okay."
K: "I wish my room was bigger."

Me: "What's been your favorite thing to eat since we got here?"
K: "It's all the same thing we ate in Maryland!"
A: "NO!  Coco's is the best!"
K:  "Oh yea!  Coco's!"

Ticklebug has passed his addiction down to our children.

Me: "What do you miss the most about mainland?"
K: "E."
A: "I miss my friends."
Me: "I miss my kitchen."
K: "So you don't miss your friends!?"
Me: "Of course I do!  I just also miss my kitchen."

Me: "Is there anything else you girls have to say about Hawaii?"
A: "Not really."
Me: "No good, bad, indifferent?"
K: "There is good Pokemon!"
Me: "Priorities!"

Entertaining Kids while in Temporary Housing

My original intent while in temporary housing was to have all kinds of activities that would mentally stimulate the kiddos' minds.  Electronics would be restricted for the majority of the day and the children would work on something that was challenging, but not so much so that it would interrupt my reading and coffee time.   The different things we tried were:

Writing exercises
Reading
Coloring
Make Attempt knotting friendship bracelets
Kiddo friendly yoga
Puzzling
Baking

Looks good, right?  Well, all of those things involved calm concentration and it just wasn't happening.  The kids would attempt the tasks but it came with a million questions (sometimes the same one over. and over. and over. again.)  It ended up with me throwing my hands in the air and saying, "Park time!" or their favorite "Just turn on the tv..."

Who is this guy?  Does he even have kids!? 

...The tv...  Even though I'm not fond of kids having too much tv time I have to admit it's the best babysitter ever.  (Don't judge me!  Don't you dare judge me!) That half hour  two hours of peace and quiet in a room is like heaven.   I can gain back all the sanity and confidence that I lost in the time that I was trying (and failing) to be the perfect parent. 

What I'm saying every afternoon.

I'm throwing mommy guilt to the wind while in temporary housing, so what the kids get more television time than usual.  The bright side to that is lots of cuddles on the couch. <3

Hickam Beach

Less than ten minutes away from our hotel is Hickam Beach.  I'm already in love with this little stretch of water and sand.

Both times we've gone it's been beautiful and peaceful.  *COUGH* With the exception of my demons ladies throwing sand at each other and inciting the rage of some woman. *COUGH*

It's neat because to the right there is a view of Honolulu Airport and can see the flights take off.  I thought it would be unbearably loud but it's not at all.

Kayaks and paddle boards can be rented from a little MWR shack.  S and I went tried to rent paddle boards but the clerk chuckled when we said we had never taken a class and said the water was too rough for a first time.  I wanna call bullshit on all of that.  I think he just didn't want to rent us the boards because he thought he would have to come in and save us.

Something to watch out for is to the left of the beach are some restricted buildings.  So I won't be letting my ladies wander around without adult supervision.  I love them and for the most part I trust them, but I can't let their kiddo curiosity get the best of them.

To the right of the beach is a restaurant/bar.  I haven't been yet but I hope to go soon.  Cross your fingers for yummy blue cocktails!  If they aren't good the best thing about the beach is that it's a wet beach, meaning alcoholic beverages are allowed as long as they aren't in glass containers.  Yay!

I foresee many days, afternoons, and evenings here in my future.