Nayeli doesn't like Physical Contact

"I love Organic Soy Milk because regular cow's milk has abnormal growth hormones that causes cancer." - Nayeli, the real Baby Einstein
Whats that?
Godiva Chocolate Face
Whipping up an organic meal.

Volunteering this Christmas

For now on, we will not be purchasing gifts for family or friends for Christmas. This year marked the first year that we will be donating our time, money and efforts to those who are less fortunate than ourselves. It all started with an internet search, "volunteering". It came up with many results and I narrowed it down to something local and something that was easy for us to do as a family. www.volunteermatch.org We got to deliver Christmas presents to the needy.

This morning, we drove to the pickup point around 10 o'clock a.m. The charity organization, "A Wider Circle" loaded up a pallet full of Christmas presents into the back of our Ford Hybrid SUV and gave us the addresses of the people to whom we were going to deliver these gifts to.

It was so great seeing the children's faces light up when we delivered the gifts! They were so happy. When I took a peek at the inside of their dwellings, it looked like that most of these families had NOTHING. No couch, no bed, NOTHING at all. It smelled pretty bad and I felt really sad for them. It opened up my eyes and now I see that there really is a lot of poverty in our very own country. It was depressing. It took about three hours to deliver all the gifts.

I'm glad to have made a small difference in these families lives.

A visit to the National Museum of the Marine Corps

Exion in front of the National Museum of the Marine Corps

This museum was newly built, so you know what that means? You guessed it! It has state-of-the-art exhibits and gory scenes. Not really suitable for kids, especially the "Beachhead landing on Iwo Jima" simulation. Really freaky stuff. I really liked this museum. They tried to make it as realistic as possible. In some of the exhibits, you are immersed in the fighting action it seems. Loud gunfire and explosions all around you. Crazy, but cool. I can't believe that there is no admission fee. Expect to spend at least 3 or 4 hours there. The food at the Tun Tavern was good. 5 Stars.

Get more info here:
www.usmcmuseum.org


Vietnam War
Vietnam War
Chopper in the Lobby
Corpsman Up!
Korean War
The Lobby

This Job Takes Me Everywhere

Capitol Building (photo taken by somebody else since there is all this construction going on right now near the building)

Exion wearing a suit and tie to go work at the Capitol.

I never knew that being in the medical field as a biomedical engineer would take me to so many different places. I kinda like it. This time, it took me to the Capitol where I service the medical equipment for the U.S. House of Representatives, Senate and Congress staff. The Capitol really looks like what it looks like in the movies and on television. It is clean and spectacular. Unfortunately, I'm not allowed to photograph certain places. Too bad, because it is totally cool. I got to see swimming pools made out of marble, statues and many marvelous things. There's a lot of history here. I got to put my foot on the center of D.C. The center splits up the Senate (North?), House (South?), Executive Branch (West?) and Judicial Branch (East?). Hmm... :p

Yes, there is deer roaming freely out and about in Bethesda, Maryland. Here is a picture of some in front of my car.

Jumped in Line with the Admiral

NNMC Ball Picture 2007.

Me and Soco showed up to the ball fashionably late. It started around 1730 (5:30 for you civilians), we got there about 19:00 and jumped in the buffet line with the Admiral! He shook our hands ((again), he already did when we first got to Bethesda) and he thanked us for showing up. He also noticed Soco's belly and congradulated us (again). Funny.

The NNMC Holiday Ball was full of events. Lots of really good singing. I was really shocked at the people who sang. They were really good. They could be the next American Idol, they were so good. Well anyways, lots of holiday cheer, chit-chat, drinks and fancy food.

Happy Holidays!

Dance!
Pick me up!
Holiday Ball, X in a Tux and Soco in a Maternity Dress

It snowed last week. We got three inches. Boy, it was slippery.

Trip to the Smithsonian Museum of Natural History

Nayeli Explores D.C.
Nayeli sees Dinosaurs
The White House, December 2007
The Washington Monument
Chinatown, D.C. As soon as I got off the train in Chinatown, the aroma of fresh duck was in the air. It smelled so good! I'll check it out later.
Christmas Tree across from the White House.
Dinosaur Bones
Giraffe's have valves and chambers in their necks to prevent water from flowing backwards when they drink water.
Nayeli loved the bone exhibit. She was saying, "Oooooooo!!!", a lot!

