Tour / Open House

So I've been asked a few times recently if we got all of our things.  Well, everything has been here for almost a month.  I guess I've just been lazy about the video.  I finally got pushed to do it.  Thanks!!  Ok, so here it is.  Enjoy!!

Nago Cherry Blossom Festival

Saturday we went to Nago City for their annual Cherry Blossom Festival!  Aiden was sooo excited because he was going to get to ride on a big bus!

Nago City is about an hour from Kadena if you drive on the Expressway (toll road).  The drive up there was really pretty.  Once we got to Nago our tour guide informed us all that Nago is sometimes called the Dolphin city because Nago Bay used to be full of dolphins in the spring.  She said that they don't come as often anymore because they "reclaimed the land".

So, there is no bus parking at the festival.  The bus driver pulled on the side of the road and our tour guide told us that he will be back at 4:20pm, so meet back here because we have to leave by 4:30.  O and pay attention to that sign with the triangles on it so you know how to get back here.  Good Luck!

Um...ok.  We followed all the other people traffic to the festival!  Thank goodness there were a lot of people going in the same direction because there were no signs in Japanese or in English.

The first thing on our minds was food and the bathroom.  I found the bathroom first... or should I say hole in the ground.  I wish I could have or would have taken a picture for you all.  The was a door, a porcelain hole in the ground and the tank so you could actually flush.  I don't understand... they took the time to fill the hole with a porcelain bowl and fill it with water... why couldn't they just make a seat.  Oh well, I guess I'll squat since everyone else has to.

Next on the agenda... lunch!  Aiden was not in the mood for a picture here.  He and I shared these chicken skewers... yum!  I think Daniel had lamb or steak.  You know him he ate so fast I didn't even see what it looked like.

Oh and we found sweet mochie balls.  They had all different colors... Aiden picked out yellow and pink.  They are very interesting.  The outside really didn't taste like much to me it was like a steamed bun, that's the best way I can describe it, but the filling was good.  Oh, they are cold too, almost like ice cream.  The pink ones filling, I thought was going to strawberry... I don't know what it was.  The yellow one was by far much better and sweeter!  Aiden loved it.

 Ok, we all have full stomachs now!  Daniel and Aiden played carnival games and one some silly stuff, a little truck, a toy bow and arrow, and a skateboard.  There's this mountain to climb so you can see the cherry blossoms.  We brought Aiden's stroller because we didn't know how much walking there would be and I can't carry him very long, he's getting too big!  Well, at the bottom of the mountain all we see are stairs.  Daniel's the lucky winner and gets to carry the stroller up the stairs.  Lucky for him Aiden's not very fast so, he got to stop a lot and we reached a middle spot where a road started.

The views were beautiful!  We could see the city and Nago Bay.  

We didn't see a whole lot of fully bloomed trees which was kinda disappointing.  But the ones that did have blooms were gorgeous!!  

On the way down we found a path that you didn't have to take stairs... Yay!  We walked to the festival some more checking out the carnival games a little more.  Daniel found one that you can get goldfish!  Little did he know, you have to catch it yourself.  You get 3 turns with a bowl and a thing that looks like a paddle, but the center is just a tissue.  

Well, needless to say Aiden has a new pet fish.  He says his name is Nemo/Dori.

We went down some side streets where they were dancing, skateboarding, playing tug o war, and drawing with chalk.

We ended our trip by checking out one of the oldest Banyan Trees around.  Our tour guide told us that is more that 350 years old.  They all of these ropes and steel braces holding it up.  I couldn't get the whole tree in the shot unless I wanted a bunch of people in the picture too.  It was really something to see.  

Our tour guide also told us that this was the best festival they've had in over 6 years, because of weather and the blooms.  I have to say that even though not all of the trees were blooming we still had a great time together as a family.  Not to mention so amazing pictures too!!

Wish YOU were Here!!!

Beautiful days

I watched Julie and Julia last night and couldn't get blogging off my mind.  OMG what am I saying.  Well, I think I have this secret hope that someone loves my stories so much that I become famous.  Haha, I don't think so.

And this post will have to continue later as Aiden just woke up from a very short nap.

As I was saying, my mind was racing yesterday!  We had a wonderful Sunday.  We found this nature trail on the edge of base.  We stuck Aiden in the Stroller and took a 2 mile walk.  My sister was lucky enough to Skype me on my cell during our walk.  She got to see some of Beautiful Okinawa!!  You should all be jealous.

I'm going to try to walk the trail everyday.  For one it will get us out of the house and two I will get some much needed exercise!

