tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-16418782071448870322024-03-05T13:46:34.027+09:00Baby StepsLaurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.comBlogger80125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-85294048622112803352011-11-03T22:54:00.000+09:002011-11-03T22:54:57.752+09:00Our own Peter Pan and Tinker BellThere are days here in Japan that I feel like I'm living in "Never Never Land" like Peter Pan. We have a great time "playing" each week with our friends and hanging out at the park, eating lunch together, hosting playgroups, going bowling, taking trips off base, watching airplanes...you get the point...in a nutshell, we just plain have fun! Sometimes, I completely forget that we're in Japan. So, this year I thought it would be neat for Matthew and Catherine to dress up as Peter Pan and Tinker Bell for Halloween. It was just a bonus that Peter Pan happens to be a red head too!<br />
The weather forecast on Halloween was to be rainy, but thankfully we woke up to a nice sunny afternoon. It was windy and chilly, but no rain! We had planned to meet up with several other families that have children around the same age as Matthew and go trick-or-treating together. The kids all looked so adorable in their costumes. And, it was even more precious to see the kids get excited about each other's costumes! We met at 6pm, once it had gotten dark, and set off in one of the neighborhoods on base. Here are pictures of the kids waiting in the parking lot to go trick-or-treating.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_Z6s52nECyBdRKZak72RCS-p7fhC1Rix7IjCvMenBSqZgt8gR_YfWpyGVvLecFMY4pzmo_qmHxK4_zCt2wZWjJtLkQTWRcAznYFCQFS5rrZoVCLF70peJc4FXWmVrTt8T5ywUKGL3p4/s1600/CIMG0460.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf_Z6s52nECyBdRKZak72RCS-p7fhC1Rix7IjCvMenBSqZgt8gR_YfWpyGVvLecFMY4pzmo_qmHxK4_zCt2wZWjJtLkQTWRcAznYFCQFS5rrZoVCLF70peJc4FXWmVrTt8T5ywUKGL3p4/s400/CIMG0460.JPG" width="300" /></a></div>One of the neat things about Halloween here at Yokota is that you're allowed to sponsor the Japanese on base to trick-or-treat. The Japanese don't really celebrate Halloween like we do in the USA, but they get so excited to come on base to trick-or-treat with us. Lots of the spouses, who don't have children, teach English off base to Japanese children and adults. Typically, those are the kids who are sponsored on base. I had anticipated that it would be busy with all the kids out during the allotted 6-8pm time slot, but I clearly didn't prepare myself enough. It was madness! There were thousands of kids and adults! A Facebook status from a friend read that she spent at least $150-$200 a year buying candy for the kids because it always went fast. Several of our friends who were experiencing Halloween here for the first time spent around $30, and they all ran out within the first 30 minutes. Crazy! <br />
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Overall, it was so fun to watch Matthew walk up to each door and say, "trick-or-treat" in his sweet little voice. And, then he would always politely say, "thank you" after a piece of candy dropped into his bag. By about 7:30pm, the excitement caught up with Matthew and he asked if we could go home. This is definitely turing out to be a big year of memories with Matthew now that he's almost 3 years old!<br />
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Happy Halloween 2011!!</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-90366062559989325282011-11-03T22:21:00.000+09:002011-11-03T22:21:14.089+09:00Our Little PreschoolerMatthew has been attending a preschool program on base on Tuesday and Thursday mornings from 9am - 1pm. He absolutely loves his teacher, who he calls, Mrs. Donna. She's authorized through the military to run the preschool out of her home. There are usually only four of them that are there regularly on Tuesday and Thursday, so it's nice that it's a small group. They go to the park, the indoor swimming pool, do crafts, work on their alphabet, numbers, days of the week and seasons. It's been a great new thing for Matthew to try and he really looks forward to "school" each week.<br />
A few weeks ago, they took a field trip to the Fire Station during Fire Safety week. Donna sent us a few pictures that she took of the kids. Matthew talked about sitting in the fire truck all day long and they even got a neat fire hat to bring home. He's really into trucks, cars and trains these days, so this field trip was perfect!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgnrZjHsMed2JURdUutK5KNR9nNPF8X50ULwhIlD95J7hKu-hiwHfrTsbpjV237YoqjbhedrG0WbAFxgGHGEmKukxzhCYlAiS2HV7_qdVhgikjgCrPpYL_QLFbU7BvuZCtYAvDYvhs3okg/s400/IMG_0119.JPG" width="400" /></div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The kids with Mrs. Donna, the Fireman and the Fire Safety Dog</div><div align="left" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The week before Halloween, Donna had a little party for the kids and invited all the other Mom's to come join in the fun. We had food and did a craft with the kids, but Matthew's favorite part was decorating his own pumpkin shaped sugar cookie and then getting to eat it. I didn't think he would actually eat the entire thing, but he sure did, and he loved it! I'm so glad I had my camera with me, because he had sprinkles ALL over his face by the time he was done!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-69574896005059122272011-10-21T21:36:00.000+09:002011-10-21T21:36:55.127+09:00Fun at the ParkRyan took Matthew to the park a few weekends ago and he took some really adorable photos of Matthew. They were taken from his iPhone, so they're not the best quality, but I had to share my these pictures of my sweet boy! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACb6np_l5xOi4tgooiQc_k1N_PIdhouFGB0hVRK8YDXk0fCU1lUK5q0cYoeB4nIw1vS2i2B7O1YC-0sin4msyGy3myCEs3-HYQmZmNW6c0r-hZtgOQEajxUl0dsSuIeQAc0QcVRRBkeY/s1600/IMG_0687.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhACb6np_l5xOi4tgooiQc_k1N_PIdhouFGB0hVRK8YDXk0fCU1lUK5q0cYoeB4nIw1vS2i2B7O1YC-0sin4msyGy3myCEs3-HYQmZmNW6c0r-hZtgOQEajxUl0dsSuIeQAc0QcVRRBkeY/s400/IMG_0687.JPG" width="297" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbT56DVcbWjqZy1Cvq8oXquxGrk2l679zUCZtBTPYA03h_Tr3Az2P9YmBAb8ThC8rjstIKw_BWyuoacY3a8A-DitYGcTP3seSxMM3vcze3C-YHlfezAHHv_XavyiC3S3zdZexilZfD4Fs/s1600/IMG_0688.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbT56DVcbWjqZy1Cvq8oXquxGrk2l679zUCZtBTPYA03h_Tr3Az2P9YmBAb8ThC8rjstIKw_BWyuoacY3a8A-DitYGcTP3seSxMM3vcze3C-YHlfezAHHv_XavyiC3S3zdZexilZfD4Fs/s400/IMG_0688.JPG" width="297" /></a></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-8031769874369482122011-10-20T23:14:00.000+09:002011-10-20T23:14:14.280+09:00USO Sesame Street ShowThe USO brought Sesame Street to Yokota Air Base on Monday, and Matthew LOVED seeing Elmo! I wasn't sure how he was going to react to seeing the characters in person, but he really got super excited. A few of Matthew's friends were there too, and they spent the majority of the time dancing and jumping around during the performance. It was wonderful to see Matthew get so excited!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApLFPFXGj3ljz0gvyeMsDpy9gbf7PUFIx5ZGUzrGtVLRhBbqGxZc2W5xz_kgOsr2SesNr49XFcacfaJF7j3x4SDpmUuky15Pxe8rOX13bjcbFaNuSCcPeIk8WONc-HpwfcB5m1v9KMuk/s1600/CIMG0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjApLFPFXGj3ljz0gvyeMsDpy9gbf7PUFIx5ZGUzrGtVLRhBbqGxZc2W5xz_kgOsr2SesNr49XFcacfaJF7j3x4SDpmUuky15Pxe8rOX13bjcbFaNuSCcPeIk8WONc-HpwfcB5m1v9KMuk/s400/CIMG0327.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECOXi4Jm3q9-4Q_k9te96F_iQiOIH9us3TpxHbVFtPlVXQtZlMnM44YGJ1YEx0hWDmnN6FubAuxuEUHngQBuVublnKZ5iXua6DeZzLsaZp_b0Qf9ZvLJfTMuG11FAd3izL17ITIBn90g/s1600/CIMG0329.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhECOXi4Jm3q9-4Q_k9te96F_iQiOIH9us3TpxHbVFtPlVXQtZlMnM44YGJ1YEx0hWDmnN6FubAuxuEUHngQBuVublnKZ5iXua6DeZzLsaZp_b0Qf9ZvLJfTMuG11FAd3izL17ITIBn90g/s400/CIMG0329.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Waiting for the show to start with his best friend, Noah!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26KAkCuEdPBD6rMNAfTaA_YEGn_baf061IWYHg0Xar3eulWBykjld3XMXyMMhNabdmPrELcpK0Ulhaa9Se2OAfgVVacbUERjtKwzswz0pZd_yuLKBkstHwipQGn0QPCU-cGlnMmZ2IL4/s1600/CIMG0331.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj26KAkCuEdPBD6rMNAfTaA_YEGn_baf061IWYHg0Xar3eulWBykjld3XMXyMMhNabdmPrELcpK0Ulhaa9Se2OAfgVVacbUERjtKwzswz0pZd_yuLKBkstHwipQGn0QPCU-cGlnMmZ2IL4/s400/CIMG0331.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Getting excited!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx59IKZxt798-IUudOgqzxoeoaRqjDOe-c9jQCvM8sosI_a_XpkEEl2ZAeUkmbcz_YlXeVLBr0jljmv4boC-wO8Qhkcl4uYDRU5IVR6B1iAVoTMLmf0TSf0Hc-6ZLlMaGM8j6MtWI6wJ4/s1600/CIMG0336.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjx59IKZxt798-IUudOgqzxoeoaRqjDOe-c9jQCvM8sosI_a_XpkEEl2ZAeUkmbcz_YlXeVLBr0jljmv4boC-wO8Qhkcl4uYDRU5IVR6B1iAVoTMLmf0TSf0Hc-6ZLlMaGM8j6MtWI6wJ4/s400/CIMG0336.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sitting with friends waiting for Elmo</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxR9BbvscWVGt9ggR2MmFMhdSaBm6wu0eKS5oUoa535VBNuOId5x4X37Us2YwVyPNe-oMOm1oalUZpJbB8yhruEajLRLsfVK6JB8St9Ytmb0B_lryPotfH5Hn6kTKd1zBwO-Wvqnfoqo/s1600/CIMG0346.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisxR9BbvscWVGt9ggR2MmFMhdSaBm6wu0eKS5oUoa535VBNuOId5x4X37Us2YwVyPNe-oMOm1oalUZpJbB8yhruEajLRLsfVK6JB8St9Ytmb0B_lryPotfH5Hn6kTKd1zBwO-Wvqnfoqo/s400/CIMG0346.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">It's ELMO!!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNWwvFxIiiyvASA-nSQsKu8FaCudEI4RhGMEWh7uWOkkrpzbnR47EU8yyaVFnV8KbP4Gt3K89dfECClbElLQ_AfXhVbj0GribFD89D8Rx5Elat2Qt3ML-XouvXA08twIsvUoFKGnJZ2c/s1600/CIMG0349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdNWwvFxIiiyvASA-nSQsKu8FaCudEI4RhGMEWh7uWOkkrpzbnR47EU8yyaVFnV8KbP4Gt3K89dfECClbElLQ_AfXhVbj0GribFD89D8Rx5Elat2Qt3ML-XouvXA08twIsvUoFKGnJZ2c/s400/CIMG0349.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOEITwggSXyOYJ9wRb3zP6WFenI_TGBiIa4F0k-mpj6pIHWdQiSvYUkMUi4Ngp-fqBzDmYJoyPO-J49eu2Rm9RrDXQU6eecEaqu-vYW82RXMGeYMuFNGDWJJUmpH4auUnwuNJUzu6Jwg/s1600/CIMG0352.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdOEITwggSXyOYJ9wRb3zP6WFenI_TGBiIa4F0k-mpj6pIHWdQiSvYUkMUi4Ngp-fqBzDmYJoyPO-J49eu2Rm9RrDXQU6eecEaqu-vYW82RXMGeYMuFNGDWJJUmpH4auUnwuNJUzu6Jwg/s400/CIMG0352.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQ4hBr-feU8BYQd0K0MQdTM5C5iPSMaN8SfSO1vsF3JEVbBTTwC1bXvhsCAkgx1AoltkrPDcz5d-E5SH5V-to0Fa5f0gyo1IIwqeg6Y96Im8pH4N4jTeTdV7l8H3zW21hzyUXcHIfS4o/s1600/CIMG0382.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRQ4hBr-feU8BYQd0K0MQdTM5C5iPSMaN8SfSO1vsF3JEVbBTTwC1bXvhsCAkgx1AoltkrPDcz5d-E5SH5V-to0Fa5f0gyo1IIwqeg6Y96Im8pH4N4jTeTdV7l8H3zW21hzyUXcHIfS4o/s400/CIMG0382.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">After the show</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpIWIuFxGTMqq9ODswoNRNkoFChky8Yx37N-X_ZPHz4y1hnK1PqBrfgnF_WimL4alQaBAnl8kQfKl3p_HK1rrctHA8iZJhdNt-xS7inq1lKlDlOiy_A6ovTC3k_U0ogsqg3Kwb3p-mOM/s1600/CIMG0385.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEggpIWIuFxGTMqq9ODswoNRNkoFChky8Yx37N-X_ZPHz4y1hnK1PqBrfgnF_WimL4alQaBAnl8kQfKl3p_HK1rrctHA8iZJhdNt-xS7inq1lKlDlOiy_A6ovTC3k_U0ogsqg3Kwb3p-mOM/s400/CIMG0385.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">In front of the USO Banner</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YCxS5CMNMmDszE3w6llzb1X-aM6lPm8sJGR4EBHwCIDvNFSEHGdJLqhhdNtEzItwEnI2a2XQ-QWIEBjISxMaKZP-sug3X-g9dRWPiCisXSguLCMoZhDMqMPUxRcJVr3zOcHz_OtR5-M/s1600/CIMG0386.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" rda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3YCxS5CMNMmDszE3w6llzb1X-aM6lPm8sJGR4EBHwCIDvNFSEHGdJLqhhdNtEzItwEnI2a2XQ-QWIEBjISxMaKZP-sug3X-g9dRWPiCisXSguLCMoZhDMqMPUxRcJVr3zOcHz_OtR5-M/s400/CIMG0386.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm a happy boy!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-10548918763037623282011-10-18T22:53:00.000+09:002011-10-18T22:53:48.775+09:00Pumpkin PatchWe had a Pumpkin Patch play date with some friends last week. It was the most beautiful afternoon, so we set up the pumpkins outside. I let Matthew hold Catherine for the photos and he did so well. He stayed very still and held onto her the entire time. He's such a sweet big brother!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGwd1yu7V28BXzPrtxxp2ISWni9SpBIv7b5MsST01dO-NBvmQmqT1QwRnlzps4HNNbV4NTLQRXL_XY-z9scFHlJv50KnnjqipQDNGTkSGTuvOgTmGf1_LUYBo8dv_YStdGTQ1c0Ro9FI/s1600/CIMG0297.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPGwd1yu7V28BXzPrtxxp2ISWni9SpBIv7b5MsST01dO-NBvmQmqT1QwRnlzps4HNNbV4NTLQRXL_XY-z9scFHlJv50KnnjqipQDNGTkSGTuvOgTmGf1_LUYBo8dv_YStdGTQ1c0Ro9FI/s400/CIMG0297.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeIpbVAtp-0LOPDvNP8eiA3XXF1EqHjZBao3mA9TihQbhjtYHva7kkQlh5OC3WKgCONTQd7GmfZSa4FkmhOP9JY4a2_-45A5ZYZJxiD4KDqWmo5KB4LjtvGkJD-BaTD-GMXiWGQcaeU8/s1600/CIMG0302.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMeIpbVAtp-0LOPDvNP8eiA3XXF1EqHjZBao3mA9TihQbhjtYHva7kkQlh5OC3WKgCONTQd7GmfZSa4FkmhOP9JY4a2_-45A5ZYZJxiD4KDqWmo5KB4LjtvGkJD-BaTD-GMXiWGQcaeU8/s400/CIMG0302.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Cheese!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom8TXaMWVQHSEMJ6lze0EWeYxfBjx8sc8DkyOSuc6OM2wTQYf8OFLK_wGVZulbcws55Ocm2fzC9Az16PWR1Awegu_w8dv1WmLfwvwrONkFY4W4cFAfcNT1oHasoSxYdDtt5Awufdv_1Y/s1600/CIMG0303.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiom8TXaMWVQHSEMJ6lze0EWeYxfBjx8sc8DkyOSuc6OM2wTQYf8OFLK_wGVZulbcws55Ocm2fzC9Az16PWR1Awegu_w8dv1WmLfwvwrONkFY4W4cFAfcNT1oHasoSxYdDtt5Awufdv_1Y/s400/CIMG0303.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitt5Pb4MqjfI8Q_xKCyFwm4WkadsuOdE3AEua5JfLZq45eEY27naCqPtmYGAUbk8bL3tVQlAv8UHs4yyuHxBjXJy7yeezP8JEBFN0QwM_nO_GPZrfutAo3DZ89k2ZdlhjFpAPMtRLIwVI/s1600/CIMG0304.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitt5Pb4MqjfI8Q_xKCyFwm4WkadsuOdE3AEua5JfLZq45eEY27naCqPtmYGAUbk8bL3tVQlAv8UHs4yyuHxBjXJy7yeezP8JEBFN0QwM_nO_GPZrfutAo3DZ89k2ZdlhjFpAPMtRLIwVI/s400/CIMG0304.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love this picture. So sweet!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEE160XmqNonzzP7GOyU0miRm_dP1wF2w9lr1YqiOTCyL9Dzb341q1NtkSSPzBixOP9W64EHEEP08rYGh4ytw5dyvAG7chpHz4ub3E0CycFHCgP6jwlFMb9GuT-kqBk51FdyT3ueQHWU/s1600/CIMG0306.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNEE160XmqNonzzP7GOyU0miRm_dP1wF2w9lr1YqiOTCyL9Dzb341q1NtkSSPzBixOP9W64EHEEP08rYGh4ytw5dyvAG7chpHz4ub3E0CycFHCgP6jwlFMb9GuT-kqBk51FdyT3ueQHWU/s400/CIMG0306.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQX4wZwySFsz4pteY6T5-xWsABWaew1ot7cBoD5xLH3YdOBZPosEj4zwfUz2S2Nq8WgikstP8wtcsH2MSjRAGD4W93d5DjC7q3q6GOidZhmZC4IUp1bWshEQpNTTZgsNfSJ0PRWycDHY/s1600/CIMG0313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisQX4wZwySFsz4pteY6T5-xWsABWaew1ot7cBoD5xLH3YdOBZPosEj4zwfUz2S2Nq8WgikstP8wtcsH2MSjRAGD4W93d5DjC7q3q6GOidZhmZC4IUp1bWshEQpNTTZgsNfSJ0PRWycDHY/s400/CIMG0313.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thank you for my pretty pumpkin smocked dress, Nana!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtkQuPT2qSX-lrabJo9MzGGOIfqCC8ndRxMNq_WJ9tvPsNEtbmV61jbSQIxjJuzZPb4dNYPDoFLLviD0aT5kDnr4ItdtAIpKdAAb5HGnpQNFs_Rq1l7T-2tMIve2K70lpGIrFTZhRCkA/s1600/CIMG0314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNtkQuPT2qSX-lrabJo9MzGGOIfqCC8ndRxMNq_WJ9tvPsNEtbmV61jbSQIxjJuzZPb4dNYPDoFLLviD0aT5kDnr4ItdtAIpKdAAb5HGnpQNFs_Rq1l7T-2tMIve2K70lpGIrFTZhRCkA/s400/CIMG0314.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Bright eyed!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegnEijK6-5hkqvuJsMmRFgxA2dVEMhEDoCIdqrr26u2gkcGr0vmLNeOCBD0ano301biY1WNGbOxXaSXtjsnJK3gphO0u3JUZL-kOkIgxDiczBXGoibHDk2CUF6fI1gd_Mt1sGv_JozHg/s1600/CIMG0315.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiegnEijK6-5hkqvuJsMmRFgxA2dVEMhEDoCIdqrr26u2gkcGr0vmLNeOCBD0ano301biY1WNGbOxXaSXtjsnJK3gphO0u3JUZL-kOkIgxDiczBXGoibHDk2CUF6fI1gd_Mt1sGv_JozHg/s400/CIMG0315.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I just think this picture of Catherine is so precious even though she's about to start crying. She's such a sweet little girl and I love her to pieces!</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-76501127598099874212011-10-12T22:23:00.000+09:002011-10-12T22:23:41.943+09:00Japanese DinnerEvery time we go off base, Matthew asks us if we're going to have a "Japanese Dinner." I think it's so sweet that he constantly talks about visiting our "Japanese friends" off base. A few weeks ago, we were having trouble with our refrigerator and needed to call maintenance to come take a look. When the guys showed up, Ryan told Matthew that our Japanese friends were here to fix our fridge. Later that night during story time, Matthew pulled out his "Where's Waldo?" book and realized that some pages were missing (he'd torn them out in true 2 year-old fashion). So, he looked at Ryan and said, "Daddy, you call our Japanese friends to come fix my Waldo book?" So cute! I love that he gets excited to be surrounded by the Japanese. And, more importantly, that he calls them his friends. <br />
