This is a story about an international couple raising and home educating three young boys on a small island in Japan, half living in buses, engaged in organic, self-sufficient farming in the middle of a mountain forest while dealing with climate, cultural, and personal challenges. These pages are about pretty much anything and everything all guided by our family motto, Taking Chances, Making Changes, Being Happy. Thank you very much for joining us on our ongoing crazy adventure.

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Happy Birthday Lael

- We began this month with a very special birthday and family party for Lael who turned seven years old today. His presents included a few Ninjago toys but the main present was a standard size bass guitar.
 
Mountain Camping

- This was overnight camping trip number 41 and was for four days and three nights. This trip was all about picking the garlic and putting in a lot of seeds.

Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home picture-1.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home picture-2.
 
Beach Trip

- The first trip to Hamada beach with the new Toyota Pixis bus. We went to see if it could handle driving on the beach and we ended up getting stuck in soft sand. Kinda sucked but was a good lesson to walk the section of beach before driving on it. Then we drove to Nagahama beach and took a picture of the trash and caught some small shrimp in the river. The kids brought them home.
 
Yak Practice

- This was the first time to try out the new kayaks. Made sense do this at one of favorite beaches, Hamada. The view is incredible here. Anyway it was a bit wavy but was fun nonetheless. Actually Lael tipped over because of the waves. Then Akiko went out and flipped the kayak on the way back to the coast. The kayaks were transported by being stuffed in the back and on one side of the bus. Akiko drove and all of us were jammed into the little space available. After we all played on the beach before returning home.
 
Yak Fishing

- This was actually the first attempt at Yak fishing. The location was an unused beach adjacent to Kumano beach which eventually would become our main yak and camping beach. Using only a single pole and kinda old bait, nothing was caught. Still was fun though. These yaks were transported on top of the bus this time on the rack I built.
 
Tooth Comes Out

- Today Lael had a lower front tooth come out after being loose for awhile.
 
Tooth Fairy Visits

- Today Lael got a visit from the tooth fairy and he received some Japanese money as did his brother Ethan.
 
Mountain Camping

- This was overnight trip number 42 and was for two days and one night. This trip was all about putting in our new fruit trees and vines. The night of the first day, me and Lael and Shai spent some time at night messing around with candles.

Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home picture-1.
Picture - Mountain - Us about to return home picture-2.