Give the kids a cardboard box and anything can happen. We have a constant supply so the kids imagination can run wild. It was no surprise when CJ recently made a race ramp.


The cars are all lined up.


And away they go!

With summer comes hanabi or Japanese fireworks. They can be found pretty much every weekend from the middle of July through the end of August. The kids love watching the exploding colors so they were very excited to head to the port of Yokohama for our first viewing. 


Of course fun food comes with the event.


 We got our spot by the water and the kids played while the sun set.


 EJ made sure to bring her chair along and was all comfy when the show started promptly at 7:30.


We watched 3,000 fireworks shoot into the sky for thirty minutes. 


This was EJ's favorite. 


 It was a loud and beautiful show.


The kids stayed awake the whole show but were quickly asleep on the walk/train ride home. 

Our Japanese friends have taught us so much about their culture through cooking it was time that they learned a bit about ours.


I helped teach a cookie session where I taught my macaroon recipe. A recipe with all of the ingredients available at ta Japanese grocery store.


We chatted as we measured and mixed and in the end had a delicious cookie.


Coconut Macaroons

There are some perfect climbing trees just outside our building. The kids sneak in a climb whenever possible. I keep reminding CJ that he shouldn't go up if he can't come down.


He just goes up and stays:)

Happy Birthday Dad! Thanks for your sacrifice and dedication to teach us that we were meant to thrive.

We held a Tanabata lesson for the kids in preparation for the upcoming holiday.

Kaori did a flannelgraph telling the story of two lovers separated only to meet once a year in July.


Then the kids did origami of the boy and girl.


Part of the fun of getting together is the mommy time. 


We wrote our wishes on strips of paper and hung them in the bamboo branches ready for the holiday.

CJ let out a squeal when he discovered the ten story crane parked outside our porch. It provided an afternoon of construction fun for CJ.

After a day at yochien the girls enjoy some time with the animals.

With summer comes the change of the chalkboard.

It is so easy to forget, or at least not think about, what DaddyO is doing each day he is away. Pictures like this remind me we are moving forward together in time watching the same sun.

 Now that CJ is three he can start all the sports teams on base. Funny enough soccer is first. He has a fabulous coach that keeps the kids focused the whole practice.


Their team cheer...."Have Fun!"

I know summer is truly here when we start to see fireflies. I quickly learned that, like many things here in Japan, watching fireflies is a whole different experience.


I had the first clue when my Japanese friend asked if I had ever seen fireflies and I responded that we catch them all the time at our parents' houses. She looked at me with shock on her face. After a trek through a park to fresh spring water I learned that firefly viewing in Japan is kind of like my family's moose viewing in Minnesota. You hunt and hunt and are excited when you finally see one. Forget about actually getting close to it.


As the sun set more and more people showed up to look for the flashy bugs. CJ wasn't too sure about the darkness but stuck it out till 7:30 and our waiting paid off. Flashes were spotted and the crowd of people oood and ahhhd as if they were watching a fireworks show. The excitement was contagious and the kids excitedly pointed out the flashes they found to me.
 

It was a peaceful night at the park and the kids continued the peace by falling asleep on the way home. I think I finally figured out a technique to transfer them all sleeping.


A wonderful night!