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The weekend of October 1, we decided to extend our time off base from just having a Japanese dinner to also having a Japanese sleep-over at the New Sanno Hotel in downtown Tokyo. It's a military run hotel, so you are surrounded by English speaking staff, which makes it almost too easy to have a night away. They even have babysitters on staff to stay with your children so you can have a worry-free date night downtown. Here's the link to the hotel if you want to see what it looks like: <a href="http://www.thenewsanno.com/">http://www.thenewsanno.com/</a> . Our 24-hour trip was much more eventful that we anticipated, and we learned several things about sightseeing with two kids downtown. Thankfully, we had some good laughs along the way, and overall it was a really nice family getaway. <br />
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Here's our Top 10 list of lessons learned:<br />
1. Even if you're packed and ready to go the night before, it will still take you at least 2 1/2 hours to get out the door the next morning....and you'll still need everything but the kitchen sink!<br />
2. Don't assume that every Japanese person knows English.<br />
3. Do assume that they will take pictures of your red headed children. And they won't necessarily be discreet about it either.<br />
4. Make a note to check the events calendar for the sight you plan to see to make sure it's not "Free Admission Day" like we found during our outing to the Ueno Zoo. Yep, we were there with every other person in Tokyo who wanted a free day at the zoo. Oops!<br />
5. Don't be surprised to see ladies wearing stilettos at the zoo while pushing strollers full of kids. And I probably looked ridiculous in my tennis shoes!<br />
6. Don't forget to pack the miracle blanket that properly swaddles your sweet baby girl so she sleeps like an angel. If you do forget it, be prepared for her to wake up every few hours, which doesn't make for a good night's sleep in a hotel room.<br />
7. Don't take a stroller on the subway. It's a real pain walking up and down the stairs.<br />
8. Hire the babysitter to arrive at least 30 minutes before your dinner reservation because your children will probably have a full on meltdown just seconds before she arrives and you will need time to get them settled and still have time to brush your teeth. Oh, and make sure your husband isn't still in his towel when the babysitter shows up. <br />
9. Don't ever assume that your 1995 Honda Odyssey van won't break down in the middle of a tunnel in downtown Tokyo, during high traffic, where there isn't a shoulder to pull off onto. Thankfully, we were able to putter our way to the hotel, but breaking down in a major city where you don't speak the language well, isn't a good idea. We put way too much faith in our van that is 16 years old and has probably had at least 5 owners. <br />
10. Do allow your 2 year old to pray in the middle of the tunnel in Tokyo that the van will start and that we can make it through safely. It works. We made it, by the grace of God.<br />
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So, it wasn't the most relaxing vacation, but it was time for us to spend as a family, and that's what matters most. Here are some of our favorite pictures that we took along the way<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIhLwrOHmn-UXLW-EzMGDjbAkEqtmpMk1w12YDkGcimqKSAVh1WVApKMwN5twlt7ASlSQcKCyLz9F6gXffqH0SoR36VuaOROYhRg42-KK5TkuIZFrdSchDEE0N8dXOrc7F9dqjGEzBHM/s1600/CIMG0239.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEIhLwrOHmn-UXLW-EzMGDjbAkEqtmpMk1w12YDkGcimqKSAVh1WVApKMwN5twlt7ASlSQcKCyLz9F6gXffqH0SoR36VuaOROYhRg42-KK5TkuIZFrdSchDEE0N8dXOrc7F9dqjGEzBHM/s400/CIMG0239.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew and Ryan riding the subway</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxrWh1VHGMQNbxoOImXvPvXpGDOxNSmvboRS7c2Uw7H1UcXovscyEznb8Xy9Zq97ga_uE_3QdOt51qCYH5nanO259IG0SxbvKO9fxJQdEGDY9URckszqqG6gSfOad68RGX_mrNdIVwzY/s1600/CIMG0240.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiPxrWh1VHGMQNbxoOImXvPvXpGDOxNSmvboRS7c2Uw7H1UcXovscyEznb8Xy9Zq97ga_uE_3QdOt51qCYH5nanO259IG0SxbvKO9fxJQdEGDY9URckszqqG6gSfOad68RGX_mrNdIVwzY/s400/CIMG0240.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixUNj-kNbwN3HOzTJDu79jmmzDIdMfn5wa9FFz8kB9Snv5fyGy3ub0p6I6MTgLtZpHnxQ3ARcMxOZ1xGms40VUS79AC2bSauJyyu4r_KDjIQlPUepmortYYkmk6UjIDmSyVAhM4o1Bps/s1600/CIMG0243.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgixUNj-kNbwN3HOzTJDu79jmmzDIdMfn5wa9FFz8kB9Snv5fyGy3ub0p6I6MTgLtZpHnxQ3ARcMxOZ1xGms40VUS79AC2bSauJyyu4r_KDjIQlPUepmortYYkmk6UjIDmSyVAhM4o1Bps/s400/CIMG0243.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLPcl8r97OUX6KLf-Zlp-hqiIpyzfEfGd3Sy-2c4KKQcyHO6vM92aabG7L4qwS7nmKzWIq7LC_Gh3vWuiRY-0j83peqX1L394lAIZYYTUx_JPJjdePFb_V1hxEaIySWA7gjN6_NlPw84/s1600/CIMG0245.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhRLPcl8r97OUX6KLf-Zlp-hqiIpyzfEfGd3Sy-2c4KKQcyHO6vM92aabG7L4qwS7nmKzWIq7LC_Gh3vWuiRY-0j83peqX1L394lAIZYYTUx_JPJjdePFb_V1hxEaIySWA7gjN6_NlPw84/s400/CIMG0245.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJZyP7-OO5ajFj42HVScfMPUphKNEryrWtzxWnmXZNeeoMYSFEGfjkr3WQPEn2yFmFnQUNCRbJPYJqak9hwsGRWH1dSvzqvT0Qiy5SWXBbVpziDNO82XD9eJHgH5Z-DN1YjJxYWwI1pA/s1600/CIMG0250.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidJZyP7-OO5ajFj42HVScfMPUphKNEryrWtzxWnmXZNeeoMYSFEGfjkr3WQPEn2yFmFnQUNCRbJPYJqak9hwsGRWH1dSvzqvT0Qiy5SWXBbVpziDNO82XD9eJHgH5Z-DN1YjJxYWwI1pA/s400/CIMG0250.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I just thought this was funny - it was animated chopsticks pulling noddles in and out of the bowl.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ByYFFDAzlz-413SEuXFIMCI3eePjb18iI5rHU2UJc4d2cXs3TD2UMkfdJDCDgZDvYBjkmVY5n4w-GxbzK2fgps6RBv1yUL-salNsoYjGYXmT90qwdVVMr7yWIXyzvk3YGqnJL38UxM0/s1600/CIMG0258.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7ByYFFDAzlz-413SEuXFIMCI3eePjb18iI5rHU2UJc4d2cXs3TD2UMkfdJDCDgZDvYBjkmVY5n4w-GxbzK2fgps6RBv1yUL-salNsoYjGYXmT90qwdVVMr7yWIXyzvk3YGqnJL38UxM0/s400/CIMG0258.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the zoo -- can you spot the line behind Ryan to see the Giant Panda. Crazy?!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXLfaudVODFLGFyFNHPw3_eHnRA5r-kvGU5Vi5CLInhfPXU5P_9Lug3vZ8Y2DFHHdQKae09_is1ldHxmFVARqfs9gRaq6Ey1E_PtHL9MUG7GAVXJquEMxWPCaI_y2Y-T3BY1u9c5AQ8Q/s1600/CIMG0261.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAXLfaudVODFLGFyFNHPw3_eHnRA5r-kvGU5Vi5CLInhfPXU5P_9Lug3vZ8Y2DFHHdQKae09_is1ldHxmFVARqfs9gRaq6Ey1E_PtHL9MUG7GAVXJquEMxWPCaI_y2Y-T3BY1u9c5AQ8Q/s400/CIMG0261.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew and Ryan watching the elephants</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnNbll7h0V0XO0A6l_6rsSPRTp2L7UuzwStt-iTU0sevlD9F7HmyJ44HvrwExUrIGqqwcdPEtZoPzDZDpMD9Y43RWxdC9wnl1MemTgfMhyphenhyphenHCuGi-TD8P_q4Ktn5rDQIO59xqEEurY1kg/s1600/CIMG0262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjdnNbll7h0V0XO0A6l_6rsSPRTp2L7UuzwStt-iTU0sevlD9F7HmyJ44HvrwExUrIGqqwcdPEtZoPzDZDpMD9Y43RWxdC9wnl1MemTgfMhyphenhyphenHCuGi-TD8P_q4Ktn5rDQIO59xqEEurY1kg/s400/CIMG0262.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A Japanese Tea Ceremony House</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxom-RenNv4leItPpgLqZDDhCZQiLmI6f-8-gVt7FQLGaXv0iVO4Ma5d8r-bO7T8C0_9lZIkyNvQSrKH_nLJIaWTLtW4a_3mGi80hKUb2p6ejAADeDSzvRgzQp87nI_dm8-SPcQGZlgxc/s1600/CIMG0264.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxom-RenNv4leItPpgLqZDDhCZQiLmI6f-8-gVt7FQLGaXv0iVO4Ma5d8r-bO7T8C0_9lZIkyNvQSrKH_nLJIaWTLtW4a_3mGi80hKUb2p6ejAADeDSzvRgzQp87nI_dm8-SPcQGZlgxc/s400/CIMG0264.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew loved the lions!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4W2kgbyVRlISWv-bq51pQl0DvA7NbrkwjIpHUkfC5h9SqnlGZXHDOK8Fn2CRhVMFwHGZqoeIsxY5ulHAbkEaHVkHsBn3gl78856sC-JdC6tWvbSPQ3gsMbgQ661U29r2N4DfGH6XB4h8/s1600/CIMG0267.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4W2kgbyVRlISWv-bq51pQl0DvA7NbrkwjIpHUkfC5h9SqnlGZXHDOK8Fn2CRhVMFwHGZqoeIsxY5ulHAbkEaHVkHsBn3gl78856sC-JdC6tWvbSPQ3gsMbgQ661U29r2N4DfGH6XB4h8/s400/CIMG0267.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Going to eat ice cream with the rest of the zoo crowd</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_f5uhoaR-4iix0TJH4qBgOtJh8lC51_Crepnz8jz_D2cOYeMDtUVwpSoAHDweF3GMi8XqUOnAy7iQ5lW4jCwLMCd8n2ywYeJgep-WNaZTeTzYlUrbKkRjo-lkaVf81KVuXzqM9xZWxg/s1600/CIMG0268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg9_f5uhoaR-4iix0TJH4qBgOtJh8lC51_Crepnz8jz_D2cOYeMDtUVwpSoAHDweF3GMi8XqUOnAy7iQ5lW4jCwLMCd8n2ywYeJgep-WNaZTeTzYlUrbKkRjo-lkaVf81KVuXzqM9xZWxg/s400/CIMG0268.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Heels at the zoo...? Not unusual in Japan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYZnC9Q-aCTFZIQRECjL7ZbjlXUJ4WJM2bmMgFJ5t8cZT8mTKXksm4Lezmb4xEnvAIb6DFQYMio0FRN9ptzlprCbfWw2a_IavRGGAqLvRjQWYVvgkAzn6Bh165pJ9V39qJkgHh0WnJcg/s1600/CIMG0271.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhAYZnC9Q-aCTFZIQRECjL7ZbjlXUJ4WJM2bmMgFJ5t8cZT8mTKXksm4Lezmb4xEnvAIb6DFQYMio0FRN9ptzlprCbfWw2a_IavRGGAqLvRjQWYVvgkAzn6Bh165pJ9V39qJkgHh0WnJcg/s400/CIMG0271.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew loves ice cream :)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqrJoiM3ygajo8Kg5QF8cESQDDwZeZrnF6a6k8RLBO6LN0x-xmetckBs4tNBFO3kQK9RDo8YLJSrcb1NjOyR65lt2-_ZOd5YIEuH_6XmCh4eyNwtVuOM8X5r5zztjKM_meGf5Qy7nfk4/s1600/CIMG0273.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHqrJoiM3ygajo8Kg5QF8cESQDDwZeZrnF6a6k8RLBO6LN0x-xmetckBs4tNBFO3kQK9RDo8YLJSrcb1NjOyR65lt2-_ZOd5YIEuH_6XmCh4eyNwtVuOM8X5r5zztjKM_meGf5Qy7nfk4/s400/CIMG0273.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hBXaZmeEkiv8LBKzY2E4pAr9w_V13T9rouKYNCayUV_IQA99XsmggLCSychIVbOj14WTOWXs4jFZQZoqtM8s_vCRxtqmLQ12MF2CrKlVz8i647s-jjGHkwt_cVXLcdXFhPGyyXbOnig/s1600/CIMG0275.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0hBXaZmeEkiv8LBKzY2E4pAr9w_V13T9rouKYNCayUV_IQA99XsmggLCSychIVbOj14WTOWXs4jFZQZoqtM8s_vCRxtqmLQ12MF2CrKlVz8i647s-jjGHkwt_cVXLcdXFhPGyyXbOnig/s400/CIMG0275.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There was a security guard holding this sign at the end of the Giant Panda line. They are serious about this Panda viewing.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafZklTmdtAwZokX317nZ5vszS84zeV5OjIpO6LKCwCI-AKxo72DsW9OVr-jXLVnUAKEaRZmi4PuVL6gkwPa-cH5oeEIWIqvo7qAThls7jov_FrHdZY96CCRU-envmarywfmDIrpjwZbs/s1600/CIMG0278.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjafZklTmdtAwZokX317nZ5vszS84zeV5OjIpO6LKCwCI-AKxo72DsW9OVr-jXLVnUAKEaRZmi4PuVL6gkwPa-cH5oeEIWIqvo7qAThls7jov_FrHdZY96CCRU-envmarywfmDIrpjwZbs/s400/CIMG0278.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Notice the TWO children passed out asleep in the SAME stroller. That can't be comfortable!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4jaXVUF-r-LcUoxAB_Glg4TYbAHwEfDsHl3JMYqBRtsF0cIxJeYL0zhpxZYNS8hIyzLU4nIJHFLAIKevtUDhO6AWWa22gyac-LE81triAB2PTHb0dz28tYih_m_JxFFUr6lOOyb0GSg/s1600/CIMG0285.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhR4jaXVUF-r-LcUoxAB_Glg4TYbAHwEfDsHl3JMYqBRtsF0cIxJeYL0zhpxZYNS8hIyzLU4nIJHFLAIKevtUDhO6AWWa22gyac-LE81triAB2PTHb0dz28tYih_m_JxFFUr6lOOyb0GSg/s400/CIMG0285.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dinner at Wellington's in the New Sanno Hotel</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscYRKKjhXpeR001GE36rRKW1rN75hGoD9Po22yQjx09_l54S-yVAHd31gFXopjwcvn3S5iNca2iR3N6COaxdgrXLukVwoXe-Q1xVJEnwcck8pFKSkXWi1srQOx8KvdmuJ5vOOjZFyw2w/s1600/CIMG0290.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" oda="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjscYRKKjhXpeR001GE36rRKW1rN75hGoD9Po22yQjx09_l54S-yVAHd31gFXopjwcvn3S5iNca2iR3N6COaxdgrXLukVwoXe-Q1xVJEnwcck8pFKSkXWi1srQOx8KvdmuJ5vOOjZFyw2w/s400/CIMG0290.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Outside the New Sanno Hotel after our delicious dinner! I had one very handsome date! :)</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-3059124612149385502011-09-27T16:35:00.000+09:002011-09-27T16:35:40.416+09:00Our Little Superstars!Fall has finally arrived here at Yokota. The weather has cooled off and we wake to a beautiful blue sky every morning. I absolutely love this time of year!<br />
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We were much more busy over the weekend than we had anticipated. Ryan had to fly all day on Saturday, I took the kids to a birthday party that morning, and then we met up with some friends for a nice dinner at the Officers' Club later that night. On Sunday, we decided to make a quick trip to the mall for some lunch, shopping at the Gap, and to let Matthew play in the kids play area. I love that Japanese malls always have a play area for the kids. You usually have to pay about 500 Yen (about $8), but it's a brilliant concept! Matthew had a blast, so I took a quick picture while he was sitting still on the "merry-go-round". Everything is padded, the area is contained so kids can't escape, parents are admitted for free, no shoes allowed so the area stays clean, and when you have a red headed child it makes him easy to spot in the sea of Japanese children! I wish they had things like this in the malls in the US....<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieSJiEdDzs4YJB9f2-ncjx2SiP_Frrdj_iCQr-EuwA8VYYdziFvKM7xdz6N6xvNA_T4XUAgi2X2h4AydidoA_ek8Y-SufiNk8R43Kr9uWNYsdujsLBSRkkjY01Shvu3R0yKi1zXR9Hrls/s1600/CIMG0237.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieSJiEdDzs4YJB9f2-ncjx2SiP_Frrdj_iCQr-EuwA8VYYdziFvKM7xdz6N6xvNA_T4XUAgi2X2h4AydidoA_ek8Y-SufiNk8R43Kr9uWNYsdujsLBSRkkjY01Shvu3R0yKi1zXR9Hrls/s400/CIMG0237.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Can you spot Matthew riding the merry-go-round? He's in a blue shirt. :)</div><br />
