Miranda's First Steps



Miranda's standing solo on Okuma beach in Okinawa. She took her first few steps to Daddy while we vacationed!

Happy Halloween

This year Halloween was special because 1) it was Miranda's first Halloween, and 2) we celebrated while vacationing on the island of Okinawa, Japan. Miranda was an adorable fluffy duck and Sydney was a beautiful fairy princess.

We went trick-or-treating on the base and Sydney had a great time collecting candy, even though I forgot to pack her pumpkin! Nothing a trip to the Navy Exchange store couldn't fix...we found a fairy gift bag with more than enough room for her loot. Surprisingly Sydney didn't insist on eating all the candy in one sitting that night!

Equally surpising was how many people offerred candy to Miranda even as she sat in her stroller. Guess they don't follow the "no walking yet, no candy yet" rule.

Sydney is 3!

Sydney had a great birthday month! We celebrated early in October with her Ariel birthday party. Then she had a special birthday lunch and cupcake party at her preschool. And then we spent her actual birthday at the beach in Okinawa. Not too shabby: three great celebrations for our favorite three-year-old!

Mikan Picking

"Want one?"

"It's a little sour."

"Hmm, let me try."

"Seem fine to me...let me use the scissors myself and I'll fill our basket."

Not Just Another "H" Temple in Kamakura

Brian and I spent a Saturday together without the girls recently. We set out with a plan to visit a popular bamboo garden at a temple in Kamakura. It was quicker, quieter and easier without kids--obviously. But it wouldn't be an adventure in Japan without a little uncertainty and diversion along the way.

Despite the typical directional snafus during our travels, I remain eternally hopeful regarding the use of a map to navigate Japan. But after countless previous trips to Kamakura, still, I left home without one this day.

Three "H" temples, a friendly face, and a 30-minute walk later, we finally entered the correct "H" temple--Hokokuji Temple.




We walked the stepping stone path (first photo, above) through the impressive bamboo garden, enjoying a spot of o-cha along the way at this quaint temple teahouse--somewhat of a Zen finale for our misadventure.

Truthfully, we really only mistook one other "H" temple for the one in which we'd find the bamboo garden, but we passed at least three "H" temples or shrines. This photo (left) shows the walking path through the Hokaiji Temple. Hokokuji, Hokaiji, Hachimangu--after two years, just when I had begun to think all temples were starting to look and sound alike, maybe karma intervened.

The "H" temple we visited by mistake in pursuit of the bamboo garden led us to a cemetary--not a thirst-quenching, heart-warming teahouse enveloped by living, green bamboo.


Maybe that'll teach us to notice and appreciate significant differences among temples in the future.

Bazaar Behavior

I never thought so before, but maybe we Americans are a little bizarre in that we take our two-day bi-annual bazaar shopping very seriously.


This bazaar Saturday, I rode my bike to base by 8:40am to queue for the first look at any antique furniture. I didn't find what I was looking for (a tea tansu), so I methodically--and within one hour--wound my way around the five parking-garage floors of vendors. After all, I had to at least fill my free "NEX Bazaar" tote for having been among the first shoppers.


Why so quickly? This was my fifth bazaar and I'm getting more efficient, yes. But this time, I also invited my Japanese English class on base to the shopping bazaar and to Chili's for lunch--so I knew I'd be back to spend all of Sunday with my six Japanese guests.

These ladies (plus Emiko who is taking the photo) have been my friends for two years this October and I've really appreciated learning more about Japanese culture from them. So, I hoped to share with them (and two of their husbands) a little American culture.





I realize I probably should've brought them on base any other day for American goods, since the bazaar has mostly Asian goods! But I wanted them to see how Americans truly appreciate Japanese art, furniture, home decor, etc., even though most items are not authentically Japanese.


Japanese items, American items or neither, each friend found something to buy. When in doubt, we shrugged and concluded, "must be Chinese," simply because of the high probability this could be true. For example, who knew that cloth chopstick "sleeves" with matching placemats weren't used in Japan! (Paper sleeves on disposable chopsticks--yes, but cloth for reusable ones--no!) So, this was one purchase.


The men (including Brian), and especially the girls, helped speed us along so we could lunch at Chili's. Although en route, Noriko's husband requested a slight detour through the Fleet NEX store to buy American golf balls. He was delighted to find golf balls for less than 150 yen per ball. Although I have to think he must have been disappointed with American customer service, since the cashier had no idea about any of the golf ball products and said as much when asked. But at least she said so in Japanese.


I think most of the American culture for the day was observed at Chili's. Everyone indulged in some good old American MGD beer. I'll explain at a later date that most Americans usually drink imported beer; there was none on draft. I had a margarita, mainly so they could try it.



