Pedestrians and speedlimits

So, I cant believe I havent written about this yet, but I remember the first day Jan drove me around the island, on a busy ass highway, all of a sudden, all the cars, traveling both directions all put on their hazard lights and completely STOP to allow pedestrians cross the road!!!!!

The asian pedestrians facial expression of surprise, matched mine. I almost freaked out when I saw that. All I could think of was, wa wa wait a minute. At home, cars SPEED UP toward pedestrians!!!

So now, I have to keep my eyes peeled to look for the random people standing on the side of the road. Usually trying to get back to their Resort. And every time, I see that same look of confusion when the fast paced highway turns into a sort of walkway to the other side!

Speed limit. Ok, so... at home, going 5 over is just the norm. When it says 35, you go 40. MPH 50, car going 55! Well, HERE 40.... 40 is FAST! I mean, dont get me wrong... you have the speeders that fly past going like.... 50.. WOOHOO but, it took me awhile to get used to going 35. But now, now that I am used to it, i like it. I like being able to relax when I drive. It sounds funny coming from me, especially those who know me, but, who knows... maybe Ill stick with 35.... even back in the states...... HA

A walk in the park with a cute white dog

Memorial Park, Saipan

July 3rd 2010

Just a white girl and her white dog go for a lil walk....

Tasi boy sleeping after a lil walk in the park..... what a beautiful day

Laundry day

It has been awhile since I last blogged.

Life here is beginning to get into a steady motion. I am beginning to feel more and more like this is my home right now. Today was laundry day. The laundry facilities here are way different than home. Here they facility is completely open. You just walk up to it and there you are... inside hehe Washing here isnt cheap either, and before you know it, I might be washing by hand!!!! This picture was take from inside the car. That opening is NOT a glass win

dow... haha

Jan and I have been doing really at at trying to watch what we eat, but this morning when I was at Fresh market, I saw these cute little doughnut sized bisquits that were purple! Blueberry bread with a filling like cream cheese. But I dont think it was cream cheese... it had a lil less flavor than cream cheese. ANYWAYS, I must say, it was delicious! I love being able to try all these new foods! Vietnamese, Japanese, Thai, Indian, Chamarro, Chinese.....

Where have all the mangos gone?

Bad news everyone...... mangos, are ALL GONE... well at least for 6 months or so. It literally crushed my tender heart when Jan informed me that is why we havent gone to our trusty local fruit stand:

I dont know if I had put in this blog how amazing delicious the mangos are here. I loved mangos at home. I loved the flavor, and texture..... but at home, they were huge, and light in color and usually found for $1.50 EACH! Here, they are smaller, softer, so juicy and sweet! They have a flavor that makes you want to... well.... you get the picture. We could get a bag of 10 for $3! You can actually drive up to mango trees here, as long as they arent on someone property... and get them. The picture I am putting here are: 1) Jan getting mangos from the top of our car. 2) A road side mango spot at someones home. 3) the handmade basket with mangos

we got from the roadside stand.

2 Chicks on a Skinny Mission

So, I started yet another blog with my bestie Melanie. Both of us have over the years kind of let ourselves go on the healthy area and want to lose some weight. So, to help each other out, we started a blog together. It is a way for us to keep each other accountable for our daily intakes and exercises!

We are both blessed with a wonderful at home support system, but having each other is just that extra push I think we both need! We both have goals, and being we are so alike, we will be basically on the same regimen.

When I was little, I was little. But once I hit puberty, my weight skyrocketed. Since I was young, I always had doctors looking at my thyroid, bc it was visible to the eye that it was enlarged. I was put on medicines way back I believe when I was close to 15. I might be off a year or two. now, I am never going to point fingers, or do the blame game, or make any excuses for how my weight has been over the past 14 years, but so many factors in my life had a good job at NOT helping me!

I have always felt I had a beautiful face. I love my eyes, and my blonde hair (though that may change on occasion haha) I love my height and honestly, I love my curves. I just want to have um, shall I say LESS curve, more TONE! Even in my college times around the age of 18 I wanted to try plus size modeling. I am not ashamed to be called plus size! Hell, size 12!!!! Is considered plus size today!!! that is AVERAGE! haha I look at plus size models and think, damn they are sexy! I am not wanting to be a size 2, not even a size 6! I want to be closer to a 10-12! I dont look through fashion magazines and think, wow, I wish I was like her. I DO look through magazines and see the "average" girl, and think of that as my inspiration.

I once lost 40lbs in a matter of 6 months! I was so happy, had almost hit my target weight, then for whatever reason, quit on myself. I did have a personal trainer, but I lost the most weight when I was happy! I find when I am happy, on the inside, I work harder to be even MORE happy!

have you ever heard of The Secret? I know many people do not believe that only your thoughts can do ANYTHING in life, but I will tell you now, my thoughts have given me EVERYTHING in life. Including the bad things!!! Maybe not all of them, but especially the things that happen to me personally, if I questioned my ability, I couldnt do it. If i said, I will never do this, then I still havent. SO, one of the best things, out of the MANY that I got out of the secret was this phrase: "Believe and you shall Recieve"! If you stop with the I donts and replace them with the I wants, you will honestly see a difference in your attitude, which then affects your mood, which affects your outlook, and you bring more and more positivity your way, and before you know it, everything in your life is a positive. I will admit, I still and learning this! but, I can feel it! I know its true and in knowing that, I know that I am very close to living it!

No matter how much weight I may be, everyone (unless they are just being nice) always says that I do NOT look my weight. Which is something I can thank my height for.

To end this, I want to say, that I am so thankful for my life. I am thankful for my family, and my friends. For love, and laughter. I think we all need to just be thankful sometimes when we think about how bad we think we have it.

As Jan says to me, I say to you" If your not happy with it, then CHANGE it". damn I love that woman!

just a lil poem

I have never smelled

exactly what the earth smells like

till I stepped foot

on this land

the dirt and trees

and sea and grass

all fill the air.

I remember the feeling

of excitement

and nervousness

I had in my gut

as each step I took

was closer to you

I am in love with the island

the clouds are like actors

making shapes

in the sky

The sunsets are emotional

leaving you thankful

for today

and excited

for tomorrow

I am lucky

to wake each morning

and know I am where

I should be

the tastes

the sounds

the smells

and feels

all make this world

a world of its own

These are the three pictures I sent in to the photo contest here on the island for pictures of flame trees. I thought something close up, showing their beauty would be best. I love the first one! they all are so different in color. Red, orange, pinkish. They are so beautiful!

I might try to have a photo day tomorrow while jan is at work. You can submit as many as you want, and I would love to win. Not just for the $500, but just to say that I WON!! hahaha it would honestly make me feel so confident in my photography.