Monday proved to be very eventful for us too. Ryan flew on Monday night, so he wasn't able to join us, but I took the kids downtown Tokyo for the day. The purpose for the trip was to get them registered with a Japanese modeling agency. We took the shuttle that leaves from the base at 9:30am and the trip took us about an hour and a half to get there. The shuttle stops at the New Sanno hotel (a military run hotel), so we got off there and went inside to "freshen" up. The office for Sugar and Spice modeling agency was only about 2-3 blocks away from the New Sanno, so it was an easy walk. We met with the agency at 12pm, where they took measurements and a few photos of the kids. This basically allows them to add Matthew and Catherine to their database. When companies contact them with jobs, they are able to send out the pictures/measurements for them to select the child/children they want featured in their ad campaign. I'm not sure how often Matthew and Catherine will be called for jobs -- especially since it seems like every child here at Yokota is registered with them -- but even if they only make a few hundred dollars while we're stationed here, it will be a little something to add to their college funds. You'd think they would be popular with their red hair and blue eyes, but I can't tell you how many redheaded kids we have on base here. It's crazy! But, of course, I'm hopeful that my little redheads will be superstars! After we met with the agency, we walked back to the New Sanno, had a nice lunch in their cafe, and took the 1:30pm shuttle back to Yokota Air Base. Overall, it was a fun trip and Matthew was such a trooper on the bus ride! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqgjyPj8k25oYtQefuZGsr3VGmOMet6tJ5ZOdMfmloBJuXjGrtGxB3TWcqX4zOkyLCHcxSS-aAjlxNtlOlb4c3ygd3hZefiayua_sGOQWHvObfih3lYDsTtC8U9KvmnG0vxim8WjEzos/s1600/IMG_0671.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCqgjyPj8k25oYtQefuZGsr3VGmOMet6tJ5ZOdMfmloBJuXjGrtGxB3TWcqX4zOkyLCHcxSS-aAjlxNtlOlb4c3ygd3hZefiayua_sGOQWHvObfih3lYDsTtC8U9KvmnG0vxim8WjEzos/s400/IMG_0671.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Watching a movie on my iPad.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOs0aKByPW5VhhYuaMG6RQ7ZIxY4XzPzYr_qQLpU2Ee7M-2aSrWGDOF2eT451Oevn9XpGUK1-DtIzQMb_lL1dKmqzf3lSrA9K_n3slAqhdNzAkBFFOYumAFiiwzFxWzDTVjJg3KBPnwgY/s1600/IMG_0672.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOs0aKByPW5VhhYuaMG6RQ7ZIxY4XzPzYr_qQLpU2Ee7M-2aSrWGDOF2eT451Oevn9XpGUK1-DtIzQMb_lL1dKmqzf3lSrA9K_n3slAqhdNzAkBFFOYumAFiiwzFxWzDTVjJg3KBPnwgY/s400/IMG_0672.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My little world traveler :)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zVSV4dvgU0uls_Hr5n0a9Zkqx1RIdsJ_K3i462Z5T5nKX2DhbERYIKBEhxqLe2EgdndzsvJv-Bb05j-qRZ85b4EVo1Y69mpO3Dhn4XobgMuKAxTahrnGptRGtdubU_jXdo31pI7zZYs/s1600/IMG_0673.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" kca="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj6zVSV4dvgU0uls_Hr5n0a9Zkqx1RIdsJ_K3i462Z5T5nKX2DhbERYIKBEhxqLe2EgdndzsvJv-Bb05j-qRZ85b4EVo1Y69mpO3Dhn4XobgMuKAxTahrnGptRGtdubU_jXdo31pI7zZYs/s400/IMG_0673.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I took this as we were walking to the agency. It had started to drizzle a little, so it was a hazy day. Not a very good photo, but it will give you an idea of what the area looked like. We are headed downtown again this coming weekend for an overnight stay at the New Sanno and some exploring. I'll take better pictures to post of that adventure. :)</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-68636750312503686392011-09-22T22:20:00.000+09:002011-09-22T22:20:02.332+09:00FALLing in love with JapanFall is definitely my favorite time of year, and it is a beautiful time of year in Japan too. We celebrated our 1 year "Japanniversary" on August 28, 2011, and I honestly can't believe how fast it's gone by for us. I have truly fallen in love with the country of Japan and the Japanese nationals. If you had asked me a year ago how I felt about moving to Japan, I would have said, "It's part of God's plan, so I'm embracing the opportunity." Obviously, I was very excited, but I was also VERY nervous about what life would be like living overseas and so far away from family. My trust in what God had planned for us was the only way I found peace. <br />
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The move here has naturally presented the obvious challenges along the way: the Japanese language is very difficult to learn, navigating through the areas off base can be hard when street signs are all written in kanji, driving on the opposite side of the road does not feel natural (although, I can say that after a year, it's much easier!), and we don't have a Target to run to when you need something! The biggest challenge has definitely been that Ryan's job Navigating on the C-130 means he's frequently traveling the world and is away from the family more than he's home. Thankfully, the community here at Yokota is amazing. The ladies I have become friends with have become my sisters. We stick together and try to help each other out wherever we are needed, and I feel so blessed to have met these girls. I've also gotten involved with our MOPS group here as the new Co-Coordinator, I attend a weekly Bible Study that is run by the chapel, the kids and I attend playgroup activities several days a week, I play in a monthly Bunco group, I've joined the Yokota Officer Spouses Club, and I try to attend all of the squadron sponsored events. (See, Mom, I have lots to keep me busy! :) We have our ups and downs, but this has definitely become home. The saying goes, "Home is Where the Heart Is," and my heart is definitely here in Japan!<br />
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I'm not sure where the month of September has gone, but I do know that we've had lots of fun. Below are a few pictures taken along the way. I promise there will be more to come. There is never a dull moment in our house! :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58PY-XILkXnHt8ZCPVDY3vQ3EQ5cNMORoEVV0CYwCnDfhqENPDG-1GEEsrQJwmJzIEIff7aD-6x8eLf3SFBm9QKsUVt_U9aLDdq8xFweUwqHzIBHoRiK3zcX4RFWoUZldwI7vQYrRLGs/s1600/CIMG0153.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi58PY-XILkXnHt8ZCPVDY3vQ3EQ5cNMORoEVV0CYwCnDfhqENPDG-1GEEsrQJwmJzIEIff7aD-6x8eLf3SFBm9QKsUVt_U9aLDdq8xFweUwqHzIBHoRiK3zcX4RFWoUZldwI7vQYrRLGs/s320/CIMG0153.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Made in Japan"</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZX4DQWRojr1lweWiXvPmiTjcR8r1eUAbeo5HpABojok8JqKUZ0qD5T5nWxNuJjdeI0koJMdhKOXDCHdYUc2dLuzyaw5RJ3J8-XRNeXoekYEePGS0TX5bnZpRhjGB0IRzq-rMnGWc4rw/s1600/CIMG0163.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg8ZX4DQWRojr1lweWiXvPmiTjcR8r1eUAbeo5HpABojok8JqKUZ0qD5T5nWxNuJjdeI0koJMdhKOXDCHdYUc2dLuzyaw5RJ3J8-XRNeXoekYEePGS0TX5bnZpRhjGB0IRzq-rMnGWc4rw/s400/CIMG0163.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Catherine is 3 months old! She's also wearing a dress I wore as a baby.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzT7-bHiwVOyDMf7mlFBUoV0elUzqJPyCMBDjUCe4bYg-pcvMgfsYu6Far9CKu9UpzsIEQYfWYR124_dzuH08hHoZD7JLIXc0WpwMJfkKHC9uxnWQ9_xZG9zY-k8zHCtf9ekHbLRaA0o/s1600/CIMG0175.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdzT7-bHiwVOyDMf7mlFBUoV0elUzqJPyCMBDjUCe4bYg-pcvMgfsYu6Far9CKu9UpzsIEQYfWYR124_dzuH08hHoZD7JLIXc0WpwMJfkKHC9uxnWQ9_xZG9zY-k8zHCtf9ekHbLRaA0o/s400/CIMG0175.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew's new "big boy" bed! </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvK1Bx3f57Ikx9dIjUqe1yU8ImjQ_RMoDEnwm_JoR4kuL48FFdeUjO7e5CPOkG5nBPDL2zTu5dPYYAT-1Um_11XgdXYARFtCWzZIJRkypjWprfgH6dte-msdmuvhRfVuMChSvEkR0oWA/s1600/CIMG0179.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgkvK1Bx3f57Ikx9dIjUqe1yU8ImjQ_RMoDEnwm_JoR4kuL48FFdeUjO7e5CPOkG5nBPDL2zTu5dPYYAT-1Um_11XgdXYARFtCWzZIJRkypjWprfgH6dte-msdmuvhRfVuMChSvEkR0oWA/s400/CIMG0179.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew's room</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3UDNgCdNUof427liVHXEIpU8656cJmjY9Izkn7CxtPR_JxaH3kavZF5ESNEpDD71QWmKcfYmYaQw5qZ51IyZChgOyrcewHGsKfSE2io1qZuKw3Yy7Io9ObH3bAvtApBHMpFEjXopbFY0/s400/CIMG0183.JPG" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew and Daddy reading books before bedtime. </div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtvbQK8lZauTBaUe_5HQYaHdl_ov1iXIaD63JqHf4fkn0KVOoF6ZPNzqTE5dcjMXkP3qbUfkfVM5GxUy6DC_AV_MGXAkMNlRLyilvSEXtolHsKh6sDbUTz3JokJf19kTt3AL8KoVaHEk/s1600/IMG_0647.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPtvbQK8lZauTBaUe_5HQYaHdl_ov1iXIaD63JqHf4fkn0KVOoF6ZPNzqTE5dcjMXkP3qbUfkfVM5GxUy6DC_AV_MGXAkMNlRLyilvSEXtolHsKh6sDbUTz3JokJf19kTt3AL8KoVaHEk/s400/IMG_0647.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I hung some small planters from the balcony. It's hard to see, but I love how they turned out. :)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqctrpf0le_QisBPOiLgKsi5GvxM1QeBXOzORrLZksHurQFuAcm1hhwonFJoCsbcni45f02i0iVIi3YGAWXSXKu1lhCGbuerrINFkb8IqE-VoK3x-ExS1zwdwILYQ90cY5nitcCCTa95s/s1600/IMG_0649.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqctrpf0le_QisBPOiLgKsi5GvxM1QeBXOzORrLZksHurQFuAcm1hhwonFJoCsbcni45f02i0iVIi3YGAWXSXKu1lhCGbuerrINFkb8IqE-VoK3x-ExS1zwdwILYQ90cY5nitcCCTa95s/s400/IMG_0649.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew and his best friend, Noah. They are such sweet boys!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmru3QGf_KaLtBiovbn07fABEA9avGYkXIQkvpyuQaLRYF0U-ag4_E0pbR5zz4OEpxzvv-WlHQvMJ5Du76L6VcqANndoEmvGNBOix18S3-UZWFpdVybsLUj3yA5y5AR0gVItTsniD2Xa0/s1600/IMG_0663.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmru3QGf_KaLtBiovbn07fABEA9avGYkXIQkvpyuQaLRYF0U-ag4_E0pbR5zz4OEpxzvv-WlHQvMJ5Du76L6VcqANndoEmvGNBOix18S3-UZWFpdVybsLUj3yA5y5AR0gVItTsniD2Xa0/s400/IMG_0663.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A beautiful rainbow!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCguoY7nPgSimUg9ZtdAbW9UbrSGIrD_53MuOJWGJQ2LZVu0cu-20HjhTcGYUE5I3j71vS5GU4BSFZkwa5jGsuEhpOiPn3r9n20HbCEMmvuPc_XIAdaYwilSz53_7L6otzdKN8N-IzhFk/s1600/IMG_0667.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="297" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgCguoY7nPgSimUg9ZtdAbW9UbrSGIrD_53MuOJWGJQ2LZVu0cu-20HjhTcGYUE5I3j71vS5GU4BSFZkwa5jGsuEhpOiPn3r9n20HbCEMmvuPc_XIAdaYwilSz53_7L6otzdKN8N-IzhFk/s400/IMG_0667.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew and his friends watching the crazy Typhoon weather from the balcony. We also had our fire alarm go off, so you can see they were also watching the fire truck below. Such cute kids! Matthew is blessed to have such wonderful friends here in Japan.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-59456449937946317252011-09-22T14:56:00.000+09:002011-09-22T14:56:45.929+09:00Chuck the Truck Adventures in the PacificAt the end of July, Chuck the Truck decided to pass his traveling torch to his best friend, Eddie Spaghetti (AKA: Eddie Getti). Fortunately for Eddie Getti, he got to travel with Ryan to Kadena Air Base, in Okinawa, Japan. Based on the photos, it looks like they had fun at the beach!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKSiiDS_j_o7maDRL_tst2JoOufSGow5Q0u67GmTjoRfKsHKzEXyZiHWhcIWo1ZSQG9Buz1S-ludn-U3TPl6U-4quU2JQV9frOf4iHDxqQEpmKiTA_1y1ZJhfNrK8XZBf1Jgi0svgM7A/s1600/IMG_1032.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHKSiiDS_j_o7maDRL_tst2JoOufSGow5Q0u67GmTjoRfKsHKzEXyZiHWhcIWo1ZSQG9Buz1S-ludn-U3TPl6U-4quU2JQV9frOf4iHDxqQEpmKiTA_1y1ZJhfNrK8XZBf1Jgi0svgM7A/s400/IMG_1032.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Flying over the Pacific</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-e5MeTyTwfScwr5_Y6ld-jujD_uJKMR6nEoNTfh1m3tcIk5v75TUxZ7Oorr_iDMX8h5ZBOS-eTAiZNRSOUYpPbS1bUh_SYkyaamSDAs-g6RonVifjg853-9i2RN5SlnqKe_R4W0PqfY/s1600/IMG_1034.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4-e5MeTyTwfScwr5_Y6ld-jujD_uJKMR6nEoNTfh1m3tcIk5v75TUxZ7Oorr_iDMX8h5ZBOS-eTAiZNRSOUYpPbS1bUh_SYkyaamSDAs-g6RonVifjg853-9i2RN5SlnqKe_R4W0PqfY/s400/IMG_1034.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eddie Getti spots Kadena Air Base</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiwIYxBaz7dTRnCC9qmrvb2ZAUh0NPzS5Be5TgivEAwhq-Ih5WOAs_wF1cMYsFaCfcgjh3xm1ewFvU2rT2ea9oWkIVXHjLezsd4kVAsTg_1YCYyPS-ExEtSJtknqebMxFa5LCqFD1tDE/s1600/IMG_1035.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMiwIYxBaz7dTRnCC9qmrvb2ZAUh0NPzS5Be5TgivEAwhq-Ih5WOAs_wF1cMYsFaCfcgjh3xm1ewFvU2rT2ea9oWkIVXHjLezsd4kVAsTg_1YCYyPS-ExEtSJtknqebMxFa5LCqFD1tDE/s400/IMG_1035.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">On final approach into Okinawa, Japan</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2FESFpt0Je6UmZ6DfMUvIREnFGlfIERbdQeg0H9N7qeQFe3FAAqeuACxW0k_kGZbq43cyU5I242CySiczY4cvCFyR2IGBF0BCMQIImU6hEXE2GCc4-Ou3krZv0D5fNYPLCg8bKXtG2c/s1600/IMG_1036.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgS2FESFpt0Je6UmZ6DfMUvIREnFGlfIERbdQeg0H9N7qeQFe3FAAqeuACxW0k_kGZbq43cyU5I242CySiczY4cvCFyR2IGBF0BCMQIImU6hEXE2GCc4-Ou3krZv0D5fNYPLCg8bKXtG2c/s400/IMG_1036.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Can you spot all the airplanes - wow!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVX0iDdry_KIntPjO5l1VGNIwG9JTP9tdoIl9M0lAENxAk3Poma770Yo95MXA-BTNhPKEjMYCoE7aF2hP1mVEAb7Kw9Cq8hkk5Szj9NDwvWwKCDl2yH0pOikmjaAnSpXmFrEgjOXFGkU/s1600/IMG_1037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjtVX0iDdry_KIntPjO5l1VGNIwG9JTP9tdoIl9M0lAENxAk3Poma770Yo95MXA-BTNhPKEjMYCoE7aF2hP1mVEAb7Kw9Cq8hkk5Szj9NDwvWwKCDl2yH0pOikmjaAnSpXmFrEgjOXFGkU/s400/IMG_1037.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Daddy's airplane - a C-130!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE46llJmDO5tLNB0SchAWOFVin2DNTNE3Lh-6Q6K385BGTUAD1s0ZSKzVTi6nIqCy9uaDCGFo11eUgoCbPZXaZ8MptyQt6wQKT94NFYvOp_aMvR0LUWja2oeL4SQLazDVFcy-5z09spGM/s1600/IMG_1038.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE46llJmDO5tLNB0SchAWOFVin2DNTNE3Lh-6Q6K385BGTUAD1s0ZSKzVTi6nIqCy9uaDCGFo11eUgoCbPZXaZ8MptyQt6wQKT94NFYvOp_aMvR0LUWja2oeL4SQLazDVFcy-5z09spGM/s400/IMG_1038.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eddie enjoys the sunset!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wVDf7IK-aO_0V6xjh_UL5KslYXXfH0m0S-NJvlFanQeNswRTG0QeqOdoPm_X-RGt6-NxowClJHHDjw54rT58lRnt4IfY4jC2b_CQkLDuWLeaAjmIRdk7k4-V2UmmkUl01KRTprWnzKs/s1600/IMG_1039.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-wVDf7IK-aO_0V6xjh_UL5KslYXXfH0m0S-NJvlFanQeNswRTG0QeqOdoPm_X-RGt6-NxowClJHHDjw54rT58lRnt4IfY4jC2b_CQkLDuWLeaAjmIRdk7k4-V2UmmkUl01KRTprWnzKs/s400/IMG_1039.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eddie dreams of going swimming in Okinawa!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuWSd0rlg4FOY9V1dUPesfJHAmqtfLlk_gndHJjCXXdIuxTt5QP84KfzBxWIhcScCDS2ROlRmbQ0nNTAgxCnzIaudqDUehEzIbiPBqPVr-QSIKrGTaUcD_FPcsYNo1BJUaRUiag21O4E/s1600/IMG_1040.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtuWSd0rlg4FOY9V1dUPesfJHAmqtfLlk_gndHJjCXXdIuxTt5QP84KfzBxWIhcScCDS2ROlRmbQ0nNTAgxCnzIaudqDUehEzIbiPBqPVr-QSIKrGTaUcD_FPcsYNo1BJUaRUiag21O4E/s400/IMG_1040.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Eddie found a beautiful flower :)</div><br />
August proved to be quite a whirlwind for Ryan and all of his travels. Once again, Chuck the Truck was back at his side exploring the Pacific. Destination....Sri Lanka!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivW8lNhOGcSwsNREK3NOpkYg18do9QgIKqZzBWTESahtNkRD9eTT5v4WASP-fHcvOjm27nn8tRgR60FipYuAM7PZiIf5GbMcmxOtmS2moWQUsFLeL0iwWsUAsx2_yiim-uHEWdZW9auiY/s1600/IMG_1118.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivW8lNhOGcSwsNREK3NOpkYg18do9QgIKqZzBWTESahtNkRD9eTT5v4WASP-fHcvOjm27nn8tRgR60FipYuAM7PZiIf5GbMcmxOtmS2moWQUsFLeL0iwWsUAsx2_yiim-uHEWdZW9auiY/s400/IMG_1118.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chuck checks out a cessna with Ryan and some guys on his crew.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEBeJIXDqWWyCFe2n36bZhv1Sx2B-44ZGRam6wfP0L6VPbdIOg5Ga6NoKxGtrQu6fS1HTvebM2C4f8Dv0CuB75W8agA_1UYLr-e6ZjdLc7jw7Z0KVhc6buqE4lNcaZO7oH_djzpKWbjU/s1600/IMG_1120.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgEBeJIXDqWWyCFe2n36bZhv1Sx2B-44ZGRam6wfP0L6VPbdIOg5Ga6NoKxGtrQu6fS1HTvebM2C4f8Dv0CuB75W8agA_1UYLr-e6ZjdLc7jw7Z0KVhc6buqE4lNcaZO7oH_djzpKWbjU/s400/IMG_1120.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chuck enjoys playing on the wing of a cool airplane!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipE4yG8HWUp090QTVfpgJAhx5lIwCaQ7QRhmZ_waccgIdp1-xRDyZXSKPHVeLPUi8ag5ZtdDDcW0PkB4FERQoAcPDaQtuRJM_AptRBWzCs8F9qyawypMneuC9GQW54psPQ1zigt7Vf5Fo/s1600/IMG_1124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipE4yG8HWUp090QTVfpgJAhx5lIwCaQ7QRhmZ_waccgIdp1-xRDyZXSKPHVeLPUi8ag5ZtdDDcW0PkB4FERQoAcPDaQtuRJM_AptRBWzCs8F9qyawypMneuC9GQW54psPQ1zigt7Vf5Fo/s400/IMG_1124.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chuck stumbles onto the set of Monty Python :)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMV5ik4pawLTbwUaBldE1UjLLTP329ewu0XWyX32DqJwGzGHXuKD-NDtN3MnFD9tjGvXN7Ts3c3pcwEQa9zp1HgreIzMnxof9sIwcu2zJYl5Y2k-zrKIYd0tWAh1IeXdCrZEOLPrXe3I/s1600/IMG_1126.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiUMV5ik4pawLTbwUaBldE1UjLLTP329ewu0XWyX32DqJwGzGHXuKD-NDtN3MnFD9tjGvXN7Ts3c3pcwEQa9zp1HgreIzMnxof9sIwcu2zJYl5Y2k-zrKIYd0tWAh1IeXdCrZEOLPrXe3I/s400/IMG_1126.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chuck goes swimming at the pool...tough life!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EefwVzmX94CoRNqFOscUFGAne48gbntiFMI7NauzwOLww1oiAFidQs3r1kAQOfS4v7dFJgUub6W3O2LD0bwMENCCDqFiJXpYDwM-2iphMMkgrVPrtTlmAWPVheC9fJGyQMajwPF1_UI/s1600/IMG_1127.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_EefwVzmX94CoRNqFOscUFGAne48gbntiFMI7NauzwOLww1oiAFidQs3r1kAQOfS4v7dFJgUub6W3O2LD0bwMENCCDqFiJXpYDwM-2iphMMkgrVPrtTlmAWPVheC9fJGyQMajwPF1_UI/s400/IMG_1127.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chuck enjoys relaxing by the fountain at the hotel in Sri Lanka.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgM9VNRT-OXw20yW12HiuOypiAIPli8Nx_gPxYhfGf-R_tLNxirJtTruisSFYd_6FJ1MMVuPckJ15qSGMCKf2r8_Nfl21hrHIodEkoUTHJVGUGDHDkoe5BgjHDjd65oAcqWMpfWyuw_4A/s1600/IMG_1132.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhgM9VNRT-OXw20yW12HiuOypiAIPli8Nx_gPxYhfGf-R_tLNxirJtTruisSFYd_6FJ1MMVuPckJ15qSGMCKf2r8_Nfl21hrHIodEkoUTHJVGUGDHDkoe5BgjHDjd65oAcqWMpfWyuw_4A/s400/IMG_1132.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oooh...a BIG ramp! (Ryan said he nearly lost him in the bushes at the end of the ramp. He was afraid to dig him out because of the cobras!)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhkjjanvUOkRRVom8HRtZmQtKgcFC7xFOe-y3mTA0gtlICUMtxNP58m_uhloGEl_P0yQC8iBWjDD_3vmtZgw8QyNylq7vXQ2zO_fs9Oe21F-l5xVedxtQ-p2PJh0jafuqOmrBWeBX5sY/s1600/IMG_1135.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgAhkjjanvUOkRRVom8HRtZmQtKgcFC7xFOe-y3mTA0gtlICUMtxNP58m_uhloGEl_P0yQC8iBWjDD_3vmtZgw8QyNylq7vXQ2zO_fs9Oe21F-l5xVedxtQ-p2PJh0jafuqOmrBWeBX5sY/s400/IMG_1135.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chuck scopes out the beach in Sri Lanka</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiismmHwxTwR6puSr4iHE31VvP1-FizrJLGWnL1vuAMsgL5tCyE1vucHdQ1JZpn_flHrMwXDCUXqpWPQTltG7JA5sgBgIeSpI9gVquVRODx8phnZWqH62zJNMTXUC7ZMtvlrfYZnU8D7pw/s1600/IMG_1137.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" hca="true" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiismmHwxTwR6puSr4iHE31VvP1-FizrJLGWnL1vuAMsgL5tCyE1vucHdQ1JZpn_flHrMwXDCUXqpWPQTltG7JA5sgBgIeSpI9gVquVRODx8phnZWqH62zJNMTXUC7ZMtvlrfYZnU8D7pw/s400/IMG_1137.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Good thing Chuck has 4-wheel drive. The sand is very soft!</div><br />
