Going on the SHINKANSEN!!

Tomorrow morning CT, Stitch and I will be on our way to Yokosuka and Tokyo via the Shinkansen. Known to us Americans as... The Bullet Train!!! Depending on the availability of the internet, the blog may not be updated until our return to Sasebo. I hope we can have loads of fun while we're there!

American Culture Exchange!

Today CT, Stitch, Shannon, and I had a culture exhange with six young japanese children. Ruka, Hidetora, Akari, Hina, Ryousuke, and Koshiro came to visit us from Fukuoka to practice their English and have an American culture experience! After a quick tour of the base, where they saw the grocery store, the Navy Exchange, the ships at the pier, the foodcourt and the post office, we all headed back to my house! Here Akari showed us her piano skills, then Ryousuke and Hina played for us. These children's piano skills were AMAZING!!!

The children asked Shannon questions while I made them hotdogs and macaroni and cheese. We also had some chips sitting out on the table! If you look close in the picture with the hotdogs you may be able to see CT and Stitch in the bowl by the door! They wanted hotdogs too.

Yummy Yummy hot dogs!!!

Once the hotdogs were done, we painted sugar cookies with yolks and food coloring. We also had colored sugar to decorate!

The kids really liked painting their cookies! While the kids waited for the cookies to bake they made origami flowers and airplanes! It was fun watching them create things out of paper.

Baked and looking delicious! Didn't they do a great job!?

Akari was eating her cookies on the couch because the table was so packed! I sat near her so she wouldn't be alone.

When Akari was done with her cookies she stood by everyone else while they ate. Shannon and I tried to ask the kids what they do after school for fun.. they didn't seem to be able to translate what they like to do...

A group shot after the lesson and before playing in the park! From left to right is Me, CT and Stitch, Ruka (green shirt), Ryousuke (red shirt), Hidetora (white shirt), Koshiro (brown shirt), Shannon, and on the floor is Hina (pink shirt) and Akari (green shirt.)

Here are the beautiful gifts that were left! The children signed and drew on the Sensu (folding fan) and presented both me and Shannon with a Furin (Wind-bell.) Some of the paper airplanes were left behind, as well as the fortune tellers but the origami sushi platter (with chopsticks and rice ball) and ninja star were given to me and shannon!!! It was such a great day. CT, Stitch and I would love to see everyone again! Hopefully Naho-san will contact us soon!

Porcelin Shopping!

I went out to Hasami, Arita and Mikiwachi with Alex today and got some nice porceling. CT and Stitch stayed home but they wanted to share my finds! First, from the recycle shop Gage was this gorgeous vase! I believe this is a Fukagawa peice, judging by the picture of Fuji on the bottom. These are (supposedly) very popular in japan!

Next was the sake peice I've been looking for. This is designed so that I can take out the middle piece. Then you put hot water in the bigger case, put the little one in and let it heat up your sake! Yum!!

Lastly was the creamer, sugar container and spoon that match the coffee cups I found in Hasami during Golden Week!!! These new peices are authentic whereas the cups are "fakes." I was dissappointed to learn that but they're still gorgeous!

I would like to apologize for the lack of activity with CT and Stitch lately. I've been so busy lately and my new purse isn't big enough for them! I'll start going on adventures with them in my backpack soon!! We've got a big trip coming up soon, lets hope they're up for some pictures!

Lamp Shade Complete!

CT and Stitch just wanted to share the completed porcelin lamp shade that they helped create! Stitch definately wants to go back again, he liked all the clay. CT thinks it's a bit dirtier than he cares for but enjoyed carving out a design.