Yoga Mama

Bali Orphanage

2010-01-17T14:51:00.001+09:00

Moraccan Night - Belly Dancing

2009-05-16T19:43:00.000+09:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Thailand - Bangkok, Phuket & Phi Phi Islands

2009-01-24T19:07:00.000+09:00

Make a Smilebox slideshow

Marissa's 1st Piano Recital

2009-01-11T14:17:00.002+09:00

Marissa Playing "Ode to Joy"

2009-01-09T19:30:00.002+09:00

Marissa has her first piano recital tomorrow at the Chapel of Hope on base and we're very excited for her. She's been practicing 2 songs 5 times every day. Mozart's "Ode to Joy" which she will perform solo (see video below), and a duet "Sleeping Beauty Waltz" with her piano teacher. She's practiced them both so much that she can play them both from memory. We're so proud of our Rissa-Roo-Roo!

Thank You Grandma!

2008-12-28T23:24:00.009+09:00

Thanks for sending your Christmas package for the girls, they were so excited to open it! Liana wore her dress to church today and Kelea wouldn't take hers off (so she's sleeping in it). She loves anything pink and the hearts were a bonus. :) How did you know Marissa likes High School Musical? I didn't even know that. She hasn't seen the movie, but when she saw your shirt she said, "Oh! I LOVE High School Musical!" :) I can't believe you had time to send all of us something before your trip to visit Caleb! Hope you're having fun with them in Germany! They're such fun hosts, I wish we could go back again. I've even looked into doing another MAC flight there but it was much easier to do from Virginia than it would be from this side of the world. Thanks also for the sweet Christmas card. It meant a lot this year especially since we're really missing family. Call us on Skype soon! WE LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!!!!!

Christmas Eve

2008-12-25T14:06:00.006+09:00

So Many Christmas Parties!

2008-12-22T17:27:00.002+09:00

Decorating the Tree

2008-12-15T16:00:00.003+09:00

Seoul, Korea (Ladies' Trip)

2008-11-30T00:06:00.000+09:00

Each month I plan a fun activity for our spouses' club from the hospital the "Oakleaf Club", my little subgroup is called the "Adventure Club". We travel to foreign countries, try new outdoor adventures and have a great time doing it! For the month of November I planned a ladies' trip to Korea but the only people who were able to go were my friends Dayna & Lindi (from church not Oakleaf) so our wonderful hubbies watched our kiddos for that 3 day weekend we were gone.
One of the highlights of our trip was getting the chance to see our good friend Nathalie (our French friend who moved from here to there last summer). We had fun with her as our tour guide. Our first full day in Seoul was my favorite, starting with the DMZ tour. It was so exciting to be on the border of North & South Korea, to learn about the history (from our adorable tour guide whose favorite comment was "It's a problem". Like when she explained how they had to shut down a joint factory on the border "Kaesong Industrial Park" because some of the workers sent balloons into N. Korea with messages that promoted democracy. I don't see that being a problem, but apparently the not-so-great ruler of North Korea does. I also enjoyed seeing the train station the South Koreans built (but no one uses) in hopes of one day the border opening up again. I kept thinking "If you build it, they will come..." We even got to tour some tunnels that were dug by the North Koreans, leading into South Korea. After our tour we went to the amethyst factory (my birthstone). Even though I don't like jewelry, I had to buy some cute amethyst butterfly necklaces for my girls. That night we went to an awesome show called Nanta. My friend Dayna described it best when she said "It was a dance, comedy, drum, musical event that was incredible. It was like Stomp but better because it had knives and drumming." Afterward we went to Nandaenun Market and where we tried to bargain but got yelled at for doing so. If I didn't love those 8 headbands I got for my girls so much, I would have just left the store but they were worth the abuse. :) Koreans are very proud of their products (because they're not made in China and will show you every chance they get that the tag says, "Made in Korea". I never knew this was a selling point, but I tried to look very impressed when she showed me. The following day we went to Nathalie's beautiful palace/apartment to have brunch and see more of the city. She took us to the art district where we saw some amazing street performances. After buying way too many cute things for my girls we ate some delicious Korean Barbecue. We wanted to see the Korea House next but it was too late and too cold so we warmed up at the onsen in Nathalie's building instead. I've gotten use to communal bathing with other women, it's so relaxing, strange but true. Afterward we went upstairs to the apartment for hot cocoa and laughing about funny memories. We got back to the hotel late but still had enough energy to play with the toys we bought for our kids (see photos of Dayna & Lindi shooting arrows in our hotel room). The next morning we were sad to say good-bye to our fun girls' weekend (and Korea) but we were also missing our kiddos. I'm so grateful to have such awesome travel buddies! Good times!

Kelea Cooking, Turkey Bowl & Dinner with Friends!

2008-11-20T04:51:00.002+09:00

Yes, it's my favorite time of year (Fall) and the leaves on the hillside outside our window are changing into colorful warm hues. Did I ever remember to thank you taxpayers who are providing us with this gorgeous view? Thank YOU! We have much to be grateful for this year but especially most importantly our 3 little girls. They are the most precious gifts that God could have entrusted us with. I love how each of them are so different (Marissa the smart and strong tomboy, Kelea the dancing fun girly girl & Liana our tender-hearted most kind and loving 2 year old I've ever known.) Can you tell who my baby is? :) They love to help mom with whatever it is I'm doing so it was no surprise that when I started baking my annual pumpkin bread for Thanksgiving (yes, I only bake once a year) that they wanted to be my little assistant chefs. So here is a video of Kelea cracking open her first egg and stirring the batter. I know, thrilling footage but we think it's cute. :) As we were doing this, Sean was playing football in the rain with some friends (every year he organizes a "Turkey Bowl" with other guys from work & church. Then we all went to Lindi's house for Thanksgiving dinner with the Snow family as well. The food was amazing (of course with Dayna & Lindi cooking) we brought rolls & drinks. :) She had a kids' table that was so cute it looked like something I did 2 years ago for our last Thanksgiving with friends in Virginia. (Turkey hand prints on the tablecloth for them to color on, Indian headbands, face painting, etc). I'm including a picture of it since I didn't bring a camera with me to Lindi's (Marissa looks so little in this picture when she was 4).So after a yummy ice cream dessert we headed over to Colleen's place to hang out with some friends from the hospital. It was a busy day but it kept me distracted from thinking about how much I miss my family during this holiday season. It's been 1 year since I've seen my brothers or sisters so we're hoping to go home for a visit soon (March).

Tokyo Disneyland - Again...

2008-11-15T06:25:00.000+09:00

Last year we took our girls to Disneyland around the same time but instead of going on Veteran's Day (when we thought it wouldn't be crowded) we decided to take our friends' advice & go on a Wednesday. This meant taking Marissa out of school for 1 day but she rarely gets sick & misses any days so we thought it would be a nice reward for her getting selected as the "Golden Book student". We almost kept Kelea in her Japanese preschool to give Marissa our undivided attention but since Kelea is right in the midst of that "magical princess phase" we couldn't resist taking her with us. Liana on the other hand isn't yet old enough or patient enough to understand waiting in line is worth the ride. Last year she did not have fun and neither did we trying to entertain her in line for an hour. The lines were so much better mid-week (20 minutes tops, and "Small World" wasn't even a wait. Here are some cute shots of our girls that day.

