Marie in the car

Marie, just passing the time...

 

 

Best Friends

  

 

You may be wondering why we are blogging so much. We just learned about Windows Live Writer, and suddenly this is so easy. If anyone is hiding anymore secrets about blogging please cease now! Particularly about publishing blogs into books, give those secrets up. Or I will sent one of my froggies after you.

The Biggest Piece of Furniture In the Store

 

I’m sure the kids will stay off it

Halloween 2012

Enchanted by this little witch! 

I’

Mina contemplates the meaning behind Halloween.

 

Friends walking down main street before the annual Halloween Japanese/American parade.

Self Explanatory.

 

Helping Dad pass out candy.

 

Yah for Saturday!

It was triathlon and boating.  Thank you, Saturday.

Look at Rachel go!

 Look at her holding her own!

Then onto the boat, where there wasn't a wave in sight.

Please don't die, please don't die....

Then it was Rach's turn. She's a natural.

 I tried to edit these photos.  I tried to zoom in and save them.  I couldn't do it.  So what you see is Rachel, Marie, and Marie's friend Lillyanna (sp?).  They had a party out on the tube.

TOKYO TIME!

Baby Mina has taken over the subway!

Brett found his new favorite hobby!

Marie learns she loves Pokemon!

Later we visit the Metropolitan Government building for a free view of the city.

Tourists get a little nutty with taking Mina's photo.

It started with one foreign woman, then another... then another... and then another...

They seemed really nice, but I had enough. Mina was good and just sat while they laughed at ook pictures. If I have learned one thing, it's Asian people LOVE babies. Love them. That's a good stereo-type right? But she got tired of being adored and let a stinker so they would get scared off.

So we took her to the bathroom...

where they left no confusion on how exactly to use the facilities.

Shibuya crossing. The largest crossing in the world.

Where's B-man?

I made the smiths cross this like 5 times so I could get this picture. 

Nicely done!

Then I took my neice shopping at this righteous store!

...while Mike found a store of his own...

but of course, Marie needs to be in the picture.

[SIGH] back to the Hotel.

I love you New Sanno.

The next day we headed out to Akihabara. The electronics district.

I have to note how fun this is to go to Tokyo with different people. Everyone had a different destination and I loved all of them. Yes, even Pokemon (my poor niece kept apologizing for her choice, but it was fun!).

Mike found a robotics version of Micheals.

With this swell little robotic dinosaur.

Then we indulged all of us at the Kitchen district where we found pottery, cooking toys,

and the place where they make the fake food you find infront of all Japanese restaurants.

I can't believe how much we packed in because then Steph found this Aqaurium to go to.

The girls enjoyed some ice cream and a little spin on the merry go round.

Then Maysen and Mike took front row seats at the dolphin show!

We spent a while running around in the tunnel of sharks and manta rays.

And enjoyed another show, until suddenly...

Marie was asked to perform with the sea lion!

Oh Marie you did a great job!

This is the product of telling Marie to smile for the camera.

Whew! What a day! I can't believe how much we did.

I would like to dedicate this post to all the times we had to turn around and walk extra miles because I am a terrible navigator. It doesn't matter how many times I take the subway, I'll never get oriented. At least we got to see lots of ... subways and roads... but at least we got to our destinations!

The Smiths in Japan (2) Osoreazan

Stephanie sees shells by the sea shore.

Then she stopped to watch her favorite show.

Mike giving  me a Pirate face! ARGH!

The reason we come to Ship Wreck beach- SEA GLASS!

Also, Stephanie and I decided to start collecting sand from the beaches we go to. If only we had gotten it from Gulf Shores! Maybe Hawaii?...

Later in Mutsu City we found a Baskin Robbins and Marie got Soda Ice Cream. Good choice, cutie.

Here is Stephanie documenting everything. Not a fan of Japanese food, but she stayed smiling all the while... starving, but smiling!

The destination of the day was the 3rd Holiest site in Japan, Osorezan. It lays at the tip of Japan in a volcanic mountain range. It is consider as something similar to the River Styx, where the deceased cross a river into the after life. I have heard that after death the person walks for 50 days and then comes to this river. If they are good, they can get across. If they were not, then they are lost down the river.
It's hard to understand all the doctrine though. I'm sure people feel the same way about the Mormon Church. You can't just google anything. You have to really go to the source and study, so it's hard to know exactly what to believe.

You have to imagine, this place is so eerie. Buddhists pilgrimage from afar to honor their dead...

And then there is Mina chan. Running around, squealing, screaming, laughing.

 Oh Mina! Have some respect!

"What are all these rocks for again?"

Pin wheels honor children who died before birth or during labor.

The lake here is similar to the Great Salt Lake and nothing lives in it-

That's why its the river of the dead.

Glad we don't believe in demons greeting you in the afterlife.


But who doesn't love a picture on a bridge? Even if it's the bridge to...