Double Trouble

The girls and I are doing well here in Japan.  Waiting and waiting for Daddy to get home.  Here's what we have been up to lately.

The curls hide how long her hair really is.  She wanted me to braid it and then take a picture so she could see her 'Elsa hair.'

The nights are nice and cool now, so we had to bust out the warm jammies.  Unfortunately, Ellis' were cramping her toes, so they were only double trouble for two nights.

Mad about something.  This kid has a serious attitude problem.

Snacks at the park.  Unless we are having a typhoon, which is often, then the weather is sunny and 70s.  Just how we like it.  The awful mosquitoes are gone now too, so we spend hours outside.

The beautiful weather makes us all happy.

Happy and silly

A selfie to send to Daddy

Cute little stinkers

Leyton LOVES all decorations, so she was super pumped to discover some Halloween decorations on base

Leyton's school has transitioned back into the winter uniform that is so darling.  She has had a little trouble with the buttons.  They have caused more than one wardrobe meltdown.

E having her own little fit.  I wanted to take a picture to send to Daddy because she was so cute in her rain gear.    I clearly took the picture anyway, even though she had a fit and collapsed on the floor.

So that Sissy doesn't have ALL the fun, E and I took a field trip to a local farm with some friends.

We dug Japanese sweet potatoes and carrots

Clearly farming is in her blood

Japan grows giant carrots

She was extremely dirty but she had a blast

We brought home 5 giants carrots and 3 large sweet potatoes and several smaller ones.  Score!

So Ellis is a biter.  When she gets mad she is going to bite something or someone.  She bit a hole in this chair.  Everyone whom I have told this story to has laughed.  I guess I can see where it could be funny.  But I also see a hole in my chair.

Gotta love these adorable, vicious little monsters

Hosen Sports Day

Last Saturday was Leyton's kindergarten Sports Day.  Apparently, in Japan, nearly every school, from pre-school to college, has a Sports Day in the Fall.  It was lovely.  It was an entire school day long, from 9 to 2.  Most of the prizes and decorations were made by the children.  There were opening and closing ceremonies and lots of 'sports'.  When I think of 'sports day' I imagine my elementary school Field Day.  This was not like that at all.  For starters, the children had been practicing since they returned from summer break, so about 5 weeks.  The three-year-olds didn't have much to work on, just their individual races.  The 4- and 5-year-olds, however, did Tug-of-war, relays, and a choreographed gymnastics routine to 'Let It Go!' (no, I am not kidding).  Even I got to participate.  First with Ellis, as a 'future Hosen kid.'  I held her hand as she did a 10 meter dash.  She was rewarded with a new book (we have a nice collection of books that we can't read now), a gold star medal that one of the older kids made, origami paper, and some other goodies.  I also had to go and dance with Leyton.  She wore a bunny hat that she made, and I wore tissue-paper flowers on my wrist.  There were only 4 steps to the dance, and she executed them better than me.  Must have been all the practice.  I got a 5 minute heads-up that I had to do the dance and I got a friend to watch Ellis so I could go.  Speaking of Ellis, now is a good time to apologize for the less than stellar pictures of this event.  I was trying to entertain/corral a toddler who either wanted to be out on the field with the big kids or who wanted to go home.  Not to worry though, I ordered the DVD of the event.  It is certain to be entertaining.

Lining up for Opening Ceremonies.  Leyton is in Sakura class, with the light pink hats.

All those flags were colored by the school kids

In formation

Not happy

There are four 3-year-old classes.  This is the race that each kid did.  I tried to video Leyton but miss it because Ellis ran off.

Still not happy

I am always impressed how they get so many 3-year-olds to listen

Can you find Leyton?

I think this is tug-o-war

In another event, Grandparents came out and helped the kids toss balls into a basket.  It really was a family affair.

LC's bunny hat she made for the Bunny Dance.  Sorry I missed his ears.

On the field, the teachers are going over the dance steps

The Frozen Dance.  Complete with a three-kid high pyramid (again, not kidding).

Refueling

Silly Selfie

Random picture from the monthly Newsletter Leyton's school puts out.  I don't know exactly what it says, but another Mom told me the Mari Sensee was praising Leyton's progress with learning Japanese.

Taking a break

Texting.  It was a long day, but the weather was nice.  Not too hot and right before the typhoon rain moved in.  Hopefully next year I will have two kids to cheer for at Sports Day.  And a husband there to help :)

Ellis' Birthday Celebration

So I totally took the easy way out on Ellis' birthday party this year.  There are a group of Mom's that meet a couple times a month on base.  The kids play and we chat.  Normal 'mother of small children' stuff.  Anyway, with Ryan being gone, most of my friends living on-base, and because she's two and I can get away with it, I didn't feel up to planning to party by myself.  Instead, I asked my friends to bring a dish in lieu of gifts (best idea ever, by the way) and we sang Happy Birthday.  We met on the Japanese national holiday for celebrating the Fall Equinox, so we had a 'pumpkin' theme.  And the kids played and mommies chatted.  Good times and a good way to celebrate my little cheese ball.  Now what to do for Leyton's upcoming birthday... Ryan will still be gone -in fact, he will have managed to miss all four of our birthdays, both Mother and Father's Day, AND our 10 year Anniversary this year.  Oh well.  Not like I didn't know what I was signing up for when I married, so no grounds to complain there.  Anyway, I know a Halloween party would be a huge hit with LC and her Japanese friends, but I am just not sure I can pull it off.  Not without stressing myself and the girls to the brink of disaster.  Maybe next year.

Here are a few more pics of Ellis' eye from a few weeks ago

She kept her spirits high

Oh how we miss you, Daddy!!

Partytime for this two-year-old!

We meet in the 'party room' of a high-rise apartment on base

It was a holiday, so LC didn't have school.  She was able to come and whine about not being able to eat only cookies

Lunch

Singing 'Happy Birthday.'  She didn't cry, but she did hide behind me

Cupcake time!

E sneaking food with her friends

The kids decorated pumpkins with stickers that I got from Target a couple of years ago.  I miss Target.

They also decorated the babies that were crawling around.

The adjoining room is open for the kids to play and ride on these things.  Such fun!  Thank you to everyone who helped celebrate Ellis and her birthday!