Our Golden Book Girl & Citizen of the Month

2008-11-10T15:41:00.001+09:00

We were very fortunate to have Ms. Carlin as Marissa's 1st grade teacher (she goes WAY above and beyond for her students). Like her Wednesday night phone calls to all the parents in her class (yes, every week) updating them on their child's progress and to answer any questions they might have. She is also very academic and introduces the latest learning methods for students at every level. Marissa is in the "advanced reading group" and Mrs. Carlin has started her on 2nd grade homework booklets. It's so great to see a teacher encouraging their students to excel and move ahead instead of letting them get bored and keeping them all at the same pace. She also selected Marissa as the "Golden Book student" & "Citizen of the Month" from her class (as a reward for good behavior). She received this same award last year from Mrs. Rose (also an amazing teacher) who according to Mrs. Carlin still checks on Marissa and asks about her everytime she sees Mrs. Carlin. I knew she loved Marissa, but thought she'd forget about her after getting new students. It's very sweet that she keeps tabs on her progress. :) The highlight for Marissa getting this award was being on the school TV morning program. She was also excited that Dad got to see it this year and that we both were there to escort her to the office where she signed the "Golden Book" with a gold pen. Our reward to her was a day off school and a trip to Tokyo Disneyland with Mom & Dad (nice that it's so close). Now if I could just figure out how I can get her to stay on her "golden behavior" at home. :)

Halloween "Under the Sea"

2008-11-05T21:39:00.000+09:00

Our family tradition is to dress up every year as a "theme" so this year Marissa got to choose what she wanted to be (which was Ariel from "The Little Mermaid") so Kelea wanted to be Sebastian the Crab, Liana was Flounder the fish, I was Ursula the Sea Witch and Sean was King Triton. I don't know how to sew but was able to make all these costumes using office supplies (staples, adhesive, pins, etc.) Don't look too closely at the pictures, you'll see the costumes are just barely holding together. Next year I'm going to choose a costume that doesn't have tentacles (very difficult to make and walk with). :) But our girls had fun trick or treating as a family all dressed up. Halloween on base here is always a huge affair because in Japan people don't pass out candy so the base opens up to the Japanese kids for trick or treating and it's a massive amount of kids. We went through 12 bags of candy and by 6:30 were out. It's so fun to see little Japanese kids who are trick or treating for the first time and their excitement!

Sports Day at Kelea's Japanese Preschool

2008-10-30T23:31:00.011+09:00

Here are some clips from "Sports Day" (it's a national holiday in Japan) and Kelea's preschool had a "mini olympics" where the kids show off their physical skills. This first video is of Kelea's dance routines (one with Mom), the second is showing some of the different games we played (races, obstacles courses, relays, etc.) The one with the woman in a red t-shirt running with a box is my friend Nina (from church who went with us to Bali). She and I make up a very small group of Americans at the school (her daughter was the first 1 they accepted). The last video is of Sean and our class' "Daddy Team" winning the "tug-o-war". They had to beat the teachers to get to the finals. :) Even though I didn't understand anything they said and looked like a dork trying to follow their dance moves, I still loved being a part of the experience. :)

Family Kayaking - Another Adventure

2008-10-23T06:29:00.016+09:00

A couple of weeks ago we decided to take our girls on their first kayaking trip and teach them how paddle. It was a perfect fall day and the weather couldn't have been more ideal (blue skies, 72 degrees). I actually planned this activity for Oakleaf's "Adventure Club" but we were the only ones who thought taking our family kayaking would be more fun than shopping in a parking garage (the local bazaar). I've been to the bazaar before and it is interesting to see all the art & furniture but I just can't be inside when it's my favorite time of year and the weather is like San Diego. Most of you also know that I'm not much of a shopper and prefer to be outdoors doing something active. I guess a nice rug would be good to have but when Sean offered to buy one for $3,000 I told him absolutely NOT! That could be a week's vacation to Australia for our whole family! You can't take a rug with you when you die, but you can take the memory of feeding kangaroos with your kids. :) I also want my girls to learn that there's more to life than how many material things you can acquire. (We're still trying to learn that lesson too). I want them to be active, healthy, adventurous, and bold women who aren't afraid to try new things and do whatever they set their minds to accomplishing rather than being focused on their appearance and being the average American female consumer who's influenced by marketing ads and Paris Hilton trends. OK, I'll get off my soapbox now... We had such a great time showing our girls around Tokyo Bay (but most of the time we stayed near the base & marina). We did paddle over to Japan's historic "Mikasa" ship and Sean told our family about why that ship was so important in Japanese history (it helped them defeat the Russians). As we kayaked past Mikasa park the onlookers were waving at our girls and saying "kawaii" (cute). They did look adorable in their yellow life vests trying to paddle and splashing each other. Sean had our 2 toddlers with him (in his 2 man kayak) and I had Marissa with me in mine. Kelea kept wanting to catch the seagulls so we kept paddling near them to share some of our picnic lunch but then they'd quickly fly off when we got too close. She also kept saying, "Mommy look at the pretty sparkles on the water!" She loved watching the sunshine reflecting all around her. It was such a perfect day and another wonderful memory made with our precious little ones. I love experiencing life through their eyes. It's priceless!

Pre-Halloween Festivities

2008-10-20T07:33:00.001+09:00

We celebrated Halloween a bit early with some of our Japanese friends in Kamakura (the Japanese congregation from our church). Tarina (the one in the blonde wig) and I drove the youth from our church up there to participate in the fun (limbo dancing, hitting candy out of a pinata and playing a few Japanese games). Good times had by all!

Meeting Japan's #1 Sumo Wrestler - Hakuho!

2008-10-11T07:22:00.012+09:00

I'm not sure what was more fun, being the only non-Japanese guests in a room of 200 people or meeting the new "yokozuna" (the top Sumo wrestler in the world). Probably the former since I enjoy being different and seeing the quizzical looks on people's faces when they tried not to act surprised that someone had invited a gaijin couple to this special occasion. So how did we get so lucky? Sean has some very generous friends who were kind enough to let us join them. He's the "Japanese Internship Director" for the hospital (in addition to his real job) so they'll occasionally invite him to things because he's fluent enough in Japanese that he could go to something like this and appreciate it. :) I thought we were just going to dinner with Tomoko and her husband (the intern) but then we walked up to this convention center where people are bowing to greet us outside, inside, at the elevators, near the doorway to the banquet hall (and of course we're bowing back all along the way). That's just the beginning of the bowing... we bow when his friends introduce Sean to their friends (each person individually) then Sean introduces me and I say my standard (hajimemashite) and bow. I really need to take lessons again from Yuko so I can speak more than just a few simple phrases. So after the mayor of Yokosuka and a few other people we didn't know spoke then Hakuho came out and made is grand entrance. We got in line to meet him and he was surprised that Sean spoke so well. The dinner was amazing too, what a fun night and an awesome memory. Our Japanese friends on base said we were lucky to meet Hakuho, they said it's very difficult even for them. Most Americans would not be impressed but we're just having a great time here in Japan discovering a whole new world!

Missing My "Political Activista"!

