Callista's 5th Birthday

We spread out Callist'as Birthday over 2 days because.....hooray for us.....we were finally getting the keys to our townhouse on her actual birthday and knew it would might be a bit hectic. So on December 26th......we went to the Ennoshima Island Acquarium.

Our first attraction was the Dolphin Show.  I can't say it was as good as Sea World's (I always cry at Sea World's when the Princess finally gets to swim with the dolphins)......how can you compete with that????

But.....it was very enjoyable........

 And with Mt. Fugi in the background, the ambiance was majestic.

They had a dsiplay of many, many sea stars the kids were allowed to touch.

This tank was unlike was anything we'd EVER seen.  This school of fish must have had hundreds in it.  We felt like we were watching something out of "Finding Nemo" when the fish make all the shapes for Dory.  To top it off, there were Sting Rays no less than 5-6 feet swimming through the fish and breaking up their formations.....but after only a few seconds they would reform again.  It was spectacular!

The Jelly Fish room was our favorite of all though.  There were 20 tanks filled with varying species of "jellies".  These bright red ones used to be hunted by ancient samurai warriors.  Once they were dead, they would dry out the tentacles, then grind them up into powder form, and use the poison on their enemies.

After a fun day at the acquarium, we went home so she could open her presents.  Chloe, of course, informed us this "wasn't fair" that she was opening them the night before her birthday.....but it made sense to us so she could actually PLAY with her toys on her brithday because once the moving began.....all would go downhill for a few days!

She was the recipient of a "5" Precious Moment statue from her Dad, and Nick Jr's Wii Fit (among other gifts as well).

The next morning, her actual birthday, was spent doing some "housekeeping" with picking up keys and such.  However, we did squeeze in McDonald's, and a game of bowling with her friend Selah.......

.....and of course some chocloate cake!

 We love you Birthday Girl.  We are excited for the fun things that begin when you are "5".  Our sweet girl who woke up on her birthday declaring, "I'm 5 today.....I get to go to Kindergarten tomorrow".  We wish you another happy year of laughter, sweetness, and OK.....a little of your feistiness!!!!

December 26th, 2011

Christmas Dance Recital

This weekend was the "Festival of Trees".  A joint effort between CFAY and The City of Yokosuka to bring the two communities together through the arts.  Several groups from the base, and from around town performed there, including.......our little dancers!

Callista did a tap routine entitiled....

"Tap, Tap, Tap"

 These four little girls all attend our church...

Watch out BYU dance team...these girls are GOOD!!!

Chloe did a tap routine entitled....

"The Man With a Bag"

Chloe also performed a hip-hop routine....

"Fire Burning"



Our friends the Skariah's also take dance with us...

Faith, Eden, Callista, Selah, Chloe

 The boys were feeling a little left out so here are Micah and Ryan attempting a perfect plea.

It was a great way to unite the two communities, and the girls had a blast!

Happy 7th Birthday Ryan

In his own words, "I had a perfect Birthday".  It started out with his favorite....

Donuts for breakfast.

 Then he couldn't even wait to get dressed before he opened his presents.

 He got a little sumo wrestler, a Japan keepsake, for sure!

 The girls got tired of sharing their pillow pets, so they got him his own...he named him.....

"TIMMY"

 And the big surprise he didn't know he wanted was his own set of golf clubs.

 So we were supposed to go into Yokohama to ride the world's 2nd tallest ferris wheel for his birthday.  However, as soon as he saw those clubs he declared, "Dad, let's go golfing instead".  So here he is, donning his new "birthday soft clothes" (those who know Ryan best will appreciate his love for his athletic "soft" clothes), clubs over the shoulder, to hit the driving/putting range on base.

After his round of golf, and a game at the bowling alley, we picked up his friend Jefferson to join us for dinner at Chili's.  Then Jefferson came back to the apt. with us for cake and ice cream.

My friend Kathy decorated his cake.....AMAZING, huh!

I am so lucky to have such good friends who make my kids' cakes!

Ryan.....you have overcome so much in the past year.  Your confidence has grown by leaps and bounds, and I love to hear you comfort your sisters when they are nervous or anxious about something.  We love your kind heart, the fact that you still love to snuggle, and your unfailing obedience to "the rules".  We hope you never change, and wish another year of silly jokes, many sporting games, and lots of mac-n-cheese!

WE LOVE YOU!!!!

Happy Birthday Paul!!!

Happy 37th Birthday!!!!

We got to pick up Dad from work and took him out for Italian food.  Then we came home for presents and cake!  What did he get for his birthday????

 Ryan gave him a Major League Baseball Wii Game, and they have played it almost every day since.

 Callista gave him lots of birthday kisses, as well as Captain America!

 And Chloe....well.....her's is special.  Paul and the kids have this game called "squish kid".  When one of them gets grumpy, or whiny......he declares he is going to open up a can of "squish kid".  So Chloe asked if I could possibly make the sacrifice of drinking a few Dr. Pepper's that week.  It was hard, but I had to help her out!  Then she decorated each can so each kid had their own label of "squish kid".

 Paul immediately opened one up and partook of it's goodness!

 AND then for the cake.  Paul is a pretty predictable guy, who has wanted Texas Cake for the past several years.  I think he got cured of that this year.  For the entire week before his birthday the commissary was out of cocoa powder.  It's not like I had 5 other stores I could go to get it. SO.....I tried making it with baker's chocolate instead.  NOT THE SAME.  He may not want it ever again, but he was a good sport and had a piece that night!

Happy Birthday Honey!  We wish you many, many, many more!



Happy Thanksgiving

As has become Shupe tradition, the day started out by making our Gingerbread Houses.  The kids become better architects each year.  I wish I had pictures of us actually making them, but the camera battery was charging, but here is the final outcome!

Callista's is on the left; Chloe's is in the center; and Ryan's is on the right!

These delectable treats will be eaten by Santa's reindeer on Chritsmas Eve.

Our Thanksgiving dinner was shared with dear friends we have made here.....

The Skariah Family.

Here is Micah and Ryan.  Micah is 11 yrs old, and is so amazing to Ryan.  I hope when Ryan is 11, he is as well mannered and fun loving as Micah is.

 This is Selah (Callista's best Japan friend) who is four, and her sister Eden who just turned 6.  These little girls have a blast together.

 This is Chloe's friend Faith.  They take jazz, and gymnastics together.  Both are in the 4th grade although they have different teachers.

 Here is the kids' table.

 This is Setish and Lena Skariah.  Lena has been my biggest blessing since moving here.  We both arrived here the same week.  Then I kept running into her; the commissary, story time, the girls' dance class.....the kicker was when I ran into her at the Kid's NEX (our kids' clothing store on base), and we were both holding the exact same kind of little girl, size 4, Little Mermaid Panties.  That sealed the deal.  It was destiny.  Even if she wanted to stay away from "crazy" me, God was clearly telling her "too bad".  This Thanksgiving I am truly thankful for new friends, who support, and help raise our children.

 This is Elder and Sister Johnson who also shared Thanksgiving with us.  This poor couple just arrived a week before thanksgiving.  I warned them they probably wouldn't even remember their first Thanksgiving here, and that I wouldn't be offended.  The first week for most poeple who arrive is just a sleepy, groggy blur.

This is our wall Turkey we made (Paul gets all the credit for the body).  Some of the things our family was thankful for are: "erth" (earth), "haws" (house), swimming lessons, skype, the scriptures, and knowledge....just to name a few!

It was a wonderful Thanksgiving.  We were stuffed when it was finished, just like the Turkey we ate! We missed our friends and family back home, but celebrate our new friends here.

HAPPY THANKSGIVING!