Easter...

On Easter Sunday while Ray was on the road, I asked my friend Angie to join me at an Easter celebration organized by some of the foreign teachers on the northern end of the lake. Angie, accompanied by her youngest son Kosei, met me on the train and we travelled up to Nagahama. When we arrived, the sun was out and even begged us to show bare arms! It felt nice to have a warm day...

The teachers were throwing this event as an outreach fundraiser for the disaster and did a remarkable job at organizing it. They had a BBQ, baked goods, easter egg hunt, face painting, and even brought the Bunny himself! As you can see, my little ones weren't too excited about the rather large, scary looking bunny. Kosei, on the other hand, is just old enough to appreciate the bunny's big hug...

We didn't want to pass up the photo op of making the little ones look like small bunnies, right?

At the sake of my dearest little babes, they posed like champs, lured by the appeal of the plastic eggs in the lawn... commercialism at its finest...

And as the last photo was taken, it was like the clouds stole the sun and opened up on us a downpour! Hail, wind and RAIN! We took a wet walk back through the park, past Nagahama Castle, and to the train...

Sophie lost her cracker on the train ride home. Can you find it???

The Final Games...

Last weekend the Lakestars played their final regular season games. They captured two wins, bringing the sold-out crowd a nice treat to end the season...

Where's Ronald???

How these little ones so contentedly sleep through the noise of the games, I'll never know...

On Saturday our friend Ken who owns the garden brought his wife and two daughters to the game. I disappointedly did not take any photos. On Sunday the Yamada family joined me...

The Lakestars will begin the playoffs this next weekend with home court advantage, to play the Kyoto Hannaries. If they win both games, they will advance to next weekend. If they lose, the season will end. If they split the games, a 20 minute game will be played after the game on Sunday to determine a winner....

Now that's Love...

Ray captured these two on film after they'd fallen asleep. Sophie is on top of Sol, her hand nearly in his mouth, and he is fast asleep. Precious...

Ray the Builder... and other garden adventures...

Ray foraged up some bamboo to begin building Ken a small greenhouse on the "hatake", or field...

Both of us have fallen increasingly in love with this 'weed'. It's incredible that bamboo is really a grass, grows extremely easily, and is so strong and versatile. It's a shame that we have not begun using this reliable resource in the States to a greater degree. Hopefully it will catch on!

Little Soph hangin' out with Ken while Little Bro snoozes...

This is Ms. Sophia's Shrek impression...

She LOVES broccoli!

This year we didn't take advantage of the cherry blossom season, and I sort of have my regrets. Last year, the babes were being shuttled in and out of the hospital during this time, so we never captured their little portraits in front of a blooming sakura tree. And this year... well... I just never made it happen. These gorgeous peach blossoms were enjoyed by all at the garden...

...and a few sakura to boot!

Little Soph, examining her huge daikon radish, which we later ate for dinner that night!

These two kept busy for at least an hour or two, playing in the water box. They kept putting things in, and taking them out, and of course splashing with sticks!

The worms at the garden are among the largest I've ever seen. I didn't get a photo of one we saw the other day, but literally it was the circumference of a dime and nearly a half a foot long! This is some healthy soil!

Sophie met a new friend. She pet him very gently... but then wanted to eat him, so we let Mr. Hoppity hop away...

A Very Happy 13 Months...

Our little ones rolled into their 13th month with ease today. They continue to delight our days and give so much purpose to life.

Little Man: On April 17th, Sol took his first big steps. He's been standing for a while now, gaining more confidence by the day. He certainly loves to be on the move and we know that walking will open up the world to him. He's not shy at all, loves being held by anyone, and loves to make people laugh. Today at the waterfront he loved chasing the dogs, completely unafraid (though the sound of the vacuum will send him squealing to be held!!). He's a very clever little guy- he is keen to pick up on everything we do, from the sounds we make, to the drawers we open and close- he's sure to mimic them all. He is very good at focusing on one task at a time, particularly if it involves a stick, buttons or water. He's quite the sensitive little guy, responding incredibly well to the tone in our voice if we don't want him doing something. He's still all about snuggling and cuddling on my chest. At night he lays down on his belly waiting for a back rub. He LOVES music and always starts dancing when he hears any sort of rhythm. We weighed him last night, and he has officially caught up to his sister!! He weighs 10.8 kilos, or ~23 pounds!!! He now has 7 teeth and eats everything (he LOVES spicy curry!!).

