Glass Making

While making salt, we discovered that we could create some glass items.  We decided to make beads.  It was SO much fun.  After all three of us made beads, Kathleen and Taris created key chains (Taris made mine) and I made a necklace for Taris.  Brace yourselves...more pictures.

the color options



Starting my glass bead




Kathleen making her bead




Not my best look, but it is one of the few that I am in




Taris starting his bead




Taris melting the glass for his bead (for me)




Finally built on the rod.  Making it even and smooth





The beads cooling...it took an hour




The extra beads used to make our items




Taris making my key chain




Kathleen's key chain




Taris with the key chain he made for me




Taris sporting his new necklace

How to Make Salt

On one of Jackson's school days, Kathleen took us to make salt.  Okinawan salt is sought after around the world to cook with.  I just couldn't pass up the once in a lifetime opportunity to MAKE my own Okinawan salt!  We went to the Gala resort for our adventure.  It was so much fun.  Gavin didn't get to participate, but he was a great sport.  The process is in the pictures below.  Did I mention how good the salt was!  I may have to buy more.

the "stove"



Taris is ready to cook with his "spoon"
Okinawan pot he picked out




Cooking, cooking, cooking.
The key is to stir slowly and consistently



Finally getting a little movement



Really cooking now



Stirring post cooking to finish getting the moisture out

Kathleen filling her pot



Trying some salt with the awesome rice cakes



Mine and Taris' pots full of our salt we made



Huge salt pieces from Okinawa




Taris and I in a rice cake





Enjoying some salt caramel ice cream



Okinawa Aquarium

Today (in the crazy sideways rain), Kathleen, Jackson, Gavin, Taris and I ventured out to the Okinawa Aquarium.  It is the second largest aquarium in the world!  (It used to be the first, but this little place called Atlanta built a larger one.)  It may not have the biggest tank, but it puts a dolphin show that might actually put to shame Sea World.  We had a lot of fun...even in the rain.

These are super popular in Japan.  They have them everywhere!



The spiny lobster




The dolphin show




Hula hooping




Outside the aquarium...end of the day






Yoshi Hachi

The Marshall's took us out to one of Steve's sushi places, Yoshi Hachi.  The owner is Yoshi and has fed many famous people.  He used to have a place in the states, so his walls are filled with him standing with lots of celebrities.  If you ask, he will pose with you with his samurai sword.  After dinner, and so AWESOME sushi (which I did not capture on film), we had our picture taken.  It was a great place to start our Japanese adventure!



The Wall



Taris, Yoshi, and I

Space A Adventures

I have been a little absent from the blog these days.  We have been partaking on a GRAND adventure to get to the other side of the world...Okinawa, Japan to see some friends of ours.  It is our first time to attempt Space A (the military equivalent to stand-by).  To say that it has been an adventure would be an understatement.  We are currently in the Tokyo airport getting ready to finish our last leg of the journey to Okinawa.  Did I mention that we started this little adventure two weeks ago?  I will update with all of the fun once we get settled in Japan.

The End of Space A...and the begining of commercial

We spent a WONDERFUL week in Hawaii with our friends (and sponsors of our new base), the Graham's, but time was getting close to when we HAD to be in Japan.  See, we had been trying to catch a flight the entire week.  We came to Hawaii because there were SO many flights going to Kadena from there.  Of course, once we got to Hawaii there seemed to be a lot fewer flights.  When a flight finally came through with some promise, it was completely full before it even landed...it originated from Travis.  (Apparently, you can't win for trying!) 

Taris and I contemplated buying an airline ticket for me and him getting there when he finally gets there with Space A.  I kept putting off the idea because I hated to think that we were going to have to BUY a ticket!  In case you are new to the blog, my traveling adventures have not been without a few bumps in the road....I have three words for you Charles de Gaulle.  Did you know that half the week that we were in Hawaii, Japan (more importantly Okinawa) was experiencing an early typhoon!  So, the five flights that were originally scheduled to arrive at Kadena were being diverted to Yukota (Tokyo) which is several ISLANDS away!! 

Three days before the Sunday that we had to be there, there was a flight that had seats available to Kadena with a hop in the middle to Guam....not normally a big deal.  I had a terrible feeling about the flight.  Turns out that it was going to stay on the ground 24 hrs in Guam.  Normally that is no big deal, but let me do the math for you.  The flight was going to leave around 12 am Hawaii time.  The flight is around five hours long.  That would be 1 am local time...the NEXT day...Saturday.  We would then stay on the ground 24 hrs (two nights in a hotel) and leave Sunday morning around 2 am.  If everything stayed on track, we would literally be walking from the plane straight to church.  I am sorry, but I have to put my foot down.  Taris and I talked about it and decided to throw the money down and buy 2 last minute tickets that left the next day.  The flights were smooth and easy.  We even stopped for a snack at the Tokyo airport.  We made it there on Saturday night and were up and ready to go for church the next morning...at 8:00!



Taris enjoying his lunch



What was left after my lunch of gyoza (dumplings)



Tokyo



The sunset over Tokyo

Mother's Day 2011

Since we were in Hawaii for Mother's Day, we went to the Hale Koa with the Graham's for brunch.  It is a military hotel on Waikiki beach.  It is absolutely gorgeous!  The brunch was great.  We stayed after to enjoy the pool and the ocean on the property.  (The amenities are offered to all id holders.)  The sand is not as smooth as Pensacola Beach, but at least we now will have REAL waves.  I did an awful job of taking pictures, but I did get a couple of random ones of us on the beach.