Highlights of Japan-part 1

Here are highlights from our time with Eric's parents. Let me just preface by saying we had a great time with them, especially the kids--thanks so much for coming to visit!!

Kamakura--the big Buddha--we take all of our guests here, I have to admit it has lost it's appeal after now my 3rd time--but you don't see anything like this in the states.

Eric's mom loves cemeteries, so here is a japanese one--wait this isn't the only picture--wait for more later on!! Also, everyone in Japan is cremated.

These are called torii gates and you see them everywhere--they are at all the shrines and signify entrance to a holy place.

The main temple in Kamakura

Around the temple grounds is a huge moat and it was covered with all of these white and pink water lilies--very pretty!

We went to a professional baseball game with Eric's parents and our good friends the Stoners. We were cheering for the Yokohama Baystars who ended up getting killed--when we left in the 8th inning it was like 14-2. Anyways, Japanese baseball is SOOOOOOO much more fun than American. The team we played was the Yakult Swallows and everytime they score a run, the fans all raise neon colored umbrellas and cheer--it is to signify to the other team that their pitcher is all washed up and needs to go take a shower! Only in Japan!

Baystar cheerleaders on the field with the bay stars!

So everyone chants in unison at the baseball games. They all have cheers that they know and sit there and yell/sing them together--even the kids know them. Also, when your team is up to bat, you make TONS of noise. Also, every team has a band that plays songs (think like at a college football game, the band that sits in the stands and plays).

Like 90% of the fans on our side had these bats that they would clap together all the time. Also, you can't tell, but the food is awesome--no nachos here, we had rice, curry, sushi, okonomiyaki, etc. It was awesome!

Cute smiling Cade--I can't get enough pictures of this adorable little guy!

Cade's Blessing

Okay, so I am WAY behind on posting. I will try and catch up over the next week. Eric's parents were here the last two weeks and my brother, Aaron was here for a couple of days, so we went and did LOTS of fun stuff. However, one of the most important things that happened was that we blessed Cade. It has been so nice, with all of the kids we have had family members from both sides that were able to be present--even here in Japan. Also, you can't tell, I need to take better pictures, but I made Cade a white jinbei (it is a japanese outfit kids wear) and he was blessed in that. We thought it was only appropriate since he was born in Japan and has a japanese middle name. Here are a couple of pictures from the day.

Cade in his jinbei--you can see the front crosses over and then he has little shorts. Funny story, so I put it on him right about 20 minutes before we were leaving for church. About 5 minutes before, Eric's dad brings Cade to me and says that he messed his pants, I take Cade upstairs and there is yellow poop all over his shorts. Eric's mom was so nice to frantically try and wash out the shorts, while I cleaned up Cade. We throw the shorts in the dryer for 5 minutes and they are still pretty damp. We hold them in front of the air vent on the drive to church, and luckily by blessing time they were only a little damp. I just laughed, babies always have such great timing!!

Cute picture of Grandma Nelson and Kailey

Cute Cade--he is such a happy baby and always smiling at us--we are so glad he is a part of our family!

Independence day and Kailey's birthday!!

Fourth of July was pretty uneventful here. We got together with some friends after church andhad a picnic and then watched the fireworks here on base. Monday, we had those same friends over and we had a barbecue, let the kids play on the slip n slide and then celebrated Kailey's birthday (which was the next day).

Kailey and her little boyfriend, Canon. Canon is about 8 months younger, but they are the same size. It is so cute, because Kailey always wants to hold his hand--they are so cute. Don't worry, we have already arranged a marriage between one of Canon's older brother's and Kailey!

Ethan and his friends playing on the slip and slide!!

Kailey getting a little bit of help blowing out her candles!

Opening presents

Grandma T. was so nice to send Kailey a fairy princess costume--she is just so cute!!

On her actual birthday, we opened up more presents from her Grandma and Grandpa Nelson--here she is loving her new Dora purse!

Showing off her new Dora purse, Barbie and pretty necklaces!

70 mile challenge, desitin covered Kailey, etc.

So, I have decided to come back to the blogging world. We have had a lot going on the past month and have been staying very busy--what am I saying, life with a 3 year old, almost 2 year old and new baby never slows down!!!

Well, the beginning of the month, I started back exercising and to motivate me, my friend Shari challenged me to run 70 miles in the month of June. It is part of a challenge on dailymile.com. It is kind of fun, because there are a couple of us that did the challenge, so everytime you logged on, you would see how many miles your friends ran and it always motivated me to run more. Well, I am proud to say that I completed the challenge and ran over 70 miles in the month of June. The most memorable run of the month I did with my two friends, Shari and Jessica. We ran off base out in town and had planned on running only about 5 miles, but got lost and ended up running 8.5 miles. Let me just say that Japan is NOT flat and all the streets look the same!! So, July we are running 80 miles. Let me know if anyone is up for the challenge!! My friends and I have a 10 mile run planned for tomorrow--hopefully I'll make it!!

The other morning I was hurrying to get the kids all ready to go to playgroup. I had everyone

ready, I just had to shower quickly. I jumped in the shower and when I came out, Kailey had been very busy!!! Apparently I had not put the desitin (diaper cream) tube up high enough and she had decided to play with it. She had desitin everywhere!! What you don't see in the picture is little white footprints going down the hallway, little white fingerprints all over, desitin on my bedspread, etc. It took me forever to clean up because it is so oily. Another morning, I was reading e-mail on the computer and she had been awfully quiet. I went to check on her and she had found a marker and had drawn ALL over herself. She is one busy and messy little girl. I don't remember Ethan ever doing anything like this.

