Ice Skating w/5 kids in Japan...

That was my day! Looks fun, huh? It actually went a lot better than one would expect. Adam had to work, so me and 3 other moms took our kids ice skating today. We drove about an hour to the rink. We arrived about 1:00, and I was on the ice exactly 1 hour later...by the time I got skates, tied the girls, put and reput skates on the boys, put gloves, hats, etc, loaded Luke in layers and then the front pack, then smelled poop and had to unload, change clothes, baby wipe bath, and recloth and reload, then took Isaac and Jacob on an emergency run to the bathroom, then Jake had to go #2--that was fun w/ice skates & a baby in the front pack, balancing him over the Japanese squatter (#1 is a breeze for boys w/squatters, but #2 is a challenge!), then finally put on my skates, and then at 2:00 we were on the ice. Whew! It took a little convincing to get J out there, but he finally decided the sliding metal chair looked fun. Have any of you ever seen these in the states? I hear they have them, but they were a first for me today--and they totally saved me. The girls had lessons before coming to Japan, so they were fine, but it was the boys first time--you know, when they can't even stand on the ice w/out falling. So, thank goodness for the chair. But then a worker took the chair away after 15 minutes, because they rotate them, you have to get a # and wait for a turn. That totally opened a can!! There were adults and big kids out there pushing each other around on them. W/a lot of sign language I threw a little fit, counting my boys over and over for them, trying to convince them to just let me keep one chair, that I was an exception to the rule and needed one! Nonetheless, throwing a fit in a foreign country doesn't always do a lot of good...no chair. So, I had the girls keep getting me a new number every 10 minutes and we were able to keep a chair most of the time.

The girls made friends w/some japanese girls right off. It's funny how w/kids the lanuage thing isn't really that big of a deal--they figure it out and play together anyway.

Oh, and if you're thinking, "I can't believe they're not wearing helmets" or "I can't believe she's skating w/Luke in the front pack!", you can rest at ease that anything goes in Japan. And don't worry, I didn't skate w/Luke on front unless I was pushing the chair, so I wasn't going down.

Adam took Isaac on a daddy date tonight--they went to KFC and bowling--Isaac got a personal high of 106 (w/bumpers of course). He had a lot of fun. I asked him who knocked more pins down, him or Dad, & he said confidently "I did!"

2006 Update

Since I included our blogspot address in our Christmas card this year, I thought I'd write a quick little summary of 2006. Hope you like the above pic, it was taken while in the middle of trying to get the family Christmas card pic, which let me tell you, was not an easy task. That's why we had to settle for one w/Isaac's fingers in his mouth.

So 2006, Emma started 4th grade, Sarah started 2nd. They both swam on the base youth swim team this year again, and are taking a little break right now, since swim team is a year round never-ending sport. They also both played soccer this fall, and LOVED it. Especially Emma, she never finished a game or practice without her face being dark red and splotchy. And she even made a goal at the last game. Emma still loves animals, and the highlight of her year was getting a puppy last February. She's a black Doberman named Duchess, who goes nuts each day when Emma gets home from school. Emma's always up for a big project, her latest has been collecting goods for an orphanage in Hiroshima.

Sarah still loves to catch butterflies, read, do puzzles, jump rope, and play with her friends. She's not as fond of Duchess, but puts up w/her. Jacob follows Sarah all around the house each day saying "Rara, Rara". Out of desparation last summer I assigned each of the girls a "buddy brother", who they would help take care of, get ready for bed, hold hands crossing the street, etc. Anyway, Sarah's buddy is Jacob. She just informed me about a week ago that she really wants a new buddy, it just isn't working out for her. Alot of nights we'll race getting ready for bed, with "buddy teams", she says she's tired of losing. But she really is very compassionate and patient with her little brothers.

Isaac just turned 4, and started Yochien (Japanese preschool) this past fall. He has loved it. He loves cutting, glueing, folding, and playing in the mud making "mud balls", a favorite Japanese-childs' pastime. He has really suprised me lately with his Japanese. He doesn't practice a lot around the house, sings some japanese songs--but an older boy from Yochien was at our house last week and Isaac busted out with a bunch of Japanese, I was amazed.

