Birthday Man

Mike was looking through the family blogs tonight and pointed out that I had not posted in quite some time.  It is true.  I don't know what has happened to the blogger in me.

Today, however, is Mr. Mike's birthday, so now I have a good reason, plus a picture, to sit down and blog.

Every day when Mike is walking home from work - usually long past dinnertime - he passes a little sweets bakery near the train station.  And every day he looks hungrily and longingly in the window at the strawberry cake.  But, he never stops to buy it.  So today Beaver and I took a little walk to the bakery and got the cake for his birthday.  After dinner we had strawberry cake and oreo milkshakes.

Happy Birthday Mike!

No Place Like Home

Do you ever get over your childhood?  A few months ago. Bear had an assignment in school: bring pictures from home or the internet of 5 of the most beautiful places on earth to make a collage.  My mind immediately went to the Rocky Mountains and the Intermountain West.  THE most beautiful place on earth, if you ask me.  We have spent a good amount of time in the Rockies during summers of Bear's childhood.  Then there was Guam, and plenty of beautiful places we have visited in Japan.  And of course, Grandma & Grandpa N's farm.  Another beautiful place in my life.  Imagine my surprise when Bear announced that the only place he wanted a picture of was our house and yard in Illinois!

We are ten days from our one year anniversary in Japan.  Truly, I have loved every day of it.  Maybe not every minute, or even every hour, but every day I have been happy to be here.  I miss my family, of course, but I didn't see them much in the US either (even you - Will & Sam!  We saw you more than the others, but it was still only every few months).  Our one year anniversary means that I have now spent every season in Japan.  As sakura season comes to a close, and the warmth of spring begins to prevail, I am beginning a season in Japan for the second time.  Somehow, this makes it lose some of its newness and excitement.  I am feeling homesick.  I sang "America the Beautiful" and "My Country 'Tis of Thee" all the way home from Costco this morning.  I miss my garden in Illinois.  I miss buying seeds at Menard's and seedlings at Kelly Seed.  I miss the fire pit we dug two years ago and my little magnolia tree in bloom.  I miss grocery shopping at Kroger.  I miss Johnny, and he wasn't even really mine!  I miss the Wastach front in the springtime.  I miss feeling warmth in the air, but seeing Mt. Timpanogas still covered in snow.  I miss rollerblading on the Provo River trail.  And, most of all, I think, I miss our Idaho farm.  I miss the comforting smell of my horses and being covered in horse hair as they lost their winter coats.  I miss the velvety feel of their muzzles and the way they closed their eyes and dozed as I brushed them.  I miss the spring in their step as they also reveled in the glory of springtime.  I miss cantering along the dirt road through Shulsen's farm off the 200 East road.  I miss wandering the cow paths on the old farm and the the way the banks of the canals had eroded from years of cattle making their way down to drink.  I miss exploring in the Russian Olives.  I miss feeding the calves and the feeling of their rough tongues sucking my hand.  I miss the haystacks.  Springtime is a time of renewal and looking forward, but I find my heart aching for times long past.

When I thought about it for a moment, it made me happy that Bear thought of Illinois as one of the most beautiful places on earth.  That means he spent a happy seven years at our little midwestern homestead.  Illinois had not made my list, but to him, it was beautiful.  I suppose it is possible that southern Idaho is not so beautiful to those who do not know it well, but to me, the remembrance of it at least, will always feel like home.

I know that our time in Japan will go quickly.  When someday we leave, I will look back with longing again.  That is the problem, and the blessing, of living in many places.  You leave pieces of your heart wherever you go.  

Tell me, what do you miss from your childhood?
      

The Clan in Japan

We have had a busy, fun-filled couple of weeks around here with our first visitors from overseas:  Mr. Mike's parents, two aunts, and their husbands.  The first couple of days Mike was working and they were still jet-lagged, so we took it pretty easy.  We walked around the cute neighborhood by our train station and I took them grocery shopping (an experience in itself!) and shopping at the great secondhand stores.  But beginning Saturday, we got down to the business of sight-seeing.  We went on some kind of excursion pretty much every day for the next two weeks.  It was fun for me to show them around and they were all so appreciative of everything about Japan.  I also enjoyed cooking some of the Japanese dishes I have learned for people who would actually eat and enjoy them, since my kids usually don't.  :)  We were able to have an enjoyable meal of okonomiyaki filled with compliments instead of complaints!  I would cook, and they would clean up, and I'm always quite happy with that arrangement.  The second week was Luke's spring break and Mike took the week off, so we went to Hiroshima and Miyajima and spent the night, and then spent a day in Kyoto later in the week.  Unfortunately, the weather has not been great, but we managed to see a lot and enjoy ourselves anyway.  Our house will seem pretty quiet and lonely when everyone leaves on Tuesday.

Now prepare for a long post with lots of pictures as I try to cover the highlights of the whole trip.

