Another day at the kiddie pool

Today was HOT.  It was over 90 degrees but with the humidity, it felt like 100 degrees.  For the most part, we stayed indoors, except for Amy to go get some groceries while I held Ryleigh for her morning nap.  This afternoon, after both kids got up from their naps, we again filled our little kiddie pool in the backyard.  This time, though, both Amy and I were in the pool at some point with the kiddos, and for some shade, I put up our patio table umbrella out on the lawn.  Enjoy some photos from our relaxing afternoon.
-Jip

Mom made these sponge balls--FUN!

Say "Cheese."

The setup to minimize the direct sunlight.

The girls.

RJ and Ryleigh, 1.  Dad, 0.

I'm cute and I know it.

Dad's goofy grin caught on camera while trying to get RJ to smile.

Cute girl!

What Mom and Dad enjoyed during the backyard outing.

RJ retrieved the spider web remover.

Here he is using it.

Free of spider webs...ready for use!

Yokosuka Friendship Day

Today was Yokosuka Friendship Day which is an open base event where the Japanese people who normally don't have access to the base can get on board and enjoy some food, events, and a chance to walk around part of a U.S. Navy base.  I don't know how many people actually came onto the base today, but I heard at one point that some people had waited for an hour and a half to get through the gate onto base (on foot!).  What's funny is that many of the Japanese who come onto the base come on to get pizza.  Like we've mentioned before with the Mikoshi parade, the Japanese will stock up with 5-10 pizzas and take them back.  They'll even line up at McDonald's to American McDonald's food vice Japanese McD's food. 

My contribution to the day was to volunteer at SRF's booth and do some serving and cooking for a few hours.  We served hot dogs, a BBQ beef steak, and drinks all priced at 1 dollar or 100 yen each.  I don't know why we were so popular but our line was the biggest in our area and remained that way for many hours.  Below are some pictures that Amy took when she stopped by to visit with the kiddos. 

Me cooking in the "back" of the booth.  We had three grills going full time and a hot dog cooker as well.

The front of our booth with the long line.

There's was a car show including those from an American Car Club (Japanese guys who own American classics)

Not sure how this Chevy van fits in ?????

This is the last photo Amy took before the battle of the bass music began and she promptly left.

Here's to good ol' American food and classic cars!
-Jip

Hey Guy!

Just some interesting quotes from RJ lately, especially as he learns to deal with other people and other kids.

RJ:  "Mom, I need a new best friend."  Subsequently, he decided that a good candidate was a 5 or 6 year old girl on the playground who really didn't want anything to do with him.
RJ:  "Hey Best Friend, come over here."  "Best Friend, wait."

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RJ and I were in the restroom at the food court area on base.  A man coughed in one of the stalls which prompted RJ to say at full volume.  "What's that, Dad?"
Me:  "Someone coughed."
RJ:  "What's he doing." (again at full volume)
Me:  "Um.  It's not any of your business, so let's pee and go...soon."

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RJ when he doesn't want either of us to hold his hand: "Get off my hand!"

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RJ to me after I put honey on his biscuit:  "I don't want honey.  I don't like honey.  Honey is ick."  (tears and whines).  I got him to take a bite of his biscuit after we tipped the biscuits over and let the honey "fall off." 
RJ:  "Yum.  Honey is my favorite.  I love it."

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RJ to anyone he doesn't know and wants to get his or her attention: "Hey Guy!"

-Jip

Messing Around with the Webcam

It was another hot day, so the kiddos and I stayed in. We had a great time this afternoon messing with the features of the webcam on our computer. The photo/video feature is a MacBook wannabe, but I'll take it--RJ thought it was a riot!

I like how he is trying to take the dog head off!

Moooooo!

Ryleigh didn't know what was going on, but she thought we were all being silly.

RJ and Mom hitting the big time!

I'm doing a little dance because tomorrow is Friday!  Jip has to help with the set-up of SRF's booth at the base's Friendship Day on Saturday and he has a little work to do, too. 

We may try to avoid the actual activities of Friendship Day--it is an event with live music, food, etc. where the base gates are thrown open to the general public (with the exception of people from countries who are on the debarred list and must have the base CO's permission first).  The people of Yokosuka enjoy the day.  To us and many people we know, it is really just a day for our Japanese hosts to get real American pizza by the armload for cheap.  They actually measure the success of the day by how many pizzas our base pizzeria sells.  It isn't our idea of fun, so we may have to go make our own fun elsewhere.

We hope your weekend plans are coming together!  Happy Friday!

Dirt

RJ wanted to to go the big playground by the water today. Because it felt like over 100 degrees, we waited until after 5. Unlike Monday, there weren't many kids out--it was just too hot. But, RJ finally found a 5ish-year-old boy to chase around. Then, they decided to make their own playground in the dirt. I swear that dirt is a universal language. It spans cultures and ages. It's as if dirt screams, "Boys Unite!"

They were building castles with moats--well, RJ decided to imitate the older boy and build a castle and he doesn't know what a moat is. I was trying to get a picture on the sly, but I wasn't too successful.

The boy playing with/tolerating RJ had to leave, but RJ quickly found a 6ish-year-old girl who showed RJ how to "feed the animals" by moving dirt from one side of the playground to the other. Together they fed lions, rabbits, giraffes, kangaroos, and more. He had a ball and we practically had to drag RJ home (Jip rode his bike to the playground and we all walked home together).

Since we were at the big playground, I had to keep Ryleigh in the stroller. But, she had my water bottle, so she was perfectly content. Plus, she kept pointing and babbling at the planes going by--they are better than dirt!