Birthday party

Okay, I am seriously loving this new camera and I haven't even begun to explore all of it's capabilities!  So far it is really impressing me!  There are too many pictures to post!

This afternoon we celebrated Carter's 1st birthday!  Carter is the son of one of my good friends here on Rokko Island, Kiley, and we went over to their house for the party.  It was a bug themed party and Callie really loved looking at all the butterflies and playing with all the bugs around the house :)  She even dressed the part with ladybugs on her dress and a bee on her hair clip :)  We played with sidewalk chalk, cars, trains, played games, and even had a great time in the sand.  Carter loved his birthday cupcake and the adults enjoyed some good food, laughs and a couple of Chu-hies (Japanese drink) :)    

Callie playing with the flowers from the beanbag game

Callie with her new BFF Andrea :)  Lately Callie has really been into hanging out with the other Mommies.  While Carter opened presents she cried very time Andrea got up, to chase her own two children :)

The proud parents!!

Carter really enjoying his cupcake :)

Callie didn't really like the cupcake until I ate it and gave her the empty wrapper.  Then she went to town!

Yummy!!

Feeding her new frog friend a treat 

Playing in the sand box.  Callie loved this, and even after all the other kids got bored and came back inside, she stayed and played by herself!

New camera!

I am finally starting to get the new camera figured out!!  Callie was quite the subject this morning and afternoon, providing some pretty funny picture taking opportunities . . .

Callie found this new hooded towel in her laundry and insisted on wearing it while she played this morning . . .

I don't know how she can see with it on her head . . .

Still playing with the towel.  I don't know if I will ever understand her fascination . . .

Eating breakfast with the cow towel . . .

At lunch time we moved on from towels on our heads to bags . . . (if you look close, the cow is still hanging over her high chair, she did not want it moved)

She wanted me to have a turn :)

Happy 4th of July!

Well, our July 4th is winding down to a close here in Japan.  This holiday always makes me miss home, even if we weren't in a different country . . .  Wish I could be at the beach having a BBQ while Robbie and Colin shoot fireworks at each other (or Robbie just shoots them at random women :) ).  Or just hanging out with family celebrating a great summer day.  So, needless to say we didn't do too much celebrating today, but Callie did have a great Red, White and Blue shirt on :)  We played with the water fountain at the park and fed and chased birds with Daddy in the morning, then after nap we swam and played with Caden.  

Loving the water fountain!

Trying to figure out how to turn it on herself :)

Feeding birds with Daddy

Saying "cheese" for the camera

We also had a great road trip with Scott earlier in the week.  We traveled to Nagoya which is about a one hour ride on the bullet train.  Callie did pretty well on the train and seemed to really enjoy herself the whole trip.  We had adjoining hotel rooms and it was great!  Scott and I didn't have to tip-toe around and whisper because Callie was sleeping next door.  There was also a great park pretty close to the hotel and Callie and I had some great fun playing there one day while Scott was at the field.  We didn't go to any games, mostly because the Nagoya Dome has a history of being way too warm and I didn't want to hold a squirmy, sweaty child the whole game :)  It was a great trip and fun to get away from our normal routine on Rokko Island for a couple of days.

Callie loved laying on the pillows on the bed.  Here she is enjoying some morning cartoons with Daddy before breakfast :)