Lets make a Day of It...

Mondays are usually Mikey and his teams day off from Practice, so since we still had a visitor (Sara).. I thought this would be a great day to head out to Kyoto and Make a day of our site seeing!.. I am really glad Sara came b/c I honestly don't know when I would have made it out to some of these amazing places!... Japans history goes sooo far back its amazing.. And the way that these people have restored and taken so much care into them is really cool... They have a great respect for their history and ancestors. Pretty sure I wouldn't feed mine, but, I think Americans could really learn something from this aspect!!... We began the day by visiting Kiyomizu-dera Temple, perhaps the most Cherished of Kyoto's temples.

Founded in 798 recreated in 1633.. not a single nail in this place!.. Also is the resting place of the goddess of mercy and Compasion.. many rang the bells and PAID...yes PAID to pray...

Otowa Falls (known for the purity of its water)... These people PAY to take a sip...yah...no thanks.... we have a little thing called Aquafina...

Here is a monk we passed on our way back down... people put MONEY in their cups for Prayers! SHEESH!.. Isn't it great having a God who only charges FREE.99 For unlimited prayers!.. And he is the Only one you have to go to for blessings,money, love, compassion, problems, forgiveness, family, ect...

If you are wanting ripped beyond belief calf's, buns, and thighs... here is the job for you!.. Some of these guys legs are outrageous!.. They pull "lazy people" Up the entire mountain to the shrine!.. and in major wedgie toe'd shoes!!.. NOW that's impressive!

Next on our list was to head out to Osaka to check out Osaka Castle!... We didn't get a pic, b/c I was threatening Sara with her life... But we actually had to switch box cars b/c I was able to meet One crazy stalker on our way!... We still aren't sure if Shim was a she or a him, but it was scary enough for my American instinct of "lets get the H-E-double LL outa here before this gets any "Jill sliced up in itty bitty pieces in a dark alley-ish"... NO kidding!..

So we managed to laugh and cry a little over shim for some extra entertainment, which made the trip super quick!... Now for the fun at the Castle!...

Now.. we have several pics of the outside of the castle.. but as you can see.. NONE can get better than this one!...

We also Have Many pictures from INSIDE the castle, but for some reason These two are the best!.. (Sara's gonna kill me!) lol... We of course had to pay to try on these wonderful Samurai Outfits, but FINALLY something worth the 300 yen!!...These are priceless!! LOL...

By the time we were heading back it was already getting dark... Everywhere we go, we stick out like sore thumbs, so we thought we'd try fitting in on the train home!... LOL... We slept like babes that night and it was a good thing cuz the next day was KIMONO DAY YAY!!... I think we were filling up Sara's visit nicely so far!... kimono day to come soon!

Game weekend with a special guest!..

So Sara's main reason for coming to Japan was definitely to hang out with me b/c of the fact I am so super cool, but a close second place was to see the Lakestars (Mikey) Play some basketball!!.. So we all piled in the car on day 2 and 3 of her visit to cheer on our team!! Little did she know, how little you actually get to watch with my two around! :)... HERE WE GO!...

Mecailin and Cam after jacking Tsugumi's Cute Hat!

Sara with our team Mascot.. MAGNEE!!!

Wakana and Yu her BF..

How about a little Y-M-C-A........

Love this photo of us three in the

stands!...

The half time show was really cool!.. These drummers are amazing!!. Love the beats!

Sara is proud of her program!

OH.. aaaaand her pass! lol..

"You see my bel buuhhh mommy???"

My sweet friend Mayu!...

Great pic Sara!...

We ended the weekend with Two wins!... and we are now again tied for first place in our Conference!... Had a great time introducing Sara to more of our friends and some of Mikey's team mates!.. We enjoyed some of the game food as well... Michi made sushi for snacks and We also shared rice bowls... Not your typical concession... But ohh so yummy! :)... After games we headed home and had a short night out planned at Kippers with friends.... Mayu, Joho, Wakana, Yu, Gary, Lamar, Wara, and the rest of us enjoyed a couple drinks and some fun conversation in Nihongo and English!...

