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exploring Suzuka

This past weekend we went exploring in Suzuka on Saturday!  This is Koyasu Kannonji.  On the brochure it says deep faith for 1300 years!!  Whoa!  Amazing how old some things can be here.

This is a buddhist temple which known for safe births and fertility.

We really enjoyed wandering around, because there are actually quite a few temples and old looking things in the area.  Little Buddy took his camera so that he could practice his photography skills.  Getting there was insane, because we missed the (really large and obvious) parking lot so ended up on super slim streets in what looked like a really old part of town.  If I was driving I seriously would have gotten out of the car and left it.  There is no way I could have navigated it.  Husband is amazing and got us through without hitting anything!

We came home after this to eat lunch and regroup before taking the train that runs near our house one stop down to do some more exploring.

We went to Konbe Castle Ruins.  It was in a nice park and was very fun to explore.

It was a really nice day and we found fun things that we'll definitely show visitors when they come.

Sunday was B's birthday.  We had given him half his present the day before.  It was this Honda Heat jersey he's wearing.  We gave it to him early since we went to the last home game that night.  For once it didn't rain!!  And, they gave out free kakigori (shave ice)!  And the Heat won!!  Great night.

B says thank you for the cards, money, and presents.  He is saving for a Ripstick.  The mini ones are popular here.  G bought one already with money she had saved.


Sunday was busy- B had rugby practice.  We went to Sushiro for lunch (conveyor belt sushi), saw Spider-Man movie, and had Baskin Robbins for dinner!  I think B had a great day and felt very loved!!

Last week I started slowly adding homeschool into our schedule.  The kids are going to go to Japanese school, but I am going to also full-time homeschool them to keep them on pace with their peers in America.  It's been fun so far and the kids have good attitudes about it.  

And another good spot of news is that we were told this week will be the end of rainy season!!  It really has been rainy and extremely humid.  It rains most nights and really any time you step outside you are sweating immediately.  This is why Japan embraces their sweat towels.  Everyone carries them and you just mop yourself off as you go along.  Everyone is sweaty so what can you do but carry on?  When I looked at the forcast- sure enough there are days of sunshine in the future!

Today we are off to City Hall so that B can take a Japanese language proficiency test.  We decided it would be best to put him into the fifth grade here so that he can stay at the Elementary school for 2 years instead of switching to middle school.  Really if we started sixth he'd be skipping half the sixth grade, since they are halfway through their year here, so it makes all kinds of sense to do fifth.  But in order to do so he needs to show that he's not at grade level in Japanese language; and that's the 'official' reason the put him in fifth grade.  Based on age- G was placed into second grade here so she is fine.  This is another reason I need to homeschool.  It will be what we'll count for schooling in order for the kids to keep caught up with America.

And this evening G has gymnastics again.  My Sensei is amazing and has two girls the same ages as my kids.  She keeps offering to do things with the kids together and drives us there since don't drive here yet.  Her youngest is taking gymnastics with G.  They had fun last night and G is so grateful to have a friend to play with.  Missing friends is the hardest thing for the kids right now.  They both wish Japanese school could start right now so they can make friends.

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