This is a roller slide at a park near us.  The slide is a series of rollers (thus we call it a roller slide).  When you slide down these slides they generate a lot of heat on your rear end - as my boys and Jason have found.  The Americans bring cardboard to slide on and the Japanese slide on their feet.  We don't like the cardboard and the feet thing is a little hard for little children to master.  So we found that my knee pad for gardening is the best - really increases your speed!!

 Charlotte and Jason caught up with Grahm!

This slide is what we call the drop slide!

 To enter this slide you hang from a bar and then drop!

 A view from the top - it really is a steep drop!

 Me contemplating the necessity of me enjoying this experience.  It took me a little while, but I did finally do it.  I requested Jason not document my stressed face as I slid - so no proof!

 Meanest Dad in the World!

She says it was fun, but like a smart girl would not go again.  (He did drop her twice).

Other playground equipment for climbing!

 Proof I survived the slide and posing in front of what we call an Avatar tree (This picture is for my sister Hannah!).

Thankful For...

Happy Thanksgiving!

I am Thankful for:
1. Never ever going hungry.
2.  All the clothes I need.
3.  A roof over my head.
4.  Reliable vehicles (and a husband that can fix them).
5.  Healthy children (except for last night - Grahm lost his Thanksgiving Dinner several times).
6.  An Eternal Family.
7.  The best husband ever.
8.  Freedom to do as I choose.
9.  Great Friends.
10.  More blessings than I can count.

Hope you had a wonderful day!

If you give...

If you give a child Oriental styled clothing (or jammies) ...

They will pose appropriately...

and then go into karate mode.

(I asked her to stay little for me and she told me No.  I then gave her my sad eyes and so she said "Okay".  I asked her how she was going to do that and she said "eat little food."

While my Mom and Sister were here!

My Mom and Sister came to visit to help while we were adjusting to a new baby.  They arrived about a week before Tennyson did and we packed it with fun.

We went shopping, Hung Out, Snorkeling,

Basketball Workout!

Yummy Treats - that I missed out on!

Mexico has worms in their drinks, we have deadly viper's (Habu) in ours!

Jason lost a bet!!

It was too much fun and I hope they come again soon. 

Check out the Bow Tie!

Anything missing...  like a date?

Once again a formal event has arrived and I am not at it.  I think he does it on purpose.  He hates going to formal events, while I love them (I think - I never get to go). 

We missed all formal events while he was enlisted.  He claimed there was too much drinking, since we don't drink - how could that be fun for us.  We missed the Senior Ball at Dental School because we were going to save our money and go to Hawaii.  That wasn't going to happen so he claimed it was too late to pay and say we wanted to go.  This time my baby is only 1 month old, so I don't really want to go - but he didn't even ask.  He told me that we had to pay awhile ago and it was too late to change.

So he is off to the Ball while I am home with our 4 amazing children eating cold cereal and oatmeal with tapioca pudding for dessert.  I hope his commander ordered him Chicken since he never made a meal selection!!

I do think he is handsome all dressed up.  I love the bow tie.

Dragon Fruit

All of you world travellers and more savvy folks had probably already heard of Dragon Fruit.  This was a first for us.  I am glad Grahm requested it for his Birthday.

 The plant (courtesy of wikipedia).

 Grahm and his Dragon Fruit (they cost 300 to 400 yen apiece = a little more that $3 to $4 each).

The inside.

Since it is not really in season (a fact we found out later) it was not that flavorful or sweet.  We diced it up and I added honey to it and then we enjoyed it.

Looking forward to trying it when it is in season.

Pre-Tennyson - Grahm's Birthday Cont.

For his Birthday meal he wanted BLT's and lots of fruit!  After my own heart.  We have missed not having a garden this year, so this was our first BLT's of the summer. 

So Jason toasted the bread to perfection (to toasted and it cuts up his mouth!!).  We celebrated with strawberries, pineapple, and Dragon Fruit.  We finished it off with Chocolate Cream Pie and Peanut Butter Pie.  Super yummy choices.

We spoiled him with Lego toys (skeleflex, Ben 10 and some stunt car set).

I just love this little boy!  He is always happy and so full of life!  He has so much to teach me.  We are proud of you and love watching you grow.

Japanese Western Toilet

Jason has been complaining that I have not been posting frequently enough for him.  So I am going to really start trying to get back on the blogging horse.  I just have a hard time figuring out when to post, nights are not as free as they once where.

I promised a post about the toilets here in Japan. 


Remember my post about the squatters.  Well they also have Western Style toilets, but fancier (or more complicated).  They have several buttons.

I found this great pdf file about how to use toilets in Japan when I was hunting for a map.  Check it out!

Many toilets even have a button that provides noise cover.  The sound of a flushing toilet or nature sounds - birds, etc... 

Most restrooms offer sanitizer for the toilet seat.  You spray it on some tissue and wipe down the toilet.  Need that in the US.

Also in some restrooms you can find origami envelopes made out of old advertisements for used feminine products.  Why don't they do that in the US.