SUMMER

Dan and Danielle are back and summer is in full swing! We've had some decent weather here in Northern Japan and we hope to take a few day trips coming up soon. So until then, here is what we've been up to:

I admit it, we've spent some time with video games when the weather has been bad...not too much time.

Homemade slingshots! Rayce is a happy guy!

Lots of playing at the park.

Swan park.

The tower was open this time so up to the top went the kids.

Also, a little dirt bike riding.

We love summer.

Kabushima/Tanesashi

This week has been just me, Rayce and Avie Jo. Dan is with the scouts near Tokyo at scout camp, and Danielle is at her first year of girl's camp. We've laid low pretty much the whole week but it's been nice, mostly because I haven't cooked a meal and have barely cleaned (we'll clean tomorrow before dad gets back), but we wanted to get out somewhere today so we went down to Hachinohe.

Our first stop was Kabushima or Seagull Island. We've been here before and honestly I never understood why it's called seagull island...until today. I guess its a nesting spot for seagulls so this time of year all the baby's begin to hatch from their eggs and there are seagulls EVERYWHERE. We had umbrellas, and not for rain.

Little seagull chicks. They don't look like seagulls at all.

It truly is a seagull island.

After that we drove down the coast to Tanesashi, the grassy beach in Hachinohe. The cliffs are beautiful.

Another overcast day, apparently this is pretty typical weather for northern Japan this time of year.

Hunting for crabs.

Rayce usually decides last minute that he'd rather let the crabs go than bring them home. Sometimes with a little prompting from mom.

Well Done

Danielle had a non-graduation, graduation banquet yesterday to celebrate their "stepping up" to the 7th grade. It was a pretty formal affair at the Officer's Club here on base.

Danielle received three awards: The Presidential Award for academics, Principal's List for all A's and also, The Terranova Titan Award for scoring in the 90th percentile in all areas of their standardized test, way to go Danielle!

Ms. Bullard put this amazing event together for her class complete with a candy bar.

Ms. Bullard's 6th grade class.

Danielle's friend Jace got all the same awards as she did, two smart gals.

One proud mama! I was trying to not be that loud, gloating, obnoxious parent.

On to 7th grade...gulp.

Childrens Land

We are almost to the end of the school year, and we couldn't be more ready...all of us. We are ready for late nights, no homework, and lots of beach days. Rayce's class went to a place called Children's Land for an end-of-year field trip. I went with as a chaperone. Lucky for me I didn't have to do much chaperoning because Children's Land is a fairly small amusement park.

200 yen for delicious snow cones!

Rayce was sick for his last field trip so I was glad he didn't have to miss this one. Only a week and a half left!