Konnichi wa

Here is Jackson's little Japanese outfit that I got a while back but I have finally gotten some pictures of him.

Only in Japan

Only in Japan and Okinawa would you find a drink machine on every street corner. These machines sell everything that you could possibly want from water, flavored water, sodas, hot and cold coffee. It is great that you can find these everywhere because if we get thirsty while we are out I can just pull the car over and get a water. I don't have to stop at a gas station and get Jackson and go inside. People around here just pull there car over to the side of the road. And by the side of the rode I mean as close to the curb as you can put still in the driving lane. You really have to learn to be a good weaver when you are driving around here.

Since we find all of these machines everywhere you can also find these great straws at all kiddie stores. The screw right on the top of a water bottle. Which is great when I have forgotten to pack a cup. Jackson really likes the straws though.

Another thing that we have seen around here is that just like people pull over to the side of the road for a drink they do the same thing if they want to run into a store. Parking on the street in the driving lane is not uncommon but if you put your hazards on I guess that is okay. The other day we were waiting for a parking spot at one of the local grocery store and as I was waiting for a car to pull out of the parking spot, I had my blinker on, another car pulled on the other side of me and pulled right into my spot. I could not believe it. Of course I can't say anything because the person would not have been able to understand me. The culture over here is taking some getting use to.

CoCo

There are so many places around here that are called Coco's but this is a restaurant. One of Steve's favorite now that we have eaten there. It is a curry restaurant and the Okinawans version of fast food. I have only ever seen Americans eating there though. It is set up like a Waffle House where they yell out the orders and there is a counter for people to sit at. Coco's is famous for their different levels of spicy Curry. It goes all the way from 1 to 10. They will not even let you go above a level six with out eating a complete meal at a level five.

A lot of the places around here do not have waiter that come to your table to check on you often like in the States. If you need something you ring this bell and they will come running over to your table. This is Jackson's favorite part of the meal. We let him ring the bell. :)

The counter.

I love that all of the places that you go to eat bring you pitchers of water. It is so nice to not have an empty water glass.
My meal. Chicken Curry.

One of the greatest things that I have noticed is that when you walk into a restaurant or a small shop everyone in the store welcomes you. I told my Mom it is like when you walk into Moe's Mexican restaurant in the States. For those of you who have not been to Moe's when you walk in everyone yells "WELCOME TO MOE's". That is how I feel when you walk into anywhere around here. The Okinawans are so FRIENDLY!!!!

Typhoon Season

These we have been preparing for a possible typhoon. We think that we are just going to get the outer bands but we have our supply now. When we drove into the driveway this evening this is what we found.

This is the sign that the housing agency puts on the house to tell you what you need to do to prepare for the typhoon.

Jungle Fever

This is how we found Steve when he came home from work. Today he had some training in the jungle. Jackson sure didn't know what to think about him when he came around the corner. It took so much time for him to get all that make-up off his face.

Here is Jackson helping Daddy get the "yuck" off of his face.

Sleeper

When I went to bed tonight I found Jackson half way out of his bed like this. I ran and got my camera and then helped him back into his bed. I thought all was well until I heard a thud after I went to bed. When went into to Jackson's room and found him crawling to the other side of his room where his chair is. He crawled up unto the chair and was sound asleep. After awing over him and capturing it on camera I picked him up and carried him back to his bed. I love carrying that sleeping baby. However, he is getting bigger and bigger by the day.

A

This is what happens when you try to pacify a one year old with a pen that has bells on the end of it while you are on the phone. We were in the car and I handed him the pen to shake while I was on the phone. I was pulled over on the side of the road because it is illegal to drive and talk on the phone here. After I hung up the phone I didn't even think about it and he kept saying "A", "A", "A". I turned around and this is what I saw. He obviously had been writing A's on his legs. He now calls anything that can write on paper A's.