Cole's Hike up Mount Iwate

Mount Iwate is the largest peak in Northern Honshu (it is an active volcano about 6600 feet above sea level). It is a popular hiking destination with multiple routes to the top, ranging in difficulty. I joined four friends and we took the most difficult route to the peak (about 20 km round-trip). We stayed overnight in a small lodge at the base of the volcano peak. We saw snakes, waterfalls, sulfur steam, rivers, shrines, and some of the most beautiful views you can imagine. It was a wonderful trip. It only took 3 days for my joints and muscles to recover.

Aomori Nebuta Festival

In a daze watching the floats.

Becca and Chase clapping to the beat of the drums. Festivals are very loud with drums and chanting.

Blue Rasberry Shaved Ice. Chase was loving it

Bre's 30th Birthday

For Bre's birthday, we went to our favorite restaurant here in Misawa with some friends for dinner and Bre pulled out the camera to take a picture of the melt-in-your mouth scallops. Bre enjoyed her flowers and massage and has already made good use of her new blender (inside joke) making Chase lots of smoothies. It's the only way we can sneak him spinach and carrots!

Sendai Trip

Ok, I can't really explain these inappropriately shaped balloons, but during the 7th inning stretch, the crowd sings a song (I am guessing their version of "Take Me Out to the Ballgame") and then everyone releases these balloons in the air. My attempt totally flopped as my balloon went straight up and then came straight down on the people sitting in front of us.

It took a while to get Chase used to the pounding drums and chanting all around us, but once he figured it all out, I think he really enjoyed the game.

You can't go to a baseball game in Japan without thundersticks. It didn't take Chase long to figure out how to beat the bats together to make sound.

Mom and Chase in the L field bleachers just before gametime. Chase looks a little freaked out here.

Kleenex Stadium! It looks like it seats about 23,000 fans and it was mostly full for this game. Lots of fun stuff for the kids and a much better selection of food than the typical Japanese selection (at least for people like me who don't really like raw or slimy things).

One of the highlights of the trip. We found a Coldstone's. It was so delicious. We get ridiculous cravings for just a taste of the food back home and this place really hit the spot. Of course, Chase also loved bites of blueberries and ice cream that his mom was giving him.

This bridge led across to one of the islands in Matsushima Bay. The island had a long walking path, beautiful views of the bay, and lots of spiders!

Coming back on the ferry, you see hundreds of these contraptions coming out of the water. They use these to farm oysters and I think you can see the oysters growing up each of the strings hanging from the top. The specialty foods from Sendai included oysters and cow tongue, neither of which we elected to try. I know, how could we pass on cow's tongue?

It was so much fun feeding the seagulls off the back of the ferry. Chase wanted me to do it or he wanted to throw the treats to the gulls. He didn't like it when they took it straight out of his hands. He also started eating the little treats on his own, but don't worry, we were told they were safe for people too...if you like fish flavored crackers.

This is how you show off your new camera. Cool!

The Japanese Style Toilet

Not sure how this picture made it in. I am guessing Bre took this. She hates the Japanese style toilets. All I know is, you better have some strong legs if you are going to be a while. - Tig.... So I put this picture in to let everyone know that if you plan on coming to Japan you will be faced to use this kind of toilet in public areas. They usually have one western style toilet(what we are use to), but not always. My first encounter with this toilet happened about a year ago when we first moved here at the Aomori Festival. They had a bunch of port of potties lined up for people to use with only this toilet as an option. While I am in my squat position trying to figure this thing out, my door swung open which I guess I hadn't locked properly since it was dark outside. And I just hear laughter coming from a group of Japanese people. Yep, I totally mooned them. So mortifying when it was not planned. But makes for an interesting story of my first experience using the Japanese toilet aka Squattie Potties. - Bre

Much Needed Update

So I have been informed that it has been a long time since I last posted. I guess this summer has been flying by. So here is an update on what has been going on in the Taylor home. Cole has been on night shifts at the UCC(urgent care clinic aka ER). So he has been working from 5:30 pm to 5:30 am the past few months, so we haven't seem him much. Even on his days off he is still on a night schedule so he is up mostly while Chase and I are sleeping. So it has been tough to do things this summer. Although we did just take a trip to Sendai last weekend which is a city of just over 1 million people about 3 1/2 hours from here. I will post pictures soon.

At the beginning of June, we decided to leave the smelly big farm house (house was nice just lived near a pig farm that smelled so bad whenever you walked outside) behind and move about 7 minutes down the road to a bigger home which we are loving. We are in a great neighborhood and Chase plays outside with all the toys and the neighbor kids just about every day. And there is no smell which is wonderful. We will post pictures soon of the house. And we have enjoyed being able to host some dinner dates with friends at our new place as well.

Chase is now less than a month away from turning two. My baby is growing up and he just gets cuter every day. His favorite words are car, sit, o.k, hi, and no. And whenever he says them he just melts Cole and my heart because he sounds so sweet. And he loves to tell stories and talk on the phone, we just can't quite understand what he is saying. Chase has been keeping busy this summer with swim on Monday and Wednesdays, kinderjam on Thursdays, and Daiishi on Tuesdays. Daiishi is a Japanese preschool he attends for a couple of hours each week. He has already picked up the Japanese "hi" which means yes. So he says hi a lot in reference to yes which the Japanese say all the time. I will post pictures soon of what he takes to school, cause he has special shoes he wears and will be taking a bento box when he starts staying for lunch. His teacher told me today that he was wanting to eat lunch with the other kids.

Kyoto Day 3

This pretty much sums up the end of the trip. Lots of walking and traveling. We were pooped!

This is Bre walking on the "Philosopher's Path", pondering life.



This is the Silver Papillion, or Kinkakuji. The grounds were surrounded by elaborate sand/stone landscaping.

The picture doesn't do it justice, but these fish were the size of medium-sized dogs. Enormous!

Chase and I checking out the fish!

This is the outside gate to Nijo Castle. The grounds were surrounded by a moat. Nijo was very impressive. It was completed in 1626. This was the home of the shoguns and is located just south of the Imperial Palace. Unfortunately, we couldn't take any pictures inside the Palace, but their were intricate wood paintings and sculptures that impressed visitors with the power and wealth of the shoguns.

Kyoto Day 2

Chase loved the udon noodles. There were lots of people slurping all around us at this restaurant! We had udon and tempura that was delicious!

Arashiyama is on the western side of Kyoto and features the bamboo grove and beautiful nature trails and views.

The bamboo grove was one of our favorite places that we visited in Kyoto. It was so incredibly peaceful and serene. It felt like the kind of place to visit and get lost in your thoughts.

One of the many beautiful gardens outside one of the temple sites. The rocks were originally brought in to create these gardens and now they have huge trees and bushes growing on them. Add the koi and dry landscaping and you have yourself a great place for a Buddhist monk to meditate and ponder.

Overlooking the Golden Pavilion.

The Golden Pavilion, or Kinkaku-ji, was originally built in 1397. It has burned down twice, the last time being in 1950 when a monk with a mental illness lit the structure on fire and then tried to commit suicide. The top two stories are covered with pure gold leaf. The pond serves a reflective purpose and creates a majestic view from afar.