First Time Taking the Metro

View outside window of Yellow Line Metro Train

We decided to get brave and take the train to Pentagon City's Fashion Mall in Virginia. It was an hour away from where we live taking the Metro. It wasn't too bad. The train isn't as packed as they are in Japan. Maybe because it was the weekend. I dunno. The people who take the train look a little rough though. I guess I should beware of taking the train in the middle of the night.

Nayeli loves putting on makeup already?!?
Pointing at Camera
Hmm... Reindeer are interesting.

Inside Subway, Chinatown, D.C.

We didn't get a chance to explore Chinatown yet. Maybe later. It was too cold and it was getting late.

Working Late at the Armed Services Blood Bank Center

Syphilis Test for blood donors

No Eating, Smoking, Makeup and Farting

Hours here can be long if there are a lot of blood donors. The bags of blood must be analyzed for diseases before being frozen and stored for later use.

We finally got our HHG!

Biomed Christmas Tree(Multi-channel Infusion Pumps on a stick.)

We finally received our household goods! It took exactly two months from packout to shipment arrival at our doorstep. As expected, some of our nice furniture got scraped up and our dining room chair set had mold growth. I figure that the move from Japan must've been really humid! We washed everything and most of it came out okay.

Weekend in D.C.

Last weekend proved to be an exciting and scary weekend. We decided to do a driving tour of D.C. with our electronic navigator. Washington, D.C. roads are VERY CONFUSING! If you are not from here, then you should get a navigator. I punched in, "California Pizza Kitchen" into our navigator and it gave me six results. The one I selected took us through the Capitol and landed us next to the Pentagon. Being next to the Pentagon was quite an experience. It is hard to imagine a plane crashing into it. The building really isn't as big as it is portrayed to be in photos and television.

I'm still culture shocked from being in Japan for so long. I keep sticking my hands under the public sinks expecting it to automatically wash my hands. I keep expecting that the hand dryer will actually dry my hands in 5 seconds. I keep expecting that there will be a 7-11 nearby so I can buy a gourmet freshly prepared meal ready-to-eat on the cheap. The vending machines here suck. I must drive to get anywhere. I'm craving Coco's Curry, genuine sushi, Ramen shops, Udon and Tonkatsu-wako. I miss Japan.

Halloween @ NNMC Bethesda Child Development Center

Child Development Center (CDC) did a Make-believe (Halloween) Parade. The kids got to dress up and show off their costumes.
Nayeli was a Puppy this year.
Nayeli danced to the music!
Nayeli's Teachers
"Don't be silly! Put away that camera." - Soco

Fun in Wheaton

Nayeli in her throne
Chocolate Face - Nayeli loves chocolate cookies
She is so excited to see a fresh bottle of Milk!
Playing with Fairies
Ghosts in our Apartment
Halloween Pumpkin

We made it!

Exion riding in the backseat with Nayeli

This is Nayeli's first roadtrip in the United States. We started in Little Rock, Arkansas and will end our trip at Bethesda, Maryland. I was kinda shocked at how much stuff I can fit in my little Nissan Sentra. I had to be creative and play Tetris with the inside of my car's trunk space and seating space. I wanted to have as much room as possible in the backseat for Nayeli and one adult. So yes, I had to be creative. Passenger seat was filled, the trunk, the spare tire bin underneath the trunk and one seat in the back was completely filled. I prayed that all the extra weight wouldn't take a huge toll on my poor car. Well, it didn't. Thank goodness, Nayeli's bathtub was an inflatable duck.

Soco driving through Virginia
Nayeli at National Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland
Aristocat Baby

We decided to have Nayeli try out a cat costume at the Disney Store in Roanoke, Virginia. It was too funny.



Building 3200
We are the first ones to live in this neighborhood.

Now, compared to our living situation in Japan, this place is almost double what we had in Japan. 1,700 square foot! High ceilings, utilities paid for, close to work, the works. Our apartment search was finally OVER!

Soco's Hybrid. It gets 34 miles per gallon which is kinda like a car. Not great, but good for a SUV.
Our Cars. Believe it or not, Soco's SUV uses less gas than my car. Mine gets 22-27 mpg. Go figure.