All-Star Break!!!

DJ's break just ended... and it went by way too fast. This year we decided that there wasn't really anywhere that we wanted to go and visit or see, so we decided to stay in Fukuoka. Traveling here is just too hard!!! So we had big plans to go to the beach, see the zoo, take a ferry over to a nearby island, and maybe go to the Water Park. It all sounded fun until it decided to pour the entire break. And I mean pour! I don't think I have ever seen it rain so hard before, EVER! The only day it didn't rain was the first day when I had a hair appointment and we had to go to Costco, bummer!!! So our big plans turned into hanging around the house spending time playing and relaxing. We actually had a great time.

She loves her play table!

She loves the squeaky noise her hand makes on the ground :)

I made it this far!!!

Just Talkin' on the Phone!!!

The Play Place they have in the mall.

Tessa is wishing she was big enough to go in and play

She loves watching all of the kids play!

A Day at the Aquarium!

Last week DJ and I decided to take Tessa to the aquarium. We had a great time. Tessa liked looking at the fish, but loved watching all of the people even more! Little Miss Nosey :) She really enjoyed watching the dolphins jump in the the Dolphin Show. We will have to go again when there is not as many people so she will actually look at the fish... ha ha!

Sitting in her own little cubbie watching the sharks swim!

Daddy is pointing them all out.

Watching the Dolphin Show :)

Look at them jump!!!

Looking at everything in the big tank.
It is 3 floors tall but still really small for all of the animals :(

Nap Time...

Check out that shark!

Of course Daddy bought Tessa a toy...

I think he likes it more than Tess...

What do you think???

Daily News...

Only 9 months old and Tessa has already made it BIG...
She has made the sports page in the Japan newspaper :)

9 Months Old!!!

Tessa is 9 months old! I can't believe that in only 3 months she will be turning 1. How time flies!
Our lil' girl is doing great. She keeps us smiling, laughing, and most of all busy :) She scoots and rolls all over the place. Her most favorite thing right now is magazines. She loves to find them and rip them apart. Lovely! She gets into everything and is so proud of herself :) She is always so happy. Her nickname over her has become Smiley :) We are so lucky!
Here are some pics of the past month...

Happy 4th of July!

We hope your 4th sparkles with fun!!!

We already celebrated over here today. All of our friends came over and played all day. We had lots of fun and enjoyed some American food! The only thing we missed out on were the fireworks. Oh well!!!

You've Just Gotta Love This Place...

Looking back at my day today I just have to laugh...

The weather here lately has been very overcast with showers here and there. Today when we woke up it was a pretty overcast day. It rained a little earlier in the morning but stopped during the late morning and the sun came out. It turned into a beautiful day so I thought I better go to the grocery store while I can. I went in the store with the sun shining bright and came out of the store with it sprinkling. Oh no, I better get home before it starts to rain harder because of course I didn't bring the umbrella, it was sunny! During the 5 min drive home it started to rain harder and harder, to the point where you could hardly see in front of you. Great, I have no umbrella, no blanket, and I have to get 4 bags of groceries and Tessa into the apartment building somehow. We have to park outside in an uncovered lot. We have a little bit of a walk from our car to our building. So as I was parking the car, I was trying to think of a game plan. And of course it started to pour harder and harder. And I mean pour not rain!!! I didn't know what to do. I called DJ thinking he would come up with a genius idea, but not so much. So I sat in the car waiting and hoping the rain would stop or at least slow down a little.
I waited 10 mins... no.
After 15 mins it started lightning and you can now hear the thunder .
20 mins later still no luck. By this point Tessa was looking at me like what are we doing? I just had to laugh... oh don't you just love it here!!!
After 30 mins I knew I couldn't sit in here any longer.
I had frozen food melting in the back, and a sleepy girl in need of a nap. It slowed up to a heavy rain and I thought I better make a run for it. I went to the back and grabbed the groceries and found our big reusable Costco grocery bag and decided to use it as our umbrella. So here I am with grocery bags hanging on my arm, carrying Tess, and holding a Costco bag over Tessa's head. What a sight huh?
And of course there were the smart Japanese people watching me with their umbrellas probably thinking CRAZY AMERICAN! And to make it worse the rain stopped 5 mins after we got in the apartment... ha ha

The entire field is one huge puddle of water

She actually thought it was funny while we were out in the rain walking until we got inside...

Why am I all wet?

Off to bed we go...