Sea Glass

With parent teacher conferences we couldn't go far from base but we tried to cram in some sea glass hunting before we had to be back to meet with Danielle's teacher.

We went a little over an hour north near shipwreck beach.

We found lots of treasures including a couple of crabs and loads of sea glass.

This is a sad picture but it's the reality of what man has done to our environment. So many of the beaches here in Japan and elsewhere are completely polluted! It's heartbreaking! There are many nice beaches here but also some that are not.

I was able to convince Rayce to leave his crab behind, but we came home with lots of other treasures.

Statue of Liberty Park

The kids have a long weekend, a very long weekend. They have parent teacher conferences today and tomorrow and the Veterans Day Holiday on Monday, so a 5-day weekend! Yesterday was an early release day to top it all off so we set out to find the Statue of Liberty Park. It's about a 20 minute drive from base and it really does have a Statue of Liberty.

I crammed the kids bikes in the back of Dan's car to bring them...I need my van back.

I love the Japanese parks, they're so pretty.

Japanese playgrounds are awesome! This is a roller slide, the kids loved it!

zip line fun

So I haven't been to New York yet to see the actual Statue of Liberty...can I still say I've seen it? Haha

100 Yen

Of all the amazing things we've had the opportunity to see so far my kids favorite thing would have to be...

...the hundred yen store! Seriously, we've seen some cool things here in Japan but if they had to choose someplace to go it would be here, over and over again. The hundred yen store is the equivalent of the dollar store in the states, only much better.

There are three hundred yen stores here in Misawa. We've been several times already and it's like Christmas for the kids every time. Our lastest trip found Rayce a rubber band gun, Avie a very noisy toy trumpet and Danielle several accessories for her room.

Hey, they're easy to please and I'll take it.

I Am...

A member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Ladder Day Saints, also known as Mormons.

Coming to live in a foreign country I knew two things for sure. I would have an instant network of people who share my same beliefs and also that the teachings of the gospel are the same no matter where I was in the world. I love the church! I believe it to be true. I love the Book of Mormon, I love reading it and the peace that I feel every time I do.

I know my Heavenly Father loves me!

Hirosaki Castle

We made it! Last weekend we ended up having to stay on base and take care of some car business (a story for another time), besides it was a little soggy last week. This weekend was beautiful; the sun was shining; it was the perfect temperature, so off we went. The drive took us almost exactly two hours.

Hirosaki Castle was hosting it's annual Chrysanthemum Festival, so there was amazing color from the flowers and the changing leaf color. The symbol in the middle of the flowers is called manji, it looks like a swastika but does not have the negative connotation in Japan as it does in the west. It is used frequently as a positive symbol in the Buddhist religion.

First, some ice cream.

Next, a ride on the mini bullet train.

A zen garden. The grounds are huge; there is sooo much to see.

Rayce won a couple toys by shooting them off a shelf with a cork gun, he was in heaven.

Amazing fall color.

There are five of these castle gates on the property thought to date back to the Edo Period (around the 17th century). They are massive.

The castle tower. The original castle tower was struck by lightening and burnt down in 1627, it was re-built in 1811. It is the only castle tower built in the Edo period in northeastern Japan that remains.

From the top of the tower. I don't know what happened but I started feeling woozy when I stepped in. Maybe it's because the building slants to one side, understandable given the age...but still I walked through there as fast as I could. Then my family made fun of me.

Mt. Iwaki

The park is home to the 120-year-oldest Somei Yoshino Cherry Blossom Tree in Japan...can't remember if this picture is it or not but there are several throughout the park that are roped off.

I am smitten by the beauty of Japan.