2008-10-07T15:46:00.029+09:00

The election season makes me think of Scarlett, one of my favorite friends who is the most passionate person I've ever met (especially when it comes to politics). She's half Puerto Rican so she was born with a distinct advantage of winning arguments based on her ability to throw out facts & figures at the speed of light with all the heat & conviction of a jalepeno pepper (going to law school helped a bit too). She just sent me a sweet email that made me start to reminiss. (That's her and I with Admiral Cullison's wife when we served on the Oakleaf board together.) We met in Virginia (our girls Marissa and Emma became best friends) and we helped each other through some of the hardest years of our lives. Together we survived 5 year surgical residency programs with 3 kids and husbands who lived at the hospital. We were in the Head & Neck/ENT Surgical program they were in the Orthopedic Surgical program. I say "we" were in the program because if you ask any wife who has gone through this type of medical training with their husbands and actually stayed married they will tell you that it's a shared experience of chronic stress, late-night arguments, special occasions missed or interrupted because of constantly being on-call, helping their husbands spend their "time off" studying for the next morning of "pimping" (a barrage of questions from attending physicians), helping with research, being there to support them in their darkest hours of frustration and their life line to continue on through sleep deprivation and 100 hour work weeks. Only someone who has been through this type of intense training program will understand (not all residencies are alike). Scarlett was also my right hand woman when I was Oakleaf President (a Navy service organization) in Portsmouth, she was my 1st Vice President. We shared the same vision of changing the focus of our club from being a social/service group for mainly senior officer wives to more of a support and service organization to help junior officer spouses survive residency (like us). We managed to double the membership and raised thousands of dollars for the hospital (with the help of our amazing auction committee) and sympathetic business owners who donated their services for our auction (they had a hard time saying no to my pregnant belly and 2 kids in tow). But as they say in the Navy "no good deed goes unpunished." We did have to endure some serious drama from a couple of the "career" spouses. They didn't like any idea that wasn't theirs and getting their feathers ruffled by no-name resident wives like us (who planned on getting out of the Navy). It's frustrating for people who have to kiss *** to be around other people who don't have to kiss *** . We were such rebels, but with a good cause which the junior officer wives appreciated because we helped make the club more down-to-earth with our family-friendly activities and support systems. We cried on each other's shoulders after meetings where our "advisor" would say negative things and make under-her-breath remarks about our ideas (as if we weren't stressed enough going through residency & both being pregnant with our 3rd). I remember one time Scarlett called me really upset from all the drama and ready to quit her volunteer position with Oakleaf. I told her if you quit then I'm quitting with you! We were such loyal friends, supporting each other through thick & thin. To quote McCain she's "an oak among saplings". But one of her most endearing qualities is her undying love for our country and protecting its freedom (did I also mention her dad is a Marine who served in Iraq?) I miss speaking with her about current events and politics on a regular basis (instead of the same old SAHM talk about kids, housework and shopping). She was always listening to Talk Radio at home, in the car, wherever so that when we met at the park, our kids' ballet class, at the gym or pool she could catch me up on the latest commentary about the war and what's going on in Washington. Right now she is 8 months pregnant (with her 4th child) and is out there campaigning for McCain/Palin with the heart of a lion! She's even naming her daughter "Sarah" in honor of our next V.P :) (A woman after my own heart). I volunteered on McCain's campaign several years ago in San Diego when the RNC came to town. They thought I was Hispanic (I'm darker in the summer) and because there aren't many female minorities in the Republican party I was quickly escorted to the front row where the cameras could see me. But I never ended up meeting McCain. The year prior I stood in line to have his book "Faith of My Fathers" signed for Sean & my dad (McCain reminded me of my dad because they were both Navy pilots who went to the Academy and flew in Vietnam.) But after an hour of waiting, I gave my books to a friend who was in line too so I could go to my other friend's debut performance in a local musical. I regret not waiting around and meeting McCain but at least my Dad and Sean have personalized books signed by our future President. :) Scarlett, I admire how dedicated you are to your beliefs and your conviction about our great nation. You are a true patriot and have been such an inspiration to me. I wish you were here in Japan, we could go around base trying to convince people to send in their absentee ballots and letting them know that "every vote counts". Please listen to the song "Capri" on this playlist because it reminds me of you. I know that precious baby girl you are carrying will not only be blessed with your stunning beauty but more importantly with your strength of character, moral integrity and passionate spirit. I miss you so much! All my love....K

Back to Bali (Ladies' Trip)

2008-09-29T15:05:00.038+09:00

PASSING OUT BOOKS FROM MY SUITCASE FRIENDS DONATED FOR THEM
OUR ELEPHANT PLAYING THE HARMONICA MY GUIDE & I RUNNING OUR HORSES ON THE BEACH
Yes, I went to Bali again...please don't hate me. I know I just went with Sean in May but my friend Melissa REALLY wanted to go and completely twisted my arm. :) So I saved up my little money from teaching yoga and English (for 3 months) so I could go with my friend (who watched our girls while Sean and I went to Bali last time). After I told her about it she couldn't wait to go so we took 2 other girlfriends and had a blast. Some things I had done before with Sean (elephant riding, surfing, Balinese dances) but some I hadn't like jet-skiing, riding horses on the beach (Nina & I ran ours) and flying about 9 stories high in the sky behind a boat on a air mattress (called a Flying Fish). That was fun! I also had the opportunity of delivering 62 children's books to a local school (books that my friends from church and the Oakleaf Club donated and I brought in my suitcase). That was the highlight of my trip. I truly love the Balinese people, there is something about their culture that makes me want to keep coming back here. Next year I'll bring my girls they would love it. Remind me to tell you the story of when I was doing yoga on the beach and was almost run over by a bulldozer. Also, the story of Melissa acting as my bodyguard and getting physical with a local shopkeeper. Later..I don't want to make this post too long.

MEETING COLBIE CALLIAT in TOKYO!!

2008-09-28T19:29:00.011+09:00

If you haven't heard of my favorite singer (Colbie Calliat) some of her best songs are playing on my playlist for your listening pleasure. :) I usually have at least one of her songs playing on my blog but after meeting her on Friday night I can't stop listening to her, the show was THAT good. It was my friend Celeste's 30th birthday so I thought it'd be fun if we all took her up to Tokyo and went to the concert. We had SO much fun, especially since most of us are moms who haven't yet been to a concert in Japan. What was even better was the venue was so small (only 300 people) and we got there early so she was singing seriously 5 feet from us. It was AMAZING!!! She is uber talented and on key with every song. We were the only Americans there so we had a fairly easy time meeting her outside after the show. (I didn't think we would because the Japanese security guards weren't letting us backstage even though I jokingly offered them 2,000 yen - $20) and pretended not to understand when they asked me to leave. :) Yes, my friend Renee said I went from cool to "geeked out" when I met Colbie but she is just WAY BEYOND any other female singer right now. What I love about her is she's so down-to-earth, beachy, cool, understated and honest with her whole style and music. She's like a female Jack Johnson. I LOVE HER!!!

The GW Carrier Comes Home to Protests

2008-09-26T13:01:00.005+09:00

The aircraft carrier USS George Washington is replacing the USS Kittyhawk (a carrier my dad flew jets off of back in the 60's). But now this new carrier is nuclear powered (which obviously brings back painful memories for the Japanese people) so many of them held protests prior to the GW's arrival and on the day it came into port. I teach English off base near the bay every other Thursday and this past week I taught happened to be the same day the carrier came home. My Japanese students take the train from Yokohama (30 minutes north) so stepping out of the station and seeing the protests near the base got their hearts pounding. They had to pass through a couple of demonstrations on their way from the train station to our meeting place, but they were fine, the Japanese protesters aren't violent. Compared to European protesters they are quite civilized and non-threatening. They raise their voices and shout at times but mainly they're just a well-organized group of disgruntled people holding signs. I can see both sides of the argument but the GW is not being reassigned to another location so we'll just have to be a little nicer to our Japanese friends off base and help them get through this awkward transition. Gomen! (Sorry)! I should have baked the protesters some homemade chocolate chip cookies. It's hard to be mad if you're eating something sweet. :) Peace, love & cookies!

Dayna's Olympic Surprise Party in China?

