Zander's Deployment Goal

Zander reads book 8 of the "Sam books". After the first read, I'd explained that when you see a "!" you should show STRONG feeling. ::snort:: I heard him reading and grabbed the camera.  Michael, he is  working hard on his deployment goal.

He'd reached a spot in the 100 Easy Lessons where he needed to build confidence and not keep checking a lesson off a day. These books are easier than where he is in Easy Lessons but I predict in a couple of weeks these books will match what he's learning in 100 Easy Lessons. Meanwhile, he continues to feel success with each new book....even if he isn't going to a new lesson every day.
Choosing Joy!
©2010 D.R.G.
~Coram Deo~
Living all of life before the face of God...

Saturday - More blossoms and Festival Food

We decided to drive by our other favorite, nearby park - Swan Park - after we left Liberty Park.  We found lots of promise of Cherry Blossoms here too. We are going to HAVE to find time to visit parks this week. LOL

Zander ate most the food at the first park. There were food booths here too. I'm not sure if this is common in the spring/summer or if it is because of Golden Week. I suspect the later. We bought more yakitori - cooked this time and they gave me this. I haven't a clue what it is. I tried it. First, they patted their stomach. Then they patted the skin under their upper arms. I asked if it were fish, pork or cow...no....it's something that starts with a C.....it was free, we tried it. We're still not sure what it was. *See note below.

Jared Tastes Japanese Mystery Food

As we looked for a picnic spot, Jared remembered visiting the park with Nate and that there was a nice gazebo in the middle of the Water Lily park. When we'd visited before, it was all covered in snow, but we could tell what it was from the signs.

These were GREAT. Sort of a corn bread outing covering cheese.....corn dog without the dog. LOL

Misawa is beautiful in the spring......

*Kim reports the mystery food is konnyaku. (WHICH IS WHAT IT SOUNDED LIKE!) It is made from a bulb of a plant called devil's tongue. Another word for the flour is "konjak". It has no taste. It comes in many different forms - some look like noodles. And no calories.  (THIS did taste - sort salty/fishy - but it was marinating in something...).

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

Giant Cake

We've driven by this many times... I most usually comment...."We need to check that spot out sometime."

I pulled in today. It helps if the one making the comment is also the driver. ::snort:: WOW. Great selection of pastries, cakes, breads. She makes it all there in the shop. She also had a darling 5 yo.  I think we've found another favorite. Japanese bakeries are AMAZING. She's cheaper than my favorite bread bakery. LOL

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

Saturday - Part 1 Liberty Park

We had a fantastic day! We decided not to deal with the traffic at Hirosaki castle during Golden Week. Instead we went back to liberty park.....

The trees around here as so CLOSE to blooming....

Zander picked Dandelions for me and his sisters

Got to the park and realized Stacia had a "foot in both countries"

This is a great "Third Culture Kid" photo

We hadn't been to Liberty Park since Nate was here...and there was snow on the ground then. It was a bit windy.......but very pretty. This week is Golden Week in Japan. I'll write more about that later. We knew there would be more people than usual....but neither park felt crowded. There were lanterns among the trees.

We plan to go back one evening soon and see the trees and lanterns. Another plus to this being Golden week was that there were booths of Festival food at each park. We had a new experience. I asked for the yakitori and the man gave it to us "raw". I said, "Um....can you cook it?" He dipped it in sauce and started to put it in the container. I pantomimed and pointed to the grill.  He briefly threw them on.....and there you have it...we had chicken sushi. Ugh. I bought one of these drinks to try. We like to try new things. I asked, "Oishi desu ka?" (Is this delicious?) and the honestly made a face and said, "No." ::snort:: We tried one anyway.  As we sat there the gentlemen came  up to show us how to open the bottle. He seemed to be saying that we should  punch the blue cap through the top. I did....

It exploded. Everywhere. They ran to bring towels and such to clean it up. I was covered in soda...the table was covered....It seems you punch the cap in it and HOLD IT DOWN for a bit, I'd slowly punctured it...and didn't have it firmly held down. LOL As we cleaned it up we knocked the yakitori over...the sauce and all....we were cleaning it up when Stacia started crying. The lady from the booth and I both looked at Stacia. She was COVERED in yakitori sauce! It was in her hair, running down her face. The lady was so sweet, wiping her face and telling her "Daijobu" and "Kawai" and other  terms of endearment.  What a mess.

