PHOTO UPDATE!

K... I am going to bring you all up to speed real fast... get ready for PHOTO OVERLOAD!

I am going to start with the oldest and move forward...

(just click on the title of the album and it will send you to a page with all the photos on it... then if you want to see individual photos larger just click that photo)

Destination: San Francisco

Well work sent me TDY (aka free vacation with stipulation of going to a conference) to CYFAR (child, youth & family at risk) conference to San Francisco... this is my journey to San Francisco and no sooner had my plane landed (at 7 am) and I dropped my bags off at the Hotel I hopped on the public bus and rode all the way to the Marin Headlands and went Hiking! It was awesome! AND then after the headlands I walked to Sausalito and looked at all the galleries and shops and took a ferry back to San Francisco!

The Grand City of San Francisco

all over the fanstastically interesting town of San Francisco... sorry the album is so big... but they were all so interesting!

Across "The Gate" and back

walking across the Golden Gate Bridge and back, who would have thought a bridge would be so much fun?!?

Nanohana Festival

Nanohana or "Rape Blossoms" are grown and harvested for their seed which contain Rapeseed oil most famously used in Canola oil. But here in Japan they are CELEBRATED! So we decided to check out the Nanohana festival about an hour and a half from Misawa.

Surf, Sand, and a Mutsu Monster

just another day at the beach!

Tsutsuji Matsuri (Azalea Festival)

Thanks to our great friend Beth we has SUPER directions to this great festival celebrating the ancient mountain azaleas at this shrine in Shichinohe!

Shipwrecks and Cherry Blossoms

just having fun exploring shipwreck beach with my family and pictures of our awesome cherry blossoms! I love Japan

Shimokita- Part 1

We drove up the east side of Japan up to "the hatchet" we visited the wild horses at Cape Shira and camped in the Yagen Valley. The next day we spent time at Oserezan the mythical entrance to hell and took naps in our hammocks... it was AWESOME!

Shimokita-Part 2

we found paradise in northern Japan... it was awesome

Spring Hakkoda Day Hike

Well I just had to take my family on a hike in the Hakkoda's we rode the ropeway to the top, summited two peaks and made our way back down to Sukayu Onsen and had a soak... it was fantastic... and we had surprisingly great weather... which... equals AMAZING views!

Leafy Green Goodness

Day hike with the family!

Used & Modern

Took my mom and sister to the Used Kimono shop and Modern Art Museum in Towada

Like the Sea After a Storm

Left on a gorgeous sunny day in Misawa arrived to a super foggy beach at Shirihama... no worries we had fun anyways and then next time we returned with wetsuits!

Goin out WEST!

My mother, sister & I went on a 1 day road trip all the way to the Western coast of Japan by the Sea of Japan and up the peninsula up north on the western side... very cool!

4th of July weekend AWESOMENESS!

Well it was Dericks last weekend before he deployed... the 4th of July... and cherry season... so we picked cherrys... the fireworks got rained out so we had our own on the beach... real fireworks the next day... and a trip up north to the "wild horses" and oserazen... overall successful weekend!

The Farm

Caitlyn and I only had a few hours to spend together... and what better way then the farm? Let me tell you now... there is no better way on earth!

Beccas Wedding Weekend

Well Becca got married and it was Magical! I dont have many pictures of becca... she was very much in demand or of the ceremony since I was the maid of honor... I can't wait to see the real pictures but here is a sneak peak!

Colorado-ish

I stopped by Dericks Mom's house in Kansas on my way to Colorado... had a great night there, then a couple awesome days in boulder with Malinda and then a great week in the mountains... unfortunately my camera died after the first couple of days (I forgot the charger in Japan)

WE PLAY IN TEAM! ocean edition

basically i love living 5 k from the ocean... and i love kellys new underwater camera!

So as you can see... I havent been posting because I havent been doing anything... I havent been posting cause I have been so freaking busy!