Happy New Year!

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
Maybe that was a little early....as it's only December 31st here, December 30th where most everyone we love is located. Still, Welcome 2014! I hope everyone had an amazing 2013 and we pray that 2014 brings everyone joy.

2013 was an awesome roller coaster for the Sharp Family, over here. Our year in review:

-Abby turned 2

-We're moving to Japan! I don't want to go! My family, my friends...NOOOO!

-We're not going to Japan, no way, no how...YAY!

-We're moving to Japan! This time I'm researching and now I'm excited...beyond excited! This will be an amazing adventure, I'm accepting of this awesome opportunity.

-We're not moving to Japan :( Darn medical clearance.

-Wait, what?! We're moving to Japan! Two months out and you decide to clear us? But but but...you told us no, Air Force! Oh whatever, I'm again excited!

-Scramble time! The amount of things you need to check off in order to move to a foreign country seems like such a larger task when you have such a short time to do it!

-After a long while away from home, we got to go back to Cali on our way to Japan!

-Disneyland with my Grandpa! Disney was always fun growing up. We might as well have worked and lived there we went so much, but it was always more fun when Grandma and Grandpa were with us. You know, to torture on Autopia. Having kids now, I understand this. It's the one time you don't HAVE to ride with your crazy children who cannot drive on a track...no whiplash! It's glorious! You just get to wave with an evil smile as your child whisks the grandparents away for their special car ride of doom.
So the conversation with my Mom went something like this, not verbatim, my memory is not that awesome...
Me: Mom, Grandpa NEEDS to come with us.
Mom: I agree, but I don't think we'll be able to get him to come with us. I've asked him many times before.
Me: I will ask him. He will come.
Mom: Okay, you do that. (Sarcasm filling her voice here, like yeeeah, goood luck!)
Moving on to my next email conversation with my Grandpa, the incredibly shortened version....
Me: Grandpa, we would love for you to come with us to Disneyland.
Grandpa: Okay, sounds fun.
Lesson of the day, always send the grandchildren in on the mission. Parents love their children, but grandparents can't say no to their grandchildren.
Side story - My Grandpa is the man I truly looked up to growing up and the man I still look up to now. When I'd stay a week with my Grandparents during the summer my grandma would set aside a night that we were to go out to eat where she liked but he never said yes to. Her words, "He can't say no to you, so you ask him to go eat at _____. Remember to smile!", then she'd send me in to ask and we'd leave shortly after to the restaurant of her choice (my choice was usually another day) haha. I plan on using this tactic later on in life with my mother. Fool proof.

-13 hours of flying? No problem! My kid were angels! No joke....angels! They played on their tablets (Nabi tablets for the win!) and I sat there reading incredibly inappropriate novels. You know, the ones you angle away from everyone else around you...just in case there's someone looking over your shoulder. No, not 50 Shades of awful writing...yes, there, I said it, let the gasps of shock begin as I'm apparently one of the only women who feels this way.

-New house! New cars! Added friends! New life in Japan!

-Rozzy turned 6!

-Ian and I found that "thing" that further bonds us as a couple...decorating! He builds my vision, I paint and decorate it. Can't ask for much more than that!

^^^ Just a few snippets! It was such a fun and fast paced year!

Our bucket list for 2014 has everything to do with making this house a home!
-Build a new kitchen table
-Redo my Japanese hutch!
-Redo my Japanese buffet table
-Build a coffee table
-Build a castle bed
-Lose weight -Travel around Japan with the girls!
-Paint paint paint the inside of my house
-Get more organized

...and well, that's it. I'm sure I will add to it. Looking at that list I realize just how old I've gotten. Fun times out with the friends....to decorating!

Long story short, happy new year! I can't believe another one has come and gone! Here's to everyone's resolutions sticking!

