This weekend was beautiful

今週末は、とっても天気がよくて、しかも暖かくて気持ちがいい週末でした。
金曜日は裏庭の落ち葉拾いや洗車したり、デービスとクロは裏庭で走り回ったりさくらと一緒に公園で遊んだりと、クロは滑り台は怖がらず滑れるけど、デービスはやはりへっぴり腰。
土曜日はオフベースでミリタリーのパレードがあるっていうので見に行ってきました。ジョシュもパレードに参加しました。朝早いのにも関わらず人が多かった。
日曜日も天気が良かったので、皆で裏庭＆公園で遊んで、午後はゆっくりお家でリラックス。

My what a wonderful weekend. It all started off with Friday, our 'green-day' from work. We ended up raking leaves and washing the vehicles. Just a good time to relax and enjoy the family time. Sakura has also been working hard to perfect her crawling. Saturday morning we woke up early as Josh volunteered to march in the Olde Town Bellevue Veterans Day parade. Takako was able to snap a few pictures prior to us heading out the gate. Later in the afternoon, the weather got up to the mid 70's as we headed out to the backyard and played with the boys. Later that night we had curry rice & chicken w/tomatoes. Wonderful! Sunday was another beautiful day as it was up into the 70's again. We even had Sakura try out the baby swing in the backyard.

End of October & Halloween 2009

土曜日はハロウィンでした。特にハロウィンのために衣装を買うことはなく、日本に里帰りした時に母親がHappy Halloweenって書いてある洋服をくれたのでそれを着る事に、カツラもあったのでそれをかぶせてみました。夜は近所をまわらず、家にきた子供たちお菓子をあげたり、ジョシュの家族とビデオチャットしたり、その夜に、さくらはつかまり立ちをしました。随分前から私達が支えると立つ事はできたんだけど、自分から立ったので、少し驚いてしまいました。
来月は”感謝祭”があるので、ジョシュの実家にいく予定です。

Here we are at the end of October (actually in to November) and what fun we have been having. This past week we have been getting ready for Halloween & pressing on towards Thanksgiving. It was my brother, Jared's birthday (33) on the 26th and relaxing at home, Takako just happened to put my old wig on Sakura. BINGO, costume is complete. On the 31st, we drove around town running errands, getting things that we needed (wanted) for around the house. We ended up not going out that night as we would just be using Sakura to get candy for ourselves but we did dress her up at home. She had a Halloween (Trick or Treat) onesie from Hideko and of course the blonde wig. It was quite a fun night chatting via Skype with family. Sakura also surprised us with being able to sit up on her own as she is just over 6 months now! Now we are pressing on towards Thanksgiving where we are planning on staying with the Swenson's of Lakeville (Josh's older Sister & family for those that don't know). Looking forward to the family-time.

Autumn Adventures

パグウィン（パグの集まりとハロウィンが一緒になった集まり）に行ってきました。
沢山のパグと人、オマハにきてこんなに沢山のパグをみるのは初めてでした。
デービスはというと、相変わらずビビり気味で、最初から最後までシッポは下がったままでした。
一番楽しみにしていた、パグレース。デービスとクロを一緒に出場させたんだけど、デービスもクロもジョシュがゴールで待っているのが分かっておらず、結局、デービスもクロもゴール出来ませんでした。

This past week, Sakura showed us that she can sit up on her own and move quickly across the floor. This weekend, we have been relaxing around home & raking leaves in the backyard. Today we attended Pug-o-Ween 2009 in Omaha. There were over 150 people & Pugs conversing & snapping photos of the best costumes, rescued dog parade & even Pug races. Day-bis was more than overwhelmed by the amount of dogs as he had his tail down almost the entire time. We entered both Day-bis & Kuro in a Pug race where 6 dogs are placed into small cubicles and at the whistle, one end of the boxes opens as they make their way towards the finish line. (Once the side opened, Day-bis & Kuro couldn't hear Dad calling them from the finish line.) They ended up walking around in the cordoned off area. Neither actually made it to the goal.

Sakura's first food tasting

日本から帰国して約１週間が経ちますが、私とさくら、時差ぼけが全く治らず。
今日からさくらの離乳食を始めました、食べてくれないかなって思っていたけど、スムーズに食べてくれました。
様子をみながら、進めていきたいと思ってます。
デービスとクロは、変わらず元気で、ジョシュがお家にいる時は殆どジョシュの近くに。

It is amazing that we've been back from Japan for already a week! It feels like it was a dream. Takako & Sakura may still be trying to get over the jet-lag as they nap a lot together. We started Sakura on food today. She is 5½ months old and she did great. Even though it was only watered-down, Japanese sticky-rice, she did well. We thought she may have some trouble but it went fine. Later we will add vegetables into the mix. (She sure will get to eat a LOT of rice at home.) Day-bis & Kuro also enjoy the fact that Dad is home.