Jacob is 2 1/2 and started Yochien this past fall as well. I wasn't planning on sending him, but when I took Isaac to register and get uniforms, the sensei's really wanted me to sign him up and brought out a bunch of tiny little uniforms, and with Luke being only about 2 weeks old, it didn't take a whole lot of convincing to talk me into it. He loves it as well, and we're not too sure if he's speaking much Japanese, because we can't really understand much of his english either. So, we'll give him the benefit of the doubt, he's fluent!

Luke, our bonus child, was born this past August. Since Japanese people don't normally have negative blood, and I am B-, I got to go to Yokosuka, a navy base near Tokyo, for 4 weeks to deliver. (If it's hadn't been for the blood issue I could have delivered at a Japanese hospital, but our base is small w/only a clinic.) So at 37 weeks the kids and I took the Shin (bullet train) to Yokosuka. Adam came a few weeks later. We ate a lot of fast food, did a lot of walking, shopping at the exchange, and playing at parks. Luke Thomas Workman was born on August 8, and has been a complete BLESSING ever since. He is the best baby, and we all enjoy him SO much!

Adam still stays very busy as the base prosecutor. He now serves as 2nd counselor in our branch presidency, which keeps him busy also. In any free time he finds, he enjoys hiking w/the family or riding his road bike w/friends.

As for me, I stay very busy w/5 kids, a large dog, and husband. I enjoy getting a babysitter Saturday nights for my date night out, and running in the mornings w/Luke and Duchess.

Our 3 years in Iwakuni is coming to an end, we leave this summer! Such mixed emotions, I have loved it here and will truly miss it! But am excited to be closer to family. We'll have a better feel for where we'll be going next in about a month.--so that means that you all have about 6 months left to book those flights and come visit Japan!!

We enjoyed getting Christmas cards and letters from so many of you. We hope you all had a Merry Christmas and have a wonderful New Year!! We miss you!

You know Dasher, and Dancer, and Donner, and Blitzen…

Yesterday was the annual base Jingle Bell Jog. We usually don’t dress up too much, the girls just focus on the race part of it. But this year I decided we were all going to dress up—as Santa and his 8 reign deer, only we had 6 not 8. At 9:00pm Wed. night the girls and I were raiding the thrift store for anything brown to wear. Luke already had a Santa costume, I found some rope, and we were all set. It was a lot of fun! Much to Emma and Sarah’s dismay, Jacob insisted on walking the whole way. I thought he’d take a ride in the jogger w/Luke, but he was very determined. I kept great track of everyone, I’m thinking of tying them all up like reign deer next time we go to the mall.

We may not have gone all out on the yard this year w/decorations, but I made up for it w/the car. I totally scored points w/the kids on this one.

It was Adam’s birthday yesterday. Other than having the bug I had last week, he had a great birthday. He wasn’t quite as bad off as I was though, and we did manage to get a babysitter and get out in the evening. The night before we celebrated w/the kids at a local Japanese restaurant—it’s not too often these days that we take them all out to a restaurant, but they were all actually really good.

Adam took the day off today to watch the Cougs play. Go BYU!—apparently they won because my husband was in a very good mood all day. After the game he took the boys out hiking. They found Isaac’s coat right where we had left it last week when we were there taking our family Christmas car pic. That is the great thing about Japan, you can leave you wallet in the middle of the street for a week and no one will touch it. We never lock our car, in fact we leave the keys in the ignition. We’ll have to make a few changes when we get back to CONUS.

Well, better get to bed, Mrs. Claus has a few more projects to finish up in the morning before everyone gets up.

