The Truth About Ex-Pat Life

"Ex-pat" signifies "ex-patriot" and means that you temporarily live out of your native country. In general when you tell someone you are an ex-pat, they envision a glamorous life full of traveling around the world and getting paid well.... there is definitely another side of this coin.

There is also the packing, unpacking, packing again, unpacking, shopping for items you can't get in your foreign land and then shipping them, unpacking your shipment, and shipping again.... a lot of packing, shopping, and shipping....not so glamorous.


The look here on my face is candid.... Shailey snapped it with my camera.... it reads, "where do I start?"


So you're telling me that this stuff is supposed to fit in those suitcases? Hmmmm.

This summer I spent a good amount of time stocking up on the items we wanted to take back to Japan and then piling it up in my bedroom (where I could lock the doors and keep the kids out of it). My mom said to me, "This may be a silly question, but can't you buy this stuff in Japan... I mean, don't the Japanese use shampoo and soap". I see her point. Of course the Japanese use shampoo and soap. The problem is that when I am at a store in Japan, I cannot READ if the bottle reads "soap" or if it reads "wart remover". So unless I want to take Glenn to the store every time, it is easier (and CHEAPER) to buy whatever I can in the states and take it back with me to Japan. Capiche?

For example: Hairspray. Looks like hairspray, feels like hairspray, smells like hairspray, and is made by Pantene... so of course it is hairspray, right? It took a few minutes to realize why Shailey's hair looked like it had been smothered in margarine.... and never mind that I used the spray to make her hair look nice for a modeling audition.... no exaggeration. This spray turned out to be hair conditioner. So you see, for as much as it is a hassle to pack, unpack, and pack again, for the most part it is worth it (right Jen?). Whatever did NOT FIT in the suitcases, got shipped in boxes. Now you will understand why I can't bring myself to unpack the shipped boxes when they arrive. I spend the next week just staring at them until I get enough energy to unpack once again.This summer, I packed and unpacked 32 times.... ahhhhh the beauty of ex-pat life.

Holy Moly

My DNA codes for a lot of moles, mostly from my Dad's side of the family.... lucky me. I have moles from one end to the other... even on my toes (that got a chuckle from my dermatologist). This summer I got my annual "mole inspection" and it was determined several moles needed to be removed, including the one in the center of my forehead.... again, lucky me.

So for several days I walked around with this unusually large bandage on my forehead that made people uncomfortable to talk to me.... I mean, how can they avoid staring at the bandage hiding the UNICORN HORN I just had removed.

To make matters worse, forgetting I had this mole removed, a few days later I got my International Driver's License. When I got it back, I looked at the picture and laughed out loud.

Hello Mr. Bandaid.... we'll be seeing a lot of each other for the next several years. Holy moly.

Locks for Love

Shailey grew her hair for an entire year with plans to donate it to LOCKS for LOVE. This is an organization that collect hair donations to make into wigs for alopecia patients and cancer patients. I was so proud she came up with this idea all on her own. When Shailey learned her Aunt Trisha had alopecia , she was very sensitive and it touched her. Even though Aunt Trisha is fine now, Shailey felt like this was a way she could support the cause for her Aunt .

When the time came for her to cut it, I told her it was okay to change her mind (secretly I worried my sensitive "pre-teen" may not like it afterwards and have regrets). However, Shailey was not thwarted and went full speed ahead with her original plan.

BEFORE
AFTER
I went to the store and left Shailey home with Aunt Missie and came home to this..... she cut off 12 inches!!!!

Aunt Missie did a GREAT JOB!!!! She has such an incredible talent for hair! We are lucky to have her in our family. Shailey absolutely loved her haircut and had NO regrets. I think Aunt Missie had more regrets... she got teary and said to me "I'm sorry I made our Shailey look so old!" She is so sweet, I love Missie to pieces. She did my hair too, highlights and all. She is by FAR my favorite stylist. If only she lived closer....

The Progress of a Fit

It started out innocent... I snapped a photo as my son politely asked me if he could play at his friend's house, "No, Bode is going to bed now and cannot have company".

