Connor, the birthday boy!

Thank you Christopher Columbus for discovering America. Because of you Kyle got Monday off! We decided to check out the Oirase gorge in Towada to celebrate the holiday. Unfortunately It started to rain, but we didn't let that damper out spirits. It just enhanced the "fall" atmosphere. 

The trees were absolutely gorgeous and the gorge was so pretty. We walked some of the trail that runs parallel to the water. Abby loved being a big girl, walking and carrying her very own umbrella. It was one of my latest purchases from Daiso (100¥ store AKA the most amazing dollar store ever) and I have to say it was a dollar/100 yen well spent! She always wants to take her umbrella on our walks... Whether it's raining or not. At least it distracts her and she always behaves so she can have her umbrella. Bribery... It works!

After walking the trails, we drove all the way to the lake for a fun scenic drive while the kids napped. It was a nice way to end a wonderful 4 day weekend. 

The weekend came to an end, and it was back to reality for us. Now that Abby is starting up preschool and dance, on top of me starting to pick up more and more ballet classes, life is starting to get busy. Trying to do ballet teaching, squadron activities, church activities, kid activities, traveling, attending Japanese festivals and functions, and making sure the family is functioning with daily chores like cooking and cleaning, it is turning into a juggling act... and I only have 2 kids! I don't know how my parents did it with 5 kids, or Kyle's parents with 8 kids. To say we are staying busy is an understatement. We are looking forward to Thanksgiving's trip to Hawaii to just relax and do nothing on the beaches of Maui.

My baby boy turned one on Thursday. I officially have no "babies" in the house anymore, just crazy "toddlers." He has gotten so good with his walking as well. He will strut his stuff all over the house, but as soon as we put shoes on him to go outside he acts as if he doesn't know how to walk. Frustrating. Hopefully he will be able to walk in shoes by the time James and Amanda's wedding rolls around this next week so he doesn't crawl and ruin his outfit. Oh well.

Connor is the sweetest and happiest little boy, as well as the most annoying hahaha. He just LOVES to be with his mommy and therefore cries if I leave the room, am not holding him or giving him attention, and leave his sight line. He does make up for it by giving the best kisses when I ask for one, snuggles with his favorite tattered blue blankie, and goes down for his naps like a saint. He is a bottomless pit that currently is eating us out of house and home. I fear for when he is a teenager cause we can't seem to keep enough food in the house for him now, how much is he going to eat when he is a hormonal, pubescent teenager??

Above all Connor loves his sister Abby and dog Sandy. He just follows them all Around the house. Sandy has become his stepping stool to help climb the couch, and Abby has turned into his idealized sister that can do no wrong, is soooo cool, and always has more fun toys than the ones he currently is playing with. Unfortunately I think the obsession and love is one way as Sandy can't stand Connor and hides from him, and Abby just yells "stop!!!" at Connor whenever he gets near her. Poor guy. Well I love you Connor, and think you are the cutest little boy in the whole Universe. Happy birthday love, I am so glad you are part of our family. I can't imagine life without my little boyfriend, he really is my sunshine.

To celebrate, he opened his presents and we sang happy birthday to him as he demolished his Halloween cupcake. What more could a cute little one year old want?? Besides, we plan to celebrate more when we are back in the states this next week with family. Connor, stop growing please, and stay little forever!

We went to the last homecomings of the 14th squadron this week. They all made it back from their deployment safe, we are so relieved and grateful. It was especially fun to see our good friend Mike return. He was in the same B course with Kyle in Arizona and his wife Rachel and him moved to Misawa the same time as us. They have been such great friends we couldn't help but get excited to see him come home. Now we will have to pick up where we left off and play our weekly Sunday night card games, eating brownies while the kids sleep upstairs.

We decided to check out the Misawa city Halloween festival. It was fun to get the kids dressed up in their minion Halloween outfits and check out the different decorations that were on display. The best part is Halloween is not a Japanese holiday, just an American one, but the Japanese are OBSESSED with it! They are fascinated with the traditions of trick or treating, costumes, pumpkins, you name it! I think we enjoyed watching the local Jaanese people get excited over the littlest Halloween things more than anything that night. I hear on Halloween many of them are sponsored to come on base to trick or treat and it gets pretty entertaining!

This week we are feeling especially grateful for our many blessings. For the chance to live in Japan, for the safe arrival back home from our friends that were deployed, for the chance to go to the states this next week for my brother's wedding, and for our sweet little family of 4 (5 including our dear Sandy pup). We may not have it all together, but together we have it all!