Havens Family Adventures (formerly Adventures in Japan): Yokosuka Sakura Walkabout

After a whole lot of rain yesterday (and ca-razy children from being cooped up all day) I decided to take a walk around the base. I'm pretty sure most of the trees here will be almost completely green by the beginning of next week. Since it's beautiful outside today we are taking advantage!

I wanted to speed through school so we could get out before the sun dried up all of the water, but Garytt decided to have a marathon school day. Usually, he does his three or four pages, listens to my stories and then is done. Today, however, he finished fifteen pages of spelling and one page of math! I really wanted to be out of the house by 9:00, but I just couldn't say no when he kept asking for another page. Love. That. Boy. He was so excited to start his new first grade spelling book. :)

We did make it out of the house around 10:00 and took some shots under a tree right by the parking lot door. I will post that one later since we have taken a pic next to it every other day for the last ten days or so. I want to get a few more, just until it turns green, then I can show the progression of the turning. Patience, my friends!

It's hard to see in this picture, but the petals are falling like snow. All those splotchy things above the kids and way in the background are the cherry petals falling. It would have been nice if the wind wasn't so hard today. A nice gentle breeze lets them fall so beautifully.

This is one of my favorite shots from today.

Here's another favorite. Actually, Garytt said, "Hey Mom, take a picture of these little flowers. They are so cute." Thanks, five-year-old, for pointing out something I would have missed. :) I did pass on his next suggestion...worms attached to the tree in some kind of gooey mess.

Sakura Heights lined with Sakura trees.

This is one of the last (and, I think only the third or fourth) posed picture I asked them for. They refused to do any more after this one. I like candid shots better anyway, but sometimes Momma just needs to see if her ideas make good pictures.

And...here's where the fun begins for the kids....PUDDLES!!! Since we took so long finishing school, the sun dried up most of the puddles that were everywhere when I went to the gym at 5:30. This was the first one we spotted and it was in the road. So, I let them wait until no cars were coming and then they were allowed to go out and jump in it a few times.

YAY SPRING!!!

So, we got to the end of Gridley Road and we were going to make a right to visit Daddy at work. But, Daddy didn't answer his text fast enough and we were distracted by two cute dogs at the dog park. So, we walked up to the dog park and asked if Garytt could pet the puppies. She said, "of course, they are just like big teddy bears." Garytt misses his dog so much, so this was a marvelous opportunity.

When we left the dog park, I wanted to head over to the water to take a few shots of the ships in the water. Well...on the way we discovered an amazing treasure! PUDDLES!!! Huge puddles!!!

Checking out the damage after a run through the big puddle.

It's not the best background for these shots, but I had no way of getting on the other side without getting my feet soaking wet, and I didn't want to do that!

Yes, that kick was aimed at her brother. She missed, but it wouldn't have mattered if she hadn't missed because he was covered in mud head to toe.

Garytt getting the water out of his boots. He couldn't get them off his feet so he just tipped them over to drain.

The kids cried and cried because I told them it was time to head back for lunch, baths, and a rest before gymnastics. Of course, both of their feet hurt so bad they didn't think they could walk another step! Cry. Cry. Whine. Whine. Stomp. Stomp. Arms crossed and scowls on faces. But, they followed me out of the park.

On the way home we found another Sakura lined street.