THE COCHRAN CLAN: August 2010

Monday, August 30, 2010

A fellow blogger friend (and sister in law) Ashlee tagged me for a game of 8 questions....

Simple Rules: Answer the 8 questions, come up with 8 new questions, then tag 8 friends...Enjoy!

Here are my questions:

1. Where is your favorite place to shop?

While living in the states, hands down, Target. Here in Japan, I'll just go with "on line". :)

2. What is your favorite book?

I love to read so I don't know if I can choose just one. Some of my favorites are "The Glass Castle" by Jeanette Walls; "Carry Me Home" by Sandra Kring; cheesy chick-lit books like the "Shopaholic" series by Sophie Kinsella; and "Chardonnay isn't for Sippy Cups, and other things I learned as a new mom" (that book is hilarious!!) Those are just a few- I could go on and on...

3. What is your most memorable vacation?

I've been lucky enough to travel to lots of places in my life, so this is hard to pick just one as well. I loved my wedding/honeymoon trip to Belize; my girls trip to Mexico; my trip in college to Australia and New Zealand; my mother/daughter trip to Hawaii; and my most recent family vacation to Malaysia and Thailand.

4. What are you most proud of (other than your kids of course)?

Several things- being a graduate of a prestigious college and having a career; being a wife of a military officer and supporting the US Air Force; moving 1/2 way around the world to Japan and diving right in to life here without skipping a beat; and (I know you said not kids but...) becoming a Mommy to the most wonderful little girl in the world.

5. Are you doing now what you thought you would be 10 yrs ago?

10 years ago I was dating my college sweetheart, and just starting my career as a teacher. I pictured myself being married and having 3 kids and probably still living in Texas in 10 years. It is now 10 years later, and I'm married (although not to the guy I was dating then), have a baby (1, not 3 yet) and live in Japan (definitely NOT Texas)!

6. If time and money were not an issue how many kids would you have?

3- that is what I've always pictured myself with. We have 1 now, and want 1 more for sure (Mal can't be a spoiled only!), but not sure if we will get to a third or not- depends on time, where we are stationed,etc.

7. Edward or Jacob???

Bleech- neither. I couldn't get through the first half of the first book in the series. I know, I know...I'm weird and crazy...
8.Who is your favorite actor/actress?

I think Tom Hanks is an amazing actor (although not in the "hotness" category). For that, I'd have to choose Scott Wolf or Josh Hartnett.

8 Questions....

A fellow blogger friend Allena tagged me for a game of 8 questions....

Simple Rules: Answer the 8 questions, come up with 8 new questions, then tag 8 friends...Enjoy!

1. If you could go on a trip right now, where would it be?
So hard to chose just 1 place! I guess a US place would be San Fran and an out of US place would be Belize.
2. What is your favorite name (not the names of your children)?
My absolute favs I cannot share because they are possible names for a future babe, but after those it would be either Olivia Grace or Braxton
3.What is your favorite website?
There are so many, but at the moment it is Etsy
4. What is the one thing you are embarrassed you bought?
I honestly cannot think of anything I have purchased that would embarrass me for someone to know about.
5. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Done having babies, volunteering like crazy at the boys school, and taking weekend getaways with my man!
6. Are you a beer or wine drinker?
I like both, but prefer wine.
7. If you didn't have to work what would you do?
I have the best job, but if I wasn't staying home with my babes then I would love to run a children's charity.
8. What is your favorite blog?
Baby Half Off

Okay here are the 8 tagged friends:
Erin

Aly

Meagan

Debbie

Hayden

Kristen

Sarah

October

Here are you 8 questions:

1. Where would you like to travel to, if you could pick anywhere in the world?

2. What is your favorite website?

3. What is your favorite drink (alcoholic and non)?

4. What is your favorite recipe?

5. If you could choose to do any job in the world, what would it be?

6. If you were handed $1 million, what would you do with it?

7. What charity do you (or would you like to) donate to the most and why?

8. What is your favorite restaurant?

Thursday, August 26, 2010

Mally-Moo goes to the Zoo

Brett had Memorial Day off (yes, the holiday in May) and so we decided to take a family trip to Tama Zoo. I'd heard it was lots of fun and well laid out, and that is true. We had a great time and saw lots of animals.

Mallory hanging out in her stroller, looking too cute for the zoo :)

The thing that makes this zoo so cool is the affectionately named "meat bus". Basically, you get to be up close and personal with the lions. This is the "bus barn" where you get on/off the buses.

Brett and Mallory waiting to go buy tickets for the bus.

We got tickets, so now we are waiting our turn for the lion bus.

Once on you are basically locked into the bus, you are seated on a row of seats that face out. The bus is covered with windows, and just below the windows, on the sides of the bus, are large chunks of meat and bones. You are driven around the lion area, and some of the lions are laying out in the sun, totally unfazed that you are going by.

Others come RIGHT UP to the bus for a meat snack!

All gone!

That's the closest you ever need to be to a lion, little girl!

After the lion bus, we walked around the rest of the zoo, checking out all the animals.

The elephants posed for us!

Brett posed too.

Look at those cute giraffe butts.

I think that is a tapir of some sort.

Otters- one of my favorite animals

Daddy, Mal and a rhino

He took a bath and came up to say hello!

Koala bears are so cute.

Mommy and Mal check out the kangaroos.

Mallory says, "Yay for the zoo!"

She also wanted to show off her 2 bottom teeth that were just coming in!

We strolled by the tiger- he was less than amused to see us.

It was a fun-filled family day at the zoo, and I can't wait to go back again when Mal is a bit older and can name some of the animals! I had to throw this last picture in of the manhole cover- they are so decorative all over Japan!

Friday, August 20, 2010

Mt. Takao Trick Art Museum

Near us (maybe 30 minutes by train) is a really cool museum, the Mt. Takao Trick Art Museum. The cool thing about it is it isn't like a "museum" at all. No famous works of art, you get to talk and you can touch everything in the building. The whole museum has paintings, but they are on the walls, and look 3-D. When you stand at the right angle and look the right way, it looks like you are really doing or seeing something else! See for yourself:

walking up to the museum