do as they do

when in Rome Japan:

hokkaido 3

Three: Otaru, bombarding yogurt vendor, Old Aoyama Villa, and cookies. Lots and lots of cookies.

Sisters!

hokkaido 2

Two: a lake cruise in a castle ferry (!!), white water rafting (japanese style! 100% dry).

hokkaido, japan

Photos from our trip to Hokkaido, the northernmost island of Japan, in which we celebrated Tim's Aunt's 80th birthday. In August. That's right. So we're a little behind.

one: Shikotsu Toya National Park (natural sulfur hot springs) and traditional Ainu village
the family

our ride!

Cousins in Sleepytown, USA Japan.

breakfast milkshakes

We've been drinking a lot of milkshakes smoothies for breakfast lately. This recipe is super easy and fast. And delicious. And healthy. The key is the frozen banana - it makes the smoothie super creamy. You'll think you are drinking a milkshake. I've tried it with peanut butter and nutella, and both are amazing. Try it!

1 frozen banana
3/4 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 tablespoon nutella or peanut butter
1 tablespoon ground flax seed

Blend all ingredients together. Drink and enjoy!

PS. Peel and break the banana into pieces before freezing. Peeling a frozen banana = frostbitten fingers and no fun. I put the banana into a big measuring cup that came with our immersion blender and put the whole thing into the freezer at night. The next morning, I add the almond milk, peanut butter and flax seed and blend it in the same cup. It takes 1.5 minutes for breakfast. Take that, Rachael Ray!

the blue angels come to town

It's more like the Blue Angels came to town...like, four months ago, for San Francisco Fleet Week. There's nothing like an exorbitant waste of tax money to make me feel really patriotic.
Look at those jets flying low. Getting into formations and breaking the sound barrier. (okay, i'm pretty sure they didn't break the sound barrier, but they were setting off car alarms and rattling the windows). Keep this up, America, and soon we might have a framed Pledge of Allegiance on our bedroom wall.

sun tracking

The sunlight in the kitchen in the morning, and again, setting on our living room wall.