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Birthdays in Japan

Husband celebrated his 40th birthday Sunday!!  The kids and I were still pretty jet-lagged, but I think he had a good time.  We went out for breakfast to a really cool place that's easily walkable from our house.  It's a fabulous bakery with a dizzying variety of treats.


We took a variety of things and just took bites of each so that we could try more things to figure out what we liked best.  G's favorite was some sort of soy sauce/egg/pancake.  Husband had to try the pizza with corn on it of course.  (Pizza being his favorite food)  My favorite was a donut filled with curry.  I would never have dreamed I'd like such a thing, but it was delicious!

Little Buddy really liked this chocolate cream filled Koala.  Since we don't have any pots and pans or dishes yet it's really hard to eat at home.  We've been eating cereal out of plastic cups! haha!  But the hard thing is that it's also difficult for us to go out to eat still as we don't know where to go or how to order unless we can point and see what the food is.  This place was perfect fo us because you can just grab your food and then pay at the register.



On our walk home we came across this shrine.  I was curious to learn about it, but all I know is that it's called Yoshida shrine.

The coolest opportunity of the day was that we got to go see the Honda Heat Rugby Game!!  It's free for employees.  You meet at Honda (where they gave us ponchos and a box of snacks) and ride the bus to the game.  We sat with some of Husband's co-workers who were very nice.  It poured down rain for most of the game, but everyone was a really good sport about it (I'm refferrring to my tired family, although the crowd also stayed the entire game).  G-love spent the time collecting rain water in her poncho to make swimming pools for her fingers.  The other team was far stronger than the Heat, but I was just so happy to be able to see a rugby game!!  Little Buddy tried to fit into the more organized cheering that occurred.  He loves to be loud at games to root on the home team, but cheering was only done when led by the cheer leader and it was a defined rhythm you tap on clappers they passed out.  He figured out how to do it pretty quickly and was only slightly more exuberant than the rest of the crowd.

We ended the day by eating cake from what we understand to be Japan's number one cake shop!  We walked and got a cake earlier in the day and then Husband's boss was so sweet to bring over a cake as well!  We felt terrible that we couldn't offer any to them because we have only 4 plates and no forks or knives.  The cakes, however, were delicious!  So light and fluffy and with the greatest texture.  I thought for sure chocolate would be my favorite, but I actually liked melon the best.  I've turned into a different person in Japan maybe?

Husband had cards to open on his birthday.  My parents managed to squeak one into my bag for him.  And his sister did the sweetest thing for our family.  She gave us a bundle of cards for us to open on certain days throughout our time here.  She included birthday cards for everyone, Husband go to open that one too.  so thankful for her sweet thoughtfulness.  
My idea for a gift is that we go to a sumo tournament when it's in Nagoya in July.  Not sure if we'll make it happen or not, but I think it would be pretty cool!!  There is so much new to see here that we all feel like kids in a candy shop!

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