PLAYING

Our neighbor GAVE us this. It's not in great shape...but it's FUN. In the midst of re-establishing our school routine...we ARE finding time to play.

Our neighbor across the street keeps parking under the hoop. The wind is FANTASTIC here...and I couldn't sleep last night thinking of it falling over on their new car. Mike suggested we move it to the common grassy area. SO.....I asked the neighbor next to the big common area if it wouldn't be nice to have it there. She thought it fine if we kept it where it was (end of the street and I love it for the kids to play - but there are garage doors and cars to think about)....but then agreed that when they had it set up it did fall over on a car they'd borrowed. We'll move it to the common area...more room for the kids to play than the end of our street and I can still watch.....benches to watch. We won't have the gorgeous horses in the back ground but that's o.k. No  crunched cars.

We'll move all that sand and hoop when all are done with school today. Muhahahahaha They'll love the work...it's good for us. PE.
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

PACKAGES!

Amid exclamations over REAL salt, Late July cookies, Nature's Path Cornflakes and Rapadura....I heard...what's this?  Um...first I thought I'd made a costly mistake. Maybe I thought I was ordering a really BIG can of hot chocolate???? A packing slip.....

Um...that would be Bob's whey protein, animal somethingorother and Casein. Now what? Vitacost hasn't responded. I let them know I'M in Japan and Bob's in OK and I don't want to pay to get him his things.....meanwhile, we're missing a few items....maybe tomorrow.....we love our Vitacost days but they usually aren't THIS exciting.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Forty Pounds of Sand

The wind is fantastic. (3 carps = 3 sons at home)

I thought the 40 lbs of sand would hold the laundry rack in the back yard. It didn't.

I moved it to the patio - a bit of a wind break...sand bags redone.....

I'm deciding what the next option is. Maybe concrete? Watching laundry wave in the wind is relaxing and peaceful. Chasing it across the yard and now patio is WRONG.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Establishing a New Normal

I find myself once again "establishing a new normal." I know full well, as soon as I get it down, something will come up requiring us to repeat the process.

HOWEVER - we plan to keep our "new normal" until mid-July. We are focusing hard on school....and we got a LOT done today. Solid school. Good stuff.

We began piano today. We'll start Japanese again this week.  Bible study started again last week and is moved to Friday now.

I "usually" take Jared in on Monday afternoon. Mike stays and works late and they both get home around 8:30 - 9:00 p.m. NOW, with Mike gone.....we'll take Jared in in time for Human video. Arielle is going to begin Human Video and possibly youth group, so the idea of solitude on Monday is gone.  The kids will come with us. We'll hang out at the Weasel's Den and then find something else to do the final hour.

We enjoyed planting a few things today.

Our first sign of spring.

Found these "salad garden planters"

It won't hold the carrots and spinache I was envisioning....maybe I'll buy some more. I want to see if the BX has seeds first.....expensive off base. I also want to try the 100Yen store.

I think I've solved the wandering laundry rack issue. I sure pray so. If not, it's going to put out a window when it hits with 40# of sand....note the legs...

What about THIS for the Topsy Turvy Strawberry Planter? Anyone tried it before. Would it stand up to the wind a bit better?

Mom - Arielle has put the craft items you sent to use. I love to see her creative genius take over. ::snort::

Well....the kids' play break is about over. I need to finish up some paperwork from my trips. I also need to get us ready to head for base.

Michael, I noted your comment on the blog....does this mean we can try Skype? Are you "somewhere" or still in transit? I'll take the laptop to the Weasel's Den with me...in case.  Ah, time to hang anohter load of laundry.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

We have little space in Japan....though our home has much more space than most Japanese style homes.

There are great space-saving gadgets all over this country. Unfortunately, I bought 2 Topsy Turvy planters before I went to the local garden show.

I had  a "duh" moment and bought the boxes at the BX.....thinking it would all be in there. ::snort:: NO, obviously I needed to buy dirt and plants. The plants were Y197 per plant and this calls for 15 -30. I bought 8 and then I wondered..... If I'm spending $30 - 60 on one of these....

Will the 18 quarts of dirt pull the hook on the patio out of the roof? Will the wind blow THIS to my neighbor's house? Should I try the Topsy thing or go buy a planter and plant my plants that way?

Sunday's had a variety of planters made for gardening...deeper, drainage in the bottom. I bought a "fresh salad planter" and am dreaming of fresh lettuce, carrots and spinach....because it HAS been hard to find good lettuce around here. Maybe it doesn't grow well, I'll find out. ::snort::

Do I hang these planters or not? Mike, what say you? Input??????

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Amusing Sights

Remember, amusing could be something funny - could be something that makes us smile. We LOVE how the Japanese go to such great lengths to make construction and inconvenience cheerful or hidden. I'll have to get more photos of a typical construction site.

These bunnies surprised and delighted us today.

Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Japan Day - Part 2

Dancers

Folk Singing - Sort of Japanese Opera style

LOVE these drums and have lots more clips

More dancers

We found this giant Uncle Sam outside of Japan Days fun....

Jared pointed out to us that HE was CHOSEN by Uncle Sam.....future in politics. I suspect, son, you've been chosen by one far greater than Uncle Sam.

Choosing Joy!

©2010 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~

Living all of life before the face of God...