Thankfully, Chuck, Eddie Spaghetti, and Ryan all have plans to be home for most of September. But, it's only a matter of time before more adventures will begin, so stay tuned!Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-17982179156356376732011-09-16T22:53:00.000+09:002011-09-16T22:53:22.254+09:00Chuck the Truck travels to BruneiChuck the Truck traveled from Australia to Brunei and then back to Japan. Here are the pictures he took along the way. What a fun adventure!!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZRuMbGfKYXM99vZZVv2a4-lyOGqNj3SJIMKo9GNk81pfqfmyavQtgwUNuq0884frtdhlhHgf0PimMMhkd-86sx5wtmUM11ulvZLRAZwne5pcbA3OWDkYinqX9sEmFKVlTBuIc9QaYWU/s1600/IMG_0972.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjzZRuMbGfKYXM99vZZVv2a4-lyOGqNj3SJIMKo9GNk81pfqfmyavQtgwUNuq0884frtdhlhHgf0PimMMhkd-86sx5wtmUM11ulvZLRAZwne5pcbA3OWDkYinqX9sEmFKVlTBuIc9QaYWU/s400/IMG_0972.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A 5 star hotel in Brunei after a long flight from Australia. Chuck the Truck matches the couch!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEodzf2QwSBhf1ZezwOFub8MVI7juvS9IEw9lcRxQof9wSPV3iHJesXIPQtCaZYQRiUilBcG6GeGDJatHyhf972HyDkCXhh92ukoHwPW7x9NONAXNE9Trh05cwBQ2gVnB7-T1pHTxUaHk/s1600/IMG_0973.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEodzf2QwSBhf1ZezwOFub8MVI7juvS9IEw9lcRxQof9wSPV3iHJesXIPQtCaZYQRiUilBcG6GeGDJatHyhf972HyDkCXhh92ukoHwPW7x9NONAXNE9Trh05cwBQ2gVnB7-T1pHTxUaHk/s400/IMG_0973.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Getting all checked into the hotel</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTknADzkY0TqUuqKslCizXjIpkqDr-teqcXj2OVS7I48lhDW5TswtldjrX4PIyYknZreQnzhv9Yv9s3Z82kCGTLa-qqVwVi8z5rLN_DUaelzkqhPOY3u4H0MOkWSsNAl4669JLMRcjFQ/s1600/IMG_0974.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmTknADzkY0TqUuqKslCizXjIpkqDr-teqcXj2OVS7I48lhDW5TswtldjrX4PIyYknZreQnzhv9Yv9s3Z82kCGTLa-qqVwVi8z5rLN_DUaelzkqhPOY3u4H0MOkWSsNAl4669JLMRcjFQ/s400/IMG_0974.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Time for a shower after a long flight</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmqSnPLoZuL7QRf9BgHcJW_JQ_DeQ2D9DZcI5KedmsV7GuR4tOttI-_eMAwh5GRCjH0sOBKfEIVf5_LHUedZeSc1uFjxZWRLDdYvEo8ppuOUD40Iy7Xd3xsCiygNG-ML2jKqce-a-gKQ/s1600/IMG_0978.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="297" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbmqSnPLoZuL7QRf9BgHcJW_JQ_DeQ2D9DZcI5KedmsV7GuR4tOttI-_eMAwh5GRCjH0sOBKfEIVf5_LHUedZeSc1uFjxZWRLDdYvEo8ppuOUD40Iy7Xd3xsCiygNG-ML2jKqce-a-gKQ/s400/IMG_0978.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is the life...</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3zhonqfpqgb3PCN6W4MS0QhOg3ccShtrIbYvYHPgUGVEAi1BRg8Yhz5Qxb_59G6LmwiRYxH6u7nftpmjHc2iNxzu2Cw76EmvwnEe-DYNZcXXYa9S0oZ-LtmYTXYe3Rg-4a5ZfPo4vDU/s1600/IMG_0997.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiU3zhonqfpqgb3PCN6W4MS0QhOg3ccShtrIbYvYHPgUGVEAi1BRg8Yhz5Qxb_59G6LmwiRYxH6u7nftpmjHc2iNxzu2Cw76EmvwnEe-DYNZcXXYa9S0oZ-LtmYTXYe3Rg-4a5ZfPo4vDU/s400/IMG_0997.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Headed back home to Japan</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbB12zjqhWZ2rb6irJa44bXozq4eJiSDgO_0i5P0K0T_fgxtsozEqzrWhAT-HGAFvNArnwrwwDC6r4VLBj0BDePHi401ajffFFhIlM9b_kCznP0Aa6Ydh7pd4yhwgxQYlEXq6AWEeQJXw/s1600/IMG_1002.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbB12zjqhWZ2rb6irJa44bXozq4eJiSDgO_0i5P0K0T_fgxtsozEqzrWhAT-HGAFvNArnwrwwDC6r4VLBj0BDePHi401ajffFFhIlM9b_kCznP0Aa6Ydh7pd4yhwgxQYlEXq6AWEeQJXw/s400/IMG_1002.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">What a view!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4leDVxUM3Yvx2OFR5OAt9f4_t_9qf9ZUEF0nU9ORAkH1iGgtdsvtB6j0c-HLCgGbEWbqOjgKCoR2VZ2dSqdY557ZOfaaSwbTLlgeqIiCg4rjyInYv2Hk_-1V_gmnG9Vto2ea3hBK2tn8/s1600/IMG_1013.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4leDVxUM3Yvx2OFR5OAt9f4_t_9qf9ZUEF0nU9ORAkH1iGgtdsvtB6j0c-HLCgGbEWbqOjgKCoR2VZ2dSqdY557ZOfaaSwbTLlgeqIiCg4rjyInYv2Hk_-1V_gmnG9Vto2ea3hBK2tn8/s400/IMG_1013.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Back at the squadron resting with the 36th Eagle Airlifters mascot. What an amazing trip!</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-65816750096927376652011-09-16T18:13:00.000+09:002011-09-16T18:13:56.860+09:00Chuck the Truck Travels the WorldNow that Matthew is 2 1/2 years old, he has started to understand when Daddy has to leave for a few weeks to go "fly an airplane" (aka: TDY). This means that Ryan is away for a few days or a few weeks at a time, and Matthew sure does miss him!<br />
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About a month after Catherine was born, Ryan was scheduled to go on another TDY. Since we had spent so much quality time as a family, we knew it was going to be harder on Matthew to see Daddy leave again. So, we came up with the idea for Ryan to take one of Matthew's trucks with him and he could photo-journal his travels with "Chuck the Truck". Ryan really got creative and has had lots of fun taking pictures of Chuck traveling the world, so I thought it would be neat to share them within the blogging world too. Since we're stationed in Japan, Ryan has gotten to travel to some really neat countries, so this allows us to also keep track of where he's been. <br />
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I think it's just as exciting for me to receive the pictures as it is for Matthew. We both have so much fun opening the email and looking at all the fun places that Chuck and Daddy are visiting. Hope you enjoy the photos too!<br />
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Here are pictures from Chuck the Truck's trip to Okinawa, Japan and Australia. See if you can find Chuck in each photo!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjputN0Lyr2jn76o1_7ZPuyyldV9n1TlvoKXUZNJ2vL_MyKA4C2slsPLDxtWyV-lpMWavQr9ECPUqQktaXf-0wXSHXWVm3zVDAJXxFFoK0rl1mBdRH5Ra0Yfq3J94xMGYjYNIgOj4ZGEjs/s1600/IMG_0876.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjputN0Lyr2jn76o1_7ZPuyyldV9n1TlvoKXUZNJ2vL_MyKA4C2slsPLDxtWyV-lpMWavQr9ECPUqQktaXf-0wXSHXWVm3zVDAJXxFFoK0rl1mBdRH5Ra0Yfq3J94xMGYjYNIgOj4ZGEjs/s400/IMG_0876.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chuck the Truck landed safely in Okinawa, Japan</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecmgj4TUvu0Hjfy5kb8w0JDE6o3vOFHSnFvgqEpX-gfWOSuHpAXIdkQ9bZ6RKmlx6SqybN7eCxX21iyQzZ9bjBq9K5bJfUksS-dL-lb141Z5wcSgVmn6OEzBdD0QQ1TOiQ_ouXAq9T7E/s1600/IMG_0878.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgecmgj4TUvu0Hjfy5kb8w0JDE6o3vOFHSnFvgqEpX-gfWOSuHpAXIdkQ9bZ6RKmlx6SqybN7eCxX21iyQzZ9bjBq9K5bJfUksS-dL-lb141Z5wcSgVmn6OEzBdD0QQ1TOiQ_ouXAq9T7E/s400/IMG_0878.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Having pizza with Daddy at Kadena AFB, Japan</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_a-hBMBNuYHjtYS6pACFDYxlUypFlkCzr_TdkTT_H0hNOxNE3diJnuUKgVYFrZWLI9DEnaXdqU8wZcbVeMvPcPvbjWPd-GbY6cy2C9rQGS1HDg6nQ5O_TtehdVdXBJtyh0ZJeYBXYiYo/s1600/IMG_0879.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi_a-hBMBNuYHjtYS6pACFDYxlUypFlkCzr_TdkTT_H0hNOxNE3diJnuUKgVYFrZWLI9DEnaXdqU8wZcbVeMvPcPvbjWPd-GbY6cy2C9rQGS1HDg6nQ5O_TtehdVdXBJtyh0ZJeYBXYiYo/s400/IMG_0879.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Taking a nap...zzzzzzzzz</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAv2VQ9ZwtK6oFnAWWH2LgJJzakZH5jqXllgOviWwcbF4dM73-RFl2BZuokfJrWN6l4-K7tOCb0ley2v6jqAocQgcGAgBjJ7Q0o1cg2R-Fl1rVZr-T10xL2y2tOYIYFbTsN_wH_c-wvk/s1600/IMG_0881.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAv2VQ9ZwtK6oFnAWWH2LgJJzakZH5jqXllgOviWwcbF4dM73-RFl2BZuokfJrWN6l4-K7tOCb0ley2v6jqAocQgcGAgBjJ7Q0o1cg2R-Fl1rVZr-T10xL2y2tOYIYFbTsN_wH_c-wvk/s400/IMG_0881.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Having a fun fruity drink at Sams-by-the-Sea in Okinawa</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrG0aewWMeraW7CFhGMJglwpJ-T0JdSP0lLVZ6dj5owwvcvy9pvSlgY2Ru8Dcze5NespJk1-TVGLSqkMhX0qH9YA1chCHEuvuJYndauFsw4Yq897kpBdvGvnSKe8q87WgnHltkKgyqgUc/s1600/IMG_0885.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrG0aewWMeraW7CFhGMJglwpJ-T0JdSP0lLVZ6dj5owwvcvy9pvSlgY2Ru8Dcze5NespJk1-TVGLSqkMhX0qH9YA1chCHEuvuJYndauFsw4Yq897kpBdvGvnSKe8q87WgnHltkKgyqgUc/s400/IMG_0885.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The staff at Sam's-by-the-Sea thinks Chuck the Truck is A-Okay!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HntHmIMpQff-L9tIlm_gbBWn7KJs4BRbxdTjde0VCL7Rqch3Ig8t7euNZHdQh7hczQi2kAg0YnDnktY0ED3G9QjYR1gKxuxFg7pVz-ora7dYxiMn9uxeZjq7LfoLxX0Eij1y-gRzHQY/s1600/IMG_0887.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7HntHmIMpQff-L9tIlm_gbBWn7KJs4BRbxdTjde0VCL7Rqch3Ig8t7euNZHdQh7hczQi2kAg0YnDnktY0ED3G9QjYR1gKxuxFg7pVz-ora7dYxiMn9uxeZjq7LfoLxX0Eij1y-gRzHQY/s400/IMG_0887.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Where are we going next, Chuck?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpQrxqFS-F06z_uwhwx3EkTh3YAFfAqi4PJcz_QhIhMq7ziEqQFWa-RTees5Sup_1lVJkte8lq_gL73IiNS92l8awfgchvIoDDHNuAWp3F2w8fbMjfWZHuRz9l5ViPMCdyOA-3xx_Ggk/s1600/IMG_0890.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDpQrxqFS-F06z_uwhwx3EkTh3YAFfAqi4PJcz_QhIhMq7ziEqQFWa-RTees5Sup_1lVJkte8lq_gL73IiNS92l8awfgchvIoDDHNuAWp3F2w8fbMjfWZHuRz9l5ViPMCdyOA-3xx_Ggk/s400/IMG_0890.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chuck making friends!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKh1-u8GyGfMvOXwrJ7F3CbGJ7cV4cAx8kdwbUSfN-VdGGoY99KZQL0238nN7KZ2DrVWVXwePNJi_o-RWbe3vyMpbKlCxiwUFenEOKoKHApVj11D492n01q4gVu9XnXVwWJCY_jtXDecA/s1600/IMG_0892.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgKh1-u8GyGfMvOXwrJ7F3CbGJ7cV4cAx8kdwbUSfN-VdGGoY99KZQL0238nN7KZ2DrVWVXwePNJi_o-RWbe3vyMpbKlCxiwUFenEOKoKHApVj11D492n01q4gVu9XnXVwWJCY_jtXDecA/s400/IMG_0892.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chuck signed the guest book at Sams-by-the-Sea</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeQnewYJiqjVTu86RBYYvdSLlrIwppwkX1P01QEyDucOOmCvSkINMh3wMi7X81iYpaOpzgiiioV7k07Zruv2pqyNGTjM6ECRKZEHNFdQeshhlTA5BvC8EVJnv12dv2C0sZ7N2I6barDk/s1600/IMG_0897.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiAeQnewYJiqjVTu86RBYYvdSLlrIwppwkX1P01QEyDucOOmCvSkINMh3wMi7X81iYpaOpzgiiioV7k07Zruv2pqyNGTjM6ECRKZEHNFdQeshhlTA5BvC8EVJnv12dv2C0sZ7N2I6barDk/s400/IMG_0897.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ready for the flight</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgmUfUVEbLxtW0GcS0jKfRBZPHotPWWvYN-nOk5ioWvrS_PChfeaDlIZQLjnuuBCkepKRpPIJqZLKfail8qZ0tylhdnh2ZXMQ0UcP9odPDBRBZxye0BmgIVKKUxHEocWCaOJt421JXkg/s1600/IMG_0898.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUgmUfUVEbLxtW0GcS0jKfRBZPHotPWWvYN-nOk5ioWvrS_PChfeaDlIZQLjnuuBCkepKRpPIJqZLKfail8qZ0tylhdnh2ZXMQ0UcP9odPDBRBZxye0BmgIVKKUxHEocWCaOJt421JXkg/s400/IMG_0898.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">A beautiful sunrise in Okinawa</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2J1UqtSxmG2MStabFRXTXlace3cpELppq33sufVsxbuLyFMZtn1Pyjiy3pFG_oEarO5U3kQ0VoIAdPPDzR9wx1mWhSnLdyA63jlGDi6ESAtFMdz9Gi8j_PC0UbhuT7wmjLMuq_2XfDAU/s1600/IMG_0899.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2J1UqtSxmG2MStabFRXTXlace3cpELppq33sufVsxbuLyFMZtn1Pyjiy3pFG_oEarO5U3kQ0VoIAdPPDzR9wx1mWhSnLdyA63jlGDi6ESAtFMdz9Gi8j_PC0UbhuT7wmjLMuq_2XfDAU/s400/IMG_0899.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Big Wheels vs. Little Wheels</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gnyl88qSlWx_3ThJcBByhXagr6TmrpotI1CpSCXH8wEesltl1kcJRWP2PmbJnt-06QXaAz3MbDYZE_JwwNNAhjXmS5MiWNo68kOQj1Bh3F83h6qTHMTj9-akF8RR3oiEXWh86SNnGLc/s1600/IMG_0900.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6gnyl88qSlWx_3ThJcBByhXagr6TmrpotI1CpSCXH8wEesltl1kcJRWP2PmbJnt-06QXaAz3MbDYZE_JwwNNAhjXmS5MiWNo68kOQj1Bh3F83h6qTHMTj9-akF8RR3oiEXWh86SNnGLc/s400/IMG_0900.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Big Truck vs. Little Truck</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis159daNv6D53OmyKmvxBikrwamMukhgvVH4V-NnnbUFNm4an46-LJSzOplWsVG1L2wA8o90zqTvKRPydQKEVrAEMKMjZ-I9Qs2n0eMU4xvXOIKErof_ErnYUv18A1ndiN-oSUY-DMNIM/s1600/IMG_0902.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEis159daNv6D53OmyKmvxBikrwamMukhgvVH4V-NnnbUFNm4an46-LJSzOplWsVG1L2wA8o90zqTvKRPydQKEVrAEMKMjZ-I9Qs2n0eMU4xvXOIKErof_ErnYUv18A1ndiN-oSUY-DMNIM/s400/IMG_0902.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Checking out the view </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7u8AbgzroMvZbO3x8LNhK-XMF1CDpOK2QjWvI7gF4zSMGLwcOCH4EgqXcKge2rqCmXwUsWgUYIWDCYuYmrW7sYBE3PZJbhrsmOPs7pS51fpfK9XTIJDXTG42quauVr1rNqN3VPJYmVZw/s1600/IMG_0903.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7u8AbgzroMvZbO3x8LNhK-XMF1CDpOK2QjWvI7gF4zSMGLwcOCH4EgqXcKge2rqCmXwUsWgUYIWDCYuYmrW7sYBE3PZJbhrsmOPs7pS51fpfK9XTIJDXTG42quauVr1rNqN3VPJYmVZw/s400/IMG_0903.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Charting the flight to Australia</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNugu2XrBpDMNnkxTPS1vW39P1Dl_5BItlsYIGC53GJ8UdqLcdlv054ZpTjJLreEZNpE4EaasD13JHwbpnxGN2HWpO2JLwIKwYfs2UXIYdheSUXxzLpV5EAxBAfdgRI-aET5DKziaZGGM/s1600/IMG_0908.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjNugu2XrBpDMNnkxTPS1vW39P1Dl_5BItlsYIGC53GJ8UdqLcdlv054ZpTjJLreEZNpE4EaasD13JHwbpnxGN2HWpO2JLwIKwYfs2UXIYdheSUXxzLpV5EAxBAfdgRI-aET5DKziaZGGM/s400/IMG_0908.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Admiring the big clouds along the way</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9aNwsHM8k9bgIiacbE6ejQSGITtf9ywn_pWZ_gLD5VjmCbr3rawe2EQKLgqOh5xkSO0mEWXnY_JM-ebrbw4IUQ2zle_dhossv11JRu9PMDJjellDvL1hdzZpfUl9yrAP_16gnx3O_YY/s1600/IMG_0914.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiw9aNwsHM8k9bgIiacbE6ejQSGITtf9ywn_pWZ_gLD5VjmCbr3rawe2EQKLgqOh5xkSO0mEWXnY_JM-ebrbw4IUQ2zle_dhossv11JRu9PMDJjellDvL1hdzZpfUl9yrAP_16gnx3O_YY/s400/IMG_0914.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sunset in Darwin, Australia</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRTNScU54T0fYtQOLMUjuA05rljTY7bg9JBIYdiF-MYk_GQbXt1YJHievdGuNTPfGrVb9uE25K7zpKrPYonjj57Yve5VD1-GIf-ZEtjMxNpN81wUoWNql3PESb42-qc45Ay_9gDQqeXE/s1600/IMG_0915.