Golden Week 2015

April 29th through May 5th is known as "Golden Week" in Japan, sort of a national spring break. We took our own Golden Week this year, spending several nights on the northern side of the island at Okuma and doing some exploring and relaxing locally. The "locally" part was a bit against our will, but I know no one feels sorry for us. "Locally" is still pretty much paradise, so I'll keep the whining to myself!

We thought that our fish-obsessed toddler would adore the glass-bottom boat ride over the coral reef at Okuma. We were very wrong. She waited until about two minutes before the ride was over to decide to have fun, at which point she declared that she saw a cuttlefish (what kind of 2 year old even knows what that is?) and started enjoying the ride and "super lotsa fishies!"

We got to spend our time at Okuma with our dear friends who were counting down their last few days on island. Avery adores their daughter, so she was on cloud nine the whole time we were there (and on dry land).

You'll notice that there are no pictures of my child in or near the gorgeous, warm, serene ocean because she decided to veto the sea for the weekend and pout that there was no swimming pool. 

(#firstworldtoddlerproblems)

We also stopped by the butterfly gardens, which was worth it more for the beautiful ocean views and landscaping than for the bugs. But then I don't like moths, no matter how pretty they look, and especially not if they want to touch me.

Avery asks to go to the aquarium literally every single day. 

As in: every single day. All of them. Usually two, three, or a thousand times. Often through tears.

It's a little over an hour away, so you can imagine that she doesn't hear "yes" as often as she would like. But since it was our golden week we agreed and we had so much fun, just like we always do, which only proves that I should listen to Avery more often.

This is how Avery knows what cuttlefish are. We pretty much live here.

Our little monkey also started her soccer class, thank goodness. I am running out of ways to help this kid get out her energy (you know, productively and without drawing on the couch). She has decided she doesn't like toys, and all she wants to do is play sports (especially tennis, soccer, and gymnastics), dance wildly (with me, not alone, and to only one specific song), swim (in swimming pools only), and climb all over every park on this island. This would be awesome if I had the energy of a 2-year old, but I don't, so it is a blessing to have some structured "run around like a wild animal" time in our lives.

Also, she looks ADORABLE.

After soccer we made a day of it at the beach.

 She wanted those buckets filled with water, but she wasn't willing to go within 10 feet of the shoreline, so I bribed her and made her smile for a picture. This is her "I'm humoring you but not happy about it" smile.

This one is better. She loves hermit crabs!

 

Some of our golden week plans got interrupted by some unexpected work happenings, so we had to cancel our hotel reservations and plans on Ie Island and stick closer to home for the rest of the week so Paul could run into the squadron as needed. It wasn't what we had in mind, but we still got to relax and go on lots of walks up the river trail by our house, go out to eat, and spend some fun quality time together.

 Ie Island or not, clearly there is nothing to complain about.