Project 365: Week 2

This one was rough.  I've got to remember to pull the camera out more often!  Also, it's turning out that most of my pictures are from my phone, which is not how I envisioned this.  I wasn't very happy when I realized that.  Then I thought, "hey, I'm not a 'photographer.'  I'm simply a mom/wife capturing moments.  I'm okay with iPhone photos if that's the best way to capture the moment before it's too late!"  Two down, 50 more to go!

Day 7:  A Christmas Story moment

Day 8:  Project 365 Failure...this is the ONLY picture I took that day!  :(
Catching sight of The Grinch on the walk home from school

Day 9:  Learning the tricks of the trade with the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders

Day 10:  Candy Cane Pizza Project  aka:  Why do I do this to myself?

Day 11:  Mom's new toy

Day 12:  The Nutcracker in Seoul...year THREE!

Day 13:  I know he loves me because he menu planned this week!

Project 365: Week 1

Project 365...here goes nothin'!

Week 1  ....yes, I did start mid-month.

Project 365 faux paux?  Maybe, but if I don't get started NOW it just won't happen.

Day 1:  Another Day in Paradise?

Day 2:  Fiendette Christmas 

Day 3: The stores are closed?  Let's get some hot chocolate and call it good.

Day 4:  I changed my mind, we're going home.

Day 5:  Ready for the Christmas Party and Concert at the orphanage

Day 6:  Cleaning Day!

Day 7:  Slip Knot vs. Loose Tooth, Round One

So there you have it.  A full week complete!  Let's see how long I can keep this up.

Also, I feel like I need to make a note about "Day 4."  It doesn't look that bad, but I've decided that driving in Korea in the winter is worse than driving in Texas in the winter.  I don't know why some of the cars out there actually thought they could make it up these hills.

Roller Derby Friday!

Roller Derby Friday?  Yeah, sure.  Why not.
My thoughts on a few things "derby"

SO TRUE!  It's on my mind all the time and I have to intentionally try to talk about other things when I'm with friends who don't derby.  I'm afraid they'll kick me out of the group if I talk about it as much as I want to!  :) 
DO YOU DERBY?  DO YOU WANT TO?  WHAT SIZE SHOE DO YOU WEAR?  WANT TO TRY MY NEW SKATES?  I CAN'T WAIT TO GET TO THE POST OFFICE, I HAVE A NEW ORDER FROM WICKED ON THE WAY!  EW, SMELL THIS!  DID YOU DO YOUR SQUATS TODAY?  DO THESE SHORTS SHOW MY SWEAT MARKS?  WANT TO SEE MY NEW BRUISE?  ...yeah, that's running through my head all the time.

Seriously.  I don't know how many times I've stared at the screen, needing to send a message to someone and I can't come up with their real name to save my neck!  On multiple occasions I've had to resort to going to the facebook skater page, scroll through until I find a random post by the person I'm needing to message just so I can find out their "real" name.  Skaters, if you're reading this and you haven't already....go to your facebook settings and add your derby name as one of your alternate names...PLEASE!!! 

Well, I wouldn't go as far as to say that it "saved my soul," but it's definitely empowering.  I know it sounds cliche and you're like, "yeah, well, I run and jump and play basketball and tennis and go to spin class and finish off the day with a little kick boxing!"  But it's really not the same.  I've played other sports before, but derby is definitely different.  I feel like my whole outlook has changed since derby...in a good way. 
So, thanks Pandora for  telling me about derby a little over two years ago.  Thanks Bull Lee for working so hard to start a derby league in South Korea and thanks OH! for being so awesome! 

Project 365

It's in writing, so it will happen.  Right?
I've been inspired by my derby friend Shutter Speed (you can find her over at Girl Meets Camera, and you should!)  I definitely have the opportunity to take great pictures and document really awesome things (or things that may seem mundane at first, but I'll be happy to have years from now) daily and I don't take advantage of that opportunity.  Well, that's about to change.  I'm dusting off my little camera now.

This should also help with my "I have a blog?  Oh yeah!" problem.  Hopefully you'll be seeing much more from me.

Project 365.  Starting now.  Look for my first post soon...and feel free to bug me about it until it appears!  ;)

How-to: Pocket Warmers!

This isn't really a crafty, DYI blog, but some friends have asked me how I made the kids' pocket warmers...so here's my first "how-to" post!  I did try to take the easy way out by searching Pinterest for a ready-made blog post, but they were all getting pretty fancy with their additional felt between the layers and shapes and measuring and pinning, etc.  Oh, how I LOATHE measuring and pinning, and basically any kind of pattern and instructions in general.
So here's my simple, no measure, only use one pin example (not instructions, because you know I don't like those!)

