Bummer. We have not had success catching a Space Available flight to date. Apparently it's not an easy task during the summer over here. We'll keep trying though. Even if we have to hop a cargo plane with stops in 2-3 different countries along the way, we will make it to California!
July 07, 2009
July 02, 2009
June 11, 2009
The Graduate!
My Cody is no longer a Kindergartener. Today was his very last day of Kindergarten. I cried today as much as I did the first day of school. Maybe it's because of all he's been through, but it was a very emotional day for Cody and I. He's grown so much. He can read, he can write (kind of), he can count to ten in Japanese, and 20 in spanish! He's a computer wizard and excellent line leader. All that after missing nearly 100 days of school (between the hospital, appointments, and getting sick alot since leaving the hospital)! Cody rocks!
Remember this little guy? First day of school, fresh hair cut. Ready to learn.
Returning to school after his hospitalization. He was just there to visit, but the children were so excited to see him again!
And today. Six months later. Last hair cut: sometime in November. He did it!!!!! On to bigger and better things. Go Cody!!!
June 08, 2009
Almost Six!
Today was Cody's class birthday party. School is almost out, and the week is full of activities, so the teacher picked today instead of the 10th to have his party. He requested cupcakes with blue frosting. Since one of the children is allergic to chocolate, I made white cake cupcakes, and then died vanilla frosting blue.
Cody got to hand out cupcakes, while another student handed out the grape drinks I brought. Below are a few pictures from the afternoon. More to come after his real birthday party on Saturday!
The kids singing the Happy Birthday Cha Cha Cha song. I've never heard this version until Cody started school. It's cute though.
Cody's table acting like........... Kindergarteners.
May 15, 2009
Okinawa Zoo
I've been to lots of zoo's in the states. I thought the smallest saddest zoo was located in San Antonio, TX. That is until we stepped foot in the Okinawa zoo. Don't get me wrong, we had a good day, but I can't help but wonder how a country that values nature and all it's wonders can confine a bear into a 10x 20 pin. A large bengal tiger, beautiful regardless of it's concrete and chain link fence enclosure, not even enough room to trot. Monkeys would not even turn to face visitors (see photos below). But on a different side of the fence, it was very cool for the kids to get so close to animals like these. In the states on often has to search in a "natural habitat" enclosure to find what they are looking for. We didn't have to search for anything, nothing was hidden at the Okinawa zoo.
The trip was sort of a "welcome back" for Cody. He's been out of school since May 3rd, with what we hope has just been a passing stomach bug. It's going around, but it hit Cody harder than the other kids. He lost 10 lbs in the first week! With his teachers urging I decided it'd be ok to join his class on the zoo field trip (after a quick stop at the hospital, we're getting sick of that place).
Class photo, there were more kids from his class, but they must have run off. Mrs.Kilkenny was nice enough to bring Codys field trip shirt in case we showed up.
Cody being silly.
Fruit bat Cody.
Fruit bats.
Sad Monkeys.
Another sad animal, but with an amusing warning sign (lower left) warning of the fecal matter throwing possibilities!
Painting elephant.
Sign that doesn't make much sense regarding elephants.
May 14, 2009
Spring in Okinawa
My garden has really turned colorful this spring, I just want to take a moment to brag and share pictures!
A view of the back yard (not including fenced in dog area). We did have to replace the old gazebo after a few good winds did it in. This time around we take the top off when wind is strong.
Everything is potted so it can be easily moved to safety during Typhoons. That big orange flower is a beautiful hibiscus. I have 5 of the plants total, but this is my favorite. Cody picked it out a couple weeks ago, it had no blooms so we had no idea what color it would be. He calls hibiscus plants "biscuits" so that one was our "mystery biscuit".
Most of these plants started as little seedlings. All the colors attract tons of butterflys, which the dogs love to chase, and bee's which love to chase us...
Cody's strawberry plant is going nuts! I bought this plant last spring. It wasn't for sale, but the clerk didn't know how to explain in english that it was for display only, so eventually she and the manager just sold it to us. I figured it out when I got home, the bottom was marked "display".
My tomato plant, which to date has only yielded 1 tomato since planting the seedling last year. But a month ago, it was a twig with one tomato on it, and now it's going nuts. You can see the before picture below!
And my front entrance (below). Technically the front yard belongs to the upstairs tenants (Stacey), which I think is a joke. They can't put anything out there really no chairs or toys, not like we can in our back yard, and they most mow and maintain it. Anyways, I've at least made the entrance to our place pretty.
May 10, 2009
Happy Mothers Day from Japan...
Finally, spring is here! The weather has been beautiful. Cody and I had a cook out with Candice and her family Saturday. I brought the pool out, and the kids had a blast. Cody played hard all afternoon, and was exhausted by the end of the day. Chris has been in the states for the past 2 weeks so Cody and I have been on our own. Sunday (Mothers day) we treated ourselves to a nice lunch with Candice and her family seated at the table next to us.
Not much has been going on around here. My garden is so colorful and beautiful. Cody has been sick on and off for a week now. He doesn't know it but I'm taking him to the doctor on Monday. If I told him, I'd have to drag him to the car kicking and screaming so it's better I don't say anything. He's just about due for his blood work anyways so I figure I'll get it all taken care of.
We haven't gotten out much in the past few weeks, but with the weather finally nice enough be sure to check back often because I'll be updating soon.
April 24, 2009
Neo Bird Park
Another field trip! Yay! Once I again I opted to take my own car and follow the bus instead of being on a bus with 50 kids. The trip got off to a scary start, the 4th bus, the one Cody was on suddenly disappeared from my rear view mirror. Once we reached the park we learned there had been a medical issue, and the bus had to wait for an ambulance to take a student to the hospital. The other parents and myself began to worry there was no info as to whom was ill, and yes I was pretty freaked out. But eventually the bus arrived with my Cody safe and sound.
Casey also came along for the trip, we were assigned 2 children to keep with us, plus Cody.
Neo Bird Park is just that a bird park, with a few other attractions. A place like this would have been raided by the ASCPA in the states. The living conditions of the animals were not all that great, and if the ASPCA didn't shut them down some health inspector or safety person surely would! But I'm not in America, I'm in Japan and things are just different here.
Yes, those are dogs. Repeat after me. We're not in the states, we're not in the states. There were also dogs chained up in a fenced in area with goats and llamas. Very very sad.
It was a fun day. I'm sure Cody will fall asleep quickly this evening. I would like to go back, maybe without extra children, and enjoy the calm that could have been (had there not been a million American kids running around).
April 18, 2009
Happy Birthday Miss Sadie!
My Sadie is 1 year old. She started out as an sweet little puppy, and has now become a fence hoping, table laying, galloping princess. She makes our home complete. I can't wait to get her back to the states so everyone can meet her.
April 12, 2009
Happy Easter from Japan
Our second Easter in in Japan! The weather was perfect! We started out early in the morning for the egg hunt. Candice and I hid 50+ plus eggs between our yards. We then turned Nathan, Veronica, and Cody loose. Cody had a blast, he also had an inside source telling him where to find eggs.
After words we headed to the beach, just Cody and I to see if the water was warm yet. It's not. Back home we decided to drag out the slip in slide toy the Easter bunny brought. Cody does not understand the run and slide concept. He ran, stopped and dropped. We also pulled out the inflatable pool, and Stacey and her little man joined us out there too.
All in all it was a nice day.
Can you spot the eggs hidden in my garden?
Cody ready to swim and play in the sun! I did get to weeding my garden later in the day, so just ignore all the clover and other weeds milling around.