Everyone also commented on the huge portions, of course! So some shared an entree and we obviously didn't even discuss dessert. But since Kayo and her husband were very excited about the American tortilla chips, especially when I told her they could take them home.

Kayo summarized it best afterward when she told me she felt like she'd gone to the United States for the day! But partly because I can't have them thinking Chili's is the be-all-end-all of American dining, and partly because there exists American scenary much more interesting than drab base buildings, and mostly because I'm going to miss my friends, I already invited them to visit me in the States. Wherever we are, it is sure to be a more American--and seemingly bizarre--experience than Yokosuka base was for them.

Sydney Rides Again

And again.

Sydney went horseback riding for the first time last weekend. We went up to Tama Hills Recreation Center near Yokota Air Base and stayed at the lodge overnight with our friends the Martins.

As soon as we arrived and saw the horses, Sydney was game for a pony ride. She rode Pine and was so pleased that Pine had blond hair and brown eyes like she does! (At least I'm guessing that's why she reminded us of this repeatedly the remainder of the evening.) It was $3 for once around the ring, which was entirely too short, even for a 3-year-old's attention span.

But the promise of mini-golf (also a first) was a deterrent from a tantrum. Brian, with Miranda's help, coached Sydney with her swing. But unfortunately both her parents suck at mini-golf, so it is most likely not her destiny to be a golfer if we're any indication of inherent talent level. But it was fun!

Sydney even let Miranda on the green. Here they are putting around together. We gave Miranda a handicap--she could use her hands. We hoped she'd help us get our balls in the hole.

Although most times she tried to steal them from the hole.

"I'm sorry, did you need this yellow ball?"

No, that's okay. You keep it, cutie.

The next morning before we headed home, Brian suggested we buy Sydney a "double pony ride"--two times around the ring! This time she rode Sakura. She spotted Pine in the pasture from a distance, but she was equally happy to get on Sakura, a larger pony who also had blond hair and brown eyes. "She looks like a natural," the trainer suggested. I guess her small stature could come in handy for a career as a jockey, that is if she's not going to be a gymnast, a ballerina, or a golfer.

Move Over Bacon...

Here comes the GW.

It's been a long-awaited arrival after many local Japanese protests and an onboard fire in May, but the USS George Washington arrived safely in Yokosuka today, replacing the USS Kitty Hawk.

Here I watched briefly from base this morning as it slipped through the haze and into the harbor. The sailors were almost home and their families were lining up for a ceremony and celebration. I steered clear of that area, but throughout the day around base it was touching to see the telltale signs of many Navy families reunited: crisp uniforms and stuffed sea bags, hand-holding, and the more obvious "welcome home" balloons and banners. It made me pause to appreciate the challenges of all those spouses setting up a home alone and having to escort his/her spouse off the ship to that new home today.

But still I have to wonder how thousands of other military families ever assimilated without the new base signage, welcome community picnics, and special NEX sales marking our arrival to CFAY. Just an observation. Makes me feel more like mashed potatoes than bacon, I guess, if I read too much into it.

Tiny Dancer

Whenever Sydney dons a dress these days, she usually declares it her latest "dancing dress" as she twirls around the room, with or without music. So, I decided to take her to the community center on base to try the toddler ballet class.











First, you'll notice she's wearing an everyday dress while other girls have ballet outfits. She actually has a leotard on under her dress, and I gave her the option of wearing this dress or a skirt over it. She insisted on the dress and then wouldn't remove it for the class, since this is her "dancing dress." But my stubborn girl also insisted she wear the ruffley skirt under her dress, I suppose for added "poof."

Second, you should know these photos only make it seem like she paid attention. It is only a 30-minute class, but she followed the instructor for about 3 minutes then took a 7 minute break and ran around with her friend Aaralyn, repeating this pattern three times. But for the brief moments she was engaged, it was a sweet sight to see my tiny dancer learn some new dance moves to add to her repertoire.




"I do this one at home!"








"Oh wait, now what are you doing with your feet?"









"I think I'll just stay on my tippy toes...now, back to the arms...out. I can't take much more of this concentration..."

Seto Revisited

Well, I'd forgotten that I'd said I wouldn't return to Seto after last year's 17-hour bus ride plus shopping excursion for pottery...in the extreme heat...while pregnant. But I didn't reread my blog entry about it until this week--after I already went again.

It turns out maybe it was just the being pregnant part that was so miserable, not the long shopping day or the extreme heat. Because this time, it was very enjoyable. The weather cooperated and it was a little cooler since it was cloudy for a few hours in the morning. And here are two (Mel and Lauren) of many friends who went on the trip as well. We divided and conquered, so I'm still hoping to see all their treasures.

Here are a few of mine, all hand-crafted: