House painting

Since being back from Japan and a vacation at the beach, we have been busy with small jobs around the house. Yukari is the most productive, taking on cleaning and painting the front porch.

What a beautiful August this has been!

A garden for Luke and Ian

At the front of our new house, Yukari created a garden for Luke and Ian.

Virginia Beach - August 2013

We have no lack of posts from visits to see family in Virginia Beach, and we enjoyed a couple of visits in July and August this year, after returning home from Japan.

It was wonderful to spend time with Liz, John, and the kids at the beach!

Both Luke and Ian started to enjoy the ocean, and we couldn't get them off the boogie boards. Not long before they will be surfing :)

It is always sad to say goodbye to family, and the boys miss their cousins.

Last days in Japan 2013

We had a wonderful time, as usual, in Japan this summer. Unfortunately, we had to cut our trip short, but we made the most of our last few days.

Ian and Luke enjoyed an afternoon in the local park with their cousins.

We visited and cleaned the graves of their family members.

Found some interesting samurai statues around Yukari's hometown.

And, of course, our traditional photo of the "hotdog guy" at Narita airport on our last day.

Koguriyama neighborhood, June 2013

Just a few photos around the neighborhood of Yukari's house in Niigata, Japan.

BBQ and Firewroks

We had Japanese style BBQ for dinner today. At least one we do the BBQ when we visit in Japan! I like it, because it reminds me when I was kid. Nice memories :)

After the BBQ, Luke and Ian enjoyed fireworks! 

When I was kid, we do fireworks almost everyday after dinner. Summer tradition and fun for all kids!

Dada is home!

Paul had really busy schedule for this summer. He were in Indonesia for a month an he spent a day with us, he went to another business trip for a week in Japan. And today, he finished all the trip and came home!! We meet Paul at my sister's house, so he had chance to spent time with Yuuma and Kie-chan :) Paul brought Batik shirts from Indonesia for all kids. They love it!

Welcome home Dada!

Fun with cousins

We visited my sister's house for a week. Yuuma and Kie-chan are already attending schools, so they can visit us to grandma's house until late July, so we decided to visit them! We had such a wonderful time.
 

They took us to "Round 1" (very popular game/entertainment center)

 We visited my cousin's house. Luke and Ian had fun train ride with their cousins. 

Here are the rules in the train (my sister made this for her kids):

1. No running around

2. No screaming       

3. No crying            

We had great time with my aunt (my dad sister) and cousin! Thank you for making delicious lunch and fun time. See you in 2015!!

One the way to my sister's house. They kept the train ride rules--they were "pretty" good ;-)

This is what we eat at home!

Today we went to grocery store and we found food that we like.

Mushroom for me, soy beans for Luke and Ian, Myouga (kind of ginger) for Paul 

and squid baby for my mom.

Bon Appetit!

Helping Baba's (Grandma's) garden

It's getting warmer and my mom said "It's time to plant vegetables!"  I heard Boys screaming "YEAH!!!!", they are so excited! Luke asked Baba if he can plant his own flower somewhere are garden. Of course she said "Yes!" Now they are extra excited and boys were beg to take them to the store to get flowers. Yes, we wet to quick stop at the store and boys choose flowers!

Luke's flower garden. He choose all purple flowers.

This is Ian's flower garden.

Somehow my boys always end up like this when they go outside... muddy, muddy, muddy! I know it so much fun to get dirty---hahaha    I guess I just need to change their clothes four times and they need take bath twice a day--that's all, not big a deal, right? Hahaha