2008-09-01T01:53:00.009+09:00

It all started with this crazy invitation on people's doorsteps...when I invited my friends to a "Beijing Olympics themed" surprise birthday party (10 days ago when the Olympics were still going) for my close friend Dayna (yes, that's her head on the invite & a medal on her neck). The Chinese robe is draped over a bottle of Martinelli's Sparkling Cider and the fan in her belt has the invitation written on the inside. This was my poor attempt to combine her birthday celebration with the Olympics: "Confucius say... You are invited to join us at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing where an honorary gold medal will be given to Dayna for her winning performance 27 years ago swimming freestyle in the hospital delivery room!" Yes, it's a stretch but that's just how my brain works! So if you read the post earlier about Marissa and I going to Chinatown for the decorations you'll know we found some fun ones (Chinese lanterns, Chinese print table runners, placemats, napkins, etc.) Oh, and the hardest thing to find in Japan - Chinese fortune cookies! Which we did find in Chinatown and they even came in cute little Chinese take-out boxes. I put those in silky Asian drawstring bags as party favors. We also had a friend (who is a gourmet chef & teaches cooking classes on base) cook all the Chinese dishes during the party in my own little kitchen! Everything was so tasty! Lisa brought the yummy dessert we put candles on & Renee made a tasty "Gold Medal Punch". Everyone helped put up lanterns as they were arriving early and set the table. They also helped me make more last minute Olympic torches (tissue paper flames in a gold cardboard base). We put gold confetti in them and when she came inside we tossed the confetti from the torches on her. It was so much fun, I love surprising people! :) For the entertainment Lindi thought of some "Olympic games" we could compete in. The one she thought of... Couples' Syncronized Swimming! Too funny! Each couple competed (syncronized dancing) for 40 seconds to their favorite song, trying to stay in sync & were judged by numbers afterward. It was the highlight of the night, it was hysterical! We gave fake little medals to Dayna & Garrett for the "most fun to watch". :) The girls also made Dayna go through our "Chinese Torture - Spanking Machine" (Lindi & I share that same family tradition, weird but fun). Thanks to everyone's help we had an awesome night and accomplished our goal of helping the birthday girl realize how much she means to all of us. She's always doing things for everyone else (she was my shoulder to cry on when I came back to Japan from Dad's funeral). She's 1 in a million and I'm blessed to have her as a friend. Happy Birthday D! We love you!

Marissa's Grown Up - Straight Hair, Chinatown & 1st Grade!

2008-08-27T12:30:00.007+09:00

I bought a "Chi" straightening iron so that Marissa would no longer have to stand in front of the mirror and attempt to straighten her hair by dowsing her hair with water then pressing it down against her head with her hands. :) It was fun to watch but frustrating for her once her hair dried curly again. So last Sunday I took a few extra minutes with her to flat iron it. She absolutely loved it and everyone kept complimenting her (how grown up she looked). I don't want her to grow up too fast so I told her only on Sundays and special occasions. :) She also just started 1st grade this week and loves her new teacher who is a bit strict (according to Marissa) but very dedicated and caring. She's one of their best teachers, we're so lucky to be in her class this year. She really emphasizes advanced reading, which is good because Marissa's Kindergarten teacher said she was her best reader last year. We've been practicing sight words with Marissa and now she knows 200 on the Dolch list (they're suppose to know 220 by the END of 1st grade so we're happy with how fast she's progressing). She's got her Dad's knack for memorization, definitely not her mom's. Also, last week before school started I decided to have a little 1 on 1 time with her so I arranged childcare for our other 2 girls and we hopped a train to Chinatown in Yokohama. She felt like such a "big girl" with her own train ticket and using it like a pro. We had such fun exploring all the interesting shops together. She got a Chinese silk covered notebook, compact mirror and a ring. But the trip wasn't all about Marissa, I had to go up there to buy Chinese decorations for my friend Dayna's birthday party (which I'll post pictures of later). I found some great lanterns, placemats, napkins and fortune cookies. It's funny, but in the States it's actually easier to find fortune cookies than in Japan (since they're Chinese). Before going to Chinatown I'd go into the Japanese 100 yen stores (like our Dollar stores back in the US) and I'd ask them for Chinese decor but they thought I didn't know what country I was living in because they'd get all offended and say, "No, this Japan. NOT China!" But we had fun in together just the two of us and I was able to find everything I needed for the party!

Girls Will Be Girls

2008-08-26T14:21:00.000+09:00

Just a rainy afternoon at home with my girly girls. They love to put on Marissa's dance recital costumes from when she was their age (I miss our RPM Dance School back home). Then we put on their favorite "Learn How to Dance with Barbie Princess" DVD and they have fun twirling around the room trying not to bump into one another. I'm really loving this time in their lives, they are so adorable together. I don't want them to grow up, this stage is too much fun! (Sorry about having to listen to my annoying overly animated and excited "Mommy voice" during their performance). :)

Children's Hall - Tokyo

2008-08-25T16:44:00.000+09:00

A couple of friends from church (Lisa and Bonnie) came with me to check out the Children's Hall in Tokyo. We took our kiddos up on the train and after a few wrong turns out of Shibuya station decided to just take a cab. But the taxi driver didn't understand when I said, "Children's Hall" he said, "Baby? Babies?" So I called Sean (my on-call translator) he looked up the address of the Hall online at his work and then I handed the phone to the driver so Sean could tell him in Japanese where it was. Yes, he does come in handy. We caught the end of a puppet show that our girls weren't thrilled with because they couldn't understand it but then we went upstairs and they had fun in the woodshop, making crafts, playing on the indoor playground and the Haunted House. (I guess they're getting into Halloween early here). All in all it was fun but next time we'll go when it's a little cooler and the Japanese schools are back in session. Thanks Lisa & Bonnie for agreeing to come with me on another adventure in the city!

Jet Skiing in Japan

2008-08-13T16:20:00.002+09:00

Summer is coming to a close and I've been missing our friends the Kents back in Virginia who would take us on their boat waterskiing and jet skiing. When I would go boating with them it reminded me of all those summers I spent with my family on our ski boat at Scott's Flat in northern California waterskiing and having fun tubing. But in Japan, especially around Yokosuka there aren't many places lake you can waterski, mainly just Tokyo Bay which is choppy, semi-polluted water. So I asked around and found a place on Zushi Beach that rents Jet Skis. I took my friend Melissa up with me (who had never Jet Skied before). We got to the rental shop and found out that in Japan you need a license to operate a Jet Ski which requires a practical and written exam. They only offer the English exam twice a year (July & Feb) so we had to hire a "trainer" to operate the Jet Ski and we rode on the back. It ended up being almost as much fun as doing it myself. Our trainer was super cool and rode way faster than I normally do. It was so fun just laughing & screaming with Melissa. Here's a clip where we were going slower so I could film it without my camera flying into the ocean. Fun in the sun!!! Sad to see summer end...

Farewell Middletons

2008-07-30T06:01:00.002+09:00

We had to say goodbye to my first friend I met here in Japan (Melissa Middleton). She is such a sweetheart and has been an amazingly kind friend the entire year we've known each other. She is one of 3 good friends I've had to say good-bye to this year (but such is the military life). We had fun taking the train up to Yokohama and eating at CPK (California Pizza Kitchen). Yes, it was the real deal. No weird squid on pizza, it was the authentic place you would find in any Southern California neighborhood. We had a great time that night with our closest 5 couple friends from our church in Japan. We ended up going shopping afterward and missing out on Cold Stone Creamery (yes, that mall has one of those too)! Oh well, next time we're up there. We will miss you George & Melissa! Please stay in touch via email and your new blog - so cute! Good luck with your move and we hope you enjoy Utah!

