pictures from saturday

Saturday school field trip

Avery's school had a filed trip to the orphanage that they sponsor. The ones that one on the field trip were handpicked by the teachers to go and represent the school. Avery was one of the ones for fifth grade. Hunter stayed with his dad for the day and they went to the bx had fun playing the xbox at home.
We left the school at 8:30 and got their close to 10. When we got off the bus, we had to walk down the narrow streets to the AIJI-NO-IE. When we got there, we took our shoes off and they handed us some slippers to wear inside the building. As we walked in the building, they were all bowing and saying Ohayo gozaimasu (Good Morning). We were lead into a room (which is where they do their cooking) and given a pink piece of paper with they days activities on it. Once everyone was in the room, the head of the orphanage said a few words and our principle said a few words. Then we were divided into groups. I had Avery and another little boy in my group and we were paired up with a Japanese boy who looked to be around 14. He spoke very little English , but was an excellent guide. He let the boys pick out what activities they wanted to try. (we did make it to all the activities by the end of the day).
The first activities was Souvenir picture wearinga Japanese costume. Avery and I had our picture taken together. I wore a Japanese bridal costume and they had me wear a wig, (those wigs are so heavy), Avery wore a Samurai outfit. Once we get those back from the orphanage the school, I will post it on here. Some of the other activities the boys did were, Tea ceremony, Origami, Shogi game, Pound rice cake, Bozumekuri, Fukuwarai (http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/virtual/fukuwarai/fukuwarai01.html), Darumaotoshi (kinda like jenji) but used with a toy mallet. Marbles, Otedama(Juggling bean bags) , Paper sumo, Flower arrangement (Ikibana), Calligraphy, and cup and ball, top spinning and ring toss. They got to trade stickers that they had received for Japanese candy. Lunch was provided and it was all Japanese food. Some of the ones Avery and I tried were , norimaki, sushi, yakitori, wanko soba, sukiyaki, tamagoyaki, and Avery had in his head that we should try takoyaki, (I didn't really care for the last one and Avery didn't either) It wasn't later until I was looking up the words on the computer, that we should have focused on the first half of the word. (tako-octopus). I guess now we can say that we tried octopus. At the end of the day day we went to the roof and got our picture taken as a group. and then they presented the school with a nice gift(a Japanese doll) for the school to display. We said our good bye and walked back to the bus with the crafts we made and the gifts that were given to each of us and got back to the school around 4:30. It was a very nice and fun day. Avery said that he hopes Hunter gets picked while were are here and that he would love to go back. I will post of the day a little later.

Swimming back on

After a month break, the pool is finally reopening. Avery starts swim team tomorrow evening and Hunter starts up swimming lessons again on Monday.

Past week

This week has been busy. We scheduled the trip to Hiroshima, and got our car JCI so we can drive it. We still aren't completely through with that. So many steps just to get a sticker for your car. A teacher at the boys school offered to help Avery learn how to play the guitar. So him and a friend are going to go every Friday after school to his class to learn how play. We got Franklin a friend. Hunter wants to call him Koopa, he is a midori kame (green turtle). There is a good chance that by the middle of April , I could be working full time at the boys school. Just keeping my fingers crossed. A Japanese local theather group came and put on a play for the kids at school, it was about a big fish that a bunch of cats were trying to catch. It was a cute little play. In April, the boys school is having an art show and all their art they have done through the year will be displayed. I will be helping out during the art show and after the show, the kids get to take their art work home. They have made a bunch of clay figures this year, we have an extra curio cabnet to display all of their creations.

Trip to Hiroshima

Today Robbie and I went and booked a trip for the four of us to Hiroshima. We are going in April during the kids spring break. We are taking the Bullet Train into Hiroshima from Tokyo. The fun part will be trying to get to the train stations on time without getting lost. We will leave early enough to give us plenty of time to get there. It should make for a fun experience, because I am sure that the further away from the base you are, the less English they will speak. I will be taking my ds with the Japanese coach game to help me with words and some of the other booklets I have. They also have a universal studios over here and that trip you take the bullet train too. We will either do that one spring of 2010 or spring of 2011. There is so much to pick from along with the day trips to keep us busy. It is really neat here because if you are a E club member they give you 10 percent off on the day trips and the bullet train trips. They also give you a 10 percent discount on swimming lessons, the arts and crafts store, and of course the restaurants , which I haven't used since we got here, but Robbie uses it with his work alot. To bad they don't let you use it at the sushi stand in the commissary. lol.