Sakura's first Tokyo trip - Completed

先週の土曜日の夜から成田のホテルに一泊して（母親も一緒）日曜日の午後の便でネブラスカに帰ってきました。今回はさくらも一緒と言う事で成田に着いた時も成田から出発する時もホテルに一泊したんだけど本当に楽でした。スーツケースとかも成田から実家へ、実家から成田へ送ってもらったので更に楽でした（それでも手荷物は沢山あったけど）
成田でお買い物をして母親と別れて搭乗口に向かったんだけど、私達が乗る飛行機とにかく人が多くて飛行機乗るにも大変でした。今回は満席だったのでさくらのカーシートは持ち込めず、乳母車とカーシートは搭乗口で預けて、予約していたバシネット（赤ちゃん専用のベット）をつけてもらいました。でもそのバシネットではさくらは殆ど寝てくれませんでした。大泣きする事もなかったので良かったけど。乗り換えのミネソタ空港に着いたらジョシュのご両親、弟、妹さんが出迎えてくれました、事前に聞いた時は、今回は迎えにこられないって聞いていたんだけど、来てくれました。
飛行機降りて搭乗口で預けた乳母車とカーシートが出てくるのを待っていたんだけど、一行に出てこない。そしたら、スーツケースとる所にありますよと言われ、急いで入国審査、その後、スーツケースをとって、乳母車とカーシート待ち。でも待っても待っても乳母車とカーシートがない。空港の人に聞いても曖昧な返事。国内線の乗り継ぎまでの時間がもうなくて、乳母車とカーシートはオマハでとれるだろうと期待して急いで国内線に。ジョシュのご両親と弟、妹さんが来てくれたのに、少ししか話す時間がなくて。
オマハに着いて、まず私のスーツケース、母親から借りたスーツケースが出てきて、で、ジョシュのスーツケースは？そう今度はジョシュのスーツケースが出てこない。そして乳母車＆カーシートも。空港の人に聞いたらジョシュのスーツケースはミネソタにあるらしく、乳母車とカーシートは行方知れず。連絡先を空港の人に教えてお家に帰りました。迎えにきてくれたジョシュの同僚に、お子さんの使っているカーシートを持ってきてもらってたので、それにさくらを乗せて。
帰ってきてから、ジョシュはデービスとクロをお友達ファミリーの家に引き取りに。お友達ファミリー３週間、デービスとクロを預かってくれて本当にありがとうございました。
そして荷物はというと、、、夜中１時に電話があってジョシュのスーツケース、乳母車、カーシートが家に届きました。夜中１時ってのが驚いたけど。
３週間、あっというまだったけど、本当に楽しかった。母親＆皆、３週間ありがとう、本当に楽しかった。

We finally arrived home from our trip to Japan, last night at about 5:30 PM. It was not without some trouble though. Here is how everything happened:
1) Stayed at the Holiday Inn Tobu Narita (Saturday night into Sunday morning)
2) Headed for Narita Airport, checked our luggage (3 bags) for the flight then headed for lunch with Hideko
3) Some last minute shopping then on to the Security Checkpoint with Sakura in her car seat & stroller combo
4) Boarded plane headed for MSP, the plane left ~30 minutes later than intended (hopefully we can make the connecting flight)
5) Sakura did great on 10+ hour flight, she had a bassinet, we did need to hold her 9+ hours of the flight (it was overbooked)
6) Arrived a MSP, waited in jetway for car seat/stroller combo - it didn't show up & we were told that it may be in the terminal already) After Immigration, needed to claim our checked baggage to go thru Customs, then recheck it for our connecting flight. Still no car seat/stroller combo.
7) We did meet my parents, brother Jared & sister Jill at the airport! They surprised us with their company as we rushed towards the connecting gate. (opposite side of the airport). We were able to visit for a little while, before boarding the plane for Omaha. We were the last ones on the full, ~50 seat plane.
8) Took off about 30 minutes late due to air traffic at MSP.
9) Arrived in Omaha, met with Buckholz (friend from work) as he had a spare car seat because we needed to file a claim for the 'lost' car seat/stroller combo at Omaha.
10) Grabbed two checked bags as we noticed the baggage conveyor was turned off. (We checked 3 bags.)
11) Filed claim for the one checked luggage, car seat & stroller. They stated they would contact us to let us know an approximate delivery.
12) Headed home then Josh drove down to Plattsmouth to pick-up Day-bis & Kuro from some friends (Olsen's) that watched them during our trip. (Thanks again for everything!)
13) Got back with the boys, eventually went to bed until we awoke to a ~1 AM phone call stating that the baggage, car seat & stroller were waiting outside our front door with the delivery man. Quite strange! Anyways, we enjoyed our time in Japan, we now are back home, safe & sound with everything!

