Spring is here!!!!

Today we went to one of Japan's earth days where we picked up trash and released Salmon into a local stream. After we went to the Misawa Community Center for a Japan & American Potluck. The local Japanese taught us how to make Sushi roll. Despite all the controversy in the media about U.S military in Japan we have it good with the Locals here in Misawa.





Japan's Statue of Liberty! We went to the local Japanese Statue of Liberty park where the kids were able to play. They say this statue is in the same latitude as the statue of liberty in NYC.

Lindsey ballet class

Lindsey at ballet. This really tires her out and some weeks she does not want to go.

Snow festival

I am remembering one of the reasons I joined the military to get away from the winter's. There is only so much you can do in the winter. Alot of time we spend couped up and that is why I havn't updated the blog in awhile.

We went to the Towanda Snow festival this weekend and the kids enjoyed it. It was cold and I should have brought my boots because my feet froze. They had numerous sculpures carved out of snow and ice to include the kids sled park. We stayed until dark when all the sculpures lights came on and they had a firework show.


Lindsey goes to church
Daddy at the bar again!!! I restrained myself from having a drink because I had to drive home so I stole someone else's beer for the picture.
Kids zipping down the hill.
This is the picture before the accident. As you can see one kid scrambles because Dylan is coming. Too bad for the other 2 because they are about to get a big suprise and many years of theropy.

Daddy Snowman

Dylan had a homework assignment to make a snowman. We asked Dylan what he wanted to make and he said he wanted to make an Army snowman like his daddy. I thought this to be cute even though it seemed Grace got more involved than Dylan.

Bowling

Dylan & Lindsey go to a bowling b-day party on base. We went again as a family and they enjoyed it.

Aormori Aquarium

We made a day trip to Aormori Aquarium which is about 2 hours north of us. This Aquarium was different from other aquariums being unique to Japan.




Dylan exploring the different sea creatures.

Lindsey swimming with the Seals

Lindsey Ballet

Lindsey started ballet lessons every Monday here on base. She loves it!!!

Christmas & New Year's

Santa made his way to Japan

Dylan & Lindsey opening their presents at zero dark thirty.

Grace's extended family on New Year's

Grace & I on New Year's

Hakoda Mt. Hike

Drinking SAKI with the local Japanese hikers!!! They stayed up there 2 days to celebrate the New Year's. They were very friendly even though they did not speak much English. These hikers are the ones who maintain the cabin and trails and made things comfortable for us. Definetly made some new friends and the universal language was alcohol.

It was cold when we stopped!

Ramen Noodles for Dinner.

My neighbor Eric and I went on a hike up in the Hokoda Mountains. We stayed the night in the cabin with some local Japanese hikers. The journey to the cabin was an extreme workout but it was all worth it. There were times where it got a little scary and if we hadn't done any research before the hike we would have been in trouble.

The snow was 30+ feet in some areas. This is Eric standing next to 50ft pine trees covered by snow. Visibility was bad and we were lucky we left early in the morning because another foot had fallen over night which made it hard to snow shoe in. The storm continued all day and we left before we got snowed in.

This is the ravine we came up to get to the cabin. Visibility was good but when we left the next day visibility was zero and the wind had picked up. We thought it was going to be easy going back because we would be climbing down the mountain. We were wrong.

Breakfast with Santa