O-Shogatsu New Year Festival

Yesterday, at the Portland Japanese Gardens, we celebrated O-Shogatsu New Year Festival! "A" and I have been studying Japan a lot this year because my sister moved to Okinawa last year. We have had fun receiving care packages from her and researching here at home. You can see our Japan Lapbook in my post here. When I saw the New Year Festival I knew we had to go.

I don't know what the arraignment represents but my sister says all her neighbors have the same thing on their doors.

We had a great time. They offer a scavenger hunt for young kids with pictures of garden features. For the festival we saw a calligraphy demonstration, "A" got to write in Japanese "New Spring", and I got to try some traditional Matcha (Green Tea) with sugar cookies made in the traditional Japanese way and served by kimono wearing ladies. I love introducing the boys to different cultures and am so lucky to live in an area where that is a possibility.  Not to mention by learning about Japan it makes us feel a little closer to Aunt Katie!

ShiShi Dogs

Zen Garden

Learning Japanese Calligraphy

New Spring (or close too ;o)

Making Green Tea

Kimono in motion

I love these Cherry Blossom buds hanging on during Winter

Boys near Patagonia

Autumn Weekend at Coast

My mom and I packed up the boys for a weekend at the Oregon Coast. We couldn't have asked for better weather (sunny, blue skies, 60 degrees, with a light wind) or a funner time. We started by heading to Newport. In Newport we have a very nice aquarium (made for Kieko-aka Free Willy) and we have gone quite a few times. However, most people don't realize just down the street is the Hatfield Marine Science Center of Oregon State University. Here they also have aquarium tanks, tide pools you can touch, and other interactive exhibits but it is FREE! They have a slot for donations to support the program but my donation was the same price of one persons admission to the Oregon Coast Aquarium.

We were so lucky the Octopus was out and on the glass (rare) and right next to a Sunburst Sea Star

"B" loved the Anemones gripping his finger. Luckily a man told me that the stinger cells sometimes stick to babies fingers and they get hurt when the fingers go in the mouth. Good to know!

There was lots of sensory items there

Killer Whale Skull

Next up was beach time. Where my lovely children decided to lay in the sand and make "sand" angels and eat the sand. I was trying not to have anxiety attacks, but when the baby rubbed his eyes with handfuls of sand it was time to go. A mommy can only take so much. Plus we had to get to Lincoln City to check into the hotel, have dinner, indoor pool time, and watch Gnomio and Juliet. Before movie time my mom made marshmallow shooters for a hotel battle. So many giggles!

"B" waiting for mini marshmallows to fall so he can get a treat

Its war!

Make your own shooters by cutting bottom of disposable cup and putting a tied balloon also cut in half over bottom.

The next morning it was time to hit the Lincoln City beaches. We had seen tide pools in a museum, but it was time to see them in their natural habitat. Then my favorite memory growing up-agate hunting. On the way home I had a surprise in store. In Lincoln City artist hide their hand blown glass balls (reminiscent of the old glass balls that would wash up on shore from ships). For five years I have been dying to find one of these special treasures. On the way back to the car I found one in the sand and "A" found one next to a lamppost. I did a happy dance right then and there.

Found Hermit Crab

Doesn't he look excited to get a pic with his Dear ole Ma?

My mom taking the kids to the surf

Run! Don't let the wave get you!

Seaweed anyone-or is this Kelp?

Agate Hunting

Jellyfish washed up on the shore

My glass ball. Isn't it gorgeous?

The two treasures together

A Step Through Time

In my town of Vancouver, WA (across from the Columbia River of Portland, OR) is a National Historic Site- Fort Vancouver. The fort was the main supply depot of the British Hudson Bay Company and dealt primarily with trading furs. It had a range of 700,000 square miles, and utilized 24 posts, 6 ships, and 600 employees. It served as a multicultural hub of more than 35 tribal and ethnic groups and was the early end of the Oregon Trail. Later, it became a US Army post and still to this day is situated next to an Army Barracks. Once a year they do a walking tour by candlelight that begins in WWII and goes back in time to the Indian War, Civil War, Oregon Trail, straight to the fort. There are live reenactments and memorabilia. We try to go every year unless we get rained out. Even today the drizzle was trying to get us to change our mind, but I am so glad we didn't. "A" loved it and I think this is the first time he really remembered it. It was great to see him playing with children who were displaying toys from the Oregon Trail (Pick-up Sticks, Jacob's Ladder, and Cup and Ball). I took a ridiculous amount of pictures so I will choose some of my favorites.