First Trip to Hiroshima

So we went to Hiroshima today for the first time.  And we went to the Alpark Mall instead of the Peace Park Museum or the Atomic Bomb Dome.  Why?  It's complicated.  It's a Mom thing.  It's a "We live in Japan and the girls haven't seen anything American except for our little Food Court for 3 1/2 months and I heard there was a Claire's," thing.  And there wasn't even a Claire's.   But there was a Gap. 

Further belaboring the point....it would be like us living in Beaufort, South Carolina for 3 1/2 months with only a few day trips to Hilton Head and the first time we go to Savannah, we bypass the Savannah Riverwalk and the historic "squares" and instead go out to the 'burbs to the Oglethrope Mall.  Because that's what we did today.  Except we took a train ride instead of driving on 95.  And we didn't buy anything because it was so crazy expensive.  BUT, I did come home and order the girls a bunch of stuff from gap.com because I was impressed by their restraint and understanding.

Example.  Audrey (shockingly) really like this dress.

And it was 6,800 yen.  At today's conversion rate, that's about $86.  I came home and ordered it, first linking through ShopatHome.com where I'll get a 4% rebate in a few months.  It was only $42.50 to begin with online, but I had a 30% off coupon.  Free shipping, no tax(since shipping to a military base overseas), so the final price for it was $28.56.  Japan is so crazy expensive.  I don't know how anybody can afford to really live here!

So anyway.  We had a real nice train ride on the way there.  38 minutes (or so) each way.  (About $35 round trip for all of us.)

We got a Mister Donut 3 pack for Claire for 100 yen (best deal in the country) before we left.  She shared the chocolate one with Gigi. 

We carry baby wipes for so many reasons!

There was a Starbucks when we first walked in and we let the big girls have a drink from there as a special treat.  And then there was this little train that went around and it was 300 yen per family and the big girls graciously went on it with Claire.

 Daddy wouldn't let them take Gigi and even remarked "The crazy train has left the station; enjoy your reprieve, Gigi!" when it pulled away. 

But she was terribly distraught and Mommy freed her from her stroller bonds and threw her into the caboose with the big 3.  Luckily I couldn't read any signs that may or may not have said, "Don't throw your baby into the train when it's moving."  Playing the tourist, can't read your language card.  Have I mentioned how tolerant I'm going to be to foreign tourists (not like I was rude before, but still) when I get back home?

Gigi was SO HAPPY to be there with them!  She wants to be big when she grows up!  It looks so fun!!!

By then we're starving and so we started trolling the food court.  Eating in Japan is always an adventure.  The big girls and Mick found a burger/chicken nugget/fry place and Claire and I had gyozas and sticky rice.  No pictures. 

Then some more shopping.  Next stop was the ♪♫♪ Brick House. ♪♫♪ We HAD to have a picture of this for Audrey's Godfather, Tim Brich and his fabulous family!  ☺

And then some random holiday pictures.  

Claire did have her leg warmers pulled all the way up to her shorts (Audrey dressed her this morning) and she looked SO Japanese.  She's the funniest!  Olivia, not succumbing to the Japanese Peace sign, but staying true to Daddy's losing record team (OUCH!  Did I have to bring that up?  Well, at least I didn't bring up that one of those losses was to Iowa State.  At Texas.  Isn't my restraint impressive?) and giving the Hook 'em Horns!

This section of the mall was kind of like a Nordstrom's. 

There were a lot of Christmas decorations considering the country is 90% Buddhist.  Wondering if this is a Buddhist elf?  ;-)

A bit Herbie Husker-esque, if Herbie was a girl.

I promised Claire after the first little train ride that she could have another so Gigi and I joined her at the end.  We sat with these three little kids. I normally would never take a picture of children without asking their Mom and Dad, but I just had to when I saw the oldest boy's shirt.

We tried to tell the Mom and Dad after we got off that the prefecture (state) we were from was Nebraska, but I'm pretty sure it was lost in translation.  I told Mick that we need to start carrying a Japanese phrase book, but he said that he's pretty sure that one wouldn't have been in there. 

And then we took the moving sidewalk to the train station, having a great time with this photo op

I must say that Mick is SUCH a sport.  Most days I feel like I hit the husband lottery.  And the other days I still like him really well!!!

and then waited for our train to come barreling down the track. 

We left about 30 minutes too late to have a really nice train ride on the way home.  All sorts of catch phrases come to mind.  "Know when to say when" (on day trips with four children) or Mick's favorite, "Discretion is the better part of valor."  But we're pretty sure we won't be repeating this trip, so we wanted to get it all in.  No pictures from the train ride home because I was too angry   annoyed  busy    threatening  instructing children on their manners and right from wrong.  So more for me than you, here's a few more pics from the way there.  Angels, aren't they?  ☺

We drove home and threw children in the bath/shower/sink and Daddy went to the aforementioned Food Court to get Taco Bell for dinner.  After they were all scrubbed clean, Claire and Olivia made their entrance for dinner.

Back to being angels.  With blue eyeshadow and some heavy blush. 

Living in Japan is an adventure, 

but so is being a Mom to four children!!!!