The Parrots at Abbey Road in Roppongi

This is where I'll be tonight and every Saturday night until I leave Tokyo, Japan.

This Beatles tribute band is freaking amazing!  I've already seen them twice, and I'll be seeing them again tonight at Abbey Road downtown in Roppongi.  If you are ever in Tokyo, you've got to check these guys out!  They are amazing!  Seriously!  AMAZING!

As you know, I'm a huge fan of The Beatles.  So much so that I named my kiddo after John Lennon's first son, Julian.  But on this blog, I refer to my son as Jude, as in Hey Jude.  You can totally blame my father for my love of The Beatles, and I'm doing my best to instill that same love for The Beatles in my kid.  In fact, I'll be taking Jude to Abbey Road tonight for the first time.  Since kids are allowed and the place is really nice, I feel comfortable bringing him.  I can't wait to see Jude's reaction when he sees The Beatles playlist on our iPod come alive!  And, of course he'll be wearing hearing protection!

Hawaiian pit-stop

As of right now, we are scheduled to depart Japan on July 6th.  We will be leaving Japan and vacationing in Hawaii until July 12th.  On July 12th, we'll be leaving Hawaii and traveling to our new home in Georgia.  Again, these are just preliminary dates.  Things could change.

Knowing these potential dates make moving seem more real to me.  Before, it was just an idea that we were moving, but now with these dates, it seems real-- too real!  After living here for so long, it seems strange to me that I'll be living somewhere else.  Japan has become my home and leaving it will be so hard, but making a pit-stop in Hawaii gives me something to look forward to and makes leaving here a little easier.

We're back from Thailand and Singapore

Sorry I haven't posted in such a long time, but we were busy traveling.  We were gone 10 days, and it has taken several days to recover and get things back in order.

We had an amazing trip!  No, seriously, AMAZING!  If you have the money, YOU SHOULD GO TO THAILAND!  Like, NOW!  REALLY!  GO!  You WON'T be disappointed!  I promise!

Since I took over 1,500 pictures on our trip, it's hard for me to pick my favorites, but we'll start with these.

Similan Island Tour

Similan Island Tour

Similan Island Tour

James Bond Island Tour with Running Babe

Khao Sok National Forest Tour

The beach at sunset.

Jude buried in the sand.

Our beach during the day.

China Town in Singapore

Husband and Jude in China Town in Singapore.

Packing

Weenie:  "Hey, how many pairs of underpants should I bring for Jude on our trip to Thailand?"

Husband:  "Bring 5 and then turn them inside out, and he can wear them again for another 5 days."

Weenie:  "Really?"

Husband:  "Yep, that's my plan, and I'll go commando a couple of days, too."

Weenie:  "Really?!"

Husband:  "Yep, when I'm on vacation I like to free-ball it."

Weenie:  "Ew!"

Thailand bound, again

So, we have a great vacation planned for November.  We'll be heading to Thailand again, and I can't wait.  I just hope all the flooding in Bangkok doesn't fuck screw up our plans.

While we are on vacation, we're going to meet up with a good friend of ours.  The only problem is my friend has had some work done.  She's had a nip and a tuck and an implant inserted here and there-- if you know what I mean.  Of course she looks amazing because she doesn't have an ounce of cellulite anywhere on her body.  It has all been sucked out, literally!  I'm usually not too self-conscious because I think I look alright.  I mean, yes, I'm a little jiggly.  And yes, my boobies hang a little lower than most.  And yes, I've got a little pot belly.  But, I don't believe I look that bad considering I'm a thirty-something, Hispanic, Tejana, who has pooped out a kid.  However, you stand me next to her, and I look like a beached whale with saggy, banana boobs.

I know I shouldn't worry about how I look in a bathing suit standing next to her, but all of a sudden I do.  I know.  It's so stupid of me.  And I know she achieved her look by having surgery and putting her life at risk for the sake of vanity.  I know all of this, but my brain can't seem to turn off all of these insecurities.

I know perfection cannot be accomplished without surgery.  I know putting one's life at risk for vanity is stupid.  I know I can never look as good as her.  I know all of this, but, yet, my mind keeps focusing on my jelly roll, muffin top, spare tire or whatever you want to call it.  I see my thighs in the mirror, and I hear thunder.  I see my deflated boobs, and I think of pancakes.

Oh, why is this vacation with her starting to stress me out?!

Well, here are a few pictures from our Thailand trip last year.  I used Jude as my cover-up.   

Thankful Thursday #8

I'm thankful for all my travels.  

I've been to some amazing places and each one has stuck with me, making me who I am today.  And by traveling here and there, I've really come to appreciate all I have.  I will never take anything for granted.  I know just how lucky I am.  

Korea bound

I'll be heading to Seoul, South Korea tomorrow, and I'm super exited about it.