The Weekend of Awesome: In a Nutshell

When we first got word that we were FOR SURE going to Japan, (the back and forth was insane and emotionally draining), I began to research. If you read my last post you know that I was not very happy about the idea of living in Japan. Something then caught my eye...."The Cement Factory". Wait what? Why would people post about making cement? Wow, this is what there is to do in Japan...so much to look forward to! Then I stopped being a judgmental B and looked into it. It's a antique and junk store! Whoa, yes, my kind of place! One thing or another happened and almost 6 months later I finally asked and slightly badgered a few friends, so they'd go with me! Let me just say, I thought Japan was fun and awesome before...now...it's official, Ian can PCS, but I'm not leaving. Ever. All joking aside, here it is, in all of it's cementy glory:

Don't let the industrial and harsh exterior fool you, for inside all that you will find is treasure! Okay, maybe a lot of junk and some treasures, but you will find some treasures. They had everything there, and by everything I legitimately mean it...everything. Ever thought about putting a giant concrete hippo in your front yard? No worries, there's one for you there. Decor not suitable for eyes under 18? They've got you covered! Clocks, a giant framed crab (he must've tasted awesome), printed screens, shutters, industrial tables, beer coolers, decor decor decor, electronics, cds, books, scooters and most importantly...antiques! I meant it when I said that they have everything there. There are 5 or 6 rooms that each have different things in them, so there's A LOT to look through and to look under. Imagine a junkyard, but inside. You have now mentally pictured the Cement Factory. Now this establishment is no place for littles to be running around. There's so much that could fall on them, so I recommend leaving your children at home or at least bringing your spouse so he/she can watch the younglings outside. I warn you, the stairs in one of the rooms...don't bother going up them unless your life is not at all important to you. I lovingly blame this trek up the stairs on Racheal ;) Her wondering mind led to a comical scene of three women tip toeing above what seemed to be nothing but a thin board holding us up. Not to mention wobbly steep steps up to the board of nothing floor. It was an adventure in of itself.

What did you find there? I will tell you, or show you rather. Our trip yielded all 3 of us some awesome finds...So awesome that we bought sooo much we had to come back to pick up the rest, twice. Two trips in the van looked like this, the third one was too dark haha:

We may have stocked up and cleared out the place. Soo much potential and redoing fun! Here are the pieces that I scored! This sideboard brought me to a happy place! Envision this: Annie Sloan Old White paint and dark wax, accentuating all of that gorgeous detail! Yes, oh the potential!! Don't mind the randomness happening on the top of this awesome sideboard, just enjoy it's beauty! The entire thing cost me...wait for it, $30. The ginormous frame sitting atop it's gorgeousness? $5. Technically I got it for $25, since they threw in a $5 vase as well for free. Awesome folks there, I'm telling you. The frame...oh that frame. I don't have to do anything to it. It's character, years of wear, everything shows through and it is beyond perfect the way it is.

 

My next piece...Not as old, but I love it's design and potential. I'm in between paint colors, so I'm not sure what direction I will take with it just yet, but I am replacing the hardware and changing it's overall look. The price on this bad boy? $30 or $35, I cannot remember, either way...a steal! Again, ignore the decorating nonsense going on in there, I'm trying to figure out what is going to go where.

The pieces are so well constructed, solid and sturdy! You seriously couldn't ask for more awesome potential for $70 total! I'm on a mission to find a tall Tansu chest, tea crates (my decorating dream for YEARS), other odds and ends, a silk screen, shutters...oh the list is never ending! I am so blessed to have a hubby who is completely on board with my madness...and one who searches out home projects he can complete himself to aid me in my never-ending decorating obsession.

