May 20, 2013
Birthdays
Happy birthday to me! My boys made me a huge birthday poster and a breakfast of homemade waffles. They also gave me a new water bottle (I've been wanting one forever my other one has been chewed on by everyone in the family so I'm so excited to have one all to myself again!) and new running shoes! I am especially excited about those because my pinky toes were sticking out the sides of both shoes and Scott said he was embarrassed to be seen with me wearing them. Scott picked out my shoes without me even trying them on and they fit great. The best present of all however is that Scott did a photo shoot with the boys and bought a set of gallery frames so we can put them all up together! Not only did he plan all of this but he cooked breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two days in a row! So spoiled on my birthday! Love all my boys!
May 13, 2013
Mother's Day 2013
This must be my year. First of all, Scott was actually here to spend Mother's Day with us and secondly, Scott and the boys picked out a hummingbird feeder for the porch (I've been wanting one) and a cute card. The boys also made me cards and Jared made a potpourri holder that looks like lady's hat. Christian brought home a pen from church done up with duct tape like a tulip and then said, "It's just kind of peshal Mom, so I'm keeping it. Isn't it pretty?" What do you say to that? Scott made me breakfast and helped the boys get ready for church and Ethan even accepted a bribe from Scott to go up and sing with the primary children for the Sacrament meeting presentation. Most of the time Ethan won't go up at all - he used to go up all by himself and share his testimony in Japan. It was a lovely day!
May 11, 2013
A few of my favorite things...
A few of my favorite things...a snapshot of the boys
Christian:
Right now Christian loves to play a game with Scott in which they pretend to make cake and cookies (a game Scott invented to entertain Christian while they were waiting for me at a doctors appointment). This game consists of mixing all kinds of imaginary ingredients together in an imaginary bowl and baking them in an imaginary oven which beeps when the goodies are done and then they eat the imaginary treats. All of this involves giggling at ingredients like elephant ears, mini wheats, "oscritch," "spanking soda," strawberries, milk, eggs which Christian very carefully cracks into the imaginary bowl, and with sugar and whatever else strikes their fancy. They usually end up "feeding" these culinary delights to everyone around them...and you had better enjoy them or they'll make more and the ingredients will get even stranger!
Christian loves stories both those read to him and those he "reads" to everyone else. Some of our favorites are The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear, Julius's Candy Corn, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, "Spickyjon Jones," The Superhero ABC's, Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude, and most of the Sandra Boynton board books. We love to read!!! We also make up stories. While we were staying with my parents they took turns telling bedtime stories to the boys. Grandma Julie told Christian the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears at bedtime and ever since we have been telling this in several versions, including Halo Christian (he pronounces it like Kritchen) and the three Copper Heads or the three bears. Sometimes it is Goldilocks and sometimes it is different altogether. Thanks for sharing the "bedtime story" tradition with Christian Grandma Julie and Grandpa Marvin!
Another favorite of Christian's at the moment is telling secrets, which, usually involves giggling and whispering "I love you," or "Will you make cake/cookies with me?" or just making silly sounds...
Ethan is always inventing super hero kids: Sun Kid, Lava Kid, Lightning Kid... and his favorite things to say right now are, "... did you know?, " and "By the way..." He loves to talk about books he reads at school and what his friends do. He is a very good reader (well above his grade level) and is doing really well in school. He is very good at making and keeping friends. He misses his friend Dar a lot and frequently asks when we can visit him again.
Jared is very interested in all things building and for his scouting has recently built a tool box and a bike rack for our garage. He's the ring leader in this circus of boys and often creates elaborate sets for their action figures to battle in. He loves to read and most often can be found hiding out with his nose in a book. Some of his favorite reads right now are, My Side of the Mountain, Hatchet, and anything by Roald Dahl. He'll read just about anything though.
We love our boys and often beg them not to grow up but they always remind us that they "have to."
Christian:
Right now Christian loves to play a game with Scott in which they pretend to make cake and cookies (a game Scott invented to entertain Christian while they were waiting for me at a doctors appointment). This game consists of mixing all kinds of imaginary ingredients together in an imaginary bowl and baking them in an imaginary oven which beeps when the goodies are done and then they eat the imaginary treats. All of this involves giggling at ingredients like elephant ears, mini wheats, "oscritch," "spanking soda," strawberries, milk, eggs which Christian very carefully cracks into the imaginary bowl, and with sugar and whatever else strikes their fancy. They usually end up "feeding" these culinary delights to everyone around them...and you had better enjoy them or they'll make more and the ingredients will get even stranger!