Saturday outing

Today the boys and I had a nice outing. After weeks of it being in the 30's , I think it got up to 60's today. The boys were saying it was so hot outside. I guess they forgot what the summer was like. Robbie has weekend duty, so we ain't doing to much of anything this weekend. But since I had to go grocery shopping, I dropped him off at work and we went first to the shrine sale on base. Avery got some kind of Japanese counter, Hunter got a Bear statue, and I picked up a framed picture with a Gehisa and some Cherry Blossoms. Then we went for a walk off base to the Seiyu and the Deiso. The boys had fun and it is about a ten to 15 minute walk from the base. They picked out some bean bags that the Japanese kids play with and they also picked up pop guns at the 100 yen store. They are a big thing with the boy's friends over here. While we were in the 100 yen store, this little old lady smiled at us and was smiling at Avery , I am not sure if she was asking how old he was or what. I pointed at Avery and Hunter and held up two and then she smiled at Avery again, Hunter ran off to the next isle and she said something to me again, that I don't understand. I said he was 8 (in English of course) and then she said something else to me. I just smiled and said sumimasen and Wakarimasen. (I am sorry, I don't understand) She just smiled and started to talk to her friend and the both smiled at us. I have been told that they really like the blue eyes and blond hair, but we only have blue eyes. Next weekend they are having a Asian Bazaar sale on base. That will be our adventure for next weekend.

NFL Legend

Today the boys and I didn't get a chance to go to the commissary, because I had to work and Avery had Art club after school, (I volunteer to help in art club) and hunter plays on the computer or the play ground during it. But Robbie got to go to the commissary and meet Franco Harris and get his autograph. He said the line was long. Alot of people showed up for the signing. He got the boys a football and had Franco Harris sign the football. The boys were really excited that their daddy went and got them the autograph. That is one of the perks about being overseas, you get people to come visit and sign autographs.

Avery

There is a trip the school does during the spring to the orphanage over here and only a select few get to go on this trip to represent the school. Avery was one of the ones from his grade to get picked to go on it. The orphanage visited the school during thanksgiving and the school put together a wonderful fest for them and then during Christmas the student brought in gifts to be sent to the child that their classroom sponsors for Christmas day. The note said that the orphanage prepares a marvelous day of well planned activities for them. There are a couple of representatives chosen from each sponsor's class to participate. These representatives are expected to be outstanding ambassadors for the school and their class. Children will be divided into groups of Japanese and American kids. They will have an opportunity to do things like origami, Japanese calligraphy, Ikebana, and play Japanese games. A delicious meal will be provided for the children.
This sounds like a wonderful cultural experience for Avery to participate in. They are going the last Saturday of Feb.

My Sweet Baby Boy

Hunter is such a sweet heart. They had an early release from school today. When I got there to pick them up, he was in tears and I had a hard time understanding him. Finally, after I got him to calm down, he told me what was a matter. He was upset because he didn't get me a birthday present. Isn't he just so thoughtful and sweet. The Liberian saw him and took him aside and gave him a bag of dark chocolate to give me , so he would have a present to give me. Just thought that was so sweet of him.

Mt Asama eruption

We woke up today with a light blanket of ash all over the cars and ground. Instead of it being a snow day , I guess it is a volcano day. The schools are closed today because of the eruption.

Mt Asama is the volcano that we saw on the way to the snow monkeys. It erupted at 2 am and threw ash thousands of feet in the air according to the yokota news. Here is a picture of our car with ash on it.

Superbowl weekend.

Well , with the Superbowl usually on Sunday. It will be a little strange having the Superbowl on while the kids are at school tomorrow morning.

The boys and I went to the bx and there was a man doing the names in Japanese. The kids really liked them. I got one for Avery and Hunter and I also got one with our last name on it. And the boys for an early bday present for me picked up one of those Japanese Dolls. We picked out the red and black color to go with the Georgia Bulldog stuff we have.