A Spooky Charlotte's Web

The last few days the kids have been on a bug collecting kick.  Today after school, Charlotte burst in the door wanting her bug box for a really cool spider.  She grabbed it and out she ran.  This is what she brought back.

Fortunately no humans were harmed in the collection process.  A neighbor girl actually collected this beautiful Black Widow specimen.  She is a fantastic, eerie, creepy, perfect example of a Black Widow.  Everyone here now has the heebie jeebies.  I think Jason is spraying tomorrow!

Happy Halloween!

Pretty in Pink and Orange

While my 3 oldest boys are roughing it in the cold, it is getting in the 30's.  They are also sporting attractive orange clothing.  I thought I would share a complete contrast.

Okinawa Sunset

Stay warm and safe!

Our Little Park

Just before we left Japan we spent lots of time at our little park.  Jason would frequently use it as his way of entertaining the girls while I was busy with the baby.  I joined them one day and Jason had his camera.  Those fun moments you get to watch your kiddos be kids.

As the temperatures get cooler and cooler here I start to miss the mild temperature of our island.  I think I would even take a typhoon if it meant I was warm and could wear flip flops.  We are adjusting and getting settled, it just seems like there is always an urgent situation needing out attention and I can't get into a routine.  I am craving it.  How do you get a routine going when every day something important disrupts it all?  Seriously, would love to hear!

Why We Use Straws

This is why we use straws to drink my smoothies!

I make really thick smoothies because that is how I like them, more like a Frosty.  Except my Frosty's have spinach, kale, blueberries, raspberries, flax, and pineapple juice.  Lately I have been throwing in an apple from the local orchards - oh yummy!  My friends taught me that the blueberries cancel out the bitterness from the Kale (and never use the stems, too bitter).  The kids like them as long as I use plenty of pineapple juice.

Pictures of our last day, Jayce's Perspective.

I was downloading pictures and found these from our last day in Japan.  I of course demanded that we spend part of it at the beach.  We only had the morning until Jason had to drop off our car to its new owners.  What I love about these pictures is Jayce had the camera for a big part of the day.  I get to see what he thought was worth taking pictures of, I think they are cute.

Digging for sand toys.

They decided to splurge and pay for a banana boat ride.  The Japanese are always worried about safety.

They are waiting for the ride to start, I don't think Jason was impressed.  It was impressive enough for my boys.

I love all the selfies!  I wonder if the sign is warning about Typhoons or what.  The wave is picking up that poor kid.

He loves the soda machines and Shisa's!

Jayce will miss the vending machines and soda choices.

A wooden ship playground, the kids love the zip line.

I had never read this sign and always wondered why they chose a wood ship for a playground.  Thanks  Jayce for the story!

More cute selfies!

Our final sunset, it was beautiful.

Moustache Smile!

After being re-united with family we loaded up into 4 or 5 vehicles for the final drive home.  I quickly realized that my family had other plans and Charlotte was staying with cousins before I had time to say no.

The next time I saw Charlotte was lunch the next day, she was in borrowed clothes and this....

She is stinkin cute even with a moustache. (I love that the cousins put it on upside down and filled it in with permanent marker - which was the least permanent part of the moustache).

After lunch with 11 kids we headed back to Grammy's for the rest of the evening.  By bedtime Charlotte was overly tired and we thought it was so funny.  You couldn't tell she was upset, she had a permanent smile.  Love that face.

Taking her picture helped to cheer her up and then we tucked her in and I don't think we saw any kids until late morning.

Back in the Saddle

I apologize for my longer than expected absence.  They packed up our belongings in Japan on June 18 and then we didn't see it again until August 24.  We are still getting settled, but we are finally all connected again.  I received a kind e-mail from blogher informing me that I was going to be dropped from their ad campaign, it has been too long since I blogged.  I have had it on my to do list, but with unpacking, school, and a new business - I have been slower than I wanted.  So, I am back to blogging and hope that my readers will return!

So much has happened and the time has flown since we left the hotel in Japan at 6:30 am on July 1.  We spent the next 25+ hours travelling back to the states and our new life here.