Christian loves stories both those read to him and those he "reads" to everyone else. Some of our favorites are The Little Mouse, The Red Ripe Strawberry, and The Big Hungry Bear, Julius's Candy Corn, The Very Hungry Caterpillar, "Spickyjon Jones," The Superhero ABC's, Once Upon a Cool Motorcycle Dude, and most of the Sandra Boynton board books. We love to read!!! We also make up stories. While we were staying with my parents they took turns telling bedtime stories to the boys. Grandma Julie told Christian the story of Goldilocks and the Three Bears at bedtime and ever since we have been telling this in several versions, including Halo Christian (he pronounces it like Kritchen) and the three Copper Heads or the three bears. Sometimes it is Goldilocks and sometimes it is different altogether. Thanks for sharing the "bedtime story" tradition with Christian Grandma Julie and Grandpa Marvin!
Another favorite of Christian's at the moment is telling secrets, which, usually involves giggling and whispering "I love you," or "Will you make cake/cookies with me?" or just making silly sounds...
Ethan is always inventing super hero kids: Sun Kid, Lava Kid, Lightning Kid... and his favorite things to say right now are, "... did you know?, " and "By the way..." He loves to talk about books he reads at school and what his friends do. He is a very good reader (well above his grade level) and is doing really well in school. He is very good at making and keeping friends. He misses his friend Dar a lot and frequently asks when we can visit him again.
Jared is very interested in all things building and for his scouting has recently built a tool box and a bike rack for our garage. He's the ring leader in this circus of boys and often creates elaborate sets for their action figures to battle in. He loves to read and most often can be found hiding out with his nose in a book. Some of his favorite reads right now are, My Side of the Mountain, Hatchet, and anything by Roald Dahl. He'll read just about anything though.
We love our boys and often beg them not to grow up but they always remind us that they "have to."
May 6, 2013
And We're Back...
Okay, so after a three, yes THREE year hiatus I've decided that I need to start blogging again mostly for a family record of our journey. I'll be writing in my journal too but this way I can write about all of us apart from the very personal things I'd like to record in my journal.
So, to bring the blog up to the present in a brief fashion I'll say this, we survived the big Japan earthquake of March 11, 2011, sought refuge in the States for about 2 months and then returned to Japan to finish our tour. When we returned to the States in November 2011 Scott went off to CTR training in Florida for 4 months followed by another four months of training in Texas. The boys and I stayed with the in-laws for those eight months. The boys loved the Arbon school house and their friends there. I spent much of the time quilting. In May I visited Scott in Texas and we bought a house in San Antonio. We moved in July and have been trying to put everything in order since then. We love having our own house, and like our ward family. I've been dissatisfied with the school here and have decided to home school next year. We are all looking forward to it. Although, first we are just looking forward to summer! Only four weeks left of school and we are counting down. That's all for now but hopefully I can fill in the back story here and there. 'Til then...
So, to bring the blog up to the present in a brief fashion I'll say this, we survived the big Japan earthquake of March 11, 2011, sought refuge in the States for about 2 months and then returned to Japan to finish our tour. When we returned to the States in November 2011 Scott went off to CTR training in Florida for 4 months followed by another four months of training in Texas. The boys and I stayed with the in-laws for those eight months. The boys loved the Arbon school house and their friends there. I spent much of the time quilting. In May I visited Scott in Texas and we bought a house in San Antonio. We moved in July and have been trying to put everything in order since then. We love having our own house, and like our ward family. I've been dissatisfied with the school here and have decided to home school next year. We are all looking forward to it. Although, first we are just looking forward to summer! Only four weeks left of school and we are counting down. That's all for now but hopefully I can fill in the back story here and there. 'Til then...
May 9, 2010
Mar 12, 2010
Kannonzaki
The trail to the slide...great place to come for a run or just a nice walk...
I think he likes it!
Tarzan Jared! AaaaAaaahAaaH!
A beautiful end to a beautiful day! Feb 11, 2010
Odawara Castle
After Shasui Falls we drove another 20-30 minutes to Odawara to see the castle there. This bridge spans the moat
around the castle. The boys were much more
interested in the Koi fish in the water than anything else...
imagine that!
I love the beam construction! It was beautiful as well as impressive. 
This is "copper gate." The doors are plated with copper. That's a lot of pennies!
The main castle.
These are some of the suits of Samurai armor. Most of the body armor is pieced together with colorful silk chording. For all of the intricate and even beautiful detail work I'd still hate to meet with
a samurai on the battle field. They must have been pretty fierce.
The view from the roof top of the castle in various directions.
I love all my boys! So glad we get to spend so much time together!
The End...
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