A Homemade Christmas

Durben Style! I bet your picturing knitted scarves or cutesy crafts.......but that just wouldn't really be us.
Max felt strongly about giving gifts this year, and in particular that they should be hand made. "It just makes it special" he said.
He spent a couple of days popping in and out of his room asking for paper, newspaper, and more and more tape......... He wanted it all to be a surprise.....but three rolls of tape later......I was starting to wonder.

Early Christmas morning, overflowing with excitement he ran to his closet to pull out the 'presents'...........

He had made Mark a gun. Out of paper.

He had made Lillian a Sword Set. Out of paper.

He had made a Bracelet for me. Out of Ninja Stars.


And a Skull Mask for Tobias. Out of paper.
I was very impressed! And proud that he had put so much thought and effort into each gift. It was a nine year old boys true expression of love for his family............. and weaponry.
(Linking the two must be a genetic trait from Mark ;0)

Happy Christmas!

I've always liked the way that sounds. Sometimes, rushed with party pressures, gift buying and goodie baking......I can forget to focus on the Happiness of the season. (Mark has always been good about reminding me that a lot of my pressures are self-inflicited.........in the heat-of-the-moment, I might not always appreciated the reminder......but he has a point) Creating a blissful holiday season should be about enjoying the moments along the way. I really tried to do that this year. I also had to learn I can let go of ideas and plans.....and it would be okay (actually a HUGE relief).
Our Christmas season was pretty low-key this year..........and I liked it.
(I didn't like the weeks of flu and tummy bugs that kept us down, but it kept us close to home and family focused)

WOW! We need a new family picture! As I looked through my latest folders, I realized it's been almost two years. We were ruined by Katie. She did such an amazing job, I can't find a follow up. This is the best we have this month......

I guess it's time to break out the ol' tripod and head to the park.

Enoshima Island

Tobias and I have turned into quite the little 'day trippers'! I may have mentioned.......... I love the spacing of my kids! Some of my favorite memories are of little adventures I've shared with each of them while the others were off in school.
In warmer days we explored Enoshima Island and it was beautiful!
The entry corridor is surrounded by restaurants and fresh markets. As a sample, this is what you have to choose from for lunch........





How is that for selection! My personal favorite is the extensive plastic food menus. (Somewhere there is a factory that makes this stuff....... I wonder if they have set items that restaurants choose from or if they send in pictures of a dish they need in plastic......what comes first the plastic or the food ;0)

Appetizing!

The main corridor is lined with shops full of unique charm and sea side trinkets.


Max is starting a collection of model ships and I've hit the mother load! The shops of overflowing with ships, shells, starfish and even giant blowfish. Anyone want me to send them a giant blowfish?

This beautiful Tori gate would make a wonderful backdrop for a family picture, but like most places around the city, you will never find a minute in the day when it's not full of people in the backdrop. At first confused, and only after Tobias threw in 200 yen and splashed in it for 10 minutes, we realized this stream was for 'washing' your money. For luck.





After hours of absorbing the beauty and views we found a yummy safe bet for lunch.......Yakisoba! Nummy!

Photo Post

We've got a truckload of pictures to share. I'm not feelin' super bloggy, but we have such a backlog of cute picts, I don't want to keep the memories all to myself.......

Let me take you back to our First Day of School!
There was no way Max was going to actually stop and pose........

I think I was the most excited one. I looked over at one of my friends at the drop off and she was actually tearing up. (It was her first/oldest) I remember feeling that way when Max rode off on the Kindergarten bus......................but not anymore!

Lillian's B-Day!Lillian has gotten a little short changed having an August(summertime)birthday. All her friends are scattered, which makes a big party difficult. But back-to-school mode gave me some ideas. We've started a birthday/back-to-school tradition.
Can you say "Makeover"! Lillian can, it's one of her favorite words....... she is always asking if she can give me a makeover......(I'm not sure how I should take that)Anyway, that's what she wanted a complete Back-To-School Makeover!
Lillian was in heaven!

Happy #6 Lillian!


Later that day..............
(seriously, this was exactly minutes later) we took on the...
Raingutter Regatta! Max wanted to pysch out the competition with his skull design. (He is all about drawing skulls lately.....scary)
I think we have a future scout on our hands!


When we moved to Japan, I have to admit that the last thing I thought we would be doing was camping......... but I was wrong about that. As crowded as the cities are, there is a very beautiful and rustic side. (more pictures to come) We've also discovered the ease of cabin camping.......my preference!
Japanese mosquitoes are INSANE! We used a whole bottle of repellent in one night. (It might have had something to do with camping right next to the Japan's mosquito breeding pond......;0(who thought that would be a good idea?)




Happy Halloween!

Kamakura on My B Day

Happy Birthday To Me! I turned 'old' again this year....old, older...it's getting scary that I can't stop this train.
I'm trying to stay positive. If you haven't gotten me a gift, just post a comment and tell me how young I still look......... That will do!

The best present of the day was Mark's upbeat and smiley attitude about my sight-seeing plans. He's not much for daytrips...... "to just go look around at 'old stuff'", but because it was my birthday and it's what I wanted to do, he put on a smile and didn't complain once! Thank you sweetie.
This is the entry to the Hachiman-gu Shrine. Hachiman shrines are dedicated to the god of War. It was built in 1063.

The surrounding ponds and streams are overflowing Lotus leaves. I'm guessing people toss in their coins for luck or wishes.

Someone must really need a wish.
After closer inspection we realized this was the 'Holy Wall of Saki'. An homage.


Gankake-Ema, Wooden Prayer Tablets hanging outside the shrine.
Each has a unique stamp or picture and your suppose to write a prayer (or dream) and hang it at the temple or shrine. (But I'm keeping mine.......... this will be a fun collectable).





I finally went to see 'The Great Buddah'. It's Kamakura's most famous sight. Cast in 1252, the bronze statue of the Amida Buddha has survived tidal waves, earthquakes, fires and typhoons.