Snowpocalypse

For the second weekend in a row Tokyo was slammed with record breaking snowfalls.  28" was added to about the 6" we still had from a few days prior.  The snow was very very heavy and caused quite a few trees to come down here on base.  Needless to say shoveling it was backbreaking.  When the base finally reopened today 2 days after the storm, it was interesting to get off base and see the Japanese trying to use dustpans and dirt shovels to dig out.  Plows are few and far between, so as you can imagine, the roads were wretched.

A few photos from around our home...

 The boys favorite climbing tree came down...

And more is in the forecast for Tuesday!

Bourneland

Over the years I have so many wonderful memories of taking my children to Summit Mall, or Chapel Hill to drink Starbucks and chat with Julie over our daily life as moms with young children.  Those days were so fleeting, and how I wish we could still do it with Caroline and Audrey.  The mall playground was just a small area with various items to climb and slide upon, but always served its purpose and the kids loved it.

Here in Japan they have a similar such area for children.  However, I am ever so glad we came here after those years for fear my children would never be satisfied again.  This last Friday I took the children here to Bourneland, the play area at the mall, to kill some time as we were all feeling very housebound, and Mommy needed a Starbucks fix

This is what we found.....

a massive ballpit/jungle gym

                                      climbing wall

                                                           before...they even have staff employed to play with your child!

                                                after...

                                           Audrey always seems to make a Japanese friend everywhere we go....

!

So Julie, come on over....I think our kids would be happy here all day!  

Finally a taste of winter

While many of our friends and family have been feeling this winters 'polar vortex', we, here in Tokyo have been in an almost permanent state of fall since early December.  The children prayed often for snow, and longingly talked of skating and sledding we did back in Ohio.  The plum blossoms are even starting to come out, and this past Monday we got up to 62 degrees.

But their prayers were answered when this past week we got not 1, but 2 snowfalls!  Oh happy day!  The one we got just yesterday was the largest snowfall Tokyo has seen in decades.  Bringing about 21 inches of snow to our doorstep.  The base here has completely shut down for 2 days, and even tomorrow, though its beautiful out now, Andrew and the children are both getting the day off.  They are still clearing out and only part of the base will reopen.  I couldn't understand why nothing was being done to clear the roads, but I guess living on an Air Base the number 1 priority is keeping the runway clear and that is all they focus on until the snow stops and it is clear.  It makes sense now, but we were quite literally snowed it.

The children have had a wonderful time, and Andrew spent close to 4 hours working with Stanley and Tommy to make their first real igloo.  It has provided hours of fun, without a doubt my husband loves to build things!

The first snowfall....

Note our snowmans pigtails, per Mollys request

                                                                Perfect dusting...

                                                              SOOO  happy!

                                                       Poor palm tree in our yard...

                                  This avenue of cherry trees very close to our house is beautiful in all
                                                               seasons

                                                           I couldn't resist this photo op

                                                     Over 6 feet tall, another first here in Japan!
                                                          Our first igloo!



We are trying to enjoy this treat as from what we have heard this was very rare and probably won't happen again while we are here...

Molly

So my sweet little Molly lost her first tooth last night.  I actually had to use Andrews pliers to loosen this one as her tiny little teeth were too difficult to get a hold of.  She just laid there and barely uttered a word.  After words she gleefully told Stanley it didn't hurt at all, that she was tough and he was wrong, it was EASY!

So under her pillow this morning she found a 100 yen coin...a first for our children.  The equivalent of an American dollar, she was pleased as punch.   I wasn't ready for this...she is growing too fast...

saying goodbye

Saying goodbye has long been a part of a military families life.  My respect and appreciation for what these people go through and sacrifice grows all the time.  Every 2 years on average they pick up and relocate and make the best of their new surroundings .

When we first arrived in Yokota, in a fog of jet lagged exhaustion we stumbled out of our temporary living and down to the playground just outside our building to try and cope with the overwhelming emotions we were all experiencing.  After only being here only about 3 days Tommy and Stanley began playing with a boy named Kell on the playground and quickly struck up a friendship.  I, in turn started talking to his mother, who, like us had only been here a few short days.  Jenny, quickly began one of my closest friends here in Japan.  In those first few weeks we ventured out on many firsts together...taking trains, finding daiso, and joyful honda, making memories together, and relying on each other in this new land of craziness.  We are so alike in so many ways its almost unbelievable.  I have so cherished her friendship and will miss her so very very much as her husband got his own fighter wing in Idaho and they are moving today.  I know this is an incredible opportunity for David, her husband, but her absence will create a huge hole and I will surely miss her greatly.  She was only here 7 months, and now has to settle her 3 young children twice in less than a year.  Like I said, I don't know how they do it....David, Jenny, Kell, Aren, and Reid you will be sorely missed by the Kevers!

                                                      Jenny and I just before she left....