So Thankful that Daddy is Home!

Daddy's ship in the background

Last Friday, I pulled Leyton out of school and we made the drive to beautiful Yokosuka to meet Daddy as he got off his ship.  It is not a far drive, maybe 30 kilometers, but it took us an hour and 20 minutes thanks to traffic.  By the time we got on base, found the ship, parked, and walked to the correct pier, I had about 60 seconds to snap the following two terrible photos before Daddy walked around the corner and I put the camera down.  There is a time for photos and a time for hugs and kisses :-)  Funny that this post is about Daddy being home, and he is not in a single picture.  It's for the best, though.  He has his annual nasty mustache for Movember.  I will spare you.

Another reason for no pictures- behind the girls is a drop-off to the bay and very close behind me is a busy street.  Not the safest place to two active kids.

I found these at the NEX.  The girls love dressing up like Daddy.

Ryan's 'stache looks just as ridiculous

Ryan's 'honey-do' list was to put up Christmas lights.  I made the mistake of complaining about his technique and therefore landed the job for myself.  At least they look nice now :-)

Leyton's friend from kindergarten, Erin, let Leyton borrow her 'hifu' for a photo shoot.  In November in Japan, parents and children celebrate 'Shichi-go-san'.  It means '7-5-3' and on November 15 every year, Japanese parents take their children to a temple and pray for health.  Girls go at age 3 and 7 and boys at age 3 and 5.  Erin wore this last year and her little sister will wear it next year, when she is 3.  For most little girls (including Leyton), it is the first time they get to wear a kimono.  Little girls add a vest, called a hifu.  The socks are 'tabi' and the shoes are 'zori'.  There is a matching bag to carry the offering to the shrine and a matching hair piece.  Most parents just rent the outfit, but this is Erin's personal kimono.  For this reason, I was VERY nervous about Leyton wearing it and harming it (you can imagine they are not cheap).  So we didn't go to temple.  We took a few shots in the yard while Ellis napped.

So fun to celebrate both Japanese AND American holidays :-)  We did our Thanksgiving feast last Saturday to celebrate Ryan's homecoming and because we are spending the actual holiday at Tokyo Disney.  Time to learn 'It's a Small World' in Japanese!  Happy Thanksgiving and Shichi-Go-San everyone!