Yochien (Kindergarten/Preschool)

The school year in Japan starts in April, so Cailey just started a new year at yochien, and Bryant started going too. There are 3 years of yochien. Nen sho (youngest-3 year olds), nen chu (middle 4 year olds), and nen cho (the oldest, 5 year olds). This year Cailey is a nen cho san and the first day she came home and told me "Mom, they don't call me "Cailey chan" anymore, now I'm "Cailey san." Which basically means that she is really cool now. Kind of like the senior class verses the freshman. Both Cailey and Bryant are doing really well so far this year. Cailey seems to really like her new teacher and is making a lot of friends. Her Japanese is starting to flow naturally, so I think it is easier for her now. Bryant also really likes it so far. The best news for me is that he magically became potty trained when he started going. Thank you yochien!!

Here is our very handsome Bryant in the uniform on the first day school.

This is a picture of Bryant sitting with his class for the opening ceremony on the first day of school. They wear the color coded hats to tell which class they are in...very stylish I think.
Cailey and Bryant posing together.
The kids walk to school in a walking group with other yochien aged kids that live near us. One of the teachers comes and meets them and takes the group to school. The meeting spot just happens to be right in front of our house, very convenient for us! Each morning before they leave they say a morning greeting (asa no goaisatsu). Here is a video of it.

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Trip to Sendai

Our trip last week to Sendai was very nostalgic for me. This was a business trip for Shane, so he worked the whole time, but the kids and I had a great time visiting friends and driving past old places. We stayed in a small town called Funaoka that is close to Shane's work. It is about a half an hour drive from where we used to live, but we were only about 10 minutes away from where our friends, the Shepards, live. We spent a lot of time hanging out with them, which is always fun. Our kids have so much fun together. (We will be very sad when they return to the U.S. this summer.) We also got to have dinner with the Karlinsey's, a senior missionary couple for the Sendai mission office who were in our ward. I didn't get a picture of that, but Sister Karlinsey is in the picture of the Nagamachi ward friends.

On Thursday, Imano shimai from our old ward invited us over for lunch with several other women from the ward. I can't express how much I love these people. I just feel such a bond with them, even though I can't communicate very well with some of them. It was so nice to be with them again.

On Friday, the kids and I went to Shane's office and had lunch with him there and met some of his coworkers. Afterwards Katie Shepard and I took our kids to Michinoku park. This is another thing I really love about Sendai. I LOVE this park. The picture on my blog sidebar of Josh and Teresa and the amazing flower garden in the background is of the same park. The kids love this place too, because it has some very fun things to play on. There are a few pictures of the kids playing on the slideshow.

We have lived in Japan for over 2 and a 1/2 years and I have never been to a karaoke joint. On Friday night Katie and Lane decided take us and show us how it is done. Mine and Katie's version of "Material Girl" was definitely the best of the night! I got a great picture of Bryant singing with Shane. Like father, like son.

Saturday morning before we headed home, I went on a great run. It was one of those runs that I will probably always remember. There is a big hill in Funaoka with a huge buddha at the top. I have great memories here because for the last two years this is where we went cherry blossom viewing. It is really beautiful. From the top of the hill you can see a river. A road runs along the river that is lined with cherry trees and the road has been closed off to traffic. This is where I ran. The perfect run: nice weather, beautiful scenery, no traffic to deal with.

So now we are back in Yokohama. It is strange, but as much as I love Sendai, this really does seem like where we belong.

さくら - Cherry Blossoms 2008

When the cherry blossoms (Sakura) in Japan are in bloom it is absolutely beautiful everywhere you go. They are planted all over the place. I took my kids to Mitsuzawa park, which is about a 5 minute walk from our house, to take some pictures. They were taken on March 28th. Notice how my kids are doing the peace sign in every picture....they are becoming Japanese!

We are off to Sendai!!

Shane has a business trip to Sendai this week, so we decided to tag along with him. The kids are on Spring Break from school, so it will be fun to go back and see old friends in Sendai. It has been almost a year since we moved from there to Yokohama. The time has gone by fast.
Shane will be working the whole time, but I have plans to see a lot of our old friends. We leave in the morning, so I better go get to bed!

Easter Activities

I think everyone would agree that Easter seemed way too early this year, but we still managed to put together a pretty busy weekend of Easter activities. On Saturday morning 2 wards in our stake had a combined Primary activity. They had a puppet show about the Savior's life and crucifixion. The kids colored eggs (well, actually just put the plastic wraps on the eggs that you put it in boiling water), had an easter egg hunt and did a few other activities. Japan doesn't celebrate Easter at all, so I was pretty impressed with this activity.

As a family we did our own Easter egg hunt, thanks to Shane's sister Janette. She sent us a lot of American Easter candy and plastic eggs. Since our yard is about 1 foot around the perimeter of our house, we decided to do the hunt inside the house.

After the hunt, we made our Easter wagons. This is a tradition done by my mothers family that goes way back. This is how the wagon is supposed to be made: the wagon is a snickers candy bar with life saver wheels glued on with frosting. On top it has coconut frosting colored green made into a nest, with jellybean eggs inside. Peeps can also ride in the wagon, and it is pulled by marshmellow bunnies. Growing up we always tried to see how loaded up with candy we could get our wagons. Now for the Japan version...the wagon is indeed a snickers candy bar, no lifesavers in Japan though so we settled for Werther's (which we like better anyway!). The jellybean eggs are m & m's and the wagon is being pulled by Koalas (a little Koala shaped cookie filled with chocolate).

Kid pics

Here are some pictures I took of the kids last week after we got our new camera. Isaac is sporting a ninja outfit given to us by our friends the Shepards (who also live in Japan). Isn't it great!!?

Hats off to single parents!

There is nothing like a 3 week business trip to help you realize how much you rely upon, love and miss your spouse. Shane has been back in Tucson for the last 2 weeks...1 to go and I am counting down the days until he returns. I have really felt a profound respect for single parents. Yesterday I was thinking about how demanding 3 young children are, especially when I am the only one who can meet their needs all day everyday, and I thought of my Aunt Marcy. She was a young mother with 2 small children and one on the way when her husband was in an accident and died. I can't imagine how she made it through those years with 3 small children by herself. All my love and respect to you Aunt Marcy....
On the positive side, this business trip will have it's benefits. Shane has been doing a little shopping while he has been there and will be bringing back some much anticipated American goods. One of those will be a new camera, so if I go crazy on the blog with pictures in a couple of weeks, you'll know why. (I know there are good cameras in Japan, but I want to be able to read my owner's manual!)