A JapanAmerican Family

Snowboarding . . . . Finally

2012-02-01T16:20:00.001+09:00

I finally was able to go on a snowboarding trip after many times of saying I would only to have things fall through. The last time I went boarding was back in Utah, almost 7 years ago. My friend and I booked a one way bus trip to the mountains up north at a ski resort called Meihou. I was pleasantly surprised to find the snow conditions better than expected and the number of lifts at least twice as I was thinking there would be. I was feeling a bit sick to the stomach so I took it kind of easy. I really hope I'll be able to go up again and maybe be able to take Jake along.

Too much beer the day before.

My friend won't stand up heel-side.

Ready to shred the mountains of Gifu.

Me, attempting a weak jump.

First Hair Cut

2012-01-18T16:30:00.003+09:00

Maika's hair, when straight, reaches down to her waist in curled blonde tips. Those curled blonde tips tend to get tangled and begin resembling dreadlocks; they are a beast to comb out and Maika lets us know with each squeal and scream. We finally decided that torture had surpassed the beauty and to go ahead and cut the hair. Maika really couldn't care less either way but it was a bit gut-wrenching for Natsuko and I to take scissors to such beautiful hair. We cut the hair to shoulder length making getting ready in the morning much easier. Besides, Maika looks just as cute and kids should be kids.

Maika's wild hair pre-haircut.

Shoulder length, post-haircut.

Frill Girl

2012-01-17T17:34:00.002+09:00

Maika has officially taken a liking to all things frilly. She puts fake make-up on, dresses her dolls, and loves to try clothes and dresses on. She already is quite the drama-queen and can easily cry whenever she wants to. I just hope I don't get too wrapped around her finger.

Princess Maika.

She loves that dress.

A little curtsy.

Swept off her feet.

2012 New Year's Marathon

2012-01-16T16:48:00.001+09:00

Yesterday (Sunday), North Nagoya put on a New Year's Challenge Marathon that runs (no pun intended) every year. Since Natsuko started jogging a few months back she has used this marathon as a sort of motivation to keep her focused. The most popular part of the event is probably the 10K and since Natsuko jogs 10K about 4 to 5 times a week, she decided to aim for this with a time of under one hour.
The place wasn't too crowded and the race got under way in no time at all. The kids and I watched by the road side to cheer mom on and then it was back to the car for some hot chocolates. As we neared the one hour mark I tried to hurry the kids along to the goal. We waited at the goal, and waited some more. Gradually, some serious slow peoples were finishing the race and I realized that probably Natsuko had already completed and was somewhere waiting for us where we had agreed to wait (oops). Sure enough, Natsuko crushed her one hour goal by posting a personal best time of 56 minutes 38 seconds.
I am so proud of Natsuko and the effort she put into this event. I hope she can do many more and, who knows, maybe I'll even give it a shot one day.

Waiting for the start while Maika shushes the competition.

The start of the race. I could not find Natsuko.

The certificate showing Natsuko officially completed 38th out of 82 in 56 minutes 38 seconds.

Winter in Gero

2012-01-10T16:32:00.001+09:00

We made our bi-annual trip to Gero House a few weeks back where we were treated to some snow. This is not rare in Gero since it is located further North, up in the mountains. We did not bring any gloves or winter ware but the boys insisted on playing outside until we caved in and let them. They stayed out in the freezing cold longer than I expected but the poor little guys came in all frozen.

The view outside in the morning.

Jake rolling a snowman.

Tatsu rolling his part of the snowman.

Got the snowman all put together.

Japanese snowmen only have a head and body whereas I grew up with 3-part snowmen.

Princess 24/7

2012-01-06T16:40:00.000+09:00

A few months back, Maika took a sudden interest to Disney princesses and has now become an expert on the topic. She has them all memorized and watches the movies over and over. I think she has watched The Little Mermaid the most now since she was given an Ariel doll, which she adores. Maika also has a Princess Tiana so we watch The Princess and the Frog a fair amount. It is cute to see my little girl get all into such girly stuff but I think the boys have had enough of the movies.

Maika with Arial and Tiana watching The Princess and the Frog.

Showing off the dolls.

She even has to take them into the bath with her.

Christmas 2011

2012-01-05T17:19:00.001+09:00

Christmas is always better with family. This year we actually got to have a white Christmas which is something rare in these parts. The kids woke up to see white outside and were so excited, it just added to the whole Christmas atmosphere. In preparation for Christmas we, of course, put up the tree and this year Natsuko made ginger bread cookies while we "helped". The kids got exactly what they asked for and we even got some presents from my family back in the States (thank you very much). It really was such a blessed day.

The kids really helped decorate this year.

Gotta have a group photo with the tree.

Maika's got that crazy look in her eye.

Helper Jake.

Helper Tatsu.

Helper Maika

Master Helper.

Tatsu changed his mind about the present he wanted an left the new note out for Santa. What he intended to write was, "やっっぱりこれがいい、レゴ", which means, "after all I want this, Lego". The drawing is of a Lego robot.

Maika got her Baby Aurora.

Tatsu's Lego robot.

Jake got his most prized Ripstick.

The carnage left after opening the gifts.

One Of Many

2011-12-20T17:40:00.004+09:00

Jake had a judo match within his club to see if he can be bumped up a rank or not. Right now he is a white belt at the very beginning level since he started less than 6 months ago. The sensei are always saying how Jake has a lot of potential and are very encouraging. During the recent matches Jake won his first one by decision against a kid one grade older, at least 2 ranks higher, and noticeably taller. Jake was so surprised that he won that I don't think he even realized it at first. Jake got defeated the very next match by his good friend Hiro who is really awesome at judo, but Jake did put up a good fight and didn't cave in so easily. Well, the decision is that Jake will bump rank up to an orange belt. Natsuko and I are very proud of our biggest little man.

Jake Judo'ing with Hiro.

Maika, Yui-chan, and Tatsu coloring while waiting for judo to finish.

Tatsu going gangster.

Benefits of Literacy

2011-12-16T16:29:00.001+09:00

Jake has been reading for some time now and is getting better at it every day. This sometimes comes in handy when he decides to be a good older brother and reads to the younger ones giving us a few moments of peace.

Hooked On Phonics worked for me

Jake's Visiting Day

2011-12-14T17:06:00.002+09:00

From time to time the parents are allowed/encouraged to go to their children's school and watch the kids as if they were actually in class. This time they had the visiting day on a Saturday meaning poor Jake had to wake up early and go to school for a half day but in return he got to have Monday off. Fair trade, if you ask me. So, we did our good parenting duty and got all gussied up to go to Jake's school. Jake had to read stuff and answer some questions from the teacher before we all got to scurry home. One nice part was being able to see the kids' art works they had on display in the gymnasium. Jake did a fine job on both the art and reading.

Jake reading in monotone.

Maika's Shichi-Go-San

2011-12-09T16:46:00.001+09:00

Natsuko and I finally got around to getting Maika's 7-5-3 (Shichi-Go-San) pictures taken. In Japan, the girls take pictures and get blessed at the temples when they turn 3 and 7 years old. Maika has not yet turned 4 so we are still within the allowable picture-taking time. We took the pictures at a very professional studio nearby our apartment that just had a bit of an expensive feel to it. When the bill was explained to us I felt like I had just received a swift kick in danglies from a prize bull. After regaining conscious I was able to convince myself that it was worth it since they had done such a good job.

Maika was a champ through the whole session. She listened to the photographers and hammed it up for the cameras. There were so many good shots that it was hard to pick from among them. I will see if I can post some of them up here later on. Towards the end, the employees at the place told us that we were the first foreigners they had photoed at the place. They also asked if they could use Maika's photo for display. My little baby girl was so pretty.

Maika wearing her kimono.

My pretty girls.

Trying to get a kiss.

Finally, bribery worked.

Jake, Maika, and Tatsu looking very nice.