girls night out!
I got out for a girls night out tonight! Yeah, I need those once in a while. We saw a good movie, Holiday. Very cute chick flick. Although I was totally disturbed that there were two little boys, maybe 6 and 8 yrs old, sitting behind us watching it w/their parents. Hello! Who takes their little boys to a PG13 chick flick?? So the babysitter cancelled, maybe you'll have to too!! Anyway, it wasn't that bad, but it just wasn't a show for two little boys. Ok, new subject. Adam had branch pres. mtgs tonight, and is still there! Hello, it's going on 10:00! Poor guy.So I made a new friend this past week who has gotten me very interested in machine embroidery...right now I have Santa watching a few computerized embroidery sewing machines on ebay. I've been a very good girl this year, we'll see how it works out. This new friend, she's moving at the end of the week. I seem to always do that, meet really nice friends right before they leave, that way I get to be friends w/them for a really long time, maybe a week or a month. It's great. That's military life for you.Yesterday I took Christmas sugar cookies to Isaac and Jacob's Yochien classes and let them frost and decorate them. Japanese sweets normally aren't very sweet, often made of rice, with a little sweet bean surprise inside. I'm sure the sensei's appreciated the sugar high they were all on the rest of the day. The boys were so excited to have me there, it was so fun. And it was so nice to leave the mess there...now we don't have to decorate any at home this year! The babysitter did a good job tonight, 4 kids asleep in Emma and Sarah's bed, just like every night.

Not a good night! Today after work Becky picked me up and told me she wasn't feeling well. She had gone to Hiroshima earlier in the day and suspected a sandwich she ate might have been getting revenge on her. We ran an errand out in town and when we got home she went straight to the bed and curled up in the fetal position. Within minutes she was puking. I had planned to take Sarah out tonight. I try to take the kids out once a week for some one on one time. Tonight was Sarah's turn and she was really looking forward to it.

I figured my trip out with Sarah was cancelled when Becky started puking, but she didn't want Sarah to be disappointed. She also perked up a little bit after the first few rounds of hurling. So I went and got the kids some videos, got the baby changed and tucked in his crib, and verified with Becky about 50 times that she was sure she would be fine if I left. She assured me she would be just fine.

I got back about an hour and a half later. Much to my surprise one of our neighbors was there. She said Becky had called her for help with the baby. I was really grateful for her help, and she told me that if I needed her in the middle of the night not to hesitate to call. I told her there would be no need for that since there was nothing she could do for the baby that I couldn't do for him. Then it occurred to me--she has a nursing baby also. Becky called her over to feed the baby. All I can say is that I am not going to think too hard about this, and I am just extremely relieved that I am not dealing with an inconsolable baby right now.

My night out with Sarah was quite enjoyable. We went to a brand new Tex Mex place that opened up here. Tex Mex is a first here, which is fine since we have really grown to love sushi. But tonight was a nice change of pace. The only downer at dinner is that the restaurant is really small and we got stuck sitting close to one of our neighbors that hates us because of our dog, and after about the fourth tequila he was really becoming the life of the party.

The guy crys about Duchess crapping on his lawn, although both times she has done it I have immediately gone home to get a shovel and have immediately returned to pick it up. One time he told me he was going to call the cops about it, and I told him to go right ahead. He did. Since he knew the cops wouldn't care about cleaned up crap he told them that she was running loose and attacked his 17 year old son. Total BS, and the cops knew it. But when the cops show up at the base prosecutor's house it always makes for some good neighborhood drama. He just doesn't like my dog b/c she is black. Other than that though, we had a really good time.

Well its time to get the kids to bed, they are watching air buddies for the fourth time, and it is going to be a long night. The baby is going to have to figure out the bottle, I am not calling the neighbor.