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBRTNScU54T0fYtQOLMUjuA05rljTY7bg9JBIYdiF-MYk_GQbXt1YJHievdGuNTPfGrVb9uE25K7zpKrPYonjj57Yve5VD1-GIf-ZEtjMxNpN81wUoWNql3PESb42-qc45Ay_9gDQqeXE/s400/IMG_0915.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chuck the Truck enjoys a hearty meal after a long flight. He ate Crocodile sausage and Kangaroo steak!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmX0KUqDuIFiUza16TAlSxo1hBIrTzrjdruM5uqRlvSIQiBL71Srl5jof2AGen4p0H3J_IisGGvKw88Yqkdbgo957HIvrjB6hhnvlMPPsWlKclhmkm0C9LX86QqrfkgBqN_gRviaoC9xg/s1600/IMG_0917.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmX0KUqDuIFiUza16TAlSxo1hBIrTzrjdruM5uqRlvSIQiBL71Srl5jof2AGen4p0H3J_IisGGvKw88Yqkdbgo957HIvrjB6hhnvlMPPsWlKclhmkm0C9LX86QqrfkgBqN_gRviaoC9xg/s400/IMG_0917.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Flying to Sydney, Australia</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLE_PFPr5GbMcDpfopz0VQIhCgFIuqUPcRyecJaRPd6l5v_4mKe6ujk5SyueGQdww2il7l1QgI68nnag-EdqaoPcP4rLhH1wE2IICt7jkMznJORU5bzFYx5pIZgc0SSVx6kNDX1W-O5ug/s1600/IMG_0926.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLE_PFPr5GbMcDpfopz0VQIhCgFIuqUPcRyecJaRPd6l5v_4mKe6ujk5SyueGQdww2il7l1QgI68nnag-EdqaoPcP4rLhH1wE2IICt7jkMznJORU5bzFYx5pIZgc0SSVx6kNDX1W-O5ug/s400/IMG_0926.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sydney at night...</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DGtnsVkMXK7D1sLyAmTmxnsPc-cTEdTeOWtRD6pfaQ1getguqfY3d62G9hT4G9l08LaDokMUH74JHNdxe7oIka06cZcoZTyhuLdb4GZnU2vVrFmSzzWQQ9JqVYPVagwcdCrLR221aKk/s1600/IMG_0934.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi4DGtnsVkMXK7D1sLyAmTmxnsPc-cTEdTeOWtRD6pfaQ1getguqfY3d62G9hT4G9l08LaDokMUH74JHNdxe7oIka06cZcoZTyhuLdb4GZnU2vVrFmSzzWQQ9JqVYPVagwcdCrLR221aKk/s400/IMG_0934.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sydney at sunrise</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9sFWSphqi3o9NeWHOlw7rxagbpP9MeBm-hAnX0QsmD5tdTuGcwa2ZWgC8XBxLAh31DAUPo0O7O4oSW4IPA9OofJljwpMex_QlBg2rWXACrqgg4yQRWL2SuwA-s8H9SHxKF5ScaYWBg4/s1600/IMG_0952.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" rba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiT9sFWSphqi3o9NeWHOlw7rxagbpP9MeBm-hAnX0QsmD5tdTuGcwa2ZWgC8XBxLAh31DAUPo0O7O4oSW4IPA9OofJljwpMex_QlBg2rWXACrqgg4yQRWL2SuwA-s8H9SHxKF5ScaYWBg4/s400/IMG_0952.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Chuck the Truck helps the Australian police. Can you spot Chuck?</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-57254052203531134822011-09-13T15:54:00.001+09:002011-09-13T15:56:28.686+09:00Life as a Family of 4Words can't express how much I love being a Mother to our two beautiful children. I had anticipated that it would be hard, and it is at times, but I honestly feel so blessed! The months of July and August were a complete whirlwind for our family. Ryan was TDY for the majority of both months, so I felt challenged at times as a "single Mom" while he was away. We have settled into a very nice routine and I feel like our transition to a family of four has gone more smoothly than I expected. Here are a few pictures we took of the children during those months...it's amazing to me how quickly they grow right before your eyes! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1Go2jbE9Td8cn6RGQF01J060hlAYz3MQjZLFJ2WrCMrAoHGPj-YyKELPoJovm86J9-XEXk8tAfDlRCrj-F2xPjU7gJbdfqpowIQ2VtdeQCJ99voVIzb3rZORmrEapI1KB5Je0ns-Ltg/s1600/IMG_0484.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn1Go2jbE9Td8cn6RGQF01J060hlAYz3MQjZLFJ2WrCMrAoHGPj-YyKELPoJovm86J9-XEXk8tAfDlRCrj-F2xPjU7gJbdfqpowIQ2VtdeQCJ99voVIzb3rZORmrEapI1KB5Je0ns-Ltg/s400/IMG_0484.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Catherine - 1 month old</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMQTTMsZmMcQiP4SLD5bL2XeUefsqf1McsooXxh_wdy5ZUpNUmLftAtyedmz2081l8R9K3S1d1Z4_LMhXFaIJYtaC8sTNNSvfRuX8QqOnfy97huqCABl-nIngksmXOpziYQ-pHaGY4kc/s1600/IMG_0496.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEMQTTMsZmMcQiP4SLD5bL2XeUefsqf1McsooXxh_wdy5ZUpNUmLftAtyedmz2081l8R9K3S1d1Z4_LMhXFaIJYtaC8sTNNSvfRuX8QqOnfy97huqCABl-nIngksmXOpziYQ-pHaGY4kc/s400/IMG_0496.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew - July 4th weekend</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHg7_BKEezV-dYIWhZw3tmLXJ2XF_2J9oWoUJEyRIGAZ3ovJ4E15_UKmQHltR3NHEtskkhYDuPAR0wtI7hNwiNJbxlRNM95Dd64MfdK0Bc9wvlbCKWFXuEp4JegfD3snPxg-9x3Z93B04/s1600/IMG_0542.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHg7_BKEezV-dYIWhZw3tmLXJ2XF_2J9oWoUJEyRIGAZ3ovJ4E15_UKmQHltR3NHEtskkhYDuPAR0wtI7hNwiNJbxlRNM95Dd64MfdK0Bc9wvlbCKWFXuEp4JegfD3snPxg-9x3Z93B04/s400/IMG_0542.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">There was a goat for sale in a local store in Japan -- it could be yours for 59,800 Yen or almost $800!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ms8CpFkNfEvufLNUpHvdiDWEw8EBqThAt1Ezmed8mAhQTBwO7ViPkAXk2skhCVpG-Z8B2TmJXs-UJ-S2gVjou3Pj88MTJPEL92mZaVuFZUWsCE0yerOU2JtXzloASd6eDprJPk5Wxso/s1600/IMG_0586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7Ms8CpFkNfEvufLNUpHvdiDWEw8EBqThAt1Ezmed8mAhQTBwO7ViPkAXk2skhCVpG-Z8B2TmJXs-UJ-S2gVjou3Pj88MTJPEL92mZaVuFZUWsCE0yerOU2JtXzloASd6eDprJPk5Wxso/s400/IMG_0586.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My favorite Japanese lunch from a place called Pepper Lunch -- it's rice, corn, steak, scallions, and freshly ground pepper that is served on a sizzling hot plate where you stir and "cook" your food. It's delicious!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1iuv2nsPsDEbw3T46_wV72rLb5OO8dJ5Tgik3FMHv_wAP0o2qwTS_FuJieAIHbffbYel93kSwy2bWntbQhNJXekz5k7jjdfex4MYF_Q2_pmLJYqv2A5tRC182lPLE3tIC3_ITU-_eeY/s1600/IMG_0595.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiF1iuv2nsPsDEbw3T46_wV72rLb5OO8dJ5Tgik3FMHv_wAP0o2qwTS_FuJieAIHbffbYel93kSwy2bWntbQhNJXekz5k7jjdfex4MYF_Q2_pmLJYqv2A5tRC182lPLE3tIC3_ITU-_eeY/s400/IMG_0595.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sweet smiling Catherine</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbdSzthXt403L1x_zC651LsJFsGzLJcYFFrtKqOVgmQMo2d2B-CSfPzlv1gLGEqUOaVsGtmYWWXQzPwvYjioHBQdaObzOgVVM38KZ-j_kgVYVNVIpuMigqw0mleHPie4XC0TdETouqCY/s1600/IMG_1023.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPbdSzthXt403L1x_zC651LsJFsGzLJcYFFrtKqOVgmQMo2d2B-CSfPzlv1gLGEqUOaVsGtmYWWXQzPwvYjioHBQdaObzOgVVM38KZ-j_kgVYVNVIpuMigqw0mleHPie4XC0TdETouqCY/s400/IMG_1023.JPG" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew out in Tokyo</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9Y5EjwZZsGEZ6k1-uA4yQ2XDpZMTW2r9jh1w0MxFxeOat-M7kBowHsNGkKijXYh4T3CouQKnl1SEqrj8oaGYqo-RJpfT78F6KO-db-gbyuO0yvdQG3SxjeiLj2Xo18rCpmaS_r5eWZg/s1600/IMG_1061.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhz9Y5EjwZZsGEZ6k1-uA4yQ2XDpZMTW2r9jh1w0MxFxeOat-M7kBowHsNGkKijXYh4T3CouQKnl1SEqrj8oaGYqo-RJpfT78F6KO-db-gbyuO0yvdQG3SxjeiLj2Xo18rCpmaS_r5eWZg/s400/IMG_1061.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Thumbs up! I like it!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6Xx9IBf-E_N5kFbgJlcb_AooijepLfr8d6RpdQa2gJCwVtCKMFkwAuAUpamQWceBJuZp8l9L-e6lH58YgWzgEd5iZ81SkRaMUfGU4EP2ec43GZPDX_KpGMT1gIN0ExJUnKi5rab37O8/s1600/CIMG0058.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhP6Xx9IBf-E_N5kFbgJlcb_AooijepLfr8d6RpdQa2gJCwVtCKMFkwAuAUpamQWceBJuZp8l9L-e6lH58YgWzgEd5iZ81SkRaMUfGU4EP2ec43GZPDX_KpGMT1gIN0ExJUnKi5rab37O8/s400/CIMG0058.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sitting on the back of a firetruck at a birthday party</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTs3XvcNzBUCUK3qy4ja1rxYmZ1CSUjVoQ2MW89-_nbo1HoVH_jCParTrUlJCAHkooIm7ep5fyiGi_wDCN4pX2Oec-Mp5gwjqXw5AdK1yBeIy0dpSBYeGBWOrlRg7LX2WAJyiyBiI9_g/s1600/CIMG0070.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjBTs3XvcNzBUCUK3qy4ja1rxYmZ1CSUjVoQ2MW89-_nbo1HoVH_jCParTrUlJCAHkooIm7ep5fyiGi_wDCN4pX2Oec-Mp5gwjqXw5AdK1yBeIy0dpSBYeGBWOrlRg7LX2WAJyiyBiI9_g/s400/CIMG0070.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My sweet baby boy!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGs6tvBAUIa4z6bvueMf7rEQ5Fe4d3Nco0JJmNYVvAO2xpqi3bePzZFqwsyAquVWvsJL2MIfVf-DwRkJLyLBAEKWnhXkKEQnO2sIHz9SBKUVUZDe7jvlKFIXe2Yuh4i-b1VOXJM76hpM/s1600/CIMG0080.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNGs6tvBAUIa4z6bvueMf7rEQ5Fe4d3Nco0JJmNYVvAO2xpqi3bePzZFqwsyAquVWvsJL2MIfVf-DwRkJLyLBAEKWnhXkKEQnO2sIHz9SBKUVUZDe7jvlKFIXe2Yuh4i-b1VOXJM76hpM/s400/CIMG0080.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Catherine's model pose :)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3Z3TaxDQTv4x5IdeTMIXcOR5eAkNEhBvug84BV82IiueS0jE_6M-wN5nvimaxyjbJxL4AXsSC_ttyD0zNI1qGoQ-hZz7xwBXTDXxtacLu5kdoJmRFmSc39WVlUrtYiobG2ZU_NqlRdg/s1600/CIMG0099.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy3Z3TaxDQTv4x5IdeTMIXcOR5eAkNEhBvug84BV82IiueS0jE_6M-wN5nvimaxyjbJxL4AXsSC_ttyD0zNI1qGoQ-hZz7xwBXTDXxtacLu5kdoJmRFmSc39WVlUrtYiobG2ZU_NqlRdg/s400/CIMG0099.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I'm a happy girl!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL48wlWqSerg46k3I4lNNHXoe4y5gP17K4Vb68XWAk_hYniCANLub5nD1h0c_VJDyjNbFsmOESd6wpkjH82xMiFEfO5ogKOOyjTjqojHrXstAHFNNFg229Xmz5f6sIGUYuDPakZndehrg/s1600/CIMG0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjL48wlWqSerg46k3I4lNNHXoe4y5gP17K4Vb68XWAk_hYniCANLub5nD1h0c_VJDyjNbFsmOESd6wpkjH82xMiFEfO5ogKOOyjTjqojHrXstAHFNNFg229Xmz5f6sIGUYuDPakZndehrg/s400/CIMG0102.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">This is a picture of Catherine at 2 1/2 months old wearing a baby blouse that I wore as a baby...she looks just like Matthew did at this age (see the photo below...). </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Kx5xNDexwK1hDtUIIhLBidRHn3bildh0k42Ce7LuH3uz6uzprAedEeiQCKnOctEXxhwetpRD0vc039CneQarNORU0it2fZJwjKnTXSCb9EMu3kF9h6UVFn6P3BdgBLYcfYNES7o1IxU/s1600/100_1389.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8Kx5xNDexwK1hDtUIIhLBidRHn3bildh0k42Ce7LuH3uz6uzprAedEeiQCKnOctEXxhwetpRD0vc039CneQarNORU0it2fZJwjKnTXSCb9EMu3kF9h6UVFn6P3BdgBLYcfYNES7o1IxU/s400/100_1389.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew at almost 3 months. do you see the resemblance?</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1JVr1EXs23R_na7K79_r_SUiyW0ZRBtnk5ZPA3pFqHJUoM92i6hq5m3YasngbfOhL0w3UPaO7_5Df8kQXomhiyypULeSgHlv0IPXgFdbrhrcjCObH1pTt2rQKIN3Tv6FWAkxvgQEa8Q/s1600/CIMG0116.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz1JVr1EXs23R_na7K79_r_SUiyW0ZRBtnk5ZPA3pFqHJUoM92i6hq5m3YasngbfOhL0w3UPaO7_5Df8kQXomhiyypULeSgHlv0IPXgFdbrhrcjCObH1pTt2rQKIN3Tv6FWAkxvgQEa8Q/s400/CIMG0116.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Pretty girl - 2 months old</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2NZZD9Uavnem-ObpRnKAAtzWLfZ8R2YVMD_1zqT92Dp-dTdDQC82xKIzxODd9lRYV-C6_KJV7H0LPq5kQxzc_AyZAEBbfJfqJBuf398SWouK02K7dl-8gnGw44Xs_ecVysBWZQRbMRY/s1600/CIMG0124.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgV2NZZD9Uavnem-ObpRnKAAtzWLfZ8R2YVMD_1zqT92Dp-dTdDQC82xKIzxODd9lRYV-C6_KJV7H0LPq5kQxzc_AyZAEBbfJfqJBuf398SWouK02K7dl-8gnGw44Xs_ecVysBWZQRbMRY/s400/CIMG0124.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Wearing one of my baby blouses</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg21EWZFGBO-dccs7obToFmifQrIpTgYgOf5r6lImUtJiM0JzKHaV8SCw9Vkg3cV1ZrUHp5-At12-7W3TpS810m3B11RmxJVrUcoSOcZz3HvP0bEV5-Upkv3qVkzQvzpuOO5iFQa4ynKc/s1600/Japan+%252816%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgg21EWZFGBO-dccs7obToFmifQrIpTgYgOf5r6lImUtJiM0JzKHaV8SCw9Vkg3cV1ZrUHp5-At12-7W3TpS810m3B11RmxJVrUcoSOcZz3HvP0bEV5-Upkv3qVkzQvzpuOO5iFQa4ynKc/s400/Japan+%252816%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Look at all that beautiful red hair!!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-72458391630012762372011-09-12T16:04:00.000+09:002011-09-12T16:04:48.260+09:00Our First Visitors to Japan!A few weeks after Catherine was born, we were excited to welcome our first visitors to Japan! Ryan's parents, Mark and Candy, arrived and stayed with us for two wonderful weeks. Not only was it fun for Matthew and Catherine to have some time with their grandparents, but it was also fun to show them our new "home" here in Japan. We did some sightseeing and lots of relaxing. Overall, it was a special time with family!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XAYgokPLjQpH-jTkioxMMomE-5eETrd29td3HgFC_clUyizUnaEynN46fChX3azPcX2SQGiRn4DyQ8HIMua3mT317DDmUHhYyGzgLzXCVt9wKRqWhUxl6jW4UwiCQM2ptWMDkZ8a3Zs/s1600/IMG_0839.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1XAYgokPLjQpH-jTkioxMMomE-5eETrd29td3HgFC_clUyizUnaEynN46fChX3azPcX2SQGiRn4DyQ8HIMua3mT317DDmUHhYyGzgLzXCVt9wKRqWhUxl6jW4UwiCQM2ptWMDkZ8a3Zs/s400/IMG_0839.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Of course, we had to make a stop by Starbucks!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtakZuJNXlcHQWmw2jNVxqAZY7hPkD5hH6a_GlpTYHNAbFY30QQVZn24YSUKtOTHsRRMwTcShvf8Tixf_bQZ-Zpb-rOTofJZPtQwq2G-32e2xcbPrfmz4R8thlqBLW8UUFkOT1Gmp7AuE/s1600/IMG_0844.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtakZuJNXlcHQWmw2jNVxqAZY7hPkD5hH6a_GlpTYHNAbFY30QQVZn24YSUKtOTHsRRMwTcShvf8Tixf_bQZ-Zpb-rOTofJZPtQwq2G-32e2xcbPrfmz4R8thlqBLW8UUFkOT1Gmp7AuE/s400/IMG_0844.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Looking out at Fussa City (near the base) from the roof of the local Seiyu.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAjUoye7GuqkdhkuFPLWyg5Uw7zmshFBSzGjCy60rqouZXAQQDaxcoG7JVgVSoo_k4LB00OkKGD8cp_eF-pn4TjezJqZpgc9oJAiGAZZyIoI6S2TTONRdezYwqABW-71xuqbVgF4G8-A/s1600/IMG_0861.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQAjUoye7GuqkdhkuFPLWyg5Uw7zmshFBSzGjCy60rqouZXAQQDaxcoG7JVgVSoo_k4LB00OkKGD8cp_eF-pn4TjezJqZpgc9oJAiGAZZyIoI6S2TTONRdezYwqABW-71xuqbVgF4G8-A/s400/IMG_0861.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Awesome view of a C-130 while playing golf on the Yokota base course.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsfG9w09kNHibo2e2Sq8QE3hheuHZBzUtFxKMNfhyqlho2XBTz7EcE9J_5LPE5pO3llCKvLd30-lhlh-oho4yLxPNKAZWHJpxyv5metW5Fd554umk161NGvRHLORWu0LsJ7GpMPgtP7o/s1600/Japan+%25283%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjUsfG9w09kNHibo2e2Sq8QE3hheuHZBzUtFxKMNfhyqlho2XBTz7EcE9J_5LPE5pO3llCKvLd30-lhlh-oho4yLxPNKAZWHJpxyv5metW5Fd554umk161NGvRHLORWu0LsJ7GpMPgtP7o/s400/Japan+%25283%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Playing cars - Matthew's favorite thing to do these days!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibUUBIF9MEqgPhug36_mutqxNGSgblwRusDkeBFSdo3nhpTuA6QUjsWGKekm_Bisr-qr2AOIQwdrtec_k_3bYl3-QoXKAFz8_IFQfuzqAtaBG6-yf8ukzI4w7qoe3D8yfhm-yRAroFq0E/s1600/Japan+%252812%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibUUBIF9MEqgPhug36_mutqxNGSgblwRusDkeBFSdo3nhpTuA6QUjsWGKekm_Bisr-qr2AOIQwdrtec_k_3bYl3-QoXKAFz8_IFQfuzqAtaBG6-yf8ukzI4w7qoe3D8yfhm-yRAroFq0E/s400/Japan+%252812%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Having fry-frys at a Japanese McDonald's</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAB5MvwXg-2LNN4jzul-c52nhX48uWGQSG_x5ZVIOmNsOTSyPUaWw-1ZgKj1kmAOLZqGbpI_H4Zyzhp_z4cwdkOnyzIJDNhZWeHzCrzerwedi7Uux26e8el7Gin53fnyhAV5AhXxgaoDQ/s1600/Japan+%252830%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAB5MvwXg-2LNN4jzul-c52nhX48uWGQSG_x5ZVIOmNsOTSyPUaWw-1ZgKj1kmAOLZqGbpI_H4Zyzhp_z4cwdkOnyzIJDNhZWeHzCrzerwedi7Uux26e8el7Gin53fnyhAV5AhXxgaoDQ/s400/Japan+%252830%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Riding Thomas the Train with Grandma at the Ome Train Museum</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRz_KylxFx1qcSuHbOeVSOOty_HRYvqHAJ3kuPeVTqIfsQOnmugcesuSzU7J1dVMjsCrXaqANvFaXe0ivtyBFuippDiaJ5QrWtjbquLOilTF2Gb9vn4jPbBqznP2SB5ZAhz657B5roKps/s1600/Japan+%252841%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgRz_KylxFx1qcSuHbOeVSOOty_HRYvqHAJ3kuPeVTqIfsQOnmugcesuSzU7J1dVMjsCrXaqANvFaXe0ivtyBFuippDiaJ5QrWtjbquLOilTF2Gb9vn4jPbBqznP2SB5ZAhz657B5roKps/s400/Japan+%252841%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">At the Ome Train Museum</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8hXBN9dXe9-FK41YCD8HVDfVLFpaCzVoc98SLnXTIAO0igy2jn1w7G5WTdUbu0Mc20LbxX3dwkK1WuCrL5hz8jX83QFQE-6Q48UrKBv5oQIRuPZahRp1jJdqY4CVjKrtJZeOBmcEM3xY/s1600/Japan+%252844%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8hXBN9dXe9-FK41YCD8HVDfVLFpaCzVoc98SLnXTIAO0igy2jn1w7G5WTdUbu0Mc20LbxX3dwkK1WuCrL5hz8jX83QFQE-6Q48UrKBv5oQIRuPZahRp1jJdqY4CVjKrtJZeOBmcEM3xY/s400/Japan+%252844%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Riding a train with Grandpa at the Ome Train Museum</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFQtZRoP991ICqHPBiQ1cUs0jquzsjj4x6xmsQewiQqYWBYEjXjthWw-acNEpbZ3g2mYj2N1TK4eQDTr0uU03cVOWBWf-2jvqejjhpJQ8OUXRHWxAtDXHrVby70GZGtNzhOnXwWsshIg/s1600/Japan+%252854%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHFQtZRoP991ICqHPBiQ1cUs0jquzsjj4x6xmsQewiQqYWBYEjXjthWw-acNEpbZ3g2mYj2N1TK4eQDTr0uU03cVOWBWf-2jvqejjhpJQ8OUXRHWxAtDXHrVby70GZGtNzhOnXwWsshIg/s400/Japan+%252854%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Candy and Mark</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiui_KDS5X362Pzaae2ATRbpOS9-7I40a0HCPRRO6Rok2Pqcbhy5Fi337Uu0TYJa7BSbKVXnkiiijvSrjVGKmWjztKDJt3eOdpVDTs18W8uY8IiEcucR7SivRdbsRYafChczKGXO7QVI/s1600/Japan+%252881%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEiui_KDS5X362Pzaae2ATRbpOS9-7I40a0HCPRRO6Rok2Pqcbhy5Fi337Uu0TYJa7BSbKVXnkiiijvSrjVGKmWjztKDJt3eOdpVDTs18W8uY8IiEcucR7SivRdbsRYafChczKGXO7QVI/s400/Japan+%252881%2529.