Persimmons and Curtains

In our backyard is the largest persimmon tree that I have seen in our walks all over base. We have been really excited to watch them ripen this fall. It also draws flocks of hungry crows that the girls enjoy scaring off.

This is our first experience with persimmons and we've learned that when they are not ripe they dry out your mouth and make your face implode. Luckily Ryan talked to an elderly Japanese man who said that persimmons ripen after the first frost. We counted the snowfall from last week as a frost and Ryan and the girls went out and harvested as much as we thought we could handle. They had a great time.

We made three batches of jam already and have only used 1/3 of our harvest from only 1/2 of the tree.

Here are our triple pleat or French pleat curtains. I am really proud of them. Our room is like a cave now when we close them. Ryan is all ready to go on night shift again because sleeping during the day will be much easier.

Let it snow!

Last week it snowed for the first time. It was warm enough that Helen was able to roll snowman balls all by herself. Which is just as well as my bending ability is not great right now.

Here are the girls enjoying the great snowy outdoors. The thick, wet snow did not treat Jane so well. She ended up picking up an inch of snow on her boots with each step. Once she had walked 4 feet she was stuck on 6 inch platforms and would just whimper.

All that snow put Ryan in the mood for Christmas. Here are the girls helping to trim the tree.

This picture reminds me of a snapshot that may have been taken of Emily and I when we were little.

Food Fun in Japan

For Family Home Evening two weeks ago we tried making caramel apples. We didn't have any popsicle sticks, but instead of giving up I remembered that we had 50 wooden chopsticks that we have been using at home to practice. A couple of taps with Ryan's rubber mallet and we were good to go. Keep a special eye on Jane.

Now Ryan has never been the biggest fan of caramel apples, so I decided that we could doctor them up with some melted chocolate and nuts.

Helen loves caramel apples and was more than happy to help make and eat them.

Last week I went to the market and decided to be really adventurous. This is some of what I came back with that I made into a vegetable soup. The girls and I had to look up what they were in the vegetable book I bought when I was in India 3 years ago.

Happy National Bundt Cake Day!

Once again it is time for one of Ryan's favorite national holidays. This year I decided to think out of the normal double chocolate box and made a Pumpkin Cake with a brown sugar streusel ribbon running through the middle. It was the streusel that sold it for me, and perhaps I am working on getting Ryan to accept other desserts in replacement of pumpkin pie, which I do not appreciate at all. It turned out delicious. Helen said I made it a "funny cake" by putting lines on it. I hope you appreciate the flowers in the background. I got those at the market for 150 yen. Not bad at all.

Fall is in the air

I feel like we have been spoiled by a lovely fall. The leaves are all brilliant yellows and reds and it hasn't been very cold or rainy at all. I don't know if that is normal for Misawa, but we will take it. The girls and Ryan have had a lot of leaves to rake up. Luckily they all love it. I think Ryan's favorite part is throwing leaves on the girls. My favorite part is the three year old working hard.

Baby Seat Cover

A couple of weeks ago I panicked because I realized that I was going to have a winter baby and I had nothing really to protect him or her from the blowing snow. After I took a few deep breaths and doing a serious google search I found this great pattern. It only took me two days, leftover flannel and extra sheet fabric that I used to make a valence for the girls bedroom last year. I am particularly proud of that stripe. It just kind of landed in the right spot over the end of the car seat on both sides. Brilliant.

Clearly we are not ready for the baby to come yet, if this picture of the car seat in disarray is any indicator.

Happy Japan Day!

Last week we celebrated Japan Day on base. It turned out to be the perfect activity for Helen. A bunch of volunteers came on base and taught kids how to write in Japanese, decorate with flowers, make hair pretties, play games and instruments. Helen learned how to write mountain and her name in Japanese.

We also learned how to arrange flowers together.