Phone Pictures - Japan

Today we got into somewhat of a "normal" routine for the remaining half of our time here.  One of Dad and Mom's ministries here is with Kansai Christian School, the English international school that I attended for my last two years of high school (when we moved to Japan).  Mom has been the administrative assistant there for all of their years in Japan.  It is a small school that is attended by missionary kids as well as other students that speak English and want to have an American system of schooling.  So, on Mondays (as today), Michaela will go to KCS with Mom and help in the 1st/2nd grade classroom, mostly doing one-on-one reading.  Then in the afternoon she will do some of her own schoolwork and also attend the Japanese class with the high schoolers.  Great opportunity all around!

The other kids and I did a couple of hours of school here at home in the morning.  The afternoon was spent exploring some shops down by the train station, playing at the park, and helping Grandpa clean up some more things in the yard. 

Here are some pictures from my phone that I've collected over the last three weeks.

It's fun following the airline screen maps as we fly.  We flew up the coast from LA, all the way to Oregon before cutting out over the Pacific.  We flew over lots of friends and family!

Starbucks in Beijing during our layover...love that kid's smile!

Ami crashed on the couch our first evening in Japan....in good hands with Grandpa.

I love the European bakeries that are common in Japan.  Chris and I walked to the post office and had to stop and get our favorite treats.

This was our magician/juggler on the overnight ferry.

Snuggled with Ami on the ferry:

The kids have enjoyed Grandma's game closet.  They all love chess...I couldn't help but laughing as my 7 year old kept giving hints to Benjamin and Daddy, although they weren't laughing!

Pricing stuff at the grocery store so I can stock up to take home....corn soup, yummy!

A favorite ice cream treat around here, Yukimi daifuku....it's vanilla ice cream wrapped in a thin layer of sweet pounded rice.  It comes in a fun package, made more fun when you have a Clark nose to hold it with.

My parents' property sits at the top of a hill and has a nice view out over the city.  The girls have enjoyed playing in the yard.

Japanese gum, weird English names:

Checking out Okonomiyaki sauce to take home:

The Huddlestons had left three bikes that their kids had outgrown and that were in great disrepair (rusty, flat tires).  We took them down to a local bike shop where they could be disposed of.  It was so funny to watch my kids like clowns in a circus trying to ride them down the hill to the shop.

There is a preschool in Dad and Mom's neighborhood.  Took this picture on a walk, such cute kids at play in their little uniforms and hats.

I was cooking for Mom (she wasn't home), and had to take a picture of some instructions to send to my sister for translation.  I got most of it, but needed help!

Chris and I took a walk to the park and the preschoolers from the local school were out for some play time.  They all lined up on the opposite side of the field and ran towards us.  The closer they got to the bench were we were sitting, you could see their cute little eyes widen at the sight of two foreigners.  So funny!  One boy stopped and stared, and I thought he was going to say something about us, but instead he said, "You have the same coffee!"  Chris and I each had a can of the same brand of coffee next to us.  Cute kids!  They played at our end of the park for a while, then lined up and ran back.  Seeing all these Asian cuties sure makes me long to see some China cuties!

So Grandpa has this hilarious nightly ritual of clapping for his fish.  They all swarm to the side of the tank like Pavlovian dogs ready for their evening meal.  Grandpa likes to do a little jig and Ami has enjoyed joining in on the fun. Need to get a video of this!