Queen of the playground at school

Cooking troubles no more!!!!

We officially ONLY have 2 more nights of cooking in the base hotel!!! We sleep here for another 7, but we have someone bringing us a meal Thurs night, and Fri I get the keys to our unit!!!!! So at least I can throw a frozen meal in the oven!!! How I've missed an oven and a full size fridge!! Plus I am house sitting for a friend who is on vacation later this week and we are free to use her house! So we will make it through the next weekend!

I feel like we have been roughing it for the last 5 months.....but even more so the last 39 days here! 

But this is what contemplating cooking in the base hotel has been like...... I decided to try a refrigerated pizza tonight....it barely worked. Good thing I'm hungry!! It said stovetop in a pan was one of the cooking methods.....no clue how it said to do it!!!! 

Yes we had an earthquake!!

We felt our first earthquake in Japan today!! We were on the third floor of a mall out in town and suddenly the floor was shaking and EVEYONES phones in the entire store (and mall for that matter) were going off! The cell phone system here sends every phone a buzzing and alert notification during an earthquake to warn people to take cover!! Pretty cool! 

It was a very mild earthquake and we hardly noticed. I did see people have an app on their phones that cautions you with earthquake warnings! I just downloaded that for future ones....

This is where the level 5 quake originated 

We are much farther south near Yamato

Cup of Noodle Museum

My friend Cyndi and I took the kids to the Cup of Noodle Museum in Yokohama today. We took the train.......with 5 kids!!!

The museum was cute. There was a timed play area (they do that a lot around here) and then the exhibit where you make your own dehydrated cup of noodle to take home. First the kids decorated the cup, then we went through the line to fill it with their chosen flavoring and dried toppings. Fun adventure with a souvenir!! 

Topping options ranged from dried shrimp, bacon, pork, fish cake, corn, garlic chips, and more!! 

At the end, you put your cup in this plastic carry bag and inflate it to hold/protect your souvenir!! Very Japanese!!

Lunch in Yokohama

The childcare center on base was hosting a Parents Day Out which they do MONTHLY!!!
Thank heavens!!

You pay for it, but its cheap!!!! And includes snacks and lunch for the kids 9am-5pm

So I joined a group of ladies for lunch date travelling toYokohama via train! It was my first time venturing that far and changing extra train lines, but it was smooth and easy!

 GIANT Ferris Wheel makes one rotation in 15 minutes! Definitely coming back to take the kids on this!!

 Buildings FULL of shops of all sorts. They translate our sayings in English funny often.......so this one caught our eye

Our group of ladies at lunch-- Mangia Mangia Little Italy!

Caesar salad and Fettucinni Alfredo with mushrooms and chicken!

Beats hotel cooking!!!!

Girls Night

I had my first night out with girlfriends since the boat left. My good friend Allie and I have known each other for 8+ years!! And she took me out with a group of her friends for dinner. We walked off base close by to a place known to most here as "Stinky Steak". It gets its name for all the garlic they use!! Delish!!!!

And afterwards we walked back to base to the Officers Club where the squadrons were having a judged mixed drink competition!! Fun night out!! Six more days till we get keys to our house!!! On the SHORT countdown now!! 

The girls had their first babysitter here! She came to our hotel room and had a HUGE bag of barbies and games in tow! The kids were in heaven and sleeping soundly when I returned. I'm sure they will have a lot of good things to say tomorrow!! 

Daddy Love

Her MAIN SQUEEZE!!!!!!

Getting her final snuggles in this past weekend!!

Fair Winds & Following Seas

We drove down to Naval Base Yokosuka Sunday to deliver Mike to his new home.....

USS George Washington

The aircraft carrier departed Japan Monday for the last time! When the guys return this Fall they will be on the USS Ronald Reagan.....Mike's old stomping grounds from 8 years ago!

Here in Japan the Hawkeye squadron he is with are the "VAW-115 LIBERTY BELLS"

We had some time for a quick ship tour while aboard, as the crew were loading all their personal bags on that day. We will miss daddy.....but we are so lucky to have had the past solid two years with him EVERYDAY!!! Take the good with the bad!!! We get the keys to our house May 29th, and our household goods are to be delivered June 1st! The girls and I are SOOOOO excited to move into our new house and make it our own! 

 

 Mike and the girls on the flight deck

 Mike's new stateroom aboard! Sharing it with a great friend we've known for 10 years!

They were winged together in Norfolk in our very early days!

 

Maddy had the camera and told us to make a series of funny faces! 

 USS George Washington--- left the port Monday May 18th

Details from the local paper on the movement:

Today, USS George Washington (CVN 73) departs its homeport of Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka for Norfolk, Va.

The Spirit of Freedom and her crew will participate in Exercise Talisman Saber 2015 off the coast of Australia before steaming toward San Diego to participate in an historic "3-carrier hull swap" with USS Ronald Reagan (CVN 76) and USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN 71).

After nearly seven years, serving as America's forward-deployed aircraftcarrier in the Indo-Asian Pacific area of operation, and 23 years of faithful service at sea, George Washington will return to its original homeport to undergo a mid-life refueling complex overhaul (RICOH).

Parks!

We took the kids to a new park off base! They call it the pirate ship park! 

This was the park safety sign....My favorite rule is number 3--"Never play with your jacket flapping"

Costco--Japan

We made our first Costco trip! 

It felt just like HOME!!!! Everything was 95% the same....Kirkland items everywhere. 

The moving platform from the parking garage to the storefront entrance downstairs! The wheels on the cart magnetize and lock to the floor so it doesn't roll! 

One of these sushi trays is $21 (2480 Yen)

These pancakes are said to be amazing. Two cakes sealed together with butter and maple syrup!! 

Japanese Grocery Store

Produce is overpriced at the base grocery store and limited in variety! So after hearing so much about this off base Japanese store, I found it in Google maps, and made my way there by myself today! 

The selection is impressive and the way they package produce is fun to experience. Everything really is bigger in America. I'll take food photos on my next visit. 

This is my produce loot today! 

Japanese Minivan

Our Japanese minivan "Mazda MPV"!! It's comparable to the smallest van in the US market, just a bit smaller. But seats 7!! Room for visitors!! It talks in Japanese when you turn the key....everything here talks!!

The green/yellow "V" magnet on the rear and hood notifies others "excuse us for we are new (crappy) drivers". I think US DMVs should give these to teens!!! 

Mothers Day in Japan

Mothers Day (and everyday) is always better when I have these two smiling around me. 

We went to the hosted Mothers Day brunch on base and enjoyed a wonderful meal together with unlimited champagne! 

Japanese Trains

Train Riders

This funny girl is ALL ours!!