Kiyosu International Event

2011-12-05T16:47:00.001+09:00

Every year Kiyosu city has an international event where they put on some events from the different countries of some of the locals' native countries. This year I was selected to participate and had to come up with some type of "American" game. I really could not think of games that we have in the US but not here in Japan. I finally came up with a kids game, Pin The Tail On The Donkey, even though they have something similar in Japan called fukuwarai. I'm sure there were probably other better choices but for the amount of time/effort/money I was willing to put into the game, this was the best for me.

The event was more fun than I expected and there were quite a few participants. My kids had a blast going around and trying out all the different things. I don't really want to put on an event again but I do want to attend this again next year.

Uh-oh, Maika found a microphone.

I did not want to dress up as a samurai because I look ridiculous but the guys would not take "no" for an answer. Natsuko went geisha even though it was not professional.

My little samurai boys.

Mock battle.

Tatsu pretending to be putting some effort into it.

Natsuko's lovely drawing of a donkey.

Our neighbor stabbing Maika.

Tatsu geting chopped while Maika's doll does a sneak attack from the back.

Blue Impulse

2011-11-29T17:37:00.001+09:00

On Sunday our friends invited us to an airshow in Gifu just to the north of us at a small air base. The main show was the aerobatic Blue Impulse team, flying Kawasaki T-4 jets. The place was completely packed with people but that is to be expected at a free event in Japan. Since it was packed we took the trains to save us from parking hell. I really enjoyed the show since it has been over 6 years since I have seen one. The planes were a bit old and there weren't really many on display but for a country that supposedly doesn't have a military (only a defense force) this was pretty good.

An F-15 with pilot in it. The plane never moved but the lights were on.

The Blue Impulse idling; the smell of jet exhaust in the air.

An F-4 Phantom, I believe; an oldie but goldie.

The first fly-by.

Making something special.

Peel off.

Staggered formation.

One up, one down.

Nice formation.

A fly-by cross.

Squad of four upside down.

Natsuko's friend and her daughter Lana.

The entire squad of 6 flying in formation.

A bored Tatsu.

Why won't the top one blow smoke?

High-speed cross.

"I'll go up, you three go left."

One flies straight while the other loops around it.

Last fly-by.

Show's over.

Judo Rematch

2011-11-22T17:20:00.001+09:00

Jake had his first real tournament that was for all the kids in the surrounding areas. This time they split the kids up by grades so that it would be a little fairer. Jake was participating even though kids that just started don't usually participate but Jake said he wanted to and the coaches let him.

The opponent was definitely more practiced and a bit larger than Jake. The fighters bowed to each other and then grappled. Jake was immediately flung through the air and onto his back for a very quick ippon. I think the entire fight lasted a little over 5 seconds, giving me just enough time to snap a couple photos.

We were at the tournament from 9am to 3:30pm all for a 5 second match. Oh well, I'm pretty sure next time will be longer :-)

The sensei helping Jake adjust his belt (rookie).

Grappling.

Jake being tossed quicker than a Caesar Salad.

The sensei declaring the winner.

Jake's 8th Birthday

2011-11-18T16:36:00.001+09:00

Jake is now officially a happy 8 year old boy. Too bad November 16th was on a Wednesday this year making Jake have to attend school but this did not seem to phase him in the least. Jake woke up early and you could tell he was bubbling with excitement for his gifts and getting spoiled. When I got home from work we opened up the presents and then went out to eat. Jake loved all of his presents and said he had a very fun time. I hope my little Jake stays healthy and happy for this next year as well.

Jake with his presents.

Maika and Tatsu also got a gift from Baachan.

Jake getting the Happy Birthday song sung to him at the restaurant.

Me and my 8 year old.

Maika, Mommy, and Tatsu.

Jake's BR31 cake.

Happy Birthday!!!

Blowing out the candles.

Rice Harvesting (稲刈り)

2011-11-14T17:00:00.001+09:00

On Saturday we all woke up bright and early to head out the the rice field by 9am. It was the day for harvesting the rice that we had planted way back in June. The weather was really unseasonably warm, close to the mid 70's and my neck got a bit sunburned. After harvesting the rice we had a barbecue before heading home. Jake and Tatsu worked the entire time and Maika helped out quite a bit. I was proud that our kids were probably the hardest working kids there that day.

Maika carrying the rice bundle to where Natsuko would hang it up.

Jake and Tatsu in the very back.

The boys loved those knife-saw type tools.

Tatsu cutting some rice stalks.

Jake showing how it's done.

Maika helping mommy (yellow shirt) had the rice.

The kids playing a game while the barbecue was being prepared.

Tatsu caught a crawdad.

Maika showing off her UltraMan pose.

Jake and Tatsu with Jake's little crush, Meiyu.

Jake and Meiyu playing with the well water.

Rad Dad

2011-11-08T17:26:00.000+09:00

Almost 2 years back, Natsuko had to cut short a visit to her friend in Osaka due to Maika getting really sick. Finally the time came for a redo of the trip. Natsuko and two of her friends set up a trip to the neighboring prefecture, Mie, at a resort in Toba. While Natsuko was away I was able to spend some quality "daddy time" with the kids. I did what most dads would do in the situation, took them out to eat for every meal and even went out for ice cream. The kids and I really enjoyed the day and so did Mommy. I really hope we can in fit more days like this.

The kids and me at Baskin Robins 31.

Maika ordered the $5 bunny ice cream.

This is what you get when you ask for a "cute face".

Trick Or Treat

2011-11-07T17:03:00.004+09:00

For the first time since living here in Japan our apartment complex decided to put on a little Trick-Or-Treating for the kids. All the parents bought some goodies, the kids dressed up, and everyone had a good time doling out and receiving. For most of the kids it was their first time ever doing trick-or-treating and I hope that it will not be their last time.

Trick-or-treating.

Tatsu jumping around as Spiderman.

Maika with Hanna and Lyann.

Most of the neighbors.

I think everyone had a good time.

Miyu paused her crying so she could pose for my picture.

Ri-chan dressed as Anpanman.

Notice my kids are the ones diving in for the candy.

All the kids in a group photo.

Natsuko snagged a neighboring baby.

One of Jake's classmates (Karin-chan) came over a bit later.

Minnie Mouse.

Captain Jake Sparrow.

The Spectacular Spiderman.

Lyann loves Tatsu.

Jack O' Anpanman

2011-11-04T17:47:00.000+09:00

Not to brag or anything but I think Natsuko just may have made the cutest little Jack O' Lantern to ever have graced this household. She spent what must have been the better part of 3 hours get the intricate details ironed out and the work of art to look just right. What started out as a simple pumpkin turned into a darn cute one.

Maika holding it before carving.

Mommy's masterpiece. The kids put stickers on the two small ones.

Halloween Party

2011-11-01T17:49:00.000+09:00

This past Saturday we were fortunate enough to be invited to a Halloween party thrown by one of our newer friends. This is the first actual Halloween party that we have been to since coming to Japan. Our friend had it in the back yard of their very large (especially for Japan) house. The place was decked out in all sorts of awesome Halloween decorations that I have no idea where they were able to get them from. Maika could hardly go anywhere because she was so scared of everything. The boys absolutely loved it and I hardly got to see them the entire night since they were playing so much. Thanks to our good friends, we had an awesome time. Can't wait until next year.

Jake getting his makeup done by Mommy.

Cool blow up decoration.

Maika and me in front of some decorations.

Maika trying on some silly glasses.

Jake with his new Star Wars friend.

Maika and Mommy.

Tatsu, Jake, and Jakob going through the scary maze.

A local new cameraman even showed up to catch some film.

Jake in the costume contest.

Tatsu's turn in the contest.

Maika was too scared to do the contest pose alone.

The 5 finalists and Jake ended up taking 1st place as Jack Sparrow.

