Our first family trip to Tokyo

We've mostly been exploring our neighborhood, but we've also done a few fun day trips.

First, Mike has a lovely colleague who very kindly invited us (and another family with kids) over for a little afternoon party. This was after we'd gotten over the worst of the jet lag and right before all the holiday closings - the timing was perfect.

Getting to her house involved riding the train. While initially exciting, this was also soporific - and a perfect time for me to knit a little on Natalie's hat.

This neighborhood in Tokyo has some really cool buildings:

In terms of activities, these folks hit it out of the park. First, the kids decorated brownies. And then they ate them, of course (no pictures there - I was trying to minimize the mess!)

And then they introduced the kids to their pet ferret. According to the ferret's owners, ferrets are fairly popular pets in Japan because they are quiet and so are perfect for apartment-dwellers. Hmmmmm.....

Finally, we took a lovely walk around their neighborhood, checking out both a playground and the beautiful gardens that belonged to a fancy hotel in the area.

This was such a lovely afternoon. The company was so wonderful, the food was so delicious, and it was just so lovely to just sit and chat and relax (the latter was especially welcome after a hectic three weeks of getting ready to move, moving, and then settling in).