Kamakura Land

This was so fun. We stayed one night, two days. There was a traditional craft museum with Hideto's family art, a science center, a children's castle with trick rooms, a sculpture garden, a children's train, a imax theater, and a modern art museum.

Noi's Car Bed

We made this bed for Noi; it's also a car to play with - she loves it~!

Mt. Taihei Hiking

Originally planned a hike on a trial that we learned was infested with blood-sucking leeches that jump on you from trees.........Really, am I on Earth? Sometimes Japan seems like outer space............Escaped from there and found another calm and peaceful trail that followed a ski resort slope. It was a nice day.

Pinnochio Park with Noi

Listen to the cicadas in the video. Amazing summer sounds. Noi and I have been going to this park right by our house for evening picnics. A great way to end the summer work days. She loves it. Then we go home and do fireworks with Hideto.

Noi at Cafe pretending to be a Piggy

Noi playing with Flying Fish

Noi playing with Flying Fish and Fauva Beans.
I like Fauva Beans. My mother's father used to give them to from his garden.
The fish were tasty too~!javascript:void(0)

Noi - 5.5 years old

She's doing great~!
Loves to dress up, sing, and dance, and study on her desk with her new red chair from her grandparents~!

Tahitian Restaurant by our house

Unbelievably lucky, just a block away from our home, with outdoor seating, located on a children's playground, is a Tahitian Restaurant with incredibly delicious food. Noi and I stopped by for a Mango Noni (the Tahitian herb) drink and hot mango and vanilla ice cream desert. Noi's at the age now where it's almost 100% enjoyable to go out to eat with her. She's still a little antsy, but I have at least 30 minutes to sit still from here.

Fun Stuff in June and July

Working on the garden, enjoying tons our lilies blooming in our yard (received the bulbs from Hideto's parent's neighbors), dressing Noi up in cute clothes she received as presents, eating a lot of fresh fish and vegetables with the summer bounty springing up all around us from the earth and ocean,

Randy and M and Nischa

Our wonderful friend brought his wife and new baby to visit us in Akita. We had an excellent holiday together eating delicious food, playing with the baby, going to hot springs, talking about the future & family life. Randy has been a teacher in Minneapolis for 10 years and he taught a class at our English school. We also went out to the university where I'm teaching, where many years ago, Hideto, Randy, and I met each other as college students. Hideto and Randy had fun fooling around in the kitchen and enjoying delicious Akita sake.