Japanese food and rolling slides...

Before I begin with the real stuff check out this picture and tell me what is wrong with it...This is not a fluke picture, the man was literally "walking" his dog this way.


Two families were leaving Okinawa this week to head back to the states, one just retired from the military and the others were the associate pastors. Each time a family leaves the island the church has a Sayonara dinner for them at a Japanese restaurant nearby called Kitakaisen. Alison and I had never been and since we actually knew some of the people leaving this time (Alyssa, the associate pastor's daughter was in Alison's class) we figured we'd go Monday night. The food was really good. Alison and I tried Yakitori, beef skewers, and shrimp tempura. There were many laughs over all kinds of silly things from flying tomatoes to wash cloth fights, eventually ended by pastor.

Here is one of the two oh so crowded tables in the room at the restaurant.

Gina and I with the mysterious flying tomato compliments of Rocky's impeccable timing

Rocky is the object of every child's affection at church, not so happy when his hair is messed with though!

Rocky and Alyssa outside stop number two Monday night, Starbucks. It's been a really long week at work. Our PE, Art, and Japanese teacher (the same person) was out every day but Monday with her son who is sick with the flu. You know what that means? NO SPECIALTIES all week! Oh boy. Needless to say we needed a break and headed to the park today for lunch and free time with the Kindergarten class. The parks in Japan are AwEsOmE! You would never see these kinds of things in the states. Check out this slide! It made my heart skip a beat every time someone when down. Way cool, I would have gone down too had I been dressed appropriately.

However, the rolling slide was awesome too! The kids made me go down several times. Since I didn't want to ruin my pants, Azusa, my aide, advised me to go down on my feet, squatting down. It worked, though it also makes you go down at like twice the speed. It really was a lot of fun and a great break from our normal routine. Tomorrow is our 100th day of school! We've got a few fun things planned and will continue to push through February with a trip to the post office next week to mail our Valentines and the all school family fun day next Friday!

Check out the video below of a few of my kids and I going down the rolling slide.