I bought this really cute pack of fat quarters a while back and have been looking for the right project to use them.  After the cold walk to take the kiddo to school this morning, I decided THIS was it!

The quarters had been folded in such a way that when opened up (still folded in half) there were eight "back pocket sized" rectangles.  Of course, I didn't measure them, but they were about the size of my hand.  Cut out two of those rectangles, making sure to cut through both layers of fabric so you end up with two sets that are the same size...

you'll want to make two warmers, so go ahead and cut them both now.

Grab one of those sets of rectangles.  Leaving them with wrong sides together, sew around three sides of the rectangle to form a pocket.

Then, trim the fabric pretty close to your stitching all the way around.

Using something you've got handy (like your "fabric only" scissors...you've got those, right?) turn the pocket wrong side out and push your corners out.  Be careful not to push so far that you shove your tool all the way through...yes, this did happen the first time!  Remember...it doesn't have to be perfect, after all they're going to be hidden away in your pocket!

Now, with your pocket inside-out, sew around the three edges again.  Keep as close to the edge as you can without sewing through more than two layers.

Now you should have a pocket that looks like this!

Repeat the process for turning the pocket and pushing out the corners.

Fill your pocket about 2/3 full with rice.  Here you can see those beautiful seams you've created that will be forever hidden inside your pocket!  :)  I decided to make the seams this way because I thought it would likely keep them from fraying longer since the edge is hidden away.  Will that really work?  I have no clue, but it's easy and it sounds like a good idea!

Now, fold your fabric to the inside.  Use your best judgement for how far down to fold it.  Keep in mind that you'll need room for the presser foot when it comes time to sew this part shut and your pocket is pretty full of rice.  I folded mine down about half an inch.

Pin your pocket closed about 2/3 of the way across.  This way you won't have to worry about losing any rice while you're setting your presser foot and helping feed the pocket through.

See?  That pin is far enough back that you have some space to sew and it's still keeping all your rice from spilling everywhere!

Sew a line pretty close to the edge of your pocket.  Be sure and remove the pin as you get closer, then sew the whole side closed.

Voila!  You now have your first pocket warmer!  Don't forget to make two...you'll probably want to keep both hands warm on that cold walk! 

**Microwaving!  Depending on the size you end up with...pop these in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.  I wouldn't do more than 25 seconds if you're giving them to little hands. My kids don't like them too hot.**

Osan Roller Derby Flyer!

 

Just because it's AWESOME!

Osan Roller Derby's first flyer!

I really wanted to pin this on a pinterest board of mine, and posting it to my blog was the easiest way I knew how.   :)

Also, Roller Derby Rocks.

~Mobsta

Another Memorable TDY

Yep, that photo just about sums up the Cichowski summer.

It's been one for the record books.

And here's the rant:
Trevor went TDY to Alaska, then...
First, CJ came down with Hand, Foot and Mouth disease from playing at the play area in the food court.  The docs here tried to tell me over the phone that it was just a rash brought on by high fever, but Mommy knows best!  I decided to just take him to the ER since I couldn't actually get him in to see a doctor so I could confirm that.  Because, you know, "rashes brought on by high fever" are NOT contagious, but HF&M most certainly is!

Second, our credit card number was stolen and someone bought a round of iPads on it.  Ugh, what a hassle.  USAA is actually pretty good at taking care of things as soon as you call them, but, of course, Trevor was in Alaska.  So when our card was cancelled I had to make sure he had another way to purchase everything he needed while he was there.