First Tournament

2011-10-28T16:44:00.000+09:00

This past weekend Jake participated in his first Judo tournament. He was quite nervous and you could tell he was out of sorts from the beginning. When they called Jake's name they had to say it twice since he was not really paying much attention. The match began and Jake did the bows and motions decently but when the battle started Jake seemed to just fold. Within a matter of seconds Jake was on his back; 20 seconds later the match was over. The entire episode lasted under a minute yet we had to wait for almost 3 hours for the tournament to finish. It was a good experience for Jake and I hope he can do better next time.

Starting the match.

Instantly on his back.

20 seconds and your out.

Bowing on conclusion.

Judo Gear

2011-10-26T17:00:00.000+09:00

Jake finally got his official Judo outfit just in time for his upcoming match. We now have our last name on the outfit although the name is wider than Jake's shoulders. Our little man is getting better so we'll see how he does at the tournament. I know he is feeling a bit nervous.

Wendt on the top and Haruhi Judo Club on the bottom.

Shy.

Being goofy.

Shishimai 2011

2011-10-19T16:55:00.001+09:00

This past weekend the kids had the annual Shishimai celebration where they march around the neighborhood collecting cash donations from home owners. The kids get pretty burned out by the end of the event but stay with the program in order to get the little goody bag awaiting them upon finish. It always provides a good opportunity for some photos.

Left-to-right: Takuto, Jake, Tatsu, Ren.

Daiki and Yui-chan join in.

Tatsu posing in front of the Shishimai.

Takuto, Tatsuya, and Ren.

All of the kids.

Jake walked around most of the time with the Shishimai on his head.

Indian Summer

2011-10-17T16:43:00.001+09:00

The weather these past few weeks has been unseasonably warm, like an Indian Summer of sorts. I am not complaining about this and have rather enjoyed this procrastination of the inevitable coming cold. On a Sunday we (and seemingly half of Japan) took advantage of the weather and headed up the the Tower 138 park. The kids had a blast doing what they do best, playing. Don't know how many more good days we'll have like this in the dwindling days of 2011.

Mommy and her boys on the bouncy dome.

Maika was crying because Mommy was with the boys and not her.

Got Mommy back but the memory is still fresh.

Preschool Field Day, 2011

2011-10-12T17:59:00.000+09:00

Maika and Tatsu had their Field Day this past Saturday and Natsuko's mom and sister were able to drive up for the events. The good thing was that it was on a 3-day weekend so there was plenty of relaxing to do. The kids had a lot of fun and the weather was awesome. This is Tatsu's last Field Day at preschool since he will be going to Elementary School starting next year, but we will still have Maika's.

Maika's dance at the beginning.

Tatsu jumping the boxes.

Successful landing.

Tatsu going around the pole backwards.

Dismount.

Legs first.

Jumping the cones.

Maika lined up for her race.

Maika was first too the necklaces.

Maika pulled the necklace off and took first place easily.

Tatsu starting his dance routine.

I finally got a shot of Tatsu jumping.

Our neighbor kids who live in the same apartments.

Tatsu running his leg of the relay.

Tatsu's team won.

Natsuko's "momma" race.

Around the flag.

Maika playing with our neighbor.

Tatsu playing the ball toss.

Jake waiting for his turn to do the ball toss.

Maika and Mari playing Hide-and-Seek.

Mommy and Tatsu's turn to race together.

Knock the cones over.

Put them back up.

Their team won.

Maika and Baachan.

Me, looking like a knucklehead, doing the tug-of-war.

Dancing with Jake.

Me and my Tater Bug.

Dancing with the boys.

It was a fun day.

First Judo Match

2011-10-11T17:59:00.000+09:00

This Friday, Jake had his first Judo match that was set just to measure where the students stand. It was not meant as an actual match with winners and losers but they did keep track of everyone's results. Jake tried to act cool all week but you could tell he was a little bit nervous going into it. Before the matches started, the students had to remember a little routine of sorts, I think this caused Jake to over-think during his matches. Jake kept looking at the instructor to see if he was doing things right and also Jake would fall down quite easily but land just the way the instructors had taught him. It also didn't help that Jake was noticeably smaller than most everyone else. Everyone said Jake did very good for his first matches and that everyone is nervous on the first go. Either way, Natsuko and I were proud of our little man.

Jake in his first match.

Jake and his friend grappling.

Jake holding the opponent down for the 20 second count.

The instructor signaling that Jake is the winner.

Princess Momma

2011-10-07T17:12:00.000+09:00

This time Maika was taking an extraordinary long time in the bathroom "washing" her hands. A good 15 minutes must have passed before I realized she had still not returned, as I attuned my hearing to the splashing emanating from the bathroom. I took a peek around the corner to see Maika giving her doll, Mel, a bath in the sink. Maika just turned and gave me one of her smiles that seems to melt my heart every time. It also seemed so fitting that she had a little tiara on the entire day; she really believes she is a princess. Who knows, maybe she is. :-)

Daddy's Little Princess

New Design

2011-10-06T17:52:00.002+09:00

As you probably have noticed, I changed my blog's template to the new Dynamic View template offered by Google. Expect more changes and tweaks in the near future.

Tug Of War

2011-10-05T16:34:00.003+09:00

Your's truly is officially a Tug Of War Champion. Of course, there were only about a total of 8 teams in our city's area and the average age was probably near the mid fifties, but a champion is a champion. The event took place on the Field Day I previously wrote about and I was not expecting to participate. Last year Natsuko did the Tug Of War (fyi, 綱引き - tsunahiki) and kind of tweaked her right forearm that has still not fully recovered. This year they called her up to make sure she was participating but she had to decline. They needed somebody so Natsuko happily volunteered my services, loaned out my muscles.

Now, you may think the tug-of-war is all fun and games but, NO!, not here. They take it serious, especially since our area has won 7 years in a row, and they were not about to lose now. It was almost creepy how serious some of them can be. I was told by two different people the "secret way" of tugging, you know, just to make sure the new guy doesn't screw it up.

Our first competition was tough and we could have lost, but we eked out a win at the last moment. Everyone got worried and the serious folks started saying that we weren't unified and that we need to all work as one. The second round was supposed to be tougher but we finished a bit easier and the serious folk were set to ease. After a short break it was time for the Finals. We put on our game faces and prepared for battle. As soon as the gun went off to signal the start, we dominated. I mean, we demolished the other side and basically walked off with a victory in just a few seconds. I gotta say, I felt a little proud as I picked up the winner's prize (some cleaning supplies, like laundry soap and bathtub cleaner).

I wonder if I should put this feat on my resume :-)

All of us warriors lined up for battle.

Raw power coursing through our bodies.

Got my game face on.

Haruhi Field Day, 2011

2011-10-04T16:50:00.002+09:00

On Sunday, our area had its annual Field Day with around 200 to 300 people attending. Every year the 3rd year preschool students do a little dance performance for the opening and since Tatsu is a 3rd year student we had to show up at 8:30am for preparations. Tatsu also participated in the two other events. Besides Tatsu, I was the only other one to participate in an event, the Tug-o-war. I will post more on that next time.

Right before lunch we met up with some friends and went out to lunch together. It ended up being one of the better Field Days we've had.

Tatsu ready for his dance piece.

Group photo.

All the students lined up.

Tatsu was very focused on his dancing.

Very serious.

Tatsu's attention to detail caused him to be slightly behind.

Tatsu (green shirt) trying to throw the red balls in the basket.

I saw most of his balls sail over and hit someone on the other side.

Tatsu and Hiro pushing the giant ball.

Rounding the flag; such teamwork.

I think they were one of the fastest.

Gero House, Sept. 2011

2011-10-03T16:53:00.001+09:00

Since I had a four day weekend we decided it would be a perfect time to get away for a bit and head to Gero up North. We let the kids skip school on Friday so that we could spend two nights up there and have some good barbecue. It was some much needed Relaxation and Recuperation.

Maika, just out of the onsen.

Natsuko put a facial mask on Jake.

Crazy Jake.

Maika had to get the mask too.

My wild Jake and Maika.

It was raining a bit the first day there.

Jake, hiding behind a tree.

Jake, running through the little forest out back.

