Japanese treats, train trip to Clark Planetarium, .5 K race, Brian and Chloe visit Koganei, Picture of Elder Stout...

On one of my morning walks, I saw this eeery cloud over our house and had to snap a picture of it.  It looks like a UFO!  Tim was in Cincinnati this week grading AP tests, so Amy, Luke and I hopped in the car and drove to the Oriental Market for Family Home Evening.  We also got mochi and mochi ice cream-yum!

Here is a note from Tim about his week in Cincinnati... 

I've been staying at the 21C Museum Hotel. It's been nice, except for the random ear, nose, eyes etc on the shower tiles! A group of us went to the Cincinnati Art Museum on Thursday. I got a picture standing in front of a Van Gogh painting. There were lots of other wonderful pieces of art on display. After the museum we went to a Thai restaurant called Teak. We waited 2 hours for our food to come--people were beyond mad! But, it was free (College Board paid) and tasty so, oh well. 

Earlier in the week I took a walk down to the Ohio River before work. There was a rainbow and it was really pretty. I also went to the Underground Railroad Museum during lunch on Friday. It was impressive. Apparently, slavery was not legal in Ohio, but it was in Kentucky, across the river. So, if slaves could get across to the Ohio side of the river they would be free! That's probably why the museum was built on the Ohio side of the river. Either way, it was way interesting! 

Van Gogh painting...

Beautiful!

We binged watched "This IS US," Amy had already seen it and I was curious to see what she watches, so we all snuggled on the couch under blankets and watched episode after episode til the season was over.  Luke got into it too.  It ended with a big cliff hanger and Amy and I agreed that it is much better to discover a series after eight or nine seasons than just after one season.  Luke kept asking to watch more, but it was over :(

Luke and I went roller blading several times (he roller blades while I walk)

On Friday night, we decided to take the train and visit the Chalk Arts Festival-only the drawings were  not quite finished.  Note to self for next year-GO ON SATURDAY when the art is done! So we had dinner at California Pizza and went through the Clark Planetarium.  

It was really neat!

They have many, many exhibits and it is FREE to go through!

Saturday morning was the annual .5 K race fund raiser

This was our second year to go and there were so many more people this year which is great!

We saw our neighbors there and had a nice visit

So much fun!

Brian and Chloe got to visit our old house in Japan and well as many favorite places (the American School in Japan, Nogawa Park, the Shrine with the bell Tower, the Cemetery, the Ramen shop) and they visited our landlady, Serizawa-san.  She is super nice and paints beautiful flowers.  This is a painting she did and gave us.  It hangs in our home.

We got this fun picture of Todd from someone who was visiting Japan and is probably related to us because her last name is "Flake."