Down by the station

Grocery shopping

Secondhand shopping

Beaver bought this dragon thing.

I'm not sure what is actually happening here, but it looks like Mike is giving instructions for riding the train.

On the train

Getting on the ropeway

Up, up and away!

On top of the mountain

Downtown Kobe

We ran into the missionaries

Chinatown

The aquarium was Beaver's idea, but it turns out all he wanted to see was the dolphin show.  We went to that first thing, and then he was ready to go.

Enjoying okonomiyaki.

The Bakery Party!

This photo requires some explanation.  There are little bake shops full of all kinds of bread creations practically on every corner in Japan.  One train stop from our station is the only bakery where we have been able to find whole wheat bread.  One day we had been out sight-seeing all morning and we were all very hungry.  We had to pass by that station on our way home, so we stopped at the bakery to get some whole wheat bread, but everything in the shop looked so good to our empty stomachs that we started buying more than just bread.  By the time we left, I think we had purchased one of about everything in the store between us!  We took our goods home and divvied them up on platters so everyone could try a little of everything for lunch.  Beaver came in and announced, "It's a bakery party!"  And so, the Bakery Party was born.  A couple of days later we were passing that station again, so we repeated the process, but this time saved the party for dinner so Bear could join in as well.  After our meal, Bear declared, "That was the best dinner ever!"

Being a cattleman, Uncle Jim wanted to try some of the famous Kobe beef, so he bought some one night and treated us all to it the next day.  I actually haven't been crazy about the Kobe beef I have eaten so far, but this was good stuff!

In no time at all, G&G were fitting right in - sleeping on the trains and everything!

Our kids were delighted with the tame "wild" deer on Miyajima.  Until Bear got kicked, anyway.

The floating torii gate at Miyajima

Hiroshima - I didn't think I wanted to take the kids to the A-bomb museum, so Mike and I sent the gang off on their own and went on a tour of the Mazda factory instead.

When they were done at the museum, they were brave enough to go and get lunch by themselves!  Here is a restaurant employee showing Grandpa how to order his lunch from a vending machine.  I was impressed.  I don't think I have ever even ordered at a restaurant by myself!  I always take Mike with me!

Grandpa was getting pretty good at chopsticks!

Bear dressed as a samurai at Hiroshima Castle

Hiroshima Castle

We were all tired out on Wednesday after our trip, so we took it easy in the morning, and then Mike took everyone to a nearby park in the afternoon.  It has beautiful gardens and an awesome ropes course for kids.

Thursday was Kyoto

And finally, the cherry blossoms really showed themselves!

It was wonderful to have visitors and to be able to share Japan with people we love!

Happy Spring!

My first Sakura season in Japan!  

It is still cold, but our cherry trees are blooming beautifully at last.  Warm weather appears to be on its way next week - just in time for our guests to leave.  Boo.

The Gang in Japan

At the Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge

The Three Sister's shopping trip with the owners of the antiques store and our friend from church.  Colleen said she had always wanted pearls, so Jim bought her the lovely pearl necklace she is wearing!

Eating tempura at the Akashi Fish market.  Everyone was pretty fearless and willing to try all kinds of samples...

 ...even this!

On the ferry to Miyajima

Grandma & Grandpa at Miyajima

Grandma on the ropes course at Suma Rikyu park

Group photo at the Kinkaku-ji in Kyoto

We have been having a great time!  I hope to get more photos and info posted soon!

Waiting for Harry

First - before I get to Harry - I must report a couple of funny Beaver stories:

Beaver wanted me to play chess with him the other day, so I sat down, set up the chess board, and tried explaining to him how to move some of the pieces.  "No, Mommy.  I know how to play.  If I get your king, then I win, and if you get my king, then you win."  He proceeded to take one of his pawns and bonk my king on the crown with it.   "Ha ha!  I got your king!"  From there, the game became some kind of mash-up of Pokemon battling with chess pieces.  "Mommy, you get your guards in the air and use sandstorm attack." Beaver instructed me.  So, I lifted my knights up and shouted, "Sandstorm attack!  Go!"  Beaver: "Ha ha!  You can't stop us because we have eyelashes to get through your sandstorm!"  Thank you, Diego.

Today was a holiday, so the neighborhood kids were all home from school.  The boys and I were walking to a neighbor's house to return something and we passed several of Bear's schoolmates, along with one of Beaver's, playing in a friend's driveway.  Bear immediately asked to go play, and I willingly let him go.  There were no parents in sight, but he is old enough to play with minimal supervision.  As Beaver and I continued on our way, Beaver asked, "Mommy, please can I go play, too?" And then, in a tone of dejected resignation he responded to his own question, "Or not.  Because I am too little."  Well, if he wanted to yank my heart strings, he sure did it.  I would have done anything to let him play after that.  I got a camping chair and the ipad and sat at the end of my neighbor's driveway so that my sweet Beaver could play with the kids, too.

Now, on to Harry.