We finished our day venturing to a new park off base.  I don't know what it was called but Aiden loved it.  There's a toddler spot with sand and slides.  If you go down the trail a little there's a huge roller slide and basketball court.  I think our favorite part was the little stray cat.  It followed us everywhere.  I crouched down to tell Aiden to be nice to the cat and it just purred and rubbed all over us!  It even followed Aiden up the slide.  He wanted to take it home.  The only way I could get him to leave was to tell him that we come see the kitty again tomorrow.

So, it's tomorrow and Aiden told my parents all about the kitty at the park.  It's another beautiful day!  Hopefully, I can convince him to go to the beach.  I really want to use my new beach bag I got at Holiday House before I left AR.  I think I'll pack some fruit and crackers, a beach towel and some sand toys and call it a day!!

Did I mention that I love living on an island!  Saturday, we get to go to the Cherry Blossom Festival.

What a way to end a Beautiful Day!!!

A Fun day with the Fam

I know it's been awhile since my last post.  Here's a few updates:  Daniel's car is in the shop for a tune up to make sure it's working properly given it's 20 years old, our furniture arrived, and very little broken.  More on the unpacking in the next post.  I realized during the unpacking Aiden has WAY to many toys!!

Thursday afternoon the movers arrived with our things.  So, Thursday evening, Friday, and Saturday were spent unpacking and stressing about where we were going to put everything.  Sunday, day of relief, relaxation, and fun!

Daniel had the day off.  It all started with all three of us going to Mass together and might I add that Aiden behaved so well!!  We went to Chili's Too for breakfast, pancakes for Daniel, scrambled eggs for Aiden, and I had breakfast quesadillas while watching the Broncos lose to the Ravens.  Sad face, I really wanted the Raven to get they're butts whooped. 

I found these cool pictures on Facebook where some people from here went to this trick art exhibit.  How fun!!  So, the adventure began...I had no idea where we were going because I could not find real directions to this place.  All we new was it was near another base.  It took us about 30 minutes to get to this base and then about another 20 to find the shopping center where the exhibit was being held. 

Please click on the pictures to see them larger!

 

They offer you props to use and encourage you to take lots of pictures.  You can pose however you want, but there were also little examples to show you what you could do.  We had too much fun acting goofy!  Aiden were a pirate hat and held a sword the whole time!

After all this fun we were hungry.  You can imagine with Aiden and Daniel, they were getting pretty cranky.  We found this little Italian place and ate a quick bite before the journey back home. 

Daniel - Salmon with mushrooms (Risotto)

 

 

Mine - Special Sea Urchin Sauce

O and by the way there is only 1 American (English) radio station, which I love because around 7pm every night they play old school 'NSYNC!!  Yep I said it 'NSYNC!!  I know you're all cringing but I just love love them no matter how old I get.  Every time we have been in the car for this wonderful moment, Aiden try's to ruin it by crying or telling me to stop singing...I just turn it up, just for those 3 minutes.  And now you're all laughing.  So, I'll leave you with that.  Until next time.

To Good Fortune

So, to continue our New Year's celebration. 
      After Aiden's nap we ventured to Futenma Shrine.  The Japanese begin each New Year by visiting a Shrine to respect tradition and  bring good fortune to their families.  We had no idea what we were in for.  I just wanted to do something totally traditional Japanese. 

Our directions lead us to what looked like just another city street.  Only difference is that there were tons of people parked right in the road.  We found a parking spot and followed the crowd.  The sidewalks were filled with vendors selling food, good luck charms, and carnival games (Aiden was super excited about this).

We found the line and followed that to the Shrine gates where Japanese speaking guards were directing everyone.  We weren't sure if we could take pictures so hopefully I'm painting a good enough picture for you to envision.  There were people dressed in modern clothes and people decked out in Kimonos!  We climbed some stairs to the opening (?) of the shrine.  People stood here and threw money so that's what we did.  They seemed to be praying or making wishes or both.  Then we were directed in another direction...

They had a poster hanging with everyone's birth year and a corresponding number. ie:  1984 - 29, 1986 - 27, 2010 - 3  Each number was a good fortune gift which you could purchase.  Daniel's a bracelet for 3000 yen, Aiden's a pretty cool arrow for 1500 yen, and mine a huge basket full of good fortune items for 30000 yen ($400)...needless to say I didn't buy mine, I hope that's not bad luck.  We then got our fortunes...in English!

On our way out we tried Mochie.  This variation was a savory one, I kinda wish it had been dessert.  Aiden got to try a few of the carnival games resulting in him winning a blowup firetruck with wheels and a pull string (loves it) and a light up wand. 

Mochie with terriyaki soy sauce and a cream sauce!  Yummy!

We finished our evening by meeting our friends for some good luck Ramen! Yum!  Hopefully, did right and the year will be filled with happiness!