AJW

New Shirt!
I volunteer at the Base Thrift Store for a few hours every monday morning, so I find pretty good stuff. A few of my friends work there as well, so it's fun. Anyway, got Jacob a new "Tigger" shirt yesterday, which he was very excited to wear this morning to Yochien. After he got it on, I told him that Sensei would really like it. (Japanese LOVE Pooh Bear and Mickey Mouse stuff--pretty much anything Disney, but especially those two. Speaking of Japanese loving disney--that reminds me of a story....later.) Anyway, when we got to the bus stop, Jacob wanted his coat zipper down, so I unzipped him and he proceeded to show all the kids at the bus stop his new shirt. Then the bus pulled up, I'll have to post a pic of the bus, it's pretty funny--green gingham seat, flowers on the outside--anyway, bus pulls up, and he runs up to the Sensei helping them on and holds open his coat so she can see his shirt. She smiled, and tried to usher him on--there was a long line behind him. He didn't budge, just kept holding open his coat for her to see, this time she sort of nodded and smiled, but still not good enough for J. So, I came up behind him and told him, "She really likes your shirt!", and lifted him up onto the bus. Yeah, they both got on the bus happily this morning, I like those mornings.
So Luke is 4 mo. old now, and I finally got around to taking a little photo shoot of him in his blessing outfit. I had fun trying out our new camera, and he was totally happy, so it was an easy job. Some of you have requested a pic (parents) of this, so if you can not save it from this site, let me know and I'll email you a copy. So I am asking for your participation in a vote on which one I should hang on my wall--this may require you to push the comment icon and reply!!! Don't be scared--this is 2006, I know you can all figure it out. Anyway, would love to have your vote. We'll just # them 1-6, #1 being at the top. THANKS!
Ok, so the Disney story--in Japan they have these hotels called "love hotels" everywhere. You pull your car in to a little garage spot, you cover your licence plate with the cover provided, and you go in and pay by the hour into a little machine in the wall. You never see anyone the whole time you are there. Anyway, it was one of the boxes I wanted to check while I am here, just to really experience Japan. So a couple of months ago we did. The room was not at all what I expected though, we walked in and the first thing I saw was a poster sized framed pic of Whinnie the Pooh on the wall. Then the Minnie Mouse comforter. And the close to life sized Mickey Mouse sitting in the corner! It was so crazy, I mean I knew Japanese love disney, but not quite to this extent! Anyway, to make a long story short, we couldn't be as secretive as most because we coudn't figure out how to use the pay machine--which meant we were locked in till we paid. So I had to call the front desk for help on getting out. We almost forgot our sourveniers, but she made sure we didn't--a Mickey wash cloth and matching glass cup. Jacob really appreciated them.

Saturday night was the girl's piano performance. They played the prelude music for a Christmas music show that was provided here on base. They did a great job playing. Becky was a little nervous at the dress rehearsal because Sarah had completely forgotten how to play the piano. She initially wrote it off as bad nerves, but when they got home she still couldn't play a thing. They worked on it for a little while and by the time of the actual show she did a flawless job, as did her sister. All of Becky's students played a little number. It was nice. After the kids played we stayed for the rest of the show. The show was at the base theater so we got dinner for the kids, namely nachos, popcorn, and this green melon drink they sell in Japan that is like soda but is pretty much straight syrup. Jake spilled his popcorn after about 1 minute. Buttery popcorn is really slippery on a movie theater floor after it gets trampled a few times.

During the performance I spent most of the time with the boys out in the foyer. They entertained themselves by scooting around on the floor pushing an ice cube. After they pushed it back and forth a few times they would put the ice in their mouths. I would lecture them and make them spit it out if I saw it. Unfortunately, I don't think I saw it every time. The doc who diagnosed the disorder on my face came out into the foyer and pointed out to me that a lot of bacteria lives on the floor. I said thanks doc, but they're boys, they're thoroughly entertained right now, and they are doing so without assaulting anyone or destroying property. He has all girls so I didn't expect him to understand.

Yesterday church went relatively smoothly. I spent most of Sacrament holding the baby while Becky tried to control the other 4. The next hour I still had the baby and he finally fell asleep in my arms so I was able to knock out a bunch of finance stuff while he was asleep. Because our branch is small I am also the finance clerk. The third hour the baby woke up quite hungry so Becky got to nurse him while trying to keep the sunbeams under control in sharing time.

Saturday I took the boys to the gym and set up a tee for them and let them hit a bunch of balls and run the bases. I think they are going to be ready for tee ball this spring. Other than that there is nothing new at our house.

