February usually starts out slow and ends fast. This year, due to the COVID lockdown in January, we started out fast to make up for lost time ... and just got faster!
First up was an in-person awards ceremony at the school. Why is this news worthy you ask? Well it is the first in-person anything at the school that isn't directly related to sports that we have had since arriving in Yokota. Sadly, Lucy's award ceremony and Ben's awards ceremony were held on the same day AND at the same time. The middle school also put the awards ceremony up on Facebook, so I was able to watch Lucy's "live" and go back and watch Ben's right after. Lilly's award ceremony took place the following day but since I had not seen the other two in person I chose to watch that one on the computer as well so as to not show favoritism. Lilly said she understood the need to keep the other two in the dark as to who is actually the favorite. 😆 Lilly sent me this picture of her crew afterwards to make us feel guilty about missing the ceremony. Thanks Lilly. Hopefully we can make it to the next one.
Seems like just a few days later it is Valentines Day. Not going to lie, not my favorite holiday. I have told Jim year after year I would rather just not really celebrate it. I mean I am all for him taking me out to eat dinner, just not on the actual 14th - that is just crazy with all the crowds! While I don't really want the candy and flowers that seem to accompany the day, I do enjoy decorating for it. I tried my hand at making a wreath for the front door. Jury is still out on this one. 😳
The kids decided that even though we didn't want anything, they still expected to get something. Shocking!
Basketball season had been delayed two weeks due to our lockdown, but they were able to quickly make up some games and Lucy wrapped up her first season ever playing basketball with a great last game played at Zama H.S. She even knocked down a three towards the end of the game to ensure the victory! Way to go Lucy!
Even though Wesley thought by getting injured he could keep us home for the long weekend he was wrong! We had rented out a small lodge at Madarao in Nagano with several families and the conditions were nearly perfect! On the way up the mountain the snow kept getting deeper and deeper. The kids couldn't wait to hit the slopes!
Want to know the best part about skiing with families who kids all get along? You end up only seeing them when they run out of money or you just happen to pass them on the slopes! Which left us to have a very nice adult lunch! But seriously, the kids were having a blast, the adults were having fun, the only person who probably wasn't having a great time was the lodge manager who was probably rethinking having us stay - hahaha.
We woke up Monday morning to about 2 feet of fresh snow! Which would have been perfect if we hadn't been heading back to Yokota. It took all 20 or so of us to dig out all the cars and then pack up and head home. Another successful ski trip in the books!
 |
| Day after your birthday balloon wake up! |
The next adventure was an indigo dyeing (called Aizome) outing with some other USFJ spouses in nearby Ome. We were got a brief history lesson of the importance of this cultural institution and we also got to dye something for ourselves! The studio has been in operation for 24 years, but the family that runs it has been in the indigo dyeing business for over 100 years. They have a few small items you can purchase from them to dye or you can bring your own. The folding of the item to be dyed is similar to tie dying , however, the process is slightly different and the result is much more stunning. I need to go back!
We are rapidly racing through February and I still have a few things left to mention. The spouses of both USFJ and 5th Air Force had a joint Mardi Gras event and I somehow ended up signing up to make a King Cake. I don't know why I thought I would be able to whip one up - but I figured how hard can it be? Turns out it isn't really a cake at all. More like a bread ring. Who knew? Ha Ha. My first attempt was a bust, but the second time around I was luckier. King Cake success! I just hope I don't get the "baby" in my slice because I am not sure I want to make it again next year 😄.
I am not the only one in the kitchen trying new things. Lilly and her friend Kaci were selected to not only represent Yokota High School in the virtual Far East Cooking competition but also to prepare crepes for the visiting Superintendent and other DoDEA representatives when they came to Yokota for a roundtable discussion with USFJ and parents.
The last weekend of the month finds us taking a day trip up to Yuzawa Kogen for a Boy Scout Ski day. Ben and Jim are going to be instructors for the day. I decided to practice my snowboarding again. Lucy and her friend Sam had the same idea. The resort is fairly small and is advertised as a perfect place for beginners, so what could go wrong?! The terrain was certainly suitable for beginners however the resort setup was not. All the lifts we rode on had a downhill slope which made getting on the lift super hard for the new skiers and snowboarders in our group. Also you had to ride a gondola over the gorge to even get to the slopes which was fine until it was time to leave. We waited in a long line to take the two-man lift up the hill and then waited in an even longer line to ride the gondola back to the parking lot. All in all, we had fun but probably won't be returning.
No comments:
Post a Comment