Mayu, Wakana, Mecailin and I hanging at Kippers...peeeecu

Sara enjoying some Sochulime! ;)

Yu and Joho... Yu got a hold of my Translation book and was Cracking us up!.. His English was sure sounding good though! His Final statement for Sarah was "Give my regards to your famwee." :)

Gary the Tickle Monster!

Kids playing to a little Michael Jackson!

Wara tried to ruin this one, but in the end probably made it better!..lol.. He looks like some of the dudes I see on the trains late at night after too much Sake!...

Most anyone who knows me well, also Knows I have a little nick name "Spill"... This is b/c of several reasons... A night, or day for that matter, always ends with me.. breaking something, ripping something, pullin something, wrecking something, or "spilling" something!!.. Well, I like to live up to my name, so OF COURSE.... I crawl under the table trying to avoid musical chairs and this is what I end up with!... I HAVE NO SOLE! :)... my favorite boots!.. don't worry, you'll see them again.... I plan on super gluing those bad boys back to new!

We have all decided that our next hang out session will be for Karaoke!.. Now wont this be interesting!.. Can't wait to show off my Brittany skills! LOL!... No but really "Hit me baby one more time"... I'm excited.. They are geared up for GaGa, except for Yu who's favorite is Lionel Richey! lol... This will deff be blogger worthy!...

The Start to a great week....

So this week has been quite busy, but such a blast!... One of my old college buddies Sara Allbritton flew down from Korea where she is currently teaching English to Pay us Marshall's a visit!.. Sooo, I knew I had to show the girl a good time!!... We have been going non stop and she still has a couple days left!!... Here is a little clip of whats been going on..... Day one started with Sarah, Sara, and I's trip to Fushimiinaritaisya... This temple was amazing, and goes on for miles and miles...

On our way to the train station I got to introduce Sarah to the first out of many "Tanuki" she would see... yes the nipples are very pinchable, but this isn't the body part Tanuki's are known for... I believe they are set outside doors to bring Happiness upon entering... This guy deff brough Sara Hapiness! ;)...

Here is the three of us heading up through the Shrine!..

Here is where we stopped up the mountain for a bowl of Udon Noodles!.. This place had a great view out the window behind us! And who can resist a Chop stick walrus!??...

These Rocks were put here to umm Test your strength???.. I don't know, but If you pick up the rock and it feels light... You get your wish!!... But, if it feels Heavy.... guess what!.. NO WISH... Now I KNOW I'm like super tough, so there are not to many people getting wishes, let me tell ya!.. This sucker was SOOO not light!... Well, so maybe Sara got a wish... but I think she' a faker!

SO, they kept going and going and going... Until we were eventually pooped and turned around... But what an amazing Place!... Glad I got to experience this one before leaving Japan!.. And with such great friends! :)...

On the way back we had to go for the FISH BREAD!!.. YUMMMY... The outside of these are kinda like a sweet pancake, and the inside is stuffed with sweet bean paste or custurd!... SO GOOD!!!... and very interesting... We ended the day in Otsu with "A CUP OF MELLOW TEA" we shared Jardin bleu and Carmel, lots of Wayland Laughs, both which were great! We then walked the streets, laughing at funny store names written in English... like the picture spot called "Potos"..lol.. Fun day, and the next Home Games!!...

All Star Weekend

This past weekend was Allstar weekend in Osaka!!.. We were all so excited and proud of Mikey for making the team!... We were just a little unsure of what to expect b/c we didn't even recieve a schedule from Mikey's team!.. All we knew was what time Mikey was supposed to be at the train station!..

Here we are waiting on the train to Osaka!..

Yu and Joho also Joined us!.. Yu was in (and won!) the 3 point contest and Joho was another allstar!... Super great guys!...

As we arrived to the station in Osaka, we all got on a bus with the fellow west allstar team!.. So glad they were nice enough to let us all on and head to the hotel!.. Couple more hours til open practice for fans to watch and grap some autographs...

After Practice the guys signed autographs.. Here is Mikey and Matt Lottich (a former Team mate) who share a championship title together...

Can't resist a pic with JoHo!.. but why does he look so uncomfortable?? lol...

A fan of Mikey's really really really wanted him to hold her baby... And this is what reaction that got!...

From The practice I taxi'd with Dana and Fam to their apartment in Osaka.. We had planned an evening out to have dinner and visit with old friends and allstars...taxi: $21...

