Summer bowling

I took the kids bowling the week before school started.  It was a great success.  Plus, August is a great time to go bowling in Okinawa because it's an indoor sport!

 

Got all the pins down but one!

 

 

 



Jacob tried different ways of getting the ball down the lane.

 

Another method

 

Nicole's ball traveled very S  L  O  W  L  Y, but sometimes it did knock down some pins!

Cute little bowler in her little bowling shoes.

 

 

The kids thanked me repeatedly for taking them bowling.  We hadn't gone bowling in a long time.  It was so much fun for everyone that I won't hesitate to take them all again!  Jacob reminded me a month later that he got a spare.  I don't know if he knows what that is, but it was memorable for him!  It was nice to have Nicole be old enough to take part in the fun.  Next time if I use the bumpers maybe the kids won't all outscore me.  I really stink at bowling.

 

Brandon Turns Eight!

Brandon's birthday was June 25.  (We didn't have a working camera at the time, so Emily did the photography with hers.) 



Penguins are Brandon's favorite animal, so when Brandon saw this cake design in Family Fun magazine, he was sold.





Another awesome cake by Paul.

He went on a treasure hunt and arrived at this bookcase and decorative shelf (to keep his precious things out of Nicole's reach!)

He had a great birthday with a simple family party.  We were going to play games but we skipped them since Brandon was eager to assemble the bookcase with me (and no one else got to help since it was his special day).

Nathan Turns Six!

Another great cake by Paul

Flying jungle animals - whichever stays on the blanket longest is the winner!



Pin the Tail Feather on the Toucan game

Brandon being silly

Emily made the Pin the Tail on the Toucan game.  Great artwork!

Nathan with some of his presents.

Cultural Exchange

Today I attended a cultural exchange "Super Saturday" activity sponsored by the women's organization of our church.  It was attended by both American and Japanese women.  We got to choose from several classes and activities.  In the morning, the Japanese women taught the classes, and in the afternoon, the American women taught the classes.



I learned how to make katsu-don (fried pork cutlet on an egg/onion sauce over rice)

The Japanese women dressed us American women in their formal kimonos.

First they put our hair in a fancy up-do.

And added a flower for extra beauty.

I chose my flower because I like red and thought it would go with many of the kimonos.  Maybe I should've chosen my flower based on shape instead.

First they put a silk robe on us, then the kimono, then the obi around our waists with a semi-flexible plastic board in front to keep it stiff.

It was very sweet how they fussed over us.

I love how this obi ties in the back.

Then we got our picture taken.  I love this kimono!  No comment about the flower.

I wish I'd brought my geta (those clog-like shoes that go with kimonos).

I couldn't resist posing with the parasol. 

Next, I learned to make sushi.

In the afternoon, I went to two classes taught by Americans:  (1) Quilting; (2) How to play two games:  Farkle (a dice game) and Spoons (a card game).  I was the only American to attend the game-playing during that session so I got to play with the Japanese ladies, and it was really fun, although I lost both rounds of Farkle.

Other classes offered were--
Japanese-taught:  Japanese songs, origami, and basket-making
American-taught:  Cake decorating, making baby toys, Hula dancing, and making girls' hair bows.

We also had lunch together.  The Americans brought sub sandwiches and desserts. The Japanese brought a variety of delicious foods.

Powder Puff Derby

Emily participated in a "Powder Puff Pinewood Derby" yesterday through church, for girls ages 8-11.  A Pinewood Derby is usually for Cub Scouts, but this time the girls got a chance!  She sanded and painted her car by herself.

Emily's car is the sparkly pink one on the right side, 5th one up, with the stack of nickels on top!

Each girl got an award for something about their car.  Emily's won "Most Artistic."

Emily's car also won first place overall for speed!  Yay, Emily!

So she got the big crown.  (She liked the little tiaras better, haha.) 
Her friend on her right got the medal for the best sportsmanship, or "Miss Congeniality."

She keeps her car and trophy on her knickknack shelf. 
She painted things on the car to represent things she loves:  pink, blue, flowers, a book, a fairy, a horse, and E for Emily.

Emily says, "I got a blue ribbon, a green glow stick, a green bracelet, and green nail polish."  She's going to be ready for St. Patty's Day!  When asked about her experience with the Derby, Emily said, "Fun...  What else am I supposed to say?"