30 minute bus ride

2 hour minute flight

6.5 hour layover

9.5 hour flight

3 hour layover

2 hour flight

1 hour layover

1 hour flight

30 minute car ride

_____________

14.5 hours flying

10.5 hours waiting

1 hour commuting

+ 1 sea bag, 2 medium suitcases, 5 carry-ons, 6 large suitcases, and 3 car seats (1 of which was a carry on) (not counting Jason's luggage)

Which of course it wasn't that smooth.  Everything was relatively smooth until we reached Seattle.  When you go through customs you pile all your luggage and carry-ons on to the carts to get through.  Then they load it on a conveyor to go to your connecting flights.  The airport personnel are so efficient that they had grabbed Jude's car seat and sent it off down the conveyor belt before we realized it.  We needed to get it back.  They told us it would be no big deal.  We followed their instructions and said good by to Jason who was staying in Seattle.

Thank goodness I have a husband who worry's about us a ton.  I took the kids and our carry-ons and headed to the gate.  Parked us and sent Jayce and Grahm with money to buy some burgers while we waited.  Shortly after that Jayce and Grahm return without burgers, but with Jason and the car seat.  The airport had not idea where to send the car seat.  we would have lost it!  After feeding and pottying everyone I realize that they had changed our gate, fortunately not too far.

They are late boarding us and getting us to SLC.  I only had an hour layover to begin with.  And now I have no layover, 5 kids, carry-ons, and a car seat.  We land and they asked everyone to stay seated so those of us with connecting flights could make it - no one every stays seated.  We were at the back.  We  go off and I sent Jayce (who is very concerned about missing the flight), Grahm, and Charlotte to run ahead of me.  While I carry Jude in the carry seat and beg with and plead with Tennyson to please run and keep up (this is at 24 hours of travel).  Some how we made it to the gate, and they let us on.  They even let me take Charlotte to the bathroom before we boarded (the plane is waiting for us).  Tennyson and Jude are both having meltdowns at take off.  We made it and were welcomed home with signs and a crowd.


We will forever miss Japan and will cherish the time we spent there.

Moving

Our adventure in Japan is coming to a close.  Our computer will be packed up in a couple of days and then it will be a month or so before I see it again.  So, posts will be few and far between until we are settled.

We will miss Okinawa and are excited to have family in our daily lives again.

A Couple First Smiles

Ryukyu Mura Part 2

Here are my kiddos with the performers.  There is the Emperor and Empress and their attendants, Kijimuna, female dancer and taiko drummer.

One of the really fun things about Ryukyu Mura is the parade/performances they hold twice each day.  These performances showcase several of the festivals held during the year.  It gives you a quick snapshot of all the fun you can have during the year.

The first picture is of the Miruku parade.  The guy with the mask is the Bodhisattva of happiness, rich harvests, and prosperity.  

The two female dancers in the middle pictures are performing some kind of harvest dance.  They are holding farm tools and whistling and singing.  The Okinawans are amazing whistlers.

The dancer on the right is performing the Juri Dance.  The performers are holding two wooden pieces in each hand that they click together.
The dance was staged to bring auspicious conditions for a good harvest and profitable business. However, the Juri dance (Juri means prostitute in the Okinawan dialect) has not been performed since 1989, when a feminist group criticized the decadence of the event.  They started performing again in 2001.  Source

The picture on the right shows the royal party who watch over the festivities.  I love the sheer orange kimono that the Empress is wearing.

The next two pictures show the Shi Shi Lion and his master the Kijimuna.  Legend has it the Shi Shi lion lived on a mountain in what is now Uruma City, and that they were instrumental in keeping devils away and protecting the community.  The Shi-Shi-Mai(Lion dance) is known to have the power to ward off evil spirits and summon the god off harvest and wealth, bringing prosperity to the region, and the tradition has been passed for generations everywhere in Okinawa. Source

Tennyson did not enjoy the Shi Shi Lion getting that close.  They are pretty cool costumes.

The two pictures on the left I believe show the performers performing the Kachāshī Dance.  In Okinawa, it is often a feature of celebrations such as weddings and victory festivities after Okinawan sumo matches and public elections. Traditionally, the dance is accompanied by the sanshin and drum, and often punctuated with finger whistling called yubi-bue (指笛^?).  Source

The picture on the left is of two Kijimuna!

A few more pictures of the Juri Dance, the Shi Shi Lion and Kijimuna, and the Taiko Drummers (I have posted about them before).

A street performer entertaining the girls.

**Note for our memory - Grahm decided to be very upset with everyone and would not get close enough to be a part of any of the pictures.  I think he surprised my parents with how stubborn he can be.