Super 'Wal-Mart' Japanese Style

Here are some pics of what I would like to call Super Wal-Mart.  No, it is not a real Wal-Mart, but it is just like one. 

Have you ever seen a 'Nose Roller" and does it really make your nose more narrow?

Japanese women that work in McDonald's ALWAYS wear skirts, with stockings (remember those) and heels!  Try to find that in America.

Quick quiz...is this food real or fake?  It's all fake.  At the sit down restaurants they have display cases of the food they serve and when you order a meal it comes out looking EXACTLY like the display.

The aisles in the Aeon Super Center...so I am sure this doesn't amaze you, but the stores here aren't huge like back in America.  So we were really shocked.

Why are these eggs speckled?

......and these were really DARK brown!

holding his Pokemon toy.....there is NO shortage of Japanese anime or cartoon character toys here......Elijah is thrilled!  

Happy Father's Day Daddy!

I really enjoy being overseas, but it's holidays and special occasions that make me miss being closer to extended family.  This Father's Day is no exception.  Happy Father's Day Daddy!  Here are a few things that I am thankful for on THIS special day:

1.  Your 22 1/2 years of dedicated military service!  If I've never told you before I admire you!  Honestly I do!  I have always considered it a blessing to grow up in different locations around the world!  I mean how many people can say they went to school in Germany, learned German in K-2 grade and practiced bomb drills in elementary school during the Cold War?  

2.  Teaching  me that it was NOT acceptable for boys to honk their horns in our driveway in order for us to come out and meet them.  I know they were afraid of you, but it did force them to respect us by requiring them to walk to the door and be 'man' enough to knock on our door.

3. Always being open and willing to talk to me about the circumstances surrounding my birth.  It has always been an open discussion and has allowed me to not feel guilt or shame.

4. I remember your flood light that illuminated up to 1 mile!  I also remember that time you thought some boy was sneaking around in the backyard and you pulled that flood light out to check out the scene.  Thank goodness there were no boys back there - whew 6 daughters - I am sure you had to do what you did!

5. Though I still don't take NyQuil as an adult, I still remember having to take it whenever you would hear me cough or sneeze......even if I was on another floor of the house.  Why was it always the green kind too?  I think I still have reservations about taking liquid medicine because of  the nauseating smell of green NyQuil.  I also remember having to drink a glass of milk to 'mask' the taste of it. GROSS!  Though I hated it; I don't remember ever being sick enough to miss any school.

6.  Teaching all 6 of us that doing something to the best of our ability was the only acceptable way.  Doing enough to get by was not accepted.  I remember one semester I dropped from a 98% to 95% in Spanish and you looked at my report card and said, "What happened in Spanish?"  I thought to myself that it was still an A, but at the same time I knew that I could have done better. 

Thank you for these life lessons!  I love you....... I wanted to wish you a VERY HAPPY FATHER'S DAY!   

I love you Daddy!

Old School Pics

So my mom just sent me some old school pictures!   I was and am STILL super excited about seeing them.  I just wanted to point out a few things:

1. I noticed how I was in the front and the middle of every picture - just like Elijah's school photo.

2. Does my dad look like a character on the movie I'm Gonna Get You Sucka?

3. Notice the fat rolls on my legs - outside with no shoes on riding a tricycle - precious!

4. Does my oldest sister's hair resemble Dave Chappelle when he imitated Rick James? Love you Erika! Click here to do your own comparison.

5.  Thank the Lord for braces!

Honestly I could go on and on about these 2 pictures .... enjoy:)

We are missing my youngest sister, Juliette, in this picture.  It was taken when my dad was stationed in Germany - early 80's and she wasn't born yet.  Yes 6 girls - my poor dad!

Does calamine lotion really cause itching to stop?  

Elijah's class photo

He is officially done with 1st grade!  I am shocked!  I wonder where he gets the need to be up front in the center of a picture?   

Hachinohe Horses

So this is probably not a big deal to anyone - unless you are all about Japanese souveniors. 

The new shopette opened on Misawa Monday.  I just HAD to be there on the opening day!  I just needed to know what incredible sells they were having on stuff I truly didn't need. (a moment of personal truth for myself) 

Elijah were coming from the post office. He had just received a letter from Nana, my mom, and had to read it while he was walking across the parking lot.  He even ran into these HUGE horses because he was paying attention to the letter rather than where he was walking. 

Nevertheless, these are called Hachinohe horses.

  You are probably thinking how in the world did he run into those HUGE horses. Yeah I thought the same thing.   My precious son :) 

bowling outing!

He seems to always release his ball about 3 feet BEFORE the foul line.........while I cross the foul line by about 6 inches......hmmmmm that's what happens with size 10 feet! 
So we went bowling last weekend ........ Elijah scored a whopping 37 at the end, but wait before you laugh my score was a 94......AND I broke a nail!