Monks, Monkeys & Mountains - Our Trip to Nikko

2008-07-20T22:04:00.007+09:00

We drove north to Nikko for the weekend and had a wonderful time there with the girls. Nikko is nestled in the mountains and is best known for its history of the famous Shogun "Tokugawa" and the 17th century Toshogu Shrine built in his honor. We got there late Friday night (took a wrong turn & ended up in the heart of Tokyo but we made it out eventually). That night we stayed at Nikko Park Lodge (thanks to our friends at the hospital for telling us about this family-friendly gem). It's owned by "Zen Ryu" a Buddhist monk who teaches yoga each morning in their beautiful yoga studio (see photos) which I woke up early for and thoroughly enjoyed. That day we drove to Kegan Falls where we saw amazing waterfalls. The girls also found these toy monkeys to wear around their necks that you see them wearing in all the photos (since monkeys are common in Nikko). We did see one by the road on our way home. We also saw a few famous temples & shrines as well as Lake Chuzenji. To get to the lake we had to drive high into the mountains where the Buddhist monks used to live and meditate. We ate lunch then rented a swan shaped paddle boat that fit all 5 of us. This was the highlight of our trip for the girls. They each took turns steering & paddling. That night we came back to the lodge to relax and eat dinner. I had the "Gourmet Vegan Dinner" prepared by "Zen" himself (delicious), the girls had spaghetti and Sean had curry. Afterward we all took a Japanese bath in their private "onsen" which we reserved just for our family. It was a fun "only in Japan" experience. We can't wait to go back in the Fall when the leaves change.

4th of July with Friends in Japan!

2008-07-06T02:25:00.001+09:00

Marissa's 6th Birthday!

2008-07-02T01:27:00.001+09:00

Marissa's big day finally arrived, the day she's been talking about for the past 7 months, her 6th BIRTHDAY! We started off her day with a little family tradition Sean and I enjoy setting up the night before (while she's sleeping). Which is to decorate her room with tons of streamers above her bed so that in the morning when she wakes up she KNOWS it's her birthday. The smile on her face is priceless. Then she likes to jump like a monkey on her bed to tear through them all. For her party, she wanted to have it at the pool and invited ALL of her friends. We had 16 kids and 11 adults at her pool party and she loved being the center of their attention. :) That entire day she was so cute telling strangers in the elevator and in the store that, "It's my birthday today!" I had fun chatting with my friends while Marissa and her friends splashed in the pool. Then came time for the "Rainbow" cake and opening presents. She got WAY too spoiled with gifts (we usually don't spend too much on toys since we prefer imaginative or outdoor play). But we're set now until Christmas. :) She loves anything artistic so she loved the art kit and glitter pens she got. Also, the dolls and games. I was glad that 2 of her Japanese-American friends from Kindergarten were able to come (Sean and Samantha). I just wish I wouldn't have tried to decorate the tables around the pool since the wind kept blowing the tablecloths and everything on them, it was a bit distracting for me. Next time I'm going to focus on just Marissa. :)

Family Hike to the Bamboo Forest - Kamakura

2008-06-29T17:22:00.005+09:00

School Play & Last Day of Kindergarten

2008-06-20T08:44:00.005+09:00

Hiroshima Trip & Sean's Birthday

2008-06-13T00:19:00.001+09:00

Sean took the bullet train to the base at Iwakuni (in southern Japan) to treat some of their patients for a week (since they don't have an ENT Surgeon). The base is not very far from the town that many Americans remember from WWII history (Hiroshima). He decided to travel down a day early on the weekend to visit this sobering city. We wanted to join him but Liana was sick and not up for traveling. These are some of the historic sites he visited: The Monument to the Victims of the Atomic Bomb. Through the concrete arch the Atom Dome can be seen. Under a stone slab is a list of the victims, and on the slab is the inscription "Rest in peace, for this error shall not be repeated." Also, the Peace Memorial Museum (which is comprised of two buildings - the East Building tells of Hiroshima before and after the bombing, and the West Building concentrates on that fateful August day.) Numerous graphic exhibits convey the stark reality of the atomic bombing. I'll let him post his feelings about visiting these places as a member of the military who also has a love for the people of Japan after his serving his mission here 20 years ago. My favorite picture is the last one of our girls' reaction to waking up after a week of not having Dad around. I think you can understand their emotion just from this one shot. :) It was the best birthday present he could have asked for. Happy birthday to my mom too! She and Sean share the same special day.

1st Day at Kannonazki Beach!

2008-06-01T16:02:00.003+09:00

Our Adventure in Paradise (Bali, Indonesia)

2008-05-30T07:58:00.000+09:00

Bali was absolutely magical! The natural beauty, the outdoor adventure, the warm & loving people, their emphasis on relaxation (massage, yoga, meditation) we loved it all! Originally I was going there for a womens' yoga/surf retreat but after some of our good friends said they could watch our girls, it became an adventurous/romantic anniversary trip. I flew down on a Thursday to experience a bit of the retreat and had an awesome time doing yoga in the morning then getting pummeled by surf in the afternoon. But I did manage to get up on the board most of the time (my balance has improved since last time I tried it in Hawaii). The issue wasn't getting up but getting my feet right to stay up more than 5 seconds. I would paddle, push my body off the board similar to Up Dog (yoga pose), then jumped into Warrior 2 but in yoga, your front foot faces forward, with surfing it faces the same direction as your back foot. Our surfing coaches kept yelling out, "NO YOGA!" :) That night I met Sean at the airport, then back to "The Villas" at Seminyak Beach. Our villa had a thatched roof, garden, and private pool, so we had a nice romantic evening swim. I've never stayed at a place like that, so unique! See pictures below.

The next morning I took another yoga class at the "Prana Spa" (last pictures in the slideshow) & part of our hotel/villa while Sean read. In the afternoon we went back to Kuta Beach and we took surfing lessons together. That night we checked into "The Elysian Villas" (which were similar: private pool, garden, but this one had a more modern interior). Nearby was a restaurant / lounge called, "Ku De Ta". It's right on the beach, they shine lights on the waves, and everyone lays on big canopy beds outside. We looked up at the stars as we ate an incredible dessert and had to pinch ourselves to make sure we weren't dreaming. Our lives are so different now than they were a year ago during residency in Virginia. We definitely paid our dues to get to this point. In the morning went into the jungle for our white water rafting trip down the Ayung River. The pictures cannot describe how fantastic the natural beauty was all around us. It was also interesting meeting people from all over the world on our tour (China, Mexico, Singapore, Canada) no Americans. After we had fun under waterfalls, swimming & rafting down the river, they had a traditional Indonesia meal waiting for us. Yum! Then they took us on an elephant safari through the jungle. Another awesome memory!
We had the tour drop us off at Ubud village where I found another amazing center for yoga. This village is known for their yoga, local artists and handmade crafts. We ate lunch at KAFE (the same restaurant that the author of "Eat, Pray, Love" liked to frequent when she was stayed in Ubud on her spiritual journey. It's a non-profit, healthy, vegetarian place that attracts all the foreign yogis & hippies who are craving a California style salad. :) Then we headed over the local Hindu temple where the Balinese dance originated and is still performed there. It was the most interesting dance to watch, the sounds & movements were different than anything else I've ever experienced! I love it when that happens! We took a crazy long taxi ride back down to the beach to yet another hotel (The Laguna Resort & Spa in Nusa Dua). But it was fun switching things up & getting to see new parts of the island everyday. We ordered room service and splurged a bit on dessert (but hey, that's what you do on vacation, right?) The next day we called a dive shop and they took us out to a gorgeous reef (see video above). We wanted to parasail afterward but they said the wind was too strong. So we went back to our hotel and had a couples' massage outside in a cabana with flowing white drapes, it was so relaxing! Afterward we just hung out in our cabana reading, eating ice cream and trying to savor our last hours in Bali. Right next to our cabana was a large wedding cabana where we saw a gorgeous ceremony at sunset (also in the slideshow). After dinner (Indian) we headed to the airport, said goodbye to our beloved island of Bali & promised to come back!