If you are like me and googled "Cement Factory Misawa", "Cement Factory Japan" and "Cement Factory Hachinohe" relentlessly, then here are some directions for you! Easy peasy...
The Cement Factory Coordinates: 40.476497 141.415758
Take the toll road to Central Hach, the same way you'd go to get to Coco's and Sega World. Turn RIGHT at the Docomo onto the 104, it's before you reach central Hach, before the KFC, restaurants and what not.
Go until it T's off and you can only go right or left...make another RIGHT. This will keep you on the 104.
Again, go for a bit until it T's again! This time make a LEFT. Past the pachinko parlor...it seems like a bit, but you're going the right way! You will turn left onto the 104, again.
Go all the way up the windy road until you see the very tall building in the very first picture, on your right.
 Side Note: If you don't know how to get to Central Hach. Go out the POL gate and go straight until you see the toll road bridge. Turn left before that bridge and hop onto the toll road. It's past Homac, past Universe...you will see it. The tolls are 350Y each way.

We really hope that everyone had a fantastical Thanksgiving weekend!

After 4 Months it's Time to Make This House a Home!

I remember the day Ian got the email, "CONGRATULATIONS ON YOUR NEW ASSIGNMENT". It was overseas base season and there I was, in Walmart of all places, having an emotional breakdown because we were sure that this was yet another set of Korea orders...he'd be going back a third time in only a few years, I was heartbroken. We rushed through our shopping so he could get to work and check. The next thing I knew I received a phone call with a chuckling Ian, "Hey babe, we're going to Japan". WHAAA?! Naturally I should be excited, right?! No Korea...partay time! While I was happy we would not be without him, Japan happens to be the ONE place I did not want to live...ever. We discussed this before he joined. Japan was off limits, I had zero desire to live there. Don't ask me why, I don't understand my thinking sometimes. It was Ian's dream, my nightmare.

Fast forward to now...I don't want to go back to the states. We LOVE it here, in Japan, the one place I had a strange aversion to. Ian has a lunch...a lunch! He can come home for an hour and eat with us! This is a new foreign concept that we have fallen in love with. He has a set schedule! Does it vary? Sure, but it's not, "Hey I'm going into work at 8am and I'll see you some time tomorrow". It's glorious. That moment when Julie Andrews runs up the hill, through the meadow, and bursts into song with a joyous smile on her face..."The hills are aliiivee, with the sound of muuuusiiic", that is me right at this very second. 

This is a once in a lifetime experience! I will admit that I'm slightly worried about Ian deploying next year...me alone with 2 kids in a foreign country, should be a piece of cake...right?! Even with that, the good experiences outweigh the bad/scary.

My favorite addiction here in Japan? I have the time and space to decorate! Take a look at how our latest project is coming along, I'm just in love with it! We were unfortunately not blessed with a wide selection of wood, so here is what Ian came up with!

I used Annie Sloan's Chalk Paint in Graphite for the background, to give it depth, and Old White for the mantle. If you have yet to hear about the awesome that is Chalk Paint, please educate yourself...you will never go back to using regular paint. We just have to add a second coat, put trim on, use antiquing wax and then we will be in business! So far, here is how it's coming along....

I have wanted one of these for years! After batting my eyelashes and asking a few times, Ian made the plans and built it! He is so proud of himself (as he should be) that he is all over this DIY building bonanza that I have going on here, so you can be sure to expect a ton more furniture posts! I will see if I can't get some PDF versions of his plans going!

It's Been A Week...Phew!

We made it! Woohoo! After a few hour flight to Seattle and a 10 hour flight to Misawa, we’re here….and we’ve been here for a week already! I cannot believe it, the time has flown by. The girls were amazing on the flight. I had been so worried that we’d be those parents, with the whiny children…nope, they were awesome.

Our first week here in review :)

We were able to quickly get a house on base with temporary furniture from FMO. I LOOOVE my house…Here are some highlights:

 

 

We’ve been on a tour to see Hachinohe’s Fish Market, Misawa’s train station, a temple and a few other local things:

 

We couldn’t have made it around without a few welcoming friends here (THANK YOOOOU!!!). Because of one amazing lady I got to experience the 100Yen store. Ah-may-zing. It’s basically $1 store, but so much better. We each have a pair of chopsticks and a case, thanks to the store and I’m getting pretty darn good with them.

