Sakura, Sakura!

Spring is beautiful anywhere, and Japan is no exception.  The Japanese are a bit nuts about the cherry blossom trees, or sakura, and you see folks carrying around cameras snapping pictures of them everywhere.  Because we have adopted the 'Do as the Japanese Do' motto, here are some pictures we took at a local park of us and the trees.

Beautiful, aren't they?  And the trees are nice too.

The girls are into giving each other kisses these days, which is really sweet.... until someone's had enough and decides to punch or bite or kick instead of kiss

These two are growing up so fast.  Ellis can repeat most any word you ask her to, and uses short sentences already.  She goes potty (though I wouldn't call her potty trained) and has roll-on-the-floor tantrums when life doesn't go her way.

And this kid starts kindergarten next week.  Last weekend I took the train to a Japanese department store and bought her school supplies.  She needed: inside shoes and a shoe bag, a plastic cup and cup bag, lunch bag, a bag to go over her seat cushion/disaster hood, a towel with a loop, a face mask (which she actually really likes to wear), and tissues.  I found everything -all with My Melody- her new favorite character.  

Someone may need a haircut soon

This looks like a camera trick, but it's just two tunnels side-by-side at the park

Hey Look!  More Cherry Blossoms!

One month in and we still really love Japan.  Which is good, because we have to stay here awhile :)