Jonas refused to take "no" for an answer and before you know it, a simple question turned into a full blown tantrum. Capturing this precious moment made me laugh... am I horrible?

"WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Outdated

While home this summer, I did a MAJOR purging at our home in Indiana. I went through closets, cupboards, drawers, and shelves to clear out and clean out. Living in Japan has made me realize that I don't need all of the stuff we left in Indiana. I hauled at least 20 sacks to Goodwill (I love their drive through... it is by far my favorite drive through.... sooooo n i c e). But I found one item really funny, a true classic. I found a case of 60 cassette tapes, 30 on each side..... B 52's, Men at Work, REM, Big Audio Dynamite II, Toto, Camper Van Beethoven, Police, So I Married and Axe Murderer Soundtrek, Huey Lewis, and more.

What was most funny of all were the "MIX TAPES" we created...


...especially the one we made for our WEDDING RECEPTION.... how sad is that???? Seriously???!!! I couldn't help but save it for sentimental reasons.


Sawyer to Kate "what do you want me to do, make you a mix tape?"

GI Jane

Shailey joined a week long "survival skills" summer camp at the YMCA. It was dirty and tough work and she loved every second of it. Shailey has always been a girl to go into a new activity head first and with gusto. She is festive, she is intelligent, she is brave, and she is a LOT of FUN! I have always told her she will make the best college roommate ever. If you want someone to join you in a crazy adventure, Shailey is your girl.

This is her survival skills teacher.... you know the kind who can be dropped off into the forest without supplies for months and be totally fine... uses a rock for his pillow.... you know the kind.


Shailey made an ATLATL (at-lat-al) and was taught how to hunt with it (most Moms would not know what an atlatl is, but being the archaeologist that I am I knew exactly what it is.... a type of throwing spear used during the late Pleistocene era [ice age]... later it was replaced by the bow and arrow. Think hunting woolly mammoths).


Woolly mammoth.


Shailey was only 1 of 2 girls in the group and was fine with that. On the last day the kids had to "camouflage" themselves with mud and plants of the forest and then played a hunting/ hide-&-seek game. They learned the value of being camouflaged because the better they were camouflaged, the more difficult they were to target. A couple kids opted out of this experiment... not our Shailey, we could only see the whites of her eyes and teeth!



GI Jane, She-ra, Ramibina... take your pick, she is awesome.

What's in a Name?

What Tracey Means

You are a seeker. You often find yourself restless - and you have a lot of questions about life. You tend to travel often, to fairly random locations. You're most comfortable when you're far away from home. You are quite passionate and easily tempted. Your impulses sometimes get you into trouble. You are wild, crazy, and a huge rebel. You're always up to something. You have a ton of energy, and most people can't handle you. You're very intense. You definitely are a handful, and you're likely to get in trouble. But your kind of trouble is a lot of fun. You are usually the best at everything ... you strive for perfection. You are confident, authoritative, and aggressive. You have the classic "Type A" personality. You are very open. You communicate well, and you connect with other people easily. You are a naturally creative person. Ideas just flow from your mind. A true chameleon, you are many things at different points in your life. You are very adaptable. You are friendly, charming, and warm. You get along with almost everyone. You work hard not to rock the boat. Your easy going attitude brings people together. At times, you can be a little flaky and irresponsible. But for the important things, you pull it together. You are a free spirit, and you resent anyone who tries to fence you in. You are unpredictable, adventurous, and always a little surprising. You may miss out by not settling down, but you're too busy having fun to care.

What's Your Name's Hidden Meaning?

My friend Lucy posted her name's meaning on her blog, so I thought I would do the same. I was curious what it said about my name. I totally laughed when I read, "You are most comfortable when you are far away from home"... I hope that is true, because it sure fits at the moment....ha! I also laughed when I read "you are type A personality...and intense"... now THAT is not true....LOL. Confident, authoritative, agressive.... hmmmm. I am a handful for sure and my energy overpowers everyone especially my family.... lets go and do and see and stay until the park shuts down and then ask "now what do you want to do?"