Liana's 2nd Birthday - Bowling Party!

2008-05-08T13:51:00.004+09:00

Our sweet little Liana is no longer a baby but a full grown toddler. She loves to go bowling with us so that's what we did for her birthday and it was a blast! They had fun music playing so the girls had a ball dancing in the lane after they threw the ball. We came back home for some expensive but yummy Japanese cake and Sean got into a little icing food fight with the girls. He's such a great dad, as you can tell from the pictures. Our girls keep us laughing & keep us young!

Kyoto, Hakone & Kamakura - Moms' Trip

2008-05-01T07:26:00.003+09:00

We flew both of our moms out here to visit us at the same time because we thought they would enjoy each other's company and traveling together, which they did! We were so happy to have them join us on our "Asian Adventure"! The first couple of days we showed them around locally, then went to Kamakura, Hakone, Kyoto and Tokyo. What a fun 10 days we had! They went on 7 different modes of transportation: plane, bullet train, car, bus, rickshaw, gondola & boat! Here is a slideshow from the trip. Highlights: Kamakura - The rickshaw ride & Johnny their driver, the beautiful temples all within walking distance, & the beautiful trees (Japanese Maple and a few Cherry Blossoms). Hakone - The ferry ride across the lake, the gondola ride up the mountain, seeing Mt. Fuji, soaking in the hot onsen bath at the Prince Hotel & the sulfur springs. Kyoto - Gion Corner (watching Geisha dance, Ikebana displays, tea ceremony, the Zen rock garden & amazing Golden Palace! Tokyo - Walking in Hiroo's parks/neighborhood, getting a reflexology treatment with Mom, Korean BBQ & Tokyo Tower!

1st Day of Japanese Preschool - (Yochien)

2008-04-25T15:54:00.015+09:00

When we moved to Japan we wanted our girls to learn the language (just as Sean did on his mission) and since Kelea is at the perfect age to absorb it we decided to enroll her in "Yochien" (preschool). We researched various ones & found that "Mikasa" got the best recommendations from parents who had their children there. We also wanted a school that didn't have a lot of American children so that she would learn Japanese instead of speaking English. Mikasa just started allowing Americans last year so there are very few (my friend Nina's daughter who is half Japanese was the first). There is one other American girl in her class whose mom also works at the Naval hospital (she & Kelea get along well). The school is a Catholic Yochien that has a lot of very specific rules & procedures especially when it comes to the uniform, obento (lunch) & labeling every school supply in Hiragana. It's funny to think that our Mormon American daughter is now attending Japanese Catholic school! :) Yes, it's costly to start, but their focus on art, music & language combined with their adorably sweet teachers makes us happy with our decision! I also feel secure knowing that it only takes 5 minutes to drive there in case of an emergency since it's right outside the gates. Above is a picture of Kelea with her teacher Otani san (so patient and kind). We feel very fortunate to be here with our children. It's exciting to see them learning the customs, values and traditions of this beautiful country. The video below shows cute clips from her 1st day.

Rock Climbing with Melissa

2008-04-20T16:06:00.002+09:00

I finally found a great indoor rock climbing gym in Yokohama! My friend Melissa wanted to join me so we put our kids in child care and decided to take the train north for some grown-up playtime. We had lunch at a delicious Chinese restaurant in Yokohama station, then since it was raining we took a cab to "B-Pump2". It specializes in boulder climbing which was fun since both Melissa and I didn't want to bring any gear with us. We're use to climbing vertically so we had to keep reminding ourselves that bouldering is more about crossing over and going horizontally rather than up & down. It was a great workout and we had fun laughing at ourselves when we couldn't figure out the set course. I was chastised a bit in Japanese when I accidently used someone else's chalk bag for my hands (thinking it was the gym's) but all in all it was an enjoyable mid-day adventure!

Kelea's Big Birthday Week!

2008-04-06T09:49:00.012+09:00

Kelea is our middle child, and as such she can sometimes get overlooked. Since I was also a middle child (#5 out of 9 kids) I remember the main thing I enjoyed about my birthday was having the undivided attention of my mom & dad. So instead of planning a big party (which I normally love to do) and getting distracted with invitations & shopping for party favors we decided to give our little 3 year old a week filled with 3 special outings: 1. The Yokohama Zoo with just Sean & I. 2. Picnic with Mom under the Cherry Blossom Trees. 3. Her Favorite Play Place with her Sisters! Here are the videos & pictures from that wonderful week. Even though I was sick for part of it and Sean missed her actual birthday (because he was in Chicago taking his board exams) he was still able to go to the zoo with us before he left and helped her feel special. :)

Easter Fun in a Japanese Fountain

2008-03-28T01:52:00.003+09:00

This park is near our church and I thought the fountain would be a nice backdrop for Easter Sunday photos of the girls. We did get some cute shots, but after they saw some Japanese kids taking their shoes off & walking in the water, they soon followed suit. There were lots of Japanese onlookers who came over to say, "kawai" (cute) and watch the silly American kids having fun in the water with their fancy dresses. Below is a video from Liana's first Easter egg hunt (although she was more interested in the swings than the eggs) her sisters got into it.

Picnic with my English Students - Under the "Sakura"

2008-03-10T01:12:00.002+09:00

I teach English for an hour every other Thursday to 3 wonderful Japanese women from Yokohama. They usually take the train down (a 25 minute commute) and meet me at a French bakery near our base but since the cherry blossoms are in full bloom we decided to follow the Japanese tradition of having a picnic under these beautiful pink trees "Sakura". They were very excited about their "field trip" on base and when asked what they wanted to see or do they said they wanted to eat "Taco Bell". So we got lunch there and walked across the street to Kasano Park to have our little picnic/lesson. It was such a perfect sunny day and the park is right next to the ocean. Andrea, from my Prenatal yoga class (which I teach right before my English class) wanted to join us so she made these adorable Cherry Blossom cupcakes for the picnic. She's also in the picture with my Japanese students. We have so much fun just talking and learning from each other's cultures. It's the reason I wanted to teach English in the first place. A lot of military spouses teach English in Japan because it pays well. But just 1 class is enough for me along with teaching my yoga classes I don't want to get too busy. I just want to enjoy our time here in Japan and learn as much as I can! Each day that goes by I find myself loving the Japanese people and their way of life more and more!

Baby Shower for Prenatal Yoga Mamas

2008-03-02T00:54:00.001+09:00

Three of my Prenatal Yoga students are nearing their delivery dates so I had a little baby shower for them after class. We came back to my apartment and had lunch, opened presents and laughed about all the advice people give pregnant women. Our class has become a close-knit support group (especially for first time moms). It's sad for the class to lose Kara, Marina and Christina, but I'll still have the privilege of being their yoga instructor since they all want to come to "Baby & Me" yoga class a month after they deliver. Yea!!!! I love these women and can't wait to see them welcome their little ones into this world! :) We'll miss Andrea who is moving to Great Lakes, but we look forward to seeing her baby pictures!!!

