The GW Carrier Comes Home to Protests

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?

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!

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

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

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

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

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

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!

Marissa's 6th Birthday!

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

School Play & Last Day of Kindergarten

Hiroshima Trip & Sean's Birthday

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!

Our Adventure in Paradise (Bali, Indonesia)

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!

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!