What do you do in the summer?-2010 version

I know, I know....I've been a blogger slacker lately (again). Here's what we've been up to.

Every time we go onto Kadena Air Base (gate 1) we pass these planes on display. We finally stopped one day and I let the kids check them out.



Kids can't drive off base until they are 18 in Japan. They can drive on base at 16, but where are you really going to go without passing the guards and getting off base? My mom was super nervous about letting me drive with other teenagers and I had a rule that I couldn't drive in a car with a teenager until I was 16 and could drive myself. Anyway, this bumper sticker may have calmed my mom's nerves. See the 800 number on there. Other drivers can call this number and report any crazy driving. It's kind of like truck drivers. I think it's a pretty cool concept.

We went to the Chinese Gardens again in downtown Naha with the youth from church. Rob and the kids met up with us.

We also stopped by a nearby shrine. What a cool group of kids!

We stopped by the Futenma Flightline Fair, but realized we were 2 hours early and people were just setting up. We wandered around for a minute (literally) before a storm rolled in. We snapped this picture about 1 minute before the next one. The boys loved it and got completely drenched.


I went to Cocko's (again). I'm gonna miss that nail art and massage when I leave here.

The neighborhood kids have been selling interesting things lately. When I heard they were selling water (from the tap) for $1.00 a cup, I had to intervene. We set up a lemonade stand complete with raspberry lemonade, Popsicles and cookies. Everything was $.25. I taught them how to greet customers, advertise and add up totals. They seemed to have a great time and raised about $8.00.


The Dental Corps had their 98th birthday and with that brought the 98th annual birthday ball. Rob was oh so lucky enough (thick sarcasm) to co-chair this event. Basically this means he did a ton of work and didn't get to enjoy the event. Instead of going in the traditional dress white uniform, there was a "Hollywood goes Vegas" theme. We chose to go as Sandy and Danny from Grease. Yes, it's a wig. For both of us. And yes, I made the skirt because you can't find a poodle skirt days before the big event.

I promised the kids one last trip up to the Aquarium before school started. Noah complained that it was "boring" so I'm glad he won't be accompaning us when we take Amy, Julie and Mickey up there in a few weeks. I LOVE this place. It is truly spectacular.

Ben is my special child. He totally beats to his own drummer and most of the time I'm okay with that. He always dresses himself and I'm never responsible with what he looks like. This day he wanted to wear this Afro wig Rob has (they play dress up with it) to the hospital (it's across the street from where we live and all the clinics we go to are there). He got a lot of stares and was confused how people knew it was a wig. There was this black family waiting in the waiting room we were in that thought he was hysterical. Then he noticed this poster and exclaimed, "They have hair just like me!" Now if you know Ben he is NOT a quiet boy so everyone heard. It reminds me of the time last week at church when he said, "Mom, you know what's funny about me? My penis is sticking straight out and it's not even touching anything!" Out of the mouth of babes. I love that kid.

Kate loves to "help".

This summer has been busy playing with the neighborhood kids. All these kid playing pics were taken in one afternoon. You've got Ben and Liam doing what they do best....eating all our food.

Noah, Matthew, Landon and Roger doing their lego thing in the living room.

Kate wandering aimlessly trying to find someone to play with.

Issy and Taylor upstairs building a fort and playing "girlie stuff".

The Japanese have MANY shirts with English saying on them. However these sayings NEVER make sense. I liked this one, "I love happy sweet" for Kate.

I twisted Issy's hair up after baths Saturday night so that she'd have curly hair in the morning. I forgot to take an after shot, but it was certainly curly. She loved it!