Tokyo Tower

 This is the Tokyo Tower. It is 333 m high.  Since its opening in 1958, the Tokyo Tower has been the world's tallest self-supporting steel tower. The Eiffel Tower in Paris is 320 m high.

The views were absolutely breathtaking.

This is famous "Rainbow Bridge".  They even race across it in "Cars 2".  Ryan knew what it was right away.  "Hey Mom...that's the bridge that's in Cars 2".  And who said cartoons couldn't be educational?

This is looking at Tokyo to the North...seriously....it NEVER ends.

Our feet overlooking from 250 meters (820 feet).  It was dizzy-ing (if that is even a real word).

 This is Chloe in front of a 7-11.  No slurpees in Japan though, just sushi, some packaged food, but mostly, a place to pay your utility bills.

A superman phone booth.

The Japanese LOVE their soft serve ice cream.  But notice the brand of the ice cream maker.....

Alfa Romeo obviously makes more than just automobiles.

And finally...heading back on the train.  It was a "sugoi" day!

That means FANTASTIC!!!

Our New Ride

As Dr. Mike Wilhelm (also our Branch President) so eloquently proclaimed:

"Congrautulations Guys.....4 years of medical school, 3 years of flight surgery, and 5 years of residency....and you get an 11 year old mini-van....Great Work!!!"

Notice the small green and yellow magnet on the front.....that indicates that we have been driving here for less than a year.  If it's up to me.....I will be keeping that on the whole 2 years.  It's kind of a

"get out of jail free" card around here, and the other drivers definitely give you more leeway!

All joking aside.....it's in great shape....gets me from one side of the base to the other.....AND...I even ventured outside the gates in it last week, and survived!

The Rollerslide Park at Kanazawa

This is Kanazawa Park!

Can you understand it?  Yeah......us neither, so we just started walking and hoped for the best!

 WOW.....it was worth the walk.  Again, the attorneys would be standing at the bottom of this park to sign people up for lawsuits back in the states....but here.....it's all in the name of FUN!!!!!

There were three rollerslides at this park.  A small one, a medium, and a big one.

Ryan tried out the small one first.

Callista and Dad demonstrated the big slide for all of us!

But this park had much more to do than just the rollerslides...check out this obstacle course built on the side of this hill!



I forgot to mention that it had been raining earlier in the day.....so I am not sure if this picture does it justice.....but these backsides are SOAKED!!!!!!!!

It was a BLAST....and Callista and Ryan have already decided exactly where they want to go for their birthdays in 4 months.....any guesses???



Back to "Gakko" Feast

This year's back to school feast was Japanese Style.  I found this great autobiography of a 10 year old boy named Tashiko.  He talked about how he got ready for school.  How he takes the train by himself and has to carry a yellow card with his name, address, and phone number on it incase he gets lost.  While at school he eats his lunch with chopsticks, and as soon as he comes home he takes off his dirty school shoes, and puts on his slippers.  To try to replicate this, the kids each got their own "yellow cards" with their info on it, a set of chopsticks, and some cute house socks!  I couldn't buy them slipppers because kids' shoe sizes are measured in centimeters, and I have no idea how many centimeters my kids' feet are!

Then we drove over to Kannonsaki Park to look for the roller slides.  Parks in Japan are quite different from the States, mostly because in the States, the attorneys would have a hey-day over the lawsuits they could conjure up over the parks.  In  Japan....it is fun over safety, you'll see why!

 Here is Callista "walking the plank" of the pirate ship play-structure (no railing, and it about 12 up in the air).  Yes.....I was nervous!

 But the Roller Slides are these massively, huge, slides...lined with rollers.  You can go down in just your plain clothes and have fun....OR....

 You can use these little sliding apparatus you buy in the Japanese stores so you can FLY down these things.

   

 For the feast...we went to a restaurant called "Family Garden".  I wish I could write in Kanji so you could see its actual name.  Paul ordered a sushi plate with Octopus on it! 

 He said it was delicious....I say Gross!  Look....you can even see the suction cups on it!

The kids and I feasted on Japanese style pizza which is made from Naan bread (delicious) and Japanese chicken nuggets, which was real white meat, and deep fried.....also delicious. 

We are officially ready for school!

First Day of School

The Sullivans School...home of 1,256 students.  It is named after the Sullivan's Brothers whom were five siblings, all killed in action during or shortly after the sinking of the light cruiser USS Juneau (CL-52), the vessel on which they all served, on November 13, 1942, in World War II.

What a heritage!

 One of these things is not like the other!



Can you guess which one was EXCITED about starting school?

Hide and Seek

The kids were playing hide and seek today.  Chloe and Ryan could NOT find Callista anywhere.  I hinted for them to open the shoe closet, but they gave me this blank stare like "why would she be in the shoe closet....you can't fit in there?" 

Oh yes.....our little monkey climbed up to the third shelf and she fit perfectly!

Happy Birthday Chloe

Chloe is 9 Years Old!!!

What an amazing blessing she is to our family. 

She keeps us honest, on schedule, and always "doing the right" thing!

This is what she woke up to on her birthday morning.  I know it's hard to read, but it says:

 "Happy Birthday Chloe"

(wall art designed by Paul)

 We got dressed after she woke up and went for a walk to :

CINNABON

 Then we went bowling...

 Then we went to the hospital and had lunch with Dad.....

 Then her friend Sean came over to bring her a present.  Who is Sean?  Sean and Chloe go way back from Pensacola and then on to South Carolina.  In Fact......

Here is Sean celebrating Chloe's 4th birthday with her in South Carolina.

Cool, right?

As is Chloe's usual form...she knew EXACTLY what she wanted for her Birthday Dinner:

Pizza, Fruit Kabobs (made by Paul), with Orange Sherbet and Sprite to drink.

She got a matching dress for her and Lanie,

 and had a friend from church over named, Rya Cliffton.

 We had to borrow a bundt pan from someone at church so she could have her "favorite chocolate cake".

It was a fun day for everyone in the family as we got to participate in the day's events.

We love you Chloe and look forward to another joy filled, keeping us honest, on schedule, and "doing the right thing" year!!!!!