Okinawa has been referred to as the “Hawaii of the East.” As Japan’s southern most prefecture, the island of Okinawa offers a tropical climate that can be an easy escape from the more northern parts of the country. Memorial Day weekend gave my family a couple of days to take the quick trip and do a little exploring ourselves. We booked our trip through our base’s IACE Travel department, which made things so easy from the start. The flight…
Navigating Tokyo
Sometimes, well most times, military families do not get much of a decision when selecting a duty station. The Marine Corps sends my husband where he is needed, and the family just tags along; however, in our particular case, we were asked out of AZ, CA, & Japan, where would we like to go next? For us, Japan was the obvious choice. We sometimes get weird reactions when we tell people that, but we were born to travel. We want…
A Kid in Kyoto
The second most visited place in Japan is the city of Kyoto. With a population of over 1.4 million, the city is filled with tourist hot spots, and my family couldn’t wait to visit as many as possible. My husband, son and I decided to use Veteran’s Day weekend to take the 2 night, 3 day trip to the city. We had two options-drive 5 hours, or take the 2 hour Shinkansen (bullet train). I had been wanting to take…
The Beauty of Beaufort Book Deput
Written for Eat, Sleep, Play Beaufort Beaufort Inn’s Tabby Place was filled with fans, photographers and members of Friends of Hunting Island Thursday evening for the anticipated book debut and author signing of The Beauty of Beaufort. A year in the making, the book features over 175 image from 28 local contributors. Throughout the night, guests mingled, snacked on hors d’oeuvres, sipped wine and one lucky raffle winner even walked away with a free book. Publisher Lydia Inglett approached the…
MCAS Air Show pleases crowd of thousands
Written for Eat, Sleep, Play, Beaufort The bi-annual MCAS Beaufort Air Show officially kicked off on Saturday and by the time it’s over it will bring nearly 100,000 spectators to get a closer look at the myriad of historic military aircraft, modern jets, and of course the U.S. Navy Blue Angels. The much-anticipated event was free to the public with gates opening at 9am and the fun began the moment the public began to flood the entrance. Families could stroll…
Local Organization “Takes Back The Night” in Downtown Rally
Written for Eat, Sleep, Play, Beaufort Local non-profit, Hopeful Horizons (formerly known as CODA and Hope Haven) held their annual Take Back the Night awareness event to give a voice to survivors of sexual assault and child abuse. Held in Henry C. Chambers Waterfront Park pavilion Friday evening, survivors and volunteers spoke to over 100 people discussing awareness, prevention, and treatment. Surrounding the pavilion were 1,495 purple and green flags – one for every survivor of sexual, domestic, or child…
The Strength of a Military Spouse
On a recent Friday, I had a hometown friend tell me that her husband was leaving the next day for a work conference, and she would not see him again until the following Tuesday. I gave her a moment to vent a little, and I could hear a bit of sadness in her voice, but the truth was, I was annoyed. What I would give to have my husband leave for only three nights. When my husband leaves for a…
Why I’m Pro-Life
Maddox just turned 4 months old. Every night, I say the same prayer for him: to be protected, healthy, kept safe, and to one day accept Jesus as his Lord and Savior. I am a Christian, and I try my best to put God at the center of my life-every decision. Sometimes, I fail, but for this election, I held true to my values. When I look at Maddox, I realize how truly pro-life I am. The moment I heard…
Just Stop!
“Make sure to do squats.” “Definitely don’t do squats.” “Don’t go hungry. Eat plenty.” “Don’t eat too much. Stay under 35 pounds.” “Don’t jump too much.” “Jumping will help that baby come out.” “Riding a bike is a great cardio workout while pregnant.” “Riding a bike is the absolute worst thing you can possibly do while pregnant.” “Everything you can have in moderation, except alcohol. Do not touch it.” “You can have a glass of wine here and there. It’s…
Mimosas and a Baby Shower
My milspouse girlfriends celebrating Maddox. Maybe it was how I was raised. Maybe it is just my personality (maybe both?), but I have never been a huge fan of wedding or baby showers. I’ve been told countless times, “Micah, it’s not about you. It’s about ______.” Yes, I understand that, and I am completely ecstatic to celebrate in a friend’s happiness, but those couple of hours of celebration are so long… I’m not sure if it is any one thing…