Third...and this one was a doozy!  We bought a new car just before moving to Korea and it is equipped with a "smart lock system" or something like that.  It's supposed to sense when your keys are in the vehicle and not allow you to lock them in the car.  Great idea, especially with kids, right?  There's NO WAY you can accidentally lock your kids int he car!  WRONG!  Somehow, as I was trying to get the kids in the car at the BX parking lot, the lock button was pressed.  I put my purse in the car, like always, then buckle CJ into his 5-point harness car seat and close the door.  I reach to open Katie's door and it won't open.  PANIC!  My purse with my keys AND my phone are int he car and CJ'd 5-point harness won't allow for him to reach ANYTHING.  Good for when driving, very BAD for when he's locked in the car!  I tried every single button on the outside of the car that's supposed to unlock the vehicle when the key is nearby, but nothing.  Luckily, there was a gentleman standing behind his car just two spaces over and I was able to get him to call emergency services.  Which, by the way, is not a simple 911 call here.  It's a 10-digit number that I'm REALLY thankful I managed to remember in a time of crisis.  Help arrives in the form of an Ambulance with 2 EMTs, a fire truck full of firefighters in full uniform, the Fire Cheif's car arrives with a group of people who look like they just came from PT and I think we even had a police car.  It was quite the scene, if only my camera had been available and not locked in the car.  Due to the temperature and where the car was located, the hospital gave all these people 30 minutes to get the car unlocked before they needed to break a window and get him out.  Unfortunately, even with the help of numerous passers-by armed with crowbars and coat hangers and one scared New Car Sales salesman (I was furious that the "smart locks" weren't working and told him if there was ANY way into this car he'd better tell me!), the car could not be unlocked.  So one lucky fireman got to don his shiny new coat and break what was probably his very first window outside of training.  CJ was a trooper until the door was opened and the car alarm began to sound.  Then we whisked him away to the ambulance and were taken to the hospital to have his vitals checked.  Luckily, we had just finished dinner before locking him in the car and he had downed almost a whole Gatorade, so they weren't very worried about dehydration after seeing him.  His temperature was also good, so they let us leave....but not before handing me a pamphlet on "The Dangers of Children Left in Hot Vehicles."  WHAT?  I SO did NOT do this on purpose and I called you guys AS SOON AS IT HAPPENED!  Oh well, we're all good.  Also, a friend of mine happened to wander up before the window was broken and took Katie back to her house to play with her daughter.  Thank goodness!

So then I'm driving around during Monsoon Season with a duct taped window on my formerly new/now quite ghetto ride.  Thankfully, this rainy season hasn't been nearly as rainy as those before it.  Getting a window for  Jeep while living in Korea was quite difficult too.  It's really too bad we don't drive a Kia.  I was finally able to have the window replaced just yesterday.

Then, Trevor finally came home from his TDY in Alaska, YAY!  ...only to find out that he's working night's, boo.  He's home for a week and he get's a short-short-short notice TDY.  Yeah, really.  Less than 24 hours from the time I find out he has to leave to the time his plane is backing out of the gate at Gimpo International Airport in Seoul.  So Trevor's gone again for an undetermined amount of time....probably about a month or so.

And, just so this additional TDY isn't boring compared to the last one, CJ proceeded to lock himself in the bathroom yesterday and got nail polish in his eye this morning.  Fun times.  I feel like there are some other things I can add to this list, but they pale in comparison so I won't worry with trying to remember them.  Can't wait for Daddy to get back.

Derby Girl - the beginning

 Look!  I finally got a chance to use my derby gear!  It has scratches on it and everything...because I totally fell on my rear!  It wasn't as pretty as the movies...

 There was a little more of this involved...

 Except not as pretty.  Thankfully, I was wearing all of this...

Minus the skirt.  It's still cold out here, so pants were definitely part of my ensemble.  And a jacket.

It was a lot of fun to finally get out there and skate though.  Definitely different when compared to the roller blades I used when working at Sonic Drive-in forever ago!  The second fall was because I was looking for my stopper on the back of my skates....when, CLEARLY, it's located in the front on quads!

So, that was my first experience skating with the Osan Derby gals.  But....I was SUPER late to practice since Trevor was coming home from a trip to Kunsan.  So there were only four ladies left skating when I arrived.  But I was able to skate for a bit before they needed to call it quits.

The family and I are going to be checking out Korea next week, so I'll miss next weekend's practice, but I'll be out there with the ladies again the week after.  Can't wait!

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!  :)

This is why Mommy says...

R.I.P. my lovely Starbucks coffee cup that I just got for Christmas.  I was so sad to have to say goodbye, but better you than my son's fingers.

Yep.  I tell them all the time, "don't lean on the elevator door."  "Don't touch the door!"  "Yeah, you!  Get your hands OFF the door!"

But, as I looked away and took the first sip of that perfectly blended coffee he put his hands on it anyway.  Then, the next thing I knew, my cup was laying spilled and broken on the floor and I was pulling his fingers out of the teeny-tiny space in the elevator door.

It was horrible.  The door wouldn't open and I was afraid I was going to pull his little fingers off if I pulled any harder to get his hand out.  Katie was screaming.  Full-on movie style.  I glanced back at her for a second to see her screaming with her hands to her face and her little feet stomping.  That's how I felt too, but I couldn't leave CJ with his hand stuck in the door.  I was finally able to free his little fingers.  Then I had to go back home to get a towel to clean up the big mess of coffee on the floor.

