The split weekend - Kid style

Last week, Mom was just about ready to go crazy so we put here on a train to Tokyo for a little R&R. The rest of here decided to make a weekend of it so we went to Osorezan. This is the mountain of Hell, I don't know if there was a subliminal message in all this but it was actually a really good time.

The terrain around the lush mountain is what gives rise to the myths and legends that this is the gates of hell. Every year itakos, women who have given up there sight to see the spirits, will communicate with the dead at these spots.

Both the terrain and the stench coming from it is evidence that something is dead

It is rather beautiful though

After Osorezan, we went to Yagen Valley, a magnificent gorge through the mountains on the other side of the lake. I am not sure but I think Tally is peeing in the background.

Good times with all the kids

Truman and Tenny have become very good friends through out this summer. They have really started to pal around in the neighborhood and with other friends.

Truman is the boy who gets tired easily, but he tries hard.

Tenny would have thrown every rock in that valley into the stream if I would have let him. He was very disappointed when we had to leave.

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Tally puts the Player in Baseball Player

A couple of days ago we got Tally baseball pictures back. They all look like fine upstanding young boys. Then you examine it closer...scroll down


It always has to be my kid doesn't it. It can't be the coaches kid or our neighbors, no it has to be mine.

Talmage apparently thought some ladies might get a hold of these photos so he was prepared. This is classic Tally, the boy would rather eat glass than take a picture with a normal expression on his face. Now we have it for all posterity.

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Chlöe vs The Mountains: Enter the Dragon

Chlöe and I have been working on this ambitious and at times masochistic goal of hiking the highest peak in every state. Well, since we're not in a state right now we had to spread our wings a bit. At 12, 387 ft, Mt Fuji or Fujisan, is the highest peak in all of Japan, so we thought what the heck.

As we left the hotel the day looked very overcast and poopy. We got in the bus at 0300 and made the 2 hr trip from Tokyo to the 5 Lakes Region that encircles Fujisan. The farther we drove up to the base of the mountain the better the conditions above us looked.

You can see as we made it to the base camp, the clouds were below us with nothing but goals and high aspirations above us. It was a little cool as we started but once we got in the sun and started powering up the mountain we were nice and toasty


I was amazed at what a difficult climb it was up the mountain. Chlöe and I have traversed some fairly steep terrain but this was definitely up there on the difficulty scale. One of the things, beside the steep grade, that made it so tricky was the composition of the trails. They were covered in volcanic sand which made each step harder than the next.

All along the way were little huts that you could buy some noodles or stay for the night (for ridiculously high prices, $50 per/person for a mat to sleep on.) They did make for great little pit stops along the way and gave us good targets to shoot for up the mountain.

Just a few feet from the summit! The torii gates on the mountain magnify the experience of hiking in Japan

As we were hiking we were going at a parallel speed as a group of teenage boys who would talk and joke with us in our limited communications abilities. Once we got to the top, they ripped off all their clothes to reveal Power Ranger costumes. There is nothing like being on top of the world with the Pink Power Ranger.

The actual summit looking down on the little "village" below

The pose of triumph!

We did put together a video, hopefully I can get it edited and posted soon. Check back in a few days.

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Crazy Eight Dinner

The other night on 8 Aug, we had a crazy eight dinner to celebrate the momentous date. We gave the kids each eight dollars to buy something for the dinner (which was entirely too much, why couldn't if have been 2004). They all bought something that we ate eight of for dinner. It turned out to be quite an interesting menu, see below.

We had 1/8 pound hamburgers, with 8 raviolis, with 8 oz of cream soda, 8 buggles, 8 ears of corn (cut into smaller pieces), 8 swedish fish, 8 animal cookies, 8 corn pops, a tom8to, and a nutter butter bar because I love nutter butter bars.

I think everyone throughly enjoyed it.

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Summer Fun in Japan

The kids are out of school and so today was the first day of summer for us. And what a beautiful day it was! Clear skies and temps in the high 70s so we had to go to the beach. Our favorite beach is the Miss Veedol Beach. There is a bit of history, as it was the launch site of the first trans-pacific flight (who knows where it landed...anyone...anyone...Wenatchee, Washington, that's right). They have a look out tower (where Truman and Tenny are ((and mom holding on to Tenny for dear life))) on top of the old runway and a full size model of the plane that made the flight, the Miss Veedol

As every time at the beach, you start just getting your feet wet...

...or trying not to get them wet...

...so the solution is obvious


Tenny didn't want to get his cloths wet...

...so he just took them off

The obligatory sand burying

Dinner afterward at Lake Ogawara about 10 miles from the beach.

The rest of the lake

About 30 secs after Rose stopped this video, Tenny got knocked over by a huge wave and had the saddest/most shocked/angriest face. I guess we just need to roll the camera all the time.

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Popcorn poppin on the Cherry Trees

When we first got here to Japan, we were just coming out of the winter. It was cold and lifeless looking. Then all of a sudden the cherry blossoms started coming out and it looked amazing. When went down the road to the town of Hirosaki where they have a castle in the middle of a cherry orchard. The pictures don't even come close.

In the background is the castle. I can only imagine waking up to this the first real day of spring, looking out and seeing all of this.

This is the view from the castle window! Amazing!

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Truman the Lamanite

These speak for themselves!

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Fish and Buddhas

The first couple of days in Japan we drove around Misawa and a near by town of Hachinohe. It was cold and rainy but really interesting. Chloe was away at a youth trip to a huge indoor water
park.

Everyone rubbed Buddha for good luck.

Chewie on a stone table

Tally eating octopus at the Hachinohe fish market


Tenny was intrigued with just about everything at the fish market and all of the women working there were mesmerized by his curly hair and chubby cheeks



We all enjoyed the fish!

Tally getting purified before entering the Shinto Temple

Mom and Chewie by the temple

I was afraid the closest temple to Misawa was going to be in Tokyo but fortunately we found one just down the road.

Playing on the merry go round after a long day of sight seeing

With some effects!

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