Let's Go TIGERS!

Hooray for post-season baseball and a team to root for!  Sadly, Greg will once again miss his favorite time of the year -- this time not due to the Navy, though. He's gone to Europe for work for 2 weeks - he's in the UK, Amsterdam and Germany. We certainly miss him already, but are sending him updates as much as possible! 

Goodbye to a Legend...

Sadly, we say goodbye to Foster Angus Napoleon Syring Madea Syring today. He was a cool little guy with a miserable start and a much longer life than anyone anticipated. Foster joined our lives in late January 2007 in Saipan. He moved to Newport, RI for over a year and Michigan for about 6 months before settling with Becky and Jim when we moved to Japan. This was the best decision for his life as his many complicated health problems put him in the best hands of a critical care veterinarian. Foster was a beam of sunshine to many of us and he will be DEARLY missed. 

Foster's first bath (given by Greg, the dog whisperer when it comes to baths!)

mangey Foster

Bonny and Foster were best buddies from the start

dressed up for Becky's wedding

Playing with the grandparents

Cora and Emi had SO MUCH FUN with Oba and Sofu this past week. We were all sad to see them leave today. Looking forward to next time...

 dance party with Sofu

 at the "pumpkin patch" at our Farmer's Market

 making stacks

Playing on the swing set and laughing at the dogs

Reunion in Boston

This past weekend Meg flew to Boston to see friends from college. The weather was great and bopping around town was so much fun!

On Nickerson Field in West Campus (Rich Hall -- my freshman dorm is in the background)

L-R: Janette, Kristi, Gail, me, Erin

 "Climbing" the 3 story rock wall in the new student athletic center 

89 Gardner Street --- our old college house

The shocking finding that our old back balcony is now GONE

Post-college apartment with Gail

 Outside the BU Pub -- our first stop on Friday night

@ T's Pub -- the place to meet

(Bryan, Kristi, Gail, Meg, Erin, Janette)

Completing our dinner Saturday night in the North End with a chocolate mousse canoli at Mike's Pastry, yum!

Spirit tattoos at the BU v. Toronto Men's hockey game on Sunday

We all also bought new BU shirts to wear to the game!

 Double Zambonies -- the new ice arena is pretty fancy!

 Face Off

 This double brawl left 6 BU players and 5 Toronto players in the penalty with a couple of game misconducts. 

Final Score? BU 5, Toronto 0

 "Make way for Ducklings" in the Public Garden

 George Washington in the Public Garden

No visit to Boston is complete without a cup of New England Clam Chowder (this was enjoyed at Boston Beer Works)

Cora's special day

Today was Cora's final day of gymnastics for the session. She had a surprise medal ceremony at the end and is super proud of her first ever medal :) 

Oba's here!

Mom flew in today to visit AND help out while Meg goes to Boston this weekend for a reunion with friends. We had a beautiful fall day and we enjoyed it!

 swinging on the big, fun swings at Johnson Park

 where'd Oba go? 

 Cora tried on her new fall coat that Oba made her -- it's SUPER cute and will be perfect for this climate, thanks!!!

 using her magnifying glass to do the Highlights hidden puzzle

Emi and Oba playing dolls

Family Project

Cora's class focused on transportation this week at school --- she had a family project assignment to make a mode of transportation out of recycled goods from around the house. After much discussion and research, we decided to make a seaplane. We used an orange juice box and toilet paper rolls, covered with tin foil and baby food container tops as propellers. Cora did MOST of the work :) 

 bored as daddy uses the staple gun to apply the wings

Ta-Dah!