VACATION!!!!

SO, we made our long trek to Tokyo to the airport to pick up our family! It was sooo nice to see familiar faces. Aunt Claire, Uncle Butch and NANA all came! We took some time around Tokyo and headed to Disney and Disney SEA. I wish that they had Disney SEA in the states, because it is the most beautiful place I have ever seen that was not GOD made! I have so many pics of the park that they look like pics of Venice and Italy and Other amazing places!

Collin and Carrie and Kyle loved the rides at Disney. Collin had a permanent smile for days...He had no fear of rides or characters which made it so much fun! The Disney park is basically the same as Florida, but has a few different rides and very different food!! LOL!




At One point we were in a small area of Disney sea and there were maybe 25 people hanging around some characters. We were the only Americans and the Characters ran off with Collin in the stroller. It turned into a parade and we all ran and skipped up the path toward their resting spot! It was sooo funny!
Even Kevin and his Uncle got into the rides and had to hit the teacups together!

This look sums up Collin face for the whole time we were at the Disney parks! He loved the rides. At Disney SEA there is a whole indoor section that looks like the little mermaid movie. The rides are puffer fish balloons and jelly fish rides. Everything was in bright neon colors and very kiddo friendly!

We hit the 2 story Aladdin carousel and rode a Griffin!
Collin...still smiling... LOL!

He had a great time with the characters and went to them even without us! Goofy got right down on the ground with him and Collin loved it. He cried when his turn was over, but only for a second because Disney is the HAPPIEST PLACE ON EARTH!

Everyone loves a character! Dale was a great sport and let us take a million shots until everyone was smiling, sort of...In the states it always seems like you get one shots, but in Tokyo the characters were amazing!

We also ventured into the city of Tokyo. We saw the Tokyo tower and the palace. It is a beautiful city, but very busy!
When we got back to our end of the island we took the family to Miajima. There are tons of deer on this island and they love to be fed...her is our dear Aunt getting a lot of deer love and she only left with a few bruises!

We are all just hanging out here in Japan. Kevin has 2 more work days until he is officially on vacation for 2 weeks! We are soooo excited.
I have been trying to keep up with the kids and the running and the house. It all sounds so simple, but there are days that it all does not fit! And since I have committed myself to getting healthy, the house has been suffering! giggle!

Carrie is having a nice summer and making new friends. Our newest neighbor has 2 girls. One a yr older and one a yr younger than her!
Kyle has been having a bit of a stressful summer since all of his best buddies have moved. He is hanging in there though and is still his bouncy self most of the time.
Collin is jabbering away. Yesterday he said, "GOSH MOM!" I had to laugh. Last night he told Kevin, "Bath please?" and he has been throwing new words and phrases out everyday!

We are all looking forward to our Tokyo trip and will post lots of pics!!!!

2 weeks until DISNEY!

I have been so excited about our upcoming Disney trip...only 2 more weeks. We will be checking out Tokyo and going to both Disney and Disney Sea...

Kevin's mom, aunt and uncle will all be flying into Tokyo and we will meet them and then spend 4 days there. We are then coming back down here to spend a week and a half.

It will be soooo good to see family.

It is still raining here...this is like 5 or six days straight now. The world outside is a big soggy mess and the world inside is closing in and getting chaotic.

We had a break in the weather this past Sunday. We decided to take the kids to a local city park.

This place has some of the biggest koi ever and the kids love feeding them.

Everyone was somewhat muddy after we left. But the kids had fun watching and catching tadpoles in the rock pond...there were literally hundreds of them!

We had a good time. It was nice having a family day with daddy!

Here is a shot of my BOYS!

Aren't they handsome? That is Collin's classic cheese for the camera face! He is so full of himself!

And here is a shot of us GIRLS!

Mud and rain!

Kyle is a mud monster!!!!
It is the rainy season here, which means daily downpours.
The kids like the pauses in the rain and it generally results in this kind of mess!!!!

Something sad...

Our big Jenny dog is no longer with us. She has had chronic intestinal problems since we got her in December. This seemed to be helped by a special diet and then a low fat and high fiber diet. However, recently, the cure became less effective. She could no longer control herself and found she was 80 pounds, not house broken and very uncomfortable with the pain associated with her digestive issues. Kevin and I had discussed previously that if the problems persisted we would have to put her down. So, this past week we had to.

I feel really sad about this decision. She was the kind of dog that all families want when it comes to temperment and affection. The kids could literally do anything to her. However, she was showing signs that she was suffering. She couldn't hold her bowels or bladder anymore and it felt cruel to keep her on this path. WE couldn't let her in with the family as she should be. It was too hot for her to be out. She was just distressed trying to run in and out of the house. We could not leave her unattended indoors and she even had accidents in the crate...She was so miserable. I felt like crying everytime she looked at me.

She will forever be in our hearts...

We will always have love for the Bernese Mountain Dog breed because of her.

The kids are dealing with it quite well, since we included them in the decision. Carrie is taking it the hardest. She wants to save everything so badly...Last month she brought a 'dead' tree from the trash can she insisted I repot and save. She named it FRED and now it is in a big pot and growing like mad. But, even Carrie undestands that Jenny was suffering.

The house is quiet, but Sakura seems content to sleep on my feet.