Here is Mecailin, Jaylin, and Elijah getting settled in to let us grown ups have some time... Nina the Washingtons oldest daughter(bless her heart) baby sat these three along with Cam, and another 3 year old Lili.....Pretty sure she was happy to see us back! :).. But I coudn't be more proud that I got out with NO tears!.. I snuck out, thinking it might be best, and come to find out Mecailin said... "bye mommy, I love you!" awww crap! ..... But hoping this means progress!!

And so we adults head out to eat: taxi:$23- resteraunt was WAY to small for us all to fit.. So we march to meet our husbands at a friends apartment (Dana Claimed it was close) 2 miles later.... we meet up with our exaughsted husbands who decide its time to just go get the kids... they did have an early morning and their banquet lasted until 9:30...and THEY had already eaten! taxi:$24..... Pick kids up and head back to hotel taxi $35.... are you getting my point with the taxi calculations!!...

The Hotel experience was were the night got fun!.... We made it back around 1:00am... Pooped! And not really sure why... But anyways... One queen size bed, four of us.... I decide the kids can sleep on the floor on the super duper fluffy comforter.. Mikey "My kids are not sleeping on the floor"... WHO SAYS THAT??.. I mean.. didn't we all sleep on the floor as kids!!.. So anyways.. he puts both kids into the bed and insists I sleep on whats left... I'm just as hard headed, so I'm like "NO.. YOU have a game and YOU are sleeping on whats left.. I'll take the comforter on the floor!".... 3am.. Mikey is in computer chair, I'm on floor still awake of course... He is snoring... I finally give up and get into the bed with the kids.... 4am... still awake and Mikey joins us at the foot of the bed! LOL.. 5am...still awake and the guy next door is having WAY to much fun for 5am!.. I never knew anyone could like the sound of their own voice so much!... 5:45.. still awake... he is now singing.. Mikey bangs on wall... quite!!!...6am..Asleep...6:45..Mecailin wakes me up.. Mommy, my pants are wet!! REALLY!!!!! .... 45 min of sleep aint bad... bathtub!.... Finally that misery of a night is over!.. get ready to go... Taxi to game: $25....Game time!!!...

Our team purchased the ticket for us since the site was in all Japanese... Mikey asked that we be on the first floor, but they said b/c of kids they would get second floor... Which was total crap.. little kids are always free and I asked a wife with three kids under the age of four if she had to pay for the kids and she said NO.. but go figure... I thought I'd sneak my way in some available seats... turns out.. I was successful!.. Both kids in and on my lap and asleep before 3point contest was over! 1st floor great view!!.. UNTIL.... I got asked to see my ticket.. Boo...Woke my two sleeping babies up and they so nicely escorted me to my seats on the second floor BEHIND the basket! lovely... But whats new??? And even better, the seats we were in sat empty the entire time! lol... Yep.. Soooo.... our section begin to fill up... with drunks of course! lol.. The guy with the goose hat called me honey momma Through out the game, and asked if I was married to Michael Jordan about 20 times!.. lol!!.. But the kids got a nap and I got to see Mikey play one awesome game!! :)

Here is the 2nd time winner of the dunk contest... He is the shortest, the only Japanese, and the most creative!.. He deff can't throw it down like the Americans, but he puts on a show!... He stripped down to these clothes for one of his dunks.. His last dunk he was dressed as spiderman with his jersey on over, and hung off the rim upside down....lol.. Pretty entertaining!...

Here are my friends... The girls had on Animal onezies???... two bears and a frog...They were all dunskies!!!

Here is Mikey taking his first shot! For 3 and its good!..

The West was down 15 in the third quarter and Mikey's string brought the team back within 3 before the quarter was up!

What a game!!.. We won by one point with .5 left!!... It was so neat to see all these guys on the court at the same time! I can tell Mikey was having a great time!! He has really been blessed!

Here is My friend missing all the celebrating at the end of the game!.. LOL.. passed smooth out!

The West Conferense Allstars, coaches, 3point, and dunk contest guys! :)

In all it was worth the taxi cab fee's and 45 min of sleep!.. What a great time for all of these guys to experience!!!...