Kinugawa Onsen

火曜日から２泊３日の鬼怒川温泉に母親と皆で旅行に行ってきました。火曜日は曇り空だったけど雨にも降られず無事に鬼怒川温泉に到着。宿に着いた後、鬼怒川ライン下りに乗船してきました。少し肌寒かったけど、たっぷりとマイナスイオンをあびて、沢山夕飯食べてお風呂に入ってまったりと。
水曜日の午前中は私とさくらと母親はお部屋でゆっくりと、ジョシュは宿の周りを散策（６キロを２時間半歩いていたそうで）でもいい写真がとれてました。夜からは台風の影響で雨、木曜日は台風直撃とまではいかなかったけど無事にお昼頃、浅草に到着しました。
浅草でお昼ご飯を食べた後、錦糸町にでてお買い物をして、お家に帰ってきました。
夜は、ジョシュが楽しみにしていた牛角に行ってきました。久々の牛角、美味しかった＆満腹
久々の温泉、本当に気持ちがよかった、母親、ありがとう。

Just this Tuesday morning, we left for Kinugawa Onsen. All 4 of us, Hideko, Takako, Sakura & I hopped the train from Asakusa and headed north for a 3-day & 2-night adventure. Tuesday was very much overcast but there was no rain. (Typhoon #18 was on its way.) Once we checked into the hotel, we caught a cab for the Kinugawa Onsen boat ride down the river. In the boat 'terminal' there were even pictures of Leonardo DiCaprio when he had taken the ride down the river. Afterwards, we headed back to the Kinugawa Onsen Hotel where we enjoyed the hot/relaxing spa and all-you-can-eat dinners/breakfasts. Wednesday was a relaxing day for the most part but as the rain hadn't started yet, Josh headed out to snap some pictures of the local area. Sakura might be coming down with a cold and Takako & Hideko stayed back with her, taking turns heading to the downstairs spa. Josh ended up walking about 4 miles in 2 ½ hours, snapping pictures along the way. Everything from the scenery, new bridges & waterfalls. Later that afternoon, the rain started as the typhoon had made its way to Kinugawa Onsen. Some more relaxing that night and into Thursday morning where we indulged in the spa once more, then to breakfast and checked out by 9:30 AM and headed for the train station. We headed back to Tokyo and then Higashi-Oojima. Tonight, we just got back from Gyu-Kaku. We really need to thank Hideko for the trip as she insisted on paying.

Shinjuku lunch-time buffet & Shinjuku-gyoen

昨日、皆に会ってきました。新宿で日本食の食べ放題のランチ、美味しかった。その後、皆でお茶をって事で移動したんだけど、大人数でお店に入れず、しかも待ち時間も長く、、、天気も良かったので新宿御苑に行きました。太陽の下で皆でまったりと。。閉園時間までいて、その後は解散、本当はもっと皆といたかったけど、さくらも疲れちゃうので私とさくらはお家に帰宅。お酒飲みに行きたかった。。。
ジョシュはルークちゃんとしゅうきちゃんと飲み＆ビリヤードをしに。
それより、新宿御苑に授乳室があったのは感動しちゃった。独身時代から何度も新宿御苑には行ってたけど、授乳室があるのは知らなかった。
楽しい１日を過ごせました。皆、時間作ってくれてありがとう。また来年、遊んでくださいませ。

Just yesterday, Sunday the 4th of October we met a group of friends in Shinjuku for a lunch-time buffet at a Japanese restaurant. Delicious food, meeting of friends, great weather, just an all-around good time. It was the first time many of them were able to meet Sakura. It is sometimes hard to believe that she is already 5 months old! After lunch, we headed for Shinjuku-gyoen as the weather couldn't have been more perfect! We lounged around for a while (the park closed at 4:30PM) and Sakura was getting tired. Takako wanted to stay longer but stated 'see you all next year' as she headed into the train station with Sakura. Josh stayed back to hang out a little while longer with Shuki & Justin to socialize & shoot some pool. The night was still young but Shuki & Justin had to work Monday so we parted ways in Shinjuku. Thank you all for coming, we hope to see you all next year!