Scarves

I've got these scarves and I don't know what to do with them! (And I am 3 months old!)

Phoebe's Birthday Party

Louis' friend Phoebe celebrated her 3rd birthday today. After everyone left, we stayed behind to help clean up the mess (kids had a blast) and let Phoebe & Louis play a little more. After a fun time in the bath tub, the kids put on jammies (Louis borrowed some from Phoebe) they settled down for a little movie time.

Go Yakult Swallows!

We went to see a baseball game with friends. We rooted for the Yakult Swallows!

The kids were exhausted on the subway ride home.

Yudanaka Wild Monkey Park (Jigokudani yaenkoen)

On our final day, we visited the Yudanaka Monkey Park where wild snow monkeys roam around the forest and hot springs. To get there, we took a train and a bus and then a 30 minute hike to the park. It was well worth the trip!

Hiking there & the park entrance.


A geyser near the park entrance.


Monkeys!





You can see the 'live monkey cam' in the upper right of this picture (check out the link for the website above).



Back in Nagano, we thought this sign with pigs in apples costumes was amusing.


Here's our ride home.

Daio Wasabi Farm

On our second day in the alps, we visited the Daio Wasabi Farm , the largest wasabi farm in Japan.

Here's the view on the way to the farm:


A beautiful, clear stream fed the farm, where the wasabi grows mostly underwater.

We found an abundance of interesting spiders lurking about as well.

At the gift shops & restaurant, you could purchase all things wasabi - peas were only the beginning. Couldn't tell you everything that was available, it was our best guess since we can't read Japanese. We got lucky with a mystery box that we purchased - it was wasabi flavored seaweed, which is quite tasty. We tried some wasabi ice cream as well, also tasty.

That night we checked into our 2nd hotel (in Nagano), where I found an English copy of "The Teachings of Buddha" in our night stand.

Matsumoto Castle

The view of the mountains from our hotel window was fantastic. We enjoyed a traditional Japanese breakfast in a room with panoramic views of the mountains before heading out to see Matsumoto Castle.

Here is Jamey ready for the day in his dragon suit. Off we go!

Funky frog-like statue

Matsumoto Castle

Derek and Louis took the castle tour. After waiting in line for a while, Jamey decided it was lunchtime just as it was our turn to enter. He probably wouldn't have enjoyed the castle anyway :)

Views from the castle

Crossing the moat

I had a good time!

Afternoon nap!

Later that night, Derek and Louis caught a skateboard/stunt bike show in the street near our hotel while I did a little shopping.

We're off on vacation to the Japanese Alps!

We took an evening train (2.5 hours) to Matsumoto, where we started our vacation.

Our first night in the hotel was rather sleepless....unknowingly, I booked us a room with only one bed (and a double size at that!) Imagine the four of us sleeping (?) side by side on the bed.

Street Ceremony

We were on our way home from lunch when we ran into this ceremony taking place in the street.



Here's a video clip:

Tummy time & Sleeping

Funky Playdough, Swing time, Boppy

Some funky playdough we got at the science museum & Louis borrowing my boppy to use with his dolly.




Some swing time for Jamey

Family pics

We found a photo hobbyist (also from the U.S.) who took a bunch of shots for us at Shinjuku Gyoen.