No more tape on the wall!

 

This is what a typical morning in our house is like.  Colorful and messy!  These kids love to create...especially with paints!  The only problem (other than having to clean up after) is figuring out what to do with all the art work when they finish!  Katie LOVES to display EVERYTHING she draws/paints and she usually runs directly for the tape and adheres her paper to the nearest wall.  Not my idea of decorating, but it makes her pretty happy.  However, I'm running out of scotch tape.

Magnetic Photo Rope from photojojo.com

So I got this idea from a friend's house.  (Thank you Laura B!)  Then when I got home, I saw a similar post on Pinterest...my newest addiction.  There are these amazing magnetic photo ropes that I could use to display the kids' artwork!  Just attach to the wall and change out the artwork periodically.  No more tape on my walls!  The down side is the price.  These things are $12 a piece plus shipping....times HOW MANY pieces of artwork this week?  They're nice and all, but, contrary to my husband's belief, I actually do try to save us some money.

 Then, while saving us some money at the BX the other day...  ;)  ....I ran across these!  Picture hanging kits!  They're intended to be used on the back of a picture frame to hang individual pictures, but they're basically a metal rope just like those pictured above!  Not as colorful, but only$2!  I could always go buy a can of spray paint if I decide they need to be something other than silver...and they would STILL be less than half the cost of the others!
All I did was take each end of each rope and twist together to create a tiny loop, then hung them on nails.  SUPER easy! 

 Above is a close-up of them attached to the wall with a few random paintings.  Below you can see where in the kids' playroom I have them hanging.  You can also see a couple of drawings still taped to the wall!  Those will be coming down soon.  We'll also get some more artwork up there and arrange it a little better when I get some more magnets.  I may even have a rope going down each side for more display space....we will have quite a few Easter things to display soon!

Now I REALLY can't wait to get to Happy Quilt and Dream Depot this week and get started on my next project for the playroom!

Going back home...

 Yep, that's CJ on the floor of the airport.  Then there's me and Katie playing with the camera, trying to make the best of our time in the waiting room....because we're heading back to Japan!
One of my great friends, Laura, was having a baby shower that I DID NOT want to miss, so I decided to pack the kids up and get to Japan!  I'm so thankful that there is a military flight available between Osan AB and Misawa AB and it's only about a two hour flight!  All I have to do is sign us up in advance, show up on the day I want to fly out and hope, hope, hope there are seats available!  Which, there were...thank goodness! 
Then there's just the matter of where to stay, which worked out wonderfully this time!  (at least for me, I won't speak for Laura!)   Laura's husband isn't in Misawa at the moment, so she offered to let us stay with her during our time in Misawa and it's been great!

Laura, Katie and CJ enjoying fresh snow in Misawa

 What a welcome we received too!  I've been a tiny bit bummed that so far in Korea it's just been bitterly cold/windy with little snow, so I've really been looking forward to this trip for a while...and the day after we arrive Misawa gets an extra 19 INCHES of snow on top of what they already had waiting for us!  It was beautiful!  We've been playing in the snow, making snowmen, snow angels, sledding, having snowball fights and loving it!

The snow plow covering up our little snowman with our new sled hill!

While in Japan, we're trying our best to eat lots of great food, see lots of people we miss and just have a good time!  Katie was able to have a sleep over with her friend Hannah Jane on Thursday.  CJ also stayed for a bit so Laura and I would have a chance to go to one of my favorite Misawa restaurants.  Unfortunately, they don't allow children, so Rick and Mary were kind enough to keep CJ for me.   Thanks guys!!
Katie also had a sleepover with her friend Skyler last night!  She has just been having a ball running into old friends and getting to have lots of playtime. 
Last night, CJ also had his first sleepover!  CJ was staying with Katie at her friend's house so I could attend a squadron event.  I didn't originally plan to leave him all night, but after the meltdown he had when I dropped him off (for the second time in as many days,) my friend Joan and I decided it might be better to just let him stay the night since I would be dropping him off again the next morning for a baby shower we were going to.  I'm sure that was a good decision...and THANKS SO MUCH Joan, for offering your home to BOTH of my kids last night!

Today was the baby shower that I've been looking forward to!  A few of Laura's friends here in Misawa hosted a Mustache Bash Baby Shower and it was absolutely amazing!  There were mustaches everywhere and the shower was a lot of fun.  Great food, great friends and a great time.  I'm so grateful that I was able to be here to share this day with my friend!!  Happy Baby Shower, Laura!!

Jenny and Laura at the baby shower

Tomorrow will be a day filled with shopping!  I have a list of things to buy for myself and some friends who also moved from Japan to Korea....and it's no short list!  I'm so excited to get back to some of the stores I used to frequent during our time here and stock up!  Then the kids and I will be heading back to Korea on Monday....hopefully...as long as there are seats available!  :)