The bottle has a cool shape and a marble in the neck....tasted like carbonated cough syrup.

Windy and the kids had headed to the beach when we headed to the park...but the beach was too windy. The kids were happy to find them at the end of our walk. They were happy to play. Love this big field.

What a wonderful young man, Nolan is becoming. I keep forgetting he's 11.

I'm so glad we decided to stay home and then decided to go check out some of our favorite spots.

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

Roses in Afghanistan - Michael

These roses have been working on blooming for quite a while. It has been this week, with a little help from the rain, that they have come out in force. It is such a stark contrast to the all-business nature of the rest of the camp. Kind of makes you want to stay awhile - you know, I think I will stay awhile. :)

These roses are on the opposite side of my billeting building. The chapel is directly behind the vantage point of the top pic.

Blessings - Michael

Choosing Joy!

©2010 D.R.G.

~Coram Deo~

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

Thursday

...but it's after midnight so it's Friday. Grrr.

The day began with a  PWOC call. The day continued with PWOC emails. (Budget due by 1 May - final tweaking).

School.

More PWOC emails (I don't like budget season at all).

Bible study (amazing scones from a place I have to go find)

Nice visit afterwards with Twyla and boys

Dinner

More PWOC emails (Have I mentioned I'm so blessed to have a financial liaison who is an expert?????? She doesn't even make me feel like an idiot when I say, "I don't get it.")

Japanese Lessons

MORE????? MORE???? MORE PWOC EMAILS - (It's nearly over and then off to others to wrestle with, then back to us to wrestle ::snort::)

Skype with Mike from 10 - 11 p.m.

Final PWOC emails....is it any wonder I can't find time to do my own budget?

Going to bed....I've learned most urgent things will wait.

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

Homework Must be Done....

Tomorrow night is Japanese...if we are going to do our Maku homework it would have to be today. Off we went. Stacia wanted to know if they would have Japanese toys. ::snort:: We've not tried McDonald's yet - though we drive by it 2 - 6x a day.....I was pleasantly surprised. It cost much less than I expected. I'm not sure which of the menu items are unique to Japan, as we didn't frequent McD's in the states.

We did notice right off that we got small straws.

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Nolan was the first to figure out how to make them expand. Cool.

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Stacia liked the ketchup packets which come in little containers like jelly does in restaurants in the states. Much less mess this way.

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She also approved of the drink choices.

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I was determined to try Akiko's "suki desu" favorites. No one else seemed eager to branch out....

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From 2010-04-25

Not bad, really. I liked the burger, though I'll remember to tell them to skip the mayo next time. ugh. Nolan tried the potato bacon pie.....he wasn't sold. Of course he's not had bacon in years. LOL

From 2010-04-28

Today was WINDY and RAINY...really windy. 32 mph gusts....the wind was SLAMMING against the corner of the 2nd story....and the carport was rising and falling all night. I woke up this a.m. and the hatch on my Joy was open....

Arielle saw the orthodontist. He's not sure they'll be able to work her in this summer...but we go back in June for x-rays and molds. Nothing moves fast here...but it does move. ::snort:: He said that, "if she wants braces, they can fix things," but very little orthodontic work is "essential"....interesting, as off base orthodontists will make you think your child's health could be ruined if their bite is incorrect. He had "numbers" and said she made the numbers....so she would get braces back home....but maybe not here. We'll see. I could SHOOT the dentist in TX (who is now retired). I asked him over a year ago if she needed braces. If he'd said yes, she'd have them and they'd automatically continue them here for free. We may have to wait until we get home at this point.

Had a prayer meeting with the local PWOC retreat prayer team.

School. Working on the puzzle.

Came home to Skype with Michael, but it appears he's not around....I'm heading out for the Onsen now.The kids are settling in for the night. I hope.

....about those "Japanese toys," Stacia was happy with the iDogs...and you get to choose your own color here. LOL

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