Maika helping Mommy prepare the vegetables for the barbecue.

Maika loves vacuuming.

Jake getting ready to kick the football.

The little guy kicked it right at me but also kind of hurt his foot in the process (probably because he's wearing sandals).

Weekend Warrior

2011-09-28T16:16:00.002+09:00

The earthquake and subsequent tsunami that hit Japan on 3-11 this year caused Japan to freak out about other nuclear power plants throughout Japan. One of the largest is the one that powers the Nagoya area which just so happens to be where I live. The government decided to just turn it off cold-turkey pending safety investigations. The other power stations now had to make up for the difference in lost power. It was explained that there would be definite brown-outs this Summer because not enough power could be supplied. Toyota (centered in Nagoya) stepped up and decided to lower power consumption by having their plants shut down during the peek days, Thursday - Friday. Workers would then have to work on Saturday - Sunday. Now, since Toyota is my company's largest company, we had to follow suit and become weekend warriors.

I was not so much opposed to it since I understood it had to be done but I do miss having a full day with my kids. I am happy to say that today is the last day I have to work this schedule and it just so happens that I get the next four days off. We are going up to Gero, Gifu for some serious R & R as a family. We also did not have any brown-outs and I heard that there was actually quite a savings in power.

Now I'll be able to spend some time with my little princess.

I have no idea what is going on here.

Jake's Field Day 2011

2011-09-27T16:46:00.000+09:00

This weekend Jake's school had their annual Field Day (運動会). Since Jake is in the second grade now we have done this before and this year's hadn't changed much from last year. The weather was good, a little chilly but the sun was shining brightly. Natsuko's mom and sister made it up for the events. I was even a good boy and hardly complained about all the pomp and fuss the school's put into ceremony here. The school's are divided in half into the red team and the white team. This year Jake was on the red team and they won! It was a fun day even though I got sun burned and am now removing my peeling skin.

Singing the school song (front row, dark shorts, left)

Stretching. The kids have to wear the bitty shorts with shirts tucked in.

Jake one his race out of 4 kids.

Dancing with mommy.

Maika posing for a picute.

Jake (blue-green gloves) dancing to the Mickey Mouse song.

Jake and a classmate getting ready to run the Big Pants race.

They took forever to put on the pants.

Finally started after everyone else.

Slow around the cones.

Last to finish.

Jake pushing the giant red ball through their gap.

Red team wins 60 - 36.

Camping Re-Visited

2011-09-25T17:06:00.001+09:00

The previous weekend we decided to give camping another try since we got rained on last time. The weather promised to be good and so we set the plan in motion. I still had to work on the day we left but I did take a half day off so that we could get up in time to have a barbecue for dinner. As we neared the campground I could see that it was packed with people and wondered if we would be able to get a spot. Luckily, most people were there just for the day and left soon after it started getting dark.

We set up the tent and got everything in order, then started the barbecue. The kids again had a blast running around and playing in the water. The temperature at night was perfect but the sun coming up so early and bright was something the kids are not used to, so they awoke at about 6am. We had a nice breakfast and then packed up at about 11am to head home. It was a very nice trip and was a great way to end the summer.

The kids waiting for me to hurry up and start grilling.

Maika making a super hero pose.

She is very serious when in "super hero" mode.

Jake popping into Tatsu's picture.

My wild Jake and Tatsu.

Trying to grill like a pro.

Still waiting for food.

There were quite a few people out to enjoy the nice weather.

Tatsu's First Lost Tooth

2011-09-24T16:23:00.001+09:00

A few months back, one of Tatsu's bottom teeth startled to wiggle as it got looser. Tatsu could not stand the feeling of having the tooth wriggling around and was constantly messing with it. The poor little guy couldn't even eat dinner that night because the tooth bugged him so much. Finally, he got so fed up with the darn thing that he asked me to pull the tooth for him. This is so much different than Jake who just wanted the tooth to painlessly leap from his mouth.

After taking a bath, I took a tissue paper for grip and got a firm handle on the tooth. I could see Tatsu was nervous but I kept talking to him, trying to keep him distracted while I gave a little tug. The tooth came out rather easily and Tatsu only let out a tiny, muffled "ouch". We then wrapped the tooth up and put it under his bed for the tooth fairy to come. She gave him 300 yen (about $4). Tatsu was so nice that he gave Maika and Jake each 100 yen so they could all buy something together.

All the teeth are there.

Brave little man with a missing tooth.

The first missing tooth.

Proud owner of a 6-year-old's smile.

Lovely Ladies

2011-09-11T16:40:00.000+09:00

Just a quick post to show a picture of the lovely ladies in my life. Summer is winding down and we are looking to squeeze in one more camping trip. Wish us luck with the weather.

Maika is making a really weird face.

Emergency Preparation

2011-09-05T18:06:00.002+09:00

Japan has so many natural disasters that everything is built with this taken into account. Buildings are earthquake-proof, windows have typhoon doors, alarm systems are in place, etc. I do have one opinion about the emergency preparedness of Japan: I think it sometimes is like "the little boy who cried wolf." By this, I mean that there are constant messages and broadcasts on TV and on the outside intercom system. The TV shows a warning about a magnitude 3 earthquake. Please! this is Japan, anything lower than a 5 is hardly noticed. Only warn us of the big ones, the ones we need to actually prepare for. The outside intercom system announces everything from recycling day to the local missing old person who didn't make it home in time for bed. It gets to the point that I think most people just ignore the warnings.

Well, Tatsu's school regularly has the kids prepare for disasters by doing different type of emergency drills. I am very happy with this, Japanese must be the most prepared kids in the world. We even had to purchase these ridiculous looking square, fire-retardant, cushioned hats for the kids. Check out the awesome cranium protector below.

Looks like a child in a cult.

I'm beginning to doubt the level of protection.

Date With Daddy

2011-09-04T17:14:00.000+09:00

For the last day of summer vacation Natsuko took the boys to lunch and then to see Kung Fu Panda 2 at the movie theater. The boys absolutely loved the movie and had a great time. Tatsu even got to skip most of school to go see the movie. Natsuko did not take any pictures so I have nothing to post.

Well, we felt bad for Maika so we decided that the next day I would let Maika skip school and her and I would go out on a "date". We ate donuts, rode some rides, and even bought a few little toys. I must say, there was some hugging and kissing going on. I really had a lot of fun with just me and my baby girl.

Eating a cream-filled bear donut.

Look! It's all over my face.

All hyped up on sugar.

Riding Anpanman.

Maika wanted me to ride Baikinman (the black character on the left) but there was no way I was getting on that flimsy ride.

Camping In Inuyama

2011-08-30T16:50:00.000+09:00

During lunch Natsuko had a spur-of-the-moment thought to purchase a tent and go camping seeing as the summer is winding down. Luckily we found a decent tent for a decent price at the local home center and even got a few other needed supplies. We found a spot in Inuyama that is only about an hour drive from here and the camping is free. We quickly packed our goods and headed up there for a nice barbecue and some fun.

The only problem was the forecast was predicting some rain. It was right, at about 10:30pm it started pouring rain and didn't let up until close to noon the next day. Good thing our tent proved to be water tight but it was so hot and humid that Natsuko and I could hardly get any sleep. We plan on heading back up in a few weeks and hope to have much better weather.

Tent all setup and weather is good.

Waiting for the barbecue to start.

I love that awning on the tent.

Me and my kids "roughing" it.

Eating some barbecue.

Trying to be a mime.

Jake running around.

The area was quite beautiful.

The kids kept chasing some ducks.

Tatsu back for more.

Playing in the hot, humid tent.

A very sweaty Tatsuya.

Tatsuya's 6Th Birthday

2011-08-29T17:47:00.000+09:00

On August 28th (yesterday) Tatsu turned 6 years old. Thanks to my company having me working on Sundays now I wasn't able to spend the entire day with my little man. I did leave work an hour early so we could open up presents before going out to eat.