One quick, funny Ethan story--everytime he goes potty he asks me, "Can I flush, is it going to make Cade sad?" For some reason he thinks flushing the toilet makes Cade sad--I don't know where he got that from, but it is funny! Speaking of Cade, I need to start taking more pictures of him. He is such a great little baby--so mellow, happy, and good-natured. I got lucky!!

This past weekend, I went with my two friends, Shari and Jessica up to Tokyo for a girls' weekend. We had so much fun. The husbands were all nice to stay home with our kids, except I took Cade. We left Friday afternoon and came home late Saturday night. We had so much fun shopping all over Tokyo. The picture to the left is a part of Tokyo called Shibuya. It is like the 'Times Square' of Tokyo. You can't really tell, but there is this huge intersection there they call a scramble crossing. The traffic stops on all sides to allow thousands of people to cross at one time--it is pretty cool. Anyways, we had a ton of fun and thank you to my wonderful husband for letting me get away.

Lastly, I have decided to start sewing again.

While I was up in Tokyo, we went to the fabric district and I got some really cute fabric to make Kailey some dresses. Hopefully, I'll get my act together and start sewing this month. I did make this bag this week. I have a friend that always has the cutest bags at church and she makes them all. So she was nice enough to show me how to make them and they are SOOOO easy. I am excited to make some more.

I think that about catches me up on June. Have a great 4th of July!!!

Funny Japanese Signs

For how many people can speak English here in Japan--their translating skills are HORRIBLE!! Almost everytime we go out we end up laughing at someone's shirt, a sign, etc. I need to start taking more pictures. Here are a couple of signs we saw when we were in Tokyo with my parents.

I thought this purple sign was funny--the pictures are hilarious and I have no idea what they are trying to say!

When we were in Asakusa, they had a bunch of people like this all over the buildings--I thought they were pretty cool.

Lake Yamanaka

This weekend we had a chance to get away for the holiday. We went up to a place called Lake Yamanaka which is at the base of Mt. Fuji. We stayed in some cabins right off the lake with 4 other families from church. The weather was a little crummy--rainy and foggy, so unfortunately, we didn't get to see Fuji--this picture is off of the cabin website. However, despite the crummy weather, we did have loads of fun and can't wait to go back again.

They have tons of these awesome swan boats that you can rent and go ride around the lake--we plan on doing that next time we go up!

The kids and Eric roasting hot dogs one night for dinner.

Walking along the path that goes beside the lake

There were tons of fishermen out one morning--it was kind of cool to see.

I thought this was a cool picture with the fog over the lake

Sunday morning while we were there we looked out the window and saw thousands of runners--they were having a race around the lake (it is about 13 km). It was so fun to watch all of the runners and especially those runners that dressed up in costume. We saw people dressed up like characters from Toy story, a man running with a cape, a man dressed as a bird with a bird puppet on his hand, etc. I was sorry I didn't have my camera with me.

You can't really see, but all those little dots on the other side of the lake are the runners.

This isn't the best picture, but driving up we passed a ton of rice paddies. I thought it was just the most fascinating thing--this is a quick picture I took out the window.

Grandma and Papa's Visit--Part 1

My parents have been here for the past month, well my mom has and my dad came for the last two weeks of that and it was WONDERFUL!! Let's just say that we went into shock when they left last week and are barely coming out of it!! We had a blast while they were here and went and did a ton of fun stuff. We went up to Tokyo for two days, Yokohama, Kamakura, the roller park, etc. I have tons of pictures, so I have broken it up into installments. Here is the first installment. These are pictures from when we took them to Kamakura.

Dad and Mom in front of the Giant Buddha

Mom and I harnessing our inner chi

Another temple

Looking at koi

More pics of the kids!

I have to say that Cade is the best baby ever--he just rarely cries and we are LOVING having him here. The kids can't hold him or touch him enough--the little guy is going to be tough! My sister has been begging me for pictures of the kids, so here are a couple of the kids--they are just so cute and so much fun!

Easter Pictures--Eric's mom sent the cutest outfits for the kids!

My adorable little Cade--the best baby ever!!

Kailey in her cowgirl outfit

This is a typical Kailey--half dressed, but always has to have pretty shoes on!

It's a Boy!

Cade Takahiro (貴浩) Nelson born April 9th at 3:01 am in Yokosuka, Japan.

All four of the above pictures were taken Saturday morning when he was about 30 hours old. He's asleep in the top three. Yawning in the fourth (not crying - even if it looks like it). Heather and I took the camera with us to the hospital when he was born, but didn't bother to take more than a couple of pictures and neither of them turned out too well. I'm sure we'll get plenty more pictures over the next few days.

Takahiro means "abundantly filial / widespread nobility." We knew that we wanted a Japanese middle name and didn't decide until he was about 12 hours old that this was the name we wanted. Seiji ("admonishing/pure second son") and Takeo ("warrior") were strong contenders, but Takahiro felt right.

The kids are very excited about their new little brother. Heather and Cade are coming home tomorrow.