August 4, 2010
Nathan's cousin Becca visited us in Japan. We had a wonderful time with her! We went to a few places like Kyoto, Himeji, Amanohashidate together and she traveled around on her own EXTENSIVELY. She is an impressive world traveler! She is the most curious and confident (not every sign is written in alphabet here) first timer to Japan I have ever seen! We are looking forward to her return next year with Daniel. :-)
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Dec. 24, 2009
Merry Christmas!
When Isaac wears his Santa costume, Nathan has to be his reindeer and pull the sleigh. Isaac also likes pirates very much right now: LEGO pirates series, pirate books. and pirate costume... Unfortunately... pirates are not a good role model but... oh well...
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October 2009
There was a Lego event in Kobe on the 18th featuring the top Japanese Lego builder from Tokyo. Nathan wanted to cover the story for "BrickJournal" (US Lego magazine), so we all went to Cafe Fish in Meriken Park. Isaac played with Lego at the free play space there.
While Nathan was attending the event, taking pictures, etc., Isaac and Kayo got outside so that Isaac could ride his Strider (kick-bike) in the park along the pier. He can coast very well now! Then Isaac's friend Nora joined. They had a great time playing together!
May 2009
Happy Birthday Isaac!
Isaac cheered "Yeah!!" when he woke up and saw a heap of presents!
Got a baby doll from Grandma, 2 huge LEGO sets from Nathan (who spent a few hours today sitting on the floor assembling a ship and construction machines with Isaac) and a few other presents from school friends.
In the afternoon, Nathan and Isaac took a strider (bike) out and tried a mild slope. After dinner, we lit a "3" shape candle on a tiny cake and celebrated his birthday.
We are very thankful for Isaac's growing healthy and happy, and being loved by people around him. Many, many thanks to you all!
October 28, 2008
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Isaac plays more and more sitting/lying on the floor with Lego, train, etc. As the weather is getting chilly, we laid out over 400 pieces of ABC mats on the living room floor same as last winter, and we covered the colorful mats with 2 large pieces of carpets. It is now warm and nice to play on the floor! Doggies love the new carpeted floor too.
October 15, 2008
Visited Kayo's brother Tetsuya, his wife Megumi and their BEAUTIFUL newborn baby girl Riisa! Kayo's mother and grandmother joined us in Kyoto and the 5 of us stayed in a Ryokan (inn) together.
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We bought some paper balloons at the inn to play with Isaac. Isaac found it more fun to put the folded balloons on his head and started to put one (in various sizes) on everyone's head. That was funny. We all had a wonderful time. Isaac loved to spend time with his grandma and great grandma!
August 16, 2008
We are having Koji (who runs a company that makes TV commercials) and his family staying here over the weekend, so we had a BBQ and invited our friends in the media industry.
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It was great fun listening to exciting, cutting-edge people!
Looking forward to seeing you all again soon...
August 10, 2008
Nathan finished painting the playroom in pale blue (we may paint white clouds later) and fitted new lights: sun and cloud shape. Painted the playroom doors as well and removed the louver vents and closed them with a board with playful patterns to prevent drafts.
Isaac painted the sun and yacht (+ fish on the back)on a T-shirt at the pre-school.
Kids could choose a few patterns from several disigns and those were Isaac's choice.
Isaac loves to ride/push his tricycle! He runs pushing the tricycle, giggling and shrieking in excitement!
When the road gets steep, Isaac rides and Nathan pushes.
Loves to go cycling too! We took "Shrine Road" today. Sunny and hot but
breezy, so it was nice. Isaac fell asleep on the way back home.
July 19, 2008
The rainy season has not officially ended yet but we do get hot sunny days. We went down to the Kobe Club to dip in the pool! Yea, don't forget to drink water on a hot sumer day.
One, two...
Yeah! Floating!
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So proud to be able to kick the water and move/float!!
We also enjoyed the scrumptious pool side snack!
June 5, 2008
Dad's short stay is over and he has gone back home in Colorado. Somehow, Isaac understood that Dad took an airplane and went somewhere else. We are all missing Dad here and looking forward to his return this autumn with Mom!