Now that Tatsu is getting older he is able to do more things. We decided that we would get him a Nintendo DSi so that him and Jake could play with/against each other since we already have a DSlite. Tatsu got a few other presents that he has been having a blast playing with.

For dinner we went to Bronco Billy (steakhouse) and got the whole usual birthday works complete with a happy birthday song and a crappy present. Then we headed home to have some ice cream cake from Baskin Robbins. I think Tatsu had a great day and got spoiled just the right amount. He loves the DS, Jake and him woke up at 6am this morning to play before Tatsu had to leave to preschool.

Baskin Robbins cake.

Presenting the cake while we sing.

Ready to blow out the candles.

Blowing out the candles while keeping the peace sign alive.

My little 6 year old man.

Showing off some of the gifts; Lego, Megatron, Nintendo DSi.

Happy Birthday to our little Tatsuya, we always love you!!!

Karaoke Box

2011-08-27T16:58:00.000+09:00

Ok, it has been a long time in posting these pics but I wanted to get a few other posts out of the way first. While my sister and her husbie were out here in Okinawa, Japan, we did a little karaoke'ing at a place recommended to us by the chauffeur/liaison, Derrick. My sister requested to go and try it out which surprised me since we are not a singing type of family. I was cool with this since I secretly have a certain liking for karaoke even though I can't sing for the life of me. I won't name any names but there were a few breeches of karaoke etiquette done by a non-relative individual. Oh, you don't know the rules of karaoke? Well, here they are.

Karaoke Rules:

Make sure you know the song. A good test is if you can sing the verses (non-chorus) from memory without any music.
Pick cheery, fun songs. Karaoke is for fun, don't pick a depressing song (ex., Rape Me by Nirvana).
Don't select songs for other people. You can recommend songs but don't just input a song and then hand the microphone to a poor, unsuspecting individual.
Choose a song within your voice range. Although fun sounding in your head, choosing AC/DC, Led Zeppelin or other bands with unique voices will most likely result in an odd attempt at imitation.
Have fun without making fun. Beer/alcohol sure helps in the fun department but, remember, never make fun of someone even if they have broken any of the above rules.

MaryBeth and Natsuko singing "Girls Just Wanna Have Fun" by Cindi Lauper. They did such an awesome job.

Derrick singing "Rape Me" by Nirvana (see rules 1 and 2 above).

Philip singing "La Vida Loca" by Ricky Martin. Philip can sing well, we were all really impressed.

Port Europe, Obon 2011

2011-08-24T16:17:00.000+09:00

For the Obon holidays we did our usual event of going to Port Europe and watching the fireworks. There is an awesome buffet that has a great view of the fireworks from the pier and this year we barely made it on time. It is good fun to get the kids all dressed up in their yukata and jinbe and go play some games and ride the rides.

Maika showing off her yukata. She has the sleeves on wrong.

Baachan trying to escape the picture. Too late!

Cheesing it up.

The kids fell asleep in the back of the car. I can't believe Maika can sleep with her neck like that.

Maika won this toy at the dice rolling game.

Maika and Jiichan riding the Anpanman ride.

A Day At The Park

2011-08-23T17:12:00.000+09:00

We found a nice little park nearby our house and decided to try it out while Natsuko was grocery shopping. The boys immediately made friends with some of the kids and spent the time playing with them. Maika had a great time running around and trying out all of the equipment.

Maika loved this little rocking panda.

Jake scaling up the side.

Tatsu sliding down the non-slide part.

Trying to get to the top without using hands.

Tatsu in the tube.

Jake trying to surf down.

Maika showing off that she can swing by herself.

Jake and Tatsu playing with some friends.

Maika driving Tatsu's remote control truck.

Tatsu showing off a cicada he caught with his bare hands.

Ice Skating

2011-08-22T17:55:00.000+09:00

Jake's Judo club had an ice skating event that all of us decided to attend. It has been forever since I've ice skated and is probably only my third time, Natsuko has only been once before, and for the kids, this was their first time. We all had a lot of fun and the kids did really well.

Waiting for the bus in the parking lot.

Mommy trying to teach Tatsu.

Mommy and Maika.

Tatsu getting the hang of it.

Jake learned really fast and was off by himself.

Me and my chillies.

Maika kept dancing to the background music.

Posing on the ice.

Jake's friend, Hiro-kun, helping Maika out.

Yui-chan playing with Maika.

The kids all helping Maika, she is too spoiled.

Maika kept eating the ice off of her gloves.

Tatsu and Maika got burned out a little.

Back to the ice for one last round before leaving.

Boy's Haircuts

2011-08-21T16:37:00.000+09:00

Jake and Tatsu have now both officially transitioned out of their little boy haircuts and into their big boy haircuts. They both were a bit shocked at first but then learned that they could spike their hair with mousse, something they thought was awesome. It was a bit hard for Jake to accept the fact that "what goes up must come down", especially in reference to spiky hair. Jake threw a little mini-tantrum when I made him put his helmet on before biking to Judo practice; a dent in the ego is better than a dent in the head.

Tatsu before.

Jake before (Jiichan cut his bangs).

Hair spiked. Jake thinks he is Goku from DragonballZ, Tatsu is Spiderman, and Maika had to get in the photo.

Jake now trying out the Mohawk.

Again, Maika had to have a picture.

All that studly hair turns into rough-housing.

Cold cocked!

Game on!

Mt. Fuji

2011-08-20T17:57:00.000+09:00

On August 11th, 2011 I hiked Mt. Fuji. I had been wanting to do this for some time so when my neighbor suggested that he wanted to go I jumped at the opportunity. I didn't do any spectacular training besides my once-a-week basketball so I was a bit nervous to climb up it after hearing how daunting it is. I must say, it really is not that difficult. The climb is steep but the ascent can be done in less than 5 hours. If the weather is good it feels like a great exercise.

We climbed up using the Fujinomiya Trail located on the East Side. This is the fastest ascent and the closest for people coming from Nagoya.

Items you don't want to forget:

- Coins: bathrooms cost 200 yen.

- Sunscreen: high altitude = quick burn.

- Headache Medicine: you don't want altitude sickness.

- 2 Liters Water: If you climb in 5 hours up - 4 hours down then 2 liters should be enough (I only drank 1 liter).

- Gloves: you will be putting your hands down on lava rocks.

Here are some of the pictures from my hike:

Starting out at 5 am from 1.2 km away from the 5th station (5合目).

We just needed to climb to the top of that.

At 5 am you can see the shadow Mt. Fuji casts across the valley.

A view down into the valley.

This shows how high the starting point of the hike is.

Sir Rutherford Alcock was the first whitey to climb Mt. Fuji.

My friend Daisuke and me at the trail head.

Starting at an altitude of 2,400 meters (7,874 ft.)

Climbing sharp lava rock where there is still some vegetation.

Look how peppy Daisuke is.

The original 7th station, not to be confused with the new 7th station. Altitude: 3,010m (9,875 ft.)

The 8th station. Altitude: 3,250m (10,662 ft.)

A random gate.

High up.

Many posts had these coins jammed into the cracks of them.

The 9th Station. Altitude: 3,460m (11,351 ft.)

This is a small glacier.

No vegetation this high up.

Shows just how high up we are and not even to the top yet.

Clouds out in the valley.

Almost to the top, just over that ridge.

The 9.5th Station. Altitude: 3,590m (11,778 ft.)

The last gate to the top.

We made it!!!

Sending a post card to Natsuko.

The actual highest point is just up on that hill.

A view down into the crater.

The official plaque.

It's official, we are at the highest point in Japan. Altitude: 3,776m (12,388 ft.)

Standing on the ledge of the highest possible point.

This photo really shows how you can see the curve of the earth.

The square tractor is how they get goods up and down the mountain at an extremely slow pace.

Interesting cloud at the top that looks like an arrow.

Coming back down you can see how the lodge has put out some rather dirty looking futons/mattresses.

Climbing through the clouds on the way back down.