I'm going with a couple of my Japanese students/friends.  It's really a girls trip, and we'll be spending most of the time shopping and eating mass quantities of Korean food.  It's a short trip, only about 72 hours but long enough for me.

My plan is to find the largest vat of kimchi and roll around in it.  Yep, that's my plan.

What you missed

Here are a few pictures I took during our summer vacation.  Enjoy!

Jude and Felix fishing off my dad's boat dock in Texas.  

Princess (BJ's daughter).  

Jude, looking out the window, during our cruise to the mother land.  

My family and our running buddy friends from North Texas (on the cruise).

At the Star Wars exhibit at the Houston Museum of Health and Science.  

Somewhere between Texas and California.  

Husband and Jude at the beach in Texas. 

Heading to Texas

Well, my guts still aren't happy, but I'm better than yesterday.  So, I'm heading to Texas.

I'm bringing some meds just in case my stomach gets worse, and I'll request a seat near the toilet on the plane, just in case.

So, see you in Texas!  Woo-hoo!

Just my luck

So, last night we ate a frozen TV dinner--something we never eat.  And guess what?  Well, I woke up this morning with serious gastrointestinal distress.  I won't go into the details.  I'll spare that from you.  But, something in the food did/does not agree with me.  At all!

But the worst thing about it is I'm supposed to leave for Texas tomorrow on our summer vacation.  Our bags are packed and we are ready, well, except my guts aren't.  I've got 28 hours for this to pass.  If not, I'm going to be miserable on the plane.  And our flight is 11 hours and 30 minutes long!  That's a long time to be stuck in a plane with an upset stomach!

I really hope this passes quickly.

Well, at least I bought travel insurance!

Ugggg!

This is what we did at BJ's house

We ate at Chick-fil-A!

We saw Lola and Abuelito (Husband's mom and dad), and we went to the Houston Museum of Natural Science. 

BJ and I went to the Lady Gaga concert and had a blast.  We were in the VIP section, in the 6th row!

Lady Gaga, Born This Way!  She was freaking awesome!

We went to the Children's Festival, and Jude bought a toy gun. 

Let's just say we were really busy.  We visited so many friends and family members.  It was great!

What we did in Texas at PoPo's house

 We spent hours and hours on PoPo's dock, bird watching, catching crabs and drinking beer.

This is what Jude learned in Texas!

Going fishing on PoPo's boat.

Fishing, again!

I caught a fish!

 That's what we did for 20 days at YaYa and PoPo's house.

Let's just say their house is a little piece of heaven for little boys.

So tired

This jet lag is totally kicking my ass!  Seriously!  I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open.  Yesterday evening around 5:30 PM, I was so tired I thought I was going to puke.  Weird, huh?!

Today I'm so tired I can actually feel gravity pushing down on me, making me hunched back and shorter than I already am.

I've never suffered from jet lag this bad before.  I think I might just die from it!

Back from paradise

We got back from Thailand on Wednesday.  It truly was the best vacation ever!  Here are a few pics for your viewing pleasure.

We went elephant trekking.

We went to the Similan Islands.  

We snorkeled...

...with a sea turtle!

This trip was heaven on earth!  I can't wait to go back again!

Shit

Between earthquakes, tsunamis and Mexican drug gangs, I think we might need to change our vacation plans.

Damn it!

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20101026/ap_on_re_as/as_indonesia_earthquake

You should be jealous

So, I spent this week working my ass off, preparing for Jude's 6th birthday party and planning our upcoming vacations.

Let's just say our vacations are going to be kick ass!

I refuse to send an open invitation to thieves, but I will tell you that we're going to Phuket, Thailand, and I booked a cruise with my running buddies.  The Thailand trip is first, and the cruise is scheduled for sometime next year.

I'm so excited about both!

I love beach vacations!

I'm so happy to be me!

Moss Flowers in Ome

Once a year in the mountains of Ome, Japan (near Saitama Prefecture), these beautiful, little "moss flowers" bloom, creating an amazing site. My Ome Ladies (Japanese students) took me on a field trip to this extraordinary location. Here are a few pictures I took:

Me standing near the flowers.

My Ome Ladies and I posing for a picture.

Monkeys in Nagano

This is the only place in the world where monkeys relax in a hot, steamy bath.

Yes, I took these pictures.

Near Nagano

When BJ and her husband came to visit, we took a trip to Nagano prefecture to see the snow monkeys. I took these pictures along the way.

Lately, everyday has been dark, foggy, rainy, wet and dreary. Sometimes I wish I were back in Texas, feeling the hot rays of the sun.

Guam, the 2nd time

This time when we went to Guam, we bought some cheap-o under water cameras. Here are some of the keepers:

Jude and I snorkeling without the snorkel.
Me, relaxing in the pool.

Sister and I relaxing in the pool. Jude took this picture.

Jude and I hanging out in the pool.

Jude about to go down the slide.