Dearest Sophie Girl: She's still quite content crawling or sitting (lounging, as we say), but can stand up and walk along the wall or bed. She loves to bop and dance on her sturdy legs, and will get into giggle fits that completely crack us up. She's very easy to hold, and regularly gets passed around from person to person when we are in public so that they can google at her blue eyes and blond wisps. This week she broke through an eye tooth and her first molar -(I can't believe how early she's getting teeth!!)- so now the tally is 10 big teeth in her mouth, with 2 more molars poking through soon. She still puts everything- and I mean everything- in her mouth which has made me sort of reconsider what I think is clean. It's amazing what that girl can find on the floor. She loves to wave "hi" and "bye" to everyone, and seems to know both of those commands in Japanese too! At the weigh in she and her brother shocked us both by weighing in at the same weight (10.8 kilos!!).... but I still think Sophie looks bigger... maybe taller??

More Garden Days...

Now that we have access to this wonderful garden, we have been making it our morning ritual. We wake at 5:30am, throw the kiddos in their warm, grubby onesies, and head over to the garden. Ken is usually there before us, having already lit the coal and gotten water on for coffee. This time of the morning is so peaceful- even the train that passes alongside the garden carries with it a sort of cadence. We love it there...

Ray and I both share a common passion and love for farming of all types. This passion and conviction for good foods has grown over the years as we've watched documentaries such as "The Future of Food", "Food Inc.", and "Food Matters", all three of which I'd highly recommend. We also both finished reading "The Omnivore's Dilemma", which inspired us even more in the way we choose what we consume. There is a world food crisis that looms over us, but so many of us are blind to it. Chemicals, artificial and synthetic materials, hormones, even poisons are teaming in the food we eat, but very few of us seem to recognize it, much less care. These same truths remain for fruits, vegetables and meats- food we generally trust is "healthy". Even in these categories we face huge issues like Genetically Modified foods, growth hormones, and a myriad of other problematic issues, creating food that is downright unnerving to consume. I feel like the Christian faith has largely excluded this mandate from God- to treat our bodies as a temple of the Holy. Not to mention the billions of pesticides and chemicals that are slowly degrading our planet, seeping in to waterways and soil layers, claiming our drinking water and fertile soils...

We are passionate about this topic, largely because we see the urgency in trying to regain chemical-free and poison-free food before the practice is gone for good. Please take the time to watch one of the documentaries listed above - rent from Redbox or watch online - and I guarantee it will spark in you some of the same emotions I'm sharing now, and provide useful courses of action for all of us to take so that we can be a tool for a solution.

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Thus leads to me to explain why, yet again, we are so blessed to have this garden- free of all chemicals or pesticides, free for our babes to roam in, and to collect healthy veggies from. We truly count it as a great gift, and are learning so much about crop rotation and simple farming practices. Its also the perfect environment for our little ones, leaving them blissfully exhausted by 9:30am, ready to nap as we all part ways and start our days...

This is Sol's tough guy pose, complete with frothing (dirt) mouth...

Ken brought his eldest daughter on her last day of spring break.

This is a traditional farming hat that Ken brought from Vietnam. He said that here in Japan the people are embarrassed to wear them...

My new favorite family photo...

We've been bringing home bags of greens- enough to spread the abundance to friends!

Now that Ken's daughters have returned back to school after the spring break, our babes are without their playmates. No worry, we just plop the little ones down in a row of green and they seem quite content...

This is Sol's traditional look...

Our studious little lady... of course EVERYTHING she studies goes in her mouth...

Today the project was to put posts and netting up for the peas...

Sakura blossoms (cherry) are very late this year, due to an unusually cold winter. They've been waiting for a bit of warm air and sunshine to poke their heads out...

My favorite picture of our little boy...

Though Sophia is generally the one to put EVERYTHING in her mouth, Sol just couldn't resist the dark, luscious soil...

The pea nets are complete!!

Sunshine, hard work, good people. A perfect day, yet again...