Yep, the top of the mountain has vending machines. The very top had drinks that are normally 100 yen for 500 yen.

Wim's Watermelon

2011-08-17T16:54:00.000+09:00

One of my friends and co-worker, Wim, brought us a great big watermelon and some blueberries from Matsumoto. I seriously think it was the best tasting watermelon I have ever had, with the perfect texture and just right amount of sweetness.

Tatsu carrying the big watermelon.

It took a while to get the kids calmed down for this picture and I thought Jake was going to drop the watermelon.

Maika convinced Wim to read a book to her.

Happy B'Days

2011-08-16T16:55:00.000+09:00

Natsuko and I have our birthdays close together so we usually celebrate them together. By "celebrate" I mean that we go out to eat once but we usually exchange gifts on the actually birthdays. This year was a bit different since the we were on our trip to Okinawa which was kind of supposed to be the birthday gifts. But, you know how it is, when the wife says that she "doesn't need a gift" it means that you better pony up and get her something. So, I surprised Natsuko with a pair of ThinkSound ts01 earbud headphones. She absolutely loves them since she walks almost every morning and her old pair sucked; they hurt her ears and had terrible quality. +10 points for me.

For my Birthday the boys and I went to see the new Transformers 3 movie in 3D. Jake loved the movie but it was a little too long for Tatsu, he ended up on my lap for the last 30 minutes. We had a lot of fun taking the train down into Nagoya and eating the theater popcorn. We both had really great Birthdays and appreciated all the special Birthday wishes we got from everyone.

Down in the Toyota Midland building where they had an aquarium display. This one has a sea turtle in it.

In front of the jellyfish.

Posing with the fake penguins.

In the theater with over-sized glasses on.

At the cake shop buying a Birthday cake. The kids posing with a life-sized Peko-chan doll.

MCCS Far East Bodybuilding Competition

2011-08-08T17:00:00.000+09:00

The main reason that Natsuko and I went to Okinawa was for the Far East Bodybuilding Competition that was put on by the military at Camp Fosters. My brother-in-law Philip Ricardo, Jr. was the guest poser and was able to bring along my sister. This was the first bodybuilding event that Natsuko and I have ever been to, it was quite an experience. I didn't really have any expectations going into it but I was surprised at just how fun and entertaining it all was. The performers put a lot of effort into shaping up and are from all walks of life. It was interesting just to hear what their professions were, their ages, and how long they had been training. I also got into trying to guess who would be the winner for the weight class/division.

When Philip came out it was a whole new level, it made one almost feel bad for the competitors. The event was an amateur one and, since Philip is a pro, the difference is all too obvious. Philip's routine was energetic and performed perfectly, his body was cut and symmetrical, it all looked so smooth and natural as if Phil was having a blast up there on stage. At one point Phil jumped off the stage and made a round through the aisles, everyone was trying to take pictures and touch him. Phil definitely knows how to please a crowd. Very impressive.

Natsuko waiting for the performance to start.

Me and Natsuko in the front row, right behind the judges.

The opening with all the competitors out on stage.

This lady looked amazing and is a doctor by profession.

The overall female winner is 45 years old and a grandmother of 2.

This Japanese competitor was the most energetic and is 62 years old.

Winner of his weight class.

This guy did not win but it was interesting to see someone with longer hair.

A very ripped Japanese guy.

Natsuko and my sister, MaryBeth.

Philip walking out at the beginning of his guest pose.

Trench coat dropped, already a difference can be seen.

Cut and ripped.

The head judge kept saying "that's what I'm talking about" and "that's my boy".

Need I say more about the definition.

Pleasing the crowd, the loved it.

Wrapping up the routine.

This was probably the quirkiest competitor although he did win his division.

Very ripped.

This Japanese guy was built like a gorilla.

The competitor I thought would win the entire event.

Look at all that back muscle.

I was right, #40 won the overall.

Okinawa 2011

2011-08-07T17:09:00.000+09:00

On July 30th, Natsuko and I left to Okinawa for a little trip to visit my sister and her husband who were also visiting but were not able to make it up to Nagoya. Jiichan and Baachan watched the kids for the entire duration and spoiled the kids while we were gone. Natsuko booked an amazing hotel called Laguna Garden Hotel which is the best hotel I have ever been to, they have everything a hotel resort should have, it was almost not necessary to leave the place at all.

We tried to go snorkeling but it got canceled because of the incoming typhoon that was scheduled to hit land in a few days. The rain started just as we were taking off on Aug. 2nd, while we were literally on the plane. We only managed to hit the beach once but we did swim in the pools a couple of times. The place was so nice that we are thinking of going back again next year with the kids this time.

Natsuko at the airport waiting to be seated.

All checked into our hotel.

The concierge offered to take our picture.

The balcony of our 12th floor room.

I'm in vacation mode.

Walking along the pier we saw this drawing and had to take the pic for Tatsu.

My sister, MaryBeth, getting a picture on the balcony.

My sister and brother-in-law, a way cute couple.

On our way to Tropical Beach.

This is my Dane Cook mannequin impression

Natsuko and my noodle arms for a picture at the beach.

Heading back to the hotel after swimming.

MaryBeth and Phil at the izakaya.

Phil and his best friend, Derrick, eating karage.

Phil giving pointers on how to eat udon.

MaryBeth got the noodle-eating down pretty dang good.

Group shot at the izakaya.

Natsuko at the Pineapple Kingdom on her Birthday.

Ready to eat some serious pineapple, I am even sporting my best tourist shirt.

This is what the inside of the Pineapple Kingdom looks like.

Snakes in a bottle. . . . I stared it down.

Eating the complimentary ice cream.

Yeah, it tasted alright.

Even though we were not hungry we ate some good tasting Okinawa Soba.

At our hotel's nice Chinese restaurant as the sun was setting.

Me and my love.

The sun just going down, we went home the next day.

Beach Time

2011-07-20T16:49:00.000+09:00

Monday was Ocean Day, a national holiday, and therefore we had a day of work off. We had planned to go to the beach but a typhoon was on its way bringing a bit of rain in the morning. We decided to go anyways. It was cloudy and warm with a strong wind that kept blowing everything not anchored away. Maika absolutely loved the waves coming up and splashing her, she laughed almost the entire time. Jake swam around like a fish and would not get out of the water. Tatsu explored the beach and tried to collect as many clams as he could.

Because of the typhoon the water was a bit choppy and deemed too dangerous to swim in by the protectorates of the planet. They kept walking around with their megaphones and yelling at anyone going in water past their belly buttons even though there was a protective net. So, the whole time swimming we had to make sure to not venture out into the "fun zone". All things considered, it was a lot of fun and well worth the hour drive.

Maika loving the little waves.

My pasty white body with Maika and Jake in the background.

Tatsu with his crazy smile on.

Jake riding the waves.

The nets in the background are in about 5 feet of water.

Time To Get A Puppy?

2011-07-13T16:24:00.000+09:00

Natsuko and I have talked about getting the boys a puppy since both of us grew up with pet dogs and have great memories of them. Unfortunately we live in a tiny apartment where animals are banned. It would just be too cruel to have a dog all pent up in such cramped quarters. If/when we ever get a house a puppy will be high on our list of things to get.

Tatsu with his pet puppy.

The Ropes

2011-07-12T17:41:00.000+09:00

Now that Tatsu has learned to ride a bike, us boys will take a little bike ride down to Jake's judo facility. Tatsu wants to join the club but he won't be able to until next year. Jake has been in judo for only a couple months now so he is still a beginner but when Tatsu is there Jake becomes the sensei, showing Tatsu the ropes of Judo.

Jake teaching Tatsu how to bow properly when exiting the judo mats.

Gift Mask

2011-07-10T16:45:00.000+09:00

After Maika opened her gifts Tatsu saw opportunities everywhere. Opportunities to turn all of the gift wrapping into various works of art. One thing in particular that peaked his interest was that the plastic, shiny wrapping paper was see-through from one side but not the other. I gave him a few pointers as to how to turn this into the eye pieces for a mask. After that he was up and running on his own.

