Catch All Catch-Up

I have been feeling a little guilty that our Blog was last updated in February, so I thought I would post some of the photos of the boys so you all could enjoy them as much as I do!  Holden's "new trick" is to go to Starbucks with Auntie Goober and follow the proper ordering and drinking procedure.  He has endured many strict training sessions and is almost as well trained as Goober's dogs back in Texas!  Here he is enjoying his favorite juice mix after the a perfect performance in his selection and ordering procedures!

He even knows which chairs are the comfy ones and he has down the "one-handed" drinking method better than most Starbucks customers.

Have we mentioned that Spencer Hos' japanese obsession is Pokemon?  It rivals his american obession with Scooby-Doo!  Holden is now Hos' closest shadow and follows obediently almost every move.  This is the back of an abnormally large Pikachu at the arcade.

Holden is trying to explain that it's not time to go yet, despite dad's boredom!

We try to avoid letting them climb inside unless we are weighed down with loose change and an extra 45 minutes to burn.

Holden has started to really enjoy books.  He likes to look at them himself and he jabbers away the conversations the animations are engaged in.  

One of his favorite spots to read is in his brother's bean bag!  Strategically placed next to the bookcase, he can enjoy hours of endless reading!  Or destruction, as Hos likes to put it.  Hos isn't so keen on Holden using his bean bag.

Or perhaps it's the mess Holden leaves behind that really gets Hos upset!  (Yes, that is Hos beloved Pikachu doing a death drop off the bean bag)  But for now, Hos is at school and Holden has free rein of the coveted bean bag and bookcase!

Despite any differences earlier in the day, Hos and Holden both love to play together on the futons when we are setting them up for the night and they love to read bed time stories.  It's part of their bed time ritual!  

Changes in the Jackson Family

It has been quite some time since we posted.  Dre has been a "slacker"  ok, so have I.  It is not like we are trying to run a business or something right?  

Spencer Hos started his second school year at the local kindergarten.  He really wanted to be in the "blue hat" class.  Well.... he is in the "yellow hat" class.  Bummer but a good learning experience for him.  He has a few of the kids that were in his class last year.  He is excited and loves to go to school everyday.  He is learning more and more Japanese each day. I am amazed at how quickly he is picking up the local dialect.  YIKES! We were afraid of "down home" English well, we have a winner here with his Sanuki Japanese.  He is a funny kid.  

Holden is Holden.  Stubborn like no other.  He is just saying "maaaa and daaaaa" when he wants something. I could swear that Hos was speaking at this same age but call me forgetful.  He doesn't seem to want to sign anything other than "please".  He did begin the "hot" sign and uses that like crazy now.  Auntie got him to give high fives and now if he does anything he wants a high five.  He is funny.  He wants to be big like Hos and now thinks he has to carry his and everyone else's plates and dishes from the table to the sink.  GREAT helper.

We have had several blossom viewing parties.  They have been very enjoyable.  The weather is warming up and Dre and Julie were amazed at the beauty of the cherry blossoms.  It really is difficult to express how stunning the blossoms are unless you experience them.  

Dre and I went on a temple trip to the "nearby" Fukuoka temple. It was a wonderful trip.  Long, and really tiring but such a wonderful trip.  We left Marugame at 11 pm and arrived at the temple the next morning at around 5:30 am.  We did a marathon sessions and did some family names for Dre's family.  It was really nice as the Navajo DNA is close to Japanese.  :)  The temple president did the sealings in English for us.  It was a wonderful time.  

We "broke" down and purchased a bed.  We thought it was huge compared to our futon, only 10 cm's wider.  We tired the the largest size they had at 160 cm's wide and decided on the 150 cm wide.  It is a HUGE change/downsize from our KING size in America to our just slightly bigger than a full size bed.  We have been SLEEPING like babies since the upgrade.  The futon on the tatami mat was not good for our shoulders, hips legs etc. NICE investment.  We are sleeping well now.

My grandfather passed away just before Easter weekend.  I will miss him greatly.  He was a good man.  I am grateful for the knowledge that I have being a Christian.  

We miss everyone and look forward to visiting Utah this coming summer.