WE DID IT - An Adventure

We weren't able to go to Towada Horse Park yesterday. We had nothing planned today and the kids wanted to give it a shot. I wanted to get a bit more concrete details on the directions to share with those who've never found this treasure. We sat off. 


FIRST we found Risoukyo Flower Farm and Outdoor Museum. There weren't many flowers blooming...but we can see this is a place to revisit in the right season. We enjoyed the grounds....we marked it in the gps so we can find it again. 

We left the flower gardens and headed for "Shotokukan" - Towada Horse Park. This place is fun! 

Horse Barns...

There was a horse determined to reach Stacia...kept butting it's head against the bars....this was taken right after he turned around and began pushing his rump against the bars. 

playgrounds

Fun slides - Trojan Horse

Main ROLLER slide....this is the bottom half....

The top half winds through the trees, up the hill. 

Instead of horse rides, we took a pony cart ride. What a deal - it would have cost Y2,400; but they gave us a Y1,000 per family rate.  We'll do the horses when Jared can join us. 

Then it RAINED....lovely....and I was so proud of how the children take each of these things as a part of the adventure. It would have been miserable if they were the complaining type....but we sat down for a snack, then made a run for it. 

This spot is only 30 - 40 minutes (depending on traffic) from our home. We'll visit again. We've still not visited the horse museum, eaten ramen at the shop or rode the horses.

We stopped at Hard Off Recycle shop and bought 29 pieces of pottery. LOL 

We ended the adventure with homemade chicken noodle soup...and an episode or two of The Lucy Show (thanks, Mom).

Arielle went down the slide with the video camera to give you a taste of the fun.

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

29 pieces of Japanese Pottery

Yes, I planned on collecting polish pottery - but that seems a bit silly as I live in Japan. Here are 29 pieces of pottery (28 plus the Wallace and Grommet set we couldn't abandon) from the recycle shop. They match the same color pattern as the plates the kids got me for Mother's Day. 


Today, I need to report that Zander and Stacia have figured out the countdown. They're a bit more cognizant than I thought. They were talking about "Only 29 days until dad gets back"....so they won't be surprised if he actually arrives on the 29th day. LOL 


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

Anastacia's Adventure

We planned a trip to Towada Horse Park with a couple of friends and their kids...but we woke to lots of rain. 


After the gym, I started emailing and calling to see if we had a plan B. Plan B turned out to be our family going over to Mary's home. We enjoyed lunch. The kids played games. Mary and I had time to catch up after the summer travel season. 


We headed to the commissary....where I took a series of stunning photos. 

We headed for the farmer's market and bought veggies and bananas fresh from the tree. I also got some gourd/squash looking thing because the sweet farmer was there in person and I couldn't say no. I picked out the smallest, but she was sure I needed the biggest. I'm not quite sure how to cook it - maybe it will make a nice fall decoration. ::snort:: 


We ended the week with pizzas and  Sense and Sensibility (everyone liked Pride and Prejudice better). 


During the movie, I used the series of above photos to create an aisle by aisle grocery list. I had one of these for years and lost it in a computer crash. I've been meaning to create a new one....next to get some extras in the freezer. LOL 


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

Apple Bread (Can be Vegan)

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

1 tsp cinnamon

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/4 tsp sea salt

1/4 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp nutmeg

1/2 C honey (or 1 C sugar - that's what it says - I used honey)

1/2 stick butter, melted

1 egg

3 apples, peeled and finely shredded

Pre-heat oven to *350. Combine all the dry ingredients. Mix in melted butter, egg and shredded apples. Stir until just combined. Pour into greased loaf pan. Bake for one hour or until toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 min, remove and cool on a wire rack. 

Note: To make Vegan  sub maple syrup or rapadura (adjust liquids) for honey, coconut oil for butter and 1 T flax seed/3 T water or Ener G for the egg.  Ours was yummy with the substitutions. If you don't like coconut oil (though I really don't notice any taste) try applesauce in place of oil - will make it denser.

More yummy eats here. 

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

Thirty

30 kph is a very slow speed to drive....but we're hoping the next 30 days go very, very quickly!  I think we may get below 30 this time without having to back up! 

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

Thirty-one

Stacia's School Adventures

I keep saving photos of Stacia doing school to write a school post...but I'm not sure it will ever get done. She is VERY excited to join our school this year. 


She is doing Math U See. Sitting in with us on a lot of our science and history/lit....but the bulk of what we're focusing on with her is a program called Learn Your Letters, Learn to Serve. This is perfect for us. Each week focus' on a letter. She learns to write it, there's a verse, a whole host of hands on things to do and we think of a way to serve someone each week too.  This has taken us two weeks - so in the future, we'll probably not do all the activities. They learn a little song to learn the letters, I'll add the Sing, Spell, Read, and Write songs, and games and maybe a workbook if we need it....I think she'll zip right along in this program and then we'll begin the I See Sam series. I love that it's GENTLE and encouraging...a far cry from the pre 3 and pre 4 program we pushed BreAnne into. ::sigh::  I've relaxed quite a bit in 22 years of homeschooling.

Today she bAked Apple cAke to tAke to Akikosan. 

We made two. The plan was to take one to Aimee - one of my friends. But Stacia said, " One's for Akikosan and one's for us because we serve our family too. Right, Mom?"  Um....she was RIGHT. I've said this often. Today we kept one for the family and they are all thrilled. Stacia learned to serve others and her family....and remembers her A (both the short and long sound) quite well.  Her conclusions blessed me.  We'll bake brownies for Aimee whose last name conveniently starts with a B, NEXT week. LOL

Stacia waited outside for Akikosan - and I didn't realize it had started to rain. ::snort:: She was VERY excited...and Akikosan was excited. I wish I'd caught the mutual bowing.

If the weather cooperates we'll finish our A weeks by going on an ADventure to Towada Horse Park....if not, I'll be looking for an inside adventure real quick. LOL 

I've also discovered she is totally and completely left handed.....

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