Isaac was up all night last night with an ear ache. It is so nice when they get to the age that they can tell you exactly what is wrong. This morning he said he was fine, so I hesitated taking him in, but decided to, hoping to prevent being up all night tonight. So I took him in, it was definitely an ear infection, and he got some antibiotics. Jacob only broke 2 balls off the tree in front of the pharmacy.
This morning Emma gave me a note to sign to attend the 4th grade maturation program. Seems so early, can't believe how fast they grow up!!! Adam and I have said since she was about 3 that when she turned 8 we would take her to dinner and have "the big talk", I've read 8 is a great age to start, before it gets weird for them. Anyway, here she is, 9 1/2, and still no dinner! We just kept putting it off, and putting it off. So I felt the time crunch today, wanting to talk to her before she gets it all from school. I got a babysitter, and we took her out tonight. I wanted to go out in town to our favorite Korean restaurant where we could talk freely and nobody would understand what we were saying, but Adam had duty and couldn't leave base, so we settled for the Mongolian night at the Club here on base. It actually went really well, don't know why we put it off so long. She is such a good girl, it was fun spending time with just her.
The pic is one Adam took last night of Luke and I. He is getting big way to fast!! Still so much fun, such a GOOD baby.

Pretty normal day around here today. Crazy morning, boys missed the bus, but luckily it comes by 15 minutes later again, and stopped for us. Then Luke needed to eat, so didn't get off for my run till 10:00, and I was about an hour off all day. Oh well, it was Monday, nobody likes Mondays. Ran errands all afternoon with a really nice new neighbor 2 doors down who happens to be in our branch too. She's more like my parents age, a nice change of pace, and nice to visit with. Then beat the girls home just in enough time to fill the advent calendar, it has little wooden drawers that you fill with candy, and pull out each day. When the boys got home a little while later, they both freaked out -- Isaac wanted to open every day but day 4, and Jacob wanted two pieces. Both fell apart. Got to love it. Makes you want to do nice, fun mom things more often. Finally I put it out of sight and things got better. Not sure if the boys will be included on the advent calendar thing tomorrow. Maybe I'll just eat their pieces.
Isaac is quite the ladies man lately. He keeps wanting girls to come over and play. Which is fine, he's really only had one friend (other than Jacob) since we've been here, so it's nice he as a few more. Anyway, this is what I caught them doing though. I'm going to have to keep a close eye on that one.
So after we worked through the advent calendar issue, I taught piano lessons. I have a 12 yr. old girl who helps with the boys while I teach. They didn't seem to want to play with her today. It's getting pretty cold, so they wouldn't play outside like they usually do during lessons. Anyway, while the sitter was helping Isaac on the computer, Jacob decided to turn the family room into a batting cage, or the Christmas tree into a Tee. Bam, he hit that red ball with all he had. It's amazing how many little pieces of glass one ornament can make. Anyway, first, but not last I'm sure, ornament casualty today.

Now that Sunday is finally over maybe we can get some rest. I was late for my meetings this morning because I had to go to medical and get my incision packed with gauze. Last week I had a zit that swelled to 4 inches in diameter and when the antibiotics wouldn't reduce it they went in with a knife, cut it open, and drained about a thimble's worth of pus out of it. Every morning I go in to have them stuff a shoe lace looking piece of gauze into the incision. I should be done next week. Becky wanted me to clarify that it wasn't really a zit, it was a staph infection. It looked like a huge zit. Everyone in the family has been getting them, mine was just very large and too deep to respond to antibiotics. Everyone has bacteria that lives on their bodies, but for some reason this trash infected an ingrown hair, or a knick with the razor on my face.

During church I got to watch Becky struggle with our five kids, then go off to sunbeams and struggle with someone else's.

Tonight we pulled out the Christmas decorations. We have been avoiding the project for as long as possible since we just moved and got everything put away. Pulling out several bins of Christmas nick-nacks made us both want to vomit. But when the kids start asking in their prayers that we put up the Christmas tree what can you do? We relented and pulled everything out. So far we have put up about 1/3 of our stuff, including the tree, and that seems like more than enough. Becky just asked me when Christmas ever got so out of control, I don't know, but we are about to retake control.

The other day ago Becky went upstairs and the girls had Luke decked out in their build-a-bear clothes. I wasn't too pleased that it was the ballerina outfit, but I thought the boy's grin looked good enough to post a picture here.

The kids went to bed over 1/2 hour ago, but keep coming downstairs with one excuse or another. All four are crammed into one bed, at their insistence, with a full size Doberman. Sarah just came down quite concerned because sometimes the Jake wets the bed and since Becky made chili for dinner he is indicating in his own way that she might wake up in something much worse than a little puddle. I told her to sleep in one of the other beds, but no, she doesn't want to do that.