Groove is in the Heart

Groovy Ostlund kids love to dress up. They love to put on costumes and engage in imaginative play. I love this about our kids because it shows they are truly a product of their wacky, but creative, parents.

You Can Tell a Woman By the Contents of Her Purse

While with my grandma Oopeedoop this summer, she asked me for a pen and when I started pulling items out of my purse she said "good gol, Tracey, what all do you have in there!".... so it got me thinking and I dumped out my entire tiny purse.

Here is what I found:


7 lipsticks and chapsticks
8 receipts
6 pens
5 rubber bands
3 packs of gum
2 packs of tissues
2 hair clips
2 nail files
2 bobby pins
1 Tupperware container with 15 ibuprofen pills and 7 Excedrin pills
1 cell phone
1 note pad
1 Thomas Train watch
1 AA battery pack
1 large day planner
1 piece of chalk
1 popsicle stick
1 pair of sunglasses with a case
1 check book
1 large overstuffed wallet

and finally
1 pack of TUNA


That's right, you heard me, a pack of tuna... everything but the kitchen sink. My grandma and I laughed a long time over this one.

So what does this jumble of junk say about me?

Answer: I am a nutcase who obsesses over fresh breath, moist lips, and hair. I am a mother of a 4 year old son who demands constant entertainment (hence the Thomas watch, popsicle stick, chalk, pens, notepad, and batteries for his Leapster) and a mother of a daughter who frequently sneezes her insides out (hence the tissues). I am a wife who may have too many headaches due to the lack of sugar from doing Atkins with her husband (hence the ready made tuna packet). And I am a grandaughter who took Grandma's advice too literally when she said "it is better to have it and not need it than to need it and not have it."

Bottom line: I am a psycho-path

What do the contents of your purse say about you?

Once Bitten

Yes, it is true... Ann Marie hooked Missie and I into the TWILIGHT series by Stephenie Meyers. I really did not want to like this series... vampires, werewolves, oh brother. But then, I gave in and well.... I was HOOKED.
I have to laugh because even though the series is written for "chicks", they are awesome, and I found myself being one of millions waiting for book 4 to come out this summer. Thank you Ann Marie... book 4 was every bit as good as the others. I have definitely been bitten by the Twilight magic.
(PS, it may interest you to know that someone I live with in Japan, who shall remain nameless, is also enjoying the series... and its not a chick :)

(PS, an honorable mention is also given to my sister Michelle who also got me into the series... I failed to give her the credit she deserves for her taste in a good read.... "thank you michelle, you are absolutely awesome")

Cousin Buddies

Jonas and Brody are best 4 year old cousin buddies.  Only a few weeks apart in age, they have many differences that make them a fun pair to watch.  While Jonas likes Spiderman, Batman, and Superman, Brody likes trucks, trains, and cars.  While Jonas acts without thinking, Brody thinks before he acts.   At the pool Jonas ran and jumped in within a split second, while Brody found a sign with pool rules and said he needed to read the sign first in case jumping was not allowed (which is hilarious because he does not know how to read...how cute is that?) 

And yet they are similar too.  They both love to explore.  They both love story time.  They both love to talk, talk, and talk.   And, they both love climbing trees and playing outside.  This summer I realized how much Jonas really needs "boy time".  Boys will be boys.  

Oh Holy Day

August 2, 2008, Emma Elizabeth Ostlund chose to follow Jesus Christ and be baptized. She is now a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. She prepared a long time for this special day with regular scripture reading, personal prayers, going to church each week, and just making good choices everyday. She wore the dress I wore when I was baptized in 1981 (actually all of my sisters wore this dress). She thought it was really special wearing her Momma's dress.

All of her grandparents came to Indiana for this special day: David, Nonnie, Grandad, Grammie, Ann Marie, and Papa Glenn.

Uncle Bill's family came and so did Aunt Missie's.

Emma's other special friends were there too: the Olers, the Buntons, and the Rickerts

And of course our most special friend Victoria shared this day with us too.

Daddy was very happy to baptize his little girl... she is growing up so beautiful. We love you Emma!