California Pizza Kitchen Japanese Style

We actually found a California Pizza Kitchen in Japan, can you believe it? Thanks to my friend and neighbor. She said it was good tasted just like it did back in the states and was fairly easy to get to. It was just 4 stops away by train. However, once you got off you had to walk to the other train line and around it to get inside the Lozano Mall. It was a huge outdoor mall with mobs of people. They had a little fashion show of some type going on we couldn't see it or understand it so we didn't stay to watch it. The funniest part we had to say was that it was about 68 degrees outside and all the Japanese thought it was cold. They must have looked at us with no coats and Don and Kyle in shorts, shaking their heads thinking "those crazy Americans". They were already in winter coats, scarfs and hats. The train had heat blasting. We were so refreshed when we finally got outside in the fresh air. I guess it's like when we lived in Hawaii and after the first year we were finally acclimated. Even the dogs had sweaters on them. Just an observation on my part I'm not trying to say anything bad about anybody, just thought it was funny and how they had to be sweating but they weren't.

Here is a picture Kyle had me take on the train. The "two clones" (they never travel without a book), you always find them like this, they didn't even know we snapped the picture:

Here is a picture of Lozano Mall and the crowds of people:

Here are pictures the kids took of us at the table. Here's Megan's photo skills:

Here's Kyle's picture:

Next, we hopped back on the train and went one stop to Yokohama to Cosmo World to ride the Ferris Wheel at night. We had never rode the ferris wheel yet. It was a 75 minute wait which they both did well in line. However, about 10 minutes before we were ready to ride Kyle had to go pee. We couldn't get out of line so we told him he had to hold it. Then we finally got in the ferris wheel. It's about a 15 minute ride. We were about more than half way around when he really had to go and said he couldn't hold it and Megan now had to go. I guess the 4 refills of lemonade were finally working through the system. Yes, we did make them go potty before at the train station. Anyway, we made it accident free off the ferris wheel and ran to the nearest toilet.

Good thing we didn't see this before they went to the bathroom, I think it would've scared the pee right out of Kyle.

The Nina, Hina and Monta Vahina (according to Kyle)

Kyle had a Christopher Columbus project to do for school. He had to make a boat that would float out of recycled materials. They learned all about Christopher Columbus. Kyle retold the cutest story how Christopher Columbus had 3 ships named: Nina, Hina and the Monta Vahina. Whenever we tried to correct him he told us NO, the are called: Nina, Hina and Monta Vahina. So we quit trying to correct him. Eventually, by the time Columbus day rolled around he was actually saying: Nina, Pena and Santa Vahina. Close! He paid attention real well in class. He learned how Christopher Columbus sailed the ocean blue in 1492. When he sailed he thought the Earth was flat but soon found out it was round. He also told us that he sailed around and bumped into the US and before he died he discovered the US! He had many other wonderful facts that I was impressed he remembered and paid so close to the details.

Here are pictures of his finished boat. It was supposed to be a project that parents helped with. Daddy glued the milk carton closed and clamped it. Kyle painted the boat, and the chopsticks which held the sails. I only painted the windows, anchor and USS Kyle, then Daddy just put the sails on. So it truly was a group effort.

The Friday before Columbus day, the Kindergarten classes tested their boats and wheter they would sink or float?
Will it sink or float?

Of course it floated....cardboard floats says Kyle!!!

Megan's First Swim Meet

Megan's first swim meet was Saturday, September 27th. I'm a wee bit late in posting the pictures, it took me awhile to download my camera. She was nervous and didn't want to compete but she did pretty good for her first competition. She swam in four events and was at the pool from 8am - 3:30pm which made for a very very long day. There were about 5 other teams competing. Teams from Yokotoa Air Base, Atsugi Naval Air Base and I believe 2 Japanese swim teams. Megan only competes in events with girls in her age group 8 and under.

Her first event was freestyle 50 meters. She finished 2nd in her heat with a time of 1:00.85 and 9th out of 22 overall in her age girls 8 and under.

Her second event was the 50 meter backstroke. She finished 4th in her heat with a time of 1:12.72. She finished overall 15th out of 21.

Her third event was the 50 meter butterfly, which Megan has now told us she likes and prefers over the breaststroke. She finished in 1:36.31 and was 11 out of 11 for her first time.

The last event was the 200 meter relay. Megan swam the last 50 meters of the relay. They were the only team in their age group, so they came in first place and they got a ribbon. YEAH!!! Their time was 4:03.21.

The meet is finally over...Great Job Megan, we are so proud of you!!!