Just 3, just me!

Okay so you have seen Ethan proudly displaying his age on the birthday post but these were so cute I just had to add them.

MONKEY ISLAND!

(sans monkeys - unless Jared and Ethan count)
(aka Sarushima Island)

Jared and Ethan loved the ferry ride to the Island. I was not as thrilled - the water was a little choppy. Scott bought me a Sprite and told me to tough it out! Thank goodness it only lasted about 10 minutes. Monkey Island is the last natural island in all of Tokyo Bay. According to legend, a famous priest was guided by a white monkey, to the beach on this island and that's how the island got its name. Just a five minute walk from the Womble Gate on the base and then the ferry ride, Monkey Island offers a black sand beach complete with seashell shards (shoes are recommended - by me) cliffs, tide pools, fishing, and old (Tokugawa Shogunate era) magazines and tunnels. The island is about 5 hectares and is about 1.7 km from the Yokosuka coastline. So here we are enjoying a Saturday afternoon away from the city!

Do the boys look like they are having fun? Jared was having so much fun that he decided he had to go to the bathroom just as soon as we climbed down all the stairs to the rocky shore where a bunch of people were fishing - impeccable timing - so the little cave in this picture became our lieu! Ethan and I sat in front of the cave to provide cover...better door than a window, eh? Finally a positive connotation for that old saying...

Jared loved the crabs and anemones, fish, and shellfish in the tide pools.

The "lieu" also turned out to make a pretty good picture!

One of several old brick lined tunnels on the island opening into one of the magazine corridors. Kanji and dates were carved all over the moss covered walls - reminded me of home - except I couldn't read the graffiti.

I saw this wasps nest on the ground and thought the colors and the swirling pattern were so cool that I made Scott take a picture of it and since I am doing this post I got to stick it in - so if you think it is lame - I take full credit with a big smile!

Scott liked the way this man had his hands clasped behind his back - thought it made him look contemplative.

The trees are so interesting here...Scott just had to take a picture of this tree because it framed the ocean (although the lighting didn't work quite right to see the water where that bright spot is.)

Scott hogs the camera so he is only in this picture as we were leaving the island. Okay, not really. I make Scott take the pictures because I am usually chasing the boys and telling them not to climb trees or throw rocks, or jump off cliffs...Thanks for all the pictures and Saturday adventures Scotty!

Little E's Big Moves!

(Heidi pointed out that Jared loves the camera a little more than Ethan so we had to find a way to keep him in front of it long enough to get some live footage...Heidi, this one's for you!)

Here's Ethan working on his Napolean Dynamite moves to Dog Train, a CD Grandma Julie sent him for his birthday...he loves it. Love you all! Heather and boys

Current Events!

Pacific siesmic and volcanic activities!

This volcano, Mt. Asama, is Japan's most active volcano. It spewed ash 2,000 metres into the air and rocks as far as 1 km away on February 2, 2009. Cars were white with ash even here in Yokosuka! Wow, our first three months and we have already experienced a volcano and an earthquake!




























On February 17th Scott and I were awakened at 5 am to the rattling of our door and then we realized the bed was shaking. Our first earthquake! The epicenter was about 30-40 miles from Tokyo (out in the ocean) but it was felt all over Honshu (the main island here in Japan). It measured a 5.0 on the richter scale. The star on the map shows where the epicenter of the earthquake was and we are located near the bottom of the map in Tokyo Bay.




Boys' Night!











Playing with Daddy is the best! Mom had book group so we had a boys' night and we built a super colossal awesome marble maze and filled our secret playhouse with balloons!
Daddy, we love you!

Happy Birthday Ethan!

#3

Ethan helped make his own birthday cake this year. He was so proud of himself...the baker in charge was dad and that made mom so proud! Yeah, Dad and Ethan. Wow! Three whole years
of smiles, snuggles, and messes! Fortunately, along with the big number 3 we are now potty trained and so pleased! No major bribes, no poopy pants - just a gradual shift into big boy underwear...of course there were a couple soggy moments at the store and once during visiting teaching but for the most part the trauma was minimal! Yeah, Ethan you're a big boy now!


Let Them Eat Cake!

YUMMY!

I LIKE TO RIDE MY BICYCLE!
I like to ride my bike...

Look mom! No training wheels! Scott took off Jared's training wheels and they went out for a spin. We are so excited for him. He loves riding his bike.






TOKYO
















My first trip to Tokyo! I went to the Tokyo temple with some friends from the branch: Lindi, Celeste, and Dayna. Dayna was our photographer. Unfortunately, I forgot the camera in the car after we left the temple - doh! We saw Tokyo Tower and went shopping in downtown then took a train to the fabric district. Several stores had multiple floors - the biggest had 5 floors of different kinds of fabric...there was even a whole store dedicated completely to buttons. (Of course those buttons were a minimum of 300 yen that's about $3.30 each!) After all day in Tokyo we had to stop at IKEA on the way home! We were gone from about 6:30 in the morning until about 10:30 at night! It was a loooong fun day! Thanks girls!