Summer Snippets

This summer has been lovely. Last September I declared “it would be the Year-of-Marie” knowing she would leave me for kindergarten next year. As that day is just a few days away I thought I would reflect on how we spent a few of our summer moments.

 

We started another illegal garden. In Vacaville we claimed a little spot across the road in a vacant lot. They tore out the lot before we ever got to “harvest.” Now, in military housing we are not allowed to plant food in the soil, but I started a “pallet board” garden and we’ve been growing cucumbers out our ears. Marie enjoys picking the tomatoes and the few peppers and zucchinis we could grow with little soil. Marie also wanted to grow a watermelon. With one pot of soil we were able to grow a melon about the size of a cantaloupe. We haven’t picked it yet, but once I convince Marie we cannot actually turn it into a jack-o-lantern we will pick and eat it.

 

We’ve said goodbye to some sweet friends. Temple has moved on to Canada.

“The Twins” will move to Travis AFB in two days. It was great to have a couple sleepovers with them.

This summer we also waited in some pretty long lines….   like this one to get into Kenji World.

We went there 3 years ago and had to come back before they closed it forever. Marie was in tears when we told her they were tearing it down. She was convinced that was a very “stupid choice.”

  

 

And we tried to get a little more culture. Here is Misawa city parade.

The problem with Japanese floats is that the longer it goes the scarier the floats get. And trust me, this one was from the beginning of the parade.

Nobody gets Marie like Keaton. When they first met they were barely two, hardly talked and still wore diapers. They are inseparable, the best of friends.

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Here they are, along with a pantless Mina-chan infront of the Air Base.

It was a great summer all in all. Laid back and full of fun.

Marie’s Birthday- 5 Cute Years

Marie turned five and it was a serious cute-fest. We started this new rule where you only get a BIG birthday party every 4 years (at 1, 4, 8, 12, &16- all the “biggies”) but living far from family we can’t celebrate much unless we invite a few good friends.

She picked the theme- “Hawaiian”- of which I am proud. Also it may have to do with I found a huge box of leis at church when they were clearing out closets. Marie also baked and decorated her own birthday cake! This one is called “Beautiful Hawaiian Sunset.” She cut out fondant flowers and spray painted the outside. Can’t wait to let her do this every year.

She loves her older friend Tamzin. And we love their whole family.

 

Need a good laugh? Because apparently this what I look like when talking to children. Oh boy.

Here from L-R: Tamzin, Marie, Keaton, Tristan, & Temple

Pinterest can be fruitful on occasion. Who can really justify spending $20 on a pinata and then $15 on the candy that goes inside. Instead I used materials I already had, poster board and tissue paper, to create this punch-pinata. Much organized fun was had.

 

 

Wild Mina glories in her spoils.

And I won’t name all her presents but this was the year she got “Hungry Hungry Hippos”- best game ever!

  Also we love all the books we get from the Smiths! This book is right up Marie’s alley.

“Goddess of Liberty”

Don’t worry. It only looks like America.  The smog helps the sunset to look beautiful. 

The smog is dazzling!

There is a reason you can’t see The Goddess of Liberty’s face (what our japanese maps called her)  It’s because it is black from the smog.  Anyway, moving on.

We had a great time in Tokyo.  We arrived Wednesday evening and came home Saturday evening.  A good thing about the temple being far away is you feel justified in making mini vacations out of it.  We spent our first morning at a Children’s Castle.  Where they painted on walls.

And played on the playground.  Hold on tight, Mina. 

The evening was spent at the Sky Tree.  I’ll need to Wikipedia the comparison stats…but it was really tall.

Night came…and it was still tall.

Tall enough for a Mina-sized meltdown.  Which are extra powerful in a crowded space 1,000 stories up. You can see I find it quite hilarious.

We went outside and for some reason we gave the girls permission to get themselves soaking wet before our hour long subway ride home.

We eventually realized that was a bad idea and I sent Rachel out on a challenge to buy the kids a spare outfit.  Challenge…..FAILED!

But at least one of them was satisfied on the subway ride home.

It’s okay Mina, we can try again tomorrow.

Mina’s Mantra

Tonight Mina had to tell me something.  What was it?  “I like popcorn, chicken nuggets, and Wreck-It Ralph show.”  Yes, she does.

Tanbo rice fields

What are you looking at, Mina?

So I’ve learned that there is such a thing as rice art.  It’s pretty cool, as you can see.

You are probably thinking, big woop, right?  If so, you are about to feel like a jerk because guess what?  That is all rice. And it is all natural.  They plant different types of rice to make the design.  It is not just spray painted like you thought it was.  Don’t feel bad, I had to learn this the hard way as well.

So here is the other one.  On one side we have a traditional Japanese geisha.  On the other we have a a traditional American harlot.

We then played and played and played at the park…

 

We even found some horse betting to enjoy. 

I think Marie like it a little too much.

The girls were clearly worn out at the end.  Which is all we were really going for anyway.

Cha-cha-cha-Changes!

It’s a week of intense middle-class suburban changes! We bought our first mini-van on Monday on on Thursday we moved Mina into a toddler bed! She loves it! Anything “big girl” she is eating-up. She also is loving potty training. Not to say that she is fully potty trained, but earning jelly beans for each “success” has been a lot of fun. (P.S. Gorgeous Quilt by Grandma Cathy)

Here are the girls settled in their matching beds. These girls just love each other. Marie is a very loving and obedient big sister, and Mina is the perfect excited “happy to be here” & “I like to watch and learn everything” type of girl. They are very different but a perfect pair.

 

Also, Marie had her optometry exam yesterday. They dilated her eyes. She later fell asleep with her big glasses in the living room. She later woke up, sat straight up and stared at me with her huge dilated eyes which were even more magnified by her glasses. Not until I realized she wasn’t blinking did I know she was actually still asleep and laid her back down and took off her glasses. I wanted to get a picture of her huge eyes but just ended up disturbing her out of a nap and getting a picture of these brutal glasses-marks. Oh well! She was cute!

Lastly, pregnancy is going good. I have to start going in for “stress tests” twice a week though. I don’t really know what it means, but I do assume I get time to read a book while my belly is being monitored for a half hour. Is that weird I am more excited to have time to read a book than find out what I am doing at the hospital? Nah…