On Saturday we purchased a car for 575,297.42 Yen…..sounds like a lot, huh, well it’s not and the dealer is paying for our car insurance for a year :) We bought a white 2003 Mazda MPV with a little less than 50,000 miles on it. Being that most cars that were available to look at were models from the late 90’s, I’ve decided that our 2003 is actually quite new for the used cars around here. I’ve joined the Mommy Mini-Van club and I’m not going to lie, I’m extremely excited about it. We took our test and received our Japan licenses on Tuesday, so we’re ready to go, just waiting on our car. In Japan we cannot drive it until we get something called a JCI done, similar to emissions and registration. This should take a day or two to get done, so we’re looking at picking it up today (Monday) or tomorrow.

Tomorrow, Tuesday the 2^nd, our internet/phone is being set up…yay! Wednesday the 3^rd our unaccompanied baggage is being delivered. Ian gets the 3^rd off for our “moving appointment” and then the 4^th through the 7^th for the holiday weekend….5 day weekend? Yes, please!

The scenery is gorgeous here, I love it. I encourage everyone to get their butts over here and visit us!

A Blog Revival

With all of the changes coming our way, time differences, not everyone in our families on Facebook, etc...we decided to revive the blog :) I decided on a name change, something that suits us as a family of nerds. Being that I've always been a big Tolkien fan, it made sense. 

In a few short weeks we will be leaving this chapter in our life and beginning a new one in Japan. I'm scared, nervous, excited, overwhelmed...pretty much all emotions rolled into one. Hill AFB has been a roller coaster for us, we've only experienced a few emotional plateaus and they sure didn't last long. Regardless, we have learned so much and I know I am taking a good bit of knowledge and self-confidence away from this base. A better me has come out of the friendships, losses and craziness that have come my way while in Utah. It's been tough having my trust in others tested time and time again since arriving here, but I'm definitely a new and improved wife and mother from it all. 

Though there have been some negatives, truly the positives far outweigh the not-so-pleasant experiences here. 

-Our family gained a beautiful miracle child, Abigail Grace. We would be so lost without our little ball of sass. She has brought so much love and joy to our lives. 

-We were able to watch our social butterfly, Rosalynn, thrive. She is so bright, beautiful, confident, independent and outgoing...with those traits her possibilities are truly endless. 

-Ian and I were lucky enough to watch a best friend relationship blossom. The sisterly bond that Rosalynn and Abigail have is beyond words. They can fight like sisters, that's for sure, but they are absolutely inseparable. 

-We have found where we want to retire. We absolutely love it here in Utah. The surrounding areas are packed with fun things to do and it is absolutely beautiful. 

-Our marriage has been strengthened by the struggles we faced while stationed at Hill AFB. At the risk of sounding sappy, I can honestly say that I wake up every morning with a smile knowing that I have Ian in my life. I look forward to him returning home from a long day's work so we can sit, chat and laugh together. Getting married at 18 is HARD work since you really mature together and not at the same rate (A man's maturity growth moves at a snail's pace...it's a fact). At the end of the day though I can say that Ian is not perfect, but he is perfect for me!

-I turned a hobby into a job! A successful one at that! I cannot wait to get settled into our new home and start to build my business again. Those nights where Ian and I would weed vinyl, chat and watch tv were some of my favorites. 

-We have met some life-long friends that we will cherish wherever we go in the world. 

Hill hasn't been all too horrible to us and we hope to come back sometime in the future, after we are done exploring, of course! After all, we're from Orange County, California...we're used to $1 Million + housing, $200k-300k in Utah for the same thing and more land? Yes, please! 

Every base has it's pros and cons and the attitude you enter into your journey with dictates the experience. We're going into Misawa AB, Japan with so much enthusiasm and excitement, it's ridiculous. I cannot wait to share our home, the festivals and the culture with our friends and family. Not to mention, hello...Tokyo Disney and we are going to live where I have access to Hello Kitty toilet paper. Need I say more about the awesomeness we are about to experience?!