Our Travels

Okinawa Zoo & The Wonder Museum

5-13-16

Today I finally get to chaperone a field trip for Kayden. We are heading to the zoo. McKinley has sure been busy having fun on her siblings field trips.

This zoo isn't anything compared to the San Diego Zoo, but it was still worth the trip. Japan must have different safety measures when it comes to the animal enclosures because we were able to get pretty close to many animals you wouldn't back in the states.

Pilot in training

Before venturing to see all the animals we went to explore the wonder museum. This was such a fun place for kids to learn while playing. This would be a great place to spend a rainy day.

Now it's time to see some animals

This guy looks so angry

My favorite monkey! I had just told Kayden that I wanted to take a picture of this guy when he stood up real fast and posed for me.

Children's Day & Fishing

5-5-15

The fifth day of the fifth month is Children’s Day also known as Boy’s Day (Girls day is March 3^rd). It is a day set aside to respect children’s personalities and to celebrate their happiness. It was designated a national holiday by the Japanese government in 1948. It has been a day of celebration in Japan since ancient times. This holiday also falls into a bigger event called Golden Week (combining this holiday along with two others).

On this day, families raise carp shaped flags. The number of carp is determined by the number of children you have plus one for the father and mother. The carp was chosen because of the Chinese legend that a carp that swims upstream becomes a dragon, and the way the flags blow in the wind looks like they are swimming.

There are festivals all around the Island and most take place near a river. There was a festival right near the kids’ school along the river so as soon as I picked them up, we headed to the river. The carp flags stay up all week and we have driven by them several times, but it was totally different walking the streets. There was live music, food vendors, and children running around everywhere.

Along the side of the sidewalk were carps made in schools. It was neat seeing all the different ones.

-----Fishing----

Preston and the kids have taken on a new hobby of fishing. They haven't caught anything yet, but are still having fun.

Mud Run & Cement Slide

4-24-16

It’s that time of year when the Famous Mud Run comes to base. Preston always puts a team together and does the 10k. This year Kayden is old enough to take part in the kids mud run, which is great since if he does it I know Makayla will too.

This course was so much fun. They set up a bunch of different obstacles over the course of a mile with a sprint challenge at the very end. I am so proud of how well they both did, they gave it their all. Next year Makayla will be able to do the older kids run and put together her own team. I’m thinking we might have to make this event a girl scout one next year!

*I was supposed to do this mud run as well, but since I fell down the stairs and broke my tailbone (that takes skills lol) it was just a bit too painful. :( Next year, watch out!

Getting pumped up

Look at that speed!

She is passing them up left and right!

Finishing Strong

McKinley even needed some water-cheering on her brother and sister took a lot of work

The kids weren’t too tired to skip checking out a new park. If you haven’t already guessed it I LOVE finding new parks! This one, however, we will not be going back to. Once was enough for me. I felt like I was going to have a panic attack at any second, my anxiety was going crazy.

The main attraction is the giant cement slide. We have seen these before, but this is like drop slide out of cement. I feared the kids were going to fall of the edge and crack their heads open. Geesh, just thinking about it. Of course that did NOT happen and the kids had a great time. Makayla wished she had long shorts on, but she powered through a little friction burn.