My Birthday Weekend in Tokyo

2008-03-01T23:34:00.002+09:00

We took the train up to Tokyo on Friday night with our friends Dayna & Garrett (so sweet). We went to Ginza (an upscale district of the city) and found our favorite steak house from the States "Ruth's Chris". Our meals were heavenly (their filet mignon melts in your mouth like chocolate)! I don't normally like red meat but theirs is amazing! The desserts were yummy too. Then we said goodbye to our friends and took a cab to the "New Sanno" (a four star hotel the military owns in a nice area of Tokyo). We spent the night there and enjoyed sleeping in for once and ordering room service. We spent the next day exploring Shibuya (see video below) a fun, bustling & crowded part of the city. Then Sean took me to an art exhibit (he knows I love modern art) and it was so wonderful to walk into a museum without a stroller and just take my time absorbing all the beauty and talent. It started to snow as we left so we decided to head home. It was great to come home to 3 big hugs from our little ones.

Kelea (Our Little Yogi)

2008-02-16T04:34:00.005+09:00

Here are some pictures I took while teaching our 2 year old yoga. It comes naturally (from doing Prenatal yoga inside of Mom before she was born). :) She's our extraordinary little miracle and such a blessing to have in our lives.

I Love Teaching These Classes!!

2008-02-11T12:42:00.006+09:00

I filmed a few clips from 2 of the classes I teach (Mom & Baby Yoga, and Prenatal Yoga). It's so much fun to teach these awesome women and their adorable babies. It's become a support group too for the new moms who have lots of questions. I love being around babies and pregnant women because they radiate such a special energy, it's a beautiful thing to be a part of. :) If you want to watch this clip, then turn off the music from the post above by clicking on the sideways bell. Enjoy!

Toddler Ballet - Kelea, Arabella & Sophie

2008-02-04T09:01:00.000+09:00

Snow in Yokosuka!

2008-02-03T15:41:00.000+09:00

Our girls were SO excited to wake up on Sunday morning and see snow falling outside!! It doesn't happen very often here so they quickly ran out onto the balcony to see it first hand. Then we bundled them up and Dad took them outside to the snow covered playground and threw a few snowballs. Even though it only snowed a couple of inches, our church was cancelled and so was school the next day. It's been nice and relaxing just being at home & enjoying the wintery view.

Celebrating Marissa's 1/2 Birthday!

2008-01-24T00:36:00.000+09:00

Ever since we got back from Idaho Marissa has been feeling a lack of attention (since mommy hasn't been able to focus much on anything since Dad's passing last month). So she's been asking how many days until her birthday (every day) and telling all her friends at school about the party and planning the celebration in detail. The only problem is... her birthday is in July (6 months away) which is an eternity to a 5 year old. So we decided to celebrate her 1/2 birthday with just a small family party at home. We made half of a birthday cake (using a mini loaf bread pan), then put 5 candles on it and chopped one in half at the end to represent the 1/2. :) But we told her she couldn't have any presents because Christmas was just a few days before that. So all she requested was a Sponge Bob pinata (difficult to find on New Year's Day when all the stores are closed). So I had to think fast and improvise. Luckily we had a rectangle shaped yellow pillow that I used as his body (with a zipper at the bottom to stuff the candy in. Then I got some yellow paper and asked her to draw his face and sponge holes for his body (which we taped to the pillow. It looked pretty cute (check out the video). She loved feeling special all day and we didn't have to spend a dime (just a little time and imagination can make all the difference in the world. Kelea got into it too wearing her favorite princess dress and tiara for the special occasion. (She's going through a serious dress-up phase right now).

Ringing in the New Year

2008-01-23T23:14:00.000+09:00

Our friends who live off base (Renee and Geoff) invited us to celebrate New Year's Eve with them in a traditional Japanese way: By ringing a giant bell to welcome in the new year. We drove to their house at 11:30pm and ended up walking down to the shrine with their Japanese neighbors (Sean speaking fluently with them, and me just smiling and pretending like I got the joke when they would laugh about something.) :) If you can see the photo where Sean and I are swinging a large piece of wood back and then forward to hit the bell, it gives you a better idea of what we experienced. We were the only Americans there, which made the night even more special and authentic. After we hit the bell, we were invited (by Renee's neighbors) into the Buddist temple that was next to the shrine. We were excited to see inside so we took off our shoes and followed them inside. They opened the sliding shoji screen doors and we sat on a cushion next to them, smelling the scent of incense and listening to a buddist monk chanting and hitting a drum. Our Japanese friends handed us a wooden drumstick that we hit on top of a wooden sculpture that looked like a skull. Everyone in the room was beating their wooden skulls at the same time in a rhythm that flowed with the chants of the monk. It was a surreal feeling as I was sitting there looking at the back of this Buddist monk, listening to sounds in the room and feeling like I had stepped into another world completely. What an amazing experience it was to discover a few of their traditions and beliefs first hand. That is why I love being here and want to stay another year. It's a once in a lifetime adventure!

Kelea & Liana - "Whipping it!"

2008-01-23T20:31:00.000+09:00

Marissa Reading at 1st Grade Level!

2008-01-05T13:14:00.000+09:00

In October we got serious about teaching Marissa to read and bought her the "Hooked on Phonics Kindergarten Reading Program". She read her first book at the beginning of November (see archives) and since then has read all 14 books in the program and has moved up to the First Grade level reading program! We're so happy that she loves to read and found a program that she enjoys. Every night we read her 1 "big book" then she reads us 1 of her "little books". In this video she's reading "Where is Zot?" The last book in the kindergarten level program. It's so cute to see her sounding out the words & being such a big girl!

Christmas Morning!

2007-12-28T05:14:00.000+09:00

Here are some fun pictures from our big day. The girls got a little spoiled because we bought their Christmas presents in Idaho but they hadn't yet arrived on December 23rd. So I had to do some last minute shopping at the NEX (Navy Department Store) for some backup gifts (in case the ones from Idaho didn't arrive the next day). Well, as luck would have it, the packages DID arrive the next day so we had lots of fun things for them to open. The "big hit" was Marissa's Talking Princess Vanity because it had a magic wand that opened drawers and princesses who appeared in the mirror. Kelea loved her walk-in kitchen but it was Marissa who had fun wearing the chef's hat and apron. Liana loved her activity cube but was more interested in cuddling with Mom since she was sick. We had a great time seeing their little faces light up and feeling like kids again. :)

Visiting Family in Idaho

2007-12-24T14:21:00.000+09:00

Tokyo & Disneyland

2007-12-24T14:10:00.001+09:00

Marissa's Kindergarten Christmas Program

2007-12-03T16:46:00.000+09:00

Marissa had fun at her school's Christmas program. They sang cute holiday songs, danced a little and told a story. Marissa and her best friend Cathryn were chosen to play tamborines during a few songs and they actually kept with the beat. I was sad that Sean couldn't be there to see it (busy day at work). Enjoy the photos!

Petting Zoo & Pony Rides

2007-11-09T20:47:00.000+09:00

Here are some cute pictures of Dad taking the girls to see the animals at a petting zoo. They actually brought them on base so it was easier for the kids to visit them up close instead of going to the one in Yokohama. The highlight for Kelea was riding the ponies (her first time) and for Marissa it was holding a hamster (which she wants as a pet). Mom stayed home with Liana to get some much needed organizing done. Enjoy the cute photos!

Halloween & Kindergarten Parade

2007-11-03T23:24:00.000+09:00

Sean - Taiko Drumming

2007-11-03T22:58:00.000+09:00

This is Sean's first performance with the Taiko drumming group he takes lessons with at our local Community Center.

Marissa Reading 1st Book

2007-11-03T10:09:00.000+09:00

Sea Paradise - Yokohama

2007-10-26T08:48:00.000+09:00

Here are some pictures of our day at "Sea Paradise". It's kind of like Sea World but on a smaller scale. They're known for their white dolphins and beautiful aquarium. The girls had fun on the kiddie rides too. If you scroll down to the bottom of this page you'll see Marissa posing with some "only in Japan" characters who greeted us at the park entrance wearing their costumes. They are the "Mentos" candy promoters (which the girls loved). Any park that hands out free candy as you approach is a hit with them.

