the washizu's

Hey Washizu's! Apologies in the delay of this posting! It's been so crazy - the pipes are freezing, work is always a stress and my coursework for grad school is getting difficult.........argh!!! Hanging out with you guys was such treat and offered some respite from all of these stressors waiting for me back up here. Here are some of the best pics from the weekend...

Tatsu-san is SUCH an incredible father! The affection he showed to his kids and the way he played with his kids (even doing ballet with Kakko!) was reminiscent of my father! Being with your family was a fantastic time,...so fantastic that I have to say it made me miss my own family!

Kakko is an aspiring ballerina. We read some books (in English--Chikako is always pushing her girls to learn English! It's so awesome! I don't want to knock my junior high kids, but their English rivaled theirs!!) Kakko treated us to her ballerina video lessons and even threw the leo on for full effect! ;)

Chikako must be exhausted looking after these cutiepatuties! So being the dutiful father that Tatsu is, he prepared a huge Italian/German feast, while Chikako and I caught up on the previous months. Dinner was nothing short of fantastic and so non-japanesey. FYI: Tatsu and Chikako met in America while going to University....so for them, dinners like these are the norm. Onaka ga ippai! We played some piano, did some art projects and enjoyed a brief visit by some of Chikako's English students. It was busy but the English conversation was welcomed!

Echo is such a doll! She's in the me-me stage, like the 2 year olds back in the States. And of course, since she is the cutest, how can you say no to a face like hers!

I wanted to bring something to share with their family and my Minnesota omiyage stash is almost bare..but I found these JellyBelly jelly beans. Perfect treat for these tykes. They enjoyed their strange tastes (me too! the buttered popcorn jelly beans were disgusting) Everything is such a discovery at their age..I think this picture shows that sense of fear/anxiety/interest in the 'unknown' food. II totally know what they were feeling, as everytime I'm confronted with some deranged form of fish or some wet, cold, slimy slab of sashimi.........I make this same face!

Some experiences (especially those concerning foods from foreign countries) are similar no matter where you are from. I am lucky in that I have had the opportunity to do 5 homestays now and each one is unique and challenging. But if you aren't challenged, you aren't learning. And if you aren't learning, you really aren't living.

Despite being tired and finding Japanese culture and language to be quite exhausting at the moment, I have to buck up for another 7 months of fun. (that wasn't sarcasm). it will be grand, im sure.