Random pictures

Some random pictures of how we're passing the time!!!

Here's what he did when I asked him to say 'cheese!'

Great hiding place in the hotel room!!

This is what we do when we're bored...who doesn't love to play in water?!

Out for a walk...stopping to smell the flowers!

Gotta love the shades!!!

Dads are always more fun!!

Again...boredom in a hotel room...and another great hiding place!!

Home Sweet Home...and a sushi story

Well, it's finally here...our move in day! We've been in Japan for one month now, and our house is finally ready! We picked up our keys this morning and were able to check it out, move some things in and finally get some real groceries!! The Lodge was nice, but we only had 2 burners and a mini fridge, so we're now living large!! I'm thinking they may put everyone in temporary housing for a bit just to make the base housing feel like luxury!!  (to those of you that may visit - the Navy Lodge is probably where you'll be staying and really not at all bad, it just gets old after a month!)

I forgot to take pictures of our lovely home today, but it was naked, so I'll post some once it feels more like home!! Someone had warned me that it was 'pink' but I didn't think a thing of it at the time...come to find out, all of the cabinets and some floor tile truly are pink. It appears, and I say appears because I feel it will change once we start unpacking boxes, that we have a good amount of storage and closet space. I think Andrew's favorite part of the whole deal is the backyard. He's figured out how to work the door already, and can let himself out, and the neighbor  (who we share a backyard fence with) has a dog! He was trying to tell the dog 'c'mon' this morning and was frustrated when he couldn't get through the fence to our backyard. Well, we're excited to finally get settled, so hopefully it all goes smoothly!! 

A sushi story...

We have a sushi restaurant right outside of the Main Gate to the base. People call it 'The Fish Tank' as there is a fish tank in the window. (the first time we were looking for it we were looking for English on the building reading 'The Fish Tank' but come to find out there's just a fish tank in the window...I guess we have to get used to the landmarks instead of English!!) This is a hole in the wall sushi place with maybe 6 stools at the bar and 2 tables (traditional Japanese tables where you take off your shoes and sit on you knees or with your legs crossed). We have a couple of stories that go along with our first experience there...first, we've realized that we need to point to the menu to insure we're getting what we ordered. Example...I ordered a coke, which the waiter repeated back as 'co-ke' (sounding like coke-ay), and I just assumed I was saying it incorrectly. WRONG. I guess I was ordering a grilled (or cooked) fish! Thankfully Dan had room to eat it...I never did get my coke!! Second...Dan has been dying to go to this place just to get the 'fresh' sushi, or sashimi...I may be misspelling this?! Anyway, the fish tank in the window houses the fish they serve. You guessed it...you order it, they catch it, they kill it and you eat it. They serve it to you soon enough that you get to say good-bye to the fish...he takes his few last breaths, and you enjoy him. (see video clip below, hope it works?) I'm sure you all know me well enough to know that I wasn't touching the poor thing!!! Dan said it was good and I'll take his word on that!! After we were done eating, and waiting for the check Andrew noticed the fish from across the table, so I handed him to Dan to get a closer look at the fish. As Andrew was reaching to touch the adorable fish that lay displayed for all of us to see Dan grabbed him from behind as if the fish was biting back, and Andrew about went through the roof...he was mama's boy after that!!

Well, we have been off base again, to Ebina for Mother's Day where we did some shopping and ate at Outback Steakhouse. It was Andrew's first experience on the train, a.k.a. 'choo choo,' and he was pretty upset when we had to get off and it drove away. We've also had a playdate where Andrew showed his true colors...stepping in the dog's water dish, peeing on the floor, sitting on the dog, and screaming as we left. We really hope they invite us back!! :) All in all it's been fun!! I hope to get some more pictures and stories up before too long!!

Andrew's first train experience!

Two weeks down!!

Well, I'm happy to say we've survived the first 2 weeks in Japan! It's actually hard to believe that it's already been 2 weeks! I feel like it was just yesterday that we were packing up and dreading the flight!! Anyway, we've made a lot of progress and have gotten a lot figured out in those short 2 weeks...although not much of it is real exciting?! Just the normal 'getting settled' stuff! 

We are currently still staying in the Navy Lodge, which is a hotel on base. It's tight living quarters, but we're settled so I guess that's what's important! We did find out that we will be moving into our Garden Apartment on May 12. It is a spacious 845 sq ft, 2 bedroom, 1 bathroom luxurious base housing arrangement. I think they throw the word 'Garden' into the name to make it sound fancy, but I'll post some photos once we're in and you'll soon see just how fancy it is!! It was my choice to live on base, which definitely has it's benefits, so I guess I won't, or will try not to complain too much!!

Dan and I have successfully passed the driving course, so we can officially drive in Japan! Just in case you didn't know, they do drive on the other side of the street, and the steering wheel is on the right side of the car. They have a joke out here...how do you pick out a new driver in Japan? ...they always have their windshield wipers on. Yes, I'm guilty. The lights and blinker are also reversed, so in the short drive I took I had the wipers on twice. Andrew and I took a trip to the Commissary (grocery store on base) yesterday (the day after I got the license, and first attempt behind the wheel). It's only a four block walk, but a pain hauling both Andrew and the groceries home, so I thought it was a good chance to try out the driving thing. We cheered when we got there, and when we got home...it was quite an accomplishment!! Yes, the picture above is our little Japanese car! You see a ton of these on the street...space is limited, but I guess it's nice to have as compact as possible because it makes the u-turns easier!! I'll keep you updated on how the driving goes out in town. I plan to use the base as a practice course for a while before venturing out too far!! 

I'll do my best to keep updating this site and letting you know how we're doing! I'd love to hear from you all too, so email or send messages here! The next couple weeks are hectic as we'll be moving and then Dan will be leaving on deployment before the end of the month, so you may not get many updates between then and now, but I'll do my best!!