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Swinging at the park</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDIdCqo2aj6kggXPpc1MCWm6u1lcmBh89LY1Opn8FHuz1TgTeirG5Q8j732Bqe1RY23YDYc0fiBFa3oiD4o18iFQ8uo2qOuIU3mVd1YHGbe2Fq6n-6fa1P2B4UMFf8g5VzGFGtYx6g54/s1600/Japan+%252889%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirDIdCqo2aj6kggXPpc1MCWm6u1lcmBh89LY1Opn8FHuz1TgTeirG5Q8j732Bqe1RY23YDYc0fiBFa3oiD4o18iFQ8uo2qOuIU3mVd1YHGbe2Fq6n-6fa1P2B4UMFf8g5VzGFGtYx6g54/s400/Japan+%252889%2529.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Reading books on the "baby" couch</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrX-nivfB0hKY6_EbNjDWZgFwH2w_sts9pOzh30LhtZwLRAQ1TbvJvkY_0q2Y8O4vxGgJxBvbfJuwBGnIFohIWVI8NADLEkPtU-Ca2wfRkTxMdM82pXwd5xLivJidl7uVmQHMheJ66ck/s1600/Japan+June+2011+036.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWrX-nivfB0hKY6_EbNjDWZgFwH2w_sts9pOzh30LhtZwLRAQ1TbvJvkY_0q2Y8O4vxGgJxBvbfJuwBGnIFohIWVI8NADLEkPtU-Ca2wfRkTxMdM82pXwd5xLivJidl7uVmQHMheJ66ck/s400/Japan+June+2011+036.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Playing at the park with Grandma. Peek-a-boo!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOoMP087vMFr0v6jfHrjnR43hKnDALqrct_bVM8Pw9Z_HDIC95GB1CE6vgvrh2d1gR99k88R1CC5k0BNajfjqd9K-nW9XI5kFBMkFzYWLD0njSdTpRCqttLo1k-ObjroyvoPAyVvQHFJg/s1600/Japan+June+2011+051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiOoMP087vMFr0v6jfHrjnR43hKnDALqrct_bVM8Pw9Z_HDIC95GB1CE6vgvrh2d1gR99k88R1CC5k0BNajfjqd9K-nW9XI5kFBMkFzYWLD0njSdTpRCqttLo1k-ObjroyvoPAyVvQHFJg/s400/Japan+June+2011+051.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Grandpa introducing Catherine to sushi</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7YEUBJEbtzcMenlBd8VO-wO2hHVfSJa8Uy4Ghzw6AFaDPXEu6yc0y55FhjxjcVnG863SnrgfVR2s4y3aBDogb83YIPco-jiAXNt2WYkS2j16m5gABHbzHegChwLRty3LkMKYq5nfNwY/s1600/Japan+June+2011+160.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgq7YEUBJEbtzcMenlBd8VO-wO2hHVfSJa8Uy4Ghzw6AFaDPXEu6yc0y55FhjxjcVnG863SnrgfVR2s4y3aBDogb83YIPco-jiAXNt2WYkS2j16m5gABHbzHegChwLRty3LkMKYq5nfNwY/s400/Japan+June+2011+160.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Touring a C-130</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1tCm_vI3MTMr0hJdLhfpB_kT7Pl8XRFHY516Wzq7Uq1eGAEHJ9tMMDbCGzm7f85ay8ZfVSOWk8D4cSgTeOla2NQ990J9RtdyXJx-mcXwcKbmavslJAmpHCEkFmvGxKr0J1_hGyKaqiA/s1600/Japan+June+2011+170.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEic1tCm_vI3MTMr0hJdLhfpB_kT7Pl8XRFHY516Wzq7Uq1eGAEHJ9tMMDbCGzm7f85ay8ZfVSOWk8D4cSgTeOla2NQ990J9RtdyXJx-mcXwcKbmavslJAmpHCEkFmvGxKr0J1_hGyKaqiA/s400/Japan+June+2011+170.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dinner out at Un Quinto - a delicious Japanese Italian restaurant</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTRNTl8CVnO5ABVQRYvJ4fuKbmaT4CLE7GKiW6GYwG2cJpkcifG8i3jnSo7GKehF3qEnmX_z4mm3F0wA2WNIpZrO-kIi69I8y3PZeWWAzikZSOGxU1xn46T25IOqKTQ83s99iNep0Enk/s1600/Japan+June+2011+199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLTRNTl8CVnO5ABVQRYvJ4fuKbmaT4CLE7GKiW6GYwG2cJpkcifG8i3jnSo7GKehF3qEnmX_z4mm3F0wA2WNIpZrO-kIi69I8y3PZeWWAzikZSOGxU1xn46T25IOqKTQ83s99iNep0Enk/s400/Japan+June+2011+199.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Do you see Mt. Fuji? It's supposed to be right there!!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheO0TKvUNB9XFVGSfLj7g88IvT4-smu05sH9d-8awbRyChnE8HtSbgv64jSV2eMHzzagT9dONYEN8ceysBFLKzLSh4HRjKsHQ1aCUdBqiKlvufrb1m4374Li4xFlwFuO9YWnAgSO82JB0/s400/Japan+June+2011+219.jpg" width="400" /></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Falls near the base of Mt. Fuji</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibN2pVSci3sOpD1zhk0A__2GnJKokWCU4XO4rQCh16Z-rkhuJUsAt9SD_FyRn7OkMYwZX3wxWdlCTWFTsdGqmS94xOU0eBCpsPqjmsDNGdGDA8cZLZaIYLKqZOvBMg0yv035-3YsZQIJE/s1600/Japan+June+2011+250.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEibN2pVSci3sOpD1zhk0A__2GnJKokWCU4XO4rQCh16Z-rkhuJUsAt9SD_FyRn7OkMYwZX3wxWdlCTWFTsdGqmS94xOU0eBCpsPqjmsDNGdGDA8cZLZaIYLKqZOvBMg0yv035-3YsZQIJE/s400/Japan+June+2011+250.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">By the time we were heading home, the clouds finally started to lift so you could see the top of Mt. Fuji.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVMhlCt7Ub7Y3UT8Bnvgy6NKWghAnbnRoLAWv6u7thurpkGlKWATiQl2yeRotUCudu7HNsLHjTwozYtYgYxLhRZ05kTH9tzyBSKNK0543aKdRyiDB754iTrTmMfOKr2r8W3Bk-XOWB-E/s1600/Japan+June+2011+299.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" nba="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjVMhlCt7Ub7Y3UT8Bnvgy6NKWghAnbnRoLAWv6u7thurpkGlKWATiQl2yeRotUCudu7HNsLHjTwozYtYgYxLhRZ05kTH9tzyBSKNK0543aKdRyiDB754iTrTmMfOKr2r8W3Bk-XOWB-E/s400/Japan+June+2011+299.jpg" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Reading books with Grandpa!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-89879293065834133172011-08-20T20:11:00.000+09:002011-08-20T20:11:08.837+09:00Our Little PrincessOur sweet little princess, Catherine Louise, arrived on June 9, 2011 at 9:04am weighing 7lbs. 11oz. and 20.5 inches long. She's just perfect! And, she's a redhead, just like Matthew!! I can't even put into words how blessed I feel to have two healthy children. Thankfully, my delivery with Catherine was much easier and faster than my delivery with Matthew. I was a week early with Matthew, and a week and three days late with Catherine. I started having contractions the morning of June 8, and they continued very randomly throughout the day. I was able to spend the evening with some girlfriends, where the contractions started to get more intense and more consistent. By the time I got home at 10pm, I knew that my sweet baby girl was ready to make her arrival! I crawled into bed and tried to just relax as much as I could through the contractions, but when my water broke at 11pm, I woke Ryan up and we packed the last minute items into our suitcases to head to the Yokota base hospital here in Japan. Our dear friend, Kate Chapman, was kind enough to come spend the night with Matthew so that Ryan could be with me. It was so wonderful to know that Matthew was well taken care of and that we didn't need to worry about him so we could concentrate on welcoming Catherine Louise!<br />
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My labor progresses very quickly and I was able to get an epidural even though I was already dilated to 9 1/2cm by the time the anesthesiologist arrived. Boy, was I happy to see her!! Once the epidural was set and I was comfortable, Dr. George came in to asses my progress. I was fully ready to push, but our sweet little girl was still sitting too high, so Dr. George made the call to let me labor under the comfort of the epidural for a few hours and let the baby drop before I started to push (her reasoning was that by doing this I would have to push for a shorter amount of time once the baby was lower). They kept a close eye on me and on Catherine during those four hours (roughly from 3am to 7am) because the umbilical cord was loosely wrapped around Catherine's neck in the womb. Thankfully, she was handling the labor perfectly and wasn't showing any signs of being in distress. At 7am, Dr. George woke us up and did another progress check. Everything looked good, so she was going to get her team prepared and I would start pushing at 8am. Yippee!! I pushed for less than an hour, but the epidural made me extremely nauseous, so I had to stop a few times to throw up. Otherwise, the labor was beautiful and so much easier than my delivery with Matthew. Praise the Lord!<br />
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Ryan picked Matthew up later that evening to meet his new sister, and it brought tears of joy to my eyes just to watch him instantly love her! He was naturally a bit jealous of the time I spent with Catherine and that he wasn't the one sitting in my lap, but overall he has adjusted so nicely and is already such a loving big brother! Here are some photos we captured during our first few days as a family of four! There isn't a day that goes by that I don't thank God for our beautiful children!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26pgG97bwpdebFoHqjQnwkv70lD_iovTFHnCTIqdeftSdTswbyKx1r_F0_1Rs_zIED7xI9Kt-X8QIUAzJQytChSdodeVcBHMfHhQvseTLCQo_XvPAP-opr-GhpV9HA52YYoEdv5qi9mQ/s1600/100_3797.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi26pgG97bwpdebFoHqjQnwkv70lD_iovTFHnCTIqdeftSdTswbyKx1r_F0_1Rs_zIED7xI9Kt-X8QIUAzJQytChSdodeVcBHMfHhQvseTLCQo_XvPAP-opr-GhpV9HA52YYoEdv5qi9mQ/s400/100_3797.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My motivation to push! :)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbweeqa8DkLiJ08Cs-qQrIAXxU6UMWKJWzLN6DiwCnwge3YAsUniPadcBg8aghKm3anKB1lyjvqTun78E0ENJnQAAmybwJYMl01yyWg2-LA6-jWMUa1RYvmHhO-c2Dl0a9709Svwo9c_U/s1600/100_3816.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbweeqa8DkLiJ08Cs-qQrIAXxU6UMWKJWzLN6DiwCnwge3YAsUniPadcBg8aghKm3anKB1lyjvqTun78E0ENJnQAAmybwJYMl01yyWg2-LA6-jWMUa1RYvmHhO-c2Dl0a9709Svwo9c_U/s400/100_3816.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Catherine Louise</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP2zWGxF_jioP-mwOf4ubAMSZUo2cfKFP1mTDM4gEQPXVBQqsfWqtGYnvgC3ct2Wy6FbKTjXZ8xImoDiks0GTYKKsMGLW6m6lTFOJJ0T6R4MOMvmQD0NPQPw-j8jaaPxw8yAtORut2sU/s1600/100_3830.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjOP2zWGxF_jioP-mwOf4ubAMSZUo2cfKFP1mTDM4gEQPXVBQqsfWqtGYnvgC3ct2Wy6FbKTjXZ8xImoDiks0GTYKKsMGLW6m6lTFOJJ0T6R4MOMvmQD0NPQPw-j8jaaPxw8yAtORut2sU/s400/100_3830.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My two precious babies!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y59aJP_D_WKMDlhS5CCFcFnwEvgljyplMYMpundlcjWKRruO5k_As19ZZFoQRbQ9ilqbWFh8p8i4_erhtWynwS1OjwCD6_OgruaGtVzAlQ0Ega5WudwAsTAMhXXAqAeXHl5LU9KU7Ho/s1600/100_3849.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7Y59aJP_D_WKMDlhS5CCFcFnwEvgljyplMYMpundlcjWKRruO5k_As19ZZFoQRbQ9ilqbWFh8p8i4_erhtWynwS1OjwCD6_OgruaGtVzAlQ0Ega5WudwAsTAMhXXAqAeXHl5LU9KU7Ho/s400/100_3849.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Sleeping Angel</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSQjX1go5A7SuA94q5U00fHfQwxWBOpqYvp9RbOJJWvUnjxJlO1fPqDvyiEnLVshNPW8koJgf_cA_EDkRgfYZtiQPg7rzhhJm4PRM94B08wIrZxxciO5i2qygZH8Ye7c8jR_u2zt52YU/s1600/100_3853.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYSQjX1go5A7SuA94q5U00fHfQwxWBOpqYvp9RbOJJWvUnjxJlO1fPqDvyiEnLVshNPW8koJgf_cA_EDkRgfYZtiQPg7rzhhJm4PRM94B08wIrZxxciO5i2qygZH8Ye7c8jR_u2zt52YU/s400/100_3853.JPG" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My handsome boys</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTxmdQWkcrDMB4wvYzHEmZUAqV6J4w4AKulJgH1dhrWcFkRHv6xUVVLKHoUM1u1Wk1yPCLUTXlsbtnVX-XyR0O-cZ47B0Uw8YuWdkPERQMnTiNJLxPVRK2RypeW4Jmsu5URZ9-e2T6bc/s1600/100_3867.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpTxmdQWkcrDMB4wvYzHEmZUAqV6J4w4AKulJgH1dhrWcFkRHv6xUVVLKHoUM1u1Wk1yPCLUTXlsbtnVX-XyR0O-cZ47B0Uw8YuWdkPERQMnTiNJLxPVRK2RypeW4Jmsu5URZ9-e2T6bc/s400/100_3867.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our family of four!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6Mb_mMjVlqOnCwlZB1qeDSlmDjRRUqH9KMZy4aNM19WvsC6Ux5F0TuhFR4or37jaDcV-nV3Thth7gBZmjtXXw0sOjkJv85bQPyQaAiBxY7BSuVw3ZugTpQLRsqr1WN1WL1LXEWeyCIA/s1600/100_3869.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge6Mb_mMjVlqOnCwlZB1qeDSlmDjRRUqH9KMZy4aNM19WvsC6Ux5F0TuhFR4or37jaDcV-nV3Thth7gBZmjtXXw0sOjkJv85bQPyQaAiBxY7BSuVw3ZugTpQLRsqr1WN1WL1LXEWeyCIA/s400/100_3869.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Dr. George, the doctor who delivered Catherine</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnw9DlgltAXu-3DfO6kn40evxXX2-txb7lKRYunvnzJeqC2PCd5HYL0QgMIljbFd0o5D57YGhDxMmQMrJEyC_yXDyftgHDZfpZg6UJeRqITkhOyt4AjKMMwVRJPCjXHk92ilrZUf-lk0/s1600/IMG_0424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAnw9DlgltAXu-3DfO6kn40evxXX2-txb7lKRYunvnzJeqC2PCd5HYL0QgMIljbFd0o5D57YGhDxMmQMrJEyC_yXDyftgHDZfpZg6UJeRqITkhOyt4AjKMMwVRJPCjXHk92ilrZUf-lk0/s400/IMG_0424.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our little princess</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhcFLbX4aqeyTFSwWAIVDnfJ2gcvE4v_q_ZpXA7YAkZy-AmAk665LY0BumWKBbwG8-IDA0MQLoDTOSWdPoBw04iQf7hWa5d7yws5CFiRdiULWFHoymKaebyT_C8BH57JOIPGG_4AuyqQ/s1600/IMG_0432.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" qaa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVhcFLbX4aqeyTFSwWAIVDnfJ2gcvE4v_q_ZpXA7YAkZy-AmAk665LY0BumWKBbwG8-IDA0MQLoDTOSWdPoBw04iQf7hWa5d7yws5CFiRdiULWFHoymKaebyT_C8BH57JOIPGG_4AuyqQ/s400/IMG_0432.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Heading home...can you believe that Japan is home, sweet baby girl?!?</div><br />
Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-31684600247237851092011-08-10T16:11:00.002+09:002011-08-10T16:12:25.796+09:00Maternity and Family photosOne of our very talented friends here at Yokota, Kate Chapman, took some beautiful maternity and family photos of us at the end of May. We took them at an off base park by the Tama River. It was a beautiful (but very hot) day and Kate captured some amazing pictures of the three (almost 4) of us! Here are a few of my favorites...<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj93UB8dmoOwYPx-pM3CnkilQZRFvO-SFo1XB4pFnBMIi34kKZJzx8gH5f12O7qNvmJhobJFMPhHerh3vB1u1OKCZsNliurRQWmmzNSJOHP2QR-qdUCi9wtsRnpLKDXj7YeMOkdAAOOOww/s1600/IMG_5903.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj93UB8dmoOwYPx-pM3CnkilQZRFvO-SFo1XB4pFnBMIi34kKZJzx8gH5f12O7qNvmJhobJFMPhHerh3vB1u1OKCZsNliurRQWmmzNSJOHP2QR-qdUCi9wtsRnpLKDXj7YeMOkdAAOOOww/s400/IMG_5903.jpg" width="266" /></a></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-90199803944166585102011-08-10T13:50:00.001+09:002011-08-20T19:03:14.530+09:0038 Weeks...our little Princess is almost here!I was 38 weeks pregnant during the week of my birthday. Ryan and Matthew made my day extra special, but I was so sure that our little princess would be sharing her birthday with me. Thankfully, she held on a few more weeks. On the night of my birthday, we got together with a few special friends and had a nice dinner at the Officer's Club. My dear friend, Cara, presented me with my own special tiara, which I wore through our entire dinner. I felt so blessed to have such sweet friends spend the evening celebrating with me!<br />
