Iwo Jima

The JAG Office took a trip to Iwo Jima recently. We were able to fly down on two of the Army's jets and brought a Japanese historian from the Ground Self-Defense Force with us. Here is a picture of Mount Fuji as we took off.

Here is Chris with Mount Suribachi in the background.

The black sand beaches of Iwo Jima, and a pillbox. The whole island is vocanic, hot, and smells like sulfur.

The memorial at the site of the flag raising on top of Suribachi

Christmas Day

Adam didn't really get what was going on with Christmas day, but once he got downstairs, he was super excited. Lottie was just excited that Adam was excited.

Here's the loot before the kids destroyed it. Santa was generous this year!

Checking out some of his new Thomas trains.

Lottie is excited for Christmas!

Trying really hard to eat a candy cane.

Mommy enjoys a Christmas snuggle.

Lottie's new butterfly in the box. I think Adam likes it better than Lottie.

Adam's a train conductor. He and Lottie loved all their presents and have played with everything at least a few times over. Adam just goes in a loop. Trains, trucks, puzzles, games, books, DVDs, and back again. He loved Christmas and was happy that Santa and Baby Jesus got to visit his house (he seems to think that they travel as a pair). I guess Mary and Joseph need some time off every now and then!

Christmas Eve Portraits

Here are the best and/or funniest shots from the portrait session taken after Christmas Eve Mass. I probably should have tried taking these in the morning instead. Oh well.

Holiday Events

Here are a few pictures from a few of our holiday events. We have an annual Christmas party with the Japanese JAG office at a fancy Tokyo reception hall. Here's the group picture of all attendees. The Japanese always put together a game to play as entertainment - last year was bingo, this year was a mini golf game. Everyone got a turn to take a putt - Japanese versus Americans. We won 3-2 - yes, we were all terrible. I think the Japanese threw it. Then the "winners" got gifts. We ended up with extra gifts for Lottie, who was allowed to come, since she won't take a bottle, and I couldn't leave her.

Here she is in the giant bassinett-type thing that the Japanese brought out for her. Baby Tate's bassinett was a rocker. Luckily, Lottie's wasn't, or she would have pitched out right away. The Japanese were not happy that we kept the babies' shoes on (so we had to take them off). We didn't try to explain that neither of them walk, so the shoes had never touched the floor. Oh well.

We left the kids home to attend the annual Holiday Ball. Chris didn't wear his blues, but cleaned up pretty nice anyway. How do I still have tan lines in December?

We're done with all our holiday events and are trying to finish up our Christmas tasks and enjoy the last few days before Christmas. Adam is excited for Santa and Baby Jesus (I'm pretty sure he thinks they are a package deal), and PRESENTS. He's been really good about leaving the gifts alone. Lottie has been trying to open them like crazy.

Crazy and Dancing

More crazy Adam. I especially like his "tap dance" singing at the beginning. Then he just eases into the total crazy.

Animal Song

Adam started making up a song about animals as we were going to Sagamihara Park to see the animals. He was VERY excited, you see. I didn't get the first animal song on video, but asked for a second. It wasn't as good, but still pretty funny.

New Train

Adam got a new bullet train when we went to Machida. This one is battery powered - both kids love to watch it go round the track. Adam only likes it for about five minutes, then he wants to run it on the track by himself, with no battery powered help!

Nice tongue, Nani!

Hat

Adam loves trying on Daddy's new hat.

Animals

Adam has always been interested in animals. He is so lucky that we have a small (free!) zoo at Sagamihara Park, which is only 15 minutes away. Since our last trip, these animal hats resparked his interest. He's imitating the panting dog on Lottie's head!

Funny Kids

All I Want for Christmas...

...is my two front teeth, then I would stop driving my parents crazy with my incessant crying.

We're almost there - the teeth have just started to poke their way out. Thank goodness.

Scottish

Adam decided that Lottie's Christmas bloomers looked better on his head than on her bottom. What a nut!

Yet another sister mauling.

Plural of Foote

We ran into our friends, Dennis and Kathy Foote, at brunch after church today. Kathy and I are in MCCW (Military Council of Catholic Women) together, so Adam sees her pretty often and likes to see her sing in choir. He calls her, "Kathy Foote!" Not Kathy, or Ms. Kathy, but Kathy Foote. So, we chatted for a little while, and when it was time to leave, Adam calls out, "BYE, FEET!" I didn't even know he knew the plural of Foote! As Dennis pointed out, there were two of them.

In church, Adam got a load of laughs (and we were thoroughly embarrassed) when he tried to LOUDLY imitate Kathy's Messiah solo. His soprano just didn't sound the same.

Earlier Saturday Morning

The first thing we did on Saturday morning was to head to a garage sale that friends were having. They all have kids our age or a little older. Melissa has a girl Adam's age, and Bella has the best clothes. So I snatched up a bunch. Japanese Baby Gap makes the prettiest dresses, but even on sale, they only go to about $20 (retail is usually about $60). I was pretty happy to get all this for $25. We also got a double jogging stroller, almost new, for $30. Score! Yay for winter cleaning.

On the way to Atsugi, I had to take a picture of the new ad campaign for the McDonald's Quarter Pounder. Big Mouth!

Atsugi

We headed to Atsugi to pick up Amy's cell phone (left at a Christmas party - oops) and have lunch at Taco Bell. Daddy the pushover also got Adam a chocolate donut.

Yum.

And more yum.

Lottie is loving sitting in the rocket high chair. That top tooth is just under the gum - we can see the line of the tooth and a big blood bubble. She's still pretty happy, but we're waiting for the gum/tooth explosion that happened to Adam with his top teeth. Yuck!

Play Day

More pictures of Nani and Lottie playing "together."

Then Adam and Lottie hung out in their diapers before bath time.

Sunday Finery

Adam and Lottie posed in front of the Christmas tree after Mass on Sunday.

Too busy playing to smile.

Posing with Nani.

Nani want a toy?

Poor Nani. Her only consolation is basking in the glow of the sunbeam.

Decorating the Tree

We finally got around to decorating our incredibly dry Christmas tree. Lottie helped with the lights.

Adam put the angel on top (backward).

The finished Santa tree. It's shedding needles like crazy, but smells really good. I would never buy a tree that dry, but we didn't really have options. We could have bought a really tiny real tree at IKEA (and when I say tiny, I mean 1-2 feet tall). Ah, Japan.