The mask masterpiece. Notice the hands are in attack mode.

Prezzie Time

2011-07-06T16:04:00.004+09:00

When I got home from work on Maika's Birthday we were to immediately open up the presents. I came home to find her fast asleep in the living room while the boys watched War Of The Worlds. She woke up and was super grumpy. I took her upstairs and walked around until she calmed down. Then it was prezzie time.

Tatsu and Jake were ready to rip open all the gifts but Maika wasn't having any of it. She wanted to open the gifts at her own pace. Well, it's her birthday, she can do whatever she wants. Finally she got through them all and was soon busy playing, she still is busy playing with them.

The next day we did the cake thing with the ice cream cake that Natsuko got from Baskin Robins. It was actually a really good cake, one I don't mind eating a lot of. Maika seemed to have a fun day and now she can't wait until her next one.

Before opening some presents.

Maika loves her doll (Mell) and shopping cart.

Mommy made the Birthday sign.

Playing with the shopping cart and eco bag.

Showing off the backpack that Baachan bought.

The Baskin Robins ice cream cake.

Blowing out the candles.

Showing that she is now 3 years old.

3 Year Old Maika

2011-07-05T16:14:00.004+09:00

On Sunday Maika turned 3 years old. I really can't believe that my littlest baby has already hit 3 and is not really considered a toddler anymore. When Maika woke up on Sunday she was really excited that it was her special day and she was in such a good mood. Unfortunately, I had to work but Natsuko made sure to spoil her all day long. Natsuko even brought everyone to my workplace so we could go to lunch together.

For dinner, we went to the usual restaurant where we have birthday meals so Maika could have cake and get sung to. We have been there so many times now that the employees remember us. Since we took so long at the restaurant we didn't have any time to do our own birthday cake. I only have the pics from the restaurant here but will post the rest tomorrow.

That is a peace sign, not 2 years old.

Very Japanese; automatic peace sign action.

Jake and Tatsu requested their napkins to be that way.

Me and my tater bug.

My ladies.

Blowing out the candle.

I think Mommy did most of the blowing.

Muscle Man

2011-07-03T16:31:00.003+09:00

Since Jake has been in Judo, he has been doing quite a bit of training (almost twice a week). This is on top of him already being a very active little boy, constantly playing and running around. Recently Jake has been sleeping with his shirt off because Daddy (me) does the same thing and he is into copying me, hopefully just the good parts. Last night Jake noticed that he is looking extra muscly and wanted to post these pictures so his cousin and uncle could see.

Getting ready to flex.

Showing the biceps.

Flexing the abs.

Did Done Good

2011-07-02T15:58:00.002+09:00

This year's anniversary is one I will remember, hopefully forever, mainly because of the gifts we each got. I think the best part of giving a gift is one that visibly surprises and delights the receiver. I did done good in that department.

I have rules when it comes to buying certain presents for certain events. Anniversary obviously falls under the "Romantic" category meaning it must conform to the following rules:

The gift must be a surprise.
The gift must be something ONLY he/she will use.
The gift must not be something that causes work (ie. vacuums).
The gift must represent your knowledge of your significant other.

So, what did I buy? I got her: 0.2 ct, Diamond (I class) earrings in a Platinum base. I had to go covert on this one and use our account in America so that she would not see the money trail and also had to make sure the shipping had no obvious information on it. This gift was a bit risky since Natsuko let her pierced ear holes grow closed after we had kids and I wasn't sure if she was up to the task of getting them re-pierced. That night, after receiving the gift, Natsuko got pepped up enough to have me use the old needle and ice cube to skewer a hole in each lobe. I did it with almost no pain and with no blood loss. Perfect! Now Natsuko is proudly wearing the ear rings and was really happy with them. I got to say, she sure makes those earrings look nice :-)

Now, Natsuko surprised me pretty good with my gift. Well, I did drop about a million hints as to what I wanted but I was super surprised that I got it for our anniversary. I have wanted a new electric shaver for months now since my old one (over 10 years old) has now turned into a master plucking machine and leaves me with a gang of rashes on my neck. At the store, whenever we walked past the shaver I wanted, I would cough-mask the word "anniversary". She definitely got the hint. When I got the gift I immediately knew what it was before unwrapping it and I couldn't help letting out a little squeal like a Japanese school girl. This new shaver is like night-and-day compared to my old one.

Philips Norelco 1250x.

9 Year Anniversary

2011-06-30T13:43:00.004+09:00

9 Reasons I Love My Wife

1) She knows me so well she can finish me sentences.
- Me: Hunny, could you get me . . .
- She: (interupting) . . . get it yourself.

2) Romance.
Walking in from work
- Me: I'm home!
- She: Don't expect anything tonight.

3) She'll always let me know when I am being an ass, that way I am only ever half-assed.

4) She thinks I'm the funniest guy alive. Ok, actually I think I am the funniest guy alive and I project that onto her thinking.

5) I find her irresistably beautiful.
- Me: Baby you look extra hot right now.
- She: It's not gonna happen.

6) She always makes me feel sexy.
- She: (while laughing hysterically) I saw a grandma with your hair today.

7) I'm her super hero since I can save her from her most feared creatures.
- She is terribly horrified of moths and butterflies, almost like a phobia.

8) She loves me a lot.
- She: (said rather frequently) I love you more than you love me.

9) She's self confident.
- She: (during an argument) You know you'll never find anyone as good as me.

I joke about the above examples but, like most husbands will say, I am truly in love with my wife. I have heard many times people say that "marriage takes a lot of work" and that "marriage requires compromise" but I have not experienced any of this. On the contrary, I find marriage to be as natural as breathing. I think I am the worst person to talk to about marriage problems because I just can't relate. One thing I'll admit is that it more has to do with who she is than with who I am. God knew what he was doing when he mixed us together for life.

Me and my love, 9 years and going strong.

String Figures

2011-06-29T16:02:00.003+09:00

Tatsu's class has been learning how to do String Figures which is using a looped string to create different designs intertwined between your fingers and hands. Don't worry, I had to actually look it up to find the name of it and, what do you know, they actually have an International String Figure Association. Some people have a lot of free ~~time~~ talent.

Tatsu is now a pro at making String Figures.

Almost 3

2011-06-28T17:21:00.002+09:00

Maika's birthday is happening this Sunday, not that she understands the time continuum yet. For her, Sunday might as well be today or next year. All she knows is that she is going to get some presents soon and that is alright with her. Maika's preschool puts up pictures of the kids for the month of their birthday. We took this pic and printed it out so the school could hang it up in their hallway.

Soon to be three.

Tatsu's Wheels

2011-06-27T16:29:00.003+09:00

So many of Tatsu's friends have gone "wappa nashi" (no training wheels) on their bikes that Tatsu got motivated to take his training wheels off. This last week Tatsu's best bud learned how to ride a wappa nashi bike all by himself and left Tatsu the dust. He has been bragging about how studly he is on his bike while doing laps around the parking lot, making Tatsu all sorts of jealous.

Fast forward to this weekend and a newly motivated Tatsu is ready to go. Natsuko came up with the idea to put Tatsu on his friend's tiny bike to make it so that crashing doesn't happen as often. A couple pushes and running behind the bike while letting go but pretending to hold on and Tatsu was up and running by himself. I was really surprised at how fast he picked it up. After a bit of the small bike, Tatsu was ready for his own, bigger bike (cuz it's faster). Now we just need to work on Tatsu getting himself going and not needing to be pushed every time.

Mister "wappa nashi" all by himself.

Mommy giving Tatsu a heave-ho

Hulked Out

2011-06-23T16:28:00.002+09:00

Tatsu has really gotten into making things out of clay and playdough. He creates these figures and then makes them fight each other complete with sound effects and utter destruction. I caught a picture of him in one of his moments of play.

The hulk character picking up the box lid.