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A few days before my birthday, Matthew and Ryan decided to relax together and do some reading. I think we have a little genius on our hands! :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBf4Y1c7wTW-JTjpYgeRohoUzzWX29CyJnnwKrUvFjkE7c91ot57jBlb86gVap7FWpmjhxLkr6woyLlEMKZL3gJMVMIRno5zTtLBbrIhHZP1P9f-L2_rb4RRkhgbYUJ4VFZ2TB4BlzDw/s1600/IMG_0705.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgdBf4Y1c7wTW-JTjpYgeRohoUzzWX29CyJnnwKrUvFjkE7c91ot57jBlb86gVap7FWpmjhxLkr6woyLlEMKZL3gJMVMIRno5zTtLBbrIhHZP1P9f-L2_rb4RRkhgbYUJ4VFZ2TB4BlzDw/s400/IMG_0705.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-55891598142094717942011-08-10T13:41:00.000+09:002011-08-10T13:41:05.743+09:00Singing in the RainThe rainy season in Japan is typically in June and July, but we had a pretty rainy May too. On Saturday, May 7, Ryan took Matthew out that morning to go to the mall so I could get some rest before the baby's arrival. Of course, it was raining, but that was the perfect opportunity for Matthew to wear his new sharks raincoat. I love that it has orange in it too because it makes Matthew's hair look even more vibrant! This rainy day didn't stop Matthew from having fun with Daddy and the pictures Ryan took from his iPhone came out surprisingly well so I just had to share. Doesn't our little man look adorable in his raincoat and his backpack?!? He's growing up WAY too fast!<br />
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The following day was Mother's Day, so Ryan and Matthew took me to the Officer's Club after church for their annual Mother's Day Brunch. It was really nice and the food was delicious. Sadly, all Matthew cared about were the "fry fries"! At least he looked handsome in his little sweater vest while he ate them! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuT_K6u5JQ7KKpSs4MyWUqO2E_r6w3GbrBAzLulkQ6puehtv5yFNiPaBxjwyfJFBgDJHfjAvAQYcLU92WZnAd3u9LozKgg99FRPUNprSETRlKCeBy1UxosxUPCCpp1JYKatDwIX1STCYc/s1600/IMG_0682.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjuT_K6u5JQ7KKpSs4MyWUqO2E_r6w3GbrBAzLulkQ6puehtv5yFNiPaBxjwyfJFBgDJHfjAvAQYcLU92WZnAd3u9LozKgg99FRPUNprSETRlKCeBy1UxosxUPCCpp1JYKatDwIX1STCYc/s400/IMG_0682.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-21625517666378194202011-08-08T15:41:00.000+09:002011-08-08T15:41:58.852+09:00Celebrating and Anticipating our Baby GIRL<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;">My dear friends, Emily and Cara, hosted a baby shower for our little princess on Saturday, May 14.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was such a special celebration and I felt truly blessed to have such sweet friends take the time to shower our baby girl with lots of pink accessories!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCWpiq64FdfizvflgI_DuwoHvOszLrvMWYXK0ojBUjdE7tjFDliDkL2eDSFKEkEGZCgRKXI-nCgSWytAEPeu22409lsX5Siz_cXeRa4wKT2VWze_gMvLu2wBjao10u1ZHPR5AI2BOL20/s1600/Japan+2011+023r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKCWpiq64FdfizvflgI_DuwoHvOszLrvMWYXK0ojBUjdE7tjFDliDkL2eDSFKEkEGZCgRKXI-nCgSWytAEPeu22409lsX5Siz_cXeRa4wKT2VWze_gMvLu2wBjao10u1ZHPR5AI2BOL20/s400/Japan+2011+023r.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3ZA3ZWM_r_WMtmfsUtiUr_Efv9Np8Pc4AUcNyJJiAdu_eg7mdWK8YOoxfDi6Kbid4NjR-6DAsbn7hP_HG2gGyPkspcczvuAFk4vsX4avJiXxPPC8PV2GtMH-nyMBGxbw2Hm6ukhP2lE/s1600/Japan+2011+029rc.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjn3ZA3ZWM_r_WMtmfsUtiUr_Efv9Np8Pc4AUcNyJJiAdu_eg7mdWK8YOoxfDi6Kbid4NjR-6DAsbn7hP_HG2gGyPkspcczvuAFk4vsX4avJiXxPPC8PV2GtMH-nyMBGxbw2Hm6ukhP2lE/s400/Japan+2011+029rc.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My Diaper Cake</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLxHNwXyKxCQOcpDQV36o_SMuMUfEmmWNt_YckLQMNB1E4XTpnHBaku0f_LcD9BZFlcyTYp4wOJCPo0TLteHgzhueEPGoZCmbGFZEu9TuhSodOauAhaQA4ijZLmHsy8LaQ3saGnyd0Gxs/s1600/Japan+2011+033r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjLxHNwXyKxCQOcpDQV36o_SMuMUfEmmWNt_YckLQMNB1E4XTpnHBaku0f_LcD9BZFlcyTYp4wOJCPo0TLteHgzhueEPGoZCmbGFZEu9TuhSodOauAhaQA4ijZLmHsy8LaQ3saGnyd0Gxs/s400/Japan+2011+033r.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitunxuphmcFrbxMFOJL2cZ5Yaw4iAvsX1fn35g47aD4hHsZLtqu0ijY1cuouy8vq6c_HVp2XiE5PaxJttuQuRbTGRnin6NgCn1JYQdMrlMbyvfPClJwgGCOrKKA6xPFRMXnHCLvhn8t8o/s1600/Japan+2011+038r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEitunxuphmcFrbxMFOJL2cZ5Yaw4iAvsX1fn35g47aD4hHsZLtqu0ijY1cuouy8vq6c_HVp2XiE5PaxJttuQuRbTGRnin6NgCn1JYQdMrlMbyvfPClJwgGCOrKKA6xPFRMXnHCLvhn8t8o/s400/Japan+2011+038r.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GLLIcBvV77GoDhOz3I5Ru-btNSJ3JK3vBgYBn0Uyu9IrRPp-KsWQdojhYqj07QU8Rr0KmOauxlh4Z8ZOS9j4sRScPl39J57mteCSlYIyTpU3rz7xodiUXbsiiwqKP9BHn5ACIyBtli4/s1600/Japan+2011+044r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7GLLIcBvV77GoDhOz3I5Ru-btNSJ3JK3vBgYBn0Uyu9IrRPp-KsWQdojhYqj07QU8Rr0KmOauxlh4Z8ZOS9j4sRScPl39J57mteCSlYIyTpU3rz7xodiUXbsiiwqKP9BHn5ACIyBtli4/s400/Japan+2011+044r.jpg" width="267" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">They even had a Princess Tiara for me to wear during the celebration!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxlDQG9AgP0mXqf4sOaSD0P6iOCbA4uz_uBY3cz-BzLZo0qxabSZOHbimfOhsdhWqDuRT3C7ICqBPv07mBGB9gaAg081qO-7KGt7E6Lxzc0LwTZdesKSwSmAgqxRD3roi6s7qz7bIlgg/s1600/Japan+2011+045r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimxlDQG9AgP0mXqf4sOaSD0P6iOCbA4uz_uBY3cz-BzLZo0qxabSZOHbimfOhsdhWqDuRT3C7ICqBPv07mBGB9gaAg081qO-7KGt7E6Lxzc0LwTZdesKSwSmAgqxRD3roi6s7qz7bIlgg/s400/Japan+2011+045r.jpg" width="265" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfg6lY8wj0h-agS3Gw-fzfIjsFrHlr8rPX4VjaPFjwWMWo7bcwrn7jctWvsRhYxyFFo7p1vJ_t7oba4-bKJyLCO_hUnUV0VjACkShyvgNHRL3wUSywLdoGuLTCHQeXG6ypo7VVE2cVEvg/s1600/Japan+2011+046r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="253" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgfg6lY8wj0h-agS3Gw-fzfIjsFrHlr8rPX4VjaPFjwWMWo7bcwrn7jctWvsRhYxyFFo7p1vJ_t7oba4-bKJyLCO_hUnUV0VjACkShyvgNHRL3wUSywLdoGuLTCHQeXG6ypo7VVE2cVEvg/s400/Japan+2011+046r.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1U4ShxtSQnsaQjnilqpfXAZ9hQRj9P0544NBccDlMk-EyjxRHkctsFSQa5Hvzp1g8eQ3qS68s6oDHA1JSXGx2mOurSq_n928Zj7AR6-pYPBaFK9KnKHpBEmtHq4EcTdWjE8aw76Xqe40/s1600/Japan+2011+107r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1U4ShxtSQnsaQjnilqpfXAZ9hQRj9P0544NBccDlMk-EyjxRHkctsFSQa5Hvzp1g8eQ3qS68s6oDHA1JSXGx2mOurSq_n928Zj7AR6-pYPBaFK9KnKHpBEmtHq4EcTdWjE8aw76Xqe40/s400/Japan+2011+107r.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Since we're in Japan and Sushi is a big part of the Japanese culture, they made special dessert Sushi out of Fruit and called it -- "Frushi". It was delicious!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKujlaL7ghabMhvYqHlDGH9kS6XNUwbtzSuwiQQ2Jww9fmSiV4GiiBLlJ4h4gmwn78kptMDYi0tArxQacZV5ycZEYlNJVzvd3XXakoVAHWWVtsMk414C6gQX391b9pHLr0L5MPf97pGQ/s1600/Japan+2011+109r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuKujlaL7ghabMhvYqHlDGH9kS6XNUwbtzSuwiQQ2Jww9fmSiV4GiiBLlJ4h4gmwn78kptMDYi0tArxQacZV5ycZEYlNJVzvd3XXakoVAHWWVtsMk414C6gQX391b9pHLr0L5MPf97pGQ/s400/Japan+2011+109r.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUS3uXNPk7qVuI9h-DOLdR4B9_Mo__Lf7ytfyDJiRPoUtZH8Lr6kiFn1zvk7rE5K_sK3I1C0RQVzNIaDM_i9yq1A_xCCpgghnhp5xHqYM-0Z3EI0nxvGzZdGl32m66jUF5u0pWQzAmGk/s1600/Japan+2011+123r.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="293" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgaUS3uXNPk7qVuI9h-DOLdR4B9_Mo__Lf7ytfyDJiRPoUtZH8Lr6kiFn1zvk7rE5K_sK3I1C0RQVzNIaDM_i9yq1A_xCCpgghnhp5xHqYM-0Z3EI0nxvGzZdGl32m66jUF5u0pWQzAmGk/s400/Japan+2011+123r.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">With the wonderful hostesses, Emily and Cara</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin: 0in 0in 0pt;"><br />
</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-73477977306856310902011-08-08T15:04:00.000+09:002011-08-08T15:04:16.615+09:00Shopping Made Fun!They have shopping carts/strollers at the Japanese malls that are free to borrow while you are there (if you can find an empty one). Matthew loves to ride in them and it makes my shopping trips so much easier! Here's a picture of Matthew and his friend, Ellen, during one of our April outings.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtTAWlwJ4Jq2b_ft6nUipF8p65Sach0-5Lg62Rg0vycmno4T8SZgDoEfrMuZIQS9yF-1L0lv4Z5cQ7iS6AbvTja75mo4uqHWpntojmpwPOFkC3efuMw2Gikn6fC-M3hsIXJ3PpdTYjlY/s1600/IMG_0349.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjgtTAWlwJ4Jq2b_ft6nUipF8p65Sach0-5Lg62Rg0vycmno4T8SZgDoEfrMuZIQS9yF-1L0lv4Z5cQ7iS6AbvTja75mo4uqHWpntojmpwPOFkC3efuMw2Gikn6fC-M3hsIXJ3PpdTYjlY/s400/IMG_0349.JPG" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Ryan took Matthew to dinner at Chili's on base one night while I spent some time with my girlfriends. Of course, this is what they decided to eat for dessert! <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BFff8_5fLqa38u_7WGL-mnUMQLE6nRgXLf-dlPTGhGA2GUZ00zHeb8rhyphenhypheno_4sSZEUkxFqTTKh3vEoZBbCp6Jupn-Sl-QVv8DGVxPRdZFtXeb-ow_QQAw0Vm2gRIqUNClj8cnQrRxrfE/s1600/IMG_0655.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" naa="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg5BFff8_5fLqa38u_7WGL-mnUMQLE6nRgXLf-dlPTGhGA2GUZ00zHeb8rhyphenhypheno_4sSZEUkxFqTTKh3vEoZBbCp6Jupn-Sl-QVv8DGVxPRdZFtXeb-ow_QQAw0Vm2gRIqUNClj8cnQrRxrfE/s400/IMG_0655.JPG" width="400" /></a></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-27386259357182995022011-08-07T23:28:00.000+09:002011-08-07T23:28:16.036+09:00Cherry Blossoms - April 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The Cherry Blossom trees here in Japan are spectacular. We took some pictures of the ones on base, but we were really amazed at their beauty during a day trip to Showa Park on April 9, 2011. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here are the pictures we took at Showa Park.</div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeA4hz9smMjz-9_WOFbR8lJyu7A80f7Lf_hAz3QQ-cE_UQfrYtRbePJ-qABtQ-lC-k0iNpgokc_o6T_1t_Tm2SLAneQpB09b_ldNkjXYPSsQxw5JPC40OMVO9_CiMSr1bUr9cCNrSFzuQ/s1600/100_3713.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeA4hz9smMjz-9_WOFbR8lJyu7A80f7Lf_hAz3QQ-cE_UQfrYtRbePJ-qABtQ-lC-k0iNpgokc_o6T_1t_Tm2SLAneQpB09b_ldNkjXYPSsQxw5JPC40OMVO9_CiMSr1bUr9cCNrSFzuQ/s400/100_3713.JPG" t$="true" width="300" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge059pCfw-tR61FoJ2uURatJrY_LZFAxZk1rP_s1OSCNPvpk85tM7wPRv_i5ftQTRDXEL4UkKLK03UjVYxG0zgBvbi-OMqXL-AOYSbRK5p2r_9In1c8TIKhYaQptjldhaCRPwmlVsNSKo/s1600/100_3725.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEge059pCfw-tR61FoJ2uURatJrY_LZFAxZk1rP_s1OSCNPvpk85tM7wPRv_i5ftQTRDXEL4UkKLK03UjVYxG0zgBvbi-OMqXL-AOYSbRK5p2r_9In1c8TIKhYaQptjldhaCRPwmlVsNSKo/s400/100_3725.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnTXWsQo8MuJUdHQvZMyyU0teBtnknR7Uh2V-KrJQyPwEKNknvEFlJpSQ0xNON8b5WR25CIVJqnF2QzGAwSHAGMeyBiHZ_3atRpGbXQOiXyyjc8pZ2BOZmHiYBfnTl1aHVsmaCzgoV5g/s1600/100_3726.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgbnTXWsQo8MuJUdHQvZMyyU0teBtnknR7Uh2V-KrJQyPwEKNknvEFlJpSQ0xNON8b5WR25CIVJqnF2QzGAwSHAGMeyBiHZ_3atRpGbXQOiXyyjc8pZ2BOZmHiYBfnTl1aHVsmaCzgoV5g/s400/100_3726.JPG" t$="true" width="300" /></a></div><div align="left"></div><div align="left">And here are the ones we took outside of our Tower apartment building on base.</div><div align="left"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuhkeAyCFUlmQFDT9e-dSIoVesL1GY_YeJ3n5hsps90k5pQi9LJf6a2JsahBQMH9iQWzMJDrIUBAsf_PijE4zmtiwN_F2l5KbgadewYRHzBGOmCms4KeuVqB4FlW5WuBgkl_DJ2SHCX0/s1600/IMG_0309.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhPuhkeAyCFUlmQFDT9e-dSIoVesL1GY_YeJ3n5hsps90k5pQi9LJf6a2JsahBQMH9iQWzMJDrIUBAsf_PijE4zmtiwN_F2l5KbgadewYRHzBGOmCms4KeuVqB4FlW5WuBgkl_DJ2SHCX0/s400/IMG_0309.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeaC1A-453nv5QzPZ8DDDvNGBLYpJy22bGTdC8Ua0IBUJ3VwbuFOo3pqK1bdKGqgpCNomwsH49xl-CtfSb9lMdwp1G5SyAp7kd2Mfsu-4Ni69PlH7ntHb8KksthTDyFNcYx9DP_21qh9A/s1600/IMG_0311.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeaC1A-453nv5QzPZ8DDDvNGBLYpJy22bGTdC8Ua0IBUJ3VwbuFOo3pqK1bdKGqgpCNomwsH49xl-CtfSb9lMdwp1G5SyAp7kd2Mfsu-4Ni69PlH7ntHb8KksthTDyFNcYx9DP_21qh9A/s400/IMG_0311.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44AmXynUOxF_VZhAUbzzPQ85Kyhfl_QV5R8WF7uXyQYgta7fF36lVOWvQtTuHXd-0SslNBRRAMbh56eVhIcGllC9yDtnhba9TkMWmNYug8zjy8ncJYX8J3nYDO4-HuBs6W_Rwn_JjosQ/s1600/IMG_0312.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj44AmXynUOxF_VZhAUbzzPQ85Kyhfl_QV5R8WF7uXyQYgta7fF36lVOWvQtTuHXd-0SslNBRRAMbh56eVhIcGllC9yDtnhba9TkMWmNYug8zjy8ncJYX8J3nYDO4-HuBs6W_Rwn_JjosQ/s400/IMG_0312.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0BI3C4yXSjE0Hdo5vZMt3m8cLkMd6I2UG2oQeR44UFsucaEA2ZVrIIXBhFbAKyL5CulvZF_waa3m-YGLwj4aVmBEl7uTmbvBO5Zm2RtdTdudVT7Sf7bbnRBsQUbqc-N9sD0zdhs-ysY/s1600/IMG_0313.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK0BI3C4yXSjE0Hdo5vZMt3m8cLkMd6I2UG2oQeR44UFsucaEA2ZVrIIXBhFbAKyL5CulvZF_waa3m-YGLwj4aVmBEl7uTmbvBO5Zm2RtdTdudVT7Sf7bbnRBsQUbqc-N9sD0zdhs-ysY/s400/IMG_0313.JPG" t$="true" width="298" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyo592MpeX1B6N3Rc7SiMlY0Janvpyt0v5GzN8Wn1K0PKRpEgyS-IsuBR0mhUzk4hLjjMC-iv3mKIrwbexhW3kbcQeffVN1pLzJmqjvurY2YlffY-BklHwpMp2kofnW6-kqsCL3OOOQ0M/s1600/IMG_0314.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhyo592MpeX1B6N3Rc7SiMlY0Janvpyt0v5GzN8Wn1K0PKRpEgyS-IsuBR0mhUzk4hLjjMC-iv3mKIrwbexhW3kbcQeffVN1pLzJmqjvurY2YlffY-BklHwpMp2kofnW6-kqsCL3OOOQ0M/s400/IMG_0314.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div align="left"></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-74407235801965691502011-08-07T23:01:00.000+09:002011-08-07T23:01:09.052+09:00Grocery Shopping and Ice CreamOn February 21, 2001, Ryan and Matthew took a detour from the grocery store and left me to finish the shopping. When I met back up with them I discovered that Matthew had a new love for ice cream! It was such a mess, but they were having so much fun that I had to take a picture! I love my boys!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPfLfuoOO7aehdHyDE4zrE38m5ELbxeEPoq6-m1L142_65oYSbZUWmkwbqDjLVp1hRwboJkupskmkUriavWv55kjYacsssPndOo58wYXKOH2qsvcBuChgF9t2irp5qtwQ1Q3OIS-hwJ4/s1600/IMG_0423.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiPfLfuoOO7aehdHyDE4zrE38m5ELbxeEPoq6-m1L142_65oYSbZUWmkwbqDjLVp1hRwboJkupskmkUriavWv55kjYacsssPndOo58wYXKOH2qsvcBuChgF9t2irp5qtwQ1Q3OIS-hwJ4/s400/IMG_0423.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-13138604471111306002011-08-07T22:56:00.000+09:002011-08-07T22:56:19.695+09:00A Guam sunsetWe took an amazing family vacation to Guam at the end of February. I was 26 weeks pregnant, so it was really nice to get away and just relax as a family together. Guam is really beautiful and I can't believe how crystal clear the water is -- the pictures don't do it justice. My favorite thing about Guam was the sunset. It was breathtaking. We spent 5 nights and 6 days there and it was just what we needed. Matthew did great on the flight from Japan to Guam, and the time difference was only one hour for us, so the adjustment was easy. We stayed at the Westin on the beach and we were fortunate enough to be upgraded to a suite on the top floor because they had booked out our room. We had a great view of the ocean and island and the weather was perfect all week. There isn't much to do in Guam, so it really forced us to just relax. We did enjoy dinner at California Pizza Kitchen and Outback Steakhouse while we were there -- a pregnant lady's dream after being in Japan! <br />
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Our week was spent playing in the pool and in the ocean with Matthew, walking "downtown" to window shop after dinner, and catching up on sleep. It was the perfect vacation for us before we prepared to welcome our sweet princess in June! <br />
