Glass blowing and a Japanese Park

We went on a family excursion the other day and found this fun Japanese park.

Fun at home....our last few days

Rob's epic 3 day, circumference bike ride around Oki with his friends. I'll let him blog about it.

Ben had a mohawk for 3 days. I was buzzing his head and as I got to the last little bit, he begged to keep a mohawk. I told my self that would be irresponsible parenting but figured it would be okay as long as it wasn't permanent. He makes a really great punk rocker!

My sweet baby girl. Don't you just want to smooch those cheeks and lips?

Our house is all packed up. It echos really bad and there's nothing to sit on. We'll be without for 1 month here and 1 month while we visit family. Oh joy.

Cute kids, right? Where are they you ask?

Up on top of our empty closets after the movers came.



Rob's a rock star at work. He's got his picture everywhere in his clinic. By the front desk is this beauty (because he's the Patient Relations Officer for the command).

...and at the front door to every clinic is this mug shot for being the Officer of the Year for 3D Dental Battalion.

Every kid has to stomp in some puddles every now and then, right? Kate escaped as I was taking off her wet clothes and went out for one more romp.



My mother's day simply was awesome this year. The kids all gave me wonderful cards that made me cry and sang me songs. Rob got me my own "award". See, he gets all sorts of awards for work and since I have no real "employer" per say he decided to award me my very own award. He's really the sweetest husband ever.

Noah's mother's day card. Click to enlarge and remember we have all our stuff packed up already and have lost our mamasan.

Zoo and Wonder Museum

One last trip to our zoo. Our fist trip to the Wonder Museum inside the zoo, though.







"Hey kids, lay down on these hippos and pretend they are eating you!" I'm a sick mom :-)

Noah is terrified of his batty sister.

You can get very up close and personal with the animals at this zoo. This hippo is just so cute and cuddly.

After I took this picture the handler fed the hippo. He stretched out his neck to get the greens offered to him and if my kids would have extended their arms he could have eaten it off. I don't think he fancies little kids though.

Scary story. The first time we came here, Issy was barely two years old. She dropped her sippy cup in front of this lion's cage. As you can see, the bars are large enough for a small child to squeeze through them. And squeeze through them she did. Also take note of the large openings right in front of the lion's cage. Yes, she could have "pet" the lion. Thankfully I snatched her up before that unsuspecting two year old got her fingers bitten off.

Here is Issy's sad face after I told her that story. She was like, "I almost died!"

Bios on the Hill

We spent a day with our fun neighbors, the Donalty's, going to Bios on the Hill. We had been before, but this fun place deserved another visit. Plus, the first time we went our camera didn't work so we had to get some pics. Here's the whole gang.

Water buffalo ride anyone?

Or perhaps you'd like to walk a goat. Issy had trouble getting hers to do what she wanted it to do. It had a mind of it's own.




They had a great wooden playground to climb. I tried to climb it....got most of the way up and got scared and came back down. Our kids are fearless I tell you.

Another fun sequence from my fearless son, Benjamin. They have these giant swings. Of course he can't swing like a normal child.









Noah catching some zzzzz's.

A fun walk/run around the pond. Only one shoe got soaked.

Sanshin anyone?

"C'mon Kate. Mom said she wanted to take our picture. Hold STILL!"

I love, love, LOVE this picture of Isabella. So pretty, I think.

They had these fun swings everywhere.

A little Karate Kid action.

On an unrelated note, Ben and Noah got to participate in a golf clinic one day. They learned the basics of the game and got to shoot some balls at the driving range. I think they really liked it and liked seeing what Uncle Ben does all day!