Nanae plays with the fax machine.

Nanae is trying to fax the Scooby Doo Memory Game.  If you get a mysterious fax, please disregard.  

What does Winter look like in Guam?

Not a Corona ad.  We went to Guam.  This is what our vacation looked like.  We played in the water and sand.  Patrick and I had a Corona or two.  We ate at Taco Bell.  We went shopping and snorkeling.  It was amazing and I want to go back.  It is three hours to paradise.  In Spokane, it was three hours to Republic.  That may be paradise.  But, I like this white sand beach a little bit more than our beach on the Ketttle River.  Just a little bit.

Miyo quickly learned how to snorkel.  She went out to the reef with Patrick quite a few times.  I got a little freaked out by an aggressive trigger fish.  Patrick got bit, but he did not get scared.  We saw a blue starfish.  And lots of sea cucumbers.  They do not look like cucumbers.

We played in the sand.  We had no toys with us other than what we found there.  The kids just played.  Patrick and I were actually able to relax and watch them.   The water was pretty calm and we felt safe.  I had never been to a beach like this in my whole life.  It was heaven.  I also learned a bit about sunscreen.  SPRAY ON ONLY.  We ran out on our last day there, and of course that is the day you try to squeeze the most out of.  We used rub on sunscreen, drank too much beer, drank too little water, stayed in the sun too long.  This means getting onto an airplane very dehydrated and with very red tourist sunburns.  Totally worth it.

When Patrick was growing up, his family came here often.  I hope we can come here more.  I am hoping for March.  It is also when my passport could use another stamp.  How convenient.

Nanae at some Cheetos that cost five dollars!  Then she spilled the bag, like twice.  It was so great to be around people speaking English and eat some familiar foods.  The funny thing is, I started to get homesick for Japan and not Spokane.  I do miss Spokane.  But, I really wanted to come back to our apartment and eat Japanese food.  Do not worry, we brought a suitcase full of cereal and Desitin back to Japan with us.  Merry Christmas!

Haruto eats a fish

This is Haruto.  This is Haruto eating a fish.  Any questions?

Japanezey randomness.....

..........delivered via pictures.

My mind is too mushed for words.

But everything is good.

Walking and more walking

Here is Miyo and Nanae walking home from school.  Notice that Nanae has her hair in pigtails.  And Miyo is a pretty snappy dresser.  Look at that sweater!  And ruby red shoes.  They are the cutest.

KISS ing…or Keeping it simple, stupid.

One of my favorite things to do when I was in Spokane, was to cook and bake. I would spend hours preparing and cutting and all that jazz. I could fit my Japanese kitchen into my American kitchen about two times. I have tried to reteach myself how to cook more simple things and spend less time worrying about what we are going to eat. This was dinner made with white radish and the white radish greens. I have learned a lot from what they cook at Miyo's school. Most of the vegetables I use are bought from the farmer's stands that are surrounding our apartment. I know it sounds odd, when you think of Japan you would never guess how many little plots of land are just a few rows of green onion, broccoli, cabbage, and radish. I can grab this stuff for ¥100. Pretty cool.

Comfort food

Saltine crackers with Skippy Creamy Peanutbutter, and a glass of milk. I have been eating this since I was little. When I was in high school, my Mom still packed lunches for me. This was usually in it. I am pretty sure this costs more to eat here than it does in Spokane. But, it is amazing how good something familiar tastes and it is worth every YEN.

A day in the life...

This is Miyo looking happy, of course. We took her to Disneyland Tokyo. The lines and the people were a bit overwhelming. I do not think it was as busy the last time we went. After 6 hours, one ride, lunch, and numerous lines...we went home.

Nanae is pretty good at walking now. She walked to the neighbor's to play with the toys that were left outside.

I am making ocha, or tea, all the time. I have decided that I love it more here. I was drinking green tea in Spokane. Cold brewed, of course. But, everyone is drinking this here. I think it is because the water takes a bit like chlorine. I put one bag into my container of choice, and I brew it for 99 minutes in the fridge. It is pretty much heaven.

This is what my freezer looks like. I had a huge compost bin in Spokane. Two of them in fact. I am too scared of cockroaches to attempt this here. I am now, freezer composting. I have no idea if this even exists. I might just be crazy. I am planning on saving this in the freezer, the loading it into a compostable bag and then throwing it in the trash. At least if it is all together and in a biodegradable bag it will do it's thing in the landfill and attract the damned gokiburi there and not in my apartment.

We got our second package from Spokane. I cannot tell you how nice it was to get a box with an Out There, Inlander, Lucky Charms, Tea Tree oil, Desitin, holy crap, much more. I had no idea that it would be impossible to find diaper cream. I guess these babies here do not get diaper rash. Thank you for the package. I love you!

Awesome necklaces

This is Nanae wearing her new favorite necklaces. Every 14 month old should have light up necklaces. These came in an awesome package with other awesome things. Notice, she has a new hair style. I had been just clipping her hair to the side. We have lost many clips since we got here. She pulls them out and tosses them, no joke. This hair style was a favorite with my sister, Hannah. Keeps the hair out of the face if you are putting off that first hair cut.

The pooding post.

I would love to send this to my Dad. My Dad loves flan. In Japan, they call this pudding. I think it tastes just like flan. This BIG one costs ¥120. I was enjoying it, and so was Nanae. Then she dumped it onto the floor. When we first got here, we were eating too much pudding. Now, we only get it once in a while. But, darn, it is good.

Found

Japanese spider

Very close to actual size. Found everywhere. Not poisonous but looks pretty mean.

Food shoveling sequence.

The key is not to laugh while doing it.

Well done.

Sisters.

On walk to grandparents house this morning. They're growing.

I really like Nanae's leg in this shot.

Insert photo here...

I went to write only my second post here, then realized that I did not have any pictures to include in the post. I realize, this means I fail. Today I went shopping with two of the other moms here in the apartment complex. We went to Costco. I am exhausted. I could barely talk after the trip while the other two moms split up our purchases and divided what items we were going to share. Fun? Totally. Coffee before the next trip? Obviously. Will I remember to take pictures...OF COURSE. But, while I have you here, I would like to tell you how much I have enjoyed reading our blog. Patrick is a pretty good writer. And I love his pictures. So, those are some big shoes to fill and I promise I will try! Just in case you wanted to know, the cheesecake at the Pajan Costco is the best I have ever had in my entire life. It is worth a plane ticket.

Good Monday.

Baikin-man

Today

Today was a good day. Sunny and warm, fun all around, Elissa got some Facebook chat action and I road a bike and drank some beer. Everyday should be like this.

サーリー ペーサー

Finally found a good used bike in my size. Road it home about ten miles. Road great. Very happy with it so far. Has super duper road bike gearing. Really small range 10 speed in the back, 39/53 front. Sucked going up hills but cornered great and went fast. Leaving the 32mm tires on it now for now but already got 28mm Grand Bois Cerfs for it.

I liked the handlebars. I think they're called bullhorns? Never road with one before. It felt like drop bars without the drop. Looks weird but was fairly comfortable and helped get great leverage on climbs. Might swap out brakes at some point. The black foamy bar wrap craps gotta go too.

On a side note, Elissa made deviled eggs and took a picture of it. Had black sesame seeds on it to give it some Asianness flare. Things are starting to become a little more normal around here.

Graveyard night kitty.

Witnessed on ride home. 

Nov 10 school day 3.

From the vault.

Morning @ Swan Lake