Cute Buns

2011-06-22T16:21:00.003+09:00

While Natsuko was doing Maika's hair this morning I glanced up and noticed that Maika had some how snuck out of her pants and was sitting bare-bunned in her chair.

Pre-Bath

2011-06-21T16:03:00.002+09:00

Before taking a bath it is always a mini battle trying to figure out who wants to take what toy into the bath with them. Of course, they have to pick the toy with batteries in it and then be told 'No'. Finally you settle on one and then they change their mind. Eventually you just drag the child in whether they are crying or not.

Maika decided to take the goggles.

This is her "cute face" pose.

Planting Rice

2011-06-20T16:14:00.002+09:00

On Saturday our neighborhood had a little event where we could plant rice in a field donated by the former mayor of our little town. All the kids (and me) were shown the ropes of planting rice and the reasoning behind it. The weather wasn't behaving at all with the on again - off again rain all morning long. After the rice planting a barbecue was planned but got canceled, instead, we had some obentos (boxed lunches). It was quite a good, unique experience. I now have a new-found respect for all the rice planters of the world.

Me and Jake (yellow hat) divvying up the rice.

Us, smiling for the camera.

Tatsu (nearest camera, red shirt) getting in on the planting between his time spent catching of frogs.

Sticking my hand in the mud.

The mud really sticks out on my super white legs.

First Of The Season

2011-06-17T17:20:00.002+09:00

We (Natsuko) are growing vegetables again this year. This time we have decided to stick all of them in planters so the bugs and grubs won't be so bad. We have tomato, cucumber, strawberry, and eggplant. Yesterday our first mini-cucumber was picked by Tatsuya since he won the rock-paper-scissors competition.

Proud owner of a mini-cucumber.

Princess Maika

2011-06-14T17:40:00.002+09:00

Natsuko's friend sent us a package of a bunch of girly stuff that her daughter had grown out of. It had all sorts of plastic makeup and jewelry in it but the best part were the three princess dresses that were included. Maika absolutely loved them since she believes she is actually a princess and had to immediately try each one on.

Parent Visiting Day 2011

2011-06-09T16:27:00.002+09:00

Yesterday, Maika and Tatsu had their Parent Visiting Day (参観日). I took the morning off so that Natsuko or I could be with one of the kids at all times. It was fun to see the kids performing what they have practiced doing for so long. Tatsu played the pianica and Maika performed a little song and dance. It was so cute seeing the little two and three year olds running around and singing.

Mommy (red shirt) dancing with Tatsu.

Maika posing behind the red plastic on the playground.

Going down the big slide.

Fun With A Box

2011-06-08T16:24:00.003+09:00

Whenever we get a large box the kids fight over who gets to play in it. They come up with all sorts of ideas on what to do with it except for any ideas that seem to satisfy all of them. There will be much screaming and crying but, usually one of them will run and find a second large box to occupy. I shouldn't even buy toys, just get some cardboard boxes every once in a while.

Tatsu watching TV in his box while Maika plays in her's.

Hummer

2011-06-07T17:06:00.002+09:00

Our neighbor threw an awesome barbecue this past Sunday at a park bordering the Shonai River. This is the neighbor who runs a restaurant that specializes in Japanese style barbecuing so you can imagine just how good everything was. There were a lot of people attending, probably around 30 or more. The kids got lots of attention and had a ton of fun just running around.

The highlight for Tatsu was on the way back to the car. There was a giant beast of a Hummer, the H2 version, parked near our car. I don't know why but Tatsu is absolutely in love with these cars and thinks they are the coolest thing. He started bubbling and squeaking with excitement; it was just too cute to see. So, I took a picture of him with the car. I get a good laugh if I imagine Tatsuya actually driving one of these things.

Tatsu's dream car.

Dealing With Death

2011-06-06T16:07:00.002+09:00

This weekend we went to the local festival and fireworks that was being put on by neighboring Biwajima in celebration of Oda Nobunaga. The place was jam packed and we had trouble navigating the streets without losing a kid. On the way back to the car, after the fireworks, we stopped and let the boys try their hand at Goldfish Scooping. The boys were horrible at it and didn't even get one but the attendant had mercy on them and let them each have two fish. They were so proud of their new pets, especially Tatsu.

The next morning, the boys rushed downstairs to check on their pets. One of Tatsu's fish (named Ben by Tatsuya) was not looking so great and soon went belly up. Tatsu was completely devastated and couldn't figure out why the thing died. So, we had a little burial ceremony and explained to Tatsu about life and death. He was only phased for a couple hours and is now back to himself.

Tatsu crying over his poor little goldfish, Ben.

We dug a little grave in the backyard so Tatsu could say his goodbyes.

We made a little cross out of sticks and bid farewell.

Tatsu's Field Trip

2011-06-03T16:22:00.002+09:00

A few weeks back Tatsu's class had a field trip to a big park where the kids can go wild and play. The only problem was that it rained, causing everyone to go to a crowded indoors area. The kids managed to have fun but the poor parents were stuck in a building with hundreds of loud, sweaty kids. Tatsu loved having the homemade obento (box lunch) made by Mommy and also riding the big bus.

So excited to go on a Field Trip.

Caught Bare Handed

2011-06-02T16:56:00.004+09:00

Jake has his annual Kid's Club activity where we clean up garbage and then go catch some trout in a little stream at a nearby park. The fish are put in the stream by the fish farmers and and quite small. The kids have fun just getting all wet and terrorizing these poor little animals.

Jake with one of the first fish he caught.

Picking up a dropped fish.

Jake trying to handle a fish in the water.

The captured victims.

Tatsu in the bucket and Maika was about as close as she was going to get.

I managed to catch Tatsu in the act of dropping the fish (near his belly button).

Finally got a good grip on the little sucker.

Jake's friends pushing him around in the stroller.

Being a good, big brother.

Group photo of the neighborhood Elementary students.

Ready To Hike

2011-06-01T16:22:00.003+09:00

I think that I have just about completed all my purchases for my challenge this year, to climb Mt. Fuji. My friend and I are planning on sometime around the middle of August but hope that it is not too crowded. My major purchases were hiking boots and a hiking backpack of sorts. Nothing too fancy.

Maika trying out my new backpack.

Mari wearing the backpack while shopping. (I snapped the pic without her knowing)

Life's Rough At 5

2011-05-30T17:33:00.002+09:00

Little Tatsuya is 5 years old and has learned that crying sometimes helps you get your way. So, crying he does. Us parents usually know that the crying is fake but cave in just because the poor little guy is trying so hard and we want to see that little face light up. We also secretly wish for the stage to just hurry up and get done with.

Everyone having fun except for Tatsu, who is crying away on the sofa. Jake really made a creepy face in the background.

Still crying.

Dress-Up

2011-05-27T16:52:00.002+09:00

I don't know what it is but it seems that whenever I walk past a section that has those wigs and/or masks, I just can't help but stop and try a few on. It is just plain funny to see some of the ridiculous stuff people come up with in the name of costumes, some are pretty inventive. The last time we tried this stuff on I snapped a few pictures.

Tatsu with a soy sauce bottle on.

Natsuko tried the hair. Check out the creepy figure in the background. That is Matsuko Deluxe.

Of course Maika had to do Anpanman.

Jake with what I think is Dragon Ball Z hair.

Backwards

2011-05-26T16:11:00.002+09:00

Maika sometimes likes to pretend that she is a mommy and makes Jake and Tatsu into her babies. She is very sweet and baby talks to them while they mostly ignore her. They play along a little bit sometimes but it just is not as interesting for them. The other day I saw Jake sitting on Maika's lap even though there is quite a size difference.

The cutest little mommy.

Happiest When Eating

2011-05-25T16:04:00.003+09:00

While we were at Natsuko's parents house, Maika got her thumb caught in the door and squished it pretty good. Understandably, she cried for a very long time, as if she were dying. Natsuko's sister was able to calm her down with an ice cream bar. Maika instantly became the happiest little girl.