Tucson Trip

Joe and I met in Tucson to meet our new nephew, Koen von Scheliha. He's 5 weeks old, and absolutely adorable! Welcome to the world baby Koen! He's wearing my favorite little fish outfit with plaid shorts. :)

While visiting the fam, we had an opportunity to go to Emma's swimming lessons. She's a little fish! She was very proud to show us her swimming skills. For only being 5 years old, she's an excellent swimmer - she's working on her freestyle and doing a great job.

We were fortunate enough to be able to use their neighbor's pool during our visit as well. Very refreshing considering the temps were 105+! It was too hot to be outside, so we found lots to do inside during our trip - lots of kid games, baking/cooking/eating, shopping, and we even took Emma & Scotty to see Cars 2.

Scotty, Emma, Koen, & Joe in their University of Michigan apparel. Go Blue!

We were lucky to be there for Koen's baptism as well. Here's a family pic after the baptism in Lori & Lloyd's backyard.

Thank you von Scheliha family for your hospitality while we were there visiting - I know it's probably not easy to host guests when you have a new baby around. And thank you Mom & Dad Schreurs for the fabulous meals & treats!!! We had a great time and miss you all already! Looking forward to Christmas this year!

South Haven Baby Shower

My Grandma Allers, Aunt Brenda, Aunt Tammi, & Aunt Sandy held a baby shower for me in South Haven. It was so nice to see so many extended family members and share the joy of being pregnant with them. They bought a Dairy Queen ice cream cake for the occasion - it was delicious!

Me and Grandma Allers :)

I received so many nice baby gifts, including: a baby bouncer, baby clothes, rattles & toys, blankets, as well as a variety of baby care items - diapers & wipes, diaper rash cream, shampoo/conditioner/body wash/lotion, safety kit, etc. A big thank you to everyone for the thoughtful gifts!!!

My cousin Nick & Aubrey's 4 month old baby boy, Kevin. Such a happy guy!

Thank you Grandma, Aunt Brenda, Aunt Tammi, and Aunt Sandy, as well as all the others who helped make my day so special. I had a great time and loved spending time with you! Can't wait for you all to meet the baby in December!

Friends from Japan visit MI!

My good friends from Nagoya came to visit me and my family in Michigan. They love the U.S. and visit often, however, they have never been to Michigan. Even though they have been to the U.S. several times, they usually tour big cities and hit all the tourist spots throughout the country - so visiting Kalamazoo, Michigan was a different experience for them!

I wanted to show them a real "American" experience - so the fist evening they were here, we headed outside to the backyard to cook hotdogs over the fire. I also introduced them to Smores!

They seemed to really enjoy being in the "country" as opposed to always visiting big cities. They really enjoyed sitting outside and viewing all of the wildlife that they aren't used to seeing in Japan - numerous birds, squirrels, and turkeys.

They liked the smores - but thought they were too sweet! Japanese sweets do not have as much sugar as American goodies. We sat by the fire throughout the evening, and as it got dark the lightning bugs started to come out. It was their first experience ever seeing fire flies! They were mesmerized by their glow! It was very fun watching them discover something new. :)

The next day we headed to South Haven. It was a hot day, but we still had a great time. We walked the pier, shopped downtown, and then ate at the famous Clementines.

And of course we had to make a stop at the famous Sherman's Dairy! My favorite ice cream: BLUE MOON! :)

So glad my friends were able to make the trip to Michigan. It was fun to show them my hometown and have them meet my family. On their last day, my dad and Kory made them a huge American style breakfast and then we took a boat ride around Austin Lake. They really enjoyed seeing my American lifestyle and hope to return in the future. I also had a great time showing them my life at home!

Baby Shower

My mom hosted a baby shower on Saturday afternoon. Everything turned out perfect and we had a really great time. The decorations were very cute - pink and purple! And everyone was so thoughtful with gifts. Among the many gifts, we received baby blankets, bottles & accessories, infant toys & books, baby monitor, baby bjorn carrier, tons of baby clothes, and a very cute baby book. Baby Schreurs even received quite a few University of Michigan items to wear on game days to match her Dad - actually she received quite a few different team outfits... including a Michigan State t-shirt... yikes, don't tell Joe! ;)

Danielle made this super cute diaper cake! It's made of 50+ diapers, washcloths, burp cloths, toys, rattles, brush/comb set, pacifiers, mittens, a baby outfit, and then topped with the stuffed monkey and baby cap. It looked amazing, and it's so cute that I don't want to take it apart!

Jenny made a chocolate cake and then decorated it by hand. She did a fantastic job! It looked incredible, and tasted delicious too!

Some of the best friends a girl could ask for. Thank you everyone for coming! :) Baby Schreurs is already so spoiled... she is lucky to have such wonderful family & friends.

Savannah, GA

My mom, Brian, Danielle and I took a road trip down to Savannah to visit Michael and Brittany. It was a long 17 hour drive, but we did it in one day!

The city was filled with colonial architecture and southern charm. The downtown area consists of historic buildings and beautiful parks. The main street runs along the river, with numerous open-air restaurants and bars. My favorites were the candy stores (where you can try free samples!), and the fresh seafood.

You can drink openly on the streets of Savannah, so we visited this popular slurpee/frozen drink bar called Wet Willie's for a drink to go! The bar serves every kind of flavor you can imagine, will mix them up if you prefer, and you can even try free samples. Their non-alcoholic selection was pretty limited, but still delicious! Nice and refreshing for such a hot day.