We finally get fixed up, get back on the elevator to go up three floors to a friend's house and the elevator doors only open about three inches.  Seriously?  So we go down one floor and walk up one flight of stairs to get where we started to go about half an hour before.

Luckily, CJ was fine.  Favoring his hand a bit, but fine.  We stay at our friend's house for a while to finalize some things for the Fiendette Show we'll be hosting in a couple of weeks (hopefully some amazing pictures will be shared soon after that and I can explain then...)  We say goodbye and head to the elevators again and CJ pulls his hurt little hand to his chest and yells, "OUCH!"  Yes, baby, it will hurt you if you don't listen to Mommy.

Run-down on the last 9 months

Hi.  My name is Jenny and it's been 9 months since my last "real" blog post.
And what a "Three Quarters of a Year" it has been! 

May 2011-DADDY'S HOME!  This may explain why my efforts to blog more last time failed.  After Daddy got home from his deployment (nearly 8 MONTHS!  ugh) the whirlwind began!  CJ also turned ONE this month!

This was taken at around 4am.  The SECOND time we went up to the hanger in the middle of the night to meet Daddy.  The perfect ending to the longest deployment in the history of the world.  (Please take no offense if you've actually experienced a longer deployment.  This is just the way I felt about it!)

June 2011-Celebrating the end of the MOSC Board Year.  This was a really great experience.  I volunteered to be the Administrative Treasurer for the Misawa Officers' Spouses' Club.  The timing probably wasn't the best (the board year started just days after CJ was born and shortly before Trevor deployed for 8 months.)  But the experience was invaluable.  Not always an easy job but it was great and I had great friends helping me along the way.

 July 2011-Katie's last day at Misawa Daiichi Youchien.  Katie started at this school when she was only 20 months old in Hiyoko Gumi, the Little Chick class.  She had such a wonderful time, learned so much and was involved in many Japanese activities that made our time in Misawa that much more special.

Katie and Junko Sensei

 August 2011- We said goodbye to the only home Katie remembers and the only one CJ has had.  We said "see you later" to all the wonderful friends we made, because we KNOW we'll be seeing them again in the future....some of them very soon since the kids and I will be visiting Misawa, Japan next week!

Jenny, CJ, Meg, Cassidy, Katie, Mary and Hannah Jane having out last picnic together at the Air Plane Museum

 September 2011- We visit Washington D. C. and Texas!  Trevor had to do a TDY en route to Korea, so we had the chance to see family along the way!  First, we flew into D.C. and were able to stay with Trevor's parents for nearly two weeks before Trevor had to leave for a school in Alabama.  The kids and I stayed a bit longer, then hopped a flight to Texas to visit my family. 

Trevor and Jenny at the Washington Monument.  It was post-earthquake, so we were unable to get any closer.

The kids while visiting Texas.  This is actually in Oklahoma while visiting the buffalo!

 October 2011-Halloween on the ROK!  We arrived in Korea mid-October and stayed in a TLF FOREVER, it seemed.  The kids had a blast trick-or-treating with friends and had their first 'apartment living trick-or-treating' experience.  Not quite the same as trudging door-to-door in the snow!  :)  We were also able to sign for the home we're now living in at the end of October.  We're living in a tower on Osan AB on the 5th floor and trying not to stomp on the floor too much.

 November 2011-Our first trip to Seoul, South Korea!  This was such a good time!  We hopped a train with our good friends, the Youngs, and headed for a festival in the city.  The Youngs have two daughters who are just about our kiddos' ages and make the perfect traveling companions!  We were able to walk along the river and check out the lantern festival where they had stationary floats similar to those at the Nebuta Festival in Aomori, Japan, but on a much smaller scale. 

Seoul Lantern Festival

 December 2011-The Nutcracker!  Katie and I, along with my friend Anna and her daughter Clara, drove into Seoul to see our first ballet!  Katie was so excited and had a really great time...aside from during intermission when she exclaimed, "I miss my brother!"  It was really sweet!  :)  After the ballet, we managed to find a TGIFridays for dinner!  I know most of you are cringing at the thought of Friday's after the ballet....but those of you who have been overseas for a few years know what was going through our minds when we found it!

Katie and The Nutcracker

 January 2012-Katie's 5!!!  Yep, our sweet baby girl is now five years old.  I can't believe it's been five years already!  Things have been a little crazy since arriving on the ROK and the holidays were nuts, so we just invited a couple of friends over (good friends from Misawa!  Who also happen to be stationed at Osan now, too!)  We enjoyed a little pizza and cake and lots of fun playtime!

Well, that about wraps up the time since my last post, and, hopefully, I can keep up with this and not have to post quite so much at a time!