35 has arrived--and going to be great

Loved celebrating my birthday a day early on Sunday, as a family...together!! Gift enough. But these two picked out special gifts for me to make things extra special. 

Maddy got me new super soft socks, and Abby picked out new lotion!! Love my girls!! And their dad who facilitates this process each year. He's the best!!

Birthday dinner--ribs I made in the pressure cooker!! 

My awesome gift from Mike was a annual subscription to DrLaura to download all her podcasts!! I've definitely missed her commentary for the last year we've been without satellite radio!! Now I'm plugged in and can listen anytime, especially while I'm cooking!! 

The delicious cake Mike and the girls picked out at the Japanese Baskin Robbins! 9 cube---9 squares of different flavors!! 

We omitted the first 30 candles to keep with the fire code!! Too dangerous!!

Mid thirties here I come!! 

Family that plays together.....

Love how interested the girls are whenever dad picks up his guitar!! 

I already apologized in advance to our direct neighbors for the eventual noise disturbances!! Luckily she has young boys who I'm sure are just rocking out in their bedroom on the other side of the wall!! Hopefully!!

Beer Me!

Because you just can't make this stuff up!

Beer vending machines at the spa we visited last weekend!! 

Talk about instant gratification and no ID check :) Of course Mike got one!!

Snow Surprise

We woke up to an unexpected 2+ inches of slushy snow this morning!! Not at all in the forecast!! 

Our back patio

Front walk 

The kids were really surprised when they awoke to the white stuff 

Sumo Tournament

Today's adventure was to Tokyo for our first Sumo tournament. These tournaments sell out fast, and luckily I planned ahead and bought tickets the day they went on sale because I wanted a weekday that Mike and the kids had off. One less thing on the must do list for next winter. 

The only problem with today was last night we got an unexpected 2+ inches of snow!! So, that threw a wrench in our train scheduling and road conditions. As if traveling to Tokyo on 90 minutes of trains isn't hard enough. Add in weather delays and it's more like 180 minutes of travel. 

This was a great experience and I hope we can go again next uear!! 

But we got there!! 

I opted for chair seats.....but they do offer "box seats" on the lower level where you sit Indian style for hours on end. I've come to the realization that American legs just can't do that!!! 

The arena view from our seats. Didn't need binoculars! 

Start of a match

Beginning of a new round....they parade on the stage in their outfits 

Then they turn around!! 

Hakone Spa Day

Yesterday we did a base tour to Hakone to a spa! It has amazing and fun flavored baths!! Plus some outdoor water slides and grotto type hot spas!! 

Hakone is well known for the healing and nurturing effects of its natural hot springs so many people venture there often to the Japanese bed and breakfast hotels to soak up the local waters. 

The coffee bath! They pour real coffee into in a few times a day. 

The rose bath!! So fragrant and full of real floating roses!!

The wine bath!! They pour real wine into it throughout the day! 

The Sake bath!! Real sake drips from the spout slowly 

And they had an add on fish spa!! You get five minutes of soaking where the little fish suckle and eat the dead skin off your feet and legs! We all loved it!! A must do!! 

Donna and Henry visit Japan

Our near two week visit with Grandma Donna and Henry came to an end last night! After 13 full days of sightseeing, amazingly warm winter weather, and lots of memories made.....they made it home to the good 'ol USA!! And I was so proud to hear that after two weeks of traveling on trains in Japan they even managed to get to the airport via a train all on their own!! 

The moment they arrived the girls stole Henry's accessories

Big Buddha at Kamakura 

Street food in Yamato

We had an amazing three day visit to Hiroshima!! No kids!! Just the three of us

We travelled via the Shinkansen bullet train from Tokyo to Hiroshima (3:45 travel time). So now I can say I've done that!!

Hiroshima Castle

Look we found a real live Samurai!!!!

On the outside deck of the 5th floor of the castle 

The castle at night 

Atomic bomb dome site (at night)

Shrine with many torii gates

We tried Okonomiyaki in Hiroshima! It's a dish traditionally with egg, a very thin battered pancakes, cabbage and pork and sauce all layered.....but in Hiroshima they do it with noodles too! 

Took a ferry to Miyajima Island-- floating torii gate

The island is well known for fresh oysters! We saw the beds in the ocean as we crossed over. I had them three ways on the island! Deep fried, grilled, and in a curry steam bun!! All absolutely delicious!

The four of us went out for El Torito in Yokohama! And walked through China Town afterward 

Then on our last day in Tokyo we went to the top of the Tokyo Tower! (A little dark, but you can see the view of the city scape behind)

Christmas in Japan

Christmas in Japan was a success. It's not the easiest place to shop from.....takes a LOT of Amazon shopping and planning and a little help from stateside elves that can access a Target store.....but it's a win nonetheless!! 

I've never seen Abby so surprised!! She got a special doll/science kit she asked for on her list! 

Got them a karaoke system....since all they do is sing all day anyhow

Avoiding leftovers and a huge meal we can't eat alone, we opted to dine at the Christmas buffet at the New Sanno military hotel in Tokyo (thank you Dad/Grandpa Ron!!!) We ate and then let the kids swim for a few hours before heading home for the night. Great Christmas when you have to reinvent the wheel!! 

Abby's already disappointed we only have one more holiday season in Japan. 

Making bread with dad!!

Nutcracker in Japan

We went to Tokyo on Wednesday for a performance of The Nutcracker! Beautiful and well done!!