We had TV crew filming our Rokko House for 2 full days. A cameraman was shooting Dad and Nathan making a big book shelf in the playroom - Nathan had painted the wall in pale blue. Isaac fiercely sanding the top of the table (it is worn out, so it does not matter)...
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Left: Dad on-camera --- reading a book with a wine glass in his hand in a reclining chair in his room. Nathan was interpreting for him. Nathan and Kayo got interviewed in the livingroom.
The TV program is called "Junin Toiro" meaning "So many men, so many houses", introducing interesting (or rather, eccentric) people/lifestyles/houses/locations. We are curious how it will turn out! Our episode will be aired in July.
May 5, 2008
Garr came to visit us!
Isaac looking at photos on Garr's computer.
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Garr and Nathan pulled down the deck and its stairs (half torn by a typhoon back in 2005) of the annex building of our house yesterday in just 3 hours!
Isaac was watching them work and calling "Papa" and "Garr" from the deck outside of the living room.
March 12, 2008
First thing he did this morning after waking up was...
Yea, we have a very serious skier in our house! He must have got it in his genes surely from his grandma in the States!
Neither Nathan nor I use poles (we use short skis), so Isaac must have picked it up by looking at other skiers in Hokkaido.
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Went to a nearby zoo (30min. drive from our house). Rather small but Isaac enjoyed it very much.
Left: mimicking a koala.
Middle: At the elephants' place. Mama elephant greeted the crowd.
March 11, 2008
In Japan, we have the Girls' Day (aka Doll Festival) which is March 3rd and the Boys' Festival (commonly mentioned as Children's Day) which is May 5th. People celebrate and pray for the healthy growth of their children.
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It is a little early for the Boys' Festival but we are already celebrating and praying for Isaac's healthy growth displaying those cute ornaments (above).
Isaac will turn 2 in May. We are so grateful for his being healthy, happy, curious, adventurous, sweet and tender and everything!
March 9, 2008
Went skiing in Niseko, Hokkaido (northern island of Japan).
Seems every household is not complete without a bulldozer there.
"Papa, we've gotta get one too!"
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@Kids Snow Park
First encounter with a real penguin! (from a zoo in Sapporo), ducks,
pig, goats, lama, emus! Isaac had fun visiting them probably more than
skiing...
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We also did a short horse riding in the forest. That was a great fun! Nathan and Isaac rode a big horse called Mathew and Kayo on Cheyenne.
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Isaac's first skiing! We took a gondola up and did a wonderful (slow) run. We had a great time!
January 17, 2008
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Went to a huge horse park behind the mountain which has stables, indoor and outdoor horse tracks, equestrian competition track, horse riding trecking course through forest, camp site, lodging houses and so on.
Because... somehow Isaac has a fascination for horses! He generally likes animals and bikes and cars, but at the moment, he likes the horses most.
Isaac flips through books looking for horses (he knows which ones have the drawing or photo of horses), points them and tells us "Uma!" (that is horse in Japanese but he understands "horse" in English too).
It was VERY cold and sunny, we all enjoyed the short carriage ride!
November 18, 2007
With Mom and Dad, five of us drove down to Onomichi, Hiroshima pref. for a bike trip on Shimanami route over 6 islands to Shikoku. The bridges between those islands completed in 1998 made it possible to access by car, bike and even on foot. We enjoyed spectacular views while riding and driving as well as fresh seafood and Mikan (Tangerine)! Mikan trees are everywhere.
Isaac had a great time in his new bike seat on Nathan's bike. Isaac fell asleep in the bike seat and we found that the handle bar also works as a head rest. Nicely designed! Last day was a bit cloudy and chilly, so Isaac was well bundled up. After we got to Shikoku Island, we went to see a castle in Imabari and then visited 5 temples (of 88 Henro temples) in that area.
We all had a wonderful time and we will do that again, probably in summer next time. We saw many lovely sandy beaches and camping sites there!
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