I'm still here.....

Yep, once again I've been neglectful to updating my blog! Well, there has just been so many things going on in the last 3 months that I don't think I can list them ALL. So, here are some of the highlights....

My hubby, Greg, left on his first deployment during Spring Break and we are in constant communication as well as hopeful that he will return before Halloween! I don't believe he is in much danger at his location but it's NEVER a good feeling knowing that the one you LOVE is near all of that violence. We also just found out that he will be putting on the rank of Technical Sergeant sometime next Spring!!!! YEAH....I am so PROUD of him!!!!

The Day Greg left...Go MXS!!!

WrenchBenders Banquet April 2012

Sean finished the school year in Sure Start and will be heading off to Kindergarten in the Fall. He participated in T-Ball and was so very lucky to get his school teacher as a coach (BONUS!!!) He attended VBS this year and has already been asking when he can go again? He is also participating in a Soccer Instructional Summer Camp, which has been an energy-zapping Blessing in disguise! He is in his last month of Piano lessons for awhile and will soon be starting a Boys Dance Group and the regular Soccer season will begin at the end of August.

Sean's T-Ball team...CARDINALS

Sean getting on the school bus for the last time.

Sean and Mrs. Kenya on the Last Day.

Sean and Mrs. Tiffany on the Last Day.

I've been crafting as usual and avoiding the kitchen as much as possible, it's so hard to cook for just myself and 2 little ones. I've been keeping myself very busy with these kids...Disney LIVE Show, Gunma Safari Park, Nagano Monkey Park & Cherry Picking, and Tokyo Disney Sea. Lately, I've been in the process of planning Jackson's 2nd birthday which will have to involve some sort of crafting. So, I've enlisted the help of my friend Gilda for that project.

Disney LIVE Show April 2012

Gunma Safari Park May 2012

Thank You cards that I made for the hubby.

Nagano Monkey Park

Sean picking some cherries

Mommy and Jackson eating some cherries....

Getting ready to go explore at Tokyo Disney Sea

Donald Duck and us

Goofing off with Goofy

Minnie Mouse

Add caption

And we couldn't leave without seeing Mickey Mouse!!!

Well, quiet/nap time is almost over and we have a piano lesson today so I better get things a moving along!

Between NOW and 2016...

As I sit here with a week to go in March, I realize that I haven't shared any of the exciting NEWS, CRAFTS, or ADVENTURES that the HARE family has experienced. My husband had taken 3 weeks of leave last month and just prior to going had turned in paperwork asking for an extension to stay here in Japan. AND it got denied! So, as a military family you start to think and DREAM about where you will be heading off to in the upcoming year. I am a blog stalker and that is putting it mildly, I easily check 100 blogs EVERY week to find new craft ideas. I will be sharing a few of my latest finds here shortly.

When my husband returned to work he discovered he had received an email from the Personnel Office that stated our DEROS (aka~ the date we leave Japan) had been changed from March 2013 to March 2016. We are super excited that we will get to spend another 3 years here. I can't wait to share with you ALL of our adventures to come. But we haven't really gone out exploring this beautiful country in the last couple weeks.

Sean only has 2 more Basketball games left in the season. He'll get a few weeks off and then we'll start T-Ball. He is also starting Piano in a couple weeks. At the end of this month, he will have been taking swim lessons for a full year. I also started teaching English to the Japanese. I have 2 students of my own that I meet with once a week and we have a book that we follow. I am also subbing for one of my friends while she is in the states. So, I have been a very busy mommy these past few weeks.

And as promised here are some of the crafts I have been making.

Books of the Bible Bookmark

 by Diane Stader

I changed this into a Mother's Day Card but was inspired by Lisa Young

St Patrick's Day card CASEd from Rita Wright

Another take on the St Patrick's Day card.

A birthday card I made for a friend this too was CASEd by Lisa Young

I REALLY need to work on my bow making skills. CASEd from Twila Davis

the inside of the card

I made this card with my English students. I LOVE how they put their personality into it!

CASEd from Jackie Topa

Well, that is ALL for now and I will do my BEST to share more before the end of the month!!!!

Vacation Feb 2012

19 Feb - Greg called the New Sanno Hotel to see if there were any rooms available and YEP there sure were. So, within 2 hours I finished packing the bags and we were checking in. Ate dinner, went swimming, and off to bed early!

20 Feb - WAKE UP EARLY, check out and get onto the Bullet Train by 7am. Arrive in Kyoto, drop off bag, find food, walk around and then it's off for an afternoon bus tour. We saw 3 beautiful sites. Back to the hotel (finally time to check-in). We wanted to grab the train to Osaka for some Hard Rock Cafe but instead we just walked around.

21 Feb - Up by 7a so that we could get ready for the day. Check out of hotel and drop off the bag again. Hunt for breakfast (another trip to McDonalds) and then we were off for a morning bus tour. We saw 3 more sites in Kyoto. Once we returned to the hotel, it was time to grab our bag, get some lunch, buy snacks for the train ride home. We got back in time to check back into the New Sanno Hotel, eat dinner and head of to the pool. Jackson got sick while sitting on daddy's lap. So, it was a slightly rough night.

22 Feb - Got to SLEEP IN....stopped to get Jackson something light to eat only for him to get sick all over again. So, mommy and Jackson spent the day in the hotel resting. Meanwhile, daddy and Sean went out exploring the town. After dinner I took Sean swimming for a "mommy date" we had a nice time together.

23 Feb - It's raining!!! But that doesn't stop the Hare Family from going to Tokyo Disney Sea. We had such a wonderful day after lunch because the rain had stopped and the sky cleared up. Jackson was able to go on every ride that we did with the exception of one. We were able to see an acrobatic show. Sean's face had a smile on it almost ALL day and it really lit up when we bought him a Pluto hat! The show at the end of the day was really neat because they held it on the harbor at the front of the park.

24 Feb - LAST day....check out of hotel, off to the Tokyo Sea Aquarium and we tried to go to the Fish Market but it closed at 2p and we didn't get there until 3p

Sledding at Mt. Fuji

Sean at Mt. Fuji

Sean sledding at Fujiten

Me and my friend Gilda

Daddy and Jackson

Mommy and Jackson

A family photo at Mt. Fuji

Me and the boys out sledding at Fujiten....