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mommyrunsit

Happy New Year! It's already 2021 on the other sid

Happy New Year! It's already 2021 on the other side of the world. Wishing each of you a year filled with more joy and fewer challenges. Much love to you 💕

We hiked Mount Takao today. The summit is 599 mete

We hiked Mount Takao today. The summit is 599 meters (almost 2000 feet). It was challenging but the view was beautiful and the noodles at the top were yummy. I think this is the toughest physical activity I've done since my spinal fusion in May 2016. I'm proud of myself! (And of @travelformortals, who is barely one year post major knee surgery.)

Beaches + mountains? Yes, please! 💕 #myjapan

Beaches + mountains? Yes, please! 💕 #myjapan

#throwBACKthursday 🔩 What scars? 🤪 New post

#throwBACKthursday 🔩 What scars? 🤪 New post up on mommyrunsit.com with an update about my life at 4.5 years post-#spinalfusion. I hope you're doing well! I'll do my best do respond to everyone's messages soon. 💖

Last week was my first time in a gym since March.

Last week was my first time in a gym since March. The gym in the housing area is small and mostly empty, and with the precautions the Army has in place I felt pretty safe being there. After the last 6 weeks of living in hotels, being cooped up, and eating mostly take out and restaurant food, it'll feel great to get back into a fitness routine!

The kids and I went grocery shopping in town yeste

The kids and I went grocery shopping in town yesterday. It's a one mile walk from our house on base to the store. We've been averaging about 5 miles of walking per day.

Feeling lucky @ Gotokuji Temple, aka Lucky Cat Shr

Feeling lucky @ Gotokuji Temple, aka Lucky Cat Shrine 🐈 #myjapan

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thezamamama

I hope your 2021 has gotten off to a great start!

I hope your 2021 has gotten off to a great start! @travelformortals & I spent New Years day on Jogashima Island. (The girls had enough hiking & climbing earlier in the week - more on that in future posts - so that sat this one out.) We had a beautiful view of Sagami Bay, did some rock climbing, and even found time for a little beachcombing. 🙌
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Jogashima is known for its tuna, but we're not allowed to eat out, and the only take out we found was squid on a stick (no thank you). So we grabbed lunch at Family Mart, one of the convenience stores you can find on literally every corner. On the drive home, we stopped to explore Miura Beach, which is another great spot - one we'll definitely return to! It's where I found the starfish, which seems like a good omen for 2021.

We've done something new nearly every day this win

We've done something new nearly every day this winter break! I've fallen behind in my posting, so I'm backtracking a bit here. In Japan, winter "illuminations" are a big deal. We checked one out the other night, and it was awesome.

Hiked Mount Takao yesterday. We accidentally took

Hiked Mount Takao yesterday. We accidentally took a more difficult trail than we'd planned and had to turn back before we reached the summit, but we're planning to go back and try again ASAP.

This is my favorite Christmas gift: handmade by @a

This is my favorite Christmas gift: handmade by @ameliaslovelylife with sea glass & pottery she found in Uraga. ❤ We had a quiet day at home. It was very different from the big holiday dinners we've hosted at our home for most of the last 10 Christmases, but it was a happy one. Vic cooked an amazing dinner, and we topped it off with a cake from a local bakery. I hope you had a wonderful day! 🎄

Odawara Castle was originally built in the 15th ce

Odawara Castle was originally built in the 15th century and was home to the Hojo clan, a samurai family that ruled for about a century. It was a nice day trip and a cool history lesson, plus there's a panoramic view of Sagami Bay from the castle tower and the beach is just a short walk or drive.

We're trying hard to follow the proper etiquette h

We're trying hard to follow the proper etiquette here, but there's so much to learn and it's just so different from what we're used to. Take trying on clothes in a store:
Lesson 1: take your shoes off before entering the fitting room. If you forget, a salesperson will promptly knock on the door to remind you (oops).
Lesson 2: leave your shoes outside the fitting room, pointing toward the door. As you can see from the photo, I didn't learn this one until after the fact.
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By the way, I was shopping in a thrift/resale store. They are called "recycle shops" here, and some of them are pretty awesome. This jacket was 330 yen, or about $3.30 USD.

I thought my beachcombing days were over when we m

I thought my beachcombing days were over when we moved to Japan...luckily I was wrong!!! Today we went to the aptly named Glass Beach. Amelia & I found hundreds of pieces of glass & pottery in less than 2 hours. (We would've stayed longer, but it was in the 40s.) Vic & Sophia found some cool pieces too, and they explored the area, including a restoration of an ancient lighthouse.
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We're not allowed to dine out, but we're getting quite good at eating on our laps in the car. Vic & Sophia ate ramen, and Amelia & I stuck a little closer to home with McDonald's. We're still learning how to order food, but we get by with a little help from Google Translate and a lot of gesturing. It's all part of the adventure!

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