Bear loves Harry Potter.  At least, he loves the first three books.  That is all he has read so far.  Not because he doesn't want to read further, but because I have told him he is not allowed to read any further at this point.  I haven't read past book 3 myself, but I know the books get darker as the series progresses.  I don't think the books are bad.  I just don't feel like I want to expose him to the death and violence that I know occur in the later books - not just yet.  What I would really like to do is just have him read one each year from this point on, but I don't know if it will really be possible to hold him to that.  One of the problems is that he has a good friend here - one year younger than him - who has read all of the books.  That friend's mother tells me that she let her son read the books, but not watch the movies, because she feels that at his age, his imagination can only take the reading so far - it isn't the same as seeing it in a movie.  I can see her point and I respect it, but I am still not convinced that I want to let Bear read more.

Tonight, Bear was once again pushing to be allowed to read book 4.  I didn't give in, but I can't deny that I am second guessing myself.  I came downstairs after getting him in bed and googled "Should I let my 9-year-old read Harry Potter?"  As I was perusing the results, Bear called to me from the top of the stairs.  "Mom, I can't fall asleep because I keep thinking about dementors."  Hmmmm......maybe that is my answer right there.

Seriously, though.  Does anyone out there have an opinion about this?  I have kind of been thinking that when we go back to the US this summer, I will buy the set and read them myself and then decide.  I don't really want to, though.  I lost interest after the 3rd book.  Probably because they do get darker, and dark books don't interest me.  If anyone has read the series, let me know what you think about a 9-year-old reading it.  Or give me some ideas for other books for him to read.  The poor kid is so desperate, he checked out the 2nd and 3rd books from the school library and re-read them this week.  We have the first one, and he has probably read it five times.  It is times like this that I dearly miss having access to a public library.

Party Central!

It was party central at our house over the weekend.  It started with Member's Night at the club on Friday - a movie for the kids, a free flea market, and dinner.  Saturday morning we were up bright and early because Bear had scouts.  Mike took both kids to scouts so that I could finish up preparations for Bear's birthday party.  He had requested a detective party like we did a couple of years ago, so I have spent the last couple of weeks coming up with a party plan.

The "Birthday Bandits" have infiltrated our neighborhood and have been ruining birthdays by stealing presents and the like.  I needed the help of Bear's friends to stop the thievery.  First thing, we needed to do some secret agent training.  To test their observation skills, we played the game where you put a bunch of objects on a tray, have the kids look, leave the room and remove one object, and then see if they can figure out which thing is missing.  Secret agents need to be handy with a gun, as well, so we did a little target practice.

Once they completed training, the kids were qualified to receive their secret agent packet, which contained a notebook and pen, and one other object that might be helpful as they embarked on their mission.

Then, to our dismay, we discovered that the Birthday Bandits had struck again!  All of Bear's presents were gone!  In their place was a nasty note, and a letter written in code.

Luckily, one of the kids had a key in his packet to crack the code.  The message said to go to the sandbox.  In the sandbox was a letter X made with two sticks.  Of course, everyone knows that X marks the spot, and one girl had a shovel in her packet, so they dug into the sand and found another clue.  Unfortunately, the writing was so small, it was impossible to read!  Good thing one of our secret agents had a magnifying glass.  Next were two notecards taped back to back with four letters on each side.  One agent had instructions to make a thaumatrope.  By punching a hole in each side and inserting rubber bands, they could spin the cards to make a rudimentary motion picture and were able to see that, when put together, the eight letters spelled "back gate."  At the back gate was another clue with compass directions, so the agent with a compass in his packet led us to a tree, where another clue was written in backward writing.

Our agent with a mirror was able to decipher that clue, which led us to the mailbox, where there was a blank piece of paper.  Bear had instructions for revealing invisible ink in his packet, so it didn't take them long to figure out what was up.  Once revealed the invisible ink said "toolbox" so they ran to the garage, only to find the toolbox locked.  Our last agent pulled a key out of her packet, and discovered the final clue that led to the place where the presents were hidden!  Success!

After the presents were opened, we had Bear's favorite cake - an ice cream cake roll.  The only problem was that it was frozen so solid we couldn't get candles to stick into it.  Oh well.

Most of the friends left after the party, but we had Bear's friend from church stay to spend the night.  Since my birthday was Sunday, we went out for dinner at a Chinese restaurant that Mike knew about.  It was good, but Beaver cried because he didn't want to try any of the food.  Sunday we had some friends over for dinner.  They had spent the week in Australia on vacation and gotten back late Saturday night, so I thought it would be nice for them to have a dinner to come to on Sunday.  My friend was so sweet and brought me flowers that she had gotten at 10:30 the night before because she knew that my birthday was Sunday.  The rest of us had forgotten about it all morning.  By the time we get to my birthday, I'm about birthdayed out.

It was a fun, but busy weekend.  Today I am relaxing at home and not going anywhere!