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While we were in Guam, we bought Matthew his first pair of Crocs shoes. The funny thing was that he loved them and wouldn't take them off. He wore them in the pool, the ocean and any other time we were "out" doing something. It was really cute!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaMdROrMxDeDwEaRYy9zNDKqjvETgYNxy7-lKfNsHVeUjsYF4g7gkV1TaWDkwIr_sWZ9hyTIUnbvq8FT8dYzpOWPiQ-4zjesgp-QY8rmLuPM3FlAqzC3eZV32SUsCCyzuMj5Qm_WgY7A/s1600/IMG_0215.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLaMdROrMxDeDwEaRYy9zNDKqjvETgYNxy7-lKfNsHVeUjsYF4g7gkV1TaWDkwIr_sWZ9hyTIUnbvq8FT8dYzpOWPiQ-4zjesgp-QY8rmLuPM3FlAqzC3eZV32SUsCCyzuMj5Qm_WgY7A/s400/IMG_0215.JPG" t$="true" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Riding the shuttle from Yokota Air Base to the Narita International Airport in Tokyo.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncF3-wynoSZ0_7bK9HNpSh33cGxKlwi4BIITX4HLrasvZMhDRW7Fqr6OBDo11zPJVll7HHVDM8I59MaUMaIDzKPVxbptGnUtnRwS_AXqk-lNsp-vLWYpgFnXvt6PB5lxmTVXec-oLaNY/s1600/IMG_0214.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgncF3-wynoSZ0_7bK9HNpSh33cGxKlwi4BIITX4HLrasvZMhDRW7Fqr6OBDo11zPJVll7HHVDM8I59MaUMaIDzKPVxbptGnUtnRwS_AXqk-lNsp-vLWYpgFnXvt6PB5lxmTVXec-oLaNY/s400/IMG_0214.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Driving through downtown Tokyo</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZdNb-dUTnOtvW6-OcUMVi0oA3UCTIuH6aFUEh05XeX6pkj4ibaNjNqU-SlMCsJO-HFIR6ggA8FFBMXGDxbPktcasf-VeTqpw2js1anIs6j5WbCbQRztCCzjeJTDQDD37alVot8VIh2E/s1600/IMG_0431.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyZdNb-dUTnOtvW6-OcUMVi0oA3UCTIuH6aFUEh05XeX6pkj4ibaNjNqU-SlMCsJO-HFIR6ggA8FFBMXGDxbPktcasf-VeTqpw2js1anIs6j5WbCbQRztCCzjeJTDQDD37alVot8VIh2E/s400/IMG_0431.JPG" t$="true" width="298" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew having a snack while we wait to board the plane to Guam.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Oa2Ymb8n41F7Y0rivUZJ_5Ne3efFutkXNRzsMw_ABRZZh1nUGcmv-krIg9CWiCKwV8ExTBfz7OjH0UXtdO2qDyeYoSav81lEyjssCryptOJsL7HrwvDFihTyhyphenhyphene0Rd2gCxW1AGfN300/s1600/100_3641.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg_Oa2Ymb8n41F7Y0rivUZJ_5Ne3efFutkXNRzsMw_ABRZZh1nUGcmv-krIg9CWiCKwV8ExTBfz7OjH0UXtdO2qDyeYoSav81lEyjssCryptOJsL7HrwvDFihTyhyphenhyphene0Rd2gCxW1AGfN300/s400/100_3641.JPG" t$="true" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Westin Resort in Guam</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLR6Dw6VXAVoExBy7lq_d90wjE583zlPduYHO7LQEezJsECgCnuOjphC_ABtwrCPzhjfvqBF-90jcjHZ9dq6sOGzAGGBqJX8rNKidkYPuihO3EC_EbTQflqCdiI9SwJS5mdpUN9nEeITM/s1600/100_3692.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLR6Dw6VXAVoExBy7lq_d90wjE583zlPduYHO7LQEezJsECgCnuOjphC_ABtwrCPzhjfvqBF-90jcjHZ9dq6sOGzAGGBqJX8rNKidkYPuihO3EC_EbTQflqCdiI9SwJS5mdpUN9nEeITM/s400/100_3692.JPG" t$="true" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our view from our room</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIafRoGOUnwapIjZN62ITnuR9377ha9_L7NrCuKjM-mvHlogKN-BKIoklSrNfeAaNny98jBrnuJoZ4gbjQqISY_sQb6VmEQoxlwQ_Dm64QvvPqxI4X15nwkVVwU5wrEERIxOuD6ARKWc/s1600/IMG_0364.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="298" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgXIafRoGOUnwapIjZN62ITnuR9377ha9_L7NrCuKjM-mvHlogKN-BKIoklSrNfeAaNny98jBrnuJoZ4gbjQqISY_sQb6VmEQoxlwQ_Dm64QvvPqxI4X15nwkVVwU5wrEERIxOuD6ARKWc/s400/IMG_0364.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">View from the Westin</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMIpIUJzaHJIb1EAY38GgAFWz1Nn5PpRmgTb6_UZG668ICVPs75Phbtgq3MbboHgIWBpBGjM2UeMxT4n3k_L6qFT0R79b0Df4enbq95HHreL5WbIjIHdZ2S_xysYn2UwYUOm9Ww4TH18/s1600/100_3615.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiVMIpIUJzaHJIb1EAY38GgAFWz1Nn5PpRmgTb6_UZG668ICVPs75Phbtgq3MbboHgIWBpBGjM2UeMxT4n3k_L6qFT0R79b0Df4enbq95HHreL5WbIjIHdZ2S_xysYn2UwYUOm9Ww4TH18/s400/100_3615.JPG" t$="true" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ryan and Matthew playing in the ocean</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNiTX3lTsXTwT2ZYh8fZug6PuVXGGJEtuzJdcfOx2VutF-xO_ac18N1oiIQAwh89Q3AB2vRP8dqgd30V4So1YZ3Ny3cubmEC9-cXONWSs8HSeA6xqEEOTFq_S1m1BUkq96hX7BVKztNM/s1600/100_3640.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQNiTX3lTsXTwT2ZYh8fZug6PuVXGGJEtuzJdcfOx2VutF-xO_ac18N1oiIQAwh89Q3AB2vRP8dqgd30V4So1YZ3Ny3cubmEC9-cXONWSs8HSeA6xqEEOTFq_S1m1BUkq96hX7BVKztNM/s400/100_3640.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Mommy and Matthew</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWegrRCh0ZkYN62Q-dxtfyhK_Cq6erWGxSnpLEYHjctAF-cKSYwOXpEA7Hq39Z-FVtb-0ezo66GmNnJ1mx-TwuCMeE6vGVrME7lryoJ9X1MMYOE8A1E2syh77_mvNcqjlt9Cgo2QaqFU/s1600/100_3648.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxWegrRCh0ZkYN62Q-dxtfyhK_Cq6erWGxSnpLEYHjctAF-cKSYwOXpEA7Hq39Z-FVtb-0ezo66GmNnJ1mx-TwuCMeE6vGVrME7lryoJ9X1MMYOE8A1E2syh77_mvNcqjlt9Cgo2QaqFU/s400/100_3648.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Matthew loved watching all the airplanes fly over heading towards the Air Force Base.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDklCIT0_ZjiKxMHmzqbltGYVrUEHu88tzdPW6gsJSJN4GEZLqRrHwNQkSTIJAgP606TD4fnsFrXWq0XwtONvMIi6hm46XPj1ABfu0VT-vWius3jbU4Z9oexTdWATThEQjXztfMxNWfzY/s1600/100_3677.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDklCIT0_ZjiKxMHmzqbltGYVrUEHu88tzdPW6gsJSJN4GEZLqRrHwNQkSTIJAgP606TD4fnsFrXWq0XwtONvMIi6hm46XPj1ABfu0VT-vWius3jbU4Z9oexTdWATThEQjXztfMxNWfzY/s400/100_3677.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiN-OeS6FfAMf9OmKFbIqYnglQY9NSZPHgtxW3HwCDruF6WS_GxBRiv-VS-44lNZeOj0aSr9h5KWa_l90LFsdzxdJUZXVuEA_4CWHZmq13tMguEYtvP9jxsYrZbgxgZ9cwId5hjuL0uoo/s1600/100_3681.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhiN-OeS6FfAMf9OmKFbIqYnglQY9NSZPHgtxW3HwCDruF6WS_GxBRiv-VS-44lNZeOj0aSr9h5KWa_l90LFsdzxdJUZXVuEA_4CWHZmq13tMguEYtvP9jxsYrZbgxgZ9cwId5hjuL0uoo/s400/100_3681.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-71089721674700261712011-08-04T23:13:00.000+09:002011-08-04T23:13:12.351+09:00Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!!We had an unusually heavy snow fall on Yokota at the beginning of February. It was beautiful and I've never seen such large snowflakes. Matthew loved playing in it with is friends, but I was happy to see it melt by the afternoon. The best of both worlds!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02BxNy6YDULjCDM2jzGuMAb4pApHIsy1BY5Ba2dA4mYaXGHhTrUx0dFqOSATiyTyj5h9sflCyLbRB8SF1M58IWGfOZ_uQL-X_VqWltV_9w5SQXL3n8YpPCRlCTCTR7eqhVhU6ullfMeo/s1600/100_3573.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh02BxNy6YDULjCDM2jzGuMAb4pApHIsy1BY5Ba2dA4mYaXGHhTrUx0dFqOSATiyTyj5h9sflCyLbRB8SF1M58IWGfOZ_uQL-X_VqWltV_9w5SQXL3n8YpPCRlCTCTR7eqhVhU6ullfMeo/s400/100_3573.JPG" t$="true" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWBigRXzDpYKGMF_fzcPp4E9vrDAC6ly7v21lu5XRLojjrTYVQ609JgVJ7QOQUyhzzMx4WXrU4JbT6dnMA_nPVfRuFKWr5nPeNPz5lwTMUZdK1Pzl2Wx7SetULahpB-Ev3BEm7JojxmM/s1600/100_3578.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHWBigRXzDpYKGMF_fzcPp4E9vrDAC6ly7v21lu5XRLojjrTYVQ609JgVJ7QOQUyhzzMx4WXrU4JbT6dnMA_nPVfRuFKWr5nPeNPz5lwTMUZdK1Pzl2Wx7SetULahpB-Ev3BEm7JojxmM/s400/100_3578.JPG" t$="true" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPw23Lb6pVcDVci2RVvz0SnzhgjmLxpO_WZXIX3UXP-aRRKzNx7tGf1QxYgQD3CeVbq6bYb5Uxh7lWGCaqGgtosWMdy1s1Ygfjzp_-feZSpMu1_VyiczDAWLpk2QUqUMfGMyWmL5OO3g/s1600/100_3581.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinPw23Lb6pVcDVci2RVvz0SnzhgjmLxpO_WZXIX3UXP-aRRKzNx7tGf1QxYgQD3CeVbq6bYb5Uxh7lWGCaqGgtosWMdy1s1Ygfjzp_-feZSpMu1_VyiczDAWLpk2QUqUMfGMyWmL5OO3g/s400/100_3581.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFx1I6dn4OxjS-2MEu03AQm-EkW1diaWWH69ItCFPJEsvhK3UZrV44XqyRuhIZr_z6LNrN7We2RoXNPgvGIEZq-EASAVDVfm1xHhdZlTkaJXJqYOPAZYt7IUltx4cAAy8pS6_4FpFp48/s1600/100_3586.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDFx1I6dn4OxjS-2MEu03AQm-EkW1diaWWH69ItCFPJEsvhK3UZrV44XqyRuhIZr_z6LNrN7We2RoXNPgvGIEZq-EASAVDVfm1xHhdZlTkaJXJqYOPAZYt7IUltx4cAAy8pS6_4FpFp48/s400/100_3586.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Oh, and this is the heart shaped coconut cake I made for Ryan for Valentine's Day! It was DELICIOUS!!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpelZeNqeF8i5QjbQ9LBG0JXm2DTcvQ3xqT0T1bDtuw3l67KcyytTiv14MMWIHvvXPR3bUGhKlVGIPqueWF16HSDf4PJujOHAZ2PuPFvEmVN6iV3pZi0MHKrVnyXhbLKLsMhyEvzM5nvo/s1600/100_3593.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgpelZeNqeF8i5QjbQ9LBG0JXm2DTcvQ3xqT0T1bDtuw3l67KcyytTiv14MMWIHvvXPR3bUGhKlVGIPqueWF16HSDf4PJujOHAZ2PuPFvEmVN6iV3pZi0MHKrVnyXhbLKLsMhyEvzM5nvo/s400/100_3593.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-15329671329388085452011-08-04T23:02:00.001+09:002011-08-04T23:06:44.805+09:00Home Sweet HomeI realized that I haven't yet blogged about the base and what it looks like here. Some things on base look just like they would in the US. Other things are completely different -- not to mention that we drive on the opposite side of the road and our steering wheel is on the right side of the car, not the left. Matthew and I spent a Saturday morning driving around the base taking pictures so you could see our home here. Hope you enjoy a sneak peek at where we live...to see all the cool stuff, you'll just have to come visit! :)<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeacUUM2tQlpETrZ7tdxxZXvaWmpZgBraXisU13NVIu330nR1CYZmVM1oK4MDfvq6A5wfB7SgZtzqwCNg2xmdR9VygEKkR-4sEQmUYbaoQRROJ-IPT_iTEHx0NBfFV5i3hIsJSJxixBKU/s1600/100_3550.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeacUUM2tQlpETrZ7tdxxZXvaWmpZgBraXisU13NVIu330nR1CYZmVM1oK4MDfvq6A5wfB7SgZtzqwCNg2xmdR9VygEKkR-4sEQmUYbaoQRROJ-IPT_iTEHx0NBfFV5i3hIsJSJxixBKU/s400/100_3550.JPG" t$="true" width="300" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our tower apartment building. We live on the 8th floor.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5BkyIyDMkdw097Dk1VfaDM2z2afkdLM_1HMs9DRZblGmG0O5DZUOuA0Ra1u9qsRQvFAU5cFrGjxtmFoIKQJ-hR1qqZle0gHGW3Gu2jW9epbBhUAQU8V5C7EC_2JLC0HgPp6DpndIDRc/s1600/100_3552.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiM5BkyIyDMkdw097Dk1VfaDM2z2afkdLM_1HMs9DRZblGmG0O5DZUOuA0Ra1u9qsRQvFAU5cFrGjxtmFoIKQJ-hR1qqZle0gHGW3Gu2jW9epbBhUAQU8V5C7EC_2JLC0HgPp6DpndIDRc/s400/100_3552.JPG" t$="true" width="300" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUcU6bCJqhWAZvS0tMo5RQHJFIiAJzOk-KIkfnkA6OJH-j0Rhr0VgBJz-7Mq-LlBS4N9R5g5gypjo6gUX-My7P6Wdjm5lUHU3Wpu-ihyphenhyphenIeo8PGvBa66HX0DGNhfdlvMC8FLX-fO1s0pE/s1600/100_3555.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCUcU6bCJqhWAZvS0tMo5RQHJFIiAJzOk-KIkfnkA6OJH-j0Rhr0VgBJz-7Mq-LlBS4N9R5g5gypjo6gUX-My7P6Wdjm5lUHU3Wpu-ihyphenhyphenIeo8PGvBa66HX0DGNhfdlvMC8FLX-fO1s0pE/s400/100_3555.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">My beautiful 1995 Honda Odyssey. Notice where the steering wheel is located. :)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYVjNSsB-yij-9f9RF95lkaKVpYcJ-1ZNkEoN5aCDRKrG3pBrAv7pIase7-eKznDNDiGE4KlMVUrA6RxWBoDmhaY8A9SzajTo1mff4F43ZnYC1BFs32GJZ8ZTAXqLiJgrtx0py6TImDM/s1600/100_3556.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEYVjNSsB-yij-9f9RF95lkaKVpYcJ-1ZNkEoN5aCDRKrG3pBrAv7pIase7-eKznDNDiGE4KlMVUrA6RxWBoDmhaY8A9SzajTo1mff4F43ZnYC1BFs32GJZ8ZTAXqLiJgrtx0py6TImDM/s400/100_3556.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The base Chapel</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9dyCyO7dH0-TWakZVmtq8X_nYEiQfr9SKeOlpVXVgKjt0W2xeIbt-T79mwWKvXnwxRpw-SY5ph8Mjgv9FsQid4sCy_is-9AuYSxD36iV0K8UFW98iIqt4iJzQgJLietMysnkZNdLpSU/s1600/100_3558.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgj9dyCyO7dH0-TWakZVmtq8X_nYEiQfr9SKeOlpVXVgKjt0W2xeIbt-T79mwWKvXnwxRpw-SY5ph8Mjgv9FsQid4sCy_is-9AuYSxD36iV0K8UFW98iIqt4iJzQgJLietMysnkZNdLpSU/s400/100_3558.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Kanto Lodge (AKA - the base hotel)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivl0C2pEZOtLlZk9NAfqz-ZSuuX5hxUBDt0w_cHjD8lnfLDbR0LXg8oIYniSPUlq4VIHlJWELfxZOYXYOblNV5kKENnrFAjcyhwf4BKP0HdLLm-RaMhw4Ap6N849bQC5JorAmkb8O5khM/s1600/100_3559.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEivl0C2pEZOtLlZk9NAfqz-ZSuuX5hxUBDt0w_cHjD8lnfLDbR0LXg8oIYniSPUlq4VIHlJWELfxZOYXYOblNV5kKENnrFAjcyhwf4BKP0HdLLm-RaMhw4Ap6N849bQC5JorAmkb8O5khM/s400/100_3559.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Random view of driving through the base on one of the main roads.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD32AAkYZafjRKHYuCuI7H-k_cUV5kcvQ0npI0iywzFicE-Phoj3MteYYofzpRPHp146-aQ3FwnZICroHtlBeaadEeECEEMWfLmtmB9mi4NMgxc6_5KnlACRgyez7spmzW64mxx80-_l0/s1600/100_3560.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgD32AAkYZafjRKHYuCuI7H-k_cUV5kcvQ0npI0iywzFicE-Phoj3MteYYofzpRPHp146-aQ3FwnZICroHtlBeaadEeECEEMWfLmtmB9mi4NMgxc6_5KnlACRgyez7spmzW64mxx80-_l0/s400/100_3560.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Yes, we have a Chili's. It helps satisfy those American food cravings. But, sadly, the food isn't that great.</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPJr-5_XF-fL4uCG1TuBdF_FtveKfJ58I5K7fIx1uttwdtx-HhzMEfo2d1_YFV8-vlh7SR6cwmTDsbM_1Ly8DWXyA2Ib7cSw38he1qehcCexMtHbN2Le0JMces1adF1-3PdB38ua8ZSc/s1600/100_3562.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjvPJr-5_XF-fL4uCG1TuBdF_FtveKfJ58I5K7fIx1uttwdtx-HhzMEfo2d1_YFV8-vlh7SR6cwmTDsbM_1Ly8DWXyA2Ib7cSw38he1qehcCexMtHbN2Le0JMces1adF1-3PdB38ua8ZSc/s400/100_3562.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ryan's hilarious car (yep, it came without hubcaps!). Matthew can pick it out of the parking lot and looks for it every time we're out driving around!</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWg_yxhJ7kn3Pxknug9O5WcLTa8rP5fYgGiBUXhewPJNhac2az-9V-CINZIz5T2b6JE6zqj-0zZodxP1kK7SnOlk4bVdtaYxKmpZWbqyKMz_Q6x-kA2MIB62FqdX-FTz58O1T5pJHGKoo/s1600/100_3571.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWg_yxhJ7kn3Pxknug9O5WcLTa8rP5fYgGiBUXhewPJNhac2az-9V-CINZIz5T2b6JE6zqj-0zZodxP1kK7SnOlk4bVdtaYxKmpZWbqyKMz_Q6x-kA2MIB62FqdX-FTz58O1T5pJHGKoo/s400/100_3571.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The base Post Office</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DElh2y8FnYFy8FRe-ynZorO3MDMsKjMOQXiNXfogmoONQaVOrBpN03wMBXFsJIo8hefZJqJv_jRgMLNQwULMKf46lJOfrfJsAyR0awJkxQDuCZxAQdqe7T0L2eTgy5mHZd-1QPtKykM/s1600/100_3572.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2DElh2y8FnYFy8FRe-ynZorO3MDMsKjMOQXiNXfogmoONQaVOrBpN03wMBXFsJIo8hefZJqJv_jRgMLNQwULMKf46lJOfrfJsAyR0awJkxQDuCZxAQdqe7T0L2eTgy5mHZd-1QPtKykM/s400/100_3572.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The YCC (it houses the Commissary, BX, Food Court, Dry Cleaning, Military Clothing, Beauty Salon and various shops that sell Japanese items)</div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93bIstakH-HLI9VWb63D-jNTzaEZqpYFhIrBCJ5bHDZ_Opjyjv59OvLHRioFWh6txJW0Mh6tY8sQpoXzmVgp8CizSAtkaFmQxEcjaV_MUNW9dtRGVMrphEsR3LEM-ltiU2gHGnprjjLY/s1600/100_3566.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi93bIstakH-HLI9VWb63D-jNTzaEZqpYFhIrBCJ5bHDZ_Opjyjv59OvLHRioFWh6txJW0Mh6tY8sQpoXzmVgp8CizSAtkaFmQxEcjaV_MUNW9dtRGVMrphEsR3LEM-ltiU2gHGnprjjLY/s400/100_3566.JPG" t$="true" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Ryan's Squadron -- the 36th Airlift Squadron</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1641878207144887032.post-76244644093015644552011-08-04T22:55:00.000+09:002011-08-04T22:55:46.807+09:00Matthew loves trains! Choo-Choo!Matthew loves trains. He's obsessed with Thomas the Train and all of his friends -- Percy, James, Toby, Edward, etc. Our sweet boy can't get enough of anything trains. So, we decided one very cold Saturday in January that we would venture out and take Matthew to the local train museum in Ome (about a 15 minute drive from the base). They have a wonderful indoor display of model sized trains with a huge train set in the middle. There is even a "conductor" that comes in to run the trains for the kids and they love it! Outside is where all the life sized trains are displayed, along with some very fun (and cheesy) train rides. Matthew had a wonderful time exploring and playing. Sadly, we had to cut the day short to go home because it was just too cold. I'm sure we'll go again...his love for trains really is adorable!<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Hungry? Need a snack? No problem. Here's a vending machine at the Train Museum that serves hot meals! No kidding -- I can't even begin to tell you how many vending machines there are in Japan. It's crazy, but at least you never have to worry about finding something to eat or drink!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcMn9Bgv9vb_VPxyRptlqsb782X5BSXJfQDgWD6MF5N4QyUteweakCoEl5StCk3k1C_FdDzKEXa-n2MVC8eJDQVxSgqdcNS3bzADkoB3ltKVRtu-MOPl8LohBHikIU09bpxpx9lIXGG4/s1600/100_3541.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiqcMn9Bgv9vb_VPxyRptlqsb782X5BSXJfQDgWD6MF5N4QyUteweakCoEl5StCk3k1C_FdDzKEXa-n2MVC8eJDQVxSgqdcNS3bzADkoB3ltKVRtu-MOPl8LohBHikIU09bpxpx9lIXGG4/s400/100_3541.JPG" t$="true" width="300" /></a></div><div align="center"></div>Laurahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09595337922393089706noreply@blogger.com1