Brittany was nice enough to get up early to make us a reservation at Paula Deen's restaurant. It was packed, and even though we had a reservation we had to wait a little bit. But it was well worth it! The food was fantastic! Instead of ordering from the menu, we all decided to try the Southern buffet, and we were all happy with our decision.... fried chicken, mashed potatoes & gravy, pork roast, fried fish, mac & cheese, collard greens, and of course the fabulous peach cobbler! It was a meal to remember. :)

It was in the upper 90's the whole time we were there, but we choose a nice breezy day to go to the beach. The water temperature was like bath water, music was playing at the pier, and the shops around the beach were fun!

Overall, I LOVED Savannah. I can see why Michael & Brittany have adapted so well and love living there. I would be happy if Charleston, SC is in our future. :)

25 Weeks!

According to babycenter.com, Baby Schreurs is weighing in around 1.5 pounds. She's growing by the day, and is about 13.5 inches from head to heel!

I feel movement all the time, but especially in the morning and at night before bed. Before I left for Michigan, Joe was able to put his hand on my stomach at the same time every night to feel the baby kick!

I went to the doctor here in Michigan a little over a week ago. It was a time consuming & stressful process, and made me realize how much easier appointments are in Japan! But it was nice to confirm from an American doctor that baby and I are both healthy and right on track for where we should be. The baby's heartbeat was a strong 160 times a minute.

Time is flying! Can't believe we're 25 weeks in... only 15 more to go! :)

April & May Ikebana

freestyle - the colors reminded me of Christmas :)

traditional shoka (stems are in a straight vertical line)

freestyle

another picture of freestyle - LOVED this piece!

80% Sure

We went to the doctor on Friday, expecting to get confirmation of the gender of baby Schreurs. At our last appointment he said, "maybe it's a boy." So we were expecting to walk in and for him to confirm that it is in fact a boy. Instead, he zoomed in on the ultrasound and said, "80% sure it's a GIRL!" We were shocked! I sat up in the chair and yelled, "IT'S A GIRL!?!?!" in my high-pitched voice. So since he's only 80% sure, that means he still has some doubt as to what the gender really is - but for now, we're thinking it's a girl! But more importantly than the gender, the doctor said that both baby and I are very healthy and doing well. He is pleased with the progress, and said that the baby weighs a full pound now. He was surprised that the baby is right on pace for the Japanese average - as usually America's tend to have much larger babies. He is expecting that the weight will greatly increase over the next few months and go above the Japanese average.

I scheduled a doctor appointment for when I'm back in the U.S., so hopefully we'll get a second opinion on the gender. But more importantly, it will be nice to get an American confirmation that everything is normal and the baby is healthy. I love my doctor here, but it will be nice for me to be able to speak to an American doctor to get some questions answered. :)

22 weeks! Still fitting into my usual low-rise jeans, but it won't be long before they won't fit anymore. I ordered quite a few outfits online, and am anxiously awaiting to see them this weekend!

New Car & Weekend Hike!

We are now officially renting a light pink Toyota Vitz! It's one of the smallest cars you can get here, and the cheapest to lease. After not having a car for over a year, we felt that it's time for a change of pace! We may not use it all the time, but after Baby Schreurs arrives, it will be helpful for grocery shopping and traveling.

We tested the car out for our first day trip this past weekend. We went to Kiso Valley, about an hour away from Nagoya, to see two old towns (Magome and Tsumago) and hike the 8-km trail between them. The route runs along the Kiso Valley and are part of the original route that connected Tokyo with Kyoto during the Edo Period.

The trail leads through the countryside and passes right alongside houses and fields with local residents. The beginning of the hike was tough, as it was all uphill. But once we reached the peak, it was all downhill and much more enjoyable. It was nice to get out of the city for a day! It was a beautiful day, and a beautiful hike.

Kiso Valley

Path on the 8-km trail

Tsumago, the town at the end of our hike

Miyajima Island, Hiroshima

We took a day trip from Hiroshima to the island if Miyajima, a short ferry ride from Hiroshima. The island is only 30km around, and situated on the Seto Inland Sea of Japan. The Itsukushima-jinja Shrine together with the Misen forest has been regarded as a sacred area and designated a World Heritage Site. In addition to being one of the most scenic and sacred spots in Japan, it's also one of the most popular tourist attractions.

The most famous attraction on Miyajima is the shrine of Itsukushima-jinja, where the gate at sea is considered to be one of Japan's most beautiful views. During high-tide it looks like the shrine is floating out at sea; during low-tide you can actually walk out to the shrine.

After visiting the shrine, we took the 1.7km cable car ropeway to Mt. Misen, Miyajima's sacred mountain. From the top of the ropeway, you can hike an additional 30-40 minutes to the top of Mt. Misen. It is said that Buddhism was first practiced on Mt. Misen by Kobo Daishi, one of Japan's holiest religious persons.

On the path to the top of Mt. Misen you will find a temple called Reikado Hall, which holds the "Kiezu-no-hi" (The Eternal Flame). The holy fire which Kobo Daishi used as part of his religious training is burning even now after about 1200 years. Legend has it that if you drink tea made from the boiling water in the blackened iron pot which hangs over the fire, all your diseases will be cured. The flame was also used as the pilot light for the "Flame of Peace" of Hiroshima at Peace Memorial Park.

Top of Mt. Misen! Very beautiful 360 degree views. Proud that I was able to tackle the 40-minute hike to the top being 21 weeks pregnant! :)