You can see, we all had fun on the little train. I could barely get in the seat, but it was worth it to see Liana's sweet face light up with excitement! Kelea loved getting to hold this live starfish (but not before big sister showed her how.)

Ladies' Weekend to Tokyo

2007-10-15T20:49:00.000+09:00

Some new friends from the Maborikaigon playgroup invited me to join them for a "Girls' Weekend" in Tokyo. It was my first time in there and we had such a blast! I love Tokyo and the New Sanno (the hotel we stayed at for service members and their families). The day we arrived it was raining but we were able to walk (with our umbrellas) to a French bakery just down the street from our hotel. Then that night we ate a beautiful 5 course meal at "Wellingtons". We had a great conversation and I learned a lot about other people's faith. We were laughing that the four of us (Catholic, Mormon, Jewish and Pageon) could find things in common and get along so well. :) We stayed in the hotel that night because of the weather and watched a movie. Then the next day we ventured out onto the bustling streets and subways. First to Bagel & Bagel (my first bagel in months and it was delicious) then took the metro to Ginza. The area is like Rodeo Drive when it comes to shopping. I found a fun hat shop and splurged on 2 cute ones. Then we went to Harajuku (the district that Gwen Stefani sings about) and took pictures of the "Harajuku Girls" in their Sunday best (costumes). The area is also known for their hip boutiques so we strolled down a famous side street and met up with our friend Corrie. After that we got some little souveniers for our kids and ate these yummy strawberry crepes. It was getting late, so we headed back but on our way we found a 4 story Gap! I had to buy some good ol' American jeans and then we went back to the hotel and drove home from there.

Japanese/American Class for Toddlers

2007-10-15T16:08:00.000+09:00

Kelea and Liana just started going off base every other Friday to play and learn from other little Japanese toddlers in a play/class setting. This month they sang Japanese nursery rhymes and did some Halloween matching games. It was fun to meet other moms who (even though we may not speak the same language, are going through the same toddler phases).

Our Golden Book Girl

2007-10-02T13:45:00.000+09:00

Baseball & Family Picnic with Japanese Hospital

2007-09-29T11:39:00.000+09:00

The local Japanese hosptial invited the Naval hospital to play them in a game of baseball and a family picnic afterward. It was fun seeing my new friends from the Oakleaf Club there that I had met last month at the pool party when we first arrived. Also, my friend Melissa (from church) was there with her cute son. We had fun and the kids loved playing in the sand with the other Japanese children. There are some cute photos of Kelea playing catch with Daddy and Marissa jumping rope with a Japanese family that adopted her for the day.

Marissa's First Day of School

2007-09-15T15:31:00.000+09:00

Our little girl is growing up! Here are some photos from her first day of kindergarten! I love the fact that Sean can walk Marissa to school on his non-surgery days and how much she loves going! You can tell from some of the photos how excited she was that this day was finally here. She has a wonderful teacher who plays the xylaphone for them as they enter the classroom and sings with them to teach them (like Zoophonics). She's like a grandma and has 20 years of experience teaching kindergarten, so we are very lucky to have her teaching our little Marissa.

Marissa's Japanese Dance Class & Karate

2007-09-09T17:07:00.000+09:00

Here are some pictures from Marissa's Japanese dance class and karate class. Because we live on-base we wanted to sign up our girls for culturally diverse activities to get that "off-base experience" and hopefully gain a greater appreciation for the people of Japan. I love both of her instructors and she is having fun learning something new.

Kamakura (Our 1st Japanese Train Ride)

2007-08-29T19:03:00.000+09:00

During our newcomer orientation, they explain the train system and how to navigate around town. Then they give us some options of which tourist area we'd like to visit by train and we go on a little "field trip". So Sean and I chose to go to Kamakura because it had so many beautiful shrines, temples and of course, "The Big Buddha". We got up there a little later than we wanted to because Sean had to take care of some paperwork at the hospital so we were on a time crunch (since our girls were in the child care on base until 5pm). So we got there (with no problems) and walked around looking at the various shrines, but not finding the Big Buddha. So we took some photos and got something to eat (which was delicious). Then I got an ice cream cone and forgot it's a little rude to "eat on the go" so I hid it behind my back most of the time until I could find corners to eat it in where no one was looking. :) It started melting down my hand, so I quickly devoured it with one last stop. By that time it was close to 4:15 so we had to head back to base and pick up our girls. I look forward to going back to that ancient city and finding our big friend "Buddha".

"Beyond the Gates" - Japanese Food & Fun

2007-08-08T13:05:00.001+09:00

After being cooped up in the Navy Lodge for a few days getting over the jet-lag and a some sickness, we decided to venture off-base with our girls. We went to a Japanese mall right outside of the base gates called, "Daiei". It has a food court where we ate traditional Japanese food. Sean fed the girls "octopus balls" which aren't as bad as they sound. It actually tastes like calamari (fried dough balls fried octopus inside). We also let the girls have some yummy gelato (ice cream) afterward. Then we went to an indoor playplace that has a "balloon cage" where fans blow balloons around inside a padded area. There are also fun spinning toys, tunnels, slides and ball pits. The girls loved it and didn't want to leave. It's good to know about fun places like this that I can take the kids later when we get more settled.

Yokosuka Naval Base - Our New Home

2007-08-04T11:42:00.000+09:00

Before we moved here we thought we wanted to live off-base in a traditional Japanese home. That way we could really experience the culture and get to know our Japanese neighbors. But when we were going through the orientation training and talked with people who were living here, we realized that most people who were living off-base were trying to get back on base because of the conveniences of living so close to all the activities. Also, those who moved off base with 2 or 3 children said they didn't realize how the little things like doing laundry in a very small washer and inefficient dryer would take up so much of their time. It's also nice to not having to pay a rent or utilities bill living on-base. But we still want our girls to gain an appreciation for the culture here so we're going to enroll them in classes at the community center (across the street). Sean wants to take Taiko drumming, Marissa will take Japanese dance lessons, and Kelea will join a Japanese / American playgroup. I'm going to take Japanese language classes so I don't always have to rely on Sean to speak for us off-base. Another reason we decided to move on base is because most of the homes off-base have less square footage than what we could have on-base. The housing office gave us our choice of either moving into a 3 bedroom 9th floor apartment right away or waiting 2 months at the Navy Lodge for a townhome. We looked at both and after I saw the view (see photo to the left) from the top floor (of the ocean and a green lush mountain) I fell in love with the "penthouse suite". Most people thought we were crazy to not wait for a townhome but the 3 bedroom apartments actually have more square footage than the 4 bedroom townhomes. It has a larger open living room, an open kitchen with a bar/island, and a larger master bedroom with its own balcony. We also liked the location (near the hourly CDC, Community Center, Commisary, & an easy walk to Marissa's school.) Another advantage of living on the 9th floor is that we don't have to worry about any kinds of bugs. (Some friends of ours who live in townhomes have roaches, spiders, etc.) You can see the picture of our girls playing in a wading pool on our balcony without worrying about mosquitoes (they don't come up this high). It's nice to only have to put on bug repellant when we go to the park. The perimeter around the base really is beautiful because it's surrounded by the ocean. They also have lots of beautiful and exotic trees/plants dispersed throughout the base. It still has a lot of cement and government type buildings but we feel good about our choice to live on-base.

Playground & Meeting Plush Characters

2007-08-01T12:47:00.000+09:00