Adventure

 I mentioned previously that our definition of adventure has changed since embarking on this journey (which began months before we arrived at the airport to take off).  We have decided, as a family, that we have to look at the ENTIRE experience as an adventure, even if the adventure sucks sometimes.  Even if, occasionally, it is a bust.  

We had a bust this last week.

Monday, Labor Day.  American holiday but not a Japanese holiday (obviously..?).  BUT...with a Super Typhoon Haishen coming our direction, our prefecture closed public schools, so Holland also had no school that day. The typhoon wasn't expected to hit hard, really we were supposed to get a bit of wind and rain, so we decided that as long as it stayed like that, we would go to Hiroshima (45-60 minute drive).  Keane has been wanting to go to a Pokemon center since he found out we were moving to Japan, and there were a few other things we thought would be fun to check out.

The weather cooperated, so off we went.  Hiroshima is only about 45 kilometers, but you can't drive very fast, and the roads are small, so it takes a bit to get there.  When we got there, EVERYTHING was closed.  Like....except for some restaurants and Costco, everything was closed.  EVERYONE was dissappointed.  There were some tears, there was some frustration.  But we tried to find some fun things to do anyways.

We walked around and found the Atom Bomb Dome, and read more about the bomb that destroyed much of Hiroshima.

We then decided we would walk to a nearby park, along the river.  The kids weren't thrilled, Andrew and I felt like we were just scrambling for things to see and do since we had made the hour trek all the way there.

The park was further than expected and the kids got tired of walking so much, so we decided we would try and go find something to eat for lunch.  On our way back towards the direction of our car, Cache found an excavator.  Suddenly, he was happy! He sat and watched it until we had to tear him away.

The kids found a really small but surprisingly steep hill to roll down for a while.

We then found a little Udon/Soba (different types of noodles) restaurant and scurried in.  The food was delicious, but the kids were all still "over it".

Our final attempt was to go to Costco.  My favorite part was the carts and how they attach to the moving walkway...

We got a few things we needed and decided to call it.  Home we went.  Later on as Andrew and I were talking, we decided that it's OK that it wasn't great.  Not everything needs to be great.  And while yes, we can look for the positive in situations, it's ok too to recognize that sometimes we just have bad days, and move on!

Less than one week later, we had a super great adventure, that was spontaneous and unplanned.  

Last Saturday was pretty slow, we didn't do much, and by the afternoon I was ready to get out.  We decided to go down to Glass Beach, about a 15 minute drive from us.  It was pretty overcast and a bit windy, but we figured even if we didn't stay long, no big deal because it's close to us.

It was great!  We were only there about an hour and a half, but the kids played, swam, and really got to explore.

When we first arrived, as we were walking on the pathway down to the water we noticed lots of these crabs around.  They were amazingly camouflaged in with the red leaves on the ground.  Cache wanted to take them all home. 

Then...everyone just played.

It started to sprinkle and we decided to quickly pack up and go (made very easy with my new "beach" purchases of a collapsible wagon, giant sand repelling beach blanket, and baby powder to get the sand off...Thanks Sara!!)

We then made another spontaneous decision to go to a place called the "Chicken Shack" for dinner.  The name sounds like it would be a fried chicken joint...it is very much not that.  It's a wonderful, traditional Japanese restaurant up in the mountains. And it was so fantastic! The food, the atmosphere, all of it!

Cache takes the cloths that are given to us to wipe our hands and face at the beginning of the meal and puts them on his head to play "Spiderman"....every. time.

This place is best known for their "chicken on a stick".  Which is a full chicken leg on a bamboo skewer, cooked on a grill in the most amazing teriyaki sauce.

Indie became quite attached to a pair of goggles and wouldn't let us remove them from her head.  And have I mentioned how much she likes food?  Eating is tricky with her because she lunges and grabs at everything.  She likes it all.  She eats every single things he can get her paws on.  

Andrew's favorite part of dinner was the urinals.  Obviously.  He came out of the bathroom, grabbed my phone and went in to take a picture so that I, too, could enjoy them.  "Britt, you pee on the ice!  I don't know why, but I love it!!"

By the time we left it was late, and all the kids fell asleep in the car.  Another win for the collapsible stroller, Cache stayed asleep until I got him upstairs and could throw him into bed.  ( I made the older two wake up and take showers...mean mom)

As I mentioned above, sometimes things don't go according to plan, and it really stinks.  But sometimes, things do not go according to plan, and it